Chapter 80 Relieving Her Pain
When the roommate returned to the room after taking all the medicines she could find with her, her eyes nearly popped out of its socket from shock upon witnessing Meng Jia's naked body on the bed.
"Ahhhhh! What do you think you are doing to her, you barbaric pervert?!" she shrieked loudly.
Just as she was prepared to pounce on Su Yang, Meng Jia spoke in a low voice: "Sister Chen… stop… it's not what you think…"
Sister Chen, whose full name was Chen Yu, quickly stopped her movements after hearing Meng Jia's voice.
"Do I look like someone to assault a young lady, much less an injured one?" Su Yang sneered coldly, and he continued: "Hurry up and give me the medicines in your hand so I can start my treatment."
"Eh? Ah! Right…" Chen Yu snapped out of her daze and handed what little medicine she had in her hands to him.
"This is it? You won't even be able to heal a small bruise with this amount of medicine, much less this many serious wounds…" Su Yang sighed.
"It is uncommon for disciples to receive injuries that require much medical attention here in the Profound Blossom Sect, as we usually avoid physical activities that could possibly lead to injuries," Chen Yu explained to him the reason for their lack of medicine supply.
When one's appearance within the Profound Blossom Sect— where everybody is either handsome or beautiful— mattered more than their life most of the time, they wouldn't do something as foolish and as dangerous as fighting, as that could easily lead to permanent scars on their figures, which will greatly lower their charm and overall chance of finding a partner.
Their appearance was something the majority of the disciples didn't dare to risk, as even something as little as a permanent small scratch on their face could potentially change their life as a disciple within the Sect drastically.
"Whatever. The medicine isn't required for the treatment, but I asked for it anyway just so I have a little more resource in my hands."
Su Yang then began mixing all of the medicines together until it was a paste.
After putting the medicine paste on his hands, he spoke: "I will now begin my treatment. I won't ask you to leave as long as you don't bother us during the treatment."
"I understand…" Chen Yu quickly moved to a corner, where she silently watched Su Yang begin rubbing the paste onto Meng Jia's body.
"I will now start the treatment. You do not have to worry about anything— just close your eyes and relax," said Su Yang to Meng Jia.
"Mmm…"
Meng Jia, who had expected the pain on her body to increase from Su Yang's touch, even steeling her resolve, was pleasantly surprised when she first felt Su Yang's soft hands rubbing the medicine onto her body.
Instead of feeling pain like she'd expected, her body was actually feeling pleasure despite the clear pressure Su Yang was putting into his arms!
How did he manage such magical and profound effects?
The first area Su Yang covered in medicine was Meng Jia's soft and seemingly fragile neck, slowly moving to the lower area as time passed.
First her neck, then her chest, her breasts, her stomach, her arms, and her thighs and legs. Once he was finished with applying medicine to the front part of her body, he flipped her over to her back where he continued to rub medicine on her soft back and tender buttocks, leaving every part of her body that was bruised covered in a green paste in a matter of minutes.
Furthermore, Su Yang saved her pelvic area for last, as that seemed to be the most sensitive and wounded part of her body. When he reached that point, he gave extra care to her bottom lips, even sticking his fingers into her hole to reach for the areas that could not be physically seen.
"Ahhh..." Meng Jia could no longer hold her breath and released a low moan when Su Yang began caressing her sweet paradise.
"Mmm…"
The way Su Yang touched her was unlike anything she has ever felt before, and she quickly forgot about the pain in her body, as she was so enthralled by the heavenly pleasure that embraced her body that she was unable to feel anything else but pleasure.
And after experiencing many days of rough assaults to her poor body, there was nothing in this world that could possibly relieve her the pain in her body and mind more than Su Yang's gentle touches at this moment.
Meanwhile, Chen Yu's mouth was wide open from shock during the entire time Su Yang treated Meng Jia.
Is this what he considered as a treatment? Isn't he just giving her a massage while covering her body in medicine paste? And why does Meng Jia look so blissful despite having her bruised body rubbed by Su Yang? Hell, she could even see Su Yang's finger pressing into Meng Jia's muscle! Surely, that must've hurt like hell!
However, after watching them for a prolonged time and seeing the way Su Yang touched her bottom lips, Chen Yu started feeling sweaty, even imagining herself in Meng Jia's position.
"Hm? Su Yang?" Chen Yu suddenly found the name familiar-sounding, and she quickly recalled the talk of a massage parlor within the Outer Court that was quite popular among the girls that was still being talked about until just a few days ago.
"Eh? Don't tell me he's the 'Divine Hands' that everyone and their mother has been talking about lately?" she wondered.
After spending an hour treating Meng Jia's injuries, Su Yang finally retrieved his hands and wiped the sweat on his forehead.
Because he was using his Profound Qi to heal her wounds by directly pushing it into her body, Su Yang felt as though he had just given over 100 continuous massages despite only giving 1 massage in reality.
"Her injuries… they are nearly all gone!" Chen Yu exclaimed loudly after witnessing Meng Jia's body for herself once the treatment was finished.
Chen Yu has never seen or heard of anything like this before. Meng Jia's body that was almost entirely black and blue just an hour ago has changed drastically after the treatment! Now, her body no longer looked like a bloody mess but much healthier, looking as though she had received some sort of plastic surgery!
Even Meng Jia looked at her body with astonished eyes filled with shock and disbelief. Although there was still slight pain in her body, it was not to the degree to where she could not even move her body without feeling the need to cry!
It was a heavenly miracle!
"Su Yang… you… how can I thank you for this?" Meng Jia looked at him with teary eyes.
"There is no need to thank me, as I am a man who cherishes woman— even if that woman already belongs to someone else— so if I see one in great pain, it is only natural for me to help her," said Su Yang, still managing to show her a bright smile despite his exhausted state.
Chapter 81 Don't Worry, I Will Be Gentle
After taking a few minutes to gather herself, Meng Jia began recalling all the things Tang Hu had done to her to Su Yang, while Chen Yu went outside to leave them alone.
"His behavior seemed normal at first, and I'd thought that he wanted to change things up when he started being rougher during our cultivation. However, as the days passed, he quickly became more aggressive and violent…"
"Initially, I believed his unusual behavior was due to stress or something similar, so I didn't say anything and endured it. But things changed when he started beating me without holding back, and he'd even started shouting nonsense like someone in frenzy."
"What kind of nonsense was he shouting?" Su Yang suddenly cut in to ask.
Meng Jia looked hesitant to reply at first, but Su Yang's intense gazes quickly changed her mind.
"He was shouting things like— I won't ever hand you over to that bastard Su Yang…" said Meng Jia, feeling awkward and embarrassed from the sentence.
"So it is because of that, huh…" Su Yang sighed inwardly.
He instantly understood the situation, as he has encountered similar events multiple times in his past life, where people would become paranoid and insecure because of his mere presence, pushing them into doing things that they normally wouldn't think about.
"He also said things like—"
Su Yang suddenly raised his hands, and he said: "Enough—I have heard enough to understand the situation. Although I cannot compensate you for the pain you had to endure because of me, I will deal with Tang Hu to make sure he will never hurt you again, as that is the least I can do."
He apologized to her despite taking no part in this fiasco except by just existing.
"Umm… what do you plan on doing to him, if you don't mind me asking?" Meng Jia asked with a concerned expression.
"Are you going to tell the Sect about him? Or will you…"
While the thought of Su Yang risking his life by killing a fellow disciple just to avenge her was laughable, Meng Jia couldn't help but feel that such a thought was also in Su Yang's mind.
"Do you have a problem with me killing him?" Su Yang suddenly said in a calm voice, dumbfounding her.
Meng Jia's eyes widened from shock, and her body trembled.
Although she has come to despise Tang Hu from this incident, somewhere in her heart was still trying to seek forgiveness for him without actually being aware. Perhaps it was because of the time they'd spent together, or maybe because there was a part of her that still loved him, but she simply didn't want Tang Hu to die because of this incident.
And naturally, Su Yang was able to see this reluctance within her.
"I see…"
Su Yang no longer felt like staying in this place and stood up to leave, where Chen Yu was patiently waiting outside for the two of them to finish.
"Wait!" Meng Jia quickly stopped him.
"Although what he did was terrible, I can tell that he's also feeling pain—"
"Pain?" Su Yang coldly sneered.
He then turned to look at Meng Jia in the eyes and said: "That man has already lost his mind from cultivating a Depraved Technique, and you still want to protect him after all he's done to you? How foolish."
Meng Jia trembled violently at his clearly displeased tone, and she sat there silently with a blank face, looking perplexed.
A moment later, with a nonchalant expression, Su Yang spoke: "Can you walk?"
"Y-Yes."
"Then follow me," he said as he walked out the door.
"Eh? Where are we going?"
"To visit Tang Hu, obviously."
"?!?!" Meng Jia stared at him with wide eyes, looking baffled and terrified at the same time. Why would he take her to Tang Hu now?
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"Hm? You are done?" Chen Yu asked him when the door opened.
Then she noticed Meng Jia, who was walking behind him, and her eyes widened with shock.
"Sister Meng! Are you sure you should be standing, much less walking?!"
"Don't worry about me, I am fine…" Meng Jia said with a bitter smile. "I have to go somewhere with Su Yang now, so I will be leaving now."
"What?" Chen Yu looked extremely puzzled at this moment. What happened during their talk for this to be happening?
