With a stiff face, Huaxinhu nodded toward the wary-eyed Linglong, then angrily vanished in a flurry of petals.
Linglong, who had arrived beside Hua Jian, looked curiously at Hua Jian clutching a handful of fox fur. Her first question was asking what Hua Jian and Huaxinhu had been talking about.
“Don’t look at me like that. She came to convince me to stay in Wanhuagu.” Hua Jian didn’t hide anything from Linglong. Some things needed to be said openly.
“Besides, it doesn’t matter that Huaxinhu came to persuade her now, because there’s still half a year left on the five-year agreement. Hua Jian can only stay in Wanhuagu as the Wanhua Saintess for now anyway.”
“I can’t leave right now anyway. She should come back in half a year to persuade me again.”
“For a Spirit Lord like her, half a year is but a blink of an eye. Her coming now to persuade you is understandable.” Linglong leaned close to Huajian and sniffed her carefully, her expression shifting slightly.
“There’s a fox scent on you. Did she get handsy with you?”
That familiar dog-nose trait. Huajian pressed her forehead and sighed.
Her own fragrance was already quite strong, so how could Linglong still pick up the scent of Huaxinhu from her?
Could it be that Huaxinhu’s scent really was that potent?
“She wrapped me up with her tail. Otherwise, where do you think this tuft of fur came from?” Huajian held up the fox fur as proof. This was fur from a Spirit Lord realm fox—extremely valuable.
Using them to make little dolls was something only a great sect’s Saintess like her would do.
“Those Wanhua Valley folks really do love messing around. Doesn’t she know you’re already mine?” Linglong couldn’t help but feel a bit angry.
Huaxinhu was practically committing an offense right in front of her!
This time, Huajian actually sided with Linglong’s jealousy.
After all, the fox spirits of Wanhua Valley truly were too numerous, and they loved touching and rubbing against her at every opportunity, as if she were a little kitten they could pet whenever they pleased.
She was the Wanhua Saintess, after all. Give her some face, please!
“Yeah, yeah, I think she did it on purpose. Go beat her to death!” Huajian started fanning the flames directly.
That, ironically, made Linglong calm down. Seeing Huajian so eager to watch the world burn, completely lacking the self-awareness of someone caught cheating, she felt her jealousy was somewhat misplaced.
Was this girl’s skin really that thick? She didn’t even feel embarrassed or try to explain herself in a situation like this?
Did she truly trust that Linglong would generously understand the relationship between Huajian and Huaxinhu?
“You… don’t you want to explain things in a bit more detail?”
“The clear ones are self-clear. There’s only so much I can explain. I can’t very well explain something that doesn’t exist, right?” Huajian tilted her head slightly with a thoughtful expression. “Or do you want to hear me make up a little story? If you really want that, I wouldn’t mind fabricating one on the spot.”
“Forget it. I still have serious business with you.” Linglong quickly cut off the eager Huajian.
If she didn’t interrupt, she was afraid Huajian would genuinely spin a tale right there.
Knowing Huajian as she did, her image in that fabricated story wouldn’t be too flattering.
“Although we don’t know the exact results of the battle, this operation against the Black Dragon Venerable should be a resounding victory.”
The Black Dragon Venerable’s hiding place was deep in the Extreme North Ice Plain. Even at the Venerables’ speed, a round trip would take considerable time.
Now that several days had passed since the two Spirit Lords made their move, and Huajian had already finished cleaning up after this secret realm, there was still no definitive news from that side.
All anyone knew was that from that day onward, the blizzard over the Extreme North Icefield had grown even fiercer, as if something terrifying was engaged in a great war deep within the ice plain.
“Why do you say that?”
Huajian didn’t believe in that nonsense about “no news means dead.” Everything had to be considered from the worst-case angle.
“Because the fact that a fight broke out at all is already a good result.” Linglong smiled, not speaking in riddles.
