Little Junior Sister, We Can’t Handle This Grind Anymore - Chapter 29

A cultivator who can genuinely break through to the Nascent Soul stage must possess all of the following: innate talent, opportunity, resources, insight, and unwavering determination.

On the Nine Provinces Continent, very few people meet these criteria.

Zhou Jiran, of course, understood the underlying meaning of Zhang Bing’s words. His mind raced through countless possibilities before he spoke: “There is another method to reach the Nascent Soul stage in one’s twenties—cultivating the Dry Heaven Blood-Burning Art. It forcibly elevates one’s cultivation at the cost of burning through their lifespan.”

Zhang Bing shook his head. “Everything related to the Dry Heaven Blood-Burning Art was destroyed centuries ago. It’s impossible for him to have it.”

Hearing Zhang Bing’s words, Zhou Jiran frowned slightly. He found it hard to believe that Mo Jinghong, with his noble and peerless demeanor, would practice such an art.

Moreover, cultivators strive for longevity, seeking to coexist with heaven and earth.

Methods that consume one’s lifespan to cultivate are extremely risky; the slightest misstep could lead to sudden death.

Generally, no one would be foolish enough to practice such an art!

Hu Yunxiang chimed in, “What you said isn’t entirely accurate. Those who practice the Dry Heaven Blood-Burning Art usually appear aged and disfigured, but that young man’s looks were breathtaking, seemingly around seventeen or eighteen years old. It doesn’t seem likely.”

“He must have taken a Beauty Preservation Pill,” one team member suggested.

Zhang Bing was even more skeptical. “The Beauty Preservation Pill is an eighth-grade elixir. Anyone who could obtain an eighth-grade elixir would have no need to practice the Dry Heaven Blood-Burning Art. It doesn’t make sense. Captain, we should report this to the city lord first.”

Zhou Jiran motioned for everyone to disperse, keeping only Su Yanran behind. “Don’t be afraid, young lady. They all say you know those two. Could you tell us more about them?”

Su Yanran looked terrified. “I’m afraid of retaliation.”

“Don’t worry. Even if demonic cultivators want to kill, they wouldn’t dare do it so openly, especially here in Forging City,” Zhou Jiran said softly, noticing Su Yanran’s pitiful expression.

“I… I know one of them. Her name is Feng Qingran, and she seems to have joined a sect called Lingyun Sect. I don’t know the man, but he must also be a demonic cultivator!” Su Yanran stammered timidly.

As she spoke, she began trembling. “I’m so scared they’ll come after me. Can’t you arrest them?”

Tears welled up in Su Yanran’s eyes, as if she were utterly terrified.

“We will try to find those two, but if you could draw their portraits, it would make capturing them easier,” Zhou Jiran said earnestly.

A dark glint flickered in Su Yanran’s eyes. “I can draw them for you, but you must not reveal that I was the one who provided the information.”

Zhou Jiran pondered for a moment before handing her special paper and ink.

Su Yanran took them, her heart racing with excitement. Going against Forging City? Let’s see how Feng Qingran wriggles her way out of this!

She quickly sketched Feng Qingran’s portrait but, out of jealousy, deliberately downplayed her beauty.

When she tried to draw Mo Jinghong, her hand froze mid-air.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t recall his specific features. She only remembered his tall, upright figure, dressed in pristine white robes, with a face of peerless, breathtaking handsomeness.

“Is something troubling you, young lady?” Zhou Jiran asked, noticing her hesitation.

“I can’t draw the man,” Su Yanran admitted, her brush hovering without leaving a single stroke.

A flicker of doubt passed through Zhou Jiran’s eyes, but he smiled and said, “In that case, we won’t take up any more of your time.”

He pointed to a team member. “Escort the young lady back.”

Su Yanran wanted to say more about Mo Jinghong but found herself unable to speak. Shocked, she didn’t dare stay any longer.

After Su Yanran left, Zhou Jiran sent team members to gather a few bystanders who had witnessed the event.

Some were still nearby, and within moments, over a dozen people were brought before him.

Zhou Jiran questioned them one by one and discovered that none could remember Mo Jinghong’s face. Whenever they tried to describe his features, they drew a blank.

Even their memories of Feng Qingran’s appearance were slowly fading from their minds.

Zhou Jiran thanked them and had his team escort them away.

He then burned Feng Qingran’s portrait and said sternly, “Zhang Bing, pass the order: this matter ends here. No further investigation is to be conducted.”

“Why?” Zhang Bing asked, confused.

“This person cannot be investigated, at least not openly. I will report to the city lord and let him handle it,” Zhou Jiran replied, a trace of fear in his eyes.

He had clearly seen Mo Jinghong with his own eyes, yet now he couldn’t recall a single feature of him.

Fragments of memory flashed through Zhou Jiran’s mind, and he muttered to himself, “Has a descendant of that family returned for revenge? It seems chaos is brewing on the Nine Provinces Continent. Staying out of trouble is the wisest course of action!”

…..

Lingyun Sect, Tenth Peak.

Feng Qingran slowly awoke, her apricot-blossom eyes meeting Mo Jinghong’s deep gaze.

Mo Jinghong withdrew his finger from her forehead, and the red mark between her brows faded away.

Feng Qingran glanced around, taking in the extravagant surroundings. “Seventh Senior Brother, what happened to me?”

She only remembered feeling a murderous intent toward Su Yanran before an inexplicable emotion overwhelmed her heart. After that, everything went blank.

“Little Junior Sister, haven’t you noticed something unique about your body?” Mo Jinghong asked in return.