In almost an instant, Xiao Qingxuan reacted.
She knew there was no way she could escape the control of a Dao Sovereign at the Integration Realm, so she immediately reversed her grip and flung a spirit sword she had nurtured for a long time far into the distance.
Fortunately, Ming Mengmeng’s attention was entirely on her, and she didn’t care at all about the spirit sword flying off into the distance.
The moment her face was about to touch Ming Mengmeng’s abdomen, Xiao Qingxuan activated Heavenly Sword Peak’s divine ability.
Sword Transformation.
In the next instant, Xiao Qingxuan and that spirit sword switched places.
Crack—
The incomparably sturdy Earth-Grade Divine Weapon was instantly crushed into scrap iron by Ming Mengmeng’s immense strength.
Even Xiao Qingxuan, who escaped by switching forms, coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Although this divine weapon wasn’t her natal spirit sword, she had still nurtured it for a long time, and it was karmically linked to her.
Now that it had been violently destroyed, Xiao Qingxuan suffered backlash as well.
In the distance, Ming Mengmeng was gasping for breath.
The fragments of the spirit sword were swept up by her out-of-control true qi, instantly turning into dreamlike dust and dissipating between Heaven and Earth.
Perhaps because the distance between her and Xiao Qingxuan had widened, Ming Mengmeng’s breathing gradually calmed, as if she had managed to suppress her impulsive desires.
“Kid, if you don’t want to die, give me a heads-up before you make a move…”
Ming Mengmeng’s voice was low, her scarlet eyes flickering, and the Dao aura around her surged like a raging wind, making her seem like a volcano on the verge of eruption.
“Sorry.”
Xiao Qingxuan wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth. Exchanging an Earth-Grade spirit sword for her own life was absolutely worth it.
Not only that, she had also confirmed that her idea was correct.
The Sword Qi of the Emotionless Sword Dao was like a key—it could make the Sword Slave Mark act as an aphrodisiac, making sword slaves crave Sword Qi, or it could fundamentally eliminate the problem of the Sword Slave Mark.
There was a way.
She stood up, gazed into the distance at the Huanshen Sect Master Ming Mengmeng, and spoke slowly:
“Sect Master Ming, I can refine a Sword Qi Seed of the Emotionless Sword Dao for you, to help you erase the sword mark.”
Ming Mengmeng was stunned at first, then nodded.
This method was equivalent to handing the key to the Emotionless Sword Dao over to her.
That way, as long as she was prepared, she could unlock the shackles binding her at any time.
Once the deal was confirmed, Xiao Qingxuan slowly walked out of the hall, planning to find a quiet place to refine the Sword Qi Seed.
“Wait.”
Ming Mengmeng called out from behind.
Xiao Qingxuan stopped and turned to look back at Ming Mengmeng atop the great hall.
“Little girl, you’re not mad about the ‘custom’ illusion I made for you, are you?”
Ming Mengmeng looked at Xiao Qingxuan with a smile, her tone playful, but there was a subtle heaviness in her heart.
Her illusions were constructed from the most sensitive parts of others’ hearts—it was like peeling open someone’s wounds, sprinkling salt, and then sewing them shut.
Naturally, this kind of behavior had earned Ming Mengmeng countless enemies, and even the Illusory God Sect was regarded as a sect of ambiguous alignment.
Even so, Ming Mengmeng didn’t care about others’ opinions. In her eyes, the anger of common people was just a fleeting rage—there was no need to consider what those people thought.
But Xiao Qingxuan was different.
Xiao Qingxuan was that Feng Linyi’s personal disciple, and in the illusion she had painstakingly tailored for her, Xiao Qingxuan had managed to remain lucid at the end, break free, and turn the tables—a truly terrifying mind.
Ming Mengmeng had seen countless people’s memories and constructed countless illusions.
In her experience, those who went berserk and counterattacked after being enraged by illusions weren’t scary—what was scary was “calm” in the midst of madness.
Moreover, as a Dao Sovereign at the Integration Realm, she naturally understood the importance of a Sword Qi Seed, which required a sword cultivator of the Emotionless Sword Dao lineage to extract from their own Dao foundation.
Xiao Qingxuan was at the threshold of breaking through from Half-Step Transformation God Realm to Spirit Transformation. Wasting her Dao foundation at this time could very well consume her immortal potential.
Even if she could still break through to Spirit Transformation, she might never progress any further.
