Zhunti saw a projection appear before him, with Lu Ya sitting cross-legged before a water tank, chanting scriptures. The clear water in the tank rippled, revealing the sharp tip of a Lotus just beginning to emerge.
Zhunti stretched out his hand towards the screen and pointed, and the growth speed of the Lotus suddenly accelerated. Leaves and petals stretched out gracefully, and a Buddha Wheel blossomed at the bud, with a faint sound of chanting emanating from it.
Seven days later, Bixiao hurridly returned to Three Lights Immortal Island, and under the cover of night, approached the Bird’s Nest, anxiously calling out, "Brother, Brother are you there?"
Above the door of the Bird’s Nest, ripples of rainbow light shone, indicating the portal was open.
Bixiao immediately passed through the ripples and ran into the Bird’s Nest.
Within the Bird’s Nest at night, huge stars hung overhead, as if one were situated in the starry sky. The myriad of stars felt within reach, romantic and beautiful.
Bai Jin sat under the starry sky, meticulously carving a long, white, crystal-clear jade staff.
Bai Jin set down the jade staff and said with a smile, "Junior Sister, why have you come back at this time?"
Bixiao quickly spoke anxiously, "Brother, it seems something has happened to our eldest sister!"
Bai Jin’s gaze sharpened as he asked, "What has happened? I’ve observed her today, she was as usual, nothing amiss."
Bixiao urgently said, "Brother, ever since the great battle with Ran Deng and Lu Ya, Sister has been acting strangely for some time."
"What kind of behavior?"
"Sometimes I find Sister smiling as she pinches flowers, other times she gazes with pity upon the soldiers. This morning, she even released the chickens and ducks prepared for the soldiers’ cooking back into the mountains, saying they were too pitiful.
Sister is getting stranger, it’s just like... just like..."
Bai Jin spoke gravely, "Just like a disciple of the Western Sect."
Bixiao nodded again and again in agreement, "Exactly." She hurried on, "Brother, please come and see for yourself, I fear Sister has fallen for the calculations of the Western Sect."
With a wave of Bai Jin’s hand, a mirror surface appeared before them. He stood up seriously and said, "Follow me!" and stepped into the mirror.
Without any hesitation, Bixiao followed him into the mirror, which then rapidly shrank and disappeared.
Inside Yin Shang City, Yun Xiao was entangled by Qiong Xiao, sitting helplessly in a large hall.
Qiong Xiao and Yun Xiao sat facing each other, locked in a stalemate.
Suddenly, a mirror surface unfolded within the room. Bai Jin and Bixiao walked out one after another, and the mirror immediately vanished.
Yun Xiao and Qiong Xiao stood up and said together, "We greet you, Brother!"
Bai Jin also made a courtesy gesture with a smile, "I greet you, Junior Sister," his gaze casually measuring Yun Xiao.
After the three rose, Yun Xiao apologetically said, "I’m sorry to trouble you, Brother, for making the trip. There’s nothing wrong with me, it’s just Qiong Xiao and Bixiao worrying over the Great Tribulation, being overly cautious to the point of unsettling their minds, which has led to scaring themselves."
Bai Jin said with a smile, "Yun Xiao, you should be happy, such sisterly affection is truly enviable."
Yun Xiao nodded with a smile.
Bixiao urged, "Brother, please check on Sister to see if she has been schemed against by the Western Sect."
After closely observing Yun Xiao, Bai Jin saw nothing amiss. However, considering both Bixiao and Qiong Xiao felt something strange about Yun Xiao and were not speaking idly, being cautious in the midst of the Great Tribulation was never excessive.
Bai Jin thought for a moment then said, "I would trouble Junior Sister Bixiao to prepare a room for me; I shall stay here for a few days."
Bixiao nodded repeatedly, joyfully saying, "Great! Thank you, Brother," and immediately turned to run outside.
