Xiaoxiao regretted it. She shouldn’t have returned the Golden Core to Wei Jie without knowing the whole story.

No one would let their mother’s suffering and blood tears become something to nourish others!

Xiaoxiao understood that at this moment, she should have drawn clear boundaries with Wei Jie early on. But when she looked at him, she seemed to see unknown pain in his seemingly calm purple eyes.

Like Wei Jie, who had lost her parents at an early age, Xiaoxiao still didn’t yield to reason. Her mouth made the decision automatically as she slowly said, “I wonder if you all obtained permission when using someone’s mother’s blood to refine pills, or did you just take it without asking? If it was something the person gave willingly, but then they regretted it and wanted it back, though you may have reason on your side, there’s no need to shout and threaten violence. But if you took it without asking, then that’s theft.”

She raised her head and asked her disciple loudly: “Was your mother willing to give her blood to the Four Great Sects for pill refining?”

Wei Jie hadn’t expected his little master to be so bold, actually coming up with such an outrageous argument to confront the Four Great Sects.

Looking at Cui Xiaoxiao with some amusement in his eyes, he said faintly: “The hatred for forcing my father to death cannot coexist under the same sky – how could there be any reason to give it to them?”

Cui Xiaoxiao nodded: “You see, the person was unwilling to give it, but considering your hard work in pill refining, still returned the Golden Core. Such a person of sentiment and righteousness – and you righteous sects still want to brand them with the name of thief? What kind of logic is this? You are the thieves – does the world know this?”

This… the people from the Four Great Sects were so angry they nearly rolled their eyes.

A female demon’s blood – if they took it, they took it. Why would they need to ask if she was willing?

Would they have to run to the pig pen and ask the fat pig if it was willing to take the knife before eating pork each time?

This worthless wild chicken talisman sect leader was going to strongly defend her rebellious disciple.

Some people were already irritated by the rain, and hearing Cui Xiaoxiao’s unreasonable counter-accusations, they became furious: This kind of demon-spawn deserved to be executed by everyone – why waste words with them!

So, except for Lingyun Pavilion, disciples from the other three major cultivation sects angrily surrounded them, cursing and preparing to capture this pair of master and disciple thieves together!

Cui Xiaoxiao discovered that no matter how many hundreds of years passed, some righteous sects were equally unreasonable. As long as they proclaimed themselves the righteous path of the world, they could shout and threaten violence against anything they found displeasing.

Before being beaten by them, Xiaoxiao quickly whispered an apology to Wei Jie, saying she didn’t know the story behind the Golden Core – if she had known earlier, she would never have given it to the Four Great Sects.

Wei Jie looked at Xiaoxiao with some surprise. This little girl was quite clever – she should have guessed that his intentionally loud call of “master” was meant to drag her into the muddy water.

Unexpectedly, when he merely explained the reason for stealing the Golden Core, she had tears in her eyes, seeming to deeply empathize with him, and even spoke up for him, offending the Four Great Sects…

Looking at it this way, the little girl’s brain wasn’t very bright… Since she was foolish, she shouldn’t be beaten anymore, or else he feared she’d help count the money after being sold.

Thinking this, Wei Jie flicked his whip, once again blocking the attackers’ assault. While blocking, he quietly said to Xiaoxiao: “When you find a chance, run!”

If not for the urgent situation, Xiaoxiao would have been amused by this fellow’s audacity. If he hadn’t stopped her earlier, shouting “Master, don’t be afraid,” she would have fled long ago!

However, it seemed that her defense of him against the Four Great Sects had stirred this demon’s compassion, and he no longer planned to drag her along to take the beating.

Because Wei Jie was blocking them, Xiaoxiao successfully retreated, calmly withdrawing behind Wei Jie, away from the attacking crowd.

But seeing more and more people surrounding Wei Jie, Xiaoxiao hesitated – should she just leave him here alone? Would he be beaten off the cliff again?

This time, there was no Po Hun Snake adventure waiting for him. He might die from untreated severe injuries at the bottom of the cliff.

