“Linglong? Are you okay?”
Hua Jian pulled her foot hard, but not only did she fail to free it from Linglong’s tail, she also kicked off her shoe.
“I… I’m fine, huff…” Linglong took a deep breath.
Although she said she was fine, her actual state was quite the opposite.
Her tail wrapped tightly around Hua Jian’s calf, and with a slight tug, Hua Jian almost lost her balance.
Linglong took the opportunity to pull Hua Jian into her arms.
The tail that had bound Hua Jian’s calf loosened just in time and shifted upward, wrapping around Hua Jian’s waist, binding the two of them together completely.
What on earth was going on? Hua Jian wailed silently in her heart.
Miss Su’s wine was really powerful!
“Sigh, didn’t that Penglai girl forget to tell you that this wine has to be diluted with Spirit Spring water before drinking?”
Just as Hua Jian was struggling to endure being drunkingly embraced by Linglong, a beautiful woman in a crimson dress appeared in the room.
It was none other than Fenghua Venerable, whom Hua Jian had met before.
She reached out and took the bottle from the table, looking at the two girls tangled together with a helpless expression.
To be honest, she found the scene a little suggestive.
What was the situation here? Linglong’s eyes were glazed as she held Hua Jian, her large tail tightly wrapped around Hua Jian’s waist, the two so close they almost seemed to melt into one.
Linglong hadn’t even noticed the elder’s arrival.
She rested her head in Hua Jian’s hair, breathing heavily, as if inhaling something addictive.
“Venerable, save me!” Hua Jian had no choice but to plead for help.
“Alright, alright, coming.” Hearing Hua Jian’s pitiful plea, Fenghua Venerable immediately approached and lightly tapped Linglong’s head.
With precise force, Linglong’s eyes rolled back and she fainted, her tail loosening and dangling limply.
From clutching Hua Jian tightly to her entire weight hanging on Hua Jian’s body—fortunately, the little dragon girl hadn’t inherited the dragon race’s body weight, or Hua Jian might have been crushed.
After some effort moving Linglong onto the bed, Hua Jian looked at Fenghua Venerable, who had helped halfway then stopped, suspecting the venerable wanted to watch the show.
Noticing Hua Jian’s curious gaze, Fenghua Venerable cleared her throat and deliberately changed the subject.
“I’ll take this Spirit Wine with me and return it to you tomorrow.”
With that, she tried to leave.
“Venerable, wait! I still have questions!” Hua Jian hurriedly called out, pouncing in front of Fenghua Venerable like a leopard and grabbing her hand.
Fenghua Venerable looked at Hua Jian, who was clutching her hand tightly, and thought her little disciple was quite bold.
Even with a venerable like herself, Hua Jian dared to be so forward—did other disciples have this courage?
“Oh? What do you want to ask?”
“It’s about Wanhuagu. Why did you have me release those people from Wanhuagu? Aren’t they demons?” Hua Jian asked a question that had been bothering her.
Though she knew the venerables must have their reasons, she still wanted to know why.
Fenghua Venerable’s eyes flickered with hesitation.
After pondering for a few moments, she decided to give Hua Jian a clearer understanding of Wanhuagu.
After all, according to her senior sister’s attitude, Hua Jian must have some connection with Wanhuagu.
Even the cultivation method Hua Jian was practicing was very similar to Wanhuagu’s Huashen Canon.
If Hua Jian wanted to uncover the mysteries of her origins in the future, Wanhuagu would be an unavoidable hurdle.
To prevent her beloved disciple from being easily swayed by Wanhuagu’s words later, Fenghua Venerable thought it best to give Hua Jian a comprehensive introduction.
Knowing Wanhuagu’s pros and cons, Fenghua Venerable trusted that her smart disciple would make a rational choice.
“Wanhuagu isn’t a typical demonic path.
Compared to other demon sects, what they do isn’t so cruel—especially the direct disciples of Wanhuagu, who almost never do those kinds of things.”
She beckoned Hua Jian to sit at the table and began explaining.
The predecessor of Wanhuagu was indeed the notorious Hehuan Valley, which cultivated by forcibly seizing others’ spiritual energy.
