CHAPTER 41: TRACKING DOWN

Yue Minghua burst out of her meditation chamber and ran through the sect’s corridors, heading toward the mission hall.

Disciples bowed as she passed, but she ignored them all.

"Where is Elder Wei?" she demanded when she reached the mission hall. "Where is my sister’s assigned protector?"

A sect administrator looked up in confusion. "Princess Minghua? Elder Wei should be with your sister on her training journey. They departed three days ago."

"Something’s happened," Minghua insisted. "I need to know where they are right now. Contact Elder Wei immediately."

The administrator hesitated, then nodded and retrieved a communication talisman. He tried to activate it.

Nothing happened.

He tried again. Still no response.

"The connection isn’t working," he reported, now looking worried himself. "Either Elder Wei is too far away, or..." He didn’t finish the sentence, but the implication was clear.

Minghua’s face went pale. "Assemble a search team. Now. I’m going after her."

"But Princess, you just returned from your own mission yesterday. You haven’t fully recovered yet. And we don’t know where exactly they are."

"I said now!" Minghua’s voice carried the authority of both a princess and a Golden Core cultivator. Spiritual pressure radiated from her, making the administrator take a step back.

"Yes, Your Highness. I’ll gather a team immediately."

Within minutes, a group of six Blue Rain Sect disciples, all at the Foundation Establishment Realm or higher, had assembled in the courtyard. Minghua stood before them, her expression grim.

"My sister is in danger," she announced. "We’re tracking her last known location and following from there. Move fast. We leave immediately."

The team departed at maximum speed, shooting through the sky as streaks of light.

They traveled for hours, pushing their cultivation to the limit. Minghua led them toward the general region where her sister’s training mission was supposed to take place.

As night fell, they finally sensed traces of spiritual energy fluctuations ahead. Signs of a recent battle.

The group descended to investigate. They found themselves in a mountain valley. The ground was torn up. Trees were scorched. Clear signs of a fight involving Golden Core level cultivators.

"Spread out and search," Minghua commanded. "Look for any clues about what happened here."

The disciples scattered, examining the area carefully. One of them called out almost immediately.

"Princess! Over here!"

Minghua rushed over. The disciple was kneeling beside a figure lying on the ground.

An older man in Blue Rain Sect robes. His condition was terrible. Multiple wounds covered his body. His cultivation was damaged. But he was still breathing, barely.

"Elder Wei!" Minghua dropped to her knees beside him, immediately channeling her spiritual energy to stabilize his condition.

Elder Wei’s eyes fluttered open. Recognition dawned in them when he saw Minghua. "Princess... Minghua..." His voice was barely a whisper.

"Don’t speak. Save your strength," Minghua urged, feeding him a healing pill.

But Elder Wei shook his head weakly. "No time. Must tell you. Lianhua... betrayed... traitor in the sect..."

Minghua’s eyes widened. "A traitor? Who?"

"Don’t know... poison... Lianhua was poisoned by someone she trusted. Before I could react, assassins attacked. Dark Blade Sect. Four of them, all Golden Core. I tried to protect her, but..." He coughed, blood staining his lips. "Someone held me back. Very strong. Couldn’t break free. Lianhua ran... I saw which direction... northeast... toward the mountains..."

"The traitor," Minghua demanded. "Where are they?"

Elder Wei gestured weakly toward a clump of bushes nearby. "Captured him after I broke free. Tied him up there. But he won’t talk."

Minghua stood and strode toward the bushes. Her disciples had already pulled a bound figure out into the open.

A young man, also wearing Blue Rain Sect robes. He was conscious but glaring defiantly.

Minghua recognized him immediately. One of the junior disciples who had volunteered to accompany her sister on this journey. His name was Chen Hu, and he’d always seemed loyal and respectful.

"You," Minghua said coldly. Fury radiated from her in waves. "You betrayed my sister. Why?"

Chen Hu spat on the ground. "I have nothing to say to you."

"Wrong answer." Minghua’s hand shot out, grabbing him by the throat. She lifted him off the ground effortlessly. "I’ll ask once more. Who paid you? Who ordered the assassination?"

Chen Hu struggled, but his cultivation was sealed by Elder Wei’s binding formation. He couldn’t resist her grip.

"You can kill me," he gasped out. "But I won’t say a word."

Minghua’s eyes narrowed. "Then I’ll tear the information from your mind directly."

"Elder Lin, please search his memories." She said.

Suddenly an older man appeared. This was her Hidden Protector. The one who is meant to keep tabs on her and her sister.

Due to how dangerous her previous mission was, he left with her alone.

Elder Lin was a Nascent Soul Realm powerhouse!

Without saying a word he placed his hand on Chen Hu’s forehead, preparing to forcibly search his memories with a soul-reading technique. It was a brutal method that would likely destroy his mind afterward, but she didn’t care.

But before he could complete the technique, Chen Hu smiled.

"You’re too late," he said.

His body suddenly convulsed. Foam appeared at his mouth. His eyes rolled back.

*Thud!*

He went limp in Minghua’s grasp. Dead.

"Poison!" one of the disciples exclaimed. "He had a poison tooth!"

Minghua kicked the body in frustration and disgust. A poison tooth was a common tool for spies and assassins who needed a guaranteed way to die if captured.

This traitor had hidden one in his mouth and bitten down at the last moment.

She turned away from the corpse, her hands clenched into fists. Her sister was out there somewhere, injured and being hunted. And she’d just lost her only lead on who was behind this.

"Princess?" one of the disciples asked carefully. "What are our orders?"

Minghua took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm. Getting emotional wouldn’t help her sister now.

"Elder Wei said Lianhua fled northeast toward the mountains," she said. "That’s where we go. Maximum speed. We don’t stop until we find her."

She looked up at the darkening sky. ’Hold on, sister. Please be alive. I’m coming.’

The group took off again, heading northeast. Behind them, Elder Wei was being carried by two disciples, still barely conscious but stable enough to survive the journey.

Elder Lin never said a word but followed them stealthily.

He had already reported the situation using a communication talisman.

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