The Beloved Master's Mad Dog Disciple - Chapter 32

The spiritual formation enveloping the room blocked out all light, leaving only the dim, yellow glow of the candle Gui Nianqin had just brought in. The flickering light illuminated Shen Yanting’s exquisite face reflected in the bronze mirror. After Gui Nianqin took the candle back, Shen Yanting changed into her wedding gown. She deliberately chose the one Bo Xuenong had torn, leaving the undamaged gown for her.

Sitting before the mirror, Shen Yanting tugged at the fabric of the gown, her brow furrowed slightly.

Bo Xuenong stood behind her, watching Shen Yanting tug at the gown, not daring to say a word.

Because Bo Xuenong had torn a long strip of fabric from the gown, the collar gaped slightly. With the slightest movement, the collar would slip open.

Feeling guilty, Bo Xuenong tugged at the red cloth still tied around her neck and whispered to Shen Yanting, “Master, why don’t I wear this one?”

“No need,” Shen Yanting replied, rising to her feet.

As she stood, the collar slipped open, revealing her jade-like, rounded shoulders. Her snow-white skin shimmered softly in the dim candlelight, the delicate bones beneath the soft flesh tracing a perfect curve. Lowering one’s gaze would reveal even more of her pale, supple skin.

Shen Yanting truly lived up to her role as the book’s ultimate heartthrob. There wasn’t a single flaw in her appearance.

Bo Xuenong was momentarily lost in thought, but the nightmare quickly snapped her back to reality. She suddenly realized that if she found Shen Yanting beautiful, others would too.

Not just the people of this world, but also an unknown number of outsiders.

Bo Xuenong recalled Guan Caimei, the Elder of the Joyous Union Sect from another Cultivation World, and the vengeful spirit hidden within Fu Yunqing’s body. This spirit had sensed Gui Nianqin’s murderous intent even before Guan Caimei and Fu Yunqing discovered her secret, suggesting it was no ordinary entity.

Now that Fu Yunqing had been dragged into the formation, her body, forced to cease circulating her cultivation technique, risked being torn apart by the overwhelming energy. With Feng Yingbo and Feng Jin watching closely, the spirit likely wouldn’t dare to attack Fu Yunqing’s soul directly, perhaps not even daring to show its face.

For now, Fu Yunqing was safe.

If they could earn enough Points from the Heavenly Cuisine Sect, Fu Yunqing might be saved.

Fu Yunqing’s life held little personal significance for Bo Xuenong, but it was crucial to Shen Yanting. If Shen Yanting learned that Fu Yunqing was simultaneously facing a dwindling lifespan, the destruction of her village, and possession by a vengeful spirit, she would be devastated. Bo Xuenong had to eliminate the spirit before Shen Yanting found out.

Since Shen Yanting clarified that she wasn’t taking Bo Xuenong to the Heavenly Cuisine Sect to risk her life, Bo Xuenong’s mindset shifted. She not only abandoned her reckless plan to fight to the death but also began considering what she would do upon returning from the Heavenly Cuisine Sect.

By the time Bo Xuenong snapped out of her reverie, Shen Yanting had already secured her robes and was now adjusting her makeup and hair in the mirror.

Shen Yanting, who normally disdained such elaborate preparations, had taken meticulous care with every detail for this sham wedding. A strange bitterness welled up in Bo Xuenong’s heart. She leaned forward, forcing her stiff face into the copper mirror alongside Shen Yanting’s reflection. Staring at the deliberately applied rouge and the gold hairpin—a departure from Shen Yanting’s usual jade hairpins in pale green and white—Bo Xuenong’s voice carried a hint of jealousy as she said, “Master, we’re only pretending to marry. It’s not real.”

Shen Yanting adjusted the gold hairpin, its vibrant splendor failing to diminish her usual aloofness. “Mm, I know,” she replied calmly.

Though she acknowledged Bo Xuenong’s words, she didn’t stop.

This was the first time she had ever worn a wedding gown, even if it was just for show. Choosing an appropriate hairpin wasn’t unreasonable.

For centuries, she had meticulously maintained her image as a cold and detached master, never allowing herself the opportunity to wear such flamboyant accessories. After five hundred years, these ornaments had nearly gathered dust. After all, these were treasures Mo Tingshu had painstakingly collected for her over many years.

The thought of her Master, Mo Tingshu, momentarily dimmed Shen Yanting’s eyes.

