Chen Xiao did not reach for the mountain imp, but merely looked at Yun Ze before him, smiling wordlessly.
His intentions were clearly seen through, and Yun Ze was now negotiating with him.
He could keep this matter a secret, but in return… he wanted the life of the person before him!
"No, it's not like that!"
Seeing Chen Xiao remain silent, Senior Brother Xiao panicked and threw himself before him: "Senior Brother Chen, I didn't..."
"Shut up."
Chen Xiao uttered two words, not even glancing at Senior Brother Xiao, and merely smiled at Yun Ze: "Junior Brother Yun is right, but the sect has its rules. Killing fellow disciples is a grave offense."
"Then what does Senior Brother Chen mean..."
"Let nature take its course."
Chen Xiao took a step forward, leaning close to Yun Ze's ear and whispering, "Junior Brother can also see for himself what the consequences will be if he disobeys."
"No! I can't die!"
Senior Brother Xiao now understood his predicament. He lunged forward and grabbed Chen Xiao's leg: "Senior Brother Chen, you told me to..."
*Buzz!*
Yun Ze heard a buzzing sound by his ear and saw nine sword shadows flash before his eyes!
Before he could react, flesh and blood fell from Senior Brother Xiao's mouth.
It was his tongue.
What was once a complete tongue was now broken into eight pieces, each severed end continuously bleeding!
Yun Ze frowned slightly and looked up at Chen Xiao.
His previous move was clearly Lingyun, but the fact that he could unleash nine sword shadows with a single strike indicated he had reached the Great Accomplishment level.
However, this was not what shocked Yun Ze the most. When those nine sword shadows appeared, Chen Xiao was not holding a sword!
This meant he had actually cultivated sword qi!
This fellow must be hiding quite a few things!
"Junior Brother Yun need not look at me like that. I am from the Punishment Hall. This person slandered a fellow disciple. This is merely a minor punishment and does not violate sect rules."
As if nothing had happened, Chen Xiao turned, stepped over the bloody tongue on the ground, and lifted the now unconscious Senior Brother Xiao, who was writhing in pain: "If Junior Brother has nothing else, then return and cultivate with peace of mind. If you need anything later, come directly to me. There's no need to trouble my master."
Yun Ze remained silent, watching Chen Xiao drag Senior Brother Xiao away, with Qi Wei following behind, disappearing from sight.
His back was soaked with cold sweat.
This was just one Chen Xiao.
A Chen Xiao who hadn't even made it onto the Heavenly Ranking!
Who knew what terrifying existences those who entered the Heaven-Building Secret Realm would be?
He only had three months left!
No matter what, he had to increase his strength as quickly as possible!
Yun Ze wasted no more time and turned to head towards the isolated peak.
As he passed the Mission Hall, he found Luo Shang and told her not to worry about designing protection for Su Ling'er anymore. After explaining the cause and effect, he continued upwards.
When he reached the entrance of Xiao Shu's cave dwelling, he found her sitting at the stone table outside, engrossed in some ancient text, completely oblivious to Yun Ze's arrival.
Yun Ze approached slowly. When he was less than three meters from the stone table, Wei Lanshu looked up at him, her face beaming.
"Big Brother? You're here!"
"Mm, I've already digested the sword qi from last time, so naturally, I'm here for the next course."
Yun Ze sat opposite Xiao Shu and asked curiously, "What are you reading? You seem so absorbed."
"It's just my family's Qi Refining technique."
Wei Lanshu didn't close the book, leaving it open as she looked at Yun Ze with a puzzled expression: "You've digested the sword qi so quickly? Big Brother, you're not lying to me, are you!"
"I'm not lying."
Yun Ze gave a wry smile and continued, "This is all thanks to the drop of blood you gave me last time. Without it, I'm afraid I wouldn't have digested the sword qi so quickly. By the way, I still haven't asked you what that was."
"Hey!"
Wei Lanshu changed the subject again and picked up the Qi Refining manual: "Big Brother, why don't you take a look at our family's Qi Refining technique? It might help your cultivation!"
Yun Ze quickly waved his hands.
He had heard from storytellers since childhood that most grudges and feuds in the martial world arose from stealing others' secret family techniques.
Such matters were not to be trifled with!
"I'll help you resolve the sword qi instead."
Yun Ze knew she didn't want to reveal the origin of the drop of blood, so he got up and went to her side: "Where do you want to resolve the sword qi this time?"
"The Qi Sea."
"...Isn't that a bit too hasty?"
Yun Ze wasn't unwilling to help her resolve the sword qi in her Qi Sea, nor was it due to gender differences. It was because the Qi Sea was an extremely profound area.
He feared that if he made even a slight mistake, it could cause an accident in Wei Lanshu's Qi Sea...
In that case, he wouldn't have to worry about the Heaven-Building Secret Realm anymore; he'd probably be annihilated by Granny Li with a single palm strike.
"Yes, Miss!"
Granny Li, who had been walking up from the foot of the mountain, chimed in: "Why don't you wait a bit longer? The family head will be here tomorrow. Why not wait until she arrives to discuss matters of the Qi Sea?"
"I know she's coming tomorrow, which is why I asked Big Brother to help me today."
Wei Lanshu's attitude was extremely firm. She then looked at Yun Ze: "Big Brother, make your move."
"This..."
Yun Ze turned to look at Granny Li.
