Vol. 1 - Chapter 35 - Shock

Zhou Ling had always been beautiful since childhood. Although she had encountered many lecherous men, she had never been flirted with by a woman. Her face turned bright red, and her arrogance diminished. Coming to her senses, she let out a shriek and buried her face in Senior Brother Lin Canzhi’s chest.

Ji Yaoge frowned, concerned, "Why is the little beauty crying?" She hadn’t done much, after all. The girl was so easily teased. Just as she was about to reach out to comfort her, the two male cultivators standing behind Lin Canzhi pulled out their swords with a clang.

The sword light sharply delineated their boundaries. Bai Yan, quick-witted, pulled Ji Yaoge back. His expression darkened, and even Ren Zhongping felt the impending tension, crouching slightly in a defensive posture, letting out a low "hehe" sound.

"Enchantress, you... you shameless woman!" Zhou Ling turned around, covering her cheek and scolding. Seeing Lin Canzhi’s gaze fixed on Ji Yaoge, her anger flared up again, and she screamed, "Senior Brother Feng, Junior Brother Chen, why aren't you teaching her a lesson?!"

The rough-looking male cultivator was named Chen, and without hesitation, he raised his sword to charge forward, only to be restrained by Senior Brother Feng.

"Junior Brother Chen, Junior Sister Zhou, stay calm." Senior Brother Feng tried to diffuse the situation, blocking Junior Brother Chen while discreetly assessing the surroundings. Apart from the three in front of him, he spotted two others hiding further away—young and seemingly harmless.

"Exactly, no need for impulsiveness. Let's talk it out." Ji Yaoge alternately looked at Zhou Ling and Lin Canzhi, smiling charmingly. She even gently held Bai Yan’s hand, stepping forward and surveying Chen and Feng, her gaze alluring with every glance. "Where are you both from, Daoist friends?"

"We... we are disciples of the Bixinzong sect from Qiutang Mountain..." Junior Brother Chen stammered, blushing under her gaze.

"So, you’re from Bixinzong. Nice to meet you," Ji Yaoge bowed softly, her smile ambiguous. "What brings you to Tiyu State?" She blinked, her pupils narrowing like a snake's.

"Three sects' trial. We’re here for..."

"Junior Brother Chen!" Lin Canzhi snapped back to reality, cutting off his words. His fair, scholarly face was now cautious.

The realization dawned on them—they almost fell into her enchantment. Junior Brother Chen's face turned purple with anger, while Senior Brother Feng’s plain face showed annoyance.

Zhou Ling’s teeth gnashed in fury, "I told you she’s from an enchantment sect! Why waste words with her? These enchantment sects practice evil paths and deceit, tricking you fools." Her anger spread to her fellow disciples as well.

"Funny, you barged into our territory uninvited, and now you blame us? Even if we were practicing our arts here, how does it concern you? Or do you also want a taste of these pleasures?" Bai Yan coldly pulled Ji Yaoge behind him, his smile ice-cold, his gaze a mix of mockery and disdain.

Disciples from orthodox sects and those like them, who walked the edges of society, often clashed.

Zhou Ling blushed with shame, Lin Canzhi's ears reddened as he sneaked a glance at Ji Yaoge. Ji Yaoge bit her lip, giving Lin Canzhi a flirtatious look, making the bookish scholar’s face turn redder, his confidence shrinking.

"Show some respect."

Bai Yan laughed, "We practice the unconventional. Respect is foreign to us. But I see you can’t take your eyes off my senior sister. Do you want to stay? Does Bixinzong now practice pleasure arts? Should I give you a lesson?"

"You!"

"How dare you!"

Several voices shouted in anger, and Bai Yan snapped, "If you don’t plan to stay, then leave. Why waste words?"

Ji Yaoge kept smiling, enjoying Bai Yan’s protection.

"Junior Sister, we should report this to our senior brothers first," Senior Brother Feng still hoped to avoid further conflict, softly persuading.

