Dao Companion Crippled, Coveters Move

Chapter 104 - 103: Qing Yueqiu

Yu Gu Nan was now completely disenchanted with Pei Yuhang, the man who had once truly made her heart flutter.

She would use the evidence she possessed about his true nature to manipulate him.

She would conquer him without her sister knowing, turning him into a toy that obeyed her every command. Then, she'd make him pretend to fall in love with her sister. Just as her sister began to believe she was finally going to be with her beloved master, she would reveal the cruel truth: 'It was all just a task from his true master.'

'This will be so much fun.'

So for now, Yu Xiaoyan couldn't know about the existence of this piece of underwear.

At the same time, after being rendered utterly powerless by Pei Yuhang's Suppression...

Yu Gu Nan also clearly realized that she was not yet in a position to threaten him.

Although his realm had fallen, he was still a Sword Immortal.

Therefore...

The "Sword Immortal Corruption Plan" would have to be postponed.

Yu Gu Nan was confident that with her extraordinary comprehension, she would definitely rise quickly in the coming years.

'By then, the White-clothed Sword Immortal will be mine for the taking~!'

Yu Gu Nan silently hid the piece of black underwear, then began mentally refining the details of her "Sword Immortal Corruption Plan."

......

「Celestial Lock Islands.」

A full moon hung high in the sky. Perhaps due to a peculiar reflection of light through the miasma, the cold, white moon had taken on a blood-red hue, as if foretelling some disaster.

Inside a damp cave, a silver-haired young woman leaned against the wall, panting weakly.

She had pulled down the top of her robes, revealing a smooth right shoulder. But further down, a gruesome gash ran from her forearm to her wrist. The blood seeping from it was a pale green color, a clear sign she had been poisoned.

Qing Yueqiu looked at the Centipede Demon Beast with Dragon Horns that she had just slain and breathed a sigh of relief at her good fortune.

The Dragons were an ancient, powerful, and noble lineage within the Demon Race. Because they had no reproductive isolation, the Dragon Race had historically combined with many other species, giving rise to numerous sub-dragon breeds.

As a result, many demons today actually possess Dragon blood. These sub-dragon breeds, infused with the Dragon Race's bloodline, were often incredibly difficult to deal with.

While evading the tide of nocturnal Demon Beasts, Qing Yueqiu had accidentally taken refuge in this cave, only to be ambushed by this sub-dragon Centipede Demon.

This Centipede Demon was the strongest she had encountered all day. Its power was likely on the verge of the Nascent Soul level. Combined with the bloodline enhancement from the moonlight and the advantage of fighting in its own cave, Qing Yueqiu had truly faced a life-or-death crisis.

If not for the power of her Luminous Shadow Sword and her timely use of the Thirty-Six Celestial Spirit Sword Array as a trump card, she might have truly perished here.

"But with the points from this sub-dragon Centipede Demon, I should only need to hunt a few more mid-rank demons to secure my spot in tomorrow's martial tournament."

After taking a few detoxification Elixirs, Qing Yueqiu was about to stand up when her head spun. If she hadn't caught herself against the wall, she would have collapsed.

Perhaps it was the Centipede Poison. Or perhaps it was the fatigue from several hours of ceaseless hunting—both Demon Beasts and other Cultivators—that was now washing over her like a tide.

Qing Yueqiu could only feel the muscles all over her body spasming. She was trembling so much she couldn't even hold her Luminous Shadow Sword.

'My Spiritual Qi is depleted... and my stamina seems to be at its limit...'

'But how can I stop here?'

Gritting her teeth, Qing Yueqiu supported herself against the wall and staggered step by trembling step toward the cave entrance, out into the incredibly dangerous world under the blood moon.

"I... have not reached my limit."

Qing Yueqiu drew the Moonlight Spiritual Qi from Luminous Shadow to regulate her condition. Fierce Killing Intent reignited in her crimson eyes.

......

"Master, it's midnight. Let's go get Senior Sister~"

Yu Gu Nan approached Pei Yuhang with a broad smile, winking playfully.

Pei Yuhang couldn't help but sigh at her words.

"You shouldn't have agreed to let Yueqiu give you all her points... With her stubborn personality, she would probably risk her life hunting powerful Demon Beasts after her points were reset to zero, even continuing to hunt through the treacherous night."