From his perspective, he would naturally prefer this matter to be conducted in front of Wei Lanshu's parents. With their cultivation, even if something went wrong, they could minimize the damage in the shortest possible time.
"Miss, please heed my advice," Granny Li said with a wry smile. "I know you want the family head to kill him, but if something happens to you, even if the family head wants to kill him, you won't be able to stop her! It's better to wait until tomorrow. After tomorrow, you can ask him to heal, and even if the family head wants to kill him, you can plead for mercy!"
Yun Ze's face turned dark as he listened!
Even if your family wanted to kill me, you don't have to be so blunt! Aren't you afraid I'll run away!
...Right, with the Wei family's current displayed strength, they truly weren't afraid of him running away.
"Granny Li, my mind is made up!"
Wei Lanshu directly stepped forward, grabbed Yun Ze's wrist, and pressed it towards her lower abdomen!
This girl wants to act first and report later!
Just as Yun Ze was about to withdraw his hand, he felt Wei Lanshu's body go limp, and she fell into Granny Li's arms.
He hadn't seen how she made her move, only that in an instant, the scene had become like this.
Granny Li held Wei Lanshu in her arms. Sword qi continuously sliced at the points where they touched, but Granny Li seemed accustomed to it and paid no mind to the sword qi.
She turned to look at Yun Ze and advised, "Young man, you should come back tomorrow. If you want to escape, you can try."
"Senior, you jest," Yun Ze merely smiled. "Xiao Shu is my sister. If I leave, how can I face her?"
"Hmph."
Granny Li snorted coldly and, with Xiao Shu in her arms, walked towards the cave dwelling. She stopped a step away from the formation.
"Don't say I, as an elder, didn't warn you. If you want to live, speak less tomorrow and do more. Otherwise... I won't be able to protect you, and neither will Miss."
"Hey! Wait!"
Yun Ze remembered what Big Brother Xiao had mentioned last night and quickly called out to Granny Li: "Granny Li, have you been to the Heaven-Building Secret Realm?"
"Mm?"
Granny Li paused, turned, and looked at Yun Ze with some surprise: "My Qi Sea is only at the fifth realm, and I'm just an ordinary Earth Dao Foundation Establishment cultivator. Why do you ask?"
"You haven't been?"
"Naturally not."
Granny Li confirmed again and retorted, "Who told you I've been?"
"No! I was just curious."
Since the person Big Brother Xiao mentioned wasn't Granny Li, he naturally couldn't reveal Big Brother Xiao's existence.
Granny Li looked puzzled, but seeing that Yun Ze wouldn't say more, she didn't press further and entered the cave dwelling with Wei Lanshu.
Yun Ze sighed helplessly.
It seemed she wouldn't wake up today, so another day would be wasted.
He wondered who the Wei family head was. From Granny Li's tone, she seemed difficult to get along with.
But no matter what, he was his daughter's savior. Surely they wouldn't kill him, would they?
Yun Ze shrugged and didn't pay much attention to the matter, turning to head down the mountain.
Since he couldn't expend sword qi today, he would go to the seclusion room first. He would improve as much as he could. By this time tomorrow, he could come directly from the seclusion room, saving himself another trip.
Yun Ze walked all the way to the seclusion room and saw Tie Shan sleeping. After waking him up, he paid the spirit stones and entered the seclusion room.
He was now at the peak of the fourth level of Qi Refining. When he tested himself against Luo Qin earlier, although his sword qi was not as condensed as the latter's, he was not at a disadvantage.
If Luo Qin was at the ninth level of Qi Refining, then his sword qi's power should be between the peak of the eighth level and the early ninth level of Qi Refining.
This was only after absorbing the sword qi from two locations. If he absorbed all the sword qi into his body, even if he couldn't reach the Core Formation stage, he would at least reach the late Foundation Establishment stage.
At that time, he would have a fighting chance in the Heaven-Building Secret Realm.
He just didn't know if he could completely refine all the sword qi in these three months.
Regardless, cultivation was the priority for now. He would think about refining sword qi tomorrow.
Yun Ze closed his eyes and quickly entered a state of cultivation, circulating the Water Sword Art to move the heavenly cycle.
...
*Crack~*
After an unknown amount of time, Yun Ze felt a surge of pure spiritual energy enter his Qi Sea. Inspired, the fifth Qi vortex took shape!
Qi Refining fifth level! Breakthrough!
"Hoo..."
Yun Ze let out a long sigh and opened his eyes to find that someone had appeared in his seclusion room!
With just one glance, he recognized the figure as that 'Senior Sister'!
But why was she here?
"Senior Sister?"
Yun Ze feigned ignorance, first using her title, then asking, "Why have you come?"
"Someone asked me to help with something."
Hearing the clear and cold voice, Yun Ze instinctively asked, "Help with what?"
"I heard you made it onto the Heavenly Ranking."
The 'Senior Sister's' voice was very calm, unlike everyone else before, as if she were stating a perfectly ordinary and expected fact.
"I've come to tell you about the Heaven-Building Secret Realm."
"Mm!?"
Could it be that the person Big Brother Xiao mentioned earlier wasn't Granny Li, but her?
Yun Ze was stunned and instinctively blurted out a question.
"Then how old are you this year?"
The 'Senior Sister' frowned and let out a cold snort.
"Mm?"