65: Third Life: How Am I the Villain? (Twenty-Nine)

"Many thanks, Your Highness!"

...

All the Disciples were flushed with excitement, unable to contain their agitation.

They all understood clearly in their hearts: although Daozi Highness said "except for the portion I personally need," this was only natural and right!

If not for Your Highness turning the tide and slaying the Foundation Establishment Great Demon against the odds, those seven spirit lotuses would likely have all fallen into the hands of the Joyful Union Sect, who were controlling the Foundation Establishment Great Demon.

Being given the chance to have priority in exchanging for the remaining spirit lotuses is already a tremendous grace from Your Highness!

Furthermore, for such a rare treasure of heaven and earth as the Black Water Spirit Lotus, the first one often has the most significant effect, greatly enhancing the quality of one's Dao Foundation and the success rate of Foundation Establishment; when consuming the second one, the effect drops sharply, to less than fifty percent of the first; by the third, the efficacy is negligible, almost to the point of being ignored.

Even if Your Highness needs to consume two or even three to ensure everything is foolproof, there would still be at least three left for exchange!

With thirty of them vying for the exchange rights to three spirit lotuses, although the competition is fierce, the hope is far greater than they had previously imagined!

Although other Sect Disciples also have the right to exchange, don't forget that they still have priority exchange rights at a twenty percent discount!

Everyone was convinced, and their reverence and gratitude toward Xu Yuan rose to a new level.

After arranging the matters, Xu Yuan's gaze turned to the unconscious red figure under the distant cliff—the Joyful Union Sect Saintess, Liu Yaner.

Xu Yuan walked over slowly.

Zhao Zheng immediately followed vigilantly, guarding the side; after all, Daozi Highness's Spiritual Qi was exhausted, and he needed his protection.

Xu Yuan arrived in front of Liu Yaner.

At this moment, her veil had long since fallen off, revealing a pale yet still charming face, though the bloodstains remaining at the corners of her mouth and her chaotic aura indicated she was severely injured and had completely lost consciousness.

Xu Yuan did not strike to kill immediately; instead, he crouched down, his Divine Sense carefully sweeping over her entire body while checking the items remaining on her.

The more he checked, the tighter his brows furrowed.

"There is indeed something strange..."

Xu Yuan muttered to himself.

On Liu Yaner, Xu Yuan did not discover anything unusual.

But it was precisely because everything was too normal that it appeared abnormal!

The Black Water Spirit Lotus happened to mature, the Mystic Ice Evil Toad happened to be on the verge of a Breakthrough, Liu Yaner's illusion talent happened to be able to interfere with its mind, she also happened to possess the secret technique and Magical Artifact to briefly control Yao Beasts, and then she happened to help it successfully complete its Foundation Establishment Breakthrough after controlling the Mystic Ice Evil