Yi Qing and Lonemoon had already been searching for a few days in that forest which had very faint traces of Spirit Qi, pursuing the trail of the Fiendish Cultivator. Although they had clearly sensed the location of their target on several occasions, they just could not seem to find the Fiendish Cultivator. They had gone through the entire forest many times to no avail, and Lonemoon even suspected whether the Fiendish Cultivator had purposely set up a misdirection array.
But just as they had been about to leave, Shen Ying, whom they had not managed to find, appeared out of nowhere in front of Lonemoon.
"Master!" Yi Qing was delighted. "You are not…"
But before he could finish, Shen Ying grabbed Lonemoon by his collar and demanded, "Help me." She then disappeared from the same spot.
Lonemoon could not react in time and was dragged away. The next moment, he was shoved in front of a lady of Nascent Soul cultivation, a beauty of the finest degree who also emanated Yin Qi all around.
"A Fiendish Cultivator!" Alarmed, Lonemoon took a step back and said in a lowered voice, "Shen Ying, what are you up to?"
The next moment, he realized the other party had a familiar-looking fan-like weapon in her hand. "That's my intrinsic Dharmic artifact!" Why was it in the hands of a Fiendish Cultivator?!
Wait a second! That flute and jade piece seemed familiar too; he subconsciously searched his storage bag. "Holy shit, why are they in your hands?" When were they stolen? He had no recollection of it.
"I gave them to her!" Shen Ying replied.
"You?" Lonemoon turned back and looked at her as if he had seen a ghost. "What's your problem? Why would you take my intrinsic Dharmic artifact for no reason?" More so, giving it to a Fiendish Cultivator to play with? Where was the camaraderie between fellow villagers?
"Who took your things." Shen Ying glared at him. "You obviously forgot to take them, so that's why I picked them up."
"…" Uh, such a thing had happened? He looked back on his memories and remembered that he had indeed introduced these weapons to her. Could it have been at that time? But he was not a careless person. Why would he have forgotten to keep them after showing them to her?
"Since these items belong to you, Supremacy, then I shall return them to you!" It was only then that Qi Chengyu recovered from the shock of Shen Ying dragging a Soul Formation Supremacy over, quickly returning the items in her hands with some anxiety. Although Shen Ying had good intentions, she was a Fiendish Cultivator after all; if the other party had hostile intentions, she would not be able to escape from a Soul Formation cultivator.
Lonemoon received his Dharma artifacts and inspected them with suspicion before putting them away. The number of questions in his mind only kept growing. Who exactly was this Fiendish Cultivator? Why did Shen Ying want to help her?
But before he could ask, Yi Qing had caught up.
"Master!" He hurriedly flew down and then saw Qi Chengyu at the side. He looked over with caution but did not immediately take action, instead quickly coming over to Shen Ying. "It was my carelessness to have let Master experience such a predicament. Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. I'm actually pretty well."
"I have an issue!" Lonemoon rolled his eyes, grabbed his reclaimed Dharma artifacts and asked, "Shen Ying, what exactly is happening? Do you know how long we've been searching for you?"
"I know." Shen Ying nodded. "I saw the both of you searching around the opposite shore of the river for about seven to eight days."
"…" Opposite shore of the river!
"Holy shit!" Lonemoon exploded. "What the heck, why didn't you call out to us when you saw us?"
"I called out but you didn't hear it." She wore an innocent look. After all, there was a river between the shores. "Also, you guys didn't call for me!" How would I have known that you were looking for me?
Lonemoon and Yi Qing: "…" They suddenly felt like checking if they were blind.
"Right, I even left a chicken by the shore for both of you. Did you guys see it?" She was certainly a good boss.
Lonemoon and Yi Qing: "…" So it turned out that the fifth-level spirit beast on the opposite shore was left by her? They had been wondering which idiotic hunter had forgotten to take his spirit beast!
But the most important thing was…
Since you could leave a chicken, couldn't you have just left a note?!
"Alright, since the items are all set, and it's getting late, let's start moving!" Shen Ying nudged at Qi Chengyu, urging her, "You can fly now."
"Oh!" Qi Chengyu did not react in time and was dazed for a moment. Go? Go where?
Instead, it was Yi Qing at the side who heard and responded to her instructions. He summoned his spirit sword and stretched out his hand. "Master, do let me give you a lift."
"Thank you." Shen Ying immediately hopped onto the sword and then looked towards Qi Chengyu. "Sister, you lead the way!"
"Oh…" The other party looked a little confused. She summoned her flying sword in a daze before she started to fly.
Lonemoon: "…"
Wait a moment!
Was he the only one who did not know what was happening? Where were they heading to? Why was no one explaining it? What was the relationship between Shen Ying and that Fiendish Cultivator? And what did she mean by all the items were set? Who exactly are your items!
(╯‵□′)╯(┻━┻
————————
Late into the night.
After flying for a day, the three of them stopped to take a break.
"Are you really going to Sword Comprehension Peak?!" After having listened to the entire story on the way, Lonemoon took a glance at the person meditating by the bonfire before turning to ask Shen Ying.
"Yes." What about it?