After a moment of silence, Su Yang continued to walk, and Meng Jia followed him.
"Sister Chen, please, this is very important…"
Chen Yu sighed and nodded a bit later.
"Hurry up and come back to rest, okay?"
"Un…"
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Because she didn't want to attract attention with the obvious bruises on her face, Meng Jia covered her face with a veil before leaving the house.
After they left, Su Yang brought her directly back to his living quarters.
Once they arrived, Meng Jia received cold feet and couldn't approach the house unless she was standing close to Su Yang with her hands tightly grasping onto his sleeves, looking like a terrified child in front of a scary monster.
Upon entering the house, Su Yang brought her directly to stand in front of the door to Tang Hu's room.
"Do we really have to do this?" Meng Jia asked in a mosquito-like voice, clearly afraid that Tang Hu might be able to hear her voice from behind the doors.
Su Yang smiled, and he suddenly shouted: "Tang Hu, I know that you are cultivating a Depraved Technique! You have three seconds to get out of your room before I start making love to your beloved Meng Jia here right outside of your room, not that I haven't done it already!"
"What?!" Meng Jia experienced the scare of her life after listening to Su Yang's bold announcement, and she quickly began making a run for the door.
But alas, Su Yang swiftly reacted by grabbing her by the waist and pulling her directly into his embrace.
"Tang Hu, aren't you scared that I will take her from you? I am removing her clothes even as I speak!"
Su Yang then looked at Meng Jia who was still in his embrace with a passionate gaze along with a charming smiled, and said: "Don't worry, I will be gentle, unlike a certain individual."
Almost instantly after Su Yang said those words, the door to Tang Hu's room violently opened, and Tang Hu appeared before them with red eyes and bulging veins all over his body.
When Tang Hu noticed Su Yang embracing Meng Jia, whose face was bright red from blushing, he roared like a vicious animal filled with rage: "SUUU YAAAANGGG! I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU!!!"
Su Yang smiled when Tang Hu reacted to his provoking just like he'd expected.
With his arms wrapped intimately around Meng Jia's body, he spoke: "What a foolish man you are, Tang Hu. Because you were paranoid about a problem that never existed, you have not only made that unexisting problem a reality but you have also harmed your partner physically and mentally. If you weren't so foolish and insecure, then she wouldn't be in my arms right now, but yours…"
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" Tang Hu began beating his chest like a gorilla, and his eyes turned crimson red in bloodlust. His skin was also darkened to the point that it was gray in color, almost like elephant skin.
At this moment, Tang Hu no longer resembled a human but more of a demonic being instead.
"What a pity…" Su Yang shook his head in silence.
Chapter 82 Everlasting Sacred Fire
"Tang Hu…"
Tears began forming in Meng Jia's eyes when she looked at Tang Hu, whose appearance resembled a monster.
"This is what happens when you cultivate a Depraved Technique— you cut all your connections to the human realm and lose your humanity, becoming a Depraved Creature," said Su Yang, his expression calm despite the grave situation.
"Leave, if you do not want to see him die before your eyes."
"I-Is there really no other way? There must be something we can do to help him!" Meng Jia cried out, clearly unwilling to see him die despite the terror he acted upon her.
"..."
Su Yang remained silent.
There are indeed methods that could still save Tang Hu even in his current state. However, such methods required resources and effort— it was something Su Yang wasn't willing to expend for a person like Tang Hu.
"I will not repeat myself— Leave, while you can," he said again.
Meng Jia looked at Tang Hu's face one last time before nodding and turning to run outside.
When Tang Hu noticed her movements, he pounced towards her to prevent her from escaping.
"WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU ARE GOING, MENG JIAAAAA?!" he roared.
Suddenly, Su Yang disappeared from his original spot and appeared before Tang Hu like a ghost.
"And where do you think you are going?" Su Yang waved his sleeves, and a loud slap resounded an instant later.
Pa!
Tang Hu was sent flying backward by a casual slap from Su Yang, who was at the True Spirit Realm.
"Even if your cultivation base is increased by another ten-folds, you are still at the Elementary Spirit Realm, not even qualified to fight those at the Profound Spirit Realm, let alone me."
Tang Hu coughed up a mouthful of blood from the impact of the slap.
Although it seemed like a casual slap to the face, the force of that slap was strong enough to send him flying like a rag doll, and that caused a fearful feeling to appear deep in his heart.
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" He roared, trying to scream the feeling of fear out of his body.
A moment later, Tang Hu pounced at Su Yang again.
"Hmph, what a waste of my time." Su Yang shook his head and sighed.
"Qiuyue." He suddenly called for her.
An instant later, the door to his room abruptly opened, and a beauty that resembled a real goddess appeared from the room.
When Qiuyue emerged from Su Yang's room, Tang Hu's movements spontaneously froze.
Despite his lack of ability to think or reason, Tang Hu couldn't help but stare at Qiuyue's peerless face and graceful figure with a dazed expression, his red eyes seemingly mesmerized by her beauty.
Su Yang raised an eyebrow at the situation. "As expected of Yuehai's daughter, huh… Even her ability to charm men is similarly devastating."
Qiuyue's otherworldly beauty had managed to captivate Tang Hu, who had long lost his mind and ability to think!
"Why did you call for me, father? Surely, you can handle this ant by yourself…" Qiuyue looked at him and said, sounding puzzled.
"I don't want to stain this house with his blood, but alas, I am not at the level where I can erase someone without causing a bloody mess," he said with a regretful tone.
"..." Qiuyue looked at him with an unbelievable face.
After a moment of silence, she spoke: "I can take care of him for you, but you will explain to me your relationship with that little girl just now and how far you have gone with her…"
Su Yang smiled bitterly and said: "There is nothing between us, and I doubt that even you were fooled by my little act just now…"
"Hmph! I just wanted to make sure!" she said with a cute pouting expression.
A moment later, Qiuyue narrowed her gaze, and a tyrannical pressure suddenly forced the still dazed Tang Hu to drop to the floor with his face kissing the ground.
With a cold expression on her flawless face, she spoke: "Disappear, you insignificant ant."
Suddenly, a small silver flame the size of a candle fire appeared directly on Tang Hu's forehead.
This small flame quickly expanded, and within seconds, consumed Tang Hu's entire body.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Tang Hu rolled around on the floor while screaming in agony, trying to disperse the flame, but alas, the silver fire continued to burn lively.
And strangely, the silver flame did not spread outside of Tang Hu's body when he rolled around, nor did it burn anything besides his body.
When Su Yang first noticed the silver fire, a glint of surprise flickered within his eyes.
"Everlasting Sacred Fire?" he easily recognized the type of fire Qiuyue was using, as her mother also cultivated the same technique. It was a terrifying technique that cultivates a profound fire that would not stop burning until its target completely disappears, leaving not even the ashes behind.
And within seconds, Tang Hu's body was reduced to being nothing. His entire existence had been erased by the Everlasting Sacred Fire, leaving not even a speck of ash behind.
"I'm surprised," Su Yang suddenly said.
He looked at Qiuyue with a proud look on his face and continued: "I have known you since you were a baby, and you were cultivating a different technique prior to my departure. But now… Out of all the profound techniques that you could've cultivated from the Sacred Moon Palace, you decided to change to the Everlasting Sacred Fire technique that your mother also cultivated… Why?"
"It's simple— because my mother treasured this technique more than any techniques that were available at the Sacred Moon Palace," she replied.
"Then what do you think of the technique? Do you like it?"
"I love it," she instantly replied with a beautiful smile. "Although it may not be as strong as the strongest techniques within the Sacred Moon Palace, I feel the most comfortable when cultivating the Everlasting Sacred Fire."
"Is that so…" said Su Yang, showing a tender smile.
"What is it?" Qiuyue said, looking puzzled by his reaction.
"Well, you see, that technique was a gift to your mother from me," he said, shocking Qiuyue, who never learned the origin of the technique.
"Eh? Father gave this technique to mother?" she mumbled.
Chapter 83 Inheritance
"The Everlasting Sacred Fire is an Ancient-grade technique that I had created solely for Yuehai as a symbol of my eternal love for her…" Su Yang expressed melancholy, his gaze seemingly distant.
"..."
Qiuyue remained silent.
It was no wonder why her mother had treated this technique with great love and care.
"But… why did mother give me this technique before she passed away?" Qiuyue silently looked at the ball of silver flame that was flickering on her palms like a candle fire, her gaze filled with uncertainty.
"How much of the technique have you comprehended so far?" Su Yang suddenly asked her.
"Only the beginning stages…" she replied in a regretful tone.
"That's pretty decent for someone at your level," Su Yang nodded with approval. "It seems like you have inherited more than just your mother's beautiful appearance."
"What do you mean by that?" she looked at him with a puzzled face.
"The Everlasting Sacred Fire was created with everything I knew about Yuehai in mind, so you can say that it was a technique tailored to match her aptitude, making her the only person in this world who can possibly comprehend and fully master it. Since you are able to use the technique that was only meant for Yuehai, it means that you also have what is required to learn the technique— just like your mother," Su Yang explained to her.
"..."
Qiuyue stood there silently, seemingly in shock.
After listening to Su Yang's explanation, Qiuyue was more shocked at the fact that he was able to create a technique at the Ancient-grade that was tailored for a single person.
Creating cultivation techniques itself required immense talent, let alone creating a cultivation technique that was specifically meant for one individual in the world, and for Su Yang to achieve such a feat, his talent could only be considered abnormal.
