------
"Senior, this jade slip contains information about the Fire God Sect. Please take a look."
Yuan Yao's delicate hand extended a white jade slip. Her jade-like face carried a faint smile, a pink light flowing across her cheeks as she spoke.
Yanli considerately poured a cup of spiritual tea and placed it in front of Qi Yuan with a gentle smile.
Qi Yuan frowned slightly and said in a deep voice, "You think you can seduce me with such a low-level charm technique?"
Yuan Yao's face turned pale at his words. Panic flickered in her wide eyes, and her hands tightened around the fabric of her dress, unsure of what to do.
Yanli sat nearby, glancing at Qi Yuan's cold expression. She wanted to speak up for Yuan Yao, but under the oppressive aura of a Jindan cultivator, her lips trembled, unable to form words.
For the past six months, they had studied charm techniques, hoping to use them to increase their chances of staying by Qi Yuan's side. But their plan had backfired.
Qi Yuan cast them a brief look before turning his attention to the jade slip. Without another word, he activated it and examined its contents.
Whatever else could be said, the two had done a commendable job. The jade slip contained extensive information about the Fire God Sect, including a detailed map. It listed key points to be mindful of when entering the ruins, the dangers lurking in various locations, and which restrictions had yet to be completely lifted.
Such detailed intelligence showed their sincerity.
"If you want to stay with me, you need to know your limits. Do you understand?"
Yuan Yao immediately bowed her head. "Senior, I understand. I was wrong and won't do anything so disrespectful again."
"Senior, my junior sister endured great hardships gathering this information. She's been exposed to the elements for days and has lost a lot of weight," Yanli finally dared to speak up for Yuan Yao.
Yuan Yao gave Yanli a subtle shake of the head, afraid her words might further provoke Qi Yuan.
Thin?
Qi Yuan gave them a once-over. If anything, the two appeared well-nourished, their figures hardly fragile. It was clear they were not the type to sprain their waists easily.
Slipping the jade slip into his storage bag, Qi Yuan's expression softened. "From now on, call me Young Master instead of Senior."
It was enough for Ruyin and Xiaomei to address him as Senior. If more people did the same, it would only cause confusion.
Hearing this, Yuan Yao and Yanli's faces brightened. They rose to their feet and called out in unison, "Young Master."
At last, they had found a place to belong, where they could cultivate in peace.
But what kind of person was Qi Yuan? Would he be easy to get along with?
Qi Yuan spoke calmly. "Get up. Do you have any spirit stones left?"
"Young Master, there are still quite a few," Yuan Yao responded obediently, offering the storage bag with both hands.
Qi Yuan scanned it with his spiritual sense, gave a small nod, and said, "Use these spirit stones to rent a courtyard in Tianxing City. Stay there. I'll find you when I return from the Fire God Sect."
His own magic weapon materials were still incomplete, so there was no need to indulge in luxury just yet.
Besides, he had just tasted Xiaomei's pastries, and his mood was quite stable.
Without another word, his figure flickered and disappeared.
Yuan Yao looked at the empty seat, her expression dimming. The Young Master hadn't even taken a sip of the tea that Senior Sister Yan had poured.
She murmured, "Sister Yan, do you think we're not attractive to the Young Master?"
Her fair face was clouded with concern. Suddenly, an idea struck her. "Junior sister, do you remember the dance skills we practiced before? If we rehearse them again, maybe we can perform for the Young Master next time. That might catch his interest."
"That's impossible. The dances we learned before were all…" Yuan Yao's face flushed red, her gaze dropping.
Years ago, the two had shared a close bond and secretly learned certain dances, never performing them in front of others.
Yanli grasped Yuan Yao's hands and said earnestly, "Junior sister, aside from our appearance, we don't have much else to rely on. What if one day the Young Master tires of us? The best case is that we'll become independent cultivators again. The worst case is that we'll be cast out and separated."
Yuan Yao fell silent, contemplating the consequences. After a moment, she nodded. "I understand, Senior Sister Yan."
***
Qi Yuan returned to his cave and headed straight for the insect chamber. He placed the gold-eating insects into his spirit beast bag, noting that the golden patterns on their bodies had grown larger—they were finally ready for use.
He also took the flying centipede. After raising it for so long, he couldn't just let it freeload.
The Blood Jade Spider, however, remained. He left a plant of Colorful Grass to feed it and instructed Xiaomei to give it elixirs regularly.
Then, without delay, he sped out of Tianxing City, flying north toward the sea.
The ruins of the Fire God Sect were located on Jinghua Island, deep underground where a fire spirit vein flowed—an ideal cultivation site for fire element cultivators.
High-quality fire spirit veins were rare in the Chaos Star Sea, a region dominated by water-attribute energy.
Piloting the Jiaolong Spirit Shuttle, Qi Yuan flew across thousands of miles until a large island appeared on the horizon.
Jinghua Island.
As he approached, he saw more and more cultivators, ranging from the Foundation Establishment stage to the Core Formation stage. Clearly, they all had the same goal—to search for treasures in the Fire God Sect ruins.
The protective formation on the island had long since collapsed, allowing anyone to enter freely. Though countless had already scoured the ruins, new hopefuls continued to arrive, unwilling to believe there was nothing left to find.
Or perhaps, some had other motives—ones that had nothing to do with treasure.
Qi Yuan landed on a jade platform, scanning the surroundings. The sheer number of cultivators was astonishing.
A white-robed elder approached with a friendly expression. "Fellow Daoist, you seem unfamiliar. Is this your first time on Jinghua Island?"
A mid-stage Jindan cultivator.
Qi Yuan maintained a gentle demeanor. "I've heard of the Fire God Sect's reputation and came to see it for myself. I didn't expect it to be in such a ruinous state."
Aside from the jade platform beneath his feet, the rest of the island was overgrown with weeds. Only a few towering stone pillars, carved with fire dragons, hinted at the sect's former glory.
"The Fire God Sect was mysteriously destroyed overnight five hundred years ago. Even after all this time, some of the outer structures remain. That alone is remarkable," the elder said, a hint of nostalgia in his voice.
Qi Yuan asked, "What caused its destruction? I heard the Fire God Patriarch had reached the mid-Nascent Soul stage."
"No one knows for sure," the elder replied. "Some say a green flame shot into the sky, and by morning, every disciple within the sect had perished. The ones outside returned to find their home reduced to a graveyard."
A young man in dark blue robes approached, casually fanning himself with a mangosteen-patterned folding fan. "If you ask me, the Fire God Patriarch must have been conducting some great experiment. Something must have gone wrong, wiping out the entire sect."
Qi Yuan studied him. "And you are?"
"A cultivator in the early Jindan stage."
The young man smiled. "Pei Ao. A pleasure to meet you."
Qi Yuan nodded. "Qi Yuan. You seem keen to explore the ruins. Why not go together? A little company never hurts."
Pei Ao readily agreed. "Sounds good. I came here to uncover the sect's deeper secrets."
The elder hesitated for a few moments before stroking his beard and nodding.
And with that, the three ventured into the ruins.
(End Of Chapter)