“Master, this is a good thing.” Seeing Jian Xingzhi’s reaction, 666 quickly comforted him, “Do you remember our second mission after causing trouble? You need to make the female lead face the lustful demon Qianliu, then have the female lead defeat it and obtain the treasure ‘Qianmian’ in its possession. Without Qianmian, the female lead could be discovered at any time when participating in the Sword Trial Conference. After all, you just blew up Wenxin Sect, so showing your faces isn’t good. Find a way to get mixed in with Qianliu’s people, send a message to Qin Wan, have her come rescue you, then chop down Qianliu, and won’t the second mission be complete?!”
“Will she come rescue me?” Jian Xingzhi coldly surveyed his surroundings and stated with certainty to 666, “She won’t come rescue me.”
666: “…”
Based on recent observations, this female lead was more likely to report him to the authorities.
One person and one system fell into worried thoughts. At this time, the man in charge had already walked to the front with a small booklet and began assigning people’s destinations one by one.
“Mining.”
“Mining.”
“Min…” The overseer looked up and saw Jian Xingzhi’s expression—three parts cold, three parts disdainful, three parts contemptuous, plus that one part of arrogance in his eyes. His eyes lit up, “Ah! Isn’t this the one Lord Qianliu specifically instructed about? Quick! Notify the lord, the goods have arrived!”
“Specifically instructed?”
Jian Xingzhi frowned, “He already knew in advance I was coming here?”
As soon as he finished speaking, two men with sharp mouths and monkey cheeks rushed up and bound him tightly.
Although these ropes made no difference to Jian Xingzhi whether bound or not, he still cooperated with them, giving them a sense of superiority, letting these small fry tie him up and bring him to a cave.
This cave was obviously much more luxurious than that previous place, basically qualifying as a palace. These servants first sent him to a bath to wash, then changed him into bright red silk robes that were basically just a sash tied loosely, couldn’t even cover his chest, and exposed his thighs when he walked. They tied up his hair with a silk ribbon, applied heavy makeup, and drew flame patterns on his forehead. His whole person looked bewitching and alluring beyond measure.
Jian Xingzhi woodenly let them dress him up, wanting to see what tricks they were playing. After they finished dressing him, a group of people led him to a room, used black silk ribbons to bind his hands and eyes, stuffed his mouth with pearls, made him half-kneel on the ground, then went out.
The room became completely silent. He couldn’t see anything and was too lazy to waste divine sense looking around. After waiting in the darkness for a moment, before long, he heard footsteps outside. He waited briefly, then heard a familiar voice, “Young Master Zhang.” With that, his blindfold was pulled down. Jian Xingzhi squinted and began surveying his surroundings.
This was a rather dark cave. In the center was a large bed covered with red sheets, spread with a bright red quilt embroidered with the character for ‘joy’ in gold thread. Wedding candles burned around it, while the rest still looked like a cave, appearing gloomy and sinister.
Jian Xingzhi saw many black shadows swaying on the ground. He raised his head and saw young people one after another wearing wedding clothes, hands bound and hanging high above, whether dead or alive, swaying up there.
Among them was one wearing a white robe with a white tall hat, eyes closed, pale face showing some fragility. Jian Xingzhi recognized him at a glance—
Baisui You.
“How about it,” a familiar and gentle voice sounded. Jian Xingzhi turned his head and saw ‘Baisui You’ wearing wedding robes, reclining on a golden seat to the side. He smiled as he sized up Jian Xingzhi, “Seeing this lord, are you very surprised?”
Jian Xingzhi didn’t speak. After thinking briefly, he understood.
“You’re the lustful demon Qianliu.”
The lustful demon Qianliu possessed the treasure ‘Qianmian,’ which could randomly transform into the appearance of people he had seen.
Hearing this, Qianliu smiled, “Correct, that’s this lord.”
“Baisui You already died by your hand.” Jian Xingzhi stated with certainty. Qianliu shook his head, “This lord doesn’t kill beauties.”
With that, he rose from his seat, waving the feather fan in his hand, “This lord only likes collecting. Especially ones like you and Miss Li,” Baisui You raised his hand, the feather fan sliding across Jian Xingzhi’s face, his voice low and husky, “this lord likes them tremendously.”