It should also be mentioned that cultivation techniques almost never discriminate against anyone who wishes to learn their secrets, so whoever has the ability to comprehend its contents would be able to master it as long as they were capable.
However, a cultivation technique that was made so that only one person in the world could comprehend was something Qiuyue has never heard of.
Just what kind of existence was Su Yang back in the Four Divine Heavens?
Other than the things she'd learned about him from the time she spent with him, Qiuyue only knew Su Yang as a mentor and an esteemed guest at the Sacred Moon Palace, who later also became a father figure to her, but that was about the limit of her knowledge regarding his background.
Her mother, Yuehai, also almost never spoke of Su Yang's background outside of the Sacred Moon Palace, nor his real relationship with her.
Hell, the only time Qiuyue ever really learned something about Su Yang was after his death when her mother shared with her some of her memories with Su Yang out of grief and loneliness.
Su Yang suddenly approached her and lifted her hands, and he spoke as he stared at the silver flame flickering on her hands: "When I have a chance, I will give you guidance to help you better understand the Everlasting Sacred Fire."
"...Un…" Qiuyue slowly nodded with a slightly rosy face.
Su Yang then turned to look at the spot Tang Hu disappeared from with a pondering expression.
"I never got the chance to figure out how he'd obtained the Depraved Technique. Was it given to him, or did he stumble it by chance?"
After a short moment of pondering, he shrugged his shoulders, clearly uninterested by his situation.
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Many minutes had passed since Meng Jia stared waiting outside the house, yet there was no sign of Su Yang appearing anytime soon.
Because these houses are covered in sound-proof barriers, she was unable to hear the commotion inside the house.
However, this silence only made her even more anxious.
What was happening inside?
Is Tang Hu still alive, or is he long dead by the hands of Su Yang?
What if Su Yang was the one in trouble?
Dozens of questions appeared in Meng Jia's head, each one making her desire to return inside a little bit stronger.
And finally, after a few more minutes, the door opened.
Su Yang emerged an instant later, his expression calm and without a single hint of distress.
Meng Jia looked at him with a puzzled expression. Why does he look so tranquil at this moment, making it seem as though nothing had happened inside?
"W-What happened to Tang Hu?" she asked him after a moment of silence.
Su Yang did not reply to her question and only beckoned her to come back into the house.
Once Meng Jia entered the house, she was dumbfounded by the scene.
Besides a tiny puddle of blood that was on the floor, there was not even a slight hint of Tang Hu being there, almost as though his existence had been erased.
"Where's Tang Hu?" Meng Jia asked, her heart overwhelmed with a strong sense of unease.
"He's dead," said Su Yang without any excuses.
When Meng Jia heard his nonchalant words, her body trembled, and she dropped to her knees with tears flowing down both sides of her face as she wept her heart out.
"Wh…What am I supposed to do now with him gone? I have only ever been with him ever since I joined this Sect with him one year ago!" Meng Jia said as she stared at Su Yang with sorrowful eyes, looking as if she wanted him to help her decide.
"That is not something for me to decide," said Su Yang after a moment of silence.
"Life is always full of unknown paths, each with sorrowful moments waiting for you at some point. Although I cannot help you decide your life, feel free to look for me if you need guidance at any time while I am still here."
"..."
A moment after he said those words, Meng Jia, still with tears flowing down her cheeks, spoke: "What about things besides guidance? Can I come to you for other things, too?" she asked him with a glint of desperation in her eyes.
Su Yang smiled, but just as he opened his mouth to speak, the atmosphere suddenly became unpleasant and gloomy.
The smile on Su Yang's handsome face instantly turned into a bitter smile, and he glanced at his own room with the corner of his eyes, where Qiuyue was clearly watching their interaction with her Spiritual Sense.
Chapter 84 Appearance Reforming Pill
"If you need anything, even if that something is as small as a chat over some tea, I will gladly be there. However, you should leave those thoughts till after you fully recover," said Su Yang after a moment of silence.
"Un."
Meng Jia nodded, and a few minutes later, she quietly made her way back home, where Chen Yu was anxiously waiting for her.
Once she was fully out of the picture, Su Yang went back into his room.
"I really despise this place," Qiuyue said to him the moment he entered the room.
With a smile, Su Yang spoke: "You will quickly get used to it."
"But I don't want to get used to this place! Why are we even here? Since Father has me now, we can go anywhere we want in this world, so why don't we just leave this place that stinks of impurity?"
Su Yang shook his head and said calmly: "My ultimate goal is to return to the Four Divine Heavens, but neither of us have any knowledge as to how to get there, and you have already traveled the entire world. Until we find a way to return to the Four Divine Heavens, it does not matter if I am here or at another place, as it is all the same at the end of the day."
"Additionally, there are still a few things I'd like to do here before leaving. If I don't do these things and just leave, it will affect my Dao Heart for future breakthroughs."
"This Profound Blossom Sect is also a great place for me to increase my cultivation base quickly without harming my foundations, not to mention this place's environment really suits a scoundrel like me…" he added, causing Qiuyue to sigh with a dejected expression.
"What would Mother do if she was in this situation?" she wondered.
"Qiuyue, do you happen to have any Appearance Reforming Pills?" Su Yang suddenly asked her.
"Appearance Reforming Pills? I do have some, but why do you need them?" she asked in a curious tone.
Appearance Reforming Pills are just as it sounds— it has the ability to change an individual's appearance temporary, altering the face entirely, and becoming a new individual with a new identity. These pills are commonly used in the Cultivation World where quarrels and skirmishes occur every day, and Cultivators would more often than not disguise themselves using the Appearance Reforming Pills in order to make it more difficult for others to find them.
As for Qiuyue, who possesses otherworldly beauty and a profound presence, she would normally travel while under disguise to avoid unnecessary attention from the masses.
However, the Appearance Reforming Pills are not without flaws, as it could easily be bypassed by those with higher cultivation bases or those with sharp senses.
"So I can cause trouble without being recognized," he said with a grin.
Qiuyue stared at him with a weird look on her face.
And after a moment of awkward silence, she retrieved a small black pill from her storage ring and handed it to Su Yang.
The moment he received the Appearance Reforming Pill, Su Yang threw the pill into his mouth and swallowed it.
An instant later, his handsome face began twisting with his young body also growing taller, looking as though there was a pair of invisible hands playing with his face.
After another moment, Su Yang's no longer looked like a handsome young man but a handsome middle-aged man instead!
This middle-aged man had fierce eyes, sword-like eyebrows, a straight nose, and gave off the feeling of an intimidating ruler.
If Su Yang were to walk around in this world with his new face, then it was guaranteed that nobody would recognize him. But if he went into the streets of the Four Divine Heavens with such a face, then he was basically asking for trouble.
When Qiuyue saw his new appearance, her eyes widened from shock.
"The Heavenly Emperor?!" she exclaimed loudly, her voice even trembling from the bewilderment.
"Ugly-looking, right? I know…" Su Yang chuckled, but since he was using the Heavenly Emperor's face, Qiuyue found it extremely unpleasant, even intimidating.
"I am speechless," she shook her head. "Are you not afraid of offending the Heavens for using His Majesty, the Heavenly Emperor's face? Not to mention that you'll also be causing trouble with such a face… You will get struck by lightning at this rate..."
Qiuyue expressed her worries, as it was considered a heavenly offense to use the Heavenly Emperor's face in any way, shape, or form, much less to cause trouble.
"What is that old man going to do, come here and arrest me again?" Su Yang laughed, his laughter carrying slight malice.
Clearly, Su Yang held a grudge towards the Heavenly Emperor from being thrown into the Eternal Retribution Cliff by him, and he wanted to get revenge no matter how small the details may be.
Qiuyue could only sigh at his behavior, thinking that even someone like him has his childish moments.
"What about your clothes?" she then asked. "You look ridiculous in those robes that were clearly meant for your previous and smaller figure…"
"There's no need to change it," he quickly replied. "The worse I look while using this face the better it makes me feel!"
"You really are helpless…" Qiuyue shook her head.
"Right, let me take a look inside your storage ring again," he suddenly said.
Qiuyue didn't even bother asking why before giving him her storage ring.
After looking through the storage ring for a few moments, Su Yang nodded with a satisfied expression.
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Many hours have passed since Su Yang consumed the Appearance Reforming Pill, yet he remained inside his room the entire time.
It was not until the stars began twinkling did Su Yang finally decide it was time to leave his room.
"Do you need me to come with you?" Qiuyue asked him before he left the house.
"It's only someone at the Earth Spirit Realm— nothing I cannot deal with by myself," he said with a smile before disappearing into the night.
"Perhaps that's the reason he was thrown into the Eternal Retribution Cliff in the first place? Because he nonchalantly uses His Majesty, the Heavenly Emperor's face all the time?" she silently wondered as her Spiritual Sense activated to follow Su Yang.
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When Su Yang sensed a pair of invisible eyes watching him from afar, he smiled inwardly.
"That girl worries too much. But since I am probably the only person left in this universe that she currently trust, I won't say anything about it."
Su Yang traversed the dark Profound Blossom Sect with his Nine Astral Steps, appearing and disappearing in the shadows like a ghost.
His destination was clear— it was the Yin Yang Pavilion, where the current Sect Masters resided.
"I should've asked someone for their location…" Su Yang facepalmed after realizing that he had no idea where they were located.
