The Phoenix Feather Flower bloomed slowly, its fragrance growing from faint to rich.

At first, the spirit beasts attracted by the fragrance would naturally be weaker in cultivation. Dan Ruyun beckoned to Su Zhuyi to hide beside her and conceal her aura, but Su Zhuyi shook her head and refused. She stood right next to the Phoenix Feather Flower, making herself a living target.

The Xundao Sect cultivators all frowned slightly upon seeing this.

“Fellow Daoist, the Phoenix Feather Flower cannot be picked until it fully blooms. Standing there now serves no purpose. We should conserve our spiritual energy and first let those spirit beasts drawn by the scent kill each other.” The speaker was Wang Zihan from Xundao Sect, the youngest of the four at five hundred and thirty-one years old, also at Golden Core Great Perfection cultivation – quite an outstanding talent.

Originally, it didn’t matter if she stood there as a target. When high-level spirit beasts came, they would target her first, which could even help share the pressure with everyone. But Wang Zihan still felt somewhat reluctant and took the initiative to remind her – really, that woman under the moonlight was too beautiful, stirring pity in one’s heart.

Su Zhuyi paid him no attention.

Her silence was because she couldn’t be bothered with others, especially since Xundao Sect had good relations with Dong Fushang Sect, and she still planned to hunt down those surviving fish from Dong Fushang Sect. Naturally, she wouldn’t associate with Xundao Sect cultivators. What Su Zhuyi hadn’t expected was that Qin Jianglan beside her would turn to look over and actively respond to that Xundao Sect cultivator.

The flying sword in his hand nimbly traced a sword flower, with pine-needle-like sword intent rising. Pressure suddenly appeared, making everyone’s face change, but he only said indifferently: “No matter. We fear no challengers.”

With his strength, there was no need to conserve spiritual energy.

Su Zhuyi was somewhat curious. Qin Jianglan, usually so low-key and composed, was acting so arrogant now? Like a peacock proudly spreading its tail feathers, as if afraid others wouldn’t know how powerful and beautiful it was.

She turned her head, habitually reaching up to smooth a stray strand of hair at her temple, then transmitted her voice to ask: “This isn’t like you today.”

Qin Jianglan looked at her deeply. His eyes were like cold stars at the horizon, washed by mountain stream snow water, so clear they were almost blinding. His face had shown no expression originally, but the moment he met her gaze, he suddenly smiled – like an epiphyllum blooming suddenly under moonlight in the night, just an instant, yet dazzling the entire darkness.

Even Su Zhuyi was dazzled by his smile at that moment.

Qin Jianglan was calm and self-controlled. Su Zhuyi had once said he had chanted sutras too long, becoming pure-hearted and passionless, making his face stiff and rigid. Even when he smiled later, it was just a corner of his mouth lifting in a faint smile. Rarely did he smile like this – dazzling, making one’s heart thump wildly. In that moment, Su Zhuyi felt as if he had reached a hand inside and directly grasped her heart.

She was a heart-stealing demoness. Being called the Heart-Eating Demoness in her previous life wasn’t just a title – she not only dug out hearts, she also stole them.

Stealing those men’s hearts.

And now, was this called “the huntress finally caught by her prey”? Though she still had the love parasite, this also proved her strength had grown too much for the love parasite’s influence to be significant, right? But thinking this way wasn’t right either – breaking the love parasite wasn’t that simple.

Su Zhuyi came back to her senses. She thought it was just being momentarily dazzled by beauty, ultimately having nothing to do with love and romance. Sweeping the surroundings with her divine consciousness, she found Dan Ruyun also staring dazedly at Qin Jianglan’s face. Not only her, but her fellow sister beside her, and even those men were reacting the same way. Su Zhuyi felt relieved.

“Eh? Just smiling won’t do. Why are you so eager to show off today?” She smiled and blinked. “I’m very curious.”

Qin Jianglan smiled again. He was truly very happy.

His joy was childish. He knew it was silly, but couldn’t control it – his mouth corners would stretch and lift involuntarily.

She didn’t remember other men. Even after going through the Rebirth Pond, those men she had experienced were immediately cast from her mind, completely forgotten.

But he still remembered. Back then, on the Wangtian Tree, he would often recite them to her.

At that time, he recited the wrongs she had committed. Thinking about it now, his ability to remember those names and accurately recite them – wasn’t it also because he had once cared?

And now, he still cared quite a bit.

Qin Jianglan didn’t speak. He wouldn’t tell her that he had just been happy because she hadn’t recognized the Xundao Sect cultivator beside them. Qin Jianglan reached out to pull her to his side, his sword just swinging forward, not yet striking the spirit beast attracted by the Phoenix Feather Flower’s fragrance, when the little white snake at her ankle suddenly darted up and bit that spirit beast.

The spirit beast instantly collapsed and died, stiffening in the blink of an eye.