Back then, they were proper demonic cultivators.
But after the old Hehuan Valley was destroyed, Wanhuagu was established on its ruins and reformed the cultivation methods.
They shifted from plundering to mutually beneficial cooperation, no longer engaging in destructive, exploitative practices.
The core disciples of Wanhuagu would never do such things.
Their Huashen Canon was a cultivation method that directly led to immortality, comparable to the Saint Sect’s methods.
“There are rumors of a Xingyue Mi Fa (Star Moon Secret Technique) within Wanhuagu, but no one has ever seen it, so its truth is unknown… ahem, let’s not talk about that.”
Fenghua Venerable shook her head and did not elaborate.
Then she revealed the real reason she had Hua Jian release those two Hehuan Valley cultivators:
“I wanted you to make a few friends.”
A master naturally cared for her disciples.
Those two cultivators hadn’t committed any crimes and were completely innocent in this incident.
Once the truth was uncovered, they would be released anyway.
Since that was the case, why not let Hua Jian do this favor?
“The people of Wanhuagu are flexible and profit-driven.
But if you help them, they’ll remember the favor and try their best to repay you later.”
“Moreover, you have deep ties with Wanhuagu.
You will inevitably interact with them in the future.
Releasing them this time is preparation for what’s to come.”
Feeling a bit guilty, Hua Jian listened as Fenghua Venerable said she and Wanhuagu had deep connections.
Since it came from a venerable of Yaochi, the words made her think.
“Venerable, aren’t you afraid I’m a Wanhuagu spy?”
“Pfft…” Fenghua Venerable burst out laughing.
After laughing for a while and covering her mouth, she explained why she wasn’t worried.
“Wanhuagu is not stupid enough to send a genius like you as a spy.”
Fenghua Venerable wasn’t worried because she knew how strong Hua Jian’s talent was.
Wanhuagu definitely wouldn’t risk sending such a gifted cultivator out as a spy.
Like Wanhuagu’s current Saintess, Huaxinhu.
From the time she was discovered and recruited by Wanhuagu, she hadn’t been allowed outside the sect for decades.
Only after becoming a Ling Emperor was her existence announced to the world.
And Hua Jian’s talent far surpassed Huaxinhu’s.
If Wanhuagu cherished Huaxinhu so much and wouldn’t expose her, how could they possibly send Hua Jian as a spy in Yaochi?
They would be foolish to send such a valuable asset, only to have her devoured by Yaochi.
“Am I really that amazing…?” This reason left Hua Jian speechless.
Though it sounded a bit unreasonable, upon reflection it made sense.
Provided her talent was really as good as Fenghua Venerable claimed.
“Don’t be so self-deprecating.
You just started later than other geniuses and don’t have as good a cultivation environment, which is why they have pulled ahead.
That’s why your cultivation gap has widened.”
Fenghua Venerable lightly tapped Hua Jian’s forehead with her finger.
“But even so, you can still easily defeat them.
Do you really think your talent is inferior?”
Not long ago, Hua Jian had defeated the kings in the Dragon City Secret Realm, her clever Mist Array making the sect’s geniuses suffer.
After that secret realm, all the venerables and saints in the Saint Sect would never doubt Hua Jian’s talent.
Maybe her cultivation speed was a bit exaggerated, but her solid combat record was undeniable.
She won.
Even if Hua Jian relied on sneak attacks and couldn’t fight head-on, winning was winning.
She didn’t use any forbidden demonic cultivation methods, so no one could find an excuse.
“Won’t I disgrace Yaochi by fighting like this?”
“Only losers disgrace the sect.
Your cultivation was almost the lowest in the secret realm, yet you defeated all those top geniuses.
Who do you think is disgracing whom?”
Fenghua Venerable rubbed Hua Jian’s head and asked.
As far as she knew, those little geniuses defeated by Hua Jian were now struggling in the sect.
Each of them was under immense pressure and special training.
After being beaten repeatedly by a debuffed wandering cultivator, how could they keep their dignity?
They all had to train hard; if they couldn’t beat that girl, forget about having any leisure time!
“Probably only the Jian Sect dislikes your combat style.
The other four great sects are eager for you to join.”
