The fabric of this robe was exceptionally fluid and delicate, and even featured gold embroidery outlining cloud patterns.
Even Bai Qiuluo could tell that countless rare materials had gone into crafting this garment, which was further inscribed with powerful protective barriers.
The quality of the robe had even reached the level of a spiritual treasure, though its color was undeniably a bit too flamboyant.
In the cultivation world, items were categorized into magic tools, spirit tools, spiritual treasures, and divine artifacts. Spiritual-treasure-grade robes were extremely rare; even if they existed, few would ever spend vast quantities of materials refining them into clothing.
Without needing to guess, Bai Qiuluo knew precisely who had left this behind.
With a flick of Bai Qiuluo’s hand, the bright red robe flew onto him, and he changed into it completely from top to bottom.
The fabric was light and soft, clinging to his figure as if boneless, which greatly eased the physical discomfort Bai Qiuluo had been feeling.
“Just as I envisioned, Master suits this color to perfection.”
The crimson robes trailed in long folds, embroidered densely with exquisite cloud patterns, while specks of dazzling starlight fell amidst them, quietly radiating a unique, subdued brilliance.
A two-finger-wide waistband outlined Bai Qiuluo’s slender waist, with two plump, rounded South Sea pearls dangling from the end of the belt.
As the pearls swayed gently between the folds of his attire, half-hidden and half-revealed, they exuded an arresting allure.
When Shen Wang walked in, he was greeted by this vibrant and alluring sight.
Bai Qiuluo remained silent, merely speculating inwardly about what purpose the Demon Lord could possibly have.
Sending him a top-grade spiritual treasure out of the blue surely there must be some hidden scheme or trick awaiting him.
He was truly just a minor background character who had no intention of disrupting the plot in any way.
Bai Qiuluo almost wanted to beg this Demon Lord to stop testing him like this.
Shouldn’t he be focusing all his attention and affection on the female protagonist instead?
“Master, there is still a little over a month before the secret realm of the Illusory Moon Valley opens. I feel that my swordsmanship has improved further I wonder if Master would be willing to act as my sparring partner?”
Shen Wang wore an innocent, harmless smile. Bai Qiuluo saw no reason to refuse; it happened to provide a convenient excuse to properly teach Shen Wang a lesson.
He would make Shen Wang understand what it meant to respect one’s master and adhere to the path of propriety.
Bai Qiuluo suppressed his own cultivation down to the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, and during their sparring sessions, both of them utilized the exact same sword manual.
While Shen Wang wielded the sword manual taught by Bai Qiuluo as naturally as extending his own arm, in Bai Qiuluo’s eyes, it was still riddled with flaws.
The flat of Bai Qiuluo’s blade whipped against the small of Shen Wang’s back as he spoke with a cold, stern expression:
“Flaws everywhere! If I had any malicious intent with that single strike, your dantian would already have been crippled.”
“Thank you for pointing that out, Master.”
Undiscouraged, Shen Wang adjusted his state and stepped right back up to take another beating.
Smack. The sword struck sharply against his thigh, causing Shen Wang to drop smoothly onto one knee right in front of Bai Qiuluo.
He didn’t miss the fleeting trace of hidden amusement that flashed across Bai Qiuluo’s eyes.
A doting, gentle smile curved the corners of Shen Wang’s lips. He was simply using the excuse of sparring to let Bai Qiuluo vent the pent-up frustration in his heart.
Three hours later, the snow accumulation across the peak had been completely obliterated, leaving behind crisscrossing slashes of sharp, unbridled sword qi everywhere.
As for Shen Wang, he was covered in a plethora of lash marks, and even his handsome face bore a purplish-blue sword welt.
Yet this mark did not detract from his striking looks; instead, it lent him an arresting aura that seemed to beg for maltreatment.
“Continue tomorrow.”
Having vented to his heart’s content, Bai Qiuluo maintained a cold expression while speaking in a sprightly tone.
