Suddenly, as if struck by a thought, Liu Xiyun locked her gaze on the little maid stepping toward her.

She stayed silent at first. Only after taking five or six jade bottles from the maid’s hands, opening them, and swallowing the pills inside did she feel her yuan energy surge again. A faint smirk tugged at her lips as she stared meaningfully ahead.

“You claimed you knew nothing,” she said.

“Huh? Knew nothing about what?” The maid outside still looked utterly confused.

Liu Xiyun chuckled coldly.

Still playing dumb!

She raised her hand and slammed it against the iron cell door.

*Bang!*

*Boom!*

The door flew off, crashing heavily near the maid’s feet.

The maid blinked down at it.

Liu Xiyun stepped closer, gripping the maid’s wrist tightly. “You said you knew nothing. Then how did you reach Half Step Yellow Rank?”

“Uh? Huh?” The maid tilted her head again.

Liu Xiyun frowned. “Stop pretending! Who are you? Why do you carry that person’s scent?”

“Huh? Pretending? What scent?”

“Hmph! You won’t talk without a taste of pain!” Liu Xiyun tightened her grip, eliciting a pained cry from the maid.

“Ah! Don’t—don’t hit me!” the maid struggled.

Liu Xiyun didn’t let go. “Answer my questions!”

“I—I don’t know! I know nothing! A young master just told me to call you. He gave me those bottles—I gave them all to you! I only ate a few candy beans out of curiosity. I won’t do it again. Please don’t hit me!”

“…” Liu Xiyun frowned. “A young master sent you to fetch me?”

“Yes! He said his name is Qin Ling. He’s fighting the elders in the cave where the adults are!”

“What!?” Liu Xiyun’s face paled. “Qin Ling? He’s facing an Earth Rank expert!?”

“Yes, that’s what the brother said,” the maid nodded eagerly.

Liu Xiyun’s heart raced. She yanked the maid forward. “Then lead me to him now!”

“O-okay! You’re going the wrong way. This side,” the maid tugged Liu Xiyun’s arm, whispering a reminder.

“Hm?” Liu Xiyun stopped but didn’t move again.

She eyed the pretty maid suspiciously.

“You’re lying. They said Qin Ling is only Half Step Yellow Rank. How could he fight someone with Earth Rank strength?”

“And… you still haven’t explained your cultivation. You have power but pretend not to know yuan energy or ranks? Hah! Are you scheming against me?”

“Huh?” The maid blinked rapidly, shaking her head. “No! I’m telling the truth. I know nothing. I just ate some pills from your bottles—I don’t know why this happened!”

She pointed at the jade bottles in Liu Xiyun’s hand. Liu Xiyun glanced at one, frowning again.

“Pulse-Opening Pill? Hmph!”

As the name suggested, it opened meridians for unranked warriors to break through. But only those who sensed martial qi could use it.

If this maid truly knew nothing, how had she used it?

Liu Xiyun’s eyes turned icy, unconvinced.

Then her gaze shifted to another bottle she’d overlooked earlier. Her pupils narrowed.

Origin-Opening Pill?

The ancient pill from legends that opened a mortal’s yuan sea!

If the maid had eaten this too, reaching Half Step Yellow Rank overnight might be possible.

Still cautious, Liu Xiyun held up the Origin-Opening Pill bottle. “Did you eat this one too?”

“Yes! It tasted good, so I finished it all.” The maid nodded happily, then her face twisted in fear. “You—you won’t kill me for the pills, will you? Don’t kill me!”

“…” Liu Xiyun checked the empty bottle and released the struggling maid.

“Enough. I won’t kill you. Now take me to this ‘young master’ you mentioned.”

She needed to see what was really happening.

A random maid saving her? Impossible. Qin Ling, only Half Step Yellow Rank, couldn’t challenge an Earth Rank expert. Someone must be impersonating him to trap her.

She’d find out who—and why—they went to such trouble.

Liu Xiyun dragged the maid along, following her directions to a cave entrance.

Peering out, she saw a vast underground cavern.

Bright light poured from above, casting rippling water patterns on the floor—a one-sided water-filled dome overhead.

*Bang! Boom!*

*Thud! Thud!*

Beneath the shimmering dome, sounds of violent clashes echoed through the cavern.

“Damn dog! Are you insane? You’d kill me too!?” A familiar voice rang out, making Liu Xiyun’s brow furrow.