Feng Qing's burning rage suddenly dissipated by more than half.
She hadn't even damn well gotten serious or asked a single thing yet!
How was she already on the verge of death?!
Was this girl faking her weakness to put on a show for her?!
Furrowing her brow, Feng Qing gathered spiritual energy in her palm, attempting to stabilize her condition.
If she thought she could die this easily, she had another thing coming!
She still needed to use her as bait to lure out the other elders of Nine Saints Hall and uncover the treasures hidden within the spatial realm.
Moreover, the heavily injured Hall Master Fusheng was highly likely to be inside the spatial realm as well!
However, the moment her spiritual energy entered Song Yao's meridians, it sank like a stone in the ocean, crashing into a chaotic storm of energy. Instead of stabilizing her, it only stirred up her internal breath even more violently.
Song Yao coughed up another mouthful of blood, her face turning translucent in its paleness. Even her eyelashes trembled weakly as her breath visibly began to fade once more.
Seeing this, a nearby cultivator cried out in alarm, “Sect Master! She really seems to be dying!!”
Feng Qing's face turned livid.
She possessed countless methods of torture, yet this was the first time she had ever encountered someone who seemed ready to drop dead at the slightest touch before she had even done anything!
She had merely wanted to transfer some spiritual energy to keep her alive so she could employ her methods later, but her actions had only accelerated the girl's demise!
A mere girl had run circles around so many of their people from Beiyao Sect and Taiqing Pavilion. It was bad enough that they couldn't touch her, but now they even had to find a way to preserve her fragile life.
Her chest tightening with rage, Feng Qing snapped, “Nonsense! Do you think this Venerable One cannot see that?!”
With that, she tossed the girl back toward the ground. But realizing that the impact might actually kill her, she had no choice but to use a gust of wind to cushion her fall at the last second.
To her surprise, the moment Song Yao touched the ground, she slowly blinked open her eyes. Her deathly pale face made the blood at the corner of her lips look exceptionally striking, and her eyes were clouded with a gray haze, yet she still managed to force herself to sit up.
She even laboriously raised her hands, pressing her slender, pale wrists together and offering them to Feng Qing, her voice raspy. “What's wrong? Is having me alone not enough? Why don't you just lock me up, Sect Master Feng?”
This time, Feng Qing was so infuriated she felt like coughing up blood herself.
Look at the state this girl was in, yet she still dared to provoke her!
A vein throbbed on Feng Qing's temple as a chilling intent surged in her eyes. “Do you truly believe this Venerable One does not dare to take your life?”
Song Yao coughed violently twice more, squeezing tears from her eyes. Her voice grew even softer, making her look incredibly pitiful and innocent. “Why would Sect Master Feng want my life? I have only been cultivating in this forest for a short while and have no idea what has been happening outside. Sect Master Feng cannot possibly blame me for that, can you? If I had known earlier that you were attacking Nine Saints Hall, I definitely would have been the first to defect to your side.”
Feng Qing narrowed her eyes, suppressing her anger and softening her tone to entice her. “Since you are willing to defect, then tell me the entrance to Nine Saints Hall's spatial realm. If you speak the truth, this Venerable One will take you as a personal disciple. Your future cultivation resources will only be greater than what you had in Nine Saints Hall, never less.”
Song Yao seemed tempted, her eyes blinking as she looked at her. “Really?”
Feng Qing replied, “This Venerable One never goes back on her word.”
Without hesitation, Song Yao pointed toward the depths of the forest. Under Feng Qing's expectant gaze, she spoke, “It might be over there. Why don't you go look?”
Feng Qing stiffened. “Might? Are you playing with this Venerable One?”
Song Yao replied, “Hard to say.”
Those three words were feather-light, yet they acted like a spark thrown directly onto the dry tinder of Feng Qing's temper.
Trembling with rage, she could no longer restrain herself. She barked out an order, “Men! Take her back! Get a medical cultivator to watch over her and ensure she stays alive! This Venerable One will have a long, thorough chat with her later!!”