Another seven days passed, and the lotus flower was half-open. The changes in Yun Xiao became increasingly evident, and even Yun Xiao herself felt something was amiss—it must have been some kind of spell at work.
At the Five Dragon Pass, Bai Jin and the Three Xiaos gathered in a hall.
Inside the grand hall, the Haotian Mirror towered. Yun Xiao stood in front of the mirror, and her reflection emitted a sacred aura. A lotus flower flickered on her forehead, faintly visible and radiating Buddha Light.
Bai Jin waved his hand, putting away the Haotian Mirror, looking at Yun Xiao.
Yun Xiao stood there with an unpleasant expression, and with due solemnity, she bowed deeply and said, "Please, my Senior Brother, take good care of Bixiao and Qiong Xiao in the future." Then she stood up and strode outside.
"Junior Sister, where are you going?"
Yun Xiao stopped in her tracks and spoke coldly, "I’m off to destroy Xi Qi and slay Lu Ya."
She spoke softly, "If we are enemies in the future, I implore you, Senior Brother, to show no mercy."
Beside her, Bixiao and Qiong Xiao called out in sadness, "Big Sister!"
Bai Jin was speechless. Why make it seem like a final farewell? He flashed in front of Yun Xiao and said, "Junior Sister, there’s no need for this. It’s just a Golden Lotus, watch me break it."
"Senior Brother, a Golden Lotus potent enough to affect me must have been personally deployed by a Saint."
"Just sit and relax. Let me find out exactly how they have schemed against you, so I can break the spell."
Bixiao and Qiong Xiao immediately stepped forward, each grabbing one of Yun Xiao’s arms and pulling her back.
"Big Sister, please sit down, don’t make trouble for Senior Brother."
"Big Sister, Senior Brother will surely save you. Even if he can’t, we still have our Master, don’t we?"
Yun Xiao smiled helplessly and sat down on a chair, her beautiful eyes watching Bai Jin.
Bai Jin also took a seat, closed his eyes, connected to the God and Demon Altar with his mind, and coaxed and threatened the information out of Jiang Ziya about the inner workings of the Three Treasures Golden Lotus.
Inside the hall, Bai Jin opened his eyes and said, "I now know all about it."
Bixiao and Qiong Xiao looked expectantly at Bai Jin.
Bai Jin extended his hand and pointed at Yun Xiao, saying, "Don’t resist!"
Yun Xiao nodded slightly.
A pure light burst forth from Bai Jin’s fingers, enveloping Yun Xiao. She relaxed her mind and offered no resistance.
Within the light, a vast and turbulent energy emerged from Yun Xiao, as if clouds were surging. Next to it, a golden energy appeared—that was the sacred energy of Treasure Money. At this moment, atop Yun Xiao’s energy, a vibrant lotus flower was blooming.
Yun Xiao said gravely, "So it uses my energy as a catalyst. Senior Brother, how did you find out?"
"Without hiding it from you, Junior Sister, I’ve developed an informant within the Xi Qi Army. I just consulted him."
The Three Xiaos were stunned; their Senior Brother was so formidable, even having an informant inside. Who could it be? That informant must hold a significant status to know such secrets. They heard that Nezha and Ao Bing were close friends—could it be him? Yang Jian and Yang Jiao were brothers; could it be Yang Jian? Their minds raced through various figures.
"Now that we know the cause, watch as I rescue Junior Sister."
Bai Jin gestured with his hand and the Treasure Money from Yun Xiao’s hairpin instantly flew out, falling into Bai Jin’s hands.
Yun Xiao shook her head and said, "Senior Brother, it’s no use. Since it is triggered by my energy, even the Treasure Money cannot retrieve it."
"That’s not necessarily true!" Bai Jin flicked the Treasure Money and said, "Go, and bring back the Golden Lotus."
The Treasure Money flapped its small wings and soared instantly, landing on Yun Xiao’s energy surge, perfectly capturing the Golden Lotus within its coin hole.