Chapter 22: No, listen to the words you're using; do you really think that's appropriate?

Xia Huanjiao had wanted to refuse, but upon glancing down and seeing the circles of red, bruised marks on the "little rabbit's" feet, she felt a pang of surprise.

This was hardly the time for questions, though. She made a split-second decision and hoisted the little girl onto her back. Even in such a moment, Xia Huanjiao did not forget the others, asking in a low voice, "Did you see any other children?"

"No."

The little girl’s voice sounded strange—perhaps hoarse from her earlier cries, or perhaps just thin and airy from emotional instability. Xia Huanjiao suppressed her doubts, wondering how it was that she had clearly heard the voices of multiple children during the day, yet found only this one girl now.

Still, saving one was better than none. If there were no others, so be it. She would come back to check again when the sun rose.

Xia Huanjiao did not hesitate. Though her health was poor, she had many tricks for self-preservation, and she could move quite quickly when she needed to. However, fate is rarely kind; the more cautious she was, the more likely she was to be targeted.

The crows above stirred, flapping their black wings until they nearly blotted out the red moon in the sky. Xia Huanjiao ran for a long time, only to realize she was running in circles. Panic began to claw at her heart, yet she maintained a calm, impassive expression on her round face, whispering comforting words to the girl on her back.

"Don't worry, I will get you out of here."

The little girl's red eyes brightened. She reached out with pale hands to hug Xia Huanjiao’s neck tightly, murmuring, "Thank you, big brother. You are so kind, big brother."

Xia Huanjiao found it hard to imagine what the child had endured, but seeing her unusual skin tone, white hair, and red eyes, she knew the girl must have suffered greatly. As for the possibility that the girl was a demonic cultivator, Xia Huanjiao had considered it, but the "Cloud Lamp" she carried for detecting demonic energy had remained silent. Thus, it was highly likely the girl was not a demonic cultivator. As for the remaining one-tenth of a chance, she assumed the artifact must be broken.

A harsh, grating voice drifted down from above. It was unclear if all demonic cultivators enjoyed speaking in such affected, high-pitched tones, but it sounded exactly like a crow.

"Little brat, you’ve got quite the nerve, daring to steal someone from my territory."

Xia Huanjiao: ...

*No, really, listen to your own word choice—do you think that’s appropriate? "Stealing someone"? That doesn't sound like anything good.*

Ignoring the demonic cultivator playing the part of a crow, Xia Huanjiao backed away cautiously. *Almost there.*

She was nearing the barrier.

But in the next heartbeat, the barrier, which had been within arm's reach, was pulled further away.

"Heh-heh-heh-heh, you didn't actually think I would let you leave, did you?" The voice sneered. "How about this? I’m not a bad person. If you put that little brat on your back down, I’ll ensure you remain in one piece—I'll even leave your corpse intact. How’s that?"

Xia Huanjiao laughed out loud at the offer. "You old scoundrel, why don't you just say you never intended to let us leave alive?"

She looked up and finally identified the demonic cultivator in the tree: draped in black robes, with hair half-white and half-black, and eyes of pure, sightless obsidian. It was the notorious "Eyeless Old Poison," Xi Renxie.

During her time at the Sword Sect, Xia Huanjiao hadn't just spent her days eating and playing; she had studied the profiles of the most representative cultivators in the world of cultivation. This old monster had been twisted by the trauma of having his eyes gouged out by a furnace. He thrived on the screams of others; the more agonizing the shriek, the more excited he became, and the more brutal his methods. Because he was blind, he relied on sound to navigate and to perceive the expressions of his victims. Truly twisted.

In the tree, Xi Renxie heard Xia Huanjiao’s laughter, tilted his head, and leaned his left ear toward her position. "So, it really is a little brat."

Xia Huanjiao froze, a jolt of alarm flashing through her! *Wait—was this old monster just probing me all this time?!*

The moment she spoke, he had located her position and gauged her height, weight, and age. *Damn it!* She had fallen for his trap. She had assumed he heard her from the start and knew exactly who she was, which was why she had been so bold in her retorts. No wonder he had stayed in the tree from the beginning—it was purely to pinpoint her location.

"I'm sorry, big brother. Did I drag you down?" The little girl on her back spoke up, oblivious to the danger, further complicating an already perilous situation.

"Shut up!" Xia Huanjiao hissed through gritted teeth, the words squeezed out from her throat.

Xi Renxie did not emit that strange, mocking laugh again. Instead, he tilted his head, seemingly deep in thought. It was bizarre; demonic cultivators were always so strange. Xia Huanjiao knew that his hearing was preternaturally sharp, so she had to find another way to move.

Suddenly, Xia Huanjiao set the little girl down. Before she could speak, the girl grabbed her hand, her voice trembling with tears. She looked utterly pitiful. "Big brother, are you going to abandon me?"

Xia Huanjiao felt as if she might grind her teeth to dust! *In such a critical moment, why won't this child listen to me!* She had never been known for her patience, and years of being spoiled by the Sword Sect had only made her more headstrong. Without thinking, she reached out to cover the girl’s mouth, leaned close to her ear, and whispered, "Don't speak. I will get you out."

The little girl blinked to show she understood. Xia Huanjiao, no longer trusting her, kept her hand clamped firmly over the girl's mouth. She whispered her plan into the girl's ear with rapid speed, then let go and bolted.

Xi Renxie had actually given them the time to communicate, only giving chase once Xia Huanjiao started running and left the girl behind. Xia Huanjiao’s health was poor, and she couldn't run fast. She was quickly caught by Xi Renxie, lifted off the ground by the scruff of her neck.

His voice was laced with dark energy, and his pale face was marked with blue veins—the signature of a demonic cultivator. "I thought you might last a little longer."

He sniffed the air, his nostrils twitching. "Strange... why does it smell like a sword cultivator?"

*BOOM!*

A thunderous explosion erupted behind him. The dilapidated mud walls were leveled in an instant. The smell of gunpowder filled the air, and the mystery of what the little girl had been doing was suddenly resolved.

Xi Renxie stood frozen, the back of his figure illuminated by the roaring flames. Being dangled in the air made it hard for Xia Huanjiao to breathe, but she refused to yield. She knew exactly what to say to shatter his composure, and where to twist the knife to cause the most pain.

She opened her mouth, gasping, "What a... what a pity... you're a blind old fool... you can't even see... such beautiful fireworks."