87: Chapter 87 This is way too much!

Cao Kun put away the chaos remnant sword, and a wisp of Chaos Qi overflowed from his fingertip.

With a flick of his finger, it accurately entered Ji Jinian's Dantian, completely sealing his Qi Sea.

After finishing this, Yu Linglong, Leng Qingyue, Qin Canglan, and three other Peak Revered Masters of the Early Nascent Soul Stage had already landed on the deck of the flying boat.

"It's good that everyone is here." Cao Kun clapped his hands, pointed at Ji Jinian at his feet, and said in a relaxed tone, "Just now, Young Master Ji laid his cards on the table with me."

"He said it wasn't easy to travel such a long distance with so many betrothal gifts, and he really wanted to experience the unique local customs of our Hehuan Sect."

Hearing this, the faces of the three elderly Peak Revered Masters behind Qin Canglan changed simultaneously. They usually focused on Cultivation and were relatively conservative in their thinking. They exchanged glances.

The Peak Revered Master on the left, whose hair was half-white, braced herself and stepped forward. "Elder Cao... please think twice!"

She glanced at Ji Jinian on the ground, her throat bobbing. "Those two hired Guest Elders, killing them is one thing; the Ji Family might not go to war with us over two outsiders."

"But this Ji Jinian is, after all, the legitimate eldest son of the Ji Family."

"If he is really treated as a Cauldron and his cultivation is drained dry, then we will truly have formed an irreconcilable blood feud with the Ji Family!"

Another Peak Revered Master wearing a dark green dress also hurriedly stepped forward to agree. "That's right, Elder Cao! If Ji Jinian does not return to his Family for a long time, the Ji Family will sooner or later go to the Miaoyin Sect to inquire."

"Following the clues to find our Hehuan Sect is a certainty. If word leaks out and provokes that Soul Transformation Old Ancestor of the Ji Family to come out personally, none of us in the Hehuan Sect can withstand that old monster's wrath!"

The third, slightly plump Peak Revered Master saw that Cao Kun was not speaking and assumed he had listened. She quickly followed the step and offered a compromise.

"Elder Cao, why not... why not lock this kid in the dark prison first? Keep him fed and well-treated as a hostage. Even if the Ji Family really comes to our door to demand him later, we will at least have a bargaining chip in our hands, which can also preserve a glimmer of survival for the Sect."

The three of them spoke one after another, displaying cowardice and concession to the fullest. In their view, no matter how Heaven-Defying Cao Kun's combat power was, he was only at the Late Golden Core Stage. Facing the Soul Transformation Stage was simply a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

Cao Kun finished listening to the three's repeated remonstrances. The smile on his face gradually faded. He couldn't help but sneer inwardly. Have these three old hags stayed on the mountain for too long, causing their brains to atrophy?

When others came to the door to forcibly snatch people, you didn't dare to make a peep. Now that I have solved the trouble, you jump out to teach me how to do things?

Still keeping him as a hostage? There is no such tenderness in the world of Cultivation. Releasing a tiger back to the mountain is something only a brain-dead person would do.

Just as Cao Kun was about to speak up and tell these three idiots to shut up, "Presumptuous!" A dignified and sharp shout rang out on the deck.

Qin Canglan had long held a high position, and her ability to read the situation was masterful. Just a moment ago, seeing Cao Kun's eyes turn cold, she realized something was wrong.

Things had reached this point; the Hehuan Sect and the Ji Family had long torn off their masks, and there was simply no room for maneuver. At this moment, she must not let Cao Kun develop any grudges against the Sect!

A peerless Prodigy who could push his cultivation to the Golden Core Late Stage Peak in a few days and kill two Early Nascent Soul Stage cultivators with a casual sword strike. As long as he was given time, what was the Soul Transformation Stage? If she didn't cling to this thigh tightly now, was she supposed to wait until she was kicked away later?

Qin Canglan stepped forward, her phoenix eyes filled with might, and she scolded sharply, "Women's views! Utterly foolish!"

