Chapter 931 - 440: Accepting a Spy

"So it seems."

"This Ruins Country can’t really be called a reputable sect of the righteous path."

"It’s said that the sects of the Yan and Qi are remnants of the Songyang bloodline, and the Songyang Sect is the largest Demon Sect in the Lingxu Realm... but in reality, the Five Sects of Yan Country all seem more righteous than the sects by the Budu River in the Ruins Country."

"Although the Emotion Crossing Sect of the Qi Kingdom is indeed a Demon Sect, it has long been affiliated with the Ruins Country’s forces."

Chen Ye shook his head.

Perhaps it is true that the victor writes history,

Only the victor can stand on the moral high ground and define what is righteous or evil, black or white.

As for a certain disciple by the Budu River,

She is currently tilting her small face upward, like a beast that can’t leave its master, gently rubbing her cheek against Chen Ye’s trousers, her voice tinged with sobs:

"Good grandfather... please, let me smell it again... just one more time..."

She whimpered, stripped of all dignity.

Leaving Chen Ye increasingly startled.

This Jade Dew is terrifying, capable of shattering the Divine Soul of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator!

"Miss Hua overstates it, since Miss Hua wishes to smell it, then this old man shall show some mercy."

Chen Ye crouched down, toying with the jade bottle under Hua Jingxin’s eager gaze, then flicked it open slightly with his fingertip.

"Mm..."

The rich and pure aroma so close at hand overwhelmed Hua Jingxin’s reason.

She lunged forward, clasped Chen Ye’s wrist with both hands, and brought her nose to the bottle’s half-open mouth, inhaling deeply almost in a frenzy.

"Hiss—ah..."

Chen Ye coldly watched this scene, pressed the stopper of the jade bottle tight, and stuffed it back into his sleeve.

The potion’s effect was too overwhelming; even with only one inhale, given Hua Jingxin’s current state, it would take quite some time for her to recover.

A full incense stick’s worth of time passed.

Hua Jingxin’s rapid breathing gradually calmed down, and after a while, her eyes opened.

The madness faded in her eyes, her expression lazy and satisfied.

She couldn’t even be bothered to care about lying on the muddy ground; she simply stared blankly at the gray sky above, still savoring the lingering taste.

"Ahem... Miss Hua, are you satisfied with the cold-repelling effect of this potion?"

Chen Ye’s hoarse voice rang in her ear, pulling Hua Jingxin back to reality.

Her eyelashes trembled, and she struggled to stand up.

Rationality returned to her mind.

Recalling how she panted like a dog at the old cultivator’s feet, wagging her tail in supplication, Hua Jingxin’s face first went pale, then flushed red, with killing intent welling in her eyes.

"You... you old dog!"

She gritted her teeth and glared at Chen Ye, humiliated tears brimming in her eyes, but because of the potion’s effects, even her curse sounded soft and coquettish,

"How dare you... where did you get the Celestial Jade Dew!"

"Miss Hua’s words, this old man doesn’t understand."

Chen Ye hunchbacked, innocently spread his hands,

"Clearly it was you, Miss Hua, who couldn’t stand the cold and begged this old man to give it to you. This old man meant well, and yet, how does it turn into an insult to you?"

"You’re courting death!"

Hua Jingxin, utterly humiliated and furious, raised her fair hand, barely mustering some Spiritual Power at her fingertips, wanting to shatter this vile old man’s skull with a strike.

She, a proud cultivator by the Budu River, was humiliated by such a lowly ant from the Demon Sect!

If this spread, how could she face anyone?

But as soon as the Spiritual Power started circulating in her meridians, an inexplicable weakness and tingling sensation from deep within her meridians suddenly sapped all her strength.

"Bang."

The magic could not form, and Hua Jingxin’s legs gave way, causing her to fall back into the cold, muddy water.

She panted heavily, her pure little face both shocked and furious,

"Miss Hua, this old man advises you to spare your strength."

Chen Ye casually pulled that jade bottle from his sleeve again, lightly tossing it between his fingers, teasing,

"You inhaled too deeply just now. The aftereffects of the Celestial Jade Dew are not something that dissipates quickly. If you forcefully use Spiritual Power now, it will only backfire."

Seeing the jade bottle, glowing with gentle luster, in Chen Ye’s hand, the killing intent in Hua Jingxin’s eyes suddenly stalled.

This...

This is the Celestial Jade Dew!

In the past,

The lower-grade dew distributed monthly by Budu River was enough to make her and her brother dedicate everything to this sect, even their mother lost her life for it.

And in this old man’s hand, it is the highest grade Celestial Jade Dew.

If she could never smell this rich aroma again...

The thought of the unspeakable torment of withdrawal made Hua Jingxin shiver, her very soul trembling.

Take it by force?

The thought barely surfaced before she despairingly quashed it.

Not to mention that she was now weakened by the overwhelming effect, unable to gather even a hint of Spiritual Power.

Seeing Chen Ye’s half-smiling expression, the jade bottle precariously perched at the edge of the Celestial Abyss’ gusts, with just a slight pinch of his fingers or a casual toss, the fragile jade bottle would fall into the void and be ground to dust.

This is a price she simply cannot afford!

Chen Ye took in her expression entirely, the corners of his lips curving slightly:

"Miss Hua, are you thinking of teaming up with your dear brother later to kill this old man and seize the treasure?"

Hua Jingxin’s expression subtly changed, instinctively avoiding Chen Ye’s eyes.

"This old man advises you to abandon that thought."

Chen Ye slowly withdrew the jade bottle into his sleeve, looking down at the mud-stained girl, smiling,

"Firstly, do you dare tell him? This Celestial Jade Dew is the only bottle left. No matter how deep the sibling bond, can it be deeper than the Jade Dew?"

Hua Jingxin’s pupils slightly widened.

This Jade Dew carries immense significance to the Budu River cultivators.

It’s not just a simple cultivation resource, nor merely a means of control.