Shen Yanting was Mo Tingshu’s first disciple, taken under her wing at a very young age. Mo Tingshu and Feng Yingbo were similar types of Masters, both fond of raising their disciples like children. They showered them with rare treasures, precious spirit stones, and everything in between. While most in the Cultivation World pursued asceticism and single-minded devotion to the Dao, Mo Tingshu stood apart. She loved taking her disciples to the mortal realm for amusement, buying Shen Yanting the jewelry and trinkets that mortal girls clamored for. Occasionally, the Supreme Elder would scold her for indulging her disciple’s fondness for worldly possessions, but Mo Tingshu would simply turn around and refine those very items into Spirit Tools, gifting them back to Shen Yanting.

When Shen Yanting left the Cloudmist Sect, Mo Tingshu, fearing she might lack cultivation resources in the outside world, gave her half of the treasures stored in her own Storage Ring.

Without a doubt, Mo Tingshu was an excellent Master. But Shen Yanting was not a good disciple, nor had she learned even half of Mo Tingshu’s ability to be a good Master.

The reason she was a poor disciple was that, despite being Mo Tingshu’s most cherished among her three disciples, Shen Yanting was the least like her Master.

Mo Tingshu was born with an exceptional dual spiritual root. Upon reaching the peak of Foundation Establishment, those with dual roots could choose two paths. Mo Tingshu chose Pill Cultivation and Artifact Cultivation. She was not only the Sect Leader of Cloudmist Sect but also its top Alchemist and Artifact Refiner. When Bo Xuenong was assigned to Mo Tingshu, it was because she too possessed a dual spiritual root. The entire Cloudmist Sect hoped she would become the next Mo Tingshu, but she ultimately became a sword cultivator.

Her Second Junior Sister, Gong Wanyan, was an Artifact Cultivator, as was her Third Junior Brother, You Jingyi. Her never-before-seen Junior Sister, Yu Cenwan, was a Pill Cultivator. Among Mo Tingshu’s disciples, only Bo Xuenong had failed to inherit her Master’s skills. She was also the only one who had left Cloudmist Sect, unable to fulfill her filial duties at her Master’s side, and had become a nominal outcast.

In truth, she simply missed Mo Tingshu a little, and she missed Cloudmist Sect a little.

The more Shen Yanting tried to be a good Master to Bo Xuenong, the more she realized how extraordinary Mo Tingshu had been.

She couldn’t even raise one disciple properly, yet Mo Tingshu had successfully nurtured all three of them.

Shen Yanting’s mind drifted. Bo Xuenong stared at Shen Yanting’s reflection in the bronze mirror, admiring her peerless beauty and the delicate jade-like hands holding the gold hairpin. Shen Yanting was already a cold and refined beauty, but the golden ornaments added a touch of regal splendor to her appearance.

The gold hairpin seemed to possess Spiritual Qi. With each gentle touch, its surface shimmered with flowing light, growing brighter the more it was caressed. Flecks of golden light scattered like stardust across Shen Yanting’s snow-white skin, faintly revealing a floral pattern identical to the hairpin’s design.

The incomplete pattern left a lingering sense of incompleteness.

Bo Xuenong’s initial jealousy had long since faded. She stared at the blurred floral pattern shimmering on the back of Shen Yanting’s hand, mesmerized. Leaning closer, she easily reached out and touched the hairpin. True to its nature, the hairpin glowed brighter with each touch.

As the hairpin’s radiance intensified, the floral shadow on Shen Yanting’s hand grew clearer, its beauty breathtaking as it swayed with the hairpin’s gentle movements. Bo Xuenong’s presence had disrupted Shen Yanting’s thoughts and self-reflection, leaving her not angry, but rather disoriented.

“Nong’er,” Shen Yanting called softly.

Bo Xuenong immediately withdrew her hand, awkwardly smoothing her sleeve. “Master, I’m here.”

Shen Yanting set down the hairpin and absently stroked the jewelry scattered across the table, momentarily lost in thought.

Regaining her composure, she removed the hairpin from her hair and held it out to Bo Xuenong. “Here.”

Shen Yanting thought Bo Xuenong wanted the gold hairpin, but Bo Xuenong’s gaze remained fixed on the faint floral shadow the hairpin cast on the back of Shen Yanting’s hand. She reached out a slender finger to gently touch the hairpin, then quickly withdrew it. After glancing at Shen Yanting to ensure she wasn’t angry, she extended her hand again, repeatedly stroking the hairpin until it gleamed brightly, making the floral shadow on Shen Yanting’s hand crystal clear.

