Chapter 95: Hero Saves the Beauty

Longxing County Yamen.

Madam Su and Chen Luoyan sat across from each other in the boudoir. Madam Su's bright eyes appraised her dear sister, who looked somewhat restless.

"You want to take my husband to Book Mountain?"

"Don't misunderstand, Cousin."

Chen Luoyan drew her legs together and lowered her voice. "It's mainly because he might be connected to my sect. Taking him back could actually be considered a stroke of karmic fortune for him."

"But my husband refused."

Madam Su had a quick mind and laughed. "Looking at how you came out just now, you were most likely tricked by my husband until you were lost in clouds and fog, spilling everything to him."

"How is that possible?!" Chen Luoyan's pitch instantly shot up an octave. "I only told him things that everyone in Fangxian Dao already knows. I didn't breathe a word about any true secrets! You underestimate me too much, Cousin. No matter what, I'm now an extraordinary person capable of flying through the skies and tunneling through the earth!"

"That's true. My mistake."

Madam Su's expression grew restrained, and she sighed. "I've seen the abilities of extraordinary people in Longxing County as well. No wonder my husband wanted to speak with you privately."

"Cousin..."

Chen Luoyan sniffled and smiled. "Don't worry. I came down the mountain this time specifically for you. I had to fight for an opportunity for you no matter what."

"I asked my master. Although you don't have a spiritual root, Cousin, the Cosmic Void Immortal Realm is vast beyond measure. They have a method to forge a spiritual root, known as a defective spiritual root. This kind of root offers no hope of reaching the Great Dao, but it's more than enough to attain the status of a Loose Immortal. That alone would let you live freely for a hundred years."

"Really?"

Madam Su's beautiful eyes lit up at those words. It wasn't that she cared about living freely for a century; rather, she realized that if she could become an extraordinary person, she might no longer be a burden.

'My husband is a man meant for great things.'

'As a weak woman, I am truly no longer suited to stay by his side. Otherwise, if we encounter danger one day, he would have to distract himself to save me.'

'But if I can become an extraordinary person...'

If that happened, perhaps she wouldn't have to watch her husband head into danger alone time and time again. Instead, she could stand shoulder to shoulder with him.

"Of course it's true!"

Chen Luoyan patted her chest. "The reason I suddenly left Longxing County before was because my master sent word that she had found a method."

After saying that, she pulled out a secret manual and shoved it into Madam Su's arms. "Master said our sect's patriarch sought this secret technique from the Cosmic Void Immortal Realm. Take it back and study it first, Cousin. However, practicing this technique requires some external resources as fuel. I'll think of a way to help you with that..."

Madam Su tucked the manual away and hurriedly nodded.

"Also, Cousin, when I came down the mountain this time, Master told me that I'm fated to face a calamity. It will be incredibly dangerous, but there is still hope to turn peril into safety."

"I'm not afraid, but you are still a Mortal, Cousin."

"This tribulation might drag you into it."

"So after giving you the secret technique, I need to leave first. Wait patiently for me here. Once I survive this tribulation, I'll take you back to the mountain..."

Madam Su nodded solemnly.

"Alright..."

Before she could finish speaking, Madam Su's expression suddenly changed—originally, the look she gave Chen Luoyan contained more gratitude than familial affection.

After all, even though they were cousins who had been extremely close in childhood, many years had passed since Chen Luoyan joined Fangxian Dao. Perhaps in the eyes of the naive Chen Luoyan, her cousin was still the same close sister she had always been. But on Madam Su's end, she had already tasted the bitter fickleness of the world.

To Madam Su, Chen Luoyan was just a childhood playmate.

Reuniting now, they had long since grown distant. Rather than treating Chen Luoyan like a younger sister, it was more accurate to say Madam Su viewed her as a benefactor.

—But now, everything changed.

"...Thank you for caring so much about your sister."

