137: Yun Qingyao

Three Hehuan Sect Disciples were escorting a clearly conscious female Cultivator toward a stone house. Although the female Cultivator was staggering, her eyes were exceptionally clear.

"Someone can actually resist this Medicinal Pill?" Lin Feng's pupils constricted slightly.

The female Cultivator suddenly broke free from her restraints, forming a Moon-Wheel-Shaped Magic Seal with both hands. Brilliant moonlight flowed from her fingertips, condensing into three crescent-shaped light blades in front of her.

"Moon Shadow Shuttle!" the female Cultivator exclaimed softly. The light blades spun, slashing toward the pink mist surrounding her. The moonlight collided with the pink mist, producing a clear sound like jade striking stone.

The Red-Robed Elder saw the female Cultivator escape, sneered, and flew out a Peach Blossom Mirror from his sleeve. The mirror reflected the female Cultivator's haggard face, and his voice carried a seductive tone: "Yun Qingyao, are you still foolishly imagining that Senior Brother Ling will come to save you?"

The female Cultivator's body trembled violently, and the moonlight suddenly dimmed. The Blue Marks on her neck flickered under the moonlight: "He said... he told me to come here to find him..."

"Utterly foolish!" The Elder lightly flicked the mirror surface, and the scene within the mirror instantly became clear. It showed a handsome White-Robed Cultivator entangled with two female Cultivators in a hot spring. One of the female Cultivators was wearing a crescent moon necklace familiar to Yun Qingyao.

The Cultivator frivolously lifted the female Cultivator's chin: "Compared to that Wooden Beauty Yun Qingyao, you two understand romance better."

A sweet complaint came from the female Cultivator in the mirror: "Didn't Senior Brother Ling say he loved Senior Sister Qingyao's Moonlight Body the most?"

"Moonlight Body?" The White-Robed Cultivator sneered, "It's nothing more than better Cauldron Materials. Once her Origin Qi is exhausted, I'll naturally discard her."

This scene caused Yun Qingyao to completely collapse. She knelt on the ground, the moonlight completely dissipated, and her voice was hoarse: "Three months ago... under the flowers and the moon, he said he wanted to become my Dao Companion, and even gave me a Love Token Medicinal Pill... It was all... fake..."

Su Sizhu shook her head slightly in the shadows and transmitted her voice, saying, "Another Fool trapped by love."

Lin Feng's gaze was solemn, lost in thought.

Just then, a delicate laugh came from deep within the valley. The White-Robed Cultivator was seen walking out of a Pavilion, embracing two dazed female Cultivators, his lapel still stained with hot spring water. The eyes of the female Cultivators he was holding were vacant, and faint blue-black marks were visible on their necks.

He saw Yun Qingyao kneeling on the ground, pushed away the female Cultivators he was holding, walked forward, and feigned surprise: "Junior Sister Qingyao, why are you here? Did you miss me?"

Yun Qingyao raised her head, her eyes filled with despair: "Senior Brother Ling... was the scene in the mirror... real?"

"Junior Sister Qingyao, why bother with these illusions?" Senior Brother Ling adjusted his lapel, a careless smile on his face. "It was just an Act for Cultivation."

Yun Qingyao trembled slightly: "That Love Token Medicinal Pill... was also an act?"

Senior Brother Ling's eyes flickered slightly, then he said gently, "That Medicinal Pill truly helps your Cultivation, how could I harm you?" He slowly approached. "Come, let me check your Cultivation Progress..."

Lin Feng noticed an abnormal Black Light emanating from Senior Brother Ling's fingertips and whispered, "He's about to make a move."

Just then, three streams of black light suddenly shot out from Senior Brother Ling's fingertips, striking Yun Qingyao's upper, middle, and lower vital points.

"Watch out!"

Lin Feng shot out seven Lightning Streaks from his hands. They tore through the air, arriving before the black light. The electrical light and the black light collided, producing a harsh cracking sound.

Seeing that Lin Feng had already made a move, Su Sizhu shot out her Silver Needle Magic Treasure, aiming for the major acupoints all over Senior Brother Ling's body.

Senior Brother Ling's face changed drastically. The Folding Fan Magic Treasure in his hand snapped open. The fan surface was painted with a seductive skull, and the ribs concealed a mechanism that shot out plumes of confusing smoke: "Who are you small fry, daring to ruin my good deed!"