Gazing at the shimmering golden shadow, Bo Xuenong suddenly felt a surge of accomplishment.

She had added a remarkable touch to Shen Yanting’s already fair and delicate hand.

She exclaimed sincerely, “Master, you look so beautiful!”

Shen Yanting had always believed she understood Bo Xuenong well, but now she felt like she couldn’t quite keep up with her thoughts. Though Bo Xuenong seemed to be complimenting her, her eyes remained fixed on the hairpin in her hand. Shen Yanting had initially assumed Bo Xuenong wanted the hairpin, but instead, she repeatedly stroked it, secretly delighting in its growing brilliance.

Having studied Beast Taming arts, Shen Yanting knew that some lesser demons, lacking sentience, were indeed drawn to luminous objects and enjoyed touching them.

She couldn’t understand why Bo Xuenong, clearly human, would find the hairpin’s glow so fascinating, nor why she herself was indulging Bo Xuenong’s whims by holding the hairpin for so long.

Seeing that Bo Xuenong had stopped touching the hairpin, Shen Yanting withdrew her hand and placed it on the table.

The flower shadow imprinted on the back of Shen Yanting’s hand by the gold hairpin vanished. Bo Xuenong was about to ask if the other hairpins would also glow when Gui Nianqin’s voice suddenly called from outside the door, “Miss Shen, Miss Bo, it’s almost time.”

Shen Yanting gathered all the jewelry from the table, ultimately choosing only the simplest wooden hairpin for herself. As an afterthought, she added a jade hairpin to Bo Xuenong’s hair. “Nong’er, go change into your wedding robes.”

Bo Xuenong nodded eagerly, reaching up to touch the jade hairpin. “Is Master giving me this jade hairpin?”

“Mm-hmm.” Shen Yanting had already placed it in Bo Xuenong’s hair, so naturally, it was hers to keep.

Shen Yanting nodded matter-of-factly. Bo Xuenong was overjoyed. She carefully removed the jade hairpin and stored it in her Storage Jade Bracelet. “Master is so kind!”

Shen Yanting watched Bo Xuenong’s movements, a flicker of confusion crossing her face.

She stood frozen in place, and Bo Xuenong, without hesitation, began to unfasten her robes.

When Shen Yanting finally snapped out of her daze, a sea of snow-white skin filled her vision. She quickly turned away, only to realize that Bo Xuenong’s hazy reflection was also visible in the bronze mirror. Her soft waistline swayed into view, and Shen Yanting hastily waved her sleeve, extinguishing the candle on the table.

The room plunged into complete darkness, finally bringing Shen Yanting a sliver of relief.

She turned back, leaning against the table to catch her breath. But… she soon realized she had relaxed too soon.

When Bo Xuenong saw the sudden darkness, she assumed the candle had burned out. She clapped her hands lightly, and wisps of azure mist unfurled from her fingertips, spreading into every corner of the room and restoring the light.

The spiritual light was far brighter than candlelight. Caught off guard, Shen Yanting not only saw Bo Xuenong’s slender, supple waist and back, but also glimpsed her moon-white undergarment.

Oblivious to Shen Yanting’s presence, Bo Xuenong naturally took the wedding robes from the bed and began to dress, completely unaware that she wasn’t alone.

Shen Yanting’s pupils constricted sharply. In her panic, she groped for the edge of the table, feeling the cool wood against her skin before remembering to close her eyes.

Only darkness remained before her eyes, yet the faint moonlight lingered.

Her breath grew slightly hot, no longer able to maintain its usual calm.

Bo Xuenong, who usually loved to imitate her, had changed her clothes in the dark just moments ago. Why was she suddenly deviating from her usual behavior and doing the opposite?

Shen Yanting couldn’t understand. By then, Bo Xuenong had already changed into her wedding robes and was standing before her. “Master, I’m ready.”

Shen Yanting’s eyelids trembled slightly, but she didn’t react.

Bo Xuenong couldn’t resist calling out again, “Master?”

Shen Yanting exhaled softly, finally opening her eyes. Seeing Bo Xuenong completely covered in her robes, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Bo Xuenong looked at Shen Yanting’s pale face with genuine confusion. “Master, what’s wrong?”

The bewilderment in her eyes seemed genuine, and her voice was filled with concern.

Shen Yanting pinched the bridge of her nose, utterly baffled by how she had raised someone so… beast-like. Bo Xuenong seemed completely unfazed by having been seen naked. Her lips trembled slightly before she finally managed to say, “You should be more discreet when changing clothes.”

