21: Chapter 0021 Powerful

The scene was deathly silent.

Zhou Guanlian took two slaps and didn't dare to utter a word.

This was the nature of the cultivation world: strength was respected, and the weak were only fit to look up to the strong.

Qin Yao spoke loudly, not only as a warning to Zhou Guanlian but also to all the female Disciples of Hehuan Peak.

Gu Huan was her exclusive Cauldron; anyone who targeted him would be her enemy.

Such a dominant declaration.

Many female Disciples found it inconceivable.

Was it necessary to offend fellow Disciples for a mere Cauldron?

Her answer was: Yes, it was!

Gu Huan's importance outweighed these fellow Disciples because the improvement he brought was tangible.

"Qin Yao is actually standing up for a Cauldron and isn't afraid to fall out with Zhou Guanlian. Is she crazy?"

"Hard to say if she's crazy, but look at Qin Yao's cultivation—she's at the eleventh level of Qi Refining."

These words jolted everyone awake like a dream.

The expressions of the female Disciples present shifted one after another.

In less than half a year since obtaining the Cauldron, her cultivation had progressed by leaps and bounds, breaking through from the ninth level to the eleventh level of Qi Refining.

Barring any accidents.

She would surely secure a spot in the top thirty-two of this Great Competition. A Genius Cultivator with hopes of Foundation Establishment was not someone to be easily offended.

For a moment.

The surroundings became quiet as a winter cicada.

No one dared to speak up or gossip.

Not far away, Liu Zhu stood gracefully. Her delicate face still bore the moist glow of having reached the peak. Seeing Qin Yao stand up for Gu Huan, she felt a sudden surge of panic.

"I'm doomed."

"I didn't expect Senior Sister Qin to value Master so much. If our affair is exposed, will she slap me?"

Liu Zhu cupped her cheeks with her hands.

Feeling a faint, phantom pain.

Although it was Gu Huan's command, the fact remained that she had betrayed Qin Yao completely.

"I can only trust Master now. He must protect Zhuer when the time comes. I didn't betray Senior Sister Qin on purpose."

Liu Zhu knew full well how terrifying Qin Yao could be.

Liu Zhu had experienced it firsthand.

She was an enchantress who had killed six Blood Spirit Sect Disciples in a row; provoking her would have severe consequences.

Similarly.

At the summit of Hehuan Peak, another woman watched this scene coldly. She was Song Yuchan, with a face of peerless beauty and an immortal-like aura, her dark hair and robes fluttering in the wind.

"A superfluous person."

Leaving those words behind, she rose on her sword and disappeared toward Wangqing Peak.

After a while.

The farce ended, and Hehuan Peak returned to tranquility.

However, Qin Yao's dominance made many feel a strong sense of crisis.

There were only thirty-two spots in the Great Competition. If someone moved in, someone else would be pushed out. No one wanted to be the unlucky one; otherwise, they would have to wait another three years for the next opportunity.

...

Jile Peak.

The residence of outer sect male Disciples.

In Li Yunlu's Immortal Cave, Hong Tao was dressed in red, looking gorgeous.

"Reporting to Young Master, I have followed orders to investigate Lvzhu's disappearance, and I have found some clues."

"Sister Hong Tao, the Young Master says: speak." A charming female voice relayed the message for Li Yunlu.

Hong Tao was used to this.

She took out a partially damaged Magical Artifact and had a maid present it behind the screen.

"This is the Medium Grade Magical Artifact Lvzhu used. Although more than half of it is destroyed, it can still be vaguely identified. I found it in a desolate stone cave, along with traces of a burned corpse."

Lvzhu was dead.

It was absolutely certain.

Li Yunlu had already accepted this fact and was furious; Lvzhu was one of his favorite maids.

"Have you found out who did it?"

"That Cauldron doesn't have the strength to kill Lvzhu, so I boldly speculate it must have been done by his owner, Qin Yao."

"Qin Yao? It's her?"

Li Yunlu was no stranger to this name and would occasionally mention it.

If not for Song Yuchan being so dazzlingly beautiful that she overshadowed the other outer sect female Disciples, a woman like Qin Yao would never have escaped his grasp.

"Precisely."

"After Lvzhu went missing, Qin Yao returned to Hehuan Peak. It's too much of a coincidence. I have reason to suspect she acted in secret to protect her Cauldron."

Hong Tao explained.

Li Yunlu immediately flew into a rage.

"Is she blind? Doesn't she know Lvzhu is my maid? How dare she kill her for a lowly Cauldron? Is she crazy?"