“Miss Li?” Jian Xingzhi glanced at him sideways, “What have you done to her?”
“Relax,” Qianliu drew a circle toward a mirror not far away, and the mirror showed a scene of Qin Wanwan sleeping in a carriage, “Soon, my clone will send her in.”
Jian Xingzhi didn’t speak. He looked at Qin Wanwan sleeping soundly in the carriage, wishing he could rush into the mirror and give her a kick.
Sleep, sleep, sleep—at a time like this, all she thinks about is sleeping!
Not knowing if his resentment was too deep, Qin Wanwan, who had been fast asleep, groggily opened her eyes in the image.
Qin Wanwan yawned. Beside her, ‘Baisui You’ raised his head from his book to look at Qin Wanwan, “Miss Li, you’re awake?”
“Ah, Fellow Daoist Bai,” Qin Wanwan rolled up the carriage curtain and looked around, discovering tall trees providing shade nearby. They seemed to have entered deep mountains. She frowned, “Where have we gotten to?”
“The usual route to Heaven Sword Sect was blocked,” ‘Baisui You’ explained, “so we took a small detour. There are many mountain forests.”
“I see.” Qin Wanwan nodded and smiled at ‘Baisui You,’ “Sorry to trouble you.”
“It’s no trouble.”
‘Baisui You’ poured water for Qin Wanwan, “Miss, have another cup. We’ll arrive soon.”
Qin Wanwan nodded and accepted his water, taking a sip.
Watching ‘Baisui You’ and Qin Wanwan chatting about everything under the sun in the image, Jian Xingzhi turned to look at Qianliu.
“Cultivating a clone at Golden Core stage,” Jian Xingzhi raised an eyebrow, “your abilities aren’t small.”
“A mortal dares speak to this lord like this—you’re quite bold.”
Baisui You spoke, crouching down and raising his hand to pinch Jian Xingzhi’s chin, “Do you think your master is still protecting you?”
“If not for your master,” Qianliu’s hand slowly slid across Jian Xingzhi’s cheek, “that night we first met, you should have been here already.”
“That night was you?”
Jian Xingzhi’s eyes turned cold, though the smile at his lips didn’t diminish.
Qianliu tilted his head, “Oh? Your master told you? Seems your master-servant relationship is quite good. I wanted to deal with both of you together long ago, who knew your master had some abilities. Yesterday in the dense forest when she separated from you, I originally wanted to eliminate her alone. For this I specially prepared lots of Heartbreak Grass, deceiving her that it was Fire Spirit Grass. Who would have thought that crazy woman—so much Heartbreak Grass, she smelled it and had no effect at all! If I hadn’t tested it yesterday by poisoning fifty dogs to death, I would have thought I bought fake goods.”
Jian Xingzhi: “…”
“But fortunately I figured it out,” Qianliu turned his head and looked tenderly at Jian Xingzhi, “Doesn’t she just have a dragon core? Poison really doesn’t work well, but if we dual cultivate, that would be a great tonic.”
“You still want to dual cultivate with her?”
Jian Xingzhi was already looking at Qianliu as if he were a dead man.
Qianliu laughed heartily, “You think I can’t? Women are all fickle. Look.”
With that, Qianliu pointed at Qin Wanwan in the image, “She and my clone are chatting quite happily. Believe it or not, making her fall for me is just a matter of moments.”
“Really?” Jian Xingzhi showed no expression, “I don’t believe it.”
“You’re truly devoted to that woman unto death!” Qianliu gritted his teeth, “Just you wait!”
With that, Jian Xingzhi saw ‘Baisui You’ in the image continuously watching Qin Wanwan.
After Qin Wanwan drank her water, noticing ‘Baisui You’s’ gaze, she became somewhat constrained for a moment, seeming rather embarrassed, “Why does Fellow Daoist Bai keep looking at me?”
“Miss is beautiful,” ‘Baisui You’ spoke while getting up to sit beside Qin Wanwan, “Has no one ever told Miss this before?”
Hearing this, Qin Wanwan didn’t dodge. She maintained a distance of half an arm’s length from him, seemingly shy, “Indeed, no one has.”
