The Villain Marked the Protagonist's Fiancée (Through the Book) - Chapter 20

Yun Xiao’s prolonged absence stirred Fang Zhiluo’s unease.

Heeding Chu Hui’s suggestion, she led her disciples to pursue Yun Xiao, hoping to offer assistance.

She wouldn’t have made this decision for any ordinary Demonic Beast, but the Phantom Beast’s ability to trap others in Illusion Realms with the slightest misstep made caution paramount.

As they advanced, the miasma gradually thinned.

Suddenly, a disciple exclaimed, “Martial Aunt Fang, look at all these Spirit Herbs!”

The group approached to find the entire area carpeted with Mid-Grade Spirit Herbs, interspersed with a few High-Grade Spirit Herbs.

Fang Zhiluo immediately raised a hand to stop her disciples from harvesting the herbs. She cautiously extended her Divine Sense to scan the surroundings, detecting a Seventh-Tier Demonic Beast lurking in the shadows.

She transmitted a silent command to the group: “Five Golden Core Stage disciples, stand guard. The rest, harvest the Spirit Herbs.”

Leaving Bai Mofeng with a Sixth-Tier Defensive Formation Plate, she cast a spell to lure the Seventh-Tier Demonic Beast away.

Meanwhile, Yun Xiao, who had been pursuing the Phantom Beast, had successfully located its cave.

Gazing at the mountain of Storage Pouches piled in a corner, she rubbed her hands together excitedly. “Jackpot! Jackpot!”

Yet she didn’t rush to claim the pouches. This Eighth-Tier Phantom Beast was too cunning to simply discard such valuable items like trash. Moreover, her intuition told her that these pouches weren’t the greatest treasure of this expedition.

Having previously explored the Heaven-Devouring Giant Wolf’s cave, Yun Xiao approached this investigation with meticulous care.

She finally sensed a Formation on the Phantom Beast’s bed. This Formation was far more concealed than any she had encountered before; had she not been so thorough in her search, she might have missed this hidden mechanism entirely.

“Think this can stop me? Let me show you what a cheat code really means.” As she spoke, she reached out to touch the Formation.

As before, the Formation proved no match for her. Her hand passed effortlessly through it.

Without hesitation, Yun Xiao unleashed a barrage of attacks against the Formation.

Confirming that the Phantom Beast wasn’t within the Formation, she confidently stepped inside.

Whoa, the Spiritual Energy here is incredibly dense! Her eyes swept across the scene, taking in a landscape teeming with High-Grade and Top-Grade spirit herbs.

How could she remain calm? She eagerly reached out to pluck the top-grade spirit herbs.

I can’t dig them all up! There are just too many!

Are there really this many top-grade spirit herbs?

The moment this question arose, Yun Xiao’s initial excitement vanished, replaced by rational thought.

She glanced down at her hand. These weren’t top-grade spirit herbs at all—they were just worthless weeds.

Pretending to still be trapped in the Illusion Realm, she continued to smile foolishly as she pulled up the weeds, all while discreetly searching for the Phantom Beast’s trail.

Wait… is that milky-white liquid bubbling up from that bathtub-sized pit a Spirit Spring? Judging by the concentration of Spiritual Energy, it’s at least High-Grade, possibly even higher.

No wonder the Phantom Beast had endured her earlier antics without retaliating.

With this realization, Yun Xiao leaped toward the Spirit Spring.

Before she could approach, the Phantom Beast burst from its hiding place, baring its fangs and snarling fiercely in an attempt to scare her away.

Yun Xiao scoffed. “Those pathetic tricks won’t protect this Spirit Spring. Here’s a deal: let me take two buckets of the spring water and guide me to some Heavenly Treasures, and I’ll leave the Spirit Spring to you.”

The Phantom Beast flew into a rage, leaping up and down while emitting continuous squeaks, as if mocking Yun Xiao’s delusional proposal.

Yun Xiao shrugged indifferently. “Not interested? Fine. I’ll kill you, and not only will the Spirit Spring be mine, but the treasures beneath it will be too.”

According to the original owner’s memories, Spirit Springs originated in one of two ways: either they were located above High-Grade Spirit Veins that had developed Spirit Consciousness, or they were formed above buried Top-Grade or even Immortal-Grade treasures.

Regardless of the cause, claiming the Spirit Spring would inevitably create a massive commotion, drawing the attention of everyone in the Secret Realm.

Even if she could fend off the inevitable attempts to seize it within the Secret Realm, what about after she left?

Every major Sect had Divine Transformation or even higher-level powerhouses guarding their territories. She stood no chance against those ancient monsters.

Her words were merely a ploy to persuade the Phantom Beast to accept her terms.

If the Phantom Beast dared to refuse, Yun Xiao would destroy the Spirit Spring rather than leave it for the creature.

Serves it right for not knowing when to quit.

The Phantom Beast stopped its ranting and paced back and forth, pondering Yun Xiao’s words.