Suddenly, his eyes began glowing gold, looking as though two golden suns came to life inside his eyes.
"That spot has the presence of two Earth Spirit Realm experts, so they are probably there…"
Within seconds, Su Yang was able to locate the Yin Yang Pavilion with his All-Seeing Celestial Eyes, a profound technique that could allow the user to look at stars from millions of kilometers away with their naked eyes when completely mastered.
Once he'd guessed their location, his figure flickered and disappeared like a ghost, appearing into the distance many houses away in the next instant.
A few minutes later, Su Yang stood atop a tall and luxurious four-story-tall pavilion that emitted high-quality Profound Qi that could not be found anywhere else within the Sect.
"As expected of the home to the Sect Masters. The quality of Profound Qi found here is far superior to any other hot spots found in this Profound Blossoms Sect."
If he cultivated here with Lan Liqing, then he's almost certain that he'll reach the Earth Spirit Realm within half a year's time, perhaps even higher.
"It's decided. I will take this Yin Yang Pavilion for myself when I get the chance…"
After that silent promise to himself, Su Yang began snooping around the place to look for a certain individual.
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Inside the Yin Yang Pavilion, two figures were together inside a room with dimly illuminated light.
These two figures were obviously the Matriarch and the Patriarch, and they had just finished their daily cultivation.
"What's wrong, Liu Lanzhi? You seemed disheartened during our cultivation," said the Patriarch in a puzzled tone.
"Disheartened?" Liu Lanzhi looked at him with a nonchalant face, sighing inwardly. "I think the term 'bored' would be better suited for my mood right now," she said.
"B-Bored?" Although the Patriarch already knew that, he continued to play dumb to avoid embarrassing himself.
Liu Lanzhi left the bed and got dressed before walking to the window to stare at the night sky with a dazed expression.
After a moment of silence, she turned around to look at the Patriarch and said in a calm, yet cold voice: "Do not be mistaken, Li Qiang, your techniques are great, but I am no longer satisfied with your techniques."
"What?!" Li Qiang's eyes popped out of his sockets at her words.
How could that be possible? She was still enjoying his techniques just yesterday! How could her body possibly change so much in a single day— to the point where she could no longer feel satisfaction from him?
"You are not satisfied with my performances tonight? I do not believe it! Lose your clothes and we will do it again!" Li Qiang's pride and ego took a huge hit from her words, but he wasn't convinced.
Liu Lanzhi slowly shook her head and said: "Forget it, I am already saving you face by being lenient with my words."
"How am I suppose forget this?!" Li Qiang suddenly roared in anger, his fist deeply embedded into the bed.
Not only was his pride as a man greatly damaged by her words, but his position as the Patriarch would also become at risk if he really could no longer satisfy the Matriarch.
While the majority believed that the Patriarch would have the final say within the Profound Blossom Sect, the truth was actually the total opposite, as it has always been the Matriarch who's in full control of the Profound Blossom Sect since the founding of the Sect.
And if the Patriarch, who was chosen by the Matriarch, could no longer satisfy her, then it was obvious that a new Patriarch— one who could satisfy the Matriarch in her cultivation— would be selected for the Sect.
"I do not believe that I am unable to satisfy your body anymore! Hurry and get back on the bed, Liu Lanzhi!" he continued to speak loudly, his voice filled with anger and embarrassment.
Liu Lanzhi suddenly frowned, and her gaze sharpened at Li Qiang.
"Who do you think you are talking to with that tone, Li Qiang?!" she suddenly snapped back, startling him.
"Do I have to remind you who's the true Sect Master of the Sect?!"
"I-I-I—"
"Get lost! And until you improve your trash techniques, I do not want you in my room!" she said with her finger pointed to the door, her narrowed eyes glaring daggers at him.
Afraid of her short temper, Li Qiang hastily scrambled out of the bed and ran out of the room naked, even leaving his clothes in her room.
Once he left, Liu Lanzhi coldly snorted and returned sat on her bed to cultivate.
But alas, her mind could not be calmed even after many minutes and her heart was wavering, so she quickly gave up trying to cultivate and went straight to sleep.
However, even then, she was having difficulties sleeping.
"Damn it! This is all his fault! Of course, my body is not satisfied! After experiencing 'that' from him, there is no way I will be able to feel stimulation by normal means anymore, and today's cultivation with Li Qiang proved that perfectly!" Liu Lanzhi rolled around in her warm bed in frustration.
After her experience with Li Qiang tonight, she finally realized just how far and distant Li Qiang's techniques were when compared to Su Yang. It was a feeling akin to eating dog food right after savoring luxurious food meant for divine beings.
And as the night passed, Liu Lanzhi began feeling regret that she didn't extend the assessment and had only managed to cultivate with Su Yang for a mere few minutes.
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Inside his own room that was only one floor below Liu Lanzhi's room, Li Qiang vented his anger by destroying what little furniture he had inside the room the moment he returned.
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! What do you mean by 'not satisfied' with my performance?! I was even feeling more energized tonight than normal, yet the results were worse than the last time?! I don't fucking believe it!" Li Qiang exclaimed in a furious manner, feeling as though he'd been humiliated.
After venting for a few moments, Li Qiang's suddenly looked enlightened.
"What if she only said that as a mean to find a new Patriarch because she is bored of me?" he thought to himself.
"That's right! My technique couldn't possibly be trash! She's afraid because I am quickly overtaking her with my superior talent!"
Li Qiang quickly convinced himself that Liu Lanzhi was trying to remove him as the Patriarch to find another one, and being the egotistic person that he is, there was no way that he'd sit still until that would eventually happen.
"I am only one level beneath her in Cultivation! If I cultivate quickly enough and surpass her before she replaces me, then I will not only retain my position as the Patriarch, but I will also obtain full control of the Sect!"
With that in mind, Li Qiang began thinking of ways to quickly raise his cultivation base.
And within seconds, a thought came to his head.
"That's it! Although she's only at the True Spirit Realm, that Elder Lan still has her Yin Essence! If I take her Yin Essence, then my cultivation base will surely greatly advance!" he mumbled out loud from excitement.
Li Qiang began making his way to the door, but just as he took his first step towards the door, the window violently opened, and a tall figure jumped into the room through the window.
Chapter 85 You Can't Give Me What Is Already Mine!
When he first saw this intruder, Li Qiang was alarmed by his sudden entrance— only to be bewildered by his absurd appearance an instant later.
The intruder was a handsome middle-aged man with sharp features, looking like a natural born ruler. However, not only was he wearing white robes that only Outer Court disciples from the Profound Blossom Sect would normally wear, but the robes were also clearly too small to fit his large figure, making him look quite ridiculous, even like a pervert to some extent.
"Who the hell are you?!" Li Qiang cried out with alarm.
"A messenger from Heaven," said Su Yang jokingly in a disguised voice.
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Li Qiang looked at him with ridicule, like he was looking at a clown.
"I didn't come here to kill you at first, but after hearing your mumble, I've decided that it would be better to kill you after all."
Li Qiang looked dazed for a moment before bursting with laughter.
"I don't know which circus you came from, nor why you are here in the first place, but if you think that I will let you kill me and leave after intruding my room like this, then you really are a clown— a foolish clown!"
"Pretty big talk for someone who'd just got scolded by his woman for being useless." Su Yang laughed without reserve, causing Li Qiang's face to flush red from anger.
"If I don't kill you tonight, then I am not a man!" Li Qiang roared, his forehead filled with veins of rage.
Seeing his eagerness to fight, Su Yang casually shrugged his shoulders with a smile on his face. "I am pretty confident that you have already exhausted a good amount of your Profound Qi after your cultivation tonight…"
When Li Qiang heard Su Yang's words, his complexion instantly paled, looking as though he'd just swallowed something filthy.
He then touched the ring on his hand, and a steel sword that radiated with Profound Qi emerged from within the ring and into his grasp.
"A Spirit-grade Spiritual Treasure? Do you really believe that some rubbish toothpick will save you from me?" Su Yang scoffed as he slowly approached Li Qiang with empty hands.
His actions caused Li Qiang to be taken aback.
"Does he really think that he can fight me, who has a Spiritual Weapon, empty-handed?" he inwardly sneered at Su Yang's arrogance, but the ominous feeling that was weighing down his heart did not disappear and instead continued to increase as Su Yang got closer.
"Die for me— Eight Point Strike!"
When Su Yang reached a certain distance from him, Li Qiang suddenly thrust his sword forward at a speed that made it seem like there were eight swords heading towards Su Yang instead of just one.
"What cheap tricks…"
When the sword was seemingly an instant away from piercing a hole between his brows, Su Yang's hands vanished from his sides and appeared before his face to catch one of the eight strikes, ignoring the remaining seven.
"What!?"
Before he could penetrate Su Yang's skin with his sword, Li Qiang suddenly felt as though he'd struck a steel wall and his sword would not move forward even the slightest no matter how much he pushed or pulled. It was as if he had stabbed the ground so hard that his sword was stuck inside the dirt, yet what he aimed his sword at was not the ground but the middle-aged man in front of him!
Li Qiang was dumbfounded for an instant, but when he realized what had happened, all the hair on his body stood up like spikes on a certain rodent.
"Indeed, what the people say about the Profound Blossom Sect having only high cultivation bases and lacking in techniques is true and not one bit misleading…" said Su Yang, who was currently holding Li Qiang's sword with only two fingers, even looking a bit bored of the situation.
