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"Senior Qiong, old Taoist priest with a big nose, accept your defeat and hand over your treasures," Li Huayuan said with a proud smile.
This time, not only had they defeated the Qingxu Sect, but even the Yanyue Sect had suffered a minor setback.
Qi Yuan was truly remarkable. If he weren't already Senior Sister Hongfu's man, with this achievement and his magical pill, he would have been taken as a personal disciple and trained under her guidance.
Fu Yunzi reluctantly tossed the Blood Dragon Inner Pill to Li Huayuan, watching with a pained expression as the latter happily pocketed it.
"Out of sight, out of mind. Let's go back," he muttered to himself.
Old Monster Qiong, on the other hand, readily handed over three invisible needle talismans. He laughed strangely and said, "Huangfeng Valley is full of hidden talents. I underestimated it."
As he spoke, his gaze fell seriously on Qi Yuan.
"Thank you for your praise, Senior," Li Huayuan responded while accepting the talismans with both hands.
Old Monster Qiong smiled mysteriously before disappearing on the spot.
Meanwhile, the disciples of the Yanyue Sect boarded the Tianyue Divine Ship one after another.
From a distance, Qi Yuan spotted Nangong Wan. Just as he was about to look away, he noticed her glancing back at him with a complicated expression.
It seemed she was quite impressed!
"Everyone, get on board. We're heading back," Li Huayuan ordered.
Before leaving, Qi Yuan exchanged a reassuring glance with Han Yunzhi.
This trip to the Forbidden Blood Land had been worth it. Not only had he secured two hearts, but during his dual cultivation with Nangong Wan, he had also refined the Green Dragon Flag, a top-tier magic weapon, and produced more than ten high-level talismans of various types.
—
Inside a luxurious chamber aboard the Tianyue Divine Ship, Nangong Wan reclined on a couch, her delicate figure draped in silk. A jade box sat on the coffee table beside her, containing a rare thousand-year-old elixir.
She pondered over Qi Yuan's words in the stone hall.
Why would Huangfeng Valley send a mere Qi Training disciple to negotiate such an important matter as an alliance to eradicate Spirit Beast Mountain?
What was that old thief Linghu thinking?
But if it were a lie, why would they use a thousand-year-old spiritual medicine as a bargaining chip? It had to be real!
Even Nascent Soul cultivators rarely possessed such a treasure, let alone those in the barren territories of Yue Kingdom.
If she could bring it back for the sect, it would greatly strengthen their foundation.
Something about this still felt off, but staring at the thousand-year-old elixir in the jade box, she had no choice but to accept it as truth.
Forget it. Once the sect discusses and agrees on the matter, I'll invite a representative from Huangfeng Valley to visit and subtly probe for answers.
"Junior Sister, are you alright?"
A woman in a flowing blue palace dress entered the room. She and Nangong Wan stood together, creating a stunning sight.
Nangong Wan sat up slightly and took the woman's hand. "Senior Sister Nishang, how many times have you asked that? If something was wrong, I would tell you."
"I'm just worried. Ever since you left the forbidden area, you've seemed distracted. I was afraid… someone had taken over your heart," Nishang teased with a knowing smile.
Not her body, but perhaps… her heart.
A certain little figure flashed through Nangong Wan's mind, and despite herself, a small smile formed on her lips.
Nishang observed her closely, growing more suspicious. Ever since Nangong Wan returned, she had been acting differently—showing a demeanor one usually had when infatuated.
After spending years in the Yanyue Sect, Nishang had seen enough to recognize the signs.
She had questioned the disciples who entered the forbidden area, and aside from some incidents involving the Mo Jiao, none of them reported any strange encounters with men.
The only unexplained period was during the Mo Jiao battle.
Yet, when pressed further, the disciples insisted that Nangong Wan had been alone at that time.
Nishang found this deeply puzzling.
She made a mental note to keep an eye on Nangong Wan's movements in the coming days.
—
With Li Huayuan's dragon carriage traveling day and night, the group soon returned to Huangfeng Valley.
As usual, Qi Yuan walked beside Li Huayuan, discussing cultivation techniques.
Glancing down at the hall below, he saw a crowd gathered, including Sect Leader Zhong Lingdao and other high-ranking members.
Among them, he suddenly spotted Dong Xuan'er and Chen Qiaoqian chatting closely.
What the hell? When did those two get so friendly?
Before he could think further, the silver-armored horned python arrived near the hall, and Qi Yuan followed the main group down.
Chen Qiaoqian's soft gaze searched the crowd. The moment she spotted Qi Yuan, her face lit up, and she rushed forward, throwing herself into his arms.
"Senior Brother Qi, I missed you so much! I waited every day for your return," she said, her voice filled with emotion.
Chen Qiaoqian was not only beautiful but also held high status in the sect, with countless admirers. Seeing their goddess embrace a man in public, many disciples felt their hearts shatter.
They shot Qi Yuan murderous glares.
Qi Yuan gently held Chen Qiaoqian and whispered, "I missed you too, Junior Sister Chen. But with so many eyes on us, should we be a little more reserved?"
Dozens of deadly stares intensified, as if trying to tear Qi Yuan to pieces.
Nearby, Dong Xuan'er watched the intimate scene unfold, her expression turning sour. Stomping her foot in frustration, she regretted coming to greet this irritating man.
Her heart ached slightly. After all, last time, he had bound her up so fiercely, only to now be so affectionate with another woman?
If only things had gone differently… she might have been able to compete with Chen Qiaoqian.
Back then, Chen Qiaoqian had been wary of her. But after Qi Yuan left, she found an opportunity to spend time with Dong Xuan'er, and the two had grown familiar.
Dong Xuan'er had spent years mastering top-tier seduction techniques. How could she lose to a woman with no such skills?
She clenched her jaw. No—she wouldn't admit defeat so easily.
Qi Yuan pulled Chen Qiaoqian closer and turned to Dong Xuan'er. "Senior Sister, I didn't expect you to come greet me. I'm truly honored."
"My dear Junior Brother, you're so charming and handsome. I feel restless if I don't see you for even a day. When I heard you were coming back, I couldn't wait to see you," Dong Xuan'er said, stepping forward and releasing a faint fragrance to entice him.
Feeling a sense of danger, Chen Qiaoqian tightened her grip on Qi Yuan's arm and pulled him a few steps away from the alluring Dong Xuan'er.
Qi Yuan held Chen Qiaoqian steady, preventing her from dragging him further. In a soft voice, he asked, "How is Grandmaster Hongfu? Is she in the valley? I should go greet her."
"Master left to find someone to refine an elixir. She's not in the valley," Dong Xuan'er replied, giving him a suggestive glance.
To put it bluntly—there were no adults at home.
Qi Yuan blinked. He suspected Grandmaster Hongfu had left to refine the thousand-year-old elixir.
With her gone, he had to focus on his next step—building his foundation.
With an abundance of elixirs and top-tier dual cultivation techniques, he could refine over twenty Foundation Establishment Pills.
It was time to retreat and break through.
(End of Chapter)