“I've to check on this properly. To be honest, the people I sent on surveillance were followers with Qi Refining Cultivation. I'm afraid they wouldn't be able to tell whether a Golden Core Cultivator escaped,” said Wu Lan, who was a little embarra.s.sed.

“I still seek Miss Wu Lan's help to think of a way. If you can find the missing Golden Core Senior, we'll have another helper,” Yun Jiuge solemnly requested.

“I'll try my best. But as a precaution, I ask Miss Yun to come with me to check,” Wu Lan sincerely invited, wanting to take the opportunity to be closer to Yun Jiuge.

“Okay, I'll go with you,” Yun Jiuge replied. She let Ye Yunzhi remain by Ye Yu's side to stand guard and took Zi Shang, who was in an invisible state, and Wu Lan back to the valley.

Inside the valley, Wu Ya was organizing followers to save and administer treatment to those who had been counterattacked by Zi Shang earlier.

Zi Shang had already showed considerable mercy earlier. Other than being shot by their own poisoned arrows, these followers did not suffer other injuries. They would be alright once they took the antidote.

“Ask Wu Ya to come to the main hall. I need her for something,” Wu Lan commanded her guard.

“Yes,” the guard answered deferentially, and immediately went to look for Wu Ya.

Wu Lan brought Yun Jiuge to the main hall and warmly invited her to take a seat. She also personally served tea as she said, “This is native Golden Tea specific to our Miao region. Miss Yun, please have a sip.”

“This is good tea,” Yun Jiuge said aloud when she smelled the tea. She was about to drink it when Wu Ya arrived and said, “Elder sister, you're looking for me?”

“Yes. Since you've been guarding the swamp land these few days, have you seen anything unusual within our Five Poison Sect?” Wu Lan asked.

Wu Ya glanced at Yun Jiuge and said, “Isn't the unusual object sitting next to you?”

“Don't be impolite,” Wu Lan reprimanded. She continued asking, “Other than Miss Yun, was there anyone else who left the Five Poison Sect? Perhaps, a Golden Core Cultivator?”

“A Golden Core Cultivator? I didn't see one,” said Wu Ya, shaking her head sheepishly. She had not been that careful in watching the Five Poison Sect these few days.

“Miss Wu Ya, the Golden Core Cultivator which our sect sent probably visited the Five Poison Sect in the early hours of the morning. Can you recall if you saw anything unusual during then?” Yun Jiuge asked as she put down the teacup. Chun Sanniang, a Golden Core Cultivator, had been turned into a stone statue. It was not possible that there was no movement within the Five Poison Sect.

“Why did Seniors from your sect visit us in the early hours of the morning anyway?!” Wu Ya replied unkindly. She was resting during then and not at the swamp at all.

“Fine, summon the followers who have been stationed at the swamp these few days. I'll personally ask them,” said Wu Lan who knew her sister's temper well. Asking her was simply a waste of time. It was better to ask those followers.

“Okay,” Wu Ya answered. She unwillingly went down to shout for those people.

Wu Lan personally asked the followers again. An old Miao person eventually provided a clue saying, “In the early hours of the morning, a gust of strong wind suddenly blew outside. It seemed to be headed in the southwest direction.”

“Is there any place in the southwest direction where Yin Qi is particularly intense?” Yun Jiuge asked Wu Lan.

“Yes, there's an extreme Yin place with very intense Yin Qi inside,” answered Wu Lan. She had grown up in s.h.i.+wan Grand Mountain and knew the surroundings like the back of her hand.

“It seems that the Senior could have gone there to recover. I wonder if Miss Wu Lan can take us there,” Yun Jiuge asked. Having someone to lead the way was better than Yun Jiuge blindly going on her own.

“Of course. Let's set off now!” said Wu Lan, who was keen to have one more Golden Core Cultivator to help her.

“Elder sister, I'll go along too,” Wu Ya said, turning towards Wu Lan.

“You — stay here and watch the base camp. Don't cause any trouble,” Wu Lan instructed. She did not want this disappointing sister to offend their guests again.