"I-Impossible…"
After struggling for a moment and realizing that his sword would not budge unless Su Yang released his fingers, Li Qiang willingly removed his grip from the sword and slowly staggered backward.
In his mind, he was shocked speechless at the clear disparity between their strength that was like heaven and earth.
"At your current condition, you are equal to someone at the middle stages of the True Spirit Realm at best, not even worth my effort," Su Yang directly threw Li Qiang's Spiritual Treasure into his storage ring the moment he released his grip on the handle, stealing it for himself.
Because Li Qiang had just finished cultivating with Liu Lanzhi, his cultivation base was exhausted. And Su Yang, who cultivated his physique to the late stages of the Profound Spirit Realm with one of the best body refining techniques in the world, he was capable of taking care of the weakened Li Qiang without the assistance of his cultivation base at the True Spirit Realm.
While Body Refiners are too few and far between in the Cultivation World due to the harsh cultivating methods being too difficult for the majority to endure, they are also the strongest type of Cultivators when in close combat with a prowess that could easily overwhelm any Qi Refiners that are one— even two realms above them if the technique they used is of superior quality.
And at Su Yang's current state, he has the capabilities to fight someone at the Earth Spirit Realm with his physical body alone, and perhaps even Heavenly Spirit Realm if he used his entire cultivation base.
As such, dealing with Li Qiang, who is not only weakened but also an Earth Spirit Realm master, Su Yang naturally wouldn't have any problems with him in close combat.
"W-Who are you!? W-Why are you doing this?! I do not recall ever offending someone like you!" Li Qiang began sweating profusely once he realized that he stood no chance against this mysterious intruder, especially not when he was in a weakened state.
Hell, even if he was in top condition, he still wouldn't dare say with confidence that he could fight Su Yang survive, much less come out as victorious!
"You didn't offend me directly, but when you decided to lay hands on her, your fate has already been dictated by the heavens," said Su Yang as he began taking steps towards the trembling Li Qiang.
"Her? Who are you referring to by 'her'?! I don't even remember—" Li Qiang's expression suddenly froze, and the image of Elder Lan emerged from his chaotic mind.
"E-Elder Lan? Are you talking about Elder Lan? Y-You can have her! If you spare my life today, I will never look at her again, much less think about touching her! I am the Patriarch of this Sect! If I die—" Although he was puzzled by Lan Liqing's relationship with this mysterious intruder with profound strength, he wasn't in the situation to think about it properly and begged for his life instead.
Su Yang suddenly burst out laughing, and he spoke in a slow and calm manner: "I don't need your permission to take her, as you can't give me what is already mine!"
He then raised his hand and aimed for Li Qiang's heart with a palming strike.
"Soul Sealing Palm Strike!"
The strike landed directly on Li Qiang's chest an instant later, and he stared at the Heavenly Emperor's face before him with hatred while he slowly fell to the ground, until the life in his dimly lit eyes vanished like the light of a blown out candle.
Chapter 86 Little Girl Matriarch
Su Yang silently watched as Li Qiang's lifeless body lay slump on the floor, his gaze as tranquil as a still lake, looking as though the situation couldn't affect him even the slightest.
"I had only planned to give you a warning tonight, but seeing how you were so eager to get yourself killed, I went ahead and fulfilled your wish."
Su Yang shook his head and turned to approach the window.
However, just as he was about to leave, the door to the room violently opened, and Liu Lanzhi walked inside while yelling: "Why the hell are you making so much noise in the middle of the night?! I will fucking kill you, Li Qiang—"
Liu Lanzhi was already aggravated by her inability to sleep, yet she still had to listen to the commotion in this room, but her expression and lips quickly froze when she saw the situation.
The first thing she'd noticed was the handsome middle-aged man because of his absurd and staggering appearance. She then noticed Li Qiang's lifeless body on the floor with blood dripping from his lips, looking as though he'd sustained grave injuries.
"Who are you?" Liu Lanzhi was on guard after a quick observation of the scene, her hands already touching her storage ring in preparation for battle.
However, she did not immediately attack Su Yang and only stood there, looking apprehensive.
Although Li Qiang was below her in terms of his cultivation base, he was still one of the top experts in this Sect, yet for him to be dealt with so quickly and efficiently by this middle-aged man, Liu Lanzhi did not dare to overestimate her abilities by attacking him without knowing anything about his identity.
"Relax, little girl. I came here tonight only for that fool who is already dead on the floor," said Su Yang with one leg on the window.
"Little girl?" Liu Lanzhi frowned.
While her appearance resembles that of a young lady who is still in her prime, she is actually well over eighty years old.
Su Yang noticed the anger in her eyes when he treated her like a little girl despite her efforts in hiding it, and he smiled and continued: "Perhaps if you manage to live another thousand years, I will consider calling you a young girl…"
Liu Lanzhi was more shocked than offended this time around. Someone who is a thousand years old was only a young girl in his eyes? Just how long has he been alive thus far? What cultivation base could he possibly have achieved to have such a long lifespan? It was something that she couldn't even mentally fathom since Earth Spirit Realm experts like her normally have a lifespan around three hundred to four hundred years.
"Why would someone as profound as you appear here to kill someone small like Li Qiang?" Liu Lanzhi suddenly asked him. "He was the Patriarch of this Sect, you know? How am I supposed to explain this to the Sect?"
Despite Li Qiang's death, Liu Lanzhi didn't seem to display any signs of grieve for him, which made Su Yang feel a bit surprised.
"I killed him because he laughed at my appearance while I was passing through," said Su Yang with a serious expression, dumbfounding Liu Lanzhi who clearly wasn't expecting such an answer.
"B-Because he laughed at you?"
For him to kill a Patriarch like Li Qiang over such a ludicrous reason, Liu Lanzhi no longer doubted his old age, as only those old monsters with prolonged life and a deep cultivation base could possibly exhibit such eccentric behavior!
"Do you have a problem with that, little girl?" Su Yang removed his leg from the window and slowly approached her in an overbearing manner.
Liu Lanzhi instinctively retreated a few steps when Su Yang's overwhelming pressure filled the room, her back soaked in cold sweat.
"I-I had planned on replacing him when I find a better candidate anyway, and he was at fault for offending Senior, so I have no problem with Senior's decision! Instead, I would like to thank Senior for assisting me in dealing with him, even though it wasn't Senior's original intent!" Liu Lanzhi said with a bow, thanking him for killing Li Qiang.
Su Yang halted his steps and nodded his head with approval, acting like a profound old man.
"Very well, I accept your gratitude," he said a moment later.
"Although I didn't plan to cause trouble for your Sect, my actions have done exactly that, so my humble-self shall compensate for your lost…"
"Senior need not worry about such minor details!" Liu Lanzhi suddenly said, her forehead dripping with sweat.
Although it would be rude to refuse his offer, Liu Lanzhi didn't want to accept compensation from someone who'd just killed the Patriarch of her own Sect, afraid that his offer might do more harm than good, not to mention his fearsome presence that was forcing her to sweat buckets from just his presence alone.
"..."
Having his offer refused, Su Yang frowned, deliberately looking offended despite feeling calm inwardly: "You are refusing my goodwill? It's been over four thousand years since someone had last refused my generosity..."
"?!?!?!"
Liu Lanzhi trembled violently upon hearing his low voice that was spoken in a displeased tone, and her legs were even shaking clearly from the killing intent that radiated from Su Yang's narrowed gaze.
"F-F-Four thousand years!?" Liu Lanzhi exclaimed inwardly, nearly screaming out loud.
What cultivation base would one need to have to be able to live for over four thousand years and still look so young and energetic?
By now, Liu Lanzhi was sweating so much that the spot she stood was covered in liquid, making it seem like she'd just pissed herself.
"Hmm? To be leaking at your age, you really are a little girl…" Su Yang continued to tease her while recalling the arrogant attitude she had with him initially at the Examination Hall.
Liu Lanzhi looked down at her feet and came to a realization that the liquid under her feet was actually pee and not sweat! She'd accidentally pissed herself from fear!
"I-I-I apologize for showing such a disgraceful sight before Senior…" Liu Lanzhi said in a trembling voice, showing more concern for his presence than her own dignity.
Seeing that she was really about to cry, Su Yang decided that it was time to stop teasing her, and he said while pointing to Li Qiang's dead body: "My compensation to your Sect for killing your Patriarch is that I am willing to become its Patriarch until you find another replacement for that trash over there…"
"W-What?"
Liu Lanzhi looked at him with dazed eyes, looking as though she was in disbelief. She was so dumbfounded by Su Yang's words that she was still doubting her own hearing after many moments.
"You heard me—" Su Yang paused to walk over to the wardrobe, where he retrieved a clean set of the Patriarch's robe, even wearing it over his Outer Court disciple robes, and continued: "I happen to have a lot of time on my hands, so I do not mind wearing this clothing until you find a proper replacement."
"B-But…" Liu Lanzhi wanted to express her concerns, but Su Yang was already a step ahead of her.
"What is there to be concerned about? I will only be the Patriarch in name, so not only will I not change anything within Sect, but I will even protect this place for as long as I am here."
Despite his words, Liu Lanzhi was still feeling doubtful towards his actual intent. Why would he offer to become this Sect's Patriarch when there is nothing he could benefit from being the Patriarch? Why was he wearing clothes meant for her Outer Court disciples? Did he also forget that he was the reason why the Sect no longer has a Patriarch?
