The Yan Daoist was in a state of confusion.
Despite his outwardly carefree and arrogant demeanour, he was, in actuality, very cautious. No one understood better than he did, just how formidable this "niece" was. From being an ordinary disciple of dubious origin, in merely a few decades, she had leaped to become the de facto leader of the Ten Thousand Images Sect. Even within the Jade Purification Alliance, she held a place of prominence. How could such a remarkable leap be possible without the ability to turn the tide?
In fact, even if he had the courage of ten men, The Yan Daoist would not dare to provoke this female cultivator within the territory of the Jade Purification Alliance. In the Three Lakes region of the North, he had been pushed into a corner by the forces under her control, like a rat crossing the street, spending most of his time hiding in the south. It was only when he received reliable information that the female cultivator was travelling alone that he rushed over, eager to fulfil a long-held desire.
Everything had been going smoothly until he was startled by the female cultivator's unusual behaviour just as he was about to succeed.
Perhaps Murong Qingyan's reputation in the Three Lakes of the North was not good, but at most, others would say she was heartless, lacking in moral virtue. Accusations of "disregarding shame" were rare.
But what was this woman trying to do now? Looking back, had the process been too smooth?
It was not surprising that he was thinking along the lines of a "conspiracy", as he had been tormented by the female cultivator's unpredictable tactics over the years!
He stared at the female cultivator, for the first time completely discarding lustful thoughts, trying to find the problem. However, his outward demeanor did not change significantly:
"Niece, are you unable to control your desires, offering yourself to my bed?"
This was a test, and the female cultivator responded with a smile that was not quite a smile, "Nan Songzi, it seems that your mind is filled with nothing but lust!"
Such a tone was simply stating a fact. The Yan Daoist, Nan Songzi, was not angry but delighted, laughing, "My dear niece, you truly understand me! Seeing you, even if my blood were as cold as ice water, it would turn into a fervent desire, only then would it do justice to the beauty of Jade Washing Flying Smoke. Ah, why have you prepared another outfit?"
Nan Songzi indeed noticed something amiss, for at that moment, the female cultivator was taking out a moon-white gauze top, draping it over herself, covering the dazzling sight.
In response to his confusion, the female cultivator replied nonchalantly, "You should blame yourself for this. You just knocked me into the lake, and the vial of medicine I had hidden on me was shattered. After being soaked in the lake water, I'm covered in it."
Before she could finish, Nan Songzi, as if stung by a scorpion, threw the half-piece of outer garment he was holding into the lake.
"You've poisoned me!"
The female cultivator laughed but ignored him, tidying her slightly disheveled skirt and smoothing the gauze top she had just put on. However, the water droplets on her body quickly soaked through the gauze, at least in Yu Ci's eyes, it was even more deadly than her bare shoulders.
Nan Songzi was in no mood to appreciate the beautiful scenery. He first examined his own hands, then circulated his qi to regulate his breath. Within moments, his complexion drastically changed, "Wretch, what kind of poison have you used on me!"
Murong Qingyan, the female character, was truly indifferent to the extreme. She ignored Nan Songzi's shouting, wiping away the disheveled hair bun caused by falling into the water, releasing her waterfall-like black hair, gently shaking off the water droplets. Every movement she made was filled with a myriad of charm.
Nan Songzi, on the other hand, had even his eyes turning red. He gritted his teeth and said, "Wretch!"
The female cultivator couldn't help but laugh silently. Her hands didn't stop, she simply gathered her black hair with a hairpin. Finally, she opened her lips and sang softly:
"Heaven makes the heart's desire contrary to the body, a floating candle, a wandering dream to return."
Murong Qingyan's voice was clear and bright, but the verses that seemed like a chant were interpreted by her in a quiet, graceful, and charming way, carrying a captivating magnetism, pleasing to the ear and heart.
Nan Songzi, however, felt absolutely terrible. Just hearing the beginning of the song, his face turned pale as if it had been thoroughly coated with a layer of ash. Unconsciously, he lowered his head to look at his hands. Perhaps due to the effect of the drug, he felt his hands burning. In fact, his whole body felt the same, his mouth dry, his mind in a daze:
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"A Dream to Return, it really is A Dream to Return! It's that mad, heart-stirring fire, the uncontrollable collision with the evil spirit of A Dream to Return!"
At this moment, Murong Qingyan smiled leisurely: "I have always been grateful for the favor of my Honorable Stepmother. How could that be fully expressed by the mere Lost Rose fragrance? Nan Songzi, this half-penny's worth of A Dream to Return was given to me by my adoptive mother when I was recognized as her child. Now I leave it to you. When you bullied my mother, did you ever think of this day?"
The last few words were uttered with a severe tone, the surrounding lake water surged with her voice, endless murderous intent brewing within, ready to burst out!
Nan Songzi shouted loudly, turned around and fled. No one saw what magical instrument he was using. He broke through the silence and disappeared into the night sky in the blink of an eye.
As soon as he left, the light source he had created on the lake quickly extinguished. The change from light to darkness left Yu Ci and Bao Guang momentarily blind, and Murong Qingyan on the lake was swallowed by the shadows. The valley and the lake became quiet in an instant.