If it weren’t her standing here today, but just anyone else, Shen Yanting had no doubt she would have been furious.

She wanted to correct Bo Xuenong’s habit of changing clothes without regard for others, but Bo Xuenong leaned closer with a sincere expression. “Master isn’t just a person—Master is a fairy!”

“……” Shen Yanting couldn’t immediately tell if Bo Xuenong was insulting her.

Seeing Shen Yanting ignore her, Bo Xuenong frantically explained, “Master, I’m not a beast! I would definitely avoid people while changing. But Master is different. You’re not just a fairy, you’re Nong’er’s most important person.”

The more Bo Xuenong explained, the more Shen Yanting fell silent.

Bo Xuenong’s words poured out in a torrent. She pulled the red cloth from around her neck out of her collar and pressed it into Shen Yanting’s hand again. “Master, you’re truly important to me. Nong’er cares deeply about you.”

Shen Yanting’s heart leaped when she realized Bo Xuenong hadn’t even untied the red cloth. Before she could ask Bo Xuenong to remove it, the cloth was already pressed into her palm. Still warm from Bo Xuenong’s body heat, it felt different from before—slightly warm.

The heat made her want to recoil, and Shen Yanting released her hand without a second thought.

Bo Xuenong’s dark eyes instantly lost all their light, her slightly reddened gaze fixed unwaveringly on Shen Yanting. “It’s okay if Master doesn’t care about Nong’er.”

Shen Yanting instinctively replied, “I do care about you.”

Bo Xuenong, easily pleased, quickly brightened, her face beaming as she leaned closer to Shen Yanting. Her sweet, soft smile nearly pressed against Shen Yanting’s cheek. “Master is so kind!”

Perhaps some thoughts, once formed, are impossible to completely erase. Shen Yanting found herself increasingly seeing Bo Xuenong as a small beast. Their emotional expressions were remarkably similar—both joy and sorrow were displayed openly on their faces, deliberately shown to her. Afraid she might miss it, Bo Xuenong would even lean closer, as if to ensure she saw.

Bo Xuenong hadn’t been like this before.

Ever since Shen Yanting noticed her disciple’s deliberate attempts to deepen their master-disciple bond, Bo Xuenong’s approaches had grown increasingly practiced. This too resembled a small beast: responding tenfold to the slightest kindness, clinging at the slightest beckoning.

She had indeed spoiled Bo Xuenong, and in a way she never could have imagined.

Unable to even sigh, Shen Yanting could only retreat slightly, avoiding the possibility of the little beast suddenly biting her.

Shen Yanting wasn’t a true Beast Tamer. Her ranking among Beast Tamers was only due to winning a particularly powerful Beast Tamer from the Young Sect Master of the Beast Taming Sect in a bet. After the Beast was reclaimed, she never ranked again. The Beasts she had raised before were all docile creatures that wouldn’t bite. But she remembered the Young Sect Master’s Beast not only biting but also suddenly pouncing on its Master, grinding its sharp teeth against them. During the Sect competition, her Junior Sister Gong Wanyan had even remarked how thick-skinned the Young Sect Master must be, having raised so many feral beasts without being bitten to death.

Bo Xuenong possessed the Bloodline of a feral beast. If she truly transformed, she would likely resemble the beasts raised by the Young Sect Master even more.

I can’t think about this anymore!

Shen Yanting had to remind herself: Bo Xuenong is human, and she will only ever be human.

Shen Yanting pointed to the ball of light in the corner, then to Gui Nianqin outside the door. “Put it away.”

Bo Xuenong obediently withdrew her spiritual light. The moment it vanished, the candle Shen Yanting had extinguished in Bo Xuenong’s hand relit and was offered back to her.

Feeling a bit uneasy, Shen Yanting sensed that Bo Xuenong had somehow understood her thoughts. Bo Xuenong spoke up, “Master must like the light.”

Shen Yanting was initially taken aback, but as she felt the warmth of the candlelight on her skin and saw the intricate embroidery on her wedding robes illuminated by the flickering flame, she suddenly understood what Bo Xuenong meant. Before Gui Nianqin brought this candle last night, the only light in the room had been the spiritual light emanating from Bo Xuenong’s cultivation practice. At the time, Shen Yanting had approached Bo Xuenong with complex emotions, and Bo Xuenong had likely assumed she was drawn to the light surrounding her.

This was likely why Bo Xuenong had immediately lit spiritual lights in every corner of the room after Shen Yanting blew out the candle.