Lonemoon grew more curious and surprised as he glanced at her. "I couldn't tell that you were such a righteous person?" She was actually not lazing around; totally different from her usual self.
Slightly narrowing her eyes, Shen Ying said, "I hate scums."
"Then how are you so sure that she's speaking the truth?" Lonemoon took a quick look at her and then lowered his volume. "Don't forget, she even killed my sect's Perfected Yu Ding."
"I'm not sure!" Shen Ying turned back to face him. "That's why I want to go." The way Qi Chengyu had described her experience was truly tragic, so terrible that anyone would pity and sympathize with her, but there were always two sides to a story; only by visiting Sword Comprehension Peak could they find out the truth.
"You want to confront her master?"
"Yes." Since she was already meddling, she needed to get to the bottom of it.
"That's useless." Lonemoon sighed. "Even if what she said is all true and that master of hers really did all those things, so what? Going to Sword Comprehension Peak will not do her any good, and the Grand Vacuity Sect will also not punish the one named Gan. She might even lose her life there."
"What does that mean?" Shen Ying turned around and looked at him in shock. "This world shelters rapists?"
"It's not that!" Lonemoon appeared a little troubled as he exchanged eyes with Yi Qing who was wearing the same expression. He did not know how to explain it, only continuing after a while. "Because she has… a body of pure Yin!"
"What about it?"
Lonemoon looked more perplexed. "Shen Ying, do you know about human cauldrons?"
She went briefly silent before nodding and answering, "I can guess what it means."
"Some of those girls without good spirit roots or those who don't have a future with immortal cultivation but are rather pretty will be willing to become a human cauldron for self-protection. They go under the wings of a high level cultivator and allow the use of their bodies to provide gains for others." His expression was completely awkward, seemingly finding it hard to speak about this matter. "While dual cultivation harvesting sorcery is not glamorous, it really does help with cultivation. For many sects, keeping a human cauldron is… very common! Most cultivators at the Golden Core stage and above have experienced this kind of practice."
"An evolved practice of prostitution! You mean in this world, they don't ban such obscenity?"
"Uh… something like that." He nodded in affirmation.
"Then what is the matter with the body of Pure Yin?"
"Dual cultivation is considered non-orthodox. Because everyone's spirit roots are different, the harvesting of Spirit Qi is very complicated and requires a lot of time to fuse and be able to use." He looked at the person opposite of him. "But a body of pure Yin is a body that fuses the energies of Spirit Qi. With someone like that… the speed of dual cultivation can be increased by more than ten times."
Shen Ying narrowed her eyes. "Then…"
"A body of pure Yin is extremely rare. It's hard to find one even in a thousand or million years." Lonemoon continued, "The Middle Azure World regards them as natural human cauldron body types. When they appear, they will attract all sorts of sects to fight and snatch them away, so…"
"So nobody would ask… if they were willing?"
"…"
Scumbags!
Grand Vacuity Sect.
The sect was surrounded by floating mountains, and the numerous peaks were suspended in the sky, enclosed by a thick mist of Immortal Qi like a scene from a fairyland. Not far from the right of the floating peaks, a completely different-looking mountain peak floated among the other peaks. This mountain was ten times smaller than the other floating peaks, but it was enclosed in a translucent shield. On the top of this floating peak, there was a beam of light that stretched right across the horizon.
"Ahead of us is Sword Comprehension Peak." Lonemoon pointed to the floating peak enclosed in a transparent shield. Brows furrowed, still wearing that disapproving look on his face, Lonemoon turned to Shen Ying and said, "Although I have not heard of any Soul Formation cultivators having entered the peak recently, there are three Soul Formation cultivators in Sword Comprehension Peak guarding the passage to the Upper Azure World. As soon as anybody enters the peak, they will be detected. You have to think carefully. Are you sure that you really want to break into Sword Comprehension Peak?" This was tantamount to declaring war against all three of the guarding Soul Formation cultivators.
Shen Ying looked up and was about to reply, but Yi Qing, who was next to her, spoke up first.
"No, Master, don't do it!"
Lonemoon was relieved by his reply. At least there was still someone who could read the situation; Yi Qing certainly deserved to be the Sword Immortal. Quickly advise your bogus master. But then he saw Yi Qing turning to Shen Ying with a serious look on his face, saying, "Master, it's going to be noontime. You… haven't had lunch yet!"
"…" What?
"You're right." Shen Ying nodded in agreement. "We need to fill our stomachs so that we have the energy to carry out our task."
"Your disciple will be going now to procure some food for you and start a fire to cook."
"Thanks."
"Master, please wait here. It will be ready soon."
Lonemoon: "…" Where's my sword?
o(▼皿▼メ;)o
"Come back, you!" Lonemoon took hold of the brain-damaged fan, and all kinds of profanities starting spewing out of his mouth. "Is this the time to look for food? You think this is a leisure tour?! If you want to help, please do it seriously, ok?!" And I thought this lady was your friend?!
"But we'll be hungry if we don't eat!"
"Master is right!"
"Can't you bloody bear with it?"
"Hunger can hurt the stomach."
"Master is right!"