The very next day, the exact same scene played out once more. Shen Wang used a sword technique full of openings to spar with Bai Qiuluo, only to be whipped until his body was a mass of blue, purple, and red welts.
He also deliberately avoided applying medicine to clear away the marks covering his body. That night, he stripped off his upper garments to reveal the intricate web of abuse-like traces, looking up at Bai Qiuluo with a pitiful expression.
“I beg Master to apply medicine for this disciple. I cannot reach the wounds on my back.”
Shen Wang turned around to expose the crisscrossing sword gashes across his back, where wild sword qi still lingered the exact reason his injuries refused to heal.
Surface-level wounds of this nature could usually be cured simply by circulating spiritual energy for a few cycles, but the obstruction of the foreign sword qi prevented the cuts from closing.
This, too, was entirely intentional on Bai Qiuluo’s part. He wanted this Demon Lord to suffer a bit to vent the lingering resentment of the past few days.
“There is no need for medicine. Using that sword qi to temper your physical body is just right.”
With a smile in his eyes, Bai Qiuluo refused Shen Wang’s request without a second thought.
“Then I shall obey Master.”
Shen Wang deliberately put on a wronged expression, gazing pitifully at Bai Qiuluo with an obedient, submissive demeanor.
This pitiful puppy act delighted Bai Qiuluo immensely. Eyes bright, he lay down beside Shen Wang, secretly plotting whether he should strike even harder the next day.
While the two of them sparred on the mountain peak and Shen Wang endured unilateral beatings, Su Wanwan, Fan Chen, and the others had fallen into dire straits.
The formations within the cave shifted endlessly, and fierce demonic beasts appeared periodically to launch ambushes against them.
Su Wanwan led Song Ling’er to a patch of flat ground, using it as a temporary resting spot to regroup and recover.
Having just survived a life-or-death battle, Su Wanwan leaned against the wall with unstable breathing. An arm had been clawed open by a beast while protecting Song Ling’er, leaving a deep, bone-deep bloody gash.
Song Ling’er looked at her with eyes full of heartache, her reddened eye rims still pooled with glistening tears.
She took out medicinal herbs to apply to Su Wanwan’s wound, where the flesh on her slender forearm was split open and rolled back, still contaminated with unpurified demonic aura.
“Wanwan, I could have dodged that attack. You shouldn’t have risked your life to shield me. With a wound this deep, it must have hurt you terribly…”
Song Ling’er’s tears fell like a broken string of pearls, sliding down her fair chin to splash against the ground, kicking up tiny ripples of dust.
“Don’t cry, little Ling’er. Since you call me elder sister, it is only right that I protect you. Besides, my cultivation is higher than yours; I could have dispatched that beast with a single stroke of my sword. Suffering a minor injury like this is nothing at all.”
Su Wanwan waved her hand dismissively, accidentally tugging at the wound on her arm. She let out a sharp hiss through her teeth, yet still spoke gently to comfort Song Ling’er.
Seeing Su Wanwan like this, a flash of dark purple light zipped swiftly across the depths of Song Ling’er’s eyes.
With her lashes lowered, a conflicted expression surfaced in her gaze.
“Wanwan, if you found out one day that I had lied to you, would you be angry?”
“As long as it’s nothing wicked or harmful to the world, even if you lied to me, I wouldn’t be angry. I believe that such a kind-hearted Ling’er must have had her reasons if she ever had to deceive me.”
Su Wanwan coaxed her with feigned ease, right before a series of explosive blasts erupted from the nearby passageway.
A familiar wave of spiritual energy burst outward, and a tunnel instantly materialized right before the two of them.
“Second Senior Brother, are you alright?”
Springing to her feet, Su Wanwan hurried forward with a trace of deep anxiety clouding her brow.
Not far away, as the dust and smoke cleared, Fan Chen leaned against the wall, covered in blood as he looked back toward them.