Chapter One Hundred: Tao's Departure

Qin Yu strode quickly out of the tent, her eyes flickering with surprise as she took in the scene outside.

On one side stood Zhao Meng and her companions, while across from them was a figure shrouded entirely in black. Night had fallen, and the person seemed almost to melt into the darkness, making it impossible to tell if they were male or female, young or old. Were it not for the faint moonlight, no one would have noticed that someone was standing there at all.

Beside the black-clad figure, embers danced in the air—a clear sign of Zhao Meng's handiwork with her fireballs.

Qin Yu hurried to Zhao Meng's side and asked, "What is going on?"

Zhao Meng lowered her voice, "I don't know what's wrong with this person. They appeared out of nowhere and started manhandling Little Peach, saying they wanted her to leave with them. Just look at themselves, dressed head to toe in black, and think they can take Peach away—what a delusion! Hmph!"

Qin Yu frowned, "So what's the situation now?"

Zhao Meng glanced at Peach, who kept her head down. "This guy keeps pulling at her, insisting Peach follow him. Naturally, I refused and hit him with a fireball. That's all there is to it!"

Qin Yu looked at Peach, whose thoughts remained unreadable, then at the silent figure across from them. She spoke slowly, "May I ask what business brings you here, honored elder?"

The black-clad stranger lifted their head, glancing at Qin Yu before shifting their gaze to Peach. "Come with me. Now."

Seeing herself ignored, Qin Yu felt a surge of irritation but maintained a calm smile. She stepped forward, positioning herself deliberately in front of Peach and blocking the stranger's view.

"Peach is a member of our team. For you to demand her without reason puts us in a difficult position," Qin Yu said.

The stranger eyed Qin Yu, now shielding Peach, voice laced with venom. "So it's because of this person you refuse to leave with me? Fine. Very well. If I kill her, you'll come with me, won't you?"

No sooner had the words left their lips than the stranger lunged at Qin Yu. Startled, she dodged desperately. The black-clad figure sneered, formed a strange gesture with their hands, and suddenly darkness enveloped Qin Yu.

When she regained her senses, Qin Yu found herself in a strange space. Darkness reigned. She frowned and took a step forward, only for a fireball to shoot out from nowhere, singeing her hair before she could evade.

The acrid scent of burnt hair soured Qin Yu’s mood. She surmised she had been thrown into some kind of magical array where danger lurked at every trigger point.

Carefully avoiding traps, Qin Yu spread her spiritual awareness throughout the space, searching for any flaw.

Outside, Zhao Meng and the others watched Qin Yu with anxious faces. Zhao Meng's worry quickly turned to anger, and she conjured two large fireballs, hurling them at the black-clad stranger. The figure only sneered, calling it child's play, and summoned a water dragon to devour the fireballs.

The others attacked as well, but each move was effortlessly countered. Zhao Meng and her companions were unnerved by how easily the stranger neutralized their attacks, barely a flick of their sleeve. The overwhelming power left their faces grim.

Inside the array, Qin Yu gradually discerned its patterns as she evaded danger. Soon, she found a weakness. Closing her eyes, she focused her spirit, then moved swiftly, stabbing her dagger at a precise spot.

In an instant, the space shattered. Qin Yu broke free and found herself standing where she had been before. Looking up, she saw Zhao Meng and Xia Cheng with blood at the corners of their mouths, Nangong Yao nowhere to be seen, and Wang Bing and others unconscious on the ground.

Peach stood before Zhao Meng and the others, facing the black-clad stranger. Both seemed to sense Qin Yu had escaped; their gazes turned to her. The stranger looked back at Peach and commented, "The one you chose is not bad."

Peach replied, "Better than you."

The black-clad figure snorted, "Even so, you must come back with me, unless you wish to die."

Peach looked at the stranger, her voice chilly. "Didn’t I already die once?"

The stranger paused, then threatened, "If you don’t leave with me today, I’ll kill her. You know she hasn’t grown strong yet—she’s no match for me. Killing her would be effortless." He pointed at Qin Yu, malice flashing in his eyes.

Peach glanced at Qin Yu, then at the unconscious Wang Bing and the wounded Xia Cheng and Zhao Meng. She sighed softly and walked over to Qin Yu.

Standing beside her, Peach took Qin Yu’s hand and turned to the stranger, saying, "I’ll go with you."

The stranger glanced impatiently at their joined hands. "If you have something to say, say it quickly."

Peach nodded, produced a small pouch from her robes, and handed it to Qin Yu. "Take this. Keep it safe, and tell no one. Qin Yu, I’ll wait for the day you grow strong. Then I’ll tell you everything. Also, please do your utmost to save him. Tell him I’m waiting for him to come find me."

Qin Yu took the pouch and nodded, "Don’t worry. I’ll do my best." She wondered why Peach thought the man wasn’t dead, or why she was so sure Qin Yu could save him. Tonight, Peach felt like a stranger.

It was as if Qin Yu had never truly seen this person before. What was the truth behind all of this? She felt caught in a maze, tangled in countless vague clues she couldn't unravel.

Peach finished speaking, unconcerned by Qin Yu’s confusion, and walked to the stranger’s side. "Let’s go."

The stranger took Peach’s hand with a hint of pleasure. "Come."

The two gradually faded into the darkness. As they disappeared, the stranger glanced toward the tent, a cryptic smile curling at his lips.

Inside the tent, Nangong Yao, concealing himself, sensed the stranger’s gaze and laughed at himself. Had his strength really fallen so far? To be noticed so easily—clearly, he needed to recover his power.

Outside, Qin Yu clenched the pouch tightly, her eyes clouded and inscrutable. How long had it been since she’d felt such helplessness—watching her companion leave with another, powerless to intervene?

She laughed bitterly at herself. Life truly seemed to be moving backward.

Now, silence reigned, broken only by the wind and the whispered voices of the others.