"Useless coward, if you’re scared, stay aside." Zhou Ling, enraged, pushed Lin Canzhi away, swinging her sword and advancing. "What are you waiting for? There was an anomaly here yesterday, and many beasts are dead. Most likely they’re practicing forbidden arts. They block us and use seductions. Can you tolerate this? Slaying them and taking the beasts is a merit!"

"Junior Sister Zhou is right," Chen’s thunderous voice roared as he swung his giant sword.

The two attacked, giving no chance for further discourse. Bai Yan pulled Ji Yaoge back a few steps, but she coolly said, "You can stay for pleasure, but if you want my treasures, sorry..." She slipped from Bai Yan's grasp, eyes sharp, and darted forward.

Seeing the inevitable conflict, Lin and Feng had no choice but to join the fray. Bai Yan laughed coldly, "Nice words, but you just want the beasts. Demon slayers, my ass. Ren Zhongping, go!"

Putting aside past grievances, Ren Zhongping lunged at Senior Brother Feng, letting out a chilling laugh, while Bai Yan, his palms glowing red, confronted Junior Brother Chen. Ji Yaoge engaged Zhou Ling; Lin Canzhi, concerned for her, joined, forcing Ji Yaoge to fight two at once. She wasn’t hurried, using her unique footwork and snake-like agility, weaving between them—caressing Lin Canzhi’s face or Zhou Ling’s waist.

The two, teased to anger and shame, filled the air with Ji Yaoge’s carefree laughter, like silver bells scattering everywhere.

Ji Yaoge’s antics left the wooden girl dumbfounded.

"Brother Yuan, aren’t you going to intervene?" The wooden girl feared Ji Yaoge would regret her actions when she came to her senses.

"They can handle these four," Yuan Huan watched, arms crossed.

Though the Bixinzong disciples were mid-to-late Foundation Building stage, they lacked combat experience. Ji Yaoge and Bai Yan, both in the late Foundation Building stage, and Ren Zhongping, though weaker, were enough to handle them.

Yuan Huan was more curious about why the three sects' trial led them here.

Bixinzong of Qiutang Mountain and Lingxiu Sect of Yinma River were both medium-sized sects nestled in the Wanzhen Mountain range, often tied to the Wu Xiang Sword Sect. Joint training among disciples wasn’t unusual. But with Tiyu State lacking spiritual energy and notable beasts, it shouldn’t have been chosen for their trial.

Why then had they come?

"Ah!" The wooden girl's startled cry broke Yuan Huan’s thoughts.

Looking again, he saw Ji Yaoge holding Zhou Ling, leaning into Lin Canzhi’s chest, throwing his swordplay into disarray, while Zhou Ling’s face turned white with anger. Ji Yaoge, laughing carefree, seemed to be enjoying herself, more teasing than seducing.

Yuan Huan squinted—it wasn’t just the Demon Hook and Red Flame Bird affecting her; she wasn’t entirely lost to them. She was embracing her wild side, no longer restrained.

"Isn’t this the change you wanted her to make?"

The wooden girl fell silent at his pointed comment.

Meanwhile, Zhou Ling, enraged, broke free from Ji Yaoge and pulled out a round mirror held by twin monkey hands from her storage bag.

"Junior Sister!" Lin Canzhi saw it, his face turning white, "Stop."

But Zhou Ling, filled with malice, stepped back, letting Feng and Chen protect her, and aimed the mirror at the sky. The blazing sun’s light funneled into the mirror. Ji Yaoge sensed immense spiritual energy and heat emanating from it.

"Bai Yan, Ren Zhongping, retreat," Ji Yaoge’s voice turned cold, withdrawing and drawing her broken Xiá sword.

"Too late!" Zhou Ling flipped the mirror, a scorching beam shot out.

Everything it touched turned to ash.

This wasn’t an ordinary artifact, but a high-ranked spiritual treasure.

The beam swept towards them, its power immense. Ji Yaoge dodged, while Bai Yan, trying to pull Ren Zhongping along, had his arm seared, the skin scorched to black. He hissed but managed to pull Ren Zhongping to safety. Ji Yaoge, seeing Bai Yan’s exposed bone, turned cold.

A faint killing intent emerged, her playful demeanor gone.