“Miss’s beauty makes flowers shy and the moon hide, fish sink and geese fall—the like of which this Bai has never seen in his life. Now with just you and me here, this Bai has something to say. I don’t know if it would be offensive…”
“Since Fellow Daoist feels it would be offensive, better not say it.” Qin Wanwan turned her head with a delicate appearance that made Jian Xingzhi shudder.
“She likes this kind of style?” Jian Xingzhi was somewhat frantic, “What kind of taste is that?”
“How about it?” Qianliu fanned his fan, smiling as he looked down at Jian Xingzhi, “What does it feel like watching the woman you love talking romance with another?”
“What I feel is none of your business?” Jian Xingzhi looked up, “If you like her so much, why did you catch me?”
“Like her?”
Qianliu scoffed lightly, “Common rouge and powder—how could she compare to a peerless beauty like you?”
Hearing this description, Jian Xingzhi froze.
Qianliu crouched down, looking at him affectionately, “Zhang San, the one I love isn’t her—I love you.”
Jian Xingzhi looked at this bewitching face before him and couldn’t help clenching his fists.
Seeing Jian Xingzhi remain silent, Qianliu raised his hand to touch Jian Xingzhi’s cheek, “Dual cultivating with her is just for the dragon core. Dual cultivating with you—that’s my true love.”
“I can’t take it anymore.”
Jian Xingzhi gritted his teeth. 666 didn’t dare to dissuade him.
In this situation, it really couldn’t bring itself to advise either.
After holding back for a long time, it trembled as it spoke, “Master, as long as the mission can be completed!”
“Zhang San!” Qianliu cupped Jian Xingzhi’s face, “Let the three of us live happily together!”
“My happiness,” Jian Xingzhi raised his head, staring at Qianliu and curling up the corner of his mouth, “like hell.”
The instant his voice fell, Jian Xingzhi’s hand turned, and a formation for absorbing spiritual energy appeared in his palm. At the same time, spiritual power transformed into a sword appearing in his other hand. It suddenly slashed through the silk on his hands, the sword pointing directly at Qianliu!
Qianliu rapidly retreated backward. Jian Xingzhi moved like a ghost. His long sword traced through the air, and sword energy instantly transformed into over a dozen swords in midair, rushing sharply toward Qianliu. With a “clang,” they pinned him to the wall.
The original body was injured. In the carriage, the clone talking with Qin Wanwan suddenly changed expression. Qin Wanwan looked at him with concern, “Fellow Daoist Bai, what’s wrong?”
As soon as she finished speaking, Jian Xingzhi raised his hand and sent another energy blade that pinned into Qianliu’s stomach with a “thud.”
“Tell her,” Jian Xingzhi looked toward the mirror showing ‘Baisui You’ spitting out a mouthful of blood while Qin Wanwan showed concern beside him. His tone was very cold, “Tell her I’ve been captured by you and have her come rescue me.”
With that, the transparent sword instantly disappeared, and Qianliu directly slid down to the ground. He struggled to cover his wound, desperately trying to stand up.
Jian Xingzhi pulled a sword from the wall nearby and walked toward him step by step.
“I’ll tell…”
Qianliu spat blood, “I’ll tell her right away.”
With that, in the carriage, Qin Wanwan was wiping blood from the corner of ‘Baisui You’s’ mouth, asking with a worried face, “What’s wrong with you?”
“Baisui You” showed a serious expression, raising his eyes to look at Qin Wanwan, “Miss Li, this is bad. I received news that Young Master Zhang has been captured by Qianliu.”
“He was captured—why are you coughing blood?”
Qin Wanwan’s face was full of worried confusion. ‘Baisui You’ swallowed a mouthful of blood and spoke with difficulty, “I was worried that Wanshi Workshop wouldn’t handle things properly and wanted to see Young Master Zhang off, so I specially created a clone to stay by his side. Now that something happened to him, my clone was injured, and I’m suffering backlash, which is why I’m coughing blood. Miss Li, quickly go forward, just three li ahead…”
Before he could finish, a blade suddenly pierced through Qianliu’s stomach. Qianliu looked down in disbelief, seeing Qin Wanwan gripping a dagger, the dagger stabbed into his stomach.
He looked at Qin Wanwan in disbelief. Qin Wanwan still had that worried expression on her face, “So you split off a clone? You already got me onto the carriage—why did you still need to deceive me?”