Because she thought Shen Yanting liked it, she wanted to give it to her.

Only now did Shen Yanting fully believe that Bo Xuenong’s declaration of wanting to be someone Shen Yanting loved came entirely from the heart. Bo Xuenong didn’t need freedom, or even life itself; she only wanted to stay with Shen Yanting forever… This was undoubtedly wrong, yet when such a burning heart, filled solely with devotion to her, was laid bare before her, Shen Yanting couldn’t help but feel a little dazed.

Bo Xuenong revered and loved her so deeply, but what about Shen Yanting?

She had killed Bo Xuenong’s fellow disciples, bound her, and even corrupted her.

Shen Yanting wanted to do something to make amends to Bo Xuenong, to ease the guilt pressing down on her heart.

If… if Bo Xuenong could never learn to cherish her own life, then Shen Yanting would cherish it for her.

Previously, Shen Yanting had only wanted Bo Xuenong to survive the trial. Now, she couldn’t help but wonder: if Bo Xuenong failed the trial, how could she possibly live?

Shen Yanting wasn’t trying to break her promise to Mo Tingshu and the others. She simply felt she could control Bo Xuenong. Perhaps, if she remained alive, Bo Xuenong wouldn’t be manipulated by her Bloodline into becoming a bloodthirsty, man-eating monster.

Perhaps.

“Master,” Bo Xuenong called out, waving the red veil in front of Shen Yanting’s eyes to rouse her from her reverie. “Master, we should be going.”

“Alright,” Shen Yanting replied, her gaze sweeping over the Storage Jade Bracelet on Bo Xuenong’s wrist, where her Lifebound Sword had just been stored. “Nong’er, when we return from the Heavenly Cuisine Sect, show me your sword.”

For sword cultivators, nothing was more precious than their Lifebound Sword—it was their very life.

This was why Shen Yanting had long suspected something was amiss with the Suspended Ink Sword back at the Imperial Tranquility Sect, yet had hesitated to ask Bo Xuenong to show it to her.

No one would willingly entrust their life to another’s hands, but she believed Bo Xuenong would be willing to give it to her.

Bo Xuenong’s reaction matched her expectations perfectly. She nodded readily. “Alright.”

After agreeing, Bo Xuenong placed the red veil over Shen Yanting’s head.

The crimson veil obscured Shen Yanting’s vision, but with a slight surge of spiritual power, she could see through the fabric. Bo Xuenong was tucking the red cloth into her robes, trying to hide it.

Bo Xuenong still hadn’t untied the red cloth. Could she really be planning to keep it so I can hold onto her whenever I want?

Shen Yanting’s eyebrow twitched. Before she could advise Bo Xuenong to untie the long strip of red cloth, Bo Xuenong had already picked up another red veil.

Looking delighted, Bo Xuenong tossed the veil into the air and stood beneath it, waiting for it to settle over her head.

But she had thrown it too high, causing the veil to float down slowly.

Bo Xuenong tilted her head back, watching the veil’s leisurely descent, and pursed her lips in annoyance.

Shen Yanting gently flicked her fingertips, sending a wisp of spiritual light toward the veil. It quickly guided the veil to land on Bo Xuenong’s head. Shen Yanting sank back into her seat, leaning against the table’s edge. Before the wooden figures arrived, she spoke one last time to Bo Xuenong: “Nong’er, you are very important to me.”

“Master!” Bo Xuenong’s face, hidden beneath the red veil, was distorted with joy. Her breathing quickened with excitement. “Thank you, Master!”

The veil concealed the fleeting tenderness and affection in Shen Yanting’s eyes. When Bo Xuenong finally snapped out of her overwhelming surprise and tried to look, Shen Yanting had already reverted to her usual demeanor—cold and detached.

Shen Yanting remained unaware of what she had missed. In her eyes, this was how Shen Yanting was supposed to be.

Shen Yanting’s words—”You are very important to me”—were enough to keep Bo Xuenong happy for a long time.

After they had each donned their bridal robes, the wooden figures arrived swiftly. Bo Xuenong dared not recklessly use her spiritual power to peer outside any longer, but she could sense the wooden figures first binding her with ropes, then Shen Yanting, and finally Liu Huairou.

If not for Shen Yanting’s plan, Bo Xuenong would have shattered the four wooden figures daring to bind her Yan Ting with ropes.

Their legs became entangled in a faint spiritual mist, and they were forced to line up and follow the four wooden figures out of the house, heading toward the village outskirts.

