"You appearing here shouldn't be a coincidence."
Feng Ninghe turned her head, looking at the man behind her.
She had been busy setting up the formation earlier and hadn't paid much attention to Si Jianye.
Now that she thought about it, it was no accident that this man appeared in the painted world.
Si Jianye leaned back leisurely, as if detached from the world, with nothing concerning him.
In response to her question, Si Jianye raised his eyes slightly, his cool gaze calmly falling upon her. "This seat entered the painting to take you away from here."
"Take me away from here?"
Feng Ninghe looked at him with slight surprise, a few glints flashing in her eyes. "Has something happened?"
Besides that, she couldn't think of any other reason.
For Si Jianye to come to the library and enter the painting to find her, something must have happened.
The man nodded calmly, affirming her guess.
Feng Ninghe's heart grew anxious, and she instinctively took a few steps forward to stand before him. "What happened?"
For Si Jianye to personally come looking for her, it must be something important.
As she stepped forward, the distance between them instantly closed.
Si Jianye's eyes lowered, his intense gaze fixed on her.
Under that wicked stare, one's heart involuntarily tightened.
Feng Ninghe's heart pounded uncontrollably in her chest. She felt inexplicably guilty and, unable to meet Si Jianye's gaze, quickly averted her eyes.
Si Jianye noticed the subtle shift in her demeanor. He spoke unhurriedly, "A group of troublemakers has appeared at the entrance of the First Sect. They are all here looking for you."
"Troublemakers?"
Feng Ninghe raised her delicate eyebrows, a layer of coldness clouding her clear eyes. "They really can't stop for a moment."
She already had an idea who these troublemakers might be.
Even in Jinling, she hadn't lacked enemies.
After a moment, she lowered her gaze, suppressing her emotions. "The formation is complete, and we should leave the painting now."
Si Jianye casually crossed his arms, nodding gently, exuding an air of noble dignity.
Inside the library.
Several pairs of eyes were fixed on a landscape painting hanging on the wall.
Bai Niannian frowned, her beautiful face etched with doubt. "An hour has passed, why hasn't Master come out yet?"
Feng Yi fell into thought, her voice pausing slightly. "Time flows faster in the painted world than outside. We've been outside for an hour, and a day has already passed inside. Since Junior Sister hasn't come out yet, I'll go to the sect to check the situation first."
*Clang!*
A faint sound came from the painting before them.
Feng Yi stopped his movement and turned to look at the painting behind him.
A faint light flashed, and two figures appeared before everyone.
Si Jianye, dressed in black, his chiseled face tinged with a hint of coldness.
Feng Ninghe, in white, her skin like congealed fat, her aloof demeanor drawing immediate attention.
Standing together, they were a perfect match, like a couple destined by fate.
For a moment, everyone forgot to speak, their gazes fixed on them.
Su Hongxiu narrowed her eyes, a hint of displeasure appearing in them.
He was supposed to be the one entering the painted world, yet Si Jianye had entered it a step ahead of him...
Feng Xing was the first to react, striding forward. "Master, you've finally come out."
Feng Ninghe looked at Feng Xing and asked softly, "Do you know who came to cause trouble?"
Even though she had a premonition of who it might be, she couldn't help but ask.
Feng Xing shook his head. "Master, we were waiting for you to come out of the painted world so we could go to the sect together and assess the situation."
Feng Yi quickly chimed in, "Junior Sister, Senior Brothers have already gone to check the situation. We should hurry and follow them."
Feng Ninghe smiled faintly, her aloof gaze unreadable. "You all go deal with them first and stall for time. I need to go somewhere."
With that, she strode forward.
Feng Yi intended to follow, but then he remembered the Senior Brothers were handling things at the entrance. He stopped himself. "The Senior Brothers are honest and kind. I'm afraid they might suffer. Let's go check the situation first."
No one objected, and they quickly left with Feng Yi.
Si Jianye's figure, however, quietly disappeared...
At the entrance of the First Sect.
The cultivators held torches in their hands.
A single fire might not be enough to deal with Grandfather Shan, but if everyone set fire to the mountain simultaneously, this mountain wouldn't escape. How difficult would it be to burn it down?
Mei Ziling looked at the mountain before them hesitantly. "Father, this mountain already has intelligence, and its spiritual energy fluctuations are very strong. Wouldn't it be too much to set fire to it rashly?"
Mei Honghou stood with his hands behind his back, his figure perfectly upright, his gaze calmly sweeping the surroundings. "The people of the First Sect are taking too long to show themselves. Burning the mountain is a reasonable action. We don't need to rush. Let's observe the situation first and act accordingly."
Mei Ziling stopped speaking, biting her lip, and stared directly at Feng Qingcheng standing in front of them.
Feng Qingcheng raised her eyes slightly, her eyes, visible beyond the veil, held a hint of fierceness. She was tightly gripping a torch.
"Is everyone ready?"
Feng Qingcheng spoke, her soft voice echoing through the forest.
Baili Yang was the first to respond. "Ready."
The disciples of the Immortal Sect's First Sect stared angrily at the mountain before them, occasionally roaring, "Burn the mountain! Make the people of the First Sect come out! Make them hand over Feng Ninghe!"
"Feng Ninghe has repeatedly attacked disciples of the Immortal Sect. We cannot tolerate this! We must make this demoness pay with blood!"
The roars of the Immortal Sect disciples echoed in succession.
Feng Qingcheng's lips, hidden by the veil, curved into a sneer. She raised her hand and threw the torch forward.
*Whoosh!*
A gust of wind swept through.
The torch in her hand was blown to the ground by the wind, and even the flame was extinguished.
"Who dares to make a commotion in front of my First Sect?"
Gu Yingwei's upright figure stood there, his honest and kind face now filled with a murderous intent.
The Gu Mu clan members were taller than ordinary people, so his presence alone exuded an oppressive aura.
Feng Qingcheng raised her eyes with a hint of arrogance, looking directly at Gu Yingwei who appeared before them. "Are you a disciple of the First Sect?"
Gu Yingwei did not deny it, his gaze falling upon Feng Qingcheng. "With so many people here today, do you intend to become enemies with the First Sect?"
"The First Sect has been in seclusion for many years, yet you were still able to find us. And you've come in such numbers. It's been a while since we've tasted blood, and my hands are itching to crush a few heads for fun."
A playful voice sounded from not far away.
Gu Sanwei looked at the crowd before him with a smile, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.
The First Sect had been in seclusion for many years, but their strength had not diminished.
If they didn't show themselves soon, these sects would think the First Sect was afraid.
Feng Qingcheng instinctively took a step back, subtly increasing the distance between them.