The icy pressure was like an iron hoop made manifest, pinning Zhuxin ruthlessly against the frigid stone wall.
Qin Qingyue’s hand, covered in fine black scales, slowly rose, aiming straight at her Dan Tian Qi Hai.
This was just a preliminary inspection.
Zhuxin’s face was as pale as golden paper. She wasn’t afraid of death, but she absolutely couldn’t let Yao’er know the truth about her birth.
The hand’s position shifted slightly lower; the Yin Yuan was wholly intact—so in that respect, she was indeed a virgin.
Strange. How could there be such a miraculous thing?
Qin Qingyue suddenly grew intensely curious. How was this done?
“Madam, her daughter has Yin-Yang Deficiency.” Su Yingman, cradling Zhu Siyao in her arms, spoke with astonishment.
Regarding the Dao of Yin and Yang, as the Hehuan Sect Leader, she was naturally the most sensitive; immediately, she sensed something was amiss with the girl in her arms.
Zhu Siyao bit Su Yingman’s hand hard, anger flaring in her voice:
“Let go of my mother! My mother won’t be that man’s concubine!”
That man—he wanted to steal her mother.
How could she ever have felt any fondness for such a man?!
Neither this husband nor wife are good people!
Su Yingman’s expression turned strange as she carefully sensed the girl in her arms, discovering that, indeed, the girl’s original essence lacked Yang-qi.
In other words… could it be she had no father?
Some races could continue their bloodline alone, as certain powerful demon clans could compensate for the innate lack of Yang-qi in other ways.
Like Phoenixes, or Red Dragons.
The Human Race obviously could not—Zhu Siyao was the result.
Zhuxin squeezed her eyes shut, forcing out a hoarse voice through gritted teeth:
“Stop! I’ll go with you!”
Don’t touch her daughter.
Qin Qingyue’s crimson vertical pupils narrowed slightly, her gaze scrutinizing as she looked at Zhuxin:
“It’s not a matter of whether you want to go. I have to determine if you are truly a virgin.”
Upon hearing this, Zhuxin’s lips quivered. She sent a message, revealing everything to Qin Qingyue.
Qin Qingyue’s expression grew complicated as she looked at Zhuxin before her, then at Zhu Siyao, who was still flailing wildly.
“So you gave up Supreme Sage Great Ascension?”
Zhuxin glanced at her daughter and nodded slightly.
“You’ve done well. Very well.”
Qin Qingyue expressed her approval and satisfaction.
“Follow me. I can help you reach Supreme Sage Great Ascension, but only if you satisfy me.”
Zhuxin gasped rapidly, her chest heaving and aggravating her injuries until she coughed up another mouthful of blood.
She struggled to raise her uninjured left arm, wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, and forced herself to straighten her back.
She couldn’t collapse, especially not before her daughter.
“But I have conditions!”
Zhuxin’s voice was resolute and unquestionable as her gaze bypassed Qin Qingyue, fixing on Zhu Siyao, who was subdued by Su Yingman, tears streaming but no longer struggling, staring at them with a look of bitter hatred.
“Speak.” Qin Qingyue’s voice was utterly indifferent.
“First, I’ll go with you, but Yao’er must stay in Blazing Sun Sect.” Zhuxin’s voice was sharp and decisive.
She still didn’t know what Qin Qingyue wanted or what awaited her, and she couldn’t let her daughter follow and risk danger.
Besides, the Dragon before her was notorious as the Dragon of Misfortune. If Yao’er stayed at her side, her life would be in peril.
Qin Qingyue glanced at Zhu Siyao, her eyes full of hatred, and said coolly, “Don’t regret it. She’s your daughter, after all. This lord will raise her.”
“Even if she has Yin-Yang Deficiency.”
Zhuxin hesitated, her voice lowering:
“In the future, let her come if needed……”
If there truly were benefits, her daughter shouldn’t be left out.
“Second, you must assign someone to protect Yao’er in Blazing Sun Sect and help her establish her authority so she will not be wronged.”
