Chapter Twenty-Three: Watching the Spy

After breakfast, the Azure Cloud Sect was divided into three sections for cleaning, each assigned to one person. Then came the usual training session.

Under the effect of the scripture, the hall rapidly stretched and expanded, transforming from a space of ordinary size into an endless, spacious realm. No matter how many times she witnessed it, Tia always found the scene overwhelmingly astonishing.

Bai Yujing clasped his hands in his sleeves, his expression calm as he said, "Today's training is not a sparring match between you two, but rather you joining forces against Zhu Ying."

"Is our junior sister really that strong?" Tia raised an eyebrow, casting a glance at Zhu Ying beside her.

Judging by appearance, Zhu Ying seemed younger than herself and was also shorter. Could she be one of those who looks young but is actually an ancient monster, hundreds of years old? But she didn't seem the type.

Unable to resist, Tia asked, "Junior sister, how old are you?"

"Seventeen," Zhu Ying replied, her face cold and forbidding, as if strangers should keep their distance. Yet, faced with her allies, she answered truthfully.

Tia's face showed astonishment. She had thought she and Liu Shuangling, along with Bai Yujing, were already at the pinnacle of the monstrous world, only to discover a being here that surpassed them even further.

Seventeen years old and able to withstand a joint attack from her and Liu Shuangling?

She had no doubt Bai Yujing was telling the truth. Since he said the two needed to work together to face their junior sister, it meant Zhu Ying truly possessed such strength.

Liu Shuangling’s expression was equally complex. Bai Yujing was older than them, so his power could be explained by a few extra years of cultivation. But Zhu Ying was younger, yet possessed such ability—it could only be attributed to extraordinary talent.

Soon, however, intense interest appeared on Liu Shuangling’s face. Unlike Tia, who wished to subdue everyone and needed no challengers, Liu Shuangling was delighted to encounter a worthy opponent.

"In that case," Liu Shuangling smiled slightly, "junior sister, let us witness your power."

"Alright," Zhu Ying answered coldly.

In her jet-black pupils, blood-red mandala patterns bloomed, exuding a chilling pressure.

Liu Shuangling exclaimed in shock, "Rakshasa Eyes!"

"What is that?" Tia turned her head, confused.

Bai Yujing was also somewhat curious. He usually devoted himself solely to cultivation and rarely read outside that realm.

Liu Shuangling explained, "The power of the demon race can be inherited through bloodlines. It's rare for any demon to surpass their ancestors. Among all demon bloodlines, the imperial bloodline of Emperor Jun is the most noble. Legend has it Emperor Jun possessed a pair of divine eyes unmatched by any, ruling the world with their might. If not for his sudden disappearance one day, humanity might still be under demon rule."

She paused, then continued, "Rakshasa Eyes are the incomplete form of the divine eyes, still possessing formidable power. The last great demon with Rakshasa Eyes appeared a thousand years ago—Emperor Hong—who attempted to overthrow the Xia Kingdom. After being defeated by the Celestial Emperor, he vanished without a trace."

Tia looked at Liu Shuangling in amazement. "How do you know all this?"

"I just like reading miscellaneous books," Liu Shuangling replied honestly.

Bai Yujing clapped, interrupting their conversation. "Enough idle talk. Let's begin."

Before he finished speaking, a translucent golden phantom erupted from Zhu Ying’s body, though it didn’t fully materialize. Even the vague upper torso that formed on the ground emitted a suffocating pressure.

Tia was now certain her junior sister was the one who wreaked havoc at the Treasure Pavilion last night. And the person who helped her disappear and evade Iron Hand’s pursuit was undoubtedly the sect leader.

"This is information I can use," Tia thought, "but I still need to think carefully."

She realized she didn’t know enough about Xia Kingdom’s laws; she needed to first find out how such actions by the sect leader would be judged. Only by knowing the severity of the consequences could she decide whether to betray them.

These thoughts flashed through Tia’s mind, but she quickly set them aside. Now was not the time for such concerns—what mattered most was improving her own strength.

...

The battle was exceptionally difficult.

Tia and Liu Shuangling couldn’t break through the Giant Spirit God's defense, but their mastery of the Yu step and their combat intuition were outstanding. Zhu Ying always felt as if she were swatting at flies—knowing a hit would end the fight, yet never landing a blow.

Watching them, Bai Yujing judged it was time and called out, "Alright, pause."

The upper body phantom of the Giant Spirit God slowly dissipated, and Zhu Ying landed on the ground. Her expression remained icy, but the prolonged use of Rakshasa Eyes had drained much of her spiritual pressure. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and her cold cheeks gained a hint of peach-red, lending her a strikingly cold allure.

"Haah, ha..." Tia bent over, gasping for breath, her hands resting on her knees.

Her posture made her lower body taut, accentuating the peach-like curves of her figure, leaving one unsure whether to focus on her chest or her hips.

Bai Yujing clapped and said, "Wash your faces. Accompany Zhu Ying to the tailor for her measurements, so all uniforms can be made on the same day. Also, buy her some clothes that fit."

"Alright," Tia replied, beckoning to Zhu Ying, "Junior sister, let’s go."

Zhu Ying considered Tia's leader-like demeanor for a moment, but didn’t mind. For her, leading the three was unimportant. She had only one goal for staying in the Azure Cloud Sect: to kill Bai Yujing.

After the three left the hall, Bai Yujing restored it to its original form and switched his status on the Demon-Hunting App to online.

His goal today was to complete seventeen grade-C orders and elevate the Azure Cloud Sect to grade-C in one go.

He refreshed the order page periodically.

Suddenly, a new order popped up. The content was cryptic—simply stating "monitor someone," with all other details replaced by asterisks, only revealed after accepting the order.

Bai Yujing clicked to accept, and another confidentiality agreement appeared with a one-click input box below.

He pressed the button: "I confirm I have read all confidentiality agreements and agree to abide by their terms."

"What kind of mission is so cautious?" Bai Yujing wondered, but all orders on the Demon-Hunting App were legitimate. Illegal jobs belonged to the black market and dark web.

He didn’t bother to read the confidentiality agreement thoroughly and clicked confirm.

The asterisks vanished, revealing a line: "Help monitor a foreign spy. Come to Room 603, Fumin Tower, Fumin Road, Shanghai for an initial meeting."

Bai Yujing glanced at the address and called out toward the kitchen, "I’m going to handle the order. Wait here after your measurements. You’ll help with orders today too."

With those words, a formless wave radiated from his body, sweeping across Shanghai and instantly locating Fumin Tower.

Then he activated Air Resonance.

Bang!

The air made a muffled sound, and Bai Yujing's figure instantly appeared in the living room of Room 603, Fumin Tower.

His sudden arrival startled the man in the living room, who jumped up and drew his sword in readiness.

Unhurriedly, Bai Yujing said, "I’m the one who took the order. My number is 1732."