Fenghua Venerable sighed, clearly displeased.
Yaochi had discovered Hua Jian first, so how dare those shameless people steal her?
Too shameless.
“You, my dear little flower, are so fragrant that everyone wants to take you home and keep you.”
Under Fenghua Venerable’s soulful gaze, Hua Jian shyly lowered her head, feeling a little flustered.
The venerable treated her like this, yet she was still shamelessly trying to stall for time.
It was a bit awkward.
But she really wasn’t ready to make a life-changing decision just yet.
So for now, she closed her mouth and lowered her head like a little quail.
Seeing Hua Jian like this, Fenghua Venerable understood.
This was the stage where the affection level wasn’t high enough to trigger the acceptance event, but compared to before, Hua Jian’s resistance was softening, showing signs of wavering.
With a bit more effort, she could make Hua Jian hesitate even more.
“You probably lack some offensive spiritual techniques for facing enemies directly.
You should go practice those.”
Fenghua Venerable extended her finger, a flash of crimson spiritual light appearing at its tip.
She reached out and sent this light into Hua Jian’s third eye.
Hua Jian’s eyes glazed over.
After a while, she gasped for breath and regained clarity.
“Venerable, this is so precious…”
Fenghua Venerable had given her an aggressive spiritual technique, unlike those Hua Jian had seen before.
This technique came with a full set of instructions.
And it was personally taught by the venerable!
“It’s nothing precious.
This isn’t a secret method of Yaochi; I came up with it myself when I was a Ling King.
It might not even suit you.”
She waved her hand casually.
“Try practicing it first.
If you have any questions, just ask me.
If you want to improve anything, tell me, and I’ll help you figure it out.”
“Ah? But isn’t Linglong training somewhere?
Venerable, you…”
Before Hua Jian could finish, Fenghua Venerable gave a mischievous smile.
“This isn’t a problem at all.
Linglong is training, yes, but Linglong is Linglong and you’re you.
I come here every day to teach you spiritual techniques, which has nothing to do with Linglong.”
Hua Jian’s eyes widened.
There was such a workaround?
On second thought, it made sense.
As long as the venerable didn’t interfere directly with Linglong’s training, who could stop her from teaching Hua Jian?
“Then, thank you very much, Venerable!”
……
The next morning, Linglong was stirred awake by an itch on her head.
Upon opening her eyes, she saw Hua Jian holding a small handkerchief, doing something to the top of her head.
After three breaths, Linglong realized Hua Jian was gently wiping something.
“Why… why have I turned back?” Linglong quickly covered her head and sure enough, felt a pair of small, delicate dragon horns.
Looking behind, a jade-white large tail appeared before her eyes.
Her memories stopped at the moment she opened the bottle of wine; everything after was completely blank.
“You got drunk smelling the Spirit Wine Miss Su gave you, then you got wild and mischievous, pulling off my shoes and socks,” Hua Jian said as she put away the handkerchief, adopting the pitiful expression of a young maiden robbed of her innocence.
“Indeed, the saying ‘Dragon nature is lustful’ is true.”
Hearing this, Linglong knew Hua Jian was joking.
If Linglong had really done such a thing, Hua Jian wouldn’t be able to put on that expression.
“Hey, what’s with that expression? I’m not lying!”
Never mind how the shoes and socks got lost, it was definitely connected to Linglong.
And Linglong’s behavior last night was truly mischievous.
Who could hold a pure young lady in their arms and breathe heavily like that?
No one.
Well, maybe Caidie didn’t count—probably that little girl didn’t even know what ‘mischievous’ meant.
Linglong’s eyes flickered.
She was a bit guilty on this topic.
But she felt it wasn’t her fault; Hua Jian emitted an irresistible attraction.
The faint but captivating floral fragrance was like a catalyst, intensifying desire.
So Linglong believed the problem wasn’t hers but Hua Jian’s constitution.
“What happened after? Did you knock me out?”
“I didn’t have the strength to knock you out.” Hua Jian deliberately paused to let Linglong guess.
Seeing Linglong’s horrified expression, she finally revealed the truth.
“It was Fenghua Venerable who knocked you out.”
“Eek?!”