Madam Su suddenly reached out and affectionately stroked Chen Luoyan's hair. "The little Yanzi from back then has now grown into such a beautiful, graceful young woman."

"Cousin..."

Chen Luoyan narrowed her eyes. It felt as if she had returned to the past. While cultivating on the mountain, this had been her deepest and most beautiful memory of the mortal world.

Immediately after, Madam Su spoke up right on cue, following Chen Luoyan's mood and bringing up amusing childhood anecdotes. The two chatted happily, completely swept back to the old days. Under this atmosphere, Chen Luoyan's expression grew increasingly relaxed, right up until Madam Su uttered one specific sentence:

"There's nothing to be afraid of anymore."

"Because..."

Rumble!

A crushing pressure descending from the sky cut off Madam Su's words. It was as if a massive, invisible hand had slammed down, instantly pulverizing the boudoir and the courtyard they were in.

Chen Luoyan's eyes immediately flew wide open.

This palm strike was nothing to her. The dharma robes she wore flared with a precious light, automatically protecting their master. However, by a hair's breadth, they failed to protect Madam Su right in front of her.

Because of this, she could only watch helplessly as Madam Su—who had just been showing her a gentle smile, perfectly aligning with the "Cousin" in her memories—was crushed bit by bit by that invisible hand. Flesh collapsed, bones shattered, and her beautiful face turned into flying bloody mist all in an instant—

"Splatter!"

—Madam Su vanished.

In Chen Luoyan's mind, it was absolutely impossible for Madam Su to escape this calamity. She had even hallucinated the exact image of Madam Su's tragic death a split second prior.

This time, however, her perception failed to match reality. Instead, a subtle error occurred, like an actor in a stage play suddenly forgetting their lines.

For a moment, Chen Luoyan was entirely bewildered.

But that bewilderment quickly faded from her face, replaced once more by grief and fury. "Taking my cousin away! Are you trying to declare an irreconcilable feud with my Book Mountain?!"

With those words, she immediately rode a beam of escape light, soaring straight into the clouds.

Not far away, Wang Ping watched, absolutely dumbfounded.

'Wait, Madam Su is over here with me. I saved her at the last possible second, yet you didn't even spare us a glance. What are you flying into the sky for?'

"Are you alright?"

Wang Ping was filled with shock and doubt. He looked down at Madam Su in his arms, only to find her in a similar daze, mumbling crazy nonsense about 'little Yanzi' and 'older sister.'

What was going on?

For a moment, Wang Ping only felt a chill run down his spine. Immediately, without the slightest hesitation, he raised his hand and delivered a vicious slap across Madam Su's beautiful face.

Madam Su fainted on the spot.

However, the moment she passed out, Wang Ping's expression changed—he suddenly realized, 'Crap, at this rate, Luoyan might be in danger.'

If Madam Su had simply died, Chen Luoyan would have been furious, but upon realizing the ambusher was stronger than her, she would naturally fall back and withdraw safely. But since Madam Su wasn't dead, Chen Luoyan would be entirely focused on saving her. This would drag her into a battle of attrition, ultimately plunging her into lethal peril.

"How can I let that happen!"

At this thought, Wang Ping immediately revealed a look of deep concern. He had long since fallen for Chen Luoyan at first sight; how could he sit back and watch his beloved die?

He quickly threw his head back and looked up at the sky.

............

In another corner of the Longxing County Yamen.

Chenlong stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his expression calm. Xugou stood respectfully behind him. It wasn't until Wang Ping made his move that Xugou couldn't help but ask in a low voice:

"Brother Chenlong, are we going to intervene?"

Chenlong's eyes were bright. His formless Divine Intent pierced straight into the firmament, taking in absolutely everything. "Old Immortal Bliss and Chen Luoyan. Truly, a spectacular show."

"And they even dare to drag a member of my Tribute Hall onto their stage."

After a moment of thought, Chenlong made his decision. "No rush. Let's see what our Yin Hu will do first. Think of this as a simple test."