Gui Nianqin escorted them all the way to the village boundary, stopping at the Lanshou Village boundary marker. As Bo Xuenong and the others grew smaller in the distance, almost disappearing from sight, she couldn’t help but call out, “Live! You must live!”

Bo Xuenong and the others continued to follow the wooden figures forward. After walking some distance, Bo Xuenong detected the scent of Cultivators.

They made no attempt to conceal their auras, allowing Bo Xuenong to quickly assess their cultivation levels: six Golden Core cultivators and one Nascent Soul cultivator. A truly grand scheme, indeed. Yet what struck her as odd was the presence of a high-level Foundation Establishment cultivator among them.

The matter of Lanshou Village was of grave importance, with far-reaching implications. If word got out, not only would Gui Nianqin and her companions become targets, but the Heavenly Cuisine Sect would also become a public enemy, reviled by all. Logically, the Heavenly Cuisine Sect would only involve its Inner Sect members, with participation limited to Elders of exceptional strength and disciples of extraordinary Innate Talent. Even high-level Foundation Establishment cultivators couldn’t qualify for the Inner Sect of the Imperial Tranquility Sect, let alone the Heavenly Cuisine Sect, a first-rate Sect.

What was most peculiar was that the aura of the high-level Foundation Establishment cultivator felt strangely familiar, as if she had sensed it somewhere before.

“Senior Brother He, they’ve arrived!”

A deep, resonant male voice rang out. The four wooden figures leading the way simultaneously collapsed into pieces, and the ropes binding the women fell into the hands of the Foundation Establishment cultivator.

The cultivator who had just taken hold of the ropes yanked them sharply, causing Bo Xuenong, Bo Xue, and Xuenong to stumble violently, nearly falling.

Damn it.

Bo Xuenong’s heart surged with murderous intent, her frustration compounded by the red veil obscuring her vision, preventing her from seeing the face of the rope-puller.

Just as she was about to memorize the aura of the person pulling the rope, she heard him say, “Brother, this is the Spirit Supplement you mentioned. The Spiritual Qi is indeed incredibly dense. It’s a pity I just entered the Inner Sect; I wonder when I’ll be assigned one.”

That voice!

Bo Xuenong immediately recognized the Foundation Establishment cultivator as He Yongshi. She vividly remembered how he had pressured Shen Yanting to take him as a disciple. Now, he was one of the Heavenly Cuisine Sect’s culprits ravaging Lanshou Village. What a small world.

Back at the Imperial Tranquility Sect, Bo Xuenong had already wanted to kill him. Now, her desire to do so had only intensified.

The “brother” He Yongshi mentioned must be the one he had relied on to threaten Shen Yanting—He Yongda, the Heavenly Cuisine Sect Leader’s direct disciple and the top-ranked Heavenly Prodigy.

When Fu Yunqing first saw He Yongda’s name at the top of the Heavenly Pride Ranking in the Heavenly Talent Register, she had wondered if the Three Great Sects had run out of talent, allowing this Heavenly Cuisine Sect brat to claim the top spot. Now, it was clear that the Three Great Sects hadn’t lacked talent at all; rather, the Heavenly Cuisine Sect had resorted to trickery, exploiting the power of the Human Talisman.

He Yongda had always been remarkably kind to his younger brother. Not only had he secured He Yongshi’s entry into the Inner Sect shortly after his initiation, but he had also included him in this highly confidential mission. Hearing He Yongshi’s words, he generously replied, “You’re my brother. What’s mine is yours. My Spirit Supplement died years ago, and Master intends to assign me a new one. I’ll get to choose this year’s Spirit Supplement, and sharing it with you will undoubtedly help you break through quickly.”

“Thank you, Brother!” He Yongshi’s voice was brimming with excitement. “Brother, could we pick one out early? Maybe choose a particularly beautiful one?”

He Yongda chuckled. “No need. Elder Li has already arranged for someone to send Contending Blossom Talismans to that old crone. The talismans trick her into believing that the more beautiful the Spirit Supplement, the higher its chances of survival. The old crone is completely convinced. Every year, she uses the talismans to make the Spirit Supplements exceptionally vibrant before sending them out. Even the farmers sent to the Sect used to be ridiculously handsome.”

So it was true.

Gui Nianqin had indeed been deceived.

He Yongshi remained skeptical. “Really?”

“Of course. If you don’t believe me, just lift the veil and take a look.”

Lift the veil… He Yongshi knew Gui Nianqin and Shen Yanting. If he lifted the veil, they’d be exposed… He could strike right then and there.