Though her words were cold, Xiaoxiao immediately leaned forward to check Wei Jie’s back.

During the earlier fight, Wei Jie had indeed protected her several times. At the time, she seemed to have heard him grunt, and now thinking back, he must have been clawed on the back…

But Wei Jie kept a cold face and twisted away, not letting her see. He kicked the howling Corpse-eating Beast and sat on a large stone nearby.

Unfortunately, the two were chained together, so Xiaoxiao was dragged along by him and had to strain to look up at his back.

My goodness, he was badly injured!

After Wei Jie sat down, Xiaoxiao quickly took out the healing medicine she carried with her, preparing to help Wei Jie remove his clothes so she could apply it for him.

But Wei Jie tugged at his clothes and said, “It’s nothing. The wound will heal itself in a while. Your medicine is so precious, you should save it for your Tang young master.”

Xiaoxiao took a closer look and indeed it was true – the fierce inch-long wounds from before had already healed by more than half in this short time.

He was a mixed-blood of human and Numei, unmatched in self-healing. As long as they were light flesh wounds, they could all heal by themselves.

Tang Youshu had no idea about the undercurrents between his master and grandmaster. Hearing Wei Jie agree, he desperately kowtowed to Cui Xiaoxiao and Wei Jie, then happily became the fourth-generation eldest disciple of the Talismonger Sect.

Watching the Talismonger Sect’s lineage become increasingly twisted, Xiaoxiao wondered how to write the names in the sect’s genealogy and silently developed a headache.

This former demonic ancestor had now become her disciple, while her former master had become her grand-disciple!

This twisted path of succession for the Lingshan Talismonger Sect could only be kept secret. When she found a way to set things right and return two hundred years later, she would burn incense and kowtow at her master’s grave to properly apologize.

But now she had at least salvaged something – she had made Master Tang Youshu follow his original trajectory and take Wei Jie as his master.

Secretly breathing a sigh of relief, Xiaoxiao pointed at the dog rubbing against Wei Jie’s trouser leg and asked, “What should we do with this Corpse-eating Beast?”

This time, Wei Jie didn’t quarrel with Xiaoxiao. He kicked the dog’s rear again and said lazily, “It’s not a creature of the Yang realm. We must quickly send it back to the Underworld. Otherwise, if it absorbs too much Yang realm energy, we’ll have to wait until Ghost Month when the ghost gates open wide before it can return.”

After speaking, he picked up the deliberately fawning big-mouthed dog and shook it vigorously. Many small black sesame-like dots fell from the dog’s body.

According to Wei Jie, these were corpse fleas from the Corpse-eating Beast. If raised properly and then crushed, they made excellent healing medicine.

So Xiaoxiao watched as he caught these sesame-sized creatures one by one and put them in a small porcelain bottle.

Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but shudder, reminding Wei Jie to put the bottle away properly. Otherwise, with them spending every day together now, if the fleas got on her body, that would be disgusting.

Since they needed to send the Corpse-eating Beast back, they naturally needed the Wei family’s permission. Otherwise, outsiders absolutely could not approach the boundary between Yin and Yang realms.

Wei Jie had no interest in seeing the Wei family again. He simply tied the rope binding the Corpse-eating Beast to the evil-warding stone statue at the Wei family’s gate, then walked far away and threw a stone to knock on the door.

When the Wei family guards opened the door, there seemed to be nothing but a moving rope in front of the gate.

When Wei Jingfeng came to the door, he naturally smelled the putrid odor of the Corpse-eating Beast and knew the rope held an invisible Corpse-eating Beast.

Delighted, he looked around but couldn’t see whoever had brought this strange beast back…

But the whip tied around the beast’s neck was clearly that child Jie’s… Wei Jingfeng held the whip in his hands, remembering the harsh words he had said to his nephew earlier. For a moment, his heart was filled with indescribable mixed feelings…

That child had listened to his mother’s words and gone alone to catch the Corpse-eating Beast…

As for the hastily assembled ancestor-master-disciple trio of the Talismonger Sect, after leaving Qilao Mountain, they found themselves somewhat aimless.

