79: Humph! Want to escape?

Fang Yuan and Han Li were completely speechless.

They stared intently at Liu Lian's face, which was plastered with "I'm serious," and for a moment, they didn't know what to say.

"Liu Lian!"

Fang Yuan finally couldn't hold it in. He lowered his voice, almost squeezing out a few words through gritted teeth.

"We're here on a mission! Not for you to look at pretty girls! Can you be serious for once?"

"How am I not serious?"

Liu Lian retorted righteously, casually taking a sip from his wine glass.

"This is called delving into the Mortal World, experiencing all facets of life. It's part of Cultivating, understand? A bitter Cultivator like you, who only knows how to meditate and Cultivate all day, wouldn't understand such a profound Realm."

"You!"

Fang Yuan's face turned red with anger.

"Twisting words! Shameless!"

"Classmate Fang Yuan, this is what we call an unstable Dao Heart."

Liu Lian wagged his finger, wearing an expression that said, "You're still too young."

"We Cultivators should directly point to our true hearts. My heart is clear; to me, a mountain is a mountain, water is water, and a beautiful woman is naturally a beautiful woman. What's wrong with that? On the contrary, it's you who has a guilty conscience, which is why you think my looking at beautiful women is a problem."

"I..."

Fang Yuan was so choked by his twisted logic that he couldn't utter a single word for a long time, only gasping for breath.

Han Li rubbed his temples nearby, feeling a headache coming on.

He had figured it out: there was no reasoning with this Liu Lian fellow... Meanwhile.

In the hotel suite across the street.

Over a dozen students were gathered around a tablet computer, the screen clearly showing everything happening in the bar booth.

Liu Lian's "clear Dao Heart" remarks were transmitted verbatim through a miniature eavesdropping device.

"Pfft!"

A female classmate couldn't hold back anymore and burst out laughing.

"This Liu Lian, he's a real character! So good at bullshitting!"

"How come I feel like he's not acting?"

Another classmate whispered.

Lin Xiao didn't join the discussion. He looked at Xie Wangsheng, who had remained silent the entire time.

"Are these three people you arranged really reliable?"

Xie Wangsheng didn't look at him, his attention still on the tablet.

"Why wouldn't they be reliable?"

"Look at the three of them: one is a boisterous pervert, one is an awkward simpleton with an uncomfortable expression, and another is a street-smart person pretending to be mature. This noisy, chaotic combination—who would suspect they came with an agenda?"

Xie Wangsheng paused, then continued his analysis.

"In terms of ability, Liu Lian's Sword Cultivator is responsible for close-quarters assassination, Han Li's Talismans can handle various emergencies, and Fang Yuan's Spell Cultivator is the main attacker. They are the optimal assault team configuration."

He finally turned his head and glanced at Lin Xiao.

"If it were you and me, sitting there without saying a word, our aura alone would scream 'we're here to cause trouble.' Do you think the enemy would give us a chance to get close?"

Lin Xiao fell silent.

He had to admit, Xie Wangsheng was right.

He and Xie Wangsheng were indeed too unsociable.

"Classmate Xie is right," a female classmate interjected, "Lin Xiao, you and Xie Wangsheng are both too cold; it looks suspicious."

Lin Xiao, hearing this, began to seriously reflect on his own issues.

Just then, Xie Wangsheng's expression suddenly shifted.

He gestured for everyone to be quiet.

"Prepare."

"The fish have taken the bait."

...Inside the bar.

Three provocatively dressed women, holding wine glasses, walked directly to Fang Yuan's table.

The curly-haired woman leading them sat directly next to Liu Lian, a strong scent of perfume wafting over.

"Handsome, isn't drinking alone boring? Want to play with us sisters?"

Liu Lian's eyes instantly lit up. He excitedly leaned over immediately.

"Okay, okay! Beautiful sister, my name is Liu Lian, how should I address you?"

Another short-haired woman sat next to Han Li, her fingers lightly tracing his arm.

"You seem like you know how to have fun, unlike those two—one's a lecher, the other's a block of wood. Take us with you?"

Han Li skillfully played the role of an experienced Casanova, raising his glass and clinking it with hers.

"The beautiful lady jests; I call this appreciation. Unlike my two friends, one is too direct, the other too innocent."

The last woman, with long, straight hair, targeted Fang Yuan.

She sat close to Fang Yuan, her body almost pressing against his.

"Handsome, why haven't you said anything? Are you shy?"

Fang Yuan stiffened all over, his face flushed red, and he subconsciously tried to move away.

"You... don't get so close to me! Men and women should keep their distance!"

His words made the three women freeze, then burst into coquettish laughter.

Han Li quickly transmitted a message via Divine Thought.

"Fang Yuan! Act! Do you want to be exposed? Cooperate!"

Fang Yuan finally reacted. Though still uncomfortable, he bit the bullet and forced out a smile uglier than a cry.

"I... I'm just a little nervous."

The curly-haired woman no longer paid attention to Fang Yuan. She grabbed Liu Lian's arm, her breath like orchids.

"Come on, it's too noisy here. Sister will take you somewhere quiet, and we can have a good chat."

Liu Lian's face filled with joy. He stood up, ready to follow, not forgetting to wink at Han Li and Fang Yuan over his shoulder, his expression as smug as could be.

"Han Li! Fang Yuan! I'm off first!"

"Stop!"

Fang Yuan suddenly stood up, wanting to stop him.

The long-haired woman, however, reached out and pressed his shoulder.

"What's the rush? It's your friend's good fortune to go have fun with us."

Han Li also gave Fang Yuan a restraining gesture, telling him to calm down.

Fang Yuan had no choice but to sit back down, but he remained in a tense state... In the luxurious private room on the second floor of the bar.

The moment the door closed, the deafening music was cut off.

The curly-haired woman released Liu Lian's hand, the charming smile on her face vanishing, replaced by an undisguised greed.

She stuck out her tongue, licking her scarlet lips, and scrutinized Liu Lian from head to toe.

"Handsome, your physique is really good, full of Yang Qi. Sister likes it very much."

She advanced step by step, full of aggression.

"Tonight, Sister will have a good 'play' with you."

Liu Lian's excitement and lewdness also vanished instantly.

He calmly looked at the woman in front of him, his previous frivolous demeanor completely gone.

His expression became extremely cold.

"Play with me?"

"Using my flesh, blood, and Divine Soul to refine a human elixir, does that qualify as 'playing'?"

The woman's expression suddenly froze.

Her greed and desire, at that moment, all turned into unbelievable horror.

"You... how could you..."

Before she finished speaking, her body suddenly transformed into a dense black mist, shooting towards the window!

"Hmph! Trying to escape?"

Liu Lian's eyes showed disdain.

"Clang!"

A clear, resonant sword cry echoed in the private room.

The black mist suddenly paused in mid-air, then was instantly pierced by a blindingly fast sword light!

The black mist shrieked, re-condensed into the woman's form, and fell heavily to the ground. In her chest, a transparent hole was slowly healing.

And at her neck, a long sword, gleaming with cold light, rested steadily.