“You… you knew…”
“That you’re Qianliu.” Qin Wanwan smiled, “I’m not an idiot. I can still tell the difference between Fire Spirit Grass and Heartbreak Grass.”
Qianliu’s eyes widened.
At that very moment, Jian Xingzhi grabbed his hair and stabbed another sword into his stomach, “Find a way to get her to come over!”
“Everything I said was true…” Qianliu’s clone spat fresh blood, raising his hand to make a swearing gesture, “He really was captured by me. You… quickly go rescue…”
Without hesitation, Qin Wanwan stabbed another blade into his stomach, “Sorry,” Qin Wanwan smiled, “I don’t believe a single word you say.”
“Make her believe!” Jian Xingzhi stabbed another time, “Or I’ll kill you.”
“What exactly is happening,” Qin Wanwan stabbed again, “Tell the truth, or I’ll kill you.”
The two went back and forth, one after another, blades in and out, demands numerous. Qianliu shuddered with each stab. His original body and clone simultaneously suffered severe injuries. In this back-and-forth stabbing, even with his Golden Core body, he finally spat out a mouthful of blood. Before the two could threaten him again, his eyes closed and he fell.
Jian Xingzhi looked at the completely expired Qianliu and couldn’t help being stunned.
“Dead?”
“Stabbed like that,” 666 sighed, “no one could survive. Master, I applied to the system for a quarter-hour delay. After a quarter-hour, if you can’t find a solution, the electric current will come. Be prepared.”
Jian Xingzhi: “…”
Prepared? What preparation could there be?
The mission requirement was “force the female lead to battle the lustful demon and obtain the treasure ‘Qianmian’ from the lustful demon’s possession.” Now Qianliu was dead—who would battle with Qin Wanwan?
Jian Xingzhi’s mind was in chaos. He turned to glance at the mirror and discovered that after watching Qianliu’s clone die, Qin Wanwan got off the carriage.
She didn’t leave unconcerned and aloof as before. Instead, she directly ran toward the direction of a group of women Qianliu had captured, squeezing into the middle of those women.
Although Jian Xingzhi couldn’t figure out what exactly Qin Wanwan was trying to do, he knew that right now the biggest problem wasn’t that Qin Wanwan wouldn’t come battle Qianliu—it was that Qianliu was gone.
After thinking it over from all angles—battle, battle—bumping into each other once also counted as battle, right?
Thinking this, he immediately propped Qianliu upright, found armor in the room to put on him, placed him on the bed in a cross-legged sitting position, then used his own blood to write a listening talisman on his back. Whatever motion he made in a while, this Qianliu would make the same motion.
Then he ran to a corner to crouch down, watching “Qianliu” sitting cross-legged, also hunched over with his head lowered.
Jian Xingzhi was very satisfied with this effect. He waited in the room.
Before long, he heard someone outside respectfully say, “Lord Qianliu, all the beauties have arrived.”
“Come in.”
Jian Xingzhi activated the listening talisman, making “Qianliu” speak.
The door opened, and women entered crying. The overseer pointed in Jian Xingzhi’s direction and cursed, “Why are you crying? All of you crouch over there! Wait for the lord to summon you!”
Hearing this, Jian Xingzhi turned to glance at those women and saw Qin Wanwan mixed among them. Their eyes met. Qin Wanwan froze, then quickly stepped forward, pushed aside the others, crouched beside Jian Xingzhi, and lowered her voice, “Why are you here? And dressed like this?”
Jian Xingzhi crouched on the ground, hands resting on his knees, his casual manner completely at odds with these clothes.
Hearing this, he scoffed, turned his head away, not wanting to deal with her.
Qin Wanwan glanced around and anxiously urged her, “It’s very dangerous here.”
“You already sold me,” Jian Xingzhi glanced at her coolly, “and you still care if I live or die?”
“Wanshi Workshop didn’t send you to Xiangsi Country?” As soon as Qin Wanwan heard, she understood, “They’re a black agency?! What about my ten spirit stones!”
Jian Xingzhi rolled his eyes and didn’t respond.
Qin Wanwan surveyed her surroundings, her heart somewhat flustered.