She knew well that if she were forcibly taken away, those coveting the Successor—or even the Sect Master’s—position would stir restlessly.
Yao’er’s talent was mediocre; without a powerful backer, her circumstances would be dire.
“Oh?” Qin Qingyue seemed amused, her dragon tail lightly swaying.
“You certainly know how to bargain.”
This interested her as well. It was a way to bring Blazing Sun Sect under her sway—not a bad prospect.
“You must agree!”
Zhuxin refused to back down, her eyes filled with desperate resolve.
“Otherwise, I’d rather self-destruct my origin and perish together! Don’t think you’ll get a useful Pure Yang Body!”
The residual flames around her body leapt fiercely, an aura of suicidal determination faintly emanating.
Qin Qingyue’s eyes turned cold, a flash of killing intent flickering and vanishing.
Threatening me? Even as a concubine, she dares threaten me?
She hated threats, but Zhuxin’s resolve was no act.
A ruined Pure Yang Body was worthless to her.
She needed one that could cooperate with Su Yingman and help Jiang Huai forge the Chaotic Dao Platform—someone loyal enough to be a concubine and protect him.
After a brief silence, Qin Qingyue spoke coldly:
“Fine.”
She didn’t even bother to ask how to protect or establish authority—this was a trivial matter to her.
“Mother! No! Don’t go with her!”
Zhu Siyao heard Qin Qingyue’s agreement and her heart plummeted to the abyss. She began to struggle wildly, her voice shrill with grief.
“Don’t agree with her! She’s an evil dragon—she’ll kill you! Mother!”
Zhuxin heard her daughter’s despairing cries and felt as though her heart was being torn apart.
She forced herself to look away, not daring to meet her daughter’s eyes. Her voice trembled almost imperceptibly as she spoke to Qin Qingyue:
“Fine! I’ll go with you!”
The cold stone wall bit to the bone, but Zhuxin felt her heart was even colder.
She stared at Qin Qingyue, awaiting her decision regarding her daughter’s fate.
Qin Qingyue’s crimson vertical pupils turned to Su Yingman:
“Yingman, you’re adept in the Dao of Yin and Yang. Her ‘Yin-Yang Deficiency’—is there a way to remedy it?”
Now that she was family, it wouldn’t hurt to be kinder to her daughter.
She had never been stingy with her own people.
Once Zhuxin completed dual cultivation, she wouldn’t withhold Heaven-grade Immortal Weapons and battle armor.
Su Yingman’s alluring face showed a trace of contemplation. Her fingers unconsciously rubbed Zhu Siyao’s shoulder, causing the girl to squirm in disgust.
She considered, then spoke:
“Innate origin deficiency, especially Yin-Yang Deficiency, is a wound of the Great Dao. Extremely difficult to remedy.”
“Ordinary pills and cultivation methods have little effect.”
“Get to the point.”
Su Yingman dared not be evasive any longer, straightening her posture: “This concubine once saw a remedy in an Hehuan Ancient Fragment. It might help, but……”
“Oh? But what?” Qin Qingyue’s interest was piqued.
Su Yingman’s gaze grew subtle and probing.
Her voice lowered, carrying a hint of hard-to-detect ambiguity: “This pill requires something of the purest, most innate Yang-essence—something with a trace of primordial Qi would be best.”
“After all… the deficiency is innate.”
Zhuxin’s heart leapt, an ominous feeling gripping her instantly.
Su Yingman’s tone grew even more subtle:
“For example, Husband’s… that Small Porcelain Bottle.”
“In my view, with a few rare immortal ingredients, it should barely suffice to replenish part of her origin, enough to support her through Nascent Soul stage cultivation.”
“Beyond that, I’m afraid this pill’s power won’t be enough.”
She left the rest unsaid, but the meaning was clear.
It would require Jiang Huai’s personal intervention, or at least a more direct, fundamental aid.
The air seemed to freeze.
Qin Qingyue produced a white Small Porcelain Bottle, her crimson vertical pupils fixed on it. Two conflicting emotions warred in her heart—cherishing and fierce resistance.