"They have already stepped on our Hehuan Sect's mountain gate to defecate, and you are still here hesitating!" "If it weren't for Elder Cao's action today, the face of our Hehuan Sect would have been completely lost!"

"This kid from the Ji Family dared to covet our Sect's Prodigy; he deserves to die!" "Since he wants to experience it, then we will do as Elder Cao says!" "Throw him into the lowest level of the servant dungeon. Let him have a good experience!"

Qin Canglan's voice was resolute, with no room for maneuver. After reprimanding the three Peak Revered Masters, Qin Canglan turned around. Facing the thousands of Hehuan Sect Disciples and deacon Elders below, she infused the Spiritual Qi of the Nascent Soul Late Stage into her voice, which spread to every corner of the Hehuan Sect.

"Hear the decree of this Sect Master!" "Elder Cao Kun has contributed to protecting the Sect, possesses outstanding combat power, and is a peerless Prodigy that our Hehuan Sect has not seen in ten thousand years!" "From today on, Cao Kun is officially promoted to the Grand Elder of our Hehuan Sect!"

"He shall govern the Inner Sect and hold the power of life and death!" "His status is equal to this Sect Master!" "Throughout the Sect, seeing Grand Elder Cao is like seeing me personally!"

In the world of Cultivation, the strong are respected. Cao Kun's sword strike just now had completely conquered everyone. As soon as these words were spoken, the thousands of Disciples and deacons below knelt down in unison, kowtowing toward the flying boat in mid-air.

"Greetings, Grand Elder Cao!" "Grand Elder is mighty!" The sound waves were like a tide, deafening.

Listening to the shouts below, Cao Kun raised an eyebrow. He didn't care much about the empty title of Grand Elder. No matter how loud the reputation was, it wasn't as practical as the Spirit Stones in his pocket.

Cao Kun raised his hand, and two blood-stained Storage Rings, plus the one worn on Ji Jinian's severed hand, flew into his palm at the same time. He casually wiped away the Divine Sense imprints on them and sent a wisp of Divine Sense into the rings.

Good heavens, they were worthy of being Guest Elders for the Ji Family; their wealth was truly substantial. The two of them together had nearly a million Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, plus various Grade 6 Medicinal Pills and Artifact Refining Materials.

And the ring of Ji Jinian, this Young Master of the Ji Family, was even more exaggerated. Inside, there were not only more than 30,000 Top-Grade Spirit Stones but also several high-grade defensive Magic Treasures and over a dozen rare Talismans used for saving one's life. This haul was truly overflowing with wealth.

Cao Kun happily put the three rings into his pocket. As for handing them over to the Sect treasury? That didn't exist; whatever reached his hands was his.

After finishing all this, Cao Kun looked up at Qin Canglan beside him. "Sect Master Qin. I can't be bothered to take this broken boat and these scraps back. Consider it as the construction fee donated to the Sect by me, the newly appointed Grand Elder. Sect Master Qin, handle it as you see fit."

Although these betrothal gifts were valuable, he had already taken the three core Storage Rings, eating the biggest chunk of meat. As for this flying boat, it was indeed a rare flying Magic Treasure. But driving such a large flying boat around was too conspicuous and clumsy. It was better to do a favor. Since Qin Canglan was so sensible and supported him publicly, he had to give her some benefits.

Sure enough, Qin Canglan's eyes lit up when she heard this. The look she gave Cao Kun was already filled with affection. A sincere and bright smile bloomed on her mature, beautiful face. "Then Canglan thanks Grand Elder Cao for the reward~"

The three conservative Peak Revered Masters saw this scene and regretted it deeply. If they had known Cao Kun was so generous, they would have joined in to curse Ji Jinian just now!

"I will trouble the Sect Master to clean up the remaining mess." After saying that, Cao Kun wrapped his left arm around Yu Linglong's slender waist and his right arm around Leng Qingyue's fragrant shoulder, ripples of Spiritual Qi spreading under his feet. Taking these two top-grade beauties, one big and one small, he headed straight for Lianxiang Peak.

On the way, Cao Kun calculated quickly in his mind. Ji Jinian was captured, and the two Guest Elders died miserably. Although the Ji Family did not keep the life-soul tablets of these two and would not be able to detect it in the short term, this was ultimately a ticking time bomb.

