Mo Chenxue analyzed the situation in secret.
At present, Luo Qingyan’s favorability toward him was -90%, while her favorability toward Xie You Mingyao was -60%. Mo Chenxue couldn’t figure out how he had offended this strange little junior sister. Why did her prejudice and hatred toward him exceed even that toward the demon lord Xie You Mingyao!?
Yet despite all that, she still found a way to save him, and together they defeated Xie You Mingyao…
What exactly was she thinking?
Mo Chenxue had many questions in his heart. He had always been skilled at reading people’s minds, yet he could never grasp what was going on in hers.
Mo Chenxue escorted Luo Qingyan back to Joyful Peak and said with deep cunning: “Do you know why Xie You Mingyao pretended to be a good person to save you today?”
Luo Qingyan shook her head. This was indeed something she couldn’t figure out.
Mo Chenxue said gravely: “The Demon Race has a forbidden dual-cultivation technique that uses women as Cultivation Cauldrons. For the technique to succeed, the woman’s genuine affection must be won.”
“Xie You Mingyao set up this scheme to win your favor. Once you fall for him, he will use you as a cultivation tool and drain your Spiritual Power and life force.”
Luo Qingyan was puzzled: “But wasn’t he trying to capture Huo Li? How did he end up targeting me?”
Mo Chenxue: “Both you and Huo Li are disciples of the Ask-Immortal Sect. Insulting either one is equivalent to insulting the entire sect. Xie You Mingyao thought you would be easier to deal with, so he chose you. This is the despicable tactic of the Demon Race.”
Luo Qingyan suddenly understood.
A female disciple of the Ask-Immortal Sect becoming a Cultivation Cauldron for the Demon Race—such a disgrace to the sect. No wonder Mo Chenxue had come to save her.
Mo Chenxue said sternly: “Xie You Mingyao will definitely come again in the future. I will report to the Sect Master and request additional protective Barriers for Joyful Peak. Remember this: no matter what happens, do not believe him, and do not let your favorability toward him increase any further!”
With just a few words, he had completely sealed off Xie You Mingyao’s future prospects.
“Mm!” Luo Qingyan nodded, indicating she would obey.
After Mo Chenxue finished slandering his rival, a slight curve formed at the corner of his lips, and he rode the wind away.
…
Over the next few days, Luo Qingyan continued to immerse herself in cultivation.
During this time, Mo Chenxue visited twice, delivering alchemical pills, and Luo Qingyan accepted them readily each time.
She had already come to terms with it—he built his persona, she reaped the benefits. Each got what they wanted. It was all quite fine.
So her favorability didn’t change at all.
And Mo Chenxue had grown accustomed to this. Previously, giving her gifts had caused her favorability to drop. This time, giving gifts didn’t cause a drop, and he actually felt somewhat gratified…
Having been embedded in the Ask-Immortal Sect for many years, he had plenty of patience. As long as it stopped falling, there was no fear it wouldn’t rise in the future.
The trial was approaching, and the old Sect Master, Perfected Master Wuji, called all the peak masters for a meeting.
Perfected Master Wuji said: “For this trial, have Lord Shuiyue come as well. He is the master of Joyful Peak. Normally he doesn’t participate in sect affairs, and that’s fine, but now that it concerns his own disciples, he can’t very well not show up.”
The master of Treasure Hoarding Peak said: “Sect Master, Lord Shuiyue… he’s already dead.”
“Ah? Dead?”
Perfected Master Wuji looked stunned: “When did this happen?”
“Uh… it’s been about three or four years now.”
“…”
After a brief silence.
The master of Alchemy Medicine Peak frowned: “Such good news—why didn’t you tell everyone sooner?”
The master of Treasure Hoarding Peak: “I thought you all already knew.”
“No, we didn’t know.” The master of Mage Peak said flatly: “How did you come to know?”
The master of Treasure Hoarding Peak: “That fiend used to come to Treasure Hoarding Peak every month to demand funds for taking on disciples. It’s only natural for a peak master to take disciples, yet he actually wanted a salary on top of that—what a nuisance…
Then one month, for the first time ever, he didn’t show up. I found it strange and sent a disciple to inquire, only to learn that he was gone.”
A moment later, the master of Artifact Casting Peak let out a delicate laugh: “This really is wonderful news. After all, that fellow only caused us trouble while he was alive.”
“Don’t say that. Lord Shuiyue is still our junior brother, after all!”
The master of Beast Taming Peak wore a look of deep grief and rebuked in a heavy tone: “Now that he’s gone, even though we’re all delighted in our hearts, we should still pretend to be sad on the surface!”
Everyone nodded in unison: “…”
You’re absolutely right!!
…
The day of the trial was drawing closer and closer.
Luo Qingyan had prepared everything she might need for the trial, leaving only one thing—money.
Money was something that came in handy no matter where you were.
Luo Qingyan asked Dongfang Che: “Does Joyful Peak really have no Spirit Stones? Not even one?”
“Spirit Stones?” Dongfang Che said: “Joyful Peak has never had such things. Even if it did, Master would have taken them all into his grave long ago!”
That one sentence reminded Luo Qingyan.
That’s right! Master was a peak master in life—there might be treasures buried with him in his grave!
In the middle of the night, Luo Qingyan grabbed a shovel and made her way to Master’s courtyard.
“Master, I’m borrowing some money.”
With that, Luo Qingyan swung the shovel and began her work.
Clang, clang…
A few shovelfuls later, the grave was dug open.