Zuo Jie, a handyman disciple at the Spiritual Cultivation Academy, reported to Chu Lingwei the day she returned to her cave.
"You mean Ye Bingcheng and Xie Lian have become quite familiar these past few days?"
"Yes, shortly after Senior Uncle left, Senior Uncle Ye proactively approached Senior Sister Xie, and they are now well-acquainted." Zuo Jie cautiously glanced at Chu Lingwei. On that day, Chu Lingwei had only instructed him to keep an eye on Ye Bingcheng, with no further arrangements. He dared not act on his own initiative.
Now, two years had passed. Ye Bingcheng had been very attentive to Xie Lian, and Xie Lian trusted Ye Bingcheng implicitly.
"Who else has Ye Bingcheng been in close contact with?" Ye Bingcheng approaching Xie Lian must have been because of her.
"No one. Other than visiting Senior Sister Xie every two months, Senior Uncle Ye has remained in his own cave, cultivating and never leaving the Spiritual Cultivation Academy."
"Alright, I understand. You may leave."
Chu Lingwei took out a bottle of fifth-tier pills from her spatial ring and handed it to Zuo Jie.
Zuo Jie accepted the pills with a delighted expression and quickly retreated.
The next day, Chu Lingwei sent a sound transmission talisman to Xie Lian, arranging to meet at the Mission Hall.
"Weiwei, where have you been these past two years?"
Chu Lingwei handed the spiritual herbs she had collected to the Mission Hall. As she walked out the door, Xie Lian ran over excitedly and hugged her.
"I've been..."
"Wow, you've grown so much taller and even more beautiful."
Before Chu Lingwei could finish speaking, Xie Lian's voice rang out again, drawing the attention of the surrounding disciples and causing Chu Lingwei's expression to darken.
"Let's talk over there." Chu Lingwei pulled Xie Lian's wrist and led her towards a less crowded path.
"Weiwei, let me tell you, I've grown a lot of spiritual herbs these past two years. I've gained the approval of the supervisor, and he's arranged for me to cultivate third-tier spiritual herbs!"
Xie Lian was overjoyed to see Chu Lingwei. Holding her hand, she chattered about her achievements over the past two years. "Oh, right, let me tell you a secret: I've kept seeds of every spiritual herb I've cultivated before."
"It seems you've had a good time these past two years." Chu Lingwei was infected by Xie Lian's smile.
Xie Lian was wearing a jade hairpin on her head today, likely a mid-grade magical artifact.
The storage bag at her waist was also mid-grade.
"Of course! I'm very popular," Xie Lian said, becoming even more excited.
"Xie Lian, I wanted to ask you, do you happen to know a Senior Brother named Ye Bingcheng?" Chu Lingwei got straight to the point. If she waited for Xie Lian to bring it up, she didn't know how long it would take.
Xie Lian turned her head, her smile deepening, with a hint of pride. "Of course, I know him. He often comes to see me and brings me gifts."
"Look, this is what he gave me." Xie Lian pointed to the jade hairpin on her head, hiding nothing.
"Do you know why he's been so good to you?" Chu Lingwei mused.
Xie Lian shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. He probably has ulterior motives."
Saying this, Xie Lian covered her mouth and chuckled, her beautiful eyes instantly curving into crescents. "However, I always feel like he's not a good person."
Seeing her say this, Chu Lingwei's heart settled. It seemed Xie Lian wasn't as naive as she appeared.
Indeed, the spiritual cultivation world itself was cruel; how could anyone be completely ignorant of the ways of the world?
"I know a bit about him. He's not as he appears. If you know he has ulterior motives, you shouldn't maintain such close contact," Chu Lingwei still advised. After all, Ye Bingcheng's approach to Xie Lian was likely due to her.
A hint of seriousness appeared in Xie Lian's eyes. "I'm just an outer disciple at the Spiritual Movement stage. It would be easy for him to cause trouble for me, so I'm just being careful."
"If he intends to do anything against you, tell me immediately."
No matter where one was, there was always a dark side.
"Thank you, Weiwei. Don't worry, I won't let him succeed." Xie Lian's expression was firm, a glint of cunning in her eyes. She wasn't that easily fooled.
Seeing that Xie Lian hadn't fallen for it, Chu Lingwei returned to her cave with peace of mind and began to cultivate diligently.
She remained in seclusion, unaware that a major event had occurred on the Profound Sky Continent.
...
Renyan Sect.
"What are you good for, failing to find even one woman?" Zuo Aoran was so enraged that the Renyan Sect disciple robes he was wearing instantly turned to powder. The green demonic-robed attire emanating a demonic aura distorted the entire room.
"Master, could that woman have died in the Myriad Miles Forest?"
Zuo Yi was also distressed. They had been searching for the woman who had severely injured their master for two years, with no news whatsoever. It was as if she had vanished into thin air.
The Myriad Miles Forest was fraught with danger. A disciple at the Spiritual Wheel stage could not possibly have survived there for two years.
Hearing his subordinate's words, Zuo Aoran's green eyes turned into vertical pupils, and green light coiled around Zuo Yi's neck. "She was able to shatter my Emperor's Golden Cauldron, and you tell me she couldn't have survived the Myriad Miles Forest?"
"This subordinate deserves to die!"
Zuo Yi felt his spiritual power draining away and desperately begged for mercy.
A quarter of an hour later, Zuo Aoran flung away Zuo Yi, who had lost more than half of his spiritual power. He looked invigorated. "Go to the various sects and search for similar women. I will personally verify each one."
Zuo Yi knew his master would not kill him, but each time he absorbed half of his spiritual power, it took him several months to recover, which was excruciating.
"This subordinate will go now." Enduring the pain, Zuo Yi left the room.
Standing at the door, Li Jue, who had witnessed everything, felt his heart sink.
The demon race truly had no humanity.
"Young Master Zuo, shouldn't you be very busy?" Having just feasted, Zuo Aoran was in a relatively good mood.
"Young Master Zuo, the Centenary Grand Competition is approaching. It's not advisable to cause trouble." Li Jue stepped in front of Zuo Aoran. Based on his understanding of the demon race, he would likely devour anyone resembling his enemy.
That woman had easily escaped from his grasp; her identity must be extraordinary.
With the Centenary Grand Competition imminent, the sects were fiercely guarding their elite disciples. Any harm to them would lead to their whereabouts being exposed.
Zuo Aoran's expression turned cold. A mere human cultivator dared to lecture him.
"Sect Master Li, are you turning your back on me now?"
"Young Master Zuo, I am merely thinking of our own well-being. If it is discovered that you entered the Profound Sky Continent prematurely, you will be executed." Li Jue's voice was neither servile nor overbearing. They were now in the same boat; no one could afford to drag the others down.
Human cultivators, the demon race, and the demonic path had signed a pact: no race was allowed to trespass into another's territory, and discovery would result in immediate execution.
Zuo Aoran's eyes blazed with green light. Li Jue remained unmoved. As the Sect Master of Renyan Sect, showing weakness now would be akin to handing over the sect.
"I understand."
An instant felt like three autumns, but Li Jue received the answer he wanted.
"Young Master Zuo, during the Centenary Grand Competition, I believe that person will appear on the stage." Li Jue's attitude was clear. He would not prevent Zuo Aoran from seeking revenge, but he could not act impulsively.