Although this demon was destined to die anyway, if he died too early, wouldn’t she be unable to find Zhulong’s statue? How would she return to two hundred years later?

As her thoughts raced, she saw Wei Jie turn around amid the crowd and silently mouth to her: “Why haven’t you left yet?”

This fellow had the leisure to worry about her… Xiaoxiao had wandered the streets since childhood and acted on impulse. It was because of Wei Jie’s glance back that she made up her mind – she couldn’t abandon Wei Jie and run away alone.

No matter what, he was also the benefactor that Master Tang Youshu respected and revered. By all accounts, he was half her grandmaster!

Grand-master above, let your grand-disciple save you…

Of course, even with righteousness surging in her heart, Xiaoxiao would never personally enter the fray. She knew her current capabilities – though she could transform water into talismans, she couldn’t continuously contend with various cultivators.

However, though the Four Great Sects were mighty and imposing back then, they all later became Wei Jie’s defeated opponents.

No matter how strong a technique, it would have weaknesses and vital points. If one knew where the vital points were, facing them in battle would be much more manageable.

Unfortunately, Wei Jie had studied these thorns in his side, the Four Great Sects, thoroughly back then. Her master, Tang Youshu, had recorded all the weaknesses and vital points of the Four Great Sects that Wei Jie had summarized in that thick autobiographical secret manual.

Xiaoxiao had skimmed through it casually before, glancing at it briefly. Since these Four Great Sects were all destroyed sects, naturally, she hadn’t paid much attention.

At this critical moment, it truly showed that books contained golden treasures!

Xiaoxiao touched the secret manual wrapped in oil paper in her bosom, took it out, and calmly read two pages – good! That’s enough!

When she raised her head again to examine the moves of those attacking disciples, truly, everywhere were flaws – they were simply vulnerable.

After all, those fighting were disciples from the major sects with low cultivation levels, making the sects’ weaknesses appear even more obvious.

Though young Wei Jie was agile, after all, he had learned only wild techniques and hadn’t yet come into his own. At this time, his body had already been cut in many places by qi-swords and qi-blades, bleeding profusely.

Xiaoxiao knew he couldn’t hold out much longer and immediately called out loudly: “Watch the area between the Tihu and Xuanmu acupoints on the Tianxin Gate disciples’ faces – that’s where they regulate their breathing. Once that area bulges, it’s when their Thunder Palm lightning strike comes out… Also, don’t clash head-on with Wumu Peak’s qi-blades. These qi-blades have three-stage power, and those disciples have a poor connection between the second and third stages. If you dodge the first stage, you can exploit the gap and disrupt their rhythm! Oh my, Miaoxian Mountain’s qi-shields! Don’t bother with them. This defensive-to-offensive fighting style should be dealt with only when their qi weakens and shields thin.”

At this time, attacking Wei Jie were disciples from the Four Great Sects: Tianxin Gate, Wumu Peak, and Miaoxian Mountain.

As for Lingyun Pavilion’s disciples, they had been held back by Qin Lingxiao the whole time, telling them to temporarily stay out of the fight, watch from the sidelines, and only move in for the final cleanup.

Hearing Cui Xiaoxiao’s reminders, Wei Jie was truly awakened by her few words, and accordingly changed his strategy.

Naturally intelligent and able to draw inferences, he comprehended Xiaoxiao’s guidance during the battle.

So he switched from whip to sword, holding that broken sword and following Xiaoxiao’s directions, avoiding their strengths and seeking their breathing flaws for calm strikes.

His qi wasn’t strong, and the true qi wrapped around his sword strikes wasn’t powerful enough, but starting from the various sects’ weak points, it was like using a bamboo pole to lift a thousand-pound iron ball – using cleverness, with movements as light and graceful as flying spring swallows.

However, when Wei Jie broke through each opponent’s offense and defense, he was secretly shocked – how did his little master immediately crack the exquisite attacks of the three major sects? How did she have such an ability?

During brief pauses in combat, he couldn’t help but glance at Cui Xiaoxiao in amazement.