“The Black Dragon Venerable is on the verge of a breakthrough. What it needs now is seclusion and quiet cultivation. Being attacked at its doorstep means we’ve already won.”
Whether the Black Dragon Venerable was killed didn’t really matter. What mattered was directly interrupting its breakthrough process.
As for whether the Black Dragon Venerable ultimately lived or died, it no longer mattered.
The goal the right path wanted to achieve had already been accomplished.
Naturally, this operation counted as a complete victory.
“I see. But by that logic, the Black Dragon Venerable has a high chance of surviving?”
Huajian caught a small detail in Linglong’s words—Linglong never seemed to think they could completely kill the Black Dragon Venerable.
The elders of the right path didn’t think so either. Was a Venerable really that hard to kill?
“Don’t underestimate the power of a peak Venerable. Even a Saint might not be able to kill one if it’s prepared. And this time, the Saints had to cross an extremely vast distance, so they couldn’t strike at it right away.”
The Black Dragon Venerable was a Venerable about to break through. Calling it a Half-Saint wouldn’t be an exaggeration. It wouldn’t be so easy to eliminate.
The Saints faced considerable difficulty this time.
First was the distance. By the time they descended upon the Black Dragon Venerable’s hiding place, it would have already prepared to flee, or perhaps even started running.
And the subsequent pursuit wouldn’t yield much either, likely.
So in summary, the greatest gain from the right path’s operation this time was dismantling the Black Dragon Venerable’s breakthrough location, preventing it from breaking through in the short term.
“Wow, so Venerables are that durable. Kind of envious.”
“I think when you reach that level, you’ll be even more durable than him.” Linglong gave Huajian a once-over. In terms of life form, Huajian was absolutely the most durable kind.
Dragons had stronger physiques than the human race, but it was still a dragon.
Huajian, on the other hand, was recognized as the hardest spiritual plant to completely eliminate.
Spirit plant cultivators who took human form were generally extremely troublesome existences, for both the right path and the demonic path alike.
No one knew whether the plant cultivator they killed was the true body or just a clone.
You’d happily celebrate after killing a clone, only to have the target manifest another clone halfway through your celebration. That would be a slap to the face, loud and clear.
Suffice it to say, compared to plant-type Venerables, the durability other Venerables prided themselves on simply couldn’t compare.
“Wow, that sounds pretty nice. What else? You didn’t come all the way here just for this, did you?”
Huajian figured Linglong wasn’t here only to deliver good news. She was currently in Wanhua Valley’s Red Flower Building.
If Linglong only wanted to tell her this, she could just mention it when Huajian went to the Qian Family in the evening.
There was no need to personally come all the way to Wanhua Valley.
“There’s one more thing. Hmm, come outside with me, and I’ll tell you.” Linglong pointed beyond the Red Flower Building, indicating they should talk outside.
After all, the Red Flower Building was Wanhua Valley’s territory. Some things couldn’t be discussed here—walls had ears.
Although Linglong felt that Wanhua Valley probably already knew what she knew, she couldn’t be careless just because of her assumption. What if Wanhua Valley actually didn’t know?
“Alright, let’s go then.”
Frozen Winter City hadn’t changed much. The secret realm disturbance outside the city earlier hadn’t affected the city itself. The residents of Frozen Winter City didn’t even know how much had happened these past days.
Linglong and Huajian, who had slightly disguised their appearances, walked through the streets without attracting much attention.
After all, the buzz brought by the two Saintesses had already faded. The residents of Frozen Winter City now had new hot topics to chase.
Who cares about the Yaochi Saintess and the Wanhua Saintess? They’re old news!
“I just received this news myself. This is why Master sought the Lingcai Peak Master’s help this time…”
Bringing Huajian to a secluded corner far from the Red Flower Building, Linglong waved her hand and laid down a sound isolation formation.
When she first learned this news, her reaction was something like, “So that’s why the Lingcai Peak Master was the one to step forward.”