Though only separated by two hundred years, the human world had changed dramatically, with unfamiliar sights everywhere.

Cui Xiaoxiao tried hard to recall the stone cave where she had discovered the statue, but couldn’t find the correct location names on the two-hundred-year-old sheepskin map. Many places had completely different names after two hundred years.

This meant they could only grope their way forward slowly, hoping the area around that stone cave hadn’t changed too much to make it easier to find. They just didn’t know if the statue was still in the stone cave at this time.

Xiaoxiao felt the hope was slim, but she could only give it a try.

Besides finding the stone statue, another urgent matter was finding Qin Lingxiao to make him quickly hand over the key and unlock the Soul-locking Clasp on her hand!

Xiaoxiao hadn’t bathed for a full five days now, and didn’t even dare eat or drink much.

It wasn’t that she had achieved abstinence from worldly desires and felt no hunger or thirst. She had initially been unable to resist once or twice, and it was so embarrassing she wished the world would just end!

Even when Wei Jie obediently turned his head and stuffed cotton in his ears, it still didn’t work.

By the same logic, when it was Wei Jie’s turn to relieve himself, Xiaoxiao had to close her eyes and listen to the tinkling of spring water alongside him. Such experiences made her wish she could immediately lose her memory and forget everything.

So whenever it came time to eat and drink, Xiaoxiao not only restricted herself but also watched Wei Jie closely, making him restrain himself and not eat or drink too much.

But Wei Jie didn’t have such psychological burdens. Under Xiaoxiao’s sharp glares, he calmly drank another large bowl of soup.

As soon as he finished drinking, his grand-disciple, Tang Youshu, diligently served Master Wei Jie another bowl.

Xiaoxiao didn’t dare scold Tang Youshu and could only whisper to Wei Jie, “Drink less, or later you’ll…”

Wei Jie’s mouth curved in a smile as he also served Xiaoxiao a bowl of lotus root and peanut soup.

“Master, drink more. I can see you’ve been getting overheated these past two days. Each time it’s intermittent and not very smooth – that’s because you’re too dry. You need proper nourishment!”

Xiaoxiao silently looked at him, using her gaze to slowly wrap around his neck and give it a hard squeeze!

At the same time, she cursed the root cause, Qin Lingxiao, once again in her heart!

These past few days, forced by necessity, Xiaoxiao had already begun incorporating abstinence from food into her daily routine. For cultivators, when reaching the critical moment of enhancing dantian energy, fasting and abstaining from food were greatly beneficial.

However, not every cultivator who had just entered the inner sanctum could persist.

One must know that earthly delicacies are the hardest to abandon. Even those who achieved immortality and enlightenment sometimes couldn’t let go of their appetite and would occasionally come to the mortal world to steal a meal.

But Xiaoxiao had nothing she couldn’t let go of now. She only wished she could immediately achieve abstinence and ascend to immortality, far from this troublesome mortal world.

With no desires or demands, she had managed intermittent fasting for several days.

Wei Jie wasn’t as progressive as Xiaoxiao. He smiled as he looked at his master’s “loving” gaze and leisurely picked up a chicken leg to gnaw on.

Among the three of them, Tang Youshu was the one with money, so along the way, they would find decent restaurants in villages and towns to eat and rest, almost every meal having wine and meat.

There was a reason why Tang Youshu was so wealthy.

He came from a family of renowned physicians and could already take pulses and diagnose patients at a young age. His trip to Qilao Mountain was also to collect unique herbs from the mountain, which was how he accidentally fell into the valley.

He was determined to transcend worldly physical constraints and cultivate the immortal way. Along the way, he practiced medicine to earn money while seeking out famous teachers.