From the very beginning when she saw Baisui You, she vaguely felt something was wrong. The night she encountered Baisui You, she felt someone spying, only for some reason, the other party retreated quickly. Then when Mu Yi and Mu Qing disappeared, she began suspecting this Baisui You.
When they reached the dense forest and this ‘Baisui You’ used Heartbreak Grass to deceive her as Fire Spirit Grass, she understood that this must be that wanted criminal Qianliu she had seen at the city gate.
Qianliu excelled at disguise and loved beauties. With faces like Jian Zhiyan’s and hers, it would be strange if they didn’t attract this person.
But no matter what, Qianliu was after all at Golden Core stage and possessed magic treasures. She planned to first settle Jian Zhiyan safely, then use herself as bait to find Qianliu’s lair, call on Heaven Sword Sect’s people, and wipe out Qianliu’s nest in one go, rescuing the people he had harmed.
After all, she had descended from the celestial realm. Facing a Golden Core stage cultivator, as long as she was careful, she still had some confidence. But who knew Jian Zhiyan would actually be here?
Jian Zhiyan couldn’t have anything happen to him—otherwise what about Qin Wan’s dying wish?
Qin Wanwan crouched on the ground, her mind in chaos.
Seeing the overseer bid farewell to Qianliu and leave, and seeing Qin Wanwan holding her head and getting scared again, Jian Xingzhi pushed her.
“Hey.”
“Don’t talk, let me think carefully.”
“Look at that Qianliu,” Jian Xingzhi raised his hand to point at Qianliu, “doesn’t he seem off?”
Qin Wanwan raised her head and saw Qianliu sitting cross-legged on the bed with his head lowered, as if he had fallen asleep while meditating.
“Why don’t you just sneak attack him right now,” Jian Xingzhi seriously suggested, “then we can get out.”
Qin Wanwan was in a daze for a moment, then quickly shook her head, “With Qianliu’s strength, even if he’s asleep, it’s impossible to sneak attack him so easily. Let me think more.”
He’s already dead!
Watching Qin Wanwan think this way and that, Jian Xingzhi simply wanted to grab a sound amplification magic tool and shout at her.
Just go up! Give him a push! Leave everything else to me!!
But he couldn’t say it. He could only watch Qin Wanwan think for a long time before raising her head and looking at him seriously.
“Jian Zhiyan, in a moment I might not be able to look after you. You need to learn to protect yourself.”
“Don’t worry.”
Jian Zhiyan nodded, “I can do it.”
“Recently you’ve often meditated. I’ve observed that your spiritual platform is clear and bright, your breathing stable, and you weren’t controlled by the Heart-Bewildering Ants, which shows your divine sense is powerful. I have a secret technique here that can transform your sea of consciousness ability into spiritual energy for rapid advancement. Right now I’ll help you break through. When chaos erupts in a moment, you must protect yourself.”
“No…”
The words “need” were still on his lips when Jian Xingzhi was pulled before Qin Wanwan, forehead touching forehead.
At that very instant, both saw mountains, rivers, and the universe rapidly flashing before their eyes, spiritual power surging in.
Immense divine sense power instantly manifested before Qin Wanwan. Although she couldn’t see clearly what was in his sea of consciousness, just from this one glimpse, Qin Wanwan immediately reacted.
Was this the divine sense strength of an ordinary person?!!
This divine sense was stronger than hers! She was a celestial body from the heavenly realm. Her body wasn’t good, so she specialized in cultivating divine sense. In the immortal realm, she used various high-level mental cultivation methods for over two hundred years. Now she could actually encounter someone stronger than her in this small world—it was simply seeing a ghost!
Could this be the divine sense Jian Zhiyan should have?
Even if Jian Zhiyan was a heavenly genius who cultivated from youth with various opportunities stacked up, he couldn’t possibly have this kind of divine sense!
There was only one possibility—some ancient monster was staying inside Jian Zhiyan’s body—
Her forehead was magnetically pressed against Jian Xingzhi’s forehead by the powerful spiritual force. Feeling Jian Xingzhi’s divine sense pouring like an overwhelming landslide into her secret technique formation, she stared at the Jian Xingzhi before her and shouted urgently and sternly, “Who exactly are you?!”