"I couldn't help it! Senior Sister insisted on coming out to see you, Master~"

'Besides, it turns out Qing Yueqiu's worries weren't unfounded. You really were hooking up with some Wild Fairy, and in a racy Attack Speed Robe, no less~!'

'You look so prim and proper, Pei Yuhang. You really can't judge a book by its cover.'

Yu Gu Nan licked her lips, a flash of contempt in her eyes as she watched Pei Yuhang's back.

"Gu Nan, hurry up. What are you spacing out for over there?"

"Coming~"

Yu Gu Nan leaped up and threw herself into the arms of Pei Yuhang, who was standing on his Flying Sword.

"Why are you suddenly acting like Xiaoxiao?"

"Maybe it's because I like you so much, Master~! Don't you like Gu Nan being this close?"

"It's not that... It's just a bit sudden. After all, you seemed to keep your distance from me before."

"That's probably because I hadn't seen your true colors before, Master~ Now that I have, Gu Nan won't be so reserved anymore."

The master and disciple chatted as they flew on the sword toward the skies above the Celestial Lock Islands.

At that moment, countless figures stood upon their flying swords amidst the clouds above the Celestial Lock Islands, each one radiating an immensely powerful aura.

Clearly, the masters of the various residences were all here waiting for their disciples.

Pei Yuhang looked up and saw a majestic man dressed in a Black Gold Daoist Robe standing at the very front of the group.

It was his old rival, Chen Tiansheng.

Ever since Pei Yuhang had entered the Xuanyuan Dao Sect, people had always been comparing the two of them.

Of course, Chen Tiansheng had now risen meteorically, while he himself had fallen from grace. Such comparisons would likely come to an end.

Pei Yuhang felt no regret about this. Now that the halo of empty fame had faded, the happiness of having his Dao Companion and disciples gathered together felt all the more real.

'It would be even more perfect if not for Shang Miaoyan.'

Suddenly, a violent tremor from the Celestial Lock Islands below interrupted Pei Yuhang's thoughts.

A pillar of divine light shot up from the center of the Celestial Lock Islands, piercing the clouds before descending as a massive screen of light.

On the screen of light, large, gilded characters appeared one after another. In total, there were fifty names—the disciples who had successfully advanced to tomorrow's martial tournament.

Ranked first was Chen Tiansheng's True Disciple, Ji Xichan. No one was surprised to see her at the top of the list.

After all, Ji Xichan had broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm two years ago. Afterwards, to temper her Dao Heart, she had issued martial challenges to all the Major Sects in the Cultivation Realm. She swept through the top disciples of the younger generation with an invincible momentum, becoming immensely famous in the Cultivation Realm for a time.

Now, two years later, no one knew what level her cultivation had reached.

Pei Yuhang scanned down from the first name. He breathed a small sigh of relief upon seeing "Yu Xiaoyan" in seventh place, but his heart leaped into his throat when he didn't see "Qing Yueqiu" in the top ten.

Although he could have taken in all fifty names with a single sweep of his Divine Sense, he continued to scan down slowly with his naked eye.

Finally, upon seeing "Qing Yueqiu" in the thirtieth position, he let out a long sigh of relief.

"That's wonderful. Yueqiu made it."

"Come on, let's go get your senior sister."

Pei Yuhang took Yu Gu Nan and dived down on his sword, arriving at a White Jade platform a kilometer wide. All disciples participating in the Sect's grand competition would appear here after being ejected from the Celestial Lock Islands.

At this moment, many disciples were crowded at the front, looking for the masters of their residences. Pei Yuhang couldn't find any sign of Qing Yueqiu among them, and his heart sank.

He flew up on his sword and finally found the girl with the conspicuous silver hair in a corner.

The young woman had already fainted, slumping against a wall. The Luminous Shadow Sword stood guard beside her, as loyal as a sentinel.

The first thing Pei Yuhang noticed was the gash on her arm. Against her snow-white skin, the wound looked particularly gruesome, like an ugly, jarring crack in white porcelain.

The dark green blood trickling from it was undeniable proof that she was deeply poisoned.

Pei Yuhang's pupils contracted. He hastily leaped off his sword and supported Qing Yueqiu's body.

As the Flying Sword dissipated, Yu Gu Nan nearly stumbled to the ground. However, considering that Qing Yueqiu's condition was partly because she had given all her points to her, Gu Nan felt it wasn't her place to say anything.