Once the time of Ji Jinian's loss of contact became too long, the head of the Ji Family would definitely send people to the Miaoyin Sect to look for him. As soon as they asked, they would know Ji Jinian had been to the Hehuan Sect. A Soul Transformation Stage Old Ancestor. Although he could kill an Early Nascent Soul Stage cultivator in seconds, he was really not confident against the Soul Transformation Stage. The chasm between Realms became a world of difference the higher one went.

Time was tight. Upon returning, he would have Yu Linglong take the barrier-breaking pill and the advancement pill to attempt a Breakthrough to Soul Transformation. As long as Yu Linglong reached Soul Transformation and then fed back her Spiritual Qi to him through the Chaotic Heavenly Fox Body, his cultivation would also rise accordingly.

"Revered Master~" Yu Linglong sensed Cao Kun's burning gaze and snuggled her delicate body into his arms. "Why are you looking at Linglong like that? Are you... wanting to do it again?" "I want to. Of course I do. We'll get down to business when we get back." Leng Qingyue listened from the side, her cheeks burning, feeling a vague sense of anticipation. Are we going to be with Revered Master again...

The servant dungeon in the back mountain of the Hehuan Sect. It never saw the light of day all year round. The damp air was mixed with the smell of mold and rot. The surrounding stone walls were covered with slippery moss, and water droplets fell with a pitter-patter sound along the rock crevices.

"Cough, cough..." In the dim stone chamber, Ji Jinian slowly woke up. Excruciating pain came from his left face and severed wrist. "Hiss—my hand! My hand!" Ji Jinian's face twisted in pain, and he tried to circulate the Spiritual Qi in his body to heal his wounds. However, the next second, he discovered in horror that his Dantian and Qi Sea were dead silent, and he couldn't even mobilize a shred of Spiritual Qi. His cultivation had been sealed!

And his limbs were locked to the four corners of the stone bed with thick black iron chains. Just then, a rustling sound of footsteps came. Using the faint firelight on the wall, Ji Jinian finally saw what these people looked like. They were not the enchanting female cultivators of the Hehuan Sect. They were a group of old hags! There were at least twenty or thirty of them!

Their faces were full of wrinkles, their hair was sparse and gray, and their gray servant clothes were tattered. Some had even lost all their teeth, and their mouths were shriveled and sunken. They were all marginalized figures in the Hehuan Sect with extremely poor Aptitude, their cultivation stuck at the Qi Refinement Stage for their entire lives, unable to make any progress. Because they had no utilization value, they were arranged in the dark prison to do dirty and tiring work. Usually, they hadn't even touched a man's hand, let alone Dual Cultivation. In this dark, sunless dungeon, they had withered away for decades.

At this moment, these dozens of old women were gathered around the stone bed. In their dozens of murky eyes, faint green lights were glowing. Drool dripped from their shriveled corners of their mouths onto the stone bed. "Slurp..." An old woman with white hair and a hunched back wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth. "I haven't seen such a fresh man in decades." "I heard from above that he is even at the Golden Core Stage!" "A Golden Core Stage Cauldron!"

Another old woman with only a few teeth left rubbed her hands excitedly. "If we eat this piece of Tang Monk meat, maybe our old bones can live another twenty or thirty years!" "You... what are you going to do?" Looking at these old women who were like wolves and tigers, their eyes glowing green, Ji Jinian finally realized something, and he was scared to the point of Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering. "Don't come over... get away! All of you, get away!" "I am the Young Lord of the Ji Family! You old monsters, don't touch me! Ugh—"

Ji Jinian struggled desperately, the iron chains rattling. At this moment, the fear in his heart completely overwhelmed the pain of his severed wrist. This was ten thousand times more cruel than killing him! "Little young man, don't be afraid. This old woman will be very gentle~" "No—!!!" Accompanied by the final heart-wrenching, tragic scream, the Hehuan Sect's specialty. The eldest Young Master of the Ji Family had truly experienced it today.

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Yu Linglong