According to Tang Youshu, his best-selling item was the ancestral virility ointment. Just one application on the navel area guaranteed rejuvenation and kidney strengthening, making one a bridegroom for the night. However, the formula was complex and required hot compresses before use, making it quite cumbersome. If it could be simplified, it would sell even better.

Hearing this, Xiaoxiao silently sighed, realizing her master had been making big money from such virility ointments since his youth.

Thinking of the Talismonger Sect’s later most profitable treasure – the Enchantment Talisman – her master had truly been consistent these two hundred years, striding forward on the path of benefiting men worldwide.

Xiaoxiao had long anticipated such lavish and casual dining days, but never expected a chain to be more hateful than a gold-consuming curse, making her afraid to eat or drink.

Wei Jie put on quite the airs, demanding meat and wine with every meal, living quite comfortably.

Xiaoxiao ate almost nothing, entering meditation early each time. Unfortunately, being shackled to Wei Jie, when she meditated, Wei Jie would lie beside her, sleeping. Listening to the continuous snoring greatly affected her meditation.

Without meditation, her stomach would growl along. Xiaoxiao decided she still needed to shoulder her master’s responsibility and supervise this “rebellious disciple” to improve a bit.

But when she pulled Wei Jie up to meditate together, Wei Jie stretched lazily and yawned, “Master doesn’t teach me any skills, so I don’t know what to cultivate.”

These past few days, he had watched Xiaoxiao take time to teach Tang Youshu how to draw talismans and also taught him breathing techniques, like a loving parent and child.

This grandmaster-teaching grand-disciple arrangement worked quite happily. But the Talismonger Sect leader had no intention of teaching her proper direct eldest disciple.

Though Wei Jie’s original intention in becoming a disciple was ulterior, and he didn’t truly want to learn from Xiaoxiao, being compared to Tang Youshu now, losing in the competition for the master’s favor inevitably caused psychological imbalance and left him feeling uncomfortable.

Hearing Wei Jie’s words, Xiaoxiao nodded.

That’s right, she had taken on the role of his master after all. If she taught nothing, it would seem rather unfair.

But if she taught him the Talismonger Sect’s skills, and he later returned to his original life trajectory and gradually walked the demonic path, wouldn’t that bring shame to the Lingshan Talismonger Sect?

After much thought, Xiaoxiao decided to teach him the skills of the four major sects instead. He had deep grudges with the four major cultivation sects, and when they inevitably met on narrow paths in the future, knowing himself and his enemy would allow him to use their methods against them.

As for how to teach, Xiaoxiao wasn’t worried. After all, Ancestor Wei Jie himself had already summarized everything systematically. She just needed to follow the pattern and teach Wei Jie the cultivation methods of other sects that Wei Jie himself had summarized.

Among these four major sects, Miaoxian Mountain’s energy shield was the most practical. Xiaoxiao didn’t want to teach the future demon lord techniques for harming people. Energy shields could provide defense and self-protection, most suitable.

Wei Jie sat cross-legged facing Xiaoxiao, listening to her skillfully explain the way to condense Miaoxian Mountain’s energy shield. Suddenly, he asked, “Why do you understand the shortcomings of the four major sects’ methods so well, and know their cultivation ways? What connection do you have with the four major sects?”

When asking this, Wei Jie’s purple-gleaming eyes slightly narrowed as he stared fixedly at Cui Xiaoxiao.

Though the future Demon Lord’s demonic cultivation was incomplete, his imposing aura was about to emerge. When he stared at someone, it was rather overwhelming.

However, Xiaoxiao had followed her adoptive father in deception since childhood. The street’s thousand-faced, charming girl wasn’t a reputation earned for nothing. She met the future Demon Lord’s gaze head-on and said with a sincere tone, “Those four major sects have shallow cultivation that can be seen through at a glance. How can they compare to our Talismonger Sect’s profound depth? But to cultivate the Talismonger Sect’s mysteries, you must first learn the ways of the four major sects. Here, I’ve taught you all the methods. Slowly comprehend them yourself.”

