After a lifetime of understanding and interaction, the dispute between Bai Luochu and Ying Lan might be a rare sight to outsiders, but to the two of them, it was just a brief interlude which made their bond even deeper.
The mistress and servant had already gotten over it, leaving Guan Yue as the only one left who was dissatisfied.
"For those people traveling to the Falling Cloud Mountain Range with Ying Lan, all of you will be setting off in advance. After Ying Lan comes up with a plan, he will inform all of you of the exact timing and date. For those who do not wish to make the trip to the Falling Cloud Mountain Range, you will follow Meng Luoping and manage the businesses in the capital city. As for those who wish to go to the Falling Cloud Mountain Range but weren't chosen, you shall guard the Palace of Brilliance Resurgence. If anyone tries to barge into our territory, you don't need to act politely. Do you understand?"
After Bai Luochu made the arrangements, she dismissed everyone. "Everyone, this is an urgent situation, please return and make your preparations. I still have to deploy the array at the foot of the mountain. I shall take my leave first... farewell."
Bai Luochu left and descended the mountain without even turning her head. Ying Lan followed behind together with Cai Ling who was holding a bowl with everyone's blood.
At the foot of the mountain, Bai Luochu took out the poison herbs that she had prepared in advance and started to deploy the poison array. Looking at Ying Lan from the corner of her eye, she saw that he wanted to say something but eventually swallowed his words. "Just say whatever you wish to say. Since there are no outsiders here, there is no need to be overly cautious."
After obtaining Bai Luochu's approval, Ying Lan finally spoke without reservations. "Mistress, it is true that our Palace of Brilliance Resurgence doesn't have a lot of capable people. However, there are plenty of people with great cultivation and clean backgrounds. Why do you insist on using that strange person with a shady origin? What if something really happens? How many more years do you want this subordinate to search for you this time?!"
Bai Luochu paused as Ying Lan's reaction really shocked her. Bai Luochu felt that she had already experienced death once and she no longer treasured her life. She had always been careful as she wanted to take revenge for the disciples of her fallen temple. It was also the reason why she held herself back. She didn't expect for Ying Lan, who was a secret guard who threaded the line between life and death, to view it with such importance. If he was like this, what about the rest of Bai Luochu's secret guards? Were they also like this?
In order not to worry Ying Lan further, Bai Luochu quickly explained her intentions.
"During this trip to the Falling Cloud Mountain Range, I am determined to obtain the Green Flame Eagle. I need you to lead an elite group to get a share of the action in the name of the Palace of Brilliance Resurgence. When the moment comes, I will head over with the identity of Divine Physician Bai. I need a group to draw attention away from me. I am not sure if such a group exists in the other factions and I can only place my hopes on you."
"On the other hand, the businesses in the capital city require manpower, the newly constructed palace also requires people to defend it. I have no choice but to rely on external assistance during my trip. The silver-haired man hasn't been hostile towards me since the beginning and his cultivation level is pretty high. That is the reason behind my selection. Furthermore, he gives me a very strange feeling. We seem to be acquaintances even though I'm sure I never met him before. Perhaps, I will be able to obtain the information about the secret I have been searching for from him."
When Bai Luochu explained herself, she became serious as she spoke of the 'secret'. Ying Lan was originally an intelligent person and he knew Bai Luochu's train of thoughts. Right now, he understood that his mistress made Guan Yue stay behind because she wanted him to defend the Palace of Brilliance Resurgence when she made the trip to the Falling Cloud Mountain Range.
After considering everything, Ying Lan no longer tried to dissuade Bai Luochu and he started to help her set up the poison array.
Bai Luochu took the poison herbs and soaked it in the blood for a moment. She then used her spirit qi to envelop the herbs before waiting for them to absorb all the blood in the bowl. She started to refine the herbs with her spiritual energy until the essence was extracted. Bai Luochu finally dripped the essence of the herbs onto the item that would serve as the source of the array.
Bai Luochu used her spiritual energy to bind up the source of the array tightly. Her spiritual energy was different from others as her spiritual energy was milky white instead of the usual transparent. Ying Lan was silently amazed as it was just a little more than two weeks and his mistress' spiritual energy had already reached such a horrifying stage.
Bai Luochu didn't have the time to bother about Ying Lan's thoughts. She was currently concentrating her spiritual energy onto the source of the array and she hoped that she could complete it as soon as possible.
Bai Luochu's spiritual energy was much stronger than before and it took ten minutes before she blended the essence, a mix of the blood and poison herbs, into the source of the array.
Bai Luochu personally picked a few items and placed them in fixed positions according to the deployment of the array. When she was finally done laying them down, the array could be considered half done.
In the next moment, Bai Luochu raised her right palm where her spirit qi was circulating and she sucked out the rest of the blood in the bowl. Compressing the blood, a piece of ruby-like crystal was formed.
When Bai Luochu saw the bead of blood taking shape, she raised her left hand and wrapped this blood with layers of spiritual energy. After refining it again, she waved her hand and scattered it into the air. Right now, the mountain where the Palace of Brilliance Resurgence was located had a protective barrier around it. When Bai Luochu waved her hand and sent the blood flying, a blood-red color appeared on the barrier. Before anyone could see it clearly, the blood-red color vanished and the barrier became invisible once again.
Ying Lan knew a thing or two about this array but he didn't imagine that his mistress was able to execute it to such a level. When Ying Lan saw Bai Luochu's current strength, he understood that Bai Luochu's spiritual energy had improved greatly. He asked respectfully, "Please forgive this subordinate for asking too much. Mistress... did your spiritual energy cultivation progress to the next level again?"
Bai Luochu didn't say much. She simply extracted her spiritual energy and covered Ying Lan's body.
The moment Bai Luochu extracted her spiritual energy, Ying Lan felt an earth-shattering strength assault him. Since he knew that the attack came from his mistress and wasn't going to harm him, he allowed it to envelop his body as he experienced it for himself.
When Ying Lan felt the strength behind Bai Luochu's spiritual energy, he felt deep admiration for her. When he first found his mistress, she merely started her journey of cultivation. Right now, her spiritual energy was at such a terrifying level! She was truly an existence who couldn't be compared to ordinary people like them. Furthermore, his mistress had the body of a wastrel!
When Bai Luochu saw Ying Lan's astonished expression, she knew that Ying Lan was clear about her strength. She withdrew her spiritual energy back into her body.