His fist hardened.
His fist hardened.
Yun Ze stared at Chen Xiao's repulsive face, his killing intent surging, but he couldn't make a move. He could only walk slowly to Chen Xiao and squeeze out two words from between his teeth.
"Give it to me."
"You want it? Simple."
Chen Xiao casually placed the jade bottle on the table, his crossed leg continuing to swing. "It's not like I, your senior brother, am making things difficult for you. I'll give you two choices."
"First, kneel down and beg me. When you beg until your senior brother is happy, the antidote in this jade bottle will be yours."
Yun Ze remained silent, only frowning at Chen Xiao, his meaning as clear as day.
Chen Xiao paused for a long time, not stating the second option.
"...What's the second one?"
Yun Ze didn't want to waste any more time with this guy. He was afraid he wouldn't be able to control himself and would just slap him!
"You want to know?"
Chen Xiao's smile remained infuriating. "If you want to know, fine, but as my junior brother, shouldn't your attitude be..."
"Please, Senior Brother, enlighten me!" Yun Ze interrupted.
If he didn't speak now, he feared this guy would say something disgusting again.
"Ah, that's more like it!"
Chen Xiao uncrossed his legs and praised with a smile. "While you're not quite up to being a dog yet, we can take it slow, no rush!"
"The second thing is also very simple. You just need to do one thing for me."
"Please, Senior Brother, speak directly!"
"Kill Su Ling'er."
Yun Ze frowned, remaining silent.
Murdering a fellow disciple?
Even disciples who had just joined the sect knew what a grave crime this was!
"Don't overthink it."
Chen Xiao continued, "Little Yun, we're on the same boat now. If you want to ride the boat, you have to pay the fare.
If you don't have any blood on your hands, we won't be at ease!
Do you understand what I mean?"
"How do I kill her?"
Yun Ze calmly uttered three words.
In fact, before coming here, he had already prepared himself to abandon his dignity.
However, since Chen Xiao had now offered a second option, it was clearly what they needed.
Only by accepting this task would he have a chance to get involved in their subsequent plans.
As for Su Ling'er...
He could only take it one step at a time. If this plan could be delayed for a while, he could find the person Yu Xian had mentioned to help.
Not to help kill her, but to help cover it up.
"How do you kill her? That's your problem, not mine."
Chen Xiao toyed with the jade bottle in his hand. "Junior Brother Yun, you were in the Martial Arts Hall for so long, didn't you bring back three cultivation techniques?"
How did he know!
Could there be someone of his in the Martial Arts Hall?
'Senior Sister' was impossible. Could it be the one guarding the door reading?
Chen Xiao... no, it should be Ji Kun.
How many people had he controlled within the sect using such methods?
"I need time."
After a few moments of thought, Yun Ze replied, "Su Ling'er's movement techniques are superb. If I don't cultivate those techniques, I won't be able to kill her."
"I know, I know. We'll give you time, one month."
As Chen Xiao spoke, he threw the jade bottle directly to Yun Ze. "This pill is enough to extend your lifespan by one month. If you can't kill Su Ling'er by then, you'll be the one to die, understand?"
"I presume, with Junior Brother's talent, one month should be more than enough, right?"
One month's time was indeed about right.
The contact Yu Xian mentioned would arrive in half a month, leaving him another half a month to make arrangements. It should be enough.
Yun Ze stared at the jade bottle in his hand and turned to leave.
"Hey! Wait!"
Chen Xiao called out to Yun Ze again. "Junior Brother, you must remember, this pill only lasts for one month. If by then you..."
"I know."
Yun Ze interrupted Chen Xiao.
One month.
He did need to improve his strength during this period, but not to kill Su Ling'er, but to prepare to sever this bastard's head in the future!
Yun Ze walked out of the small courtyard without looking back, heading towards the location of his secluded cultivation room.
"How interesting!"
A female voice echoed from the depths of the small courtyard.
Chen Xiao flinched as if electrocuted, jumping up instantly, his previous indolent demeanor gone. He respectfully looked behind him.
