Chapter 464: Stay Close to Me

Lu Sangjiu had already altered her appearance. She now looked like a weak and pitiful young maiden, having even suppressed her cultivation down to the Body Integration Realm.

Combined with the terror and helplessness on her face and the trace of blood on her lips, one glance was enough to convince anyone she was harmless.

’Yes... that’s right. I’ll just do what I used to at the Seven Emotions Sect: act weak and pitiful to lower their guard.’

If she could solve the problem with this simple method, it was certainly better than resorting to a major fight.

Lie Rufeng, who was walking at the very front, frowned, but the initial sharpness and wariness in his eyes faded slightly.

The people behind him, who had just been startled, now came to their senses. Duan Yiyi was the first to speak, her voice laced with displeasure as she addressed Lu Sangjiu. "Who are you? What are you doing hiding here so furtively?"

"You’re putting on quite the pitiful act. I’d say you’re actually harboring ill intentions and planning to do something to us, aren’t you?"

Lu Sangjiu was a master of playing the innocent victim. She knew that with a simple-minded, hot-tempered girl like this around, it would be even easier for her to appear pitiful.

So she looked at Duan Yiyi with a piteous gaze. "Immortal Sister... you’ve misunderstood. I’m truly just lost!"

"If you don’t believe me, you can just leave me here. Just please don’t hurt me!"

She adopted a very humble posture, looking weak and helpless. Tang Ming found her rather pitiful and couldn’t help but speak up for her. "Let it go. Why make things difficult for a little cultivator?"

"From what I can tell, she’s only just reached the Body Integration Realm. She couldn’t even beat Junior Sister Ruxin. I doubt she’s any threat to us."

Tang Ming was not very tactful. Ruxin’s expression immediately soured, and she said coldly, "Her cultivation only looks low. That doesn’t mean she can’t be a threat to us. It’s better to be cautious."

Lu Sangjiu felt quite innocent. ’It seems I’ve been accidentally dragged into their internal squabbles.’

Fearing she would become cannon fodder, she quickly spoke up for herself again. "Like I said, if you don’t believe me, you can just ignore me. I’ll continue looking for a way out on my own."

"Heaven values all life! I beg you, Immortal Masters, please let me be!"

Only then did the hitherto silent Lie Rufeng speak. "You’re only at the Body Integration Realm. What are you doing here?"

Lu Sangjiu had suppressed her cultivation to the Body Integration Realm for the sake of plausibility. She answered immediately, "I was with my elders to gain some experience, but we ran into a demon beast and I got separated from them."

"I was scared, so when I saw a cave, I hid inside. I didn’t expect it to be so complex in here, and I accidentally lost my way."

This area was teeming with demon beasts, so Cultivators below the Earth Immortal Realm rarely ventured here. However, it wasn’t so strange for someone to come accompanied by their elders.

While a Body Integration Realm cultivation wasn’t much to look at in a place like this, it wasn’t impossible for one to protect themselves if they carried a few Magic Treasures and were extra cautious.

Lie Rufeng said no more, apparently mulling over the truth of her words.

Ruxin, however, followed up with a question. "Are you a Loose Cultivator or from a sect? And who are your elders?"

Lu Sangjiu answered fluidly, "I am a Loose Cultivator. My elders are my master and his friend, who are also Loose Cultivators. We live in Luzhou City."

Hearing this, Duan Yiyi grew impatient. "Why are we wasting so much time on her? Either we ignore her or we kill her. What’s there to agonize over?"

Ruxin shot her a cold glance and said flatly, "Senior Brother Lie is kind-hearted. If she is truly innocent, he intends to bring her along."

As sect cultivators, they possessed a certain pride and sense of duty.

If this Female Cultivator was just an innocent bystander who had stumbled into this place, she might seem fine now, but if they let her wander around on her own, she could be dead at any moment.

Duan Yiyi frowned. "Bring her along? We’re here on important business. What if she slows us down?"

"If a real fight breaks out, no one will be able to look out for her!"

Duan Yiyi’s words were harsh, but to Lu Sangjiu, it was as if she’d been granted amnesty. She nodded eagerly. "That’s right! I’ll probably just slow you down. You don’t need to worry about me. I’ll be careful on my own; I’ll be fine!"

Unfortunately, her utterly sincere words were merely interpreted by the others as her being sensible and self-restrained.

Tang Ming gave her a sympathetic look, then said to Duan Yiyi, "Junior Sister Duan, our master taught us not to abandon our principles."

"This girl’s life is at stake. Saving her would be a meritorious deed."

The more he said, the more displeased Duan Yiyi became with Lu Sangjiu.

Just as she was about to say more, Lie Rufeng suddenly cut in. "That’s enough arguing."

He looked at Lu Sangjiu and asked, "What’s your name?"

"...Lu Xin."

"Alright. Stay by my side. I’ll lead you out."

Lu Sangjiu: "..."

’Wait, I really don’t want to go adventuring with them!’

She could tell that Lie Rufeng had the highest cultivation level in the group, followed by Duan Yiyi. Both of them were likely at the Heavenly Immortal Level, but Lie Rufeng was clearly much stronger than Duan Yiyi.

Next was Tang Ming, who was probably at the Peak of Earth Immortal, and finally Ruxin, a Mid-stage Earth Immortal, whose cultivation was also a bit higher than Lu Sangjiu’s current level.

Among the four of them, Lie Rufeng was clearly the one who called the shots. His decision to let her follow was a testament to the old saying: "High skill breeds boldness."

And because he was the one who had spoken, the others clearly had no room to object.

Lu Sangjiu couldn’t help but try one last time. "Thank you for your kindness, Immortal Master, but... but won’t I be too much trouble?"

Lie Rufeng shot her a cold glance. "No more nonsense. Keep up."

Lu Sangjiu: "...Then thank you, Immortal Master!"

And so, having only intended to play the part of a damsel to make a smooth getaway, she was now forced to team up and go exploring with the group.

After all, she was playing the part of a poor, lost girl. When someone offered help, she was supposed to be overjoyed. Resisting too much would only arouse more suspicion.

Lie Rufeng was a man of few words. After telling Lu Sangjiu to follow him, he didn’t speak to her again.

Tang Ming, on the other hand, was quite enthusiastic and introduced the group to Lu Sangjiu, which was how she learned their names.

"Which sect are you Immortal Masters from?"

She took the opportunity to ask, and Tang Ming had no intention of hiding anything. "We’re disciples of the Qiyue Sect. We teamed up to come out here for training."

’The Qiyue Sect?’ Lu Sangjiu thought. ’What a coincidence.’ That Shi Song from the Ascension Platform who had welcomed her upon her Ascension was from the Qiyue Sect.

She had come all this way, never expecting to run into more disciples from the Qiyue Sect. It seemed like fate.

After a brief exchange, Lu Sangjiu could tell that Tang Ming was the quintessential nice guy. Since his cultivation wasn’t the highest either, she felt an urge to walk beside him.

That way, if something were to happen, it would be easier for her to adapt to the situation.

But she had barely fallen a few steps behind to exchange a few words with Tang Ming when Lie Rufeng suddenly stopped, turned, and shot her a look. "Stay close to me."