Having made its decision, it gestured wildly, demanding that Yun Xiao swear a Demonic Heart Oath.

Yun Xiao summoned a Thunder as thick as a water bucket, her expression a mix of amusement and disdain. “Do you really think you have a choice?”

She had already made concessions. For the Phantom Beast to push its luck and demand a Demonic Heart Oath was absurd. She would never grant its wish.

In the end, the Phantom Beast relented. True to her word, Yun Xiao only took two large barrels of Spirit Spring.

Following behind the Phantom Beast, bound by her Immortal-Binding Rope, Yun Xiao harvested over thirty top-grade spirit herbs from the area. She also stumbled upon a rare treasure herb, its specific uses currently unknown. She decided to research it later, after leaving the Secret Realm.

Yanking the Phantom Beast forward, Yun Xiao pressed her advantage. “I have the spirit herbs now. All I need is a decent weapon. Figure something out.”

The Phantom Beast shrieked and cursed Yun Xiao for her shamelessness.

Helpless, with its life hanging by a thread, the Phantom Beast reluctantly retrieved a pitch-black sword from its Inner Space and tossed it to Yun Xiao.

Yun Xiao picked it up and examined it with her Spirit Consciousness. Beyond top-grade.

“Alright, stop cursing. I’ll release you once we’re out of here,” she said, her tone shifting abruptly. “Oh, and by the way, all the Storage Pouches in your Cave Abode are mine now.”

After exiting the Phantom Beast Cave, she glanced back, but there was no trace of the cave left.

She chuckled softly. “This Phantom Beast is surprisingly vigilant.”

Crap, the Azure Cloud Sect male disciple!

Yun Xiao used the Light Body Technique to travel a few miles before Chu Hui’s startled cry reached her ears.

“Senior Yun!” Chu Hui rushed forward, her face lighting up with joy. “Thank goodness you’re finally here! You have no idea how worried we’ve been, especially Martial Aunt Fang. She hasn’t stopped frowning these past two days. She—”

Fang Zhiluo, who had hurried over at the sound of Chu Hui’s voice, interrupted sharply, “Chu Hui.”

Chu Hui pouted, muttering under her breath, “See? She’s getting flustered. She usually calls me Junior Niece Chu.”

Fang Zhiluo shot Chu Hui a sharp glare before turning her gaze to Yun Xiao. Seeing no injuries on Yun Xiao, her heart finally settled. Her voice was stiff as she said, “I’m glad you’re safe.”

Yun Xiao hadn’t missed Chu Hui’s words. The upward curve of her lips betrayed her delight as she confessed, “I followed the Phantom Beast to its Cave Abode and made quite the haul.”

With that, she retrieved several High-Grade spirit swords from her Storage Pouch—swords far superior to any she could craft—and tossed them to Chu Hui. “Take these and share them with your fellow disciples.”

Chu Hui gratefully accepted the swords. “Thank you, Senior Yun.”

As Chu Hui walked away, Yun Xiao pulled out another Storage Pouch and handed it to Fang Zhiluo. “I could forget anyone, but never A’Luo.”

Fang Zhiluo had noticed the quality of the spirit swords Yun Xiao had given Chu Hui and believed she had indeed made a significant discovery. Without standing on ceremony, she accepted the pouch generously. “After we leave, I’ll craft two Seventh-Tier Formation Disks for you.”

Previously, her cultivation level had made crafting Seventh-Tier Formation Disks somewhat challenging. Now, however, she was confident she could produce a wider variety of formation plates.

“Sounds good,” Yun Xiao replied with a smile.

“I’ve been patrolling the area these past few days and haven’t found any other Demonic Beasts nearby. You mentioned you only came here while chasing the Phantom Beast, so its cave must be close by,” Fang Zhiluo said, her gaze fixed ahead. “Demonic Beasts are fiercely territorial. I have a faint sense that a creature with cultivation surpassing the Phantom Beast’s is lurking in the shadows, watching us.”

Yun Xiao’s smile faded. “I’ll go scout ahead.”

Fang Zhiluo reached out and gripped Yun Xiao’s arm, shaking her head. “Don’t spook it. The immediate priority is figuring out how to secure the disciples’ safety.”

For the past two days, she had been wrestling with this dilemma.

Sending the disciples away risked their safety.

But if she didn’t, the Demonic Beast lurking nearby was formidable. If a confrontation became inevitable, she feared she wouldn’t be able to handle it alone.

Yun Xiao noticed Fang Zhiluo’s worry and reminded her, “A’Luo, you can protect them for a while, but not forever. They need to grow.”

“I understand the logic, but…” Fang Zhiluo trailed off, afraid to voice her fear of losing even one disciple, as each loss would be a blow to the Sect.

Yun Xiao’s mouth twisted with bitterness. A’Luo has never cared about me this much. Why should these weaklings deserve such concern?

Feeling increasingly resentful, she pulled out a Spirit Fruit and took a large, angry bite.