A right path Venerable entering the Northern Territory would definitely arouse the demonic path’s vigilance.
So what method could make the Black Dragon Venerable think the right path Venerable wasn’t coming for it?
Naturally, one needed to prepare an absolutely sufficient reason, making the Black Dragon Venerable feel like there was nothing wrong at all.
And the Lingcai Peak Master happened to have a very solid reason to enter the Northern Territory.
Of course, it wasn’t to come steal Huajian away, but to search for a spiritual flower listed on the Hundred Flowers List.
Huajian’s matter couldn’t be brought into the open, but the spiritual flower could.
A spiritual flower ranked near the top of the Hundred Flowers List was enough to justify the Lingcai Peak Master, a Spirit Lord, traveling all the way from the Wanling Sect in the Central Continent to the Northern Territory, and it would also make the Black Dragon Venerable see nothing wrong.
The Lingcai Peak Master was famously fond of flowers. Her coming here for a flower was perfectly normal.
The Black Dragon Venerable could never have imagined that the Lingcai Peak Master came to deal with it.
Well, that wasn’t entirely accurate either, because the Lingcai Peak Master’s reason for coming was genuinely real.
That spiritual flower really did exist in the Northern Territory, with many sightings.
With that many reported sightings, it could basically be confirmed that the flower had indeed grown in the Northern Territory.
The flower was real, and the Lingcai Peak Master coming to look for it was perfectly logical.
The Tianmomen never suspected a hidden conspiracy behind it, and a few days ago, they were genuinely tricked.
The Lingcai Peak Master did come for the flower, sure, but no one said she couldn’t look for the flower while simultaneously pulling a fast one on the Tianmomen.
Grab with both hands. Be strong with both. Got it?
“Uh, this doesn’t have much to do with me, right?” Huajian scratched her head.
The Lingcai Peak Master coming to the Northern Territory was a pleasant surprise, but what she was looking for had nothing to do with Huajian.
A treasure that could make a Venerable personally come searching for it definitely wasn’t something a small fry like her could get her hands on.
The best outcome Huajian could imagine right now was the Lingcai Peak Master sharing a few petals with her after obtaining the spiritual flower.
Who knows, maybe with one bite, she’d absorb the flower’s abilities into herself.
“It’s not unrelated. This is something the Lingcai Peak Master had a disciple of Lingcai Peak hand over to Yaochi before the operation began, and then we were to pass it on to you.”
Linglong shook her head and handed Huajian a small pouch embroidered with colorful flower patterns.
“We already looked at what’s inside. The senior sisters argued for a while before deciding to tell you this.” Linglong sighed again.
These past few days, just listening to her senior sisters bicker had nearly given her calluses on her ears.
The argument boiled down to one issue: Huajian was now the Saintess of Wanhua Valley, and the message from the Lingcai Peak Master was adding to her strength. It looked like aiding the enemy.
Being so far from the sect in the Northern Territory, the Spirit Lord realm Yaochi disciples didn’t know whether they should hand the item to Huajian.
In the end, they filed a report to the sect, and only after receiving permission did the matter conclude.
Yaochi’s answer was simple: anything involving Huajian was Linglong’s call.
And so, having just obtained the sword of heaven, Linglong delivered the message.
“So that’s how it is…”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t expect something like this to happen either.”
“You don’t need to apologize. I know my position is a bit awkward in your eyes, but this is the path I chose myself… well, it’s not entirely my own choice either.”
Huajian’s current identity was half-forced and half-voluntary. So being distrusted by Yaochi was only natural.
But as long as Linglong continued to believe in her, that was enough.
Huajian didn’t have a strong desire to join Yaochi or the right path.
If she could set aside other factors and choose for herself, she felt she would only hesitate between the Wanling Sect and Wanhua Valley.
One had Lingcai Peak, a place of perfectly matched expertise. The other allowed her to release her true nature like she was at home.
If she could choose both at the same time, that would be the best of all…