Xiaoxiao knew the four major sects could become great cultivation sects – their skills weren’t something you could learn just by wanting to.

The Wei Jie of two hundred years ago, due to resisting snake poison, gained a fortuitous encounter and greatly advanced his cultivation. With that solid foundation, he could easily master whatever he studied.

But the current Wei Jie, due to her interference, was still just an ordinary young man.

Though relying on intelligence and talent, he had comprehended some unconventional methods, trying to master the four major sects’ mysteries from her brief teaching was rather like a fool’s dream.

Xiaoxiao just wanted to appease her good disciple so he wouldn’t always disturb her meditation.

But Wei Jie put on the appearance of a teachable student and sat beside Xiaoxiao, beginning to close his eyes in meditation.

Xiaoxiao secretly opened her eyes to observe the man beside her. His meditation posture wasn’t standard – his arms were casually placed on his crossed long legs, and his waist wasn’t particularly straight. Rather than meditation, it looked more like dozing.

But his appearance and figure were outstanding. No matter how he sat, he exuded an air of otherworldly, elegant handsomeness.

Xiaoxiao found it hard to imagine what terrifying appearance he would have when transformed into a half-snake person covered in scales.

After watching for a while, Xiaoxiao also closed her eyes. At least this time, Wei Jie wasn’t poisoned. Hopefully, he could reform and commit fewer killings in the future…

However, she didn’t know that when she closed her eyes, the man sitting across from her slowly opened his. His light purple eyes gleamed in the moonlight as they wandered over the girl’s curved, long eyelashes and her straight, delicate little nose tip…

Under the moonlight with night insects chirping, after he had looked his fill, he contentedly closed his eyes. At the same time, he straightened his posture, and breathing cultivation energy began circling above his head as he gradually entered meditation.

They spent these days like this – traveling by day, cultivating by night. The medicine pills given by the Wei family grandmother seemed truly effective. These past days, Xiaoxiao never had an episode, which gradually put her mind at ease.

But always being shackled together with Wei Jie was too inconvenient. Xiaoxiao still decided to first find Qin Lingxiao and make him unlock the Soul-locking Clasp.

How to reach Lingyun Pavilion was another major problem.

Xiaoxiao studied the map for a long time and found that Lingyun Pavilion seemed not too far from here. Fortunately, Tang Youshu often collected herbs and was fairly familiar with the surrounding paths. With his help, their journey became much smoother.

Wei Jie didn’t seem as urgent as Xiaoxiao about finding Qin Lingxiao to unlock the Soul-locking Clasp. Along the way, he stopped and started leisurely, seeming quite relaxed.

The day after lunch, Wei Jie pulled Xiaoxiao to Qingshui Pond, quite far from the village, to fish.

Watching Tang Youshu being ordered by Wei Jie to buy fishing rods and bait, Xiaoxiao couldn’t help saying, “Since you’ve become a master, you should teach your disciple some breathing and energy cultivation techniques. Always making him buy this and that – what kind of teaching is that?”

Wei Jie leaned against the stones by the pond, comfortably stretching his waist, his head resting on his arms, a green grass stem in his mouth, lazily saying, “Speaking of which, I’m still your disciple. Have you ever earnestly taught me? Every day, besides glaring at me, you just glare at me. What, do you regret taking me as a disciple?”

His appearance was too fine. Even lounging carelessly with his long legs crossed and his long eyes half-closed, he looked like a beautiful drunk beauty painting.

The Numei bloodline was too seductive. Xiaoxiao would accidentally stare in fascination if she weren’t careful.

As a result, when Wei Jie half-opened his eyes, he happened to meet Xiaoxiao’s gaze directly.