Several Taiqing Pavilion cultivators landed on the ground, reaching out to hoist her up.
Song Yao was incredibly weak at the moment, lacking the strength to even stand. She simply sat there obediently, waiting to be taken.
Just as the cultivators drew near, a sudden gust of cold wind swept past from behind, carrying the faint scent of ink.
A cool arm slipped under her knees and back ahead of them, scooping her up into a steady, secure carry.
Song Yao instinctively looked up and saw her Fourth Junior Brother.
His jawline was tensed tight, and his long eyelashes drooped to veil the emotions in his eyes. In a slightly cool tone, he uttered two words: “I'll do it.”
Feng Qing had already turned to leave, but she spun back upon hearing the commotion. Seeing him, her face instantly darkened, and she snapped coldly, “Did this Venerable One not order you to draw talismans in the hall? Who gave you permission to leave your post?”
Xie Zhou said nothing, only raising his eyes to look at her.
His long eyelashes cast shadows over his pale eyelids. His pitch-black eyes were completely devoid of ripples, yet they carried an indescribably gloomy pressure—like a cold mist creeping through a dense forest, silently wrapping around a person until they suffocated.
Stared down by him, Feng Qing felt a sudden chill run down her spine, and she hurriedly averted her gaze.
Calming down slightly, she ground her teeth and forced her anger back down.
—Beiyao Sect was skilled in spiritual cultivation but sorely lacking in talisman cultivation. Xie Zhou's talisman arts were ridiculously formidable; no one in the Tianshu Realm could surpass him.
Before Ye Chongguang arrived, she still needed him to teach the Beiyao Sect disciples. There was no need to clash with him over a half-dead girl for now.
She sneered. “Fine. You personal disciples of Nine Saints Hall certainly love to put on a show of loyalty and affection. Back when you were fighting each other to the death, things looked quite different.”
Seeing Xie Zhou's expression grow even more somber, she quickly changed the subject. “Whatever. Take her back, and make sure you teach her some manners. When this Venerable One summons her, she had better be smart enough to know what she should and shouldn't say.”
Xie Zhou still did not reply. Cradling the feather-light girl in his arms, he turned and walked away, his face cold as ice.
Song Yao was utterly exhausted. Her entire body suddenly relaxed, and she rested her head against his cool chest. Before he could speak, she weakly murmured, “I can't hold on anymore. I'm going to sleep for a bit. Can you walk a little slower?”
Xie Zhou had originally intended to fly back on his sword, but hearing her words, he paused. The sword he had summoned flew back to its sheath.
He slowed his pace, carrying her steadily as he walked down the mountain path, step by unhurried step.
The girl in his arms fell asleep almost instantly, even unconsciously snuggling deeper into his chest. A slightly bitter medicinal fragrance mixed with her naturally sweet scent drifted into his nose, stirring even more complex emotions in his already dark eyes.
Only after they had walked for a long while did he recover his composure. With a flick of his wrist, a talisman paper flew out from his sleeve, pulling the hood of her cloak over her head to wrap her up more securely.
...
In the side room of Wangyun Peak, the candlelight flickered dimly. A few Nine Saints Hall disciples were gathered around the bed, their expressions exceptionally solemn.
The Second Elder paced back and forth at the head of the bed with his hands clasped behind his back, his brow furrowed in a tight knot. Looking at the bloodless Song Yao beneath the covers, his voice was filled with anxiety. “How did this child end up running out all by herself? Wasn't she safely inside the spatial realm? Her body was already frail to begin with. Just how much spiritual energy and blood qi did she exhaust to end up this depleted?”
“Sixth Elder, Sixteenth Elder, and Seventh Elder are all absent, and those medical and pill cultivators have all gone inside as well. Where are we supposed to find someone to help her now?!”
Standing by the bed, Ming Ran's face was also slightly pale as she said in frustration, “The medical cultivator Feng Qing sent over just now is a complete hack! He has only just entered the Foundation Establishment Stage, and he actually said he needed to flip through medical books just to take her pulse! They clearly want to kill the little master! We absolutely cannot let them treat her!”
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