She instinctively clutched the bottle to her chest, her voice suddenly rising: “What did you say?! You want this?!”
This was Jiang Huai’s previous stockpile—she’d treasured it all along.
Zhuxin, seeing Qin Qingyue’s protective stance and recalling Su Yingman’s words, seemed to guess what was inside that bottle.
Humiliation! An incomparable sense of shame.
Her daughter, her Yao’er, would have to rely on that man’s… thing to make up for her innate deficiency?!
And she herself would be forced to become that man’s concubine, while watching her daughter swallow… swallow…
Zhuxin’s teeth ground audibly, her pallor turning to an iron blue, her chest heaving violently.
She stared at the porcelain bottle in Qin Qingyue’s hand, eyes burning with flames—yet those flames were stifled by icy despair.
Yao’er… Yao’er’s Yin-Yang Deficiency…
Su Yingman hurriedly explained: “This concubine doesn’t need to use all of it, just a little will suffice.”
Qin Qingyue’s voice was filled with reluctance, as if Su Yingman had asked for a precious immortal weapon:
“How much do you need then……”
Su Yingman was both amused and helpless, not daring to press: “I’ll try first, let me see how much is needed. Please, Madam, let me check.”
Qin Qingyue’s face was all unwillingness.
She looked down at the tiny porcelain bottle, her fingertip stroking its smooth surface, then, with great reluctance and excruciating slowness, she pulled out the stopper.
It was hard to believe this was the demeanor of a Great Ascension Dragon Lord—she looked just like a stingy miser.
A strange, indescribable aura—utterly pure, blazing with life—wafted out at once.
Qin Qingyue, holding her breath, tipped the bottle with the utmost care.
“One drop.”
“One drop?!” Su Yingman was stunned.
“Madam, one drop isn’t enough.”
“Two drops.”
Su Yingman could only laugh helplessly: “Madam, please give a little more. He’s only at Qi Refining Stage, it’s not that potent yet.”
If Jiang Huai were at the Divine Transformation stage, a drop or two would suffice, but now, in Qi Refining Stage, how could a drop or two be enough?
“How much then? I don’t even…” Qin Qingyue muttered, still begrudgingly tipping the bottle.
“Is it enough yet?!”
“It’s enough, enough.”
Su Yingman hadn’t expected Qin Qingyue, usually so generous with Earth-rank Immortal Artifacts, to be so stingy with this.
“What other immortal ingredients do you need?” Qin Qingyue asked.
“Yinsha Wood, Dragonfang Juniper…” Su Yingman listed the ingredients one by one.
Qin Qingyue didn’t even glance at them, tossing them over as if they were worthless.
To her, these were indeed nothing compared to Jiang Huai’s.
Su Yingman moved swiftly, hands forming seals as a pink alchemical fire flared into existence, enveloping the rare ingredients.
That drop was carefully sent into the heart of the flame.
Chii—
A soft sound. The alchemical fire surged, its color suddenly turning a blend of gold and crimson. A strange fragrance, merging pure Yang and pure Yin origin, spread through the air.
Moments later, the fire died out.
In Su Yingman’s palm rested a dragon-eye-sized, perfectly round Yang-essence Pill.
The pill had a strange, semi-transparent appearance—half warm golden-red, half cool moon-white, the two colors swirling slowly within.
This was a pill refined by a top-tier expert—one of the best in this world.
“It’s done.” Su Yingman exhaled, handing the pill to Zhuxin, her tone tinged with pity.
“Let her take it. The medicinal power will slowly take effect, replenishing her origin, at least allowing her to cultivate up to Nascent Soul.”
Zhuxin reached out with trembling hand and took the warm pill.
She wanted nothing more than to throw it far away, to stomp it into the earth.
But now, she could not.
On the pill was Jiang Huai’s aura, and, blended with the immortal ingredients, an even stronger sense of vitality.
Su Yingman turned abruptly, walking step by step toward Zhu Siyao, who’d been released from her grasp.
Every step felt as though she walked on blades, humiliation burning through her heart and lungs.
“Yao’er, open your mouth.”