Hmm, still tastes the same.

“Instead of agonizing over this, let’s give them the choice,” Yun Xiao suggested. “As you once said, cultivators must advance fearlessly, never retreating in the face of danger.” As she spoke, she strode toward Chu Hui.

The Azure Cloud Sect disciples rose to their feet, offering thanks.

Yun Xiao waved them off, pulled two handfuls of Spirit Fruits from her Storage Pouch, and handed them to Bai Mofeng. “Go, distribute these.”

These were Mid-Grade Sour Spirit Fruits, still remarkably fresh thanks to Yun Xiao’s careful preservation, even after more than a year.

The disciples, caught off guard, eagerly bit into the Spirit Fruits. The intense sourness filled their mouths, leaving them unable to swallow or spit it out.

Fang Zhiluo approached and noticed the disciples’ twisted expressions. Her gaze fell on the Spirit Fruits in their hands, and her lips twitched. “How many of these Spirit Fruits did you pick?” she asked.

“Want one? I have more,” Yun Xiao said, pulling out the largest fruit and offering it to Fang Zhiluo with earnest sincerity.

Fang Zhiluo quickly sidestepped, refusing. “No need. Only you seem to enjoy this peculiar sourness.”

The Heavenly Origin Realm wasn’t without sour Spirit Fruits, but those fruits had a palatable tartness. This Sour Spirit Fruit, however, was purely sour, lacking even a hint of sweetness. After just one bite, the flesh became impossible to chew.

Chu Hui initially suspected Yun Xiao was deliberately teasing them by giving them such sour fruit. But when she saw Yun Xiao offer the same fruit to Fang Zhiluo, she immediately dismissed the thought.

Senior Yun is fiercely protective of Martial Aunt Fang. She would never tease her. Senior Yun’s sense of taste must simply be different from ordinary people’s.

With this thought, she successfully convinced herself, stuffed the remaining Sour Spirit Fruit into her mouth, and swallowed it whole.

The other disciples followed suit, finishing their Sour Spirit Fruits with bitter resentment.

The fruit’s image was now seared into their minds; at the next encounter, they would undoubtedly flee as far as possible.

Seeing how obedient and sensible the disciples were, Yun Xiao felt a pang of guilt. She rummaged through her Storage Pouch and pulled out eight crimson Auspicious Fortune Fruits, handing them out.

These High-Grade Auspicious Fortune Fruits could help low-level cultivators break through bottlenecks when consumed.

Chu Hui’s eyes sparkled like stars as she eagerly volunteered, “Senior, I’ll distribute these to my junior brothers and sisters immediately.”

Fang Zhiluo glanced sideways at Yun Xiao, puzzled. Giving away High-Grade Spirit Fruits so casually, and eight at once—how deep must her reserves be to squander them so lavishly?

“Oh, and one for my A’Luo too.” Just like the Sour Spirit Fruit, the Auspicious Fortune Fruit Yun Xiao gave Fang Zhiluo was particularly large and crimson.

Fang Zhiluo accepted the fruit and addressed the eager disciples, “The obstacles ahead will only grow more perilous. A single misstep could lead to your demise. Do you still wish to continue following me?”

None of them were fools; they understood the gravity of Fang Zhiluo’s words. Yet not a single one hesitated. Their eyes burned with resolve as they answered in unison.

“We’re willing!”

Fang Zhiluo’s heart was heavy with conflicting emotions, yet she respected her disciples’ choice. Her voice rang out sternly, “Very well. Summon every ounce of your focus and continue onward.”

Her apprehension proved justified. After traveling another hundred kilometers, the sensation of being watched intensified.

She raised her hand to halt the group, her gaze fixed warily on the dense forest five kilometers ahead.

Yun Xiao sensed it too, turning to meet Fang Zhiluo’s eyes.

No words were spoken, yet everything was communicated.

Understanding her intent, Fang Zhiluo tossed out two Sixth-Tier Formation Plates—one designed for attack, the other for defense.

Yun Xiao swallowed a Concealment Pill, tore off a Swift Travel Talisman, and darted toward the hidden Demonic Beast.

The closer she got, the more her heart pounded. The sheer intensity of the creature’s aura suggested it was far beyond Ninth-Tier—likely Tenth-Rank, equivalent to a late-stage Divine Transformation Realm Cultivator.

She braked abruptly, scanning her surroundings vigilantly as she retreated.

Moo…

The aura intensified, sending goosebumps prickling across Yun Xiao’s skin. She’d been discovered.

Planting her feet, she drew her newly acquired spiritual sword, her battle intent surging.

It wasn’t that she craved battle, but if she retreated, A’Luo and the Azure Cloud Sect disciples would surely suffer. Better to confront this Tenth-Rank Azure Bull Beast head-on.

Even if she couldn’t defeat it, she could at least buy time to warn A’Luo.

Within a dozen breaths, the colossal Azure Bull Beast burst from the depths of the forest, the ground trembling with each thunderous stride.