If Yuan Shu’s guess was correct, Su Lingxi had most likely bought this medicine to find a suitable cultivation cauldron for the Withered Wood Siphoning Technique.
In that case, the medicine would inevitably be administered to whatever male cultivator she found.
The technique was a low-level cultivation method of the Hehuan Sect, and its nature also belonged to the sinister type of spiritual energy.
If the other party consumed Fuling seeds every time they dual-cultivated, not only would the siphoning fail, but their own spiritual energy would gradually be worn away as well.
Once Su Lingxi realized that, despite her efforts at dual cultivation, her strength had not increased in the slightest and had instead declined, things would become very interesting.
Ji Yun froze for a moment. Seeing that Yuan Shu had no intention of explaining, he did not ask any further questions. He merely made a silent note of the matter.
The Golden Light Spirit-Nourishing session lasted nearly a quarter of an hour.
Yet even that quarter of an hour was equivalent to one or two months of ordinary cultivation, leaving many disciples reluctant to part with the experience.
But the golden light had already faded, and no amount of regret could bring them back into the Spirit-Nourishing state.
Leng Shuxue could remain on the Ascension Platform until he had completely advanced to the Deity Transformation Realm, with the sect elders personally protecting him.
Sect Master Qu Qing personally cast a defensive barrier around Leng Shuxue and announced loudly, “Today’s Spirit-Nourishing session ends here. I hope all disciples will cultivate diligently, make steady progress, and ascend the Ascension Platform to enter the Deity Transformation Realm as soon as possible!”
The disciples hurriedly bowed in unison. “We shall heed the Sect Master’s teachings!”
The Sect Master nodded in satisfaction and departed first with Shen Jingyuan.
The Ascension Platform, which had been solemn and quiet moments ago, immediately became lively. The disciples gazed enviously at Leng Shuxue high above and began discussing him animatedly.
Some marveled at the speed of his cultivation. Others resented his good fortune in being able to dispel the demonic poison and stand again. Still others admired and envied him, hoping to marry him.
However, all those voices were blocked by the defensive barrier and could not disturb him in the slightest.
Suddenly, a sharp, furious woman’s voice rang out from the woods not far away.
“Jiao Qi, you wretch! I’m going to kill you both!”
Immediately afterward, a pillar of red fire-elemental light shot into the sky, accompanied by a tremendous explosion.
Two half-naked figures suddenly burst out of a concealed cave nearby.
The man in front fumbled frantically as he ran, hurriedly pulling up his trousers with a panicked expression.
Behind him, a woman had covered her face with a square of cloth, making her features impossible to discern. She had hastily thrown a thin veil over herself, but unusual red marks could still be faintly seen around her neck and chest.
With their clothes in disarray and fleeing in such a sorry state, anyone with eyes could tell what had just happened.
And behind them was a woman in a smoky-pink dress.
At that moment, the woman’s face was filled with fury. She gripped a blazing red sword in her hand and chased after the pair.
“Those two… aren’t they Senior Sister Hong Fei from Lingyun Peak and Senior Brother Jiao Qi? What are they…”
Everyone was dumbfounded.
“I heard Senior Sister Hong Fei and Senior Brother Jiao Qi were already engaged. How could he still carry on with another woman? And Senior Sister Hong Fei even caught them in the act?”
“Tsk! They didn’t even want the chance to undergo Spirit Nourishment in the Deity Transformation Realm. They secretly ran off to fool around in a cave nearby. Just how desperate are they? No wonder Senior Sister Hong Fei is so furious!”
“Exactly. Who would’ve thought Jiao Qi was that kind of person?”
“Right, who’s the woman he was meeting in secret? She looks rather familiar.”
“She was covering her face. Who could tell…?”
Amid the discussions, furious Hong Fei had already caught up with the two fleeing figures.
She raised her blazing red sword high, unleashing a powerful sword aura that pointed straight at them.
Jiao Qi’s expression changed. He shoved Su Lingxi aside.
Boom!
The sword aura struck the ground between them, leaving a deep scar in the earth and frightening Jiao Qi into shouting, “Hong Fei, calm down!”
He had barely spoken when Hong Fei cut him off.
