C8 Leave!

Qianxun returned to her room and immediately began crafting talismans, having already put the matter of Fuqi out of her mind. Seeing the object of her dreams right in front of her filled her with excitement and nervousness. She held the talisman brush, dipped it in vermilion, and began to draw. The pattern she had practiced hundreds of times at the South Sea came to life in one fluid motion, and a first-grade talisman paper appeared before her eyes.

However, creating just one first-grade talisman paper consumed nearly one-fifteenth of her spiritual energy, meaning her energy reserves could only produce fifteen of these talismans. Clearly, she needed to enhance her abilities quickly.

With that thought, Su Qianxun continued crafting talismans while meditating to restore her energy. Time slipped away as she focused her efforts on making talismans and improving her skills. As for alchemy, she decided to hold off for now. There were two reasons: first, alchemy required too many resources and could easily arouse suspicion; second, it was too complex. She planned to wait until her skills were more advanced before tackling it.

One day, Qianxun was in the courtyard reading books borrowed from the library. Not far behind her, Changyi watched her intently. When he first saw her at the competition in Lingzhuang, he had a feeling she would win. Her agile movements and strategic mind set her apart from those who relied solely on brute strength.

In the face of danger, she bravely stepped in to save them, even risking her life. Her abilities usually didn't allow her to use magic, which might have been her secret, but she revealed it to rescue them. How could one not feel a sense of admiration for such a courageous and intelligent woman?

He composed himself and approached her. "Junior Sister Qianxun, the chief wants you to go to the Horizon View."

Su Qianxun stood up and, seeing it was Su Changyi, bowed respectfully. "Senior Brother Changyi, I'll head there right away."

"I'll go with you," Su Changyi said gently.

"Senior Brother, I haven't seen you since you returned last time. How have you been?" Qianxun asked.

"I'm doing well. How about you, Junior Sister? You were seriously injured. How's your recovery going?"

"With the chief and Fourth Master helping, I'm all better now."

They chatted casually as they reached the Horizon View, where Su Changyi took his leave.

Su Qianxun walked forward alone and saw Su Baihan standing at the edge, overlooking the entire Fallen Mountain City.

"Chief," Su Qianxun called out.

Su Baihan turned around with a gentle smile. "Ah, Qianxun, you're here."

He invited Su Qianxun to stand beside him. "Qianxun, what do you think of Fallen Mountain City?"

Not understanding his intent, Su Qianxun replied cautiously, "Fallen Mountain City, with its back against the Great Rift and surrounded by misty forests, is easy to defend and hard to attack. It's an excellent strategic location."

"However, despite being a prime location, it's far from peaceful. Previously, some of our disciples were mysteriously killed, and those sent to assist them vanished without a trace. Now, there's been an attack on the spirit mine, nearly wiping out the Su family's workers overnight. Every estate, big and small, has also been targeted."

"The Su family is now surrounded by danger. The enemy is in the shadows while we are exposed, leaving us constantly on the defensive..." Su Baihan's voice was filled with helplessness and deep concern, his expression gloomy. Even when he smiled, it lacked the usual spirit.

"Father, how did the Su family end up in such a crisis? Where is this threat coming from?" Su Qianxun also sensed the gravity of the situation.

Su Baihan shook his head. "I'm not sure about my suspicions, but I suspect the Zhao family is involved, possibly with a few others. Our informant within the Zhao family reported that Zhao Fuming has returned. We knew him in our youth—he's extremely ruthless and brutal. Besides, he brought back a mysterious figure."

"I'm worried that the Su family's crisis is due to Zhao Fuming and this mysterious person."

Su Qianxun thought for a moment before speaking, "So, Father, what do you plan to do?"

"I want you and some of the talented disciples of the Su family to go to the spirit mine and resolve this matter," Su Baihan said, looking at Qianxun with utmost seriousness.

"Father wants to leave some legacy for the Su family, just in case something goes wrong, so there's a chance to rise again, right?"

"Yes, resolving the spirit mine issue is just a cover. The real goal is to help you all avoid this disaster and also to help the entire Su family in Fallen Mountain City get through it," Su Baihan said solemnly.

"Father, if that's the case, then you should arrange for my senior brothers and sisters to leave. My skills are still lacking, and I want to stay," Qianxun's voice drifted away with the wind, yet it reached Su Baihan's ears with clarity.

"Qianxun, you have more important things to do. You must survive," Su Baihan's eyes were filled with a mix of determination, expectation, and sorrow as he looked at Su Qianxun.

"What is it, Father?" Su Qianxun asked, slightly dazed.

Su Baihan turned his head away for a long moment before speaking, "I'll tell you what it is later. For now, you must live. That's my greatest wish, not just because you're my daughter."

Seeing this, Qianxun couldn't argue further and simply replied, "Alright, I'll follow your arrangements."

"Qianxun, as you leave, I have nothing much to give you. Take this storage bag as a gift from me. Also, this artifact belonged to your mother. You can't wield it yet, but since you share her bloodline, it will help you sense safety within five yards. With it, I can rest easy." With that, he personally placed a bracelet adorned with golden bells on her wrist.

Su Qianxun allowed Su Baihan to help her put it on, then placed the storage bag in her hand. "Come here at midnight tonight, and I'll help you leave."

"Okay, I'll go prepare now."

"Go ahead."

Qianxun bowed and left, returning to her room to gather some things. She threaded the ring onto a thin string and kept it close, filled with a large number of spirit stones and talismans.

She opened the storage bag Baihan had just given her. Inside was a piece of clothing, along with a large number of spirit stones, talismans, and various pills.

Qianxun took out the clothing, a form-fitting vest made from the finest silk. She was touched that such a valuable item was given to her.

She wore the vest underneath her outer garments, making it nearly invisible. What she didn’t know was that the vest was more than just finely crafted silk.

With the Su family in a precarious situation, she couldn’t afford to be idle. The journey ahead was long, and her skills were limited. She needed to make more talismans to ensure her safety.

While crafting talismans, she also trained. After spending so much time on first-level talismans, she began attempting to create second-level ones.

Focusing intently, she traced the patterns in her mind, controlling the talisman pen with precision. Stroke by stroke, she concentrated until she finished, smiling at the talisman brimming with spiritual energy.

After several attempts, crafting the second-level talisman became second nature. As midnight approached, Qianxun regained her spiritual energy and decided to stop experimenting, choosing instead to quietly await the arrival of the hour.