However, even at such a great cost, Xiao Qingxuan was determined to recover her little lover’s memories—that Qing-haired Girl must be extremely important to her.
And for such an important person to be used as a tool for a counterattack, there was no way Xiao Qingxuan could be entirely unbothered.
Ming Mengmeng quietly watched Xiao Qingxuan, a trace of wariness rising in her eyes.
Right now, she wasn’t afraid of Xiao Qingxuan—but the future Xiao Qingxuan might be another story.
Given time, if Xiao Qingxuan attained Dao Sovereign status, and recalled today’s grudge, what if she joined forces with that bastard master Feng Linyi and came to Illusory God Sect to mess with her?
She wasn’t too afraid of that bastard Feng Linyi, but if another Dao Sovereign came along, Illusory God Sect wouldn’t be able to withstand it.
After a moment of silence, a glint of sword light flashed in Xiao Qingxuan’s eyes, and she spoke slowly:
“I’m not angry.”
***
On the other side.
Ye Luqing woke from her sleep.
Seeing the System notification, she was startled first thing in the morning.
“Whoa, Blackening Value at 102%?!”
“Who made her mad this time?”
Ye Luqing couldn’t help but suck in a breath of cold air.
She knew that in her previous life, even when she provoked Xiao Qingxuan, it was rare for the Blackening Value to jump by 10% at once.
“Senior Sister, I’m coming in~”
Ye Luqing hurriedly got out of bed.
After she equipped the “Heartthrob” title last night, Ying Qianqian’s gaze at her had become odd, almost triggering the plot of Taboo Massage 2.
She had flatly refused her Junior Sister’s request to stay overnight.
If just a massage was that stimulating, what would “spending the night” together be like?
On one hand, she hadn’t learned any dual cultivation techniques yet.
If word got out in Xuanxiao Upper Sect that she’d been pinned down by her Junior Sister, she’d lose all face.
On the other hand, considering Xiao Qingxuan’s side—if she came home and found her house robbed, she might as well consider starting over in a third life.
She sat upright, watching as Ying Qianqian entered her room.
Unexpectedly, the Junior Sister who had wanted to massage her all over last night was quite well-behaved today.
Ye Luqing’s eyes lit up. Could it be that the System’s annoying title had stopped working?
But the next moment, she saw another person walk in through the door.
“Senior Sister Ye, this is Xu Elder from Dan Ding Peak.”
So that’s why—there was an outsider present.
Behind Ying Qianqian was a kindly middle-aged woman, about forty years old, with eyes shining like the azure sky.
With just a glance, Ye Luqing could feel her powerful spiritual force, as well as something indescribable, mysterious and profound.
It was the Heaven and Earth power of a Nascent Soul Lord.
The original Ye Luqing had late-stage Nascent Soul cultivation, already close to the Spirit Transformation Realm.
Although her cultivation had fallen now, her former status at that level remained, which was one reason she could defeat Pei Ruyi last night.
Having experienced the feeling of manipulating her primordial spirit, she was now much more adept at handling spiritual power.
“Greetings, Xu Elder.”
Ye Luqing saluted.
“Hehe, no need for formality.”
Xu Elder smiled kindly, her gaze sweeping up and down Ye Luqing.
After a moment, the light in her eyes grew even brighter.
“Not bad—not only a genius of the Array Path, but also a promising seedling for alchemy.”
Seeing the increasing approval in Xu Elder’s eyes, Ye Luqing could only smile awkwardly.
She knew she had no real skill in alchemy.
Xu Elder’s impression must be the effect of the “Heartthrob” title.
According to the title’s effect, charm wasn’t just about looks or bearing.
For example, if Xu Elder’s ideal type was talented young people, then to her, Ye Luqing with the title equipped would seem even more gifted in alchemy than before.
“If you ever want Dan Medicine in the future, you don’t need to exchange Contribution Points at Wanshi Peak. Just come to Dan Ding Peak and find me—I only charge for ingredients.”
Xu Elder looked at Ye Luqing more and more fondly, as if she were her own personal disciple.
Ye Luqing hurriedly thanked her. Dan Medicine refined by a Soul Formation Cultivator was not something you could get with Contribution Points at Wanshi Peak.
Seems like the System’s gift of this title was actually pretty useful.
Without further small talk, Xu Elder placed her hand on Ye Luqing’s pulse, using her divine sense and medicinal qi to check Ye Luqing’s condition.
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