Xiaoxiao received his gaze without any guilt, only clasping her hands behind her back with serene composure, perfectly maintaining the bearing of a worldly sage.

Grand-master, you summarized it so well – your grand-disciple Xiaoxiao truly feels unworthy!

Wei Jie couldn’t spare time to look at his little master’s serene, sage-like appearance and turned to focus intently on continuing to break through the three major sects’ attacks.

Soon, the situation of many attacking one began to reverse, with Tianxin Gate and Wumu Peak disciples falling one after another to Wei Jie’s strikes.

As for Miaoxian Mountain’s qi-shields, though impregnable, Wei Jie heeded Xiaoxiao’s reminder and didn’t engage at all. Without support from the two offensive sects, Tianxin Gate and Wumu Peak, Miaoxian Mountain disciples’ qi-shields had no use, moving around in the crowd like stupid bulls.

Not to mention the three major sect disciples fighting felt confused, even the three major sect elders watching from the side were secretly alarmed. They couldn’t even focus on their disciples taking beatings, all unanimously looking toward the spirited young girl commanding Wei Jie’s battle.

At this time, Cui Xiaoxiao still maintained Master Tang Youshu’s customary posture – letting the wind blow her ponytail, hands clasped behind her back, expression calm, gaze slightly lowered, just like an enlightened immortal’s unshakeable composure.

The small girl managed to embody the bearing of a great sect grandmaster, appearing unfathomably deep.

Even if someone wanted to ambush her, they would have to consider: if this Sect Leader Cui was so formidable at directing her disciples’ fighting, what about her abilities?

As sect elders, they naturally knew their vital weaknesses. However, these weaknesses were well hidden within flashy cultivation techniques. Unless one was a deeply cultivated great master or senior sect elder, they absolutely couldn’t be discerned.

But how did this little girl who appeared from nowhere understand so clearly, even clearly stating the solutions word by word?

Looking at her youth, could she have such sharp insight? Could she have figured out countermeasures in just a moment?

Lingshan Talismonger Sect? What kind of hidden dragon, crouching tiger sect was this?

Now, several elders exchanged glances, becoming more alarmed the more they thought about it. They firmly remembered the name Lingshan Talismonger Sect, planning to send people to investigate thoroughly after returning, to see what background this previously unknown sect had, and where this Cui Xiaoxiao had emerged from!

As for Cui Xiaoxiao, while maintaining her serene, sage-like appearance on the surface, her mind was boiling: How to gracefully end this situation?

She could see that though Wei Jie was responding well, he, who hadn’t yet become a demon, had limited internal energy and couldn’t maintain this for long. If the Four Great Sects kept rotating fresh fighters, Wei Jie would inevitably be defeated.

Moreover… Lingyun Pavilion hadn’t even entered the battle yet! Thinking this, she glanced at Qin Lingxiao, glowering at her, and had an idea.

Taking advantage of Wei Jie defeating the last Miaoxian Mountain disciple whose qi-shield had weakened, she cleared her throat and spoke: “Young Pavilion Master Qin, you’ve been instigating the other three major sects’ disciples to charge forward while you lead your disciples to watch the excitement from the side – isn’t that rather improper? As they say, all cultivators under heaven are one family. My Lingshan Talismonger Sect is righteous. If my disciple made mistakes, I should naturally discipline him. What matter requires bloodshed? That… Jie’er, quickly withdraw and let me have a proper chat with the elders.”

She knew most clearly that no matter how capable Wei Jie was now, he wasn’t a match for the Four Great Sects’ disciples. He had only stunned them by exploiting their weaknesses.

If the elders and Lingyun Pavilion’s people also entered the fray, Wei Jie’s current power couldn’t withstand them.

So, after the military attack came a diplomatic approach.

She first wanted to expose Qin Lingxiao’s scheming, then have a good discussion with the Four Great Sects.

However, Wei Jie raised his eyebrows high – this call of “Jie’er,” the little girl said it quite smoothly!