"Hmm… how about this?" Su Yang continued to speak. "I understand that you are wary of my intentions, as anyone would feel the same way. However, you seem to have forgotten that I have the ability to crush this small place without the need to waste my time by role-playing as the Patriarch. I really have no malicious ambitions towards this place, only being bored and wanting to find something to do to pass my seemingly eternal time. Although I did kill your Patriarch, that was truly just an unfortunate incident that he'd brought upon himself."
After a moment of silence, "What do you say, little girl? I may even bless this Sect with a few cultivation techniques that I'd obtained during my humble life..."
"..."
Liu Lanzhi remained silent, yet her eyes seemed to have changed drastically after his explanation. There was still doubt in her heart, as everything he said sounded too good to be true, but he also gave her little reason to refuse his offer.
As a matter of fact, the advantages that could be gained from his offer far outweighs its disadvantages!
Chapter 87 Bedtime Story
Liu Lanzhi continued to stand there with a pondering expression after many moments of silence.
Although she didn't want to accept someone who wasn't even a disciple of the Sect to become the Patriarch, she really had no other choice, as his prowess was seemingly too profound for a small Sect such as the Profound Blossom Sect.
Additionally, if what he said was true— that he was willing to protect the Sect and even bestow them a few cultivation techniques, then the Sect's status within the Cultivation World may even soar to the skies, allowing them to hover beside the truly big names in this world!
The current position the Profound Blossom Sect held within the Cultivation World wasn't anything worthy, even looking like ants in the eyes of the giants such as the Divine Sword Sect, but with this mysterious old monster's appearance, perhaps they may become something bigger than just ants.
Liu Lanzhi suddenly closed her eyes, sighing in a defeated tone. She then began to lower her body until she was kneeling on the floor.
"Liu Lanzhi greets the Patriarch!" she said loudly.
Seeing this, Su Yang nodded with a smile. "Very well, then I shall remain in these clothes for a bit longer…"
"And as agreed, I will not touch the Sect, nor will I change anything, so you can continue every day as usual. Unless the Sect is in peril, I will not intervene with your business," he continued.
"What about him?" Liu Lanzhi pointed at the lifeless Li Qiang and asked.
"I will leave his body and the announcement of a new Patriarch to you. Even if you have to lie to everyone within the Sect, I do not want too much of a commotion, as I hate loud noises," he replied, essentially leaving all responsibilities of Li Qiang's death to her.
Feeling bitter, Liu Lanzhi nodded. "I understand."
"Good. Then I shall leave for the time being. If you need something from me, you can contact me using this Jade Slip."
Su Yang threw at her a Jade Slip meant purely for communication before turning to approach the window again, and Liu Lanzhi watched him leave without saying a word despite her many questions for him.
At this moment, all she wanted was for him to quickly leave so she could finally organize her chaotic mind, not to mention that she has to think of an excuse for Li Qiang's death and the sudden emergence of a new Patriarch without causing too much commotion within the Sect.
"Ahhh… why is this happening?" Liu Lanzhi mumbled in a dazed voice.
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Su Yang returned to his living quarters after leaving the Yin Yang Pavilion, where Qiuyue patiently waited for his return.
"You're still awake? Although Cultivators at your level doesn't require much sleep, you look tired. Get some sleep, or else it'll affect your beautiful skin," said Su Yang to Qiuyue the moment he returned, pretending that he wasn't aware of her sneaky surveillance.
Qiuyue silently nodded.
She then uncrossed her legs from her lotus position and laid on his bed, treating it as though it was her own bed.
Su Yang could only smile at her actions and decided to leave her alone.
However, just as he turned around, a low and sweet voice resounded.
"Tell me a story like you used to…" mumbled Qiuyue, her gaze staring at his back with a lonesome feeling.
Halting his step, Su Yang spoke with a smile on his face: "Which story would you prefer tonight, my spoiled little princess?"
It was a phrase he'd regularly use whenever she'd ask him for a bedtime story.
"The story of the mortal girl who traversed the universe in search for her missing father— it became a favorite of mine ever since I first heard it…" she replied.
"I know," said Su Yang. "Out of the hundreds of stories I've told you, it's the only story you've ever wanted me to repeat."
Su Yang then sat on the bed beside her, and he began narrating the story in a tender voice, as Qiuyue slowly closed her eyes to listen.
"There was a young girl named…"
"She loved her caring father, who'd worked until he'd fall from exhaustion to feed her, very dearly…"
"But one day, he suddenly disappeared like a ghost…"
"Devastated by her father's disappearance, she went on a journey in search for him…"
"On her journey, she had slain countless demons and beasts, even becoming a famous name throughout the world…"
"But alas, despite her worldwide fame and profound power, she was still unable to find her father even after many years…"
"However, she did not give up and continued to search…"
"One day, she broke the boundaries of a human being and soared higher than any Cultivator in the world…"
"Eventually, she reached a point where she was able to traverse the stars and travel the starry sky…"
"Countless years have passed since she started her journey in search for her father, but the chances of her father who was a mere mortal when he disappeared still being alive at this point was nonexistent…"
"However, despite already aware of such facts many years ago, the stubborn daughter continued to look forward to the day her father appears before her again everyday…"
"Ultimately, she became one of the strongest existence in the universe with the power to influence even fate…"
"She then traveled to a mythical place where mindless souls awaited for reincarnation, with some souls there having existed for thousands of years…"
Qiuyue was long asleep by the time Su Yang reached this point, her sleeping face as beautiful as a sleeping fairy and as peaceful as a baby who was deeply asleep.
Su Yang stopped telling the story and reached for her face that was stained with tears with his hands, wiping the trail of tears from her silky face. He stood from the bed and left the room shortly after, closing the door behind him.
"Haaaa…" Su Yang released a deep sigh once he was alone, his gaze seemingly filled with countless profound thoughts as he recalled the story of the young gir trying to find her father.
And for the remainder of the gloomy night, Su Yang sat in the living room in silence, seemingly in deep thoughts.
Chapter 88 Do You Still Remember Me?
When morning arrived, Su Yang silently left the house and headed for the Distribution Center, where the disciples of the Sect go to receive their monthly allowances and rewards.
At the Distribution Center, a beautiful lady sat inside a pavilion while distributing Spirit Stones and other things to the disciples that were waiting in line one by one.
Su Yang went to the back of the line, standing behind dozens of Outer Court disciples that'd had arrived before him.
"Hey, look at him— that's Su Yang, right?"
One of the disciples in line recognized him and mumbled to the surrounding disciples in a concerned tone.
The result of the deathmatch between him and Dai Zheng still resounded in the head of many Outer Court disciples, so there were still many who felt fear towards him.
"Su Yang?"
When one of the surrounding disciples heard his name, she turned her head to look at him with excitement in her eyes, the complete contrary to the other disciples there that were looking at him with fearful eyes.
Once she confirmed that he was indeed Su Yang, this young disciple willingly left the line to approach him.
"Su Yang! Do you still remember me?"
This disciple was a young beauty with a prideful demeanor, and she stood beside Su Yang with her arms crossed.
Su Yang looked at this young beauty, and he smiled: "Naturally, I remember you. How could I forget my first customer within this Sect?"
This young beauty was indeed Zhou Xuan, who had the privilege of being the first within the entire Sect to experience Su Yang's techniques!
"I never had the chance to thank you properly for fixing my back, so I would like to take this chance to thank you!"
Zhou Xuan gracefully lifted her robes and bowed to him in an elegant motion. "Thank you, Su Yang!" she said with a face full of smiles.
When the other disciples saw the way Zhou Xuan acted so respectfully towards Su Yang, their jaws dropped.
As fellow disciples, they knew her very well, especially her arrogant and prideful character that wouldn't waver even when facing fearsome beings like Su Yang, so when she acts the total opposite of her character, they would naturally be dumbfounded.
"There is no need to thank me. I only did my job— something you'd had already paid for back then," said Su Yang while shaking his head.
"..."
Zhou Xuan stared at him intensively for a moment, her face looking as though she wanted to say something.
A moment later, she spoke with her face slightly red: "About that… it is almost a month since then… and I'm wondering if you are still providing such services..."
Because the news of Su Yang closing down his service had long reached her ears, Zhou Xuan wanted to make sure that the rumors were indeed true.
"I am willing to pay 100 Premium Points— even 200!" she continued to speak, her voice sounding a bit desperate.
Ever since Zhou Xuan experienced his god-like techniques, she had been longing to return to his room every day, a place she considered to be a real paradise.
Seeing the yearning in her passionate eyes, Su Yang smiled. "While I have no need for Premium Points anymore, there is no harm in taking a few breaks throughout the day to stretch myself…"
He then moved closer to her ears and whispered: "However, I will be doing more than just 'massage' you."
Zhou Xuan's whole body trembled at his enchanting voice, and she stood there with a dazed expression, her heart beating like war drums.
More than just a massage? Zhou Xuan believed that he was just poking fun at her, yet she couldn't help but feel elevated anticipation towards such a day.
Zhou Xuan's beautiful face was flushed with redness at this moment, baffling the disciples there even further.
"What did he say to her? Her entire face is flushed red!"
The disciples there wondered.
"O-Okay…" Zhou Xuan nodded and turned around the next instant to walk back to where her friends stood, her movements clearly stiff like a puppet. She was feeling so bashful from his words that she could no longer stand beside him without feeling butterflies in her stomach, hence her quick retreat.