“Calm down? How do you expect me to calm down? Jiao Qi, you’re already engaged to me, yet you still sneaked off with this slut. If I don’t kill you both today, then I’m not Hong Fei!”
On the other side of the woods, Su Lingxi had been sent flying by the sword aura. Her expression was grim as she clutched her injured shoulder and staggered backward, her heart filled with rage.
That vile Hong Fei was just as irritating as Yuan Shu!
All she had done was borrow her fiancé to dispel some Bewitching Fragrance.
And yet Hong Fei had pursued her so relentlessly, even leaving her clothes in disarray and exposing her in front of so many disciples!
If she had not been quick-witted enough to cover her face with a veil first, how would she be able to show her face in the future?
Damn it, damn it!
Why did nothing ever go smoothly?
That Yuan Shu—damn Yuan Shu! Why hadn’t that poisonous insect bitten her?
And Jiao Qi—wasn’t he in the late Golden Core Stage?
He was clearly stronger than Hong Fei, yet he could not even protect her from her!
What a useless fool!
Su Lingxi was furious enough to explode, but she did not dare say a word at that moment, afraid of exposing her identity.
She could still control Jiao Qi alone. But if the others found out, all the reputation she had painstakingly built up in the Falling Immortal Sect would be ruined!
Hong Fei came after her, leaving Su Lingxi with no choice but to flee into the distance while taking the blows.
Before long, she had run far away.
The crowd had enjoyed quite a spectacle, and for a long time afterward, this scene became a favorite topic of conversation among the disciples.
Yuan Shu and Ji Yun stood behind the crowd watching the show. Before long, Ji Yun’s communication jade talisman lit up.
He took it out and glanced at it, his expression turning slightly solemn.
“The peak master wants to see me about something. Shushu, I’ll be going.”
…
After Ji Yun left, Yuan Shu went to the Spirit Beast Garden. Unexpectedly, Xiao Li was no longer in his room.
Yuan Shu then wandered through the Library Pavilion. Her gaze landed on an empty antique shelf at the side, and she raised her brows.
That ceramic jar… was gone!
Yuan Shu narrowed her eyes and swept her gaze over Xiao Li’s deserted courtyard. She gave a soft laugh.
“Looks like everyone’s quite busy!”
On her way back to the Guest Elder Courtyard, she passed through a narrow path in the woods.
A bleak, chilly wind blew toward her from ahead, stirring her dress and hair. Yuan Shu inadvertently looked up and saw a tall, imposing figure.
The man wore a black robe embroidered with dark-gold patterns. His broad shoulders were straight, his build tall, and his long legs carried him forward with a brisk, wind-like stride.
At the moment they brushed past each other, Yuan Shu caught a faint fragrance from him, cool and clear as moonlight floating over water.
Neither of them stopped, and they continued on in opposite directions.
It was not until he had walked more than thirty feet away that the man halted. His slightly lowered eyes slowly lifted, sharp as blades as they fixed on Yuan Shu’s retreating back.
Just now, he seemed to have detected a faint trace of demonic bloodline emanating from her.
But after sensing her carefully, it seemed to have vanished.
Could he have been mistaken?
The man frowned, his gaze following Yuan Shu as she walked away.
It was probably a mistake. How could an ordinary disciple of the Falling Immortal Sect possibly possess the scent of a demonic bloodline?
That was something only the descendants of demon kings possessed!
Yet few people ever saw him without his face remaining expressionless.
Yuan Shu was probably the first.
The corners of the man’s lips curved upward as he turned and walked toward the people coming to greet him.
Meanwhile, the instant the man turned around, Yuan Shu stopped as well. With her brows slightly knit, she looked at his departing back.
That probing gaze just now had been far too sharp. Yuan Shu’s senses had always been keen; there was no way she could have ignored it.
Who was this man?
Could such a powerful figure really exist within the Falling Immortal Sect?
As she wondered, two disciples dressed in dark teal robes came toward the man. They bowed respectfully to him.
“We welcome Peak Master Mo.”
Yuan Shu raised her brows.
Peak Master Mo Yi?
The current master of Xuanyi Peak?