The confusing smoke wrapped around Lin Feng, clearly containing Bone-Corroding Venom. Lin Feng changed his Sword Art, and his Wood Spiritual Qi transformed into a fine wooden net, completely isolating the smoke.

"Who exactly are you people?" Senior Brother Ling was both shocked and enraged. "You ruined my major plan; today, I guarantee you won't leave alive!"

"Senior Brother Ling!" Yun Qingyao suddenly cried out shrilly, "When you gave me that Medicinal Pill back then, did you have even a shred of sincerity?"

Senior Brother Ling laughed sinisterly: "Sincerity? You're just the best Cauldron Materials!" He waved his folding fan repeatedly, sending out several streams of Skull Black Qi, heading straight for Yun Qingyao. "Since you don't know how to appreciate kindness, don't blame me for being heartless!"

The last shred of hope in Yun Qingyao's eyes was completely extinguished. She bit the tip of her tongue, spitting out a mist of blood that stained the Moon-Wheel Magic Seal red:

"Cold Moon Burying Flowers!"

The Bloody Moonlight surged, instantly piercing Senior Brother Ling's heart Meridian. He looked down incredulously at the bloody hole in his chest, his body slowly collapsing: "You... how could you..."

"Go!" Lin Feng grabbed the weakened Yun Qingyao and rushed toward the Valley Entrance with Su Sizhu.

"Killing my Disciple, you won't escape!" The Red-Robed Elder's furious voice finally echoed from the valley.

Lin Feng once again formed a Magic Seal with one hand, activating the Formation Flags he had previously set up. With a loud shout, the previously visible Formation Patterns showed water-wave-like cracks that grew larger and larger, and the light barrier shattered like glazed tile.

The Red-Robed Elder's originally composed face suddenly froze. He stared disbelievingly at the shattered Formation, his fingers trembling slightly.

This Nine Bends Bewildering Formation was the result of thirty years of his painstaking research. Even a Core Formation Late Stage Cultivator would need some effort to break it. How could it be breached so easily?

"Could there be an Inside Mole?" The Red-Robed Elder scanned the Disciples in the valley. "But which of these Disciples has the ability to break this Formation? Or... did another Sect notice?"

This thought sent chills down his spine, and he couldn't help but stop. If another Sect truly intervened, this matter would be far more complicated than just losing one Disciple.

During the Red-Robed Elder's momentary hesitation, Lin Feng and Su Sizhu rapidly fled with the weakened Yun Qingyao. The three of them passed through the Dense Forest under the cover of night, only stopping in a hidden mountain cave after confirming there were no pursuers.

Yun Qingyao leaned against the rock wall, her face as pale as paper. She laboriously took out a Crescent Moon-Shaped Jade Pendant from her embrace. The pendant glowed faintly and warmly in the dark.

"Thank you both for saving me..." she said weakly. "I offer this item to you; it might be useful someday."

Su Sizhu hurriedly stepped forward to check her pulse, frowning deeper and deeper: "The Pill Poison in your body is deep; you must be treated immediately! But it's currently unclear how to cure this Pill Poison..." "No need," Yun Qingyao gently shook her head, a trace of black blood seeping from the corner of her lips. "The Cold Moon Burying Flowers I just used is a Forbidden Technique of my Sect. I must return immediately... otherwise, my Meridians will be completely severed."

Lin Feng noticed her fingertips trembling slightly as she spoke. The crescent moon jade pendant was engraved with strange patterns, unlike ordinary Sect Tokens.

"At least let us escort you part of the way," Su Sizhu insisted. "In your current state, traveling alone is too dangerous."

Yun Qingyao forced herself to stand upright, and a faint moonlight began to emanate from her body: "A Sect Secret Technique... will guide my return." She gazed deeply at Lin Feng. "I wish you both... to take care."

The moonlight grew brighter, and her figure gradually became transparent. Su Sizhu wanted to say something more, but Lin Feng gently stopped her.

"Since she has already decided, forcing her to stay is pointless."

The last bit of moonlight dissipated into the night. Only the crescent moon jade pendant remained in the cave, emitting a cold, clear halo in Lin Feng's palm.

Su Sizhu looked at the empty rock wall and sighed softly: "The backlash from that Forbidden Technique... I fear the worst."