Su Yang only smiled at her reaction and didn't say anything else.
He then glanced at the beautiful lady inside the pavilion.
"..."
The beautiful lady at the pavilion did not once stop distributing things to the disciples in line, but Su Yang had clearly sensed her gaze on him ever since he'd arrived.
The line advanced quickly, and within minutes, it shortened by two dozens of disciples.
It was relatively peaceful at the line, but when it was almost Zhou Xuan and her friends turn to retrieve their things, the disciples there began making a commotion, causing everybody there to turn their heads.
From a distance, two disciples in blue robes were quickly approaching the area, one extremely graceful young lady, and one exceedingly handsome young man, and they both wore an overbearing expression on their faces as they approached the line.
And without the need for the two blue-robed disciples to open their mouths, everybody within the line began taking steps backward, forcing the entire line to make space in the front of the line.
Su Yang frowned at the situation and the Outer Court disciples reaction to the couple's appearance.
"Core disciples! And two of them, at that!"
"It's Senior apprentice-brother Yun and Senior apprentice-sister Fang, and they are even together!"
Because Core disciples are rarely seen outside of their cultivating areas deep in the center of the Profound Blossom Sect, the Outer Court disciples went into a frenzied state upon seeing the two, treating them as though they were celebrities.
"So this is the Profound Blossom Sect's Core disciples..."
Su Yang quickly noticed their peak True Spirit Realm cultivation base that was stronger than almost every Sect Elders he'd seen thus far, and he recalled when Lan Liqing called the Core disciples 'prodigies chosen by Heaven'.
"Hmmm? Where have I seen her face before?" Su Yang pondered as he stared at the female Core disciple's face.
Chapter 89 I Will See You Soon!
When Su Yang saw the female Core disciple, he almost immediately recognized her from the Burning Lotus Auction House. She was that wasteful rich girl who'd bought all of his monster cores.
When he first saw her in during the auction, she was not only wearing Outer Disciple robes but her appearance was also disguised.
However, Su Yang easily saw through her disguise the instant he saw her at the auction house, hence why he still recognized her now even though she looked entirely different back then.
Cultivators disguising themselves to avoid attention could be seen everywhere, so Su Yang didn't find her actions odd.
Though, he was slightly interested in why a peak True Spirit Realm like her would require so many Elementary-grade and Profound-grade monster cores, as they wouldn't benefit someone at her cultivation base even if she consumed a hundred of them.
Perhaps this Core disciple wanted to increase the quality of her Yin Qi by cultivating many Yin Element monster cores from the Lightning Cats, but even that seemed unlikely since there are much better and cheaper options.
So unless this Core disciple was an idiot, there wasn't any need for her to spend so much resource on mere Lightning Cat monster cores.
"Senior apprentice-sister Fang, she is one of only eight Core disciples that exists in the Sect. Not only does she possess superior beauty, but she also has incredible talent, reaching the True Spirit Realm at the young age of 16 and the peak of True Spirit Realm only ten years later… Truly a genius among genius…"
"Senior apprentice-brother Yun is slightly behind her in terms of talent, reaching the peak True Spirit Realm at age 27, but he possesses extremely vigorous Yang, meaning his Yang Qi is twice as effective as normal, hence why there are always female disciples waiting in line to enter his chambers…"
Su Yang silently listened to the surrounding disciples express their awe for the two Core disciples, feeling slightly baffled that there are currently only 8 Core disciples out of thousands of disciples in the Sect.
Are the requirements for Core disciples really that strict, or are the disciples in this Sect just this mediocre?
When the two Core disciples arrived at the front desk, the young Sect Elder behind the counter stood up to greet them.
"How can the Distribution Center be of help to the Core disciples today?"
"I am only here to accompany junior apprentice-sister Fang today," said the handsome young man with a bright smile, his gaze at Fang Zhelan.
Fang Zhelan walked forward and said: "I ran out of Spirit Stones."
The moment the Sect Elder behind the counter heard Fang Zhelan's words, her expression froze.
"Disciple Fang… w-what happened to the few hundred Spirit Stones we gave you just last week?" asked the Sect Elder, who already knew the answer.
"It's all spent," she replied calmly.
"Aiya!" The Sect Elder sighed loudly. "Disciple Fang, although Core disciples are privileged to almost all resources within the Sect, there is a limit to how much you can waste… You have already retrieved over a thousand Spirit Stones just this month alone. At this rate, we will go bankrupt!"
When the disciples heard the Sect Elder's words, they all expressed bitterness.
Almost everybody within the Sect was aware of Fang Zhelan's exaggerated spending habits, which they consider as her only flaw, so they weren't shocked at the situation at hand.
"What did you even buy that required you spent such a large amount of Spirit Stones in such a short time?" asked the Sect Elder.
"Monster cores," Fang Zhelan instantly replied, her voice still nonchalant.
"Why did I even ask…" The Sect Elder sighed again. "Well? How much did that gluttonous beast grow from those monster cores?"
"She reached the True Spirit Realm."
"..."
The Sect Elder went silent for a moment.
"How many Spirit Stones?" she spoke in a defeated voice.
"One hundred."
The Sect Elder then retrieved a small leather bag and handed it to Fang Zhelan. "If it wasn't for that thing you are grooming, the Sect Masters would've long restricted your spending limit…"
Fang Zhelan accepted the bag of Spirit Stone and turned to leave with the handsome young man.
"The disparity between us Outer Court disciples and Core disciples are truly too vast…" The disciples there sighed in envy at how easily Fang Zhelan was able to obtain Spirit Stones.
What would take them years of effort to obtain a hundred Spirit Stones, all Fang Zhelan had to do was show up and say a few words.
"What are you all waiting for? Hurry up and get the line moving again!" The Sect Elder yelled when the line remained unmoving after the Core disciples left.
The disciples finally snapped out of their mind and began moving again.
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"I will see you soon, Su Yang!"
After Zhou Xuan retrieved her things from the Distribution Center, she returned to Su Yang to say a few words before leaving.
A few minutes later, when it was finally Su Yang's turn at the counter, he approached the Sect Elder.
"You are Su Yang?" asked the Sect Elder the moment he'd arrived at the front.
"Yes," he said as he handed her his identification badge.
The Sect Elder nodded after confirming his background, and she handed him three pairs of green robes, and a small pouch containing five Spirit Stones and a jade slip that did not belong to the list of things he came here to retrieve.
"When you feel ready, you may head to the Inner Court to find a new living quarter."
"I understand."
When Su Yang turned to leave, the disciples there stared at him with wide eyes and dropped jaws.
"Hey! Look at the green robes in his hands!"
"Is that Su Yang? Since when did he become an Inner Court disciple?!"
"What!? How is that possible?! If I recall correctly, he was only at the third level of the Elementary Spirit Realm just one month ago!"
The people there that knew Su Yang and his position within the Sect felt the strength in their legs leave at a rapid pace. How did he manage to become an Inner Court disciple out of the blue? Surely, he did not reach the Profound Spirit Realm in such a short amount of time! Hell, he was still a crippled trash the last time many saw him, yet a month later, and he'd become an Inner Court disciple? Impossible!
A commotion immediately occurred at the place. The majority of the Outer Court disciples there have heard of the name Su Yang at least once since his deathmatch against someone who was two cultivation levels above him. However, he was only at the third level of the Elementary Spirit Realm during that time, and in order to become an Inner Court disciple, one must reach at least the Profound Spirit Realm.
Did Su Yang really breakthrough seven levels and achieve the Profound Spirit Realm in such a short time? How did he do it?
Su Yang ignored the many puzzled gazes that were staring at him and calmly left the place. If they knew that he was actually already at the True Spirit Realm, then who knows what kind of reaction they might show.
Shortly after learning of Su Yang's new status as an Inner Court disciple within the Sect, the disciples there began spreading the news like wildfire throughout the Outer Court.
And sure enough, everybody was baffled by the unexpected news, especially those that were more familiar with him. As for those that used to bully and treat him like trash, they all locked themselves in their homes, fearful of the day when Su Yang would return for revenge.
Chapter 90 Terrorizing the Sec
The news of Su Yang becoming an Inner Court disciple greatly shocked many Outer Court disciples.
Nobody could imagine how he'd managed to reach the Profound Spirit Realm in less than a month from the third level of the Elementary Spirit Realm, but there were plenty of speculations going around.
Some speculated that Su Yang had a fortunate encounter during his sect mission that allowed his cultivation to soar, and others guessed that he had consumed some sort of heavenly treasure.
Either way, the fact that Su Yang, who used to be a cripple and a piece of useless trash, had managed to become an Inner Court disciple while the rest of them are still mere Outer Court disciples aroused a profound sense of envy in many disciples.
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Inside Su Yang's room, Qiuyue slowly opened her moon-like eyes and sat up in a sluggish motion.
She then looked around with a dazed expression, feeling a bit lightheaded from the deep sleep.
Prior to meeting Su Yang, she was always on high alert for the Sacred Moon Palace, hence why she could never sleep peacefully. However, now that Su Yang was in her presence, all of her worries seemingly vanished like smoke and allowed her to sleep like a baby.
"Father…?"
Being unable to see Su Yang's figure when she woke up, a sense of terror appeared in her heart, feeling fearful that her meeting with Su Yang was only just a dream.