A figure stood there with hands behind their back, only the general shape visible, the face obscured.
"Your Highness," Chen Xiao said in a low voice.
"Mm."
The woman responded indifferently, looking with interest at Yun Ze's retreating back. "Tell me, what decision will he make?"
"This... this subordinate does not know."
"I didn't ask you."
*Slap!*
A crisp sound exploded!
Five crimson palm prints appeared on Chen Xiao's face!
Yet the figure remained motionless, as if they hadn't made a move.
"This subordinate admits guilt!"
Chen Xiao immediately knelt on the ground, just as he had demanded of Yun Ze, groveling like a dog, sticking out his tongue and begging for mercy.
The figure didn't utter another word, disappearing from the small courtyard in an instant, leaving Chen Xiao to kowtow repeatedly!
Chen Xiao counted silently. Only when he reached ninety-nine, the crimson staining the soil, did he slowly raise his head, a fawning smile on his lips.
He didn't care if that person could hear him, and loudly declared, "Thank you, Your Highness, for sparing my life!"
...
Yun Ze returned to the front of the secluded cultivation room. He immediately noticed Wei Lanshu waiting at the entrance, as if she had known he was coming.
Unexpectedly, the old woman Li Po was not by her side. Only Tie Shan, who dared not doze off, gave up his seat and stood to the side.
As soon as Wei Lanshu saw Yun Ze, she quickly rose from her seat and hurried to meet him.
"Why are you here?" Yun Ze asked.
Wei Lanshu didn't speak, but pointed to his right hand.
She wanted to do it again.
Yun Ze actually wanted to do it again, but now was not the time.
His qi sea had only recently become turbulent, and the black energy within had not yet dissipated. If he were to introduce sword qi again, he might not be able to handle it.
He had to wait until his qi sea stabilized, at least three days later.
"No."
Yun Ze refused. "I said, the number of times and the timing are up to me to control."
A flicker of disappointment crossed Wei Lanshu's eyes, but she merely nodded, indicating she understood. She then pointed to the secluded cultivation room behind her, her eyes conveying a question.
"Yes, I need to go into seclusion and cultivate the techniques."
Wei Lanshu's lips curved slightly, clearly delighted, and she led Yun Ze towards the secluded cultivation room.
She took out a bag of spirit stones from her pocket and placed it directly on the table. Then, she gestured to Tie Shan, pointing at Yun Ze.
"Junior Brother Yun."
Tie Shan looked at the spirit stones on the table, unsure what to do. He could only look at Yun Ze. "What does this mean?"
"Two secluded cultivation rooms."
Yun Ze also took out a bag of spirit stones from his waist. "The kind that are next to each other?"
The last sentence was a question.
He knew that Wei Lanshu had been by his side during the previous two seclusion periods, as if cultivating this way also helped alleviate her condition.
Yun Ze didn't refuse, considering it a benefit for the high cost.
Wei Lanshu nodded repeatedly, agreeing with Yun Ze.
"Alright, the two of you, follow me!"
Tie Shan collected the two bags of spirit stones from the table, enough for ten days.
Yun Ze and Wei Lanshu walked side by side into the secluded cultivation rooms, the same two as last time.
"Here, the two of you, these are the best two secluded cultivation rooms, and they've been saved for you. But, well..."
"Is it another service fee?" Yun Ze asked curiously.
"No, no, of course not!"
Tie Shan shook his head repeatedly, unsure how to phrase it, and could only pull Yun Ze aside. "Junior Brother Yun, our Guiwu Sword Sect encourages dual cultivation between couples, but secluded cultivation rooms strictly prohibit dual cultivation.
You're young, you need to be restrained!"
"...I understand."
Yun Ze didn't know how to explain, so he could only give a perfunctory reply before disappearing into the secluded cultivation room to study the three borrowed cultivation techniques.
Three days later.
Yun Ze felt his qi sea gradually stabilizing and prepared to once again draw upon that sword qi to completely eradicate the black energy within his qi sea.
But at this moment, an accident occurred!