"After all, since he's joined the Tribute Hall, he's bound to clash with extraordinary people and evil entities in the future. Having some early practice to experience their methods isn't a bad thing. Besides, if he can break free relying on his own strength, his Grandmaster's Path will broaden, ensuring he doesn't die prematurely along the way."

............

High up in the vast sky.

"Heretic, hand over my cousin!"

"Cousin?"

Faced with Chen Luoyan's demand, Old Immortal Bliss paused for a moment. His first instinct was to deny it; after all, extraordinary people had a pact with the imperial court. He wouldn't randomly attack a Mortal.

However, he quickly changed his mind.

'Why bother denying it?'

'This girl has clearly been blinded by her rage. If that's the case, I might as well play along and add fuel to the fire. It will make capturing her much easier.'

At this thought, Old Immortal Bliss burst into laughter.

"Jiejiejie! If you want me to hand her over, I'll have to see if you have the skills to make me!"

"Heretic... sever!"

Chen Luoyan's beautiful eyes blazed like torches. She formed a hand seal and summoned a gleaming golden flying sword. Like a flash of lightning and a phantom dream, it tore through the air straight toward Old Immortal Bliss.

"Jiejiejie... cheap tricks!"

Seeing this, Old Immortal Bliss didn't take it seriously at all. He simply tossed the fragrant handkerchief in his hand into the air. The eighteen heavenly maidens embroidered upon it stepped out, utterly lifelike.

Instantly, an intoxicating, decadent scent filled the world, plunging everything into a bewildered trance of mortal lust. When Chen Luoyan's flying sword fell into this miasma, its monstrous sword qi dissipated entirely. The blade went completely limp. No matter how Chen Luoyan urged it on with her spiritual sense, it refused to move, ultimately falling right into Old Immortal Bliss's waiting grasp.

"How is this possible..."

Chen Luoyan's face fell drastically. This Golden Snake Sword was a gift from her revered master, the sect leader of Book Mountain. How could it be snatched away so effortlessly?

An instant later, she was left with no time to react.

Old Immortal Bliss gently wiped his hand over the Golden Snake Sword. Immediately, a wave of peach-colored phantom light surged out, traveling directly through the connection between the flying sword and its master to strike her.

'Not good!'

Caught entirely off guard, Chen Luoyan was struck by the peach-colored light. A flushed pink instantly spread across her previously pale cheeks, adding a bewitching charm to her normally aloof and elegant demeanor.

Old Immortal Bliss guffawed at the sight. "Little girl, you've been struck by my Bliss Poison! If you don't find a man to copulate with within three days, your spiritual root will shatter and your Dao path will be ruined! I advise you to stop resisting. I have eighteen heavenly maidens right here who are more than enough to completely purge the poison from you!"

"You..."

Chen Luoyan gritted her teeth. Humiliated and furious, a trace of utter despair couldn't help but creep into her eyes. Just as she was resolving herself to choose death over dishonor...

"Shiing—!"

The ringing of a saber cut off Old Immortal Bliss's laughter.

"Hm?"

Old Immortal Bliss looked blankly toward the source of the ringing blade. It came from Longxing County City. A moment later, his vision was swallowed and drowned out by a blinding, incandescent white light.

Heaven and earth were split by a single line, yin and yang severing dusk from dawn. Wherever the blazing light passed, all creation was reduced to black and white before cleanly splitting apart, perfectly divided. That included the eighteen heavenly maidens he had used to trap Chen Luoyan.

"Boom!"

The very next second, the previously lifelike heavenly maidens shattered entirely, turning into a storm of shredded cloth. The decadent aura of mortal lust was blown to smithereens by the shockwave.

As for Old Immortal Bliss, he had completely underestimated the might of this saber strike. His figure was cleaved straight out of the sky, plummeting all the way down into the wilderness outside Longxing County!