Yang Yao studied Xu Lin. Something about him felt strange to her.
In her previous life memories, Xu Lin was nothing like this casual and carefree. Now he seemed like a different person.
Her eyes deep and focused, she stared at Xu Lin.
“You seem different from before.”
“Is that so?” Xu Lin asked, puzzled. “From what I recall, the Saintess and I were never acquainted before. Yet you seem to have a deep impression of me.”
In the original storyline, the current Xu Lin and Yang Yao had never met. Instead, he had met the protagonist who joined the Vast Dao Sect.
He truly didn’t know where Yang Yao got her impression of him, especially since she had recognized him at a glance that night.
“You don’t need to worry about that.”
Whether it was a memory discrepancy or Xu Lin had always been this way, Yang Yao didn’t care at the moment.
She hadn’t called him here today to confront him.
“I asked you to come today because I need your help with something.” Yang Yao’s face showed no hint of pleading, only impatience.
“The esteemed Saintess asking me for help—how rare.”
“Save your cheek. Master has placed a restriction on you, and I already know about what happened that day.”
Xu Lin’s expression turned serious. He glanced sideways at Yang Yao. Mentioning this really irritated him.
It seemed Yang Yao wasn’t here to genuinely ask for his help today, but more to threaten him.
“After I stabilized my injuries, I discovered during cultivation that, just as you said, those poisons seem to be seeping out and affecting me. I need you to completely remove those poisons for me.” Yang Yao stated the reason she had summoned Xu Lin today.
Before Xu Lin had pointed it out, she truly hadn’t known about her own condition.
Now she paid special attention and found that those poisons, deeply embedded in her root bone, subtly interfered with her cultivation.
If not completely removed, as her master said, they would become uncontrollable at a certain realm—perhaps even sooner, affecting her breakthrough to the Heavenly Firmament Realm.
“But right now, I don’t sense any intention from you to actually ask for my help.”
Xu Lin secretly complained. He had just helped the younger one, and now he had to help the older one. What did the Sunset Sect take him for?
The key point was that Yang Yao kept her face stiff, completely unlike Jiang Luo’s pleading attitude.
“Once the poison is fully removed from my body, I can plead with my master to lift your restriction, perhaps even let you leave.”
“Hmm?” Xu Lin was a bit surprised, but remained cautious. “After your previous ingratitude, telling me this now—how much can I trust you?”
“Seventy percent.” Yang Yao narrowed her eyes, not committing fully.
Having experienced her previous life, she had learned a lesson: nothing in this world is absolute.
“Ha.” Xu Lin sighed with a laugh. “So thirty percent is fate, and seventy percent is hard work?”
He’d have to see if Yang Yao was satisfied with that seventy percent hard work.
“Just tell me yes or no.” Yang Yao was very displeased with Xu Lin’s current attitude. Her voice lowered, becoming deep. “If I bring my master here, with the restriction triggered, it won’t be so easy to negotiate.”
“Truly worthy of being master and disciple of the Demon Sect.”
Xu Lin was truly afraid. He walked forward, passing by Yang Yao without hesitation, and went straight into the inner room.
Yang Yao glanced sideways and followed.
When they reached the inner room and saw the silver needles already prepared on the table, Xu Lin said to Yang Yao, “Remove your armor.”
Yang Yao’s brows furrowed, and she couldn’t help twitching.
Compared to the hypocritical demeanor of the previous life’s Xu Lin, she hated his current casual attitude even more.
At least the previous life’s Xu Lin would speak properly.
Yang Yao calmed her mind. As her master had said, it wasn’t the first time anyway.
Apart from last time, when she was unconscious, Xu Lin must have also applied needles to her. To what extent, she wasn’t sure.
After a moment, Yang Yao sat on the bed with her back to Xu Lin, her face cold and expressionless as she removed her clothes.
Given the downfall and humiliation of her previous life, this was nothing.
Xu Lin turned around and was met with a stretch of white.
That night had been a special situation. Even though Yang Yao had undressed in front of him before, that time he had been completely forced and didn’t have the mind to look carefully.
Now, appreciating the view, Yang Yao’s skin was as white as congealed fat, as if steeped in spiritual spring water.
Her shoulder and neck lines were soft and smooth, like finely carved jade.
A blue lotus bloomed on her back, faint cyan veins visible beneath her skin, flowing with a subtle halo of spiritual energy.
For a moment, an absurd and ridiculous thought flashed through Xu Lin’s mind.
Becoming Dao companions with such a peerless beauty was a dream for countless people, especially since she was a sect’s Saintess.
And now he was Xi Ranchen’s appointed Saint, Yang Yao’s future Dao partner—it was truly surreal.
Xu Lin gathered his focus. He reached out and summoned the needle case into his hand, then began applying needles to Yang Yao.
“Let me be clear first. The poison has penetrated deep into your root bone. I can’t completely remove it in just these few sessions.”
“I know. If there’s anything I need, just ask. I won’t make things difficult for you.”
The Sunset Sect had considerable resources. They could still produce some heavenly treasures. As the Saintess with her master’s approval, she didn’t have to worry about such things.
But instead of relying solely on heavenly treasures to remove the poison, both Yang Yao and Xi Ranchen clearly knew that using Xu Lin’s method would be much faster.
Xu Lin muttered, “How generous.”
A faint glimmer appeared in his eyes as he internally observed the flow of spiritual energy in Yang Yao’s body, as well as the deep blackness hidden in her root bone.
“Circulate your energy. I need to know the exact positions of the root bone poison when you do.”
Yang Yao said nothing and followed Xu Lin’s instructions, revealing her True Mystery Realm third-layer aura without concealment.
‘Just one step away from the Heavenly Firmament Realm, and this poison is already showing signs. No wonder she’s in a hurry to remove it,’ Xu Lin thought to himself.
In the book, Yang Yao’s talent wasn’t bad. Unfortunately, she ran into the protagonist. Otherwise, she could have become a great power in the future.
After a moment, Xu Lin began applying needles. This time, he didn’t hide his cultivation level like before.
He pushed spiritual energy into the needles, straight into the root bone, aiming to draw out the poison from Yang Yao’s body.
A sharp pain came, and Yang Yao couldn’t help frowning, but she forced herself to endure it.
While applying the needles, Xu Lin teased, “Even the Saintess suffered from poisoning. Looks like being a Saint isn’t easy either.”
He was worried that once his identity became public, many people would have their eyes on him.
He still wanted to escape this deadly situation and live well.
“As for the matter of the Saint, that was my master’s decision. She has her own considerations.” Yang Yao continued, “As for our marriage engagement, you can rest assured. We won’t interfere with each other. If you need, you can find someone else.”
Xu Lin paused, not surprised by Yang Yao’s magnanimity, but rather finding it interesting.
Indeed, as Yang Yao had said earlier, she already knew about the discussion between him and Xi Ranchen that day.
Pushing away her own Dao partner—how novel.
The Sunset Sect really was wild.