Xiaoxiao quickly turned her head away, pretending to admire the scenery by the pond. Because they were connected by the lock chain, the two could never separate too far, so when Wei Jie sat up, they were shoulder to shoulder.

He turned to look at the girl beside him – fair skin with slightly flushed cheeks, her large eyes’ long lashes trembling slightly like fluttering black butterflies…

Xiaoxiao noticed he wasn’t speaking and turned to look, only to meet his gaze closely again.

Cui Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but lean back slightly, asking warily, “Why are you staring at me like that?”

Wei Jie deliberately moved closer, lowering his head, “Doesn’t Master also always secretly watch me? I’m your disciple – what can’t be looked at? Next time, don’t be so sneaky…”

Though Xiaoxiao would occasionally can’t help but steal glances at him, she never expected he would so brazenly say it out loud without giving his master any face.

Xiaoxiao was momentarily speechless, but a master’s dignity couldn’t be lost. She could only pretend to be composed as she took out her handkerchief and wiped Wei Jie’s cheek, looking concerned, “Look at you, your face is dirty again, and you blame Master for looking at you! Jie’er, be good. Don’t be so mischievous next time, crawling into nooks and crannies…”

As she spoke, she seemed to find it still not clean enough, spat forcefully on the handkerchief, then continued trying to wipe her good disciple’s face.

Wei Jie’s expression changed completely. How could he let her press the handkerchief to his face? He quickly dodged backward.

But his hand was connected to Xiaoxiao’s, and his large movement brought Xiaoxiao tumbling into his embrace as well.

Xiaoxiao was also angered by Wei Jie. Determined to teach him a lesson, she didn’t care about anything else and grabbed his collar, continuing to press the handkerchief toward Wei Jie’s face while calling him “Jie’er” and “disciple.”

The two wrestled together. To outsiders, it truly looked like a lakeside green shade, a handsome man and a beautiful woman, innocent childhood sweethearts.

Unfortunately, this scene fell right into the eyes of a young man in the pavilion on the other side of the pond.

Since the incident at Qilao Mountain, Qin Lingxiao hadn’t rushed back to Lingyun Pavilion to see his father. Instead, he had come to this mountain stream at Tuyun Mountain.

This Tuyun Mountain was said to be the ancestral origin of Tushan.

Legend said that Da Yu’s wife, Lady Tushan, was the incarnation of a nine-tailed white fox, symbolizing prosperous offspring.

However, later, the fox clan gradually produced demons like Daji, who brought disaster to the world, and the fox clan’s reputation gradually deteriorated.

Thus, the Tushan clan gradually declined. Most clansmen lived in seclusion, cut off from worldly dust. Even most Tushan descendants removed the spiritual “three waters” and changed their surname to “Yu,” only seeking to no longer step into worldly power struggles and avoid further damage to the fox clan’s blessings.

This Tuyun Mountain was where spiritual springs that sensed heaven and earth’s spiritual energy were located.

Every hundred years, spiritual springs would surge from deep within Tuyun Mountain, allowing fox clan descendants to drink freely and seek transformation and rebirth.

Even non-fox clan people could greatly benefit their cultivation and power by drinking the spiritual spring water.

The Wei Jie of two hundred years ago, after being poisoned by snake venom, inadvertently saved a fox clan girl. The grateful girl led Wei Jie to Tuyun Mountain. After drinking the spiritual spring water, he better suppressed the toxicity and absorbed the fox clan for his use. From then on, he recruited soldiers on the demonic path, and his power grew daily.

Now, Wei Jie’s fate had been completely disrupted by Cui Xiaoxiao and was no longer a threat. But Qin Lingxiao didn’t want Wei Jie’s former opportunities to go to waste.

So Qin Lingxiao deliberately timed his appearance in the right place, drove away the hunters, saved the fox girl Yu Ling’er, who should have been saved by Wei Jie, and was led by her to Tuyun Mountain.

This time, he would seize the advantage and leave Wei Jie not the slightest opportunity.