"Father?!" Confused, Qiuyue jumped out of the bed, and her cultivation base unintentionally erupted out of her body, instantly covering the entire Profound Blossom Sect with a terrifying pressure that caused everybody within the Sect to tremble violently, feeling as though there was a dreadful beast in the vicinity.
The sudden pressure shocked the living hell out of many people and made them believe that they were under attack, and many disciples even directly fell on the ground after their legs abandoned them.
Dozens of Sect Elders could also be seen running out of buildings with alarmed expressions and weapons in their hands, looking as though they were ready for battle.
Qiuyue was at the Divine Lord Realm, two whole realms above the strongest cultivators in this small and growing world, so even a small portion of her cultivation base would be enough to scare Earth Spirit Realm cultivators to tears, let alone these poor disciples below the True Spirit Realm.
"Why are you trying to scare people to death so early in the morning?!"
Suddenly, Su Yang's voice loudly resounded from the living room, snapping Qiuyue out of her panicked state.
"Eh?" With a dumbfounded expression, Qiuyue used her Spiritual Sense to look at the living room, where the voice resounded from.
When she noticed Su Yang looking towards her direction through her Spiritual Sense, her entire face flushed red from embarrassment.
The door to the room opened, and Su Yang appeared before her.
"Suddenly terrorizing the entire Sect with your cultivation base, do you care to explain yourself? Even I was startled by your little stunt!" Su Yang said to her, looking a bit baffled by the situation.
"I… I had a nightmare…" she replied in a stiff voice.
"A nightmare?" Su Yang looked at her with wide eyes. "Unbelievable! If I wasn't in time wake you up, everybody in this Sect would've suffocated to death from the pressure today!"
"..."
Qiuyue was beyond speechless, feeling even more dumbfounded than everybody in the Sect currently. To think she'd cause such a commotion by accident, even she was in disbelief at the situation!
After a moment of awkward silence, Su Yang sighed and said: "Forget it… Just remember that we are surrounded by mortals, so we need to be more mindful of our actions, especially you, Qiuyue."
Hearing his words, she nodded. "I understand… it will not happen again…"
The moment Qiuyue apologized, Su Yang reached into his storage ring and retrieved a jade slip that was glowing brightly.
"Senior! What is this pressure?!" Liu Lanzhi's terrified voice resounded from the jade slip, clearly worried about pressure caused by Qiuyue.
"Ahem…" Su Yang cleared his throat and began speaking in a disguised voice. "I have already dealt with the problem, there is no need for you to worry about it anymore."
"What!? It has already been dealt with?!"
"If you do not believe me, you can go look around yourself."
"I believe! I believe!" she quickly replied.
"If there is nothing else, I will return to my business."
Su Yang deactivated the jade slip and turned to look at Qiuyue with a weird expression.
"..."
Qiuyue also turned her head, purposefully avoiding his gaze.
"Anyway, I have somewhere I need to attend to," Su Yang suddenly said.
"Where are you going?"
Su Yang retrieved another jade slip— the one he received at the Distribution Center today— from his storage ring and handed it to her. "Take a look yourself," he said.
Qiuyue then used her Spiritual Sense to read the content of the jade slip.
After reading the contents, she looked at Su Yang with a weird expression.
"Why did they pick you?" she asked with a frown.
"It'd be weird if I wasn't picked after what happened at the Examination Hall…" he chuckled.
"What happened at the Examination Hall?" Because she didn't follow him with her Spiritual Sense during his assessment at the Examination Hall, she was unaware of exactly what happened there.
"Are you really going?" she then asked.
"It seems fun, so why not?"
"Which part of this seems fun to you?" she said in a disappointed voice, clearly unhappy about the contents of the jade slip and his decision to attend such farce.
Su Yang remained silent, showing her only a smile on his face.
"...You really are a scoundrel, Father…" she sighed.
Hearing her remarks, Su Yang began laughing out loud.
"Anyway, I have to talk to someone before I leave for this event. Make sure you do not repeat what happened today when I am gone," he said to her as he left the room.
"..."
Once Su Yang left, Qiuyue looked at the jade slip in her hand again. "I really hate this place. I should've destroyed this place when I had the chance just now…" she released a deep sigh, before crushing the jade slip with her hands until it shattered into countless fragments.
Chapter 91 Reunion Between Master and Slave
Nearly every disciple within the Outer Court stopped whatever they were doing and stared at the handsome young man in a set of green robes casually strolling towards the Medicine Hall.
"Fuck! The rumors are true! Su Yang really became an Inner Court disciple! He is actually at the Profound Spirit Realm!"
The disciples expressed disbelief and shock upon seeing Su Yang in his new Sect clothes. Although the news of Su Yang becoming an Inner Court disciple was already widespread, there were plenty of people who did not believe the news.
However, now that they witnessed for themselves Su Yang in his Inner Court disciple robes, they could only bite their lips and recognize his new standing within the Sect.
"N-No way…"
"Damn it! How did that cripple reach the Profound Spirit Realm before me?! This must be the Heavens playing a sick joke on us!"
The disciples complained inwardly, thinking that it was a big mistake to promote Su Yang, but none of them spoke out loud, as they were all afraid of his new profound status as an Inner Court disciple.
Meanwhile, Su Yang didn't even bother paying attention to the gazes being directed at him, only focusing on the road.
A few minutes later he arrived at the Medicine Hall, and the moment he entered the doors, many shocked cries resounded inside the place.
"Junior apprentice-brother Su!? Y-Your robes! They are green!"
The news of Su Yang becoming an Inner Court disciple did not appear here in the Medicine Hall yet, hence the shocked reaction from the disciples there.
"Of course, they'd be green. I have passed the examination and became an Inner Court disciple," he said with a smile.
"W-Wow! Congratulations, junior apprentice-brother Su!"
"What junior apprentice-brother? He's our senior now, even if he is younger than us!"
The girls at the Medicine Hall all crowded around Su Yang, each giving him their congrats without thinking too much as to how he'd managed such a feat.
Meanwhile, Disciple Xiao, who was the only one out of the group of sisters to have disliked Su Yang since day one, stared at him with a dumbstruck expression, seemingly in a daze.
Although she still found him unpleasant, there was a sense of regret in her heart— regretting that she didn't try to get closer to him when she had the chance.
"Is Elder Lan here? I'd like to speak to her," Su Yang asked them a moment later.
"Master? She went to some sort of meeting this morning along with many other Sect Elders and have yet to return."
"Meeting?"
"It seemed urgent, so Master left without leaving any words behind."
"Is it because of that?" Su Yang wondered if this meeting had anything to do with Li Qiang's death, as such a possibility seemed very likely.
"Very well, then I will return later. It's not anything important, so it can wait," he said to them before leaving.
After leaving the Medicine Hall, Su Yang walked to towards the Inner Court of the Sect, where all the Inner Court disciples dwelled.
This was his first time entering the Inner Court, and his first impression of the place was more or less disappointment.
Compared to the lively and always active Outer Court with disciples commonly seen chatting and relaxing outside their houses, this Inner Court was more of an abandoned area with not even a single disciple outside.
After standing there for a short moment to look at the place, Su Yang resumed his steps, walking straight to a large area within the Inner Court, where a few disciples could be seen gathered in the center.
There were at least twenty disciples standing around, and all of them wore green robes, meaning that they were all Inner Court disciples like him.
When Su Yang noticed the disciples there, they also noticed him, and they all looked at him simultaneously.
"Who's that? This is my first time seeing his face here."
"I have never seen his face before, too."
"A new Inner Court disciple?"
"Eh? How is it possible that none of us have heard of him when he's obviously talented enough to become one of us?"
The Inner Court disciples all looked at him with their interests piqued.
Normally, before any Outer Court disciple becomes an Inner Court disciple, their name would've already been known by the Inner Court disciples, as only those who are talented enough could possibly become one of them, and such talented individuals would naturally enter their ears before he or she becomes one of them.
Su Yang, however, became an Inner Court disciple out of the blue, and he was known for being a useless cripple within the Outer Court, so it wasn't weird that these Inner Court disciples— people that only care about the talented— didn't know of him.
"Hm…? He's… Su Yang!?"
However, not everybody there didn't know Su Yang's face since there was clearly someone there that was aware of his identity.
"Huh? You know him?"
The Inner Court disciples there turned to look at the young lady who exclaimed very loudly in a surprised voice just now.
"Eh?" The young lady just realized that she'd said his name out loud by accident, and her face reddened. "I… uh…"
A troubled expression appeared on this young lady's face— she clearly didn't want to associate herself with Su Yang, especially not when all her friends were there.
When Su Yang first saw her familiar-looking face, he instantly recognized her identity, and a grin appeared on his face.
He began approaching the group at a slow and steady pace, seemingly unfazed by their fearsome presence as a group.
Once he reached in front of the group of Inner Court disciples, or more precisely, the young lady that had called out his name, he bowed sincerely and said in a respectful voice: "It's been awhile, Master…"
"Huh?" The Inner Court disciples looked at Su Yang and the young lady, and after a moment of thinking, they finally realized the situation.
"So he's your servant all along, senior apprentice-sister Li?"
"Hahaha… Even though I have seen this plenty of times, it stills never fails to entertain me— your habit of turning others into your own slaves…"
The surrounding disciples began laughing out loud.
"Uhh… I... He... Uhh..." The young lady, who was precisely Li Xiao Mo, began sweating profusely at their words, and all of the memories of her trying to subdue Su Yang only to be conquered by him quickly returned to her head.