56: Chapter 56 Hey! I'm not pretending anymore, I'm coming clean!

"Next month is the time for this year's Inner Sect Competition. When that time comes, you can post a bounty for golden beads. As long as the price is high enough, someone will definitely find them and deliver them to your door."

Zi Yun paused, then continued, "As for whether anyone can actually find them or bring them out, that's unknown. It'll depend on luck."

"Depend on luck?" Xiao Ye's mouth twitched. "Why does that sound so unreliable!"

"Then what do you want?"

"Are there many spiritual materials and treasures in the Trial Secret Realm?"

"Yes, plenty of them."

"Then can I go?"

"You?" Zi Yun looked him up and down, then burst out laughing. "You can't participate in the Inner Sect Competition!"

"Why?"

"I'm afraid you'll be beaten to death. Among the Inner Sect Disciples, there are those at Foundation Establishment Stage 5..."

The meaning was self-evident. Xiao Ye felt he was being looked down upon. He really wanted to deactivate the Tortoise Breathing Technique right now, release his true strength, and give this woman a real shock!

"You don't need to worry about that. It's just Foundation Establishment Stage 5; I can protect myself!"

"That still won't work. You are an Elder."

"Huh? So I can only post a bounty?" Xiao Ye looked like he had lost all hope in life.

Zi Yun's eyes darted around, and the corners of her mouth slowly curled up. Her smile was like that of a fox. "You really want to go? It's not like there isn't a way."

Xiao Ye's eyes lit up. "There really is a way?"

"Yes." Zi Yun nodded and slowly extended her index finger. "But you have to agree to one request first."

"Holy crap—woman, another request?" Xiao Ye took a step back, protecting his chest with both hands. "Don't go too far. Don't forget who helped you Breakthrough to the Golden Core Stage! Without me, you'd still be wandering around in Foundation Establishment!"

"Oh ho~ I'm going too far?" Zi Yun put her hands on her hips and tilted her chin up. "When you made me call you 'Daddy', why didn't you think that was going too far?"

Xiao Ye: "..."

He opened his mouth to retort, but found he couldn't squeeze out a single word.

At this moment, Xiao Ye felt a bit of regret. If only he hadn't played so many tricks back then, she wouldn't be remembering it for a lifetime. However satisfying it was to be called that before, it was just as embarrassing now.

"Come to my room tonight," Zi Yun said with a smile, a hint of cunning in her eyes. "Otherwise, don't even think about going to the Trial Secret Realm."

Xiao Ye was truly angry. This woman definitely wanted to take revenge for that night.

After all, that night, he had hurt her; that night, he had made her shed tears—yes, tears, pure tears, don't get the wrong idea.

"I'm telling you, Zi Yun, I, Xiao Ye, would rather die than agree to your terms!"

"Gutsy!" Zi Yun gave him a thumbs up. "Then you just wait and see if any Disciple can find the golden beads. Anyway, I'm not in a hurry; you're the one who's anxious."

"Holy crap, woman, you just wait!"

Xiao Ye was so angry his face turned green. He flicked his sleeves and left the Treasure Pill Hall in a huff.

That back view...

———

Midnight.

The moon was dark, the wind was high, and all was silent.

A sneaky figure hugged the base of the wall, tiptoeing his way to the front of Zi Yun's room door.

His steps were as light as a cat's, for fear of being seen.

He stood at the door for three seconds, taking a deep breath as if making a major life-or-death decision.

Then, he carefully pushed open the door.

The door opened with a "creak."

Candlelight flickered in the room. Zi Yun was sitting by the table, holding a cup of tea, looking at the door with a smile.

"Oh, isn't this our Grand Elder Xiao—" she drawled, her tone full of schadenfreude. "Didn't you say you'd rather die than come? What happened, died and came back to life?"

Xiao Ye stood at the door, his old face flushing bright red like a cooked shrimp.

He opened his mouth, and after a long struggle, managed to squeeze out one sentence:

"I... I'm here to borrow the bathroom." At this moment, he was so embarrassed he could have dug out a three-bedroom apartment with his toes.

Zi Yun: "...?"

She looked down at her room—did this room even have a bathroom?

Xiao Ye also realized he had made up an absurd excuse, so he simply gave up on appearances, sat down on a chair, and crossed his legs.

"Fine, tell me, what's the request. But let me say this first—calling me 'Daddy' is off the table."

Zi Yun pursed her lips and smiled, her eyes curving into crescents.

"Don't worry, I won't make you call me 'Daddy' this time."

She stood up, walked in front of Xiao Ye, leaned down, and whispered a few words.

After hearing them, Xiao Ye was completely stunned.

"That's it?"

A short while later, Xiao Ye was tied to the bed, his clothes half-undone.

"Are you ready? I'm starting now—"

Zi Yun had already changed into a black silk dress. Her allure, combined with her seductive eyes, was simply maxed out, enough to hook one's soul away.

But Xiao Ye's eyes weren't focused on that; instead, he was staring fixedly at the small... whip she held in her hand, his pupils trembling.

"You didn't mention using that just now."

"Well, I am now. You're already tied up by me, and you still want to negotiate?" Zi Yun smilingly waved the small... whip in her hand. "This is the Dragon-Binding Rope. Without Golden Core cultivation, you can't break free. Jie jie jie!"

In order to properly "discipline" Xiao Ye, she had even set up an Isolation Formation outside the room. Unless she opened it herself, people outside would have no idea what was happening inside.

"You liked being called 'Daddy', right? In a moment, see if I don't beat you until you call me 'Daddy'! Hahahaha—"

"Woman, don't play with fire! If you keep this up, I'm going to lose it!"

"What? You want to lose it? Hahahaha, go ahead and show me! Jie jie jie!"

With a "crack," the small... whip snapped loudly in Zi Yun's hand, almost hitting Xiao Ye's little brother.

"Holy crap—woman, let me go! Otherwise I'm really going to blow my top. When I blow my top, even I'm afraid of myself!"

"Then blow it~ crack~ blow it~" Zi Yun said while waving the small... whip, laughing even harder. "I just love seeing you blow your top!"

"Woman, you forced my hand—"

"Heh-ah!"

"Ah-ya-ya-ya-ya... Witness my ultimate evolution~"

Xiao Ye's entire body erupted with blood and Qi. He directly consumed twenty years of his lifespan to activate the Crimson Flame Blood-Burning Technique!

Xiao Ye's aura instantly surged, exploding with power that surpassed a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

With a "bang," the Dragon-Binding Rope was snapped directly, shattering into several pieces.

Zi Yun, holding the small leather whip, stood frozen in place, her brain completely crashing—

Who am I? Where am I? What did I just see?

Zi Yun stared at Xiao Ye, who was wreathed in crimson flames and looked like he had entered a Super Saiyan state, her mind full of question marks.

Just now, when Xiao Ye activated the Crimson Flame Blood-Burning Technique, she saw his exposed true cultivation—Foundation Establishment Great Perfection!

Then, this man actually erupted with power that only those in the Golden Core Stage possessed.

This left her dumbfounded.

He was clearly just at Foundation Establishment Stage 3 a moment ago, and now he's suddenly comparable to the Golden Core Stage?

Are you kidding me? Is this a joke? Is he using cheats?

"Woman, I originally wanted to get along with you as an ordinary person, but all I got in return was humiliation. Now—well, I'm showing my hand, I'm done pretending."