"That was amazing!"
This was Bao Guang's exclamation. He had also understood Murong Qingyan's identity, knowing she was Sister Meng's friend. Even though he still couldn't digest the female cultivator's words and actions, he didn't hesitate to express his admiration.
Yu Ci didn't respond, just pulled him along and swam towards the shore.
Bao Guang, stimulated by the many previous situations, was in a state of emotional excitement. Feeling awkward and out of sync, he couldn't help but ask, "Brother Yu?"
"Do you remember what I said?"
As they reached the shore, it was too dark to see Yu Ci's face, but his voice was heavy and solemn, "You must immediately return to the observation point on the Ghost Yarn Cloud and bring the Temple Master here!"
The young Taoist was puzzled, "Brother Yu, that guy has already been driven away!"
Yu Ci scoffed, "That was just a bluff!"
"Eh?" Bao Guang couldn't understand. Clearly, even Nan Songzi thought he had been poisoned.
It was difficult for Yu Ci to explain. For someone as experienced as him, determining the truth required not only a sharp eye but also a certain intuition, just like the day he saw through the Ghost Beasts in Sky Rift Valley.
As for the actual operation, there are too many methods that can create illusions. Of course, to convince a high-level Golden Elixir Cultivator, the technique must be much more sophisticated than usual.
He shook his head, about to urge him on, when from the depths of the night sky, a scream of extreme anger exploded:
"Murong Qingyan, I swear to make your life worse than death!"
The roar shook the lake, causing the just-settled Nanfrost Lake to ripple again. At this moment, the look in Bao Guang's eyes towards Yu Ci couldn't be described as admiration anymore.
Little did he know, Yu Ci was truly baffled, "How could it be so fast?"
Yu Ci felt that Murong Qingyan's "performance" was masterful, completely exploiting Nan Songzi's thoughts. Even if he were in that position, he wouldn't have done any better.
In his experience, Nan Songzi should have flown dozens of miles away, sobered up, corrected the illusion of his bodily sensations, adjusted his mood, and then truly awakened. But now, the guy had only flown a few miles away?
While his thoughts were still unclear, Nan Songzi had already returned to the sky above Nanfrost Lake. Without saying a word, a purely venting True Sha impact caused a water column more than ten meters high at the original location of Murong Qingyan, as if the entire lake surface had been sunken.
"Murong Qingyan, come out!"
"Oh? You're back surprisingly fast!"
The female cultivator's clear voice flowed in the darkness, seemingly surprised, "I don't believe there's anything left in your head. I wonder who's advising you behind your back?"
After venting once, Nan Songzi's mood had calmed down somewhat. His thick skin and scheming were not to be underestimated, but he had suffered too much at the hands of Murong Qingyan, which had left a shadow in his heart and made him hesitant. Now, with the embarrassment of realizing he had been deceived, that faint fear had faded somewhat. After a moment of silence, he even began to chuckle.
"You've used the Soul Departure Incense under the pretense of A Dream to Return, a strategy that is not particularly clever. I, your uncle, was merely momentarily deceived. Ha, A Dream to Return is one of the most formidable techniques of Flying Soul City. Without their unique Heart Method, even if you possessed it, you wouldn't be able to activate it without first injuring yourself. Am I right?"
The female cultivator did not respond immediately. Nan Songzi almost thought she had slipped away in the darkness, so he once again released that dazzling orb of light, illuminating Nanfrost Lake and a large portion of the valley. As the light dispersed the darkness, Nan Songzi saw two young individuals on the lakeshore, but he paid them no mind. Their cultivation level was at most the Nature-Connecting Initial Stage, insignificant as bugs that could be crushed with a mere wave of the hand.
What truly caught his attention was the figure of Murong Yunyan, clearly visible under the bright light.
The female cultivator did not move elsewhere, but stood in the center of the lake, standing alone upon the water. The gentle lake breeze rustled her gauzy outer robe, as if she was about to ride the wind and fly away.
After this back-and-forth, Nan Songzi's lustful desires resurfaced. Seeing this, he swallowed hard, his reaction partly exaggerated, half of it intentionally meant to disturb her.
Murong Qingyan ignored this, gently gathering her hair and spoke leisurely, "Although I have made countless enemies in my life, only a few know of my visit to the west. They are either within the Sect or in Flying Soul City. I am, after all, an outsider to Flying Soul City, and I can't block others' paths. So, it must be within the Sect..."
Nan Songzi did not give Murong Qingyan the chance to continue her deductions. He laughed loudly, interrupting the female cultivator's words, "Why bother with such thoughts? When we share the bed of joy, won't you know then?"
At this point, he forced out a laugh through gritted teeth, "Dear niece, don't be impatient. This time, I must be more decisive. Even if I break your delicate arm, it would add a certain charm to the act, wouldn't it?"
As he spoke, he raised his hands, ready to act. In the night sky, a sword light flew, the air on both sides rippled, the sword's whistle was like a flying arrow, cutting off his words.
The sword light was launched from the peak of the southern mountain, crossing nearly two miles in a flash, aiming directly at Nan Songzi's head.
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