"This time I came out in a rush and didn't bring anything to eat. Don't tell me you have food?"
"I…" Lonemoon's mouth twitched, but he really did have it! Gritting his teeth, he pulled out a stack of cakes from the storage bag by his side. "Here. Last time you didn't finish them, so I packed them up for you. Eat, eat, eat till you die!"
"How come there is only osmanthus muffin? I remember that there were crispy delight, lotus tart and fish flake that I didn't finish last time."
"Master, you forgot the golden butter crumble!"
"…" Are you two master-disciple pair out to collect debts? Can't you bloody leave some for me? "You can't even remember the names of people, so how come you can remember this kind of thing so well? Here, take, take, take. I am giving them all back to you, are you satisfied?"
"Oh, thanks."
"Master, shall I still go and hunt a few spirit beasts?"
"Shut your mouth!"
Qi Chengyu, watching from the sidelines: "…" Having these people with me, can I really take revenge?
——————
Sword Comprehension Peak belonged to the Grand Vacuity Sect, but because it was a dojo of Soul Formation cultivators and it also had a direct passage to the Upper Azure World at its summit, ordinary disciples rarely came here.
Finally, having eaten their fill, the group managed to reach the base of Sword Comprehension Peak without much effort and without alerting the Grand Vacuity Sect to their presence.
Compared to what could be sensed from the outside, the Spirit Qi of the entire mountain was much denser here, and they could faintly see a palace floating above the mountain.
"I can only bring you up to this point." Lonemoon looked up at the summit. "I'll be spotted if I venture any further. I'm a member of Blackheaven Sect and most people in the Grand Vacuity Sect know me, so I don't think it's appropriate for me to follow you up." If he were recognized, it would create a problem between the two sects.
"Thank you, Supremacy, for your help." Qi Chengyu went up to salute him.
"You don't need to thank me, I'm not helping you!" Turning to glare at a certain someone, Lonemoon continued, "This is a special case. You are still a Fiendish Cultivator. Normally, I wouldn't have been lenient with you. Besides, we haven't formed our conclusion on this matter yet."
Qi Chengyu clenched her hands tightly. "I understand what you mean, Supremacy."
"Hey, foodie!" Ignoring Qi Chengyu entirely, Lonemoon nudged Shen Ying, saying, "I have to go to the Grand Vacuity Sect to try to distract that bunch of old geezers so they don't discover that Sword Comprehension Peak has been broken into. You all better hurry."
"Alright."
"Though Sword Comprehension Peak isn't big, it's still not that easy to search for a person there. You all better split up. Right…" He turned his head and looked at Qi Chengyu. "How does that person look like? Do you have an image of him?"
Frowning, Qi Chengyu took out a white round stone and formed a hand seal. Suddenly, the image of a man floated above it. He was dressed entirely in white, appearing decent and proper, giving off the impression he was a righteous gentleman.
Lonemoon took the round stone from her hand, formed a hand seal and then took out a few Dao talismans. "Take these, they're tracking talismans. I just locked in the aura of that person. You can use this later to find him. It'll be much easier." But even after saying this he was still worried and so added, "Remember… don't expose your Blackheaven Sect identity. I don't want the crime of colluding with Fiendish Cultivators on my head."
Shen Ying looked up and glanced at the talismans he had handed over, but then shook her head, throwing them back at him. "No need."
"No need?" Lonemoon glared at her. "Can you find someone with just your eyes? You think that guy called Gan is an idiot who will voluntarily leap out in front of you to let you thrash him?!"
But just as he finished saying this, a voice suddenly rang out from behind him.
"Who are you people? How dare you break into Sword Comprehension Peak!"
Taken aback, Lonemoon turned around to look at the person who had suddenly appeared behind him. For a moment he seemed perplexed, then all of a sudden he lowered his head down to look at the image above the round stone. Incredulous, he dipped his head down still further, peering at the image again…
Holy shit! I don't believe it! He really is an idiot!
(⊙o⊙)
"Gan Zirui!" Qi Chengyu had also not expected that he would be found so quickly. Her eyes instantly turned red and she fixed her gaze on the person opposite her. "It has been five hundred years! Do you still recognize me?"
Startled, the man looked at the person at the center of their group. He suddenly retracted his gaze and a nervous expression flashed across his face. "You are… Qi Chengyu?! You… why are you here?"
Qi Chengyu laughed coldly, her expression full of hatred. "You certainly wouldn't want me here. Five hundred years… I have been looking for you for five hundred years. I didn't expect you to be hiding here. Let's settle our past scores once and for all today!"
"Qi Chengyu, calm down. I was forced by the circumstances then. You can't blame me for what happened." Stepping back, the increasingly flustered Gan Zirui tried to explain himself. "At that time I was only a Golden Core cultivator, so when that Yu Ding wanted you, what choice did I have? You can only blame… blame yourself for having a pure Yin body."
"Hmmph! You had no choice?" Qi Chengyu's expression was full of sarcasm. "So when I fled back to you that same year, when you destroyed my hundred years of cultivation, deliberately threw me into the fiend dungeon at Ming Yin Mountain and left me to endure endless humiliation, were you also forced to do all those things?"
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