Wu Ya pouted with displeasure and turned her eyes to examine Yun Jiuge's surroundings.

She vaguely remembered seeing an incredibly beautiful man when she was caught. Could it have been an illusion?

“Miss Yun, s.h.i.+wan Grand Mountains has many trees and a lot of miasma. There'll be many obstacles if you use Flying Devices to travel. How about choosing a black eagle to ride on instead?” Wu Lan kindly suggested.

The Five Poison Sect's black eagles were a mixed breed of Spiritual Beasts and Parasite Beasts. Not only did they know the terrain of s.h.i.+wan Grand Mountains very well, they could also automatically protect their masters and defend against enemies. They were considered to be high caliber.

“I was just thinking the same. I'd have to trouble Miss Wu Lan to arrange it then,” replied Yun Jiuge. Wu Lan was trying to please her so that Yun Jiuge would not always give her att.i.tude.

“We've an eagle sanctuary here in Five Poison Sect. Come with me to select it!” Wu Lan exclaimed. She brought Yun Jiuge to the overhanging cliffs where they bred their black eagles in captivity.

There were majestic black eagles perched on the precipitous rock faces, looking down at them. They let out loud and clear calls. But they were actually gossiping.

“Big Sister Wu Lan has brought someone here.”

“This chick looks good. I like her.”

“Dream on. With your burly appearance, do you think you're worthy of such a refined chick? Only I, with my honest and handsome looks, will do…”

Yun Jiuge felt rather tickled listening to those male eagles chatter. Indeed, food and s.e.x were natural desires. Even male eagles knew how to pick a good-looking master.

“Miss Yun, have you made your choice? Would you like me to recommend one?” Wu Lan realized that Yun Jiuge had a mind of her own and dared not boldly make a recommendation, lest she cause a misunderstanding.

“These male eagles are all good,” Yun Jiuge thought to herself as she was about to randomly choose one. But Zi Shang said to her through mental transmission, “Choose the one in the third hole on the left side.”

“That one is too fat!” Yun Jiuge cried in surprise as she looked in the direction Zi Shang had pointed. She was somewhat perplexed by it.

She saw a black eagle with a round head and an extremely fat body crouching in a hole in the cliff. She would have thought it was a chubby pigeon if she did not look carefully.

“Its Cultivation is already close to a Golden Core but it just hasn't activated its wisdom yet,” Zi Shang whispered.

“How's that possible?” A Demonic Beast could only cultivate to become a Spiritual Beast after it had activated its wisdom. Some Demonic Beasts at Foundation Establishment Stage were already able to communicate with consciousness, and some were also quite articulate.

An extraordinary talent like Chun Sanniang, who both cultivated Seduction and performed frequent Dual Cultivation with men, transformed her appearance ahead of time.

No matter how dumb and dull a Beast was, it was impossible for one with a Golden Core Cultivation to not have activated its wisdom yet.

“Whether or not that's possible, take a look and you'll know,” Zi Shang said, not knowing how to explain. He decided to let Yun Jiuge observe for herself.

Yun Jiuge opened her Spiritual Eye to look carefully and saw that the Demonic Power in the fat eagle was extraordinarily strong.

Although it had a Golden Core Cultivation, there was a strange golden energy with strands of grayness trapped within its head, giving it a dull and blank appearance.

“What's that thing in its head?” Yun Jiuge asked. She took another look and still could not figure it out.

“I can't tell what it is either. Anyway, choose it first and we'll carefully study it,” replied Zi Shang. Because of this, Yun Jiuge chose that fat eagle.

Otherwise, if it were just for a ride, the many other black eagles could do the trick.

“Okay,” Yun Jiuge said as she nodded. She then continued to Wu Lan, “I choose that one.”

“This one?” Wu Lan asked. She was momentarily puzzled when she saw that black eagle, whose face was so fat that its features could not be seen clearly. When did she have such a fat black eagle in her eagle sanctuary?