The beam moved towards the distant rock where two children stood. If it hit them, they’d be annihilated. Lin Canzhi, unable to bear it, tried to stop Zhou Ling, "Junior Sister, stop! Those two are innocent!"

Zhou Ling, relentless, spat, "They’re all the same!"

The beam mercilessly swept the rock, turning it to ash. Zhou Ling’s laughter grew more triumphant, but the boy and girl at the rock stood still. As the beam touched them, golden light flared.

Boom—

Gold and red light clashed, creating a blinding flash. Zhou Ling screamed, thrown back by an external force, losing her grip on the mirror. "Junior Sister!" The others cried, rushing to her aid.

"Such a vicious woman." Yuan Huan, previously observing quietly, stepped out from the blinding light, the wooden girl trailing him.

The mirror fell, caught smoothly by Yuan Huan.

Lin Canzhi caught Zhou Ling, who coughed blood, her face pale. The overwhelming pressure made the four shiver uncontrollably, barely able to stand.

"You... you..." Zhou Ling’s voice trembled with fear.

"Esteemed Elder, she is young and impetuous. Please forgive her," Senior Brother Feng spoke nervously.

The overwhelming pressure exposed their vast difference in power—they had hit iron.

"Young and impetuous?" Despite his youthful appearance, Yuan Huan's single eye made them tremble in fear. "Her cruelty to even innocent children isn’t something that can be excused by inexperience. Without my protection, we’d be ashes."

In their eyes, he and the wooden girl were just innocent kids taking refuge. Zhou Ling’s merciless heart and cruel actions were shocking. Born of a reputable family, yet acting like a demon.

"This... We beg for your forgiveness. We will report this to our master who will punish her accordingly," Senior Brother Feng spoke, signaling discreetly.

"The Solar Mirror?" Yuan Huan examined the mirror.

"Do you recognize it?" Senior Brother Feng, sweating, replied, "It’s a treasured artifact of our sect, given to Junior Sister by our master for protection. Her recklessness almost caused a disaster." He continued to excuse Zhou Ling, hoping to leverage their sect’s prestige.

"Are you Zhou Mian’s daughter?" Yuan Huan asked.

"Yes. Do you know our master?" Senior Brother Feng brightened.

Zhou Mian, the current sect master of Bixinzong, doted on Zhou Ling, making her arrogant and unruly.

Yuan Huan didn’t answer, tossing the mirror back. "Take it." Zhou Ling and the others brightened, but Yuan Huan’s hand shot out a golden light, piercing the mirror.

"No!"

"The Solar Mirror!"

Their cries filled the air as the mirror cracked and shattered.

"Leave." Yuan Huan’s voice was low, but powerful.

The shattered mirror released a force that sent the four flying, tumbling off the mountain peak. Silent again, Ji Yaoge finished bandaging Bai Yan, watching the four fall, her killing intent dissipating, though anger remained. She turned to Yuan Huan, questioning, "You’re letting them go?"

Her soft tone, tinged with seduction like the Snake Demon’s allure, blended with her clarity, creating a unique temptation in her eyes.

"If you want to kill them, do it yourself." Yuan Huan remained indifferent.

Ji Yaoge stared at him intently, suddenly reaching out.

"Brother Yuan, I realize... you’re so good." She hugged the boy, pressing his head to her chest.

The wooden girl’s mouth formed an "O," shocked beyond words, while Bai Yan was equally stunned. Only Ren Zhongping clapped and cheered, "Fairy sister, well done!"

"..." Yuan Huan was equally surprised, his cold face buried in her chest.

The softness wasn’t overwhelming, but it was filled with a woman’s scent, with her warm heartbeat and body heat pressing against his face, making him feel suffocated.

Satisfied, Ji Yaoge was about to speak when a cool spiritual energy surged into her, rushing to her soul. A stabbing pain cleared her mind, dispersing the influences. She blinked, clarity returning.

"I..." Her words cut off, seeing the boy looking up from her chest.

"Was it fun, Sister Ji?"

This was the second time Yuan Huan had asked her that.

Ji Yaoge, utterly shocked, forgot to let go.