Beaten to the punch by the little white snake? Qin Jianglan wasn’t annoyed, keeping his arm around Su Zhuyi’s waist without letting go.

Dan Ruyun had originally been staring at Qin Jianglan. She had never seen such a handsome man and was momentarily stunned, especially when he smiled like that, making her heart feel as if it had been heavily struck, holding her breath. But now, seeing him embracing Su Zhuyi, Dan Ruyun felt something was off.

As if that divinely handsome man had suddenly become somewhat uglier.

Dan Ruyun felt Su Zhuyi was prettier. Right, Su Zhuyi was prettier. Her gaze circled between the two several times before finally settling on Su Zhuyi.

That man in black clothes had a cold aura that made people uncomfortable. No matter how good-looking, he was somewhat frightening. Su Zhuyi better not be taken advantage of. Dan Ruyun was somewhat worried…

The little white snake that had bitten the spirit beast to death and stolen the credit now stood proudly in front of the two with its head raised and tongue flicking, assuming a stance of “this road was opened by me, this tree was planted by me, to pass this way you must pay with your life,” standing guard there majestically. As a result, those spirit beasts attracted by the fragrance temporarily didn’t dare make reckless moves.

The fragrance was indeed tempting, but the pressure from that little white snake was real. Such a powerful spirit beast was one they would normally avoid, but now, under the fragrance’s attraction, though they hadn’t left, they temporarily didn’t dare advance.

At this time, Xundao Sect’s Wang Zihan said again: “This spirit snake already has small protrusions on its head – it’s probably about to transform into a dragon. Fellow Daoist is truly fortunate to subdue such a spirit beast. It seems our hope of guarding the Phoenix Feather Flower has increased considerably.”

He felt that woman was like a demon, her every frown, smile, and movement bewitching hearts. Even with a powerful expert beside her, Wang Zihan couldn’t help wanting to strike up a conversation, even if just saying a few words would be good.

Only when he spoke again did Su Zhuyi remember who this person was.

Wang Zihan from Xundao Sect.

Oh oh, so it was Wang Zihan. In her previous life, he had also been one of her subordinates, treating her quite well, loving her beyond redemption. He had even betrayed his sect and joined the demonic path for her, meeting a very miserable end. Back then on the Wangtian Tree, every time Qin Jianglan chanted sutras about the men she had harmed, the first mentioned was always Xundao Sect’s Wang Zihan…

She suddenly felt she understood why Qin Jianglan was suddenly so eager to show off.

Because he saw Wang Zihan!

In her previous life, she and Wang Zihan, who had betrayed his sect to join the demonic path, had been partners in crime for a while, doing many evil deeds together. That righteous path man had been seduced by her step by step into corruption and murder, and ultimately died because of her.

Perhaps Qin Jianglan felt her impression of Wang Zihan was deeper, since they had spent more time together than with others. But actually, Su Zhuyi at that time was heartless and emotionless, only knowing how to use people, not understanding love. Seeing someone she knew from her previous life now, she wouldn’t feel the slightest remorse, and she hadn’t even remembered this person.

However, in this lifetime, I won’t harm you. Sweeping Wang Zihan with her divine consciousness, Su Zhuyi thought.

She didn’t turn to look at that person, but observed Qin Jianglan with great interest.

He was displaying his strength.

Like a male bird trying to show off when encountering a rival during mating season? She had just compared Qin Jianglan to a peacock spreading its feathers, and it wasn’t wrong.

Who would have thought Qin Jianglan could have such a childish moment?

It was quite cute.

Thinking this, she stood on tiptoe and, in front of everyone, leaned over to kiss Qin Jianglan’s cheek.

Qin Jianglan: “…”

His face reddened.

Dan Ruyun stared wide-eyed with a shocked expression, while her fellow sister beside her twitched her lips with a speechless face.

At such a tense moment, those two from the Gujian Sect were being romantic.

“Ahem, the flower is about to bloom, and there are more and more spirit beasts.” Someone pointed at the little white snake: “The stronger the flower’s fragrance, the greater its attraction. That spirit beast’s pressure can barely suppress the beast horde anymore.”

“Oh.” Qin Jianglan nodded, then raised his hand and tossed his flying sword into the air.

After Songfeng Sword landed, it transformed into a large pine tree, each pine needle carrying sword intent, making those restless spirit beasts settle down again.

At this time, the Phoenix Feather Flower’s curled petals had already spread halfway outward. There were nine petals total, and just at half-bloom, they were already three feet long…

“This Phoenix Feather Flower is an immortal grade.” Someone exclaimed softly, and all the cultivators present breathed more rapidly.

The Phoenix Feather Flower attracted not only spirit beasts.

But also, people, a fervent desire for possession in human hearts. Dominated by such desire, originally rational cultivators also reddened their eyes with crazed expressions.

But everyone’s cultivation wasn’t low; they had companions beside them and retained a thread of rationality. They only watched without truly going to snatch it, but the desire in their hearts grew bit by bit.

“If this flower could take human form, would it be prettier than me?”

It’s just a flower – couldn’t it bloom properly? Why did it have to attract countless beings to fight over it? Really…

Su Zhuyi turned her head and coldly glanced at the Phoenix Feather Flower. “How pretentious.”

Immortal-grade spirit herbs also had a certain probability of developing spiritual intelligence.

The Phoenix Feather Flower’s petals trembled slightly – whether from wind or not was unclear.

“It wouldn’t be.” Having said this, Qin Jianglan leaned against the large pine tree, releasing his pressure without any reservation, causing those spirit beasts surging like a tide to retreat.

There were still several truly high-level spirit beasts hiding in the shadows, but none dared step forward.

“Pangu.” A Gu eagle circling in the air flew several circles before finally turning to leave. Not only it, but the truly powerful spirit beasts in this dense forest all chose not to attack. Though they greatly desired that immortal herb, they also knew what kind of people couldn’t be provoked.

Su Zhuyi and Qin Jianglan sat quietly under the pine tree transformed from Songfeng Sword for three full hours.

When the Phoenix Feather Flower completely bloomed, becoming exactly like phoenix feathers, and the fragrance disappeared, Su Zhuyi walked over and pulled up the nine long feathers like picking weeds.

The other cultivators had barely managed to restrain themselves before, but now, seeing the crisis resolved and the Phoenix Feather Flower obtained, they all came out demanding a share of the Phoenix Feather Flower, their expressions as if they wanted to devour Su Zhuyi and snatch the flower from her hands.

“Young friend, we discovered this flower first. You surely can’t monopolize it all?” In terms of strength, they couldn’t beat these two from the Gujian Sect. After all, what they had just displayed had already shocked everyone, which was precisely why they had endured and not dared step forward. But since strength was insufficient, they could be thick-skinned.

Everyone was from the righteous path, they had agreed to ally – surely she couldn’t devour it all alone.

Su Zhuyi had little use for this flower.

She had learned everything and wasn’t bad at pill-refining, but precisely because she had learned everything and wasn’t bad at anything, she couldn’t touch the true Dao in some aspects. Take pill-refining – she could refine high-grade pills, but couldn’t enter the Dao through pill-refining.

Immortal-grade Phoenix Feather Flowers were naturally meant for refining immortal pills. Having them was useless to her; she could only trade them for other things.

Naturally, the Danfu Sect had the greatest need for this, and they would probably be willing to pay an enormous price to trade for these nine petals.

Su Zhuyi looked toward Dan Ruyun.

The little girl was quite nervous, her chest rising and falling dramatically.

She handed the Phoenix Feather Flower to Dan Ruyun: “When you refine good pills in the future, remember to give me a share of each.”

Seeing the flower handed to her, Dan Ruyun was stunned.

Nine petals – Su Zhuyi was giving her all nine flowers?

Dan Ruyun stammered: “This, this is too much. Don’t you want them?” The Xundao Sect cultivators beside them were very envious, but intimidated by the others’ strength, could only say: “Our Xundao Sect also has elders with extremely high pill dao levels. Nine petals are quite a lot for them. Why not, why not give us some?”

“If refining succeeds, naturally the pills will also be shared…” Before finishing, Su Zhuyi interrupted, looking at Dan Ruyun imperiously and raising an eyebrow: “Too much?”

“Much…” Dan Ruyun answered instinctively. She knew naturally that more was better, but with so many people here, giving them all to her made her feel like those gazes around her were about to poke her full of holes.

“If it’s too much, just throw them around for fun.”

Her words nearly made the others spit blood in anger, while making Qin Jianglan somewhat unable to suppress his amusement.

Su Zhuyi smiled, took out one flower to bend into a flower crown, first putting it on her head, then tilting her head at Qin Jianglan and throwing him a flirtatious glance, before taking it off and placing it on Dan Ruyun’s head: “There, isn’t that fine?”

“I have faith in you. Refine pills well.”

In her previous life, Dan Ruyun had been Su Qingxun’s good friend.

Dan Ruyun’s pill dao level wasn’t bad, and she had caused Su Zhuyi considerable trouble. She had pill-refining talent. Since Su Zhuyi was too lazy to refine pills herself, cultivating an obedient little pill furnace wouldn’t be bad.

Dan Ruyun reached up to touch the flower crown made of Phoenix Feather Flowers on her head. She felt the flowers were like touching feathers, still slightly warm, just like her heart that was now excited as if scorched by fire.

“Mm.” She nodded, her eyes shining as she looked at Su Zhuyi.

Qin Jianglan: “…”

Not only did he have to guard against men, but now he had to guard against women, too?