Hong Tao had expected this.

She defended herself calmly.

"Young Master might not know, but Hehuan Peak was very lively today."

"Women are naturally fond of gossip and excitement. What does this have to do with Qin Yao?" Li Yunlu asked irritably.

"Don't be anxious, Young Master. I have invited Junior Sister Zhou Guanlian to explain it to you."

Immediately.

Under Hong Tao's guidance.

Zhou Guanlian stepped into this magnificent Immortal Cave for the first time. She was shocked by its splendor and looked quite pitiable.

She began to wail and complain, describing Qin Yao as a heinous brute.

After a while.

Li Yunlu understood the whole story, and jealousy surged to the top of his head.

"What did you say? As a Disciple of Hehuan, Qin Yao actually hit you because of a Cauldron?"

"Replying to Senior Brother, she even threatened me, claiming she would kill me in the wild to vent her anger."

Zhou Guanlian added oil to the fire.

Since Qin Yao made her lose face in public, she couldn't be blamed for seeking heartless revenge.

"Ignorant and foolish woman! How can a lowly Cauldron compare to Junior Sister Zhou's precious body? This infuriates me."

At that moment.

Li Yunlu rushed in front of Zhou Guanlian.

His palm gently cupped her face as he cared for her with tender attention, a faint glimmer appearing in his eyes.

Staring at him from such a close distance, Zhou Guanlian seemed to lose herself. She looked at him with an infatuated expression, gradually letting down her guard.

"Junior Sister, does it still hurt?"

"It doesn't hurt anymore. Senior Brother's palm is very warm."

"Haha, Junior Sister is truly beautiful and moving. Seeing you struck pains my heart. Let Senior Brother rub away your troubles; let's go inside."

Li Yunlu gave a faint, imperceptible sneer.

He put his arm around Zhou Guanlian's slender waist and led her to the bed behind the screen, and she didn't offer any resistance.

Hong Tao watched coldly, sighing inwardly. A sheep entering a tiger's den was destined never to return.

Back on the bed.

Li Yunlu continued to cast Charm Technique on Zhou Guanlian.

The gap in their cultivation was too large; the latter had no strength to resist. Before long, she was consumed by desire, her bones feeling soft and weak.

"Senior Brother Li, do you think I'm beautiful?"

"Beautiful, very beautiful."

Li Yunlu replied with a smile, his intentions stirring.

But just then, Zhou Guanlian suddenly exerted force and grabbed his hand as it was about to reach into her robe. Her eyes were wide as saucers, giving Li Yunlu a fright.

"Promise me one thing, and I will submit to you."

"What is it?"

"Help me capture that master and servant pair. I want to torture them to death!" Zhou Guanlian hated Qin Yao to the bone and wanted to eliminate her.

Li Yunlu considered for a moment.

He shook his head.

"The Cauldron doesn't matter; you can play with him as you wish. But Qin Yao won't do; she should belong to me."

"As long as she becomes as lowly as I am, then it doesn't matter."

"Don't worry! She will be even lowlier than you."

As he finished speaking.

Zhou Guanlian finally stopped blocking his hand.

Li Yunlu gave a knowing smile and said to the maid nearby, "Bring the Medicinal Pill, then go wait outside. No one is allowed in without my command."

"Yes, Young Master."

As the Virility Pill entered his stomach.

Li Yunlu's face finally brimmed with a man's confidence; he no longer had to force himself to stay calm.

...

Half a month later.

Gu Huan feigned going to Yangding Peak to Cultivate, but after obtaining Qin Yao's approval, he secretly slipped into Liu Zhu's Immortal Cave.

Having not seen him for over ten days, Liu Zhu had been pining for him and finally saw him arrive as she had hoped.

"You're so heartless, neglecting Zhuer for so long."

Liu Zhu was different from Qin Yao.

She was more clingy.

"I didn't want to either!"

"Qin Yao has been urging me to Cultivate lately, fearing my Foundation might be damaged."

Gu Huan explained as he walked toward the room. Liu Zhu followed with a beaming face, tightly clutching his palm.

"In that case, Senior Sister Qin is treating you better and better, and getting more responsible too."

"You could say that. She finally sees me as a human being."

As he finished speaking.

Gu Huan glanced sideways at her with an ambiguous look.

Liu Zhu knew him inside out and understood immediately.

"How often do you even come! Don't expect me to treat you like a human. I want to make up for everything at once; you can't stop me!"

"So you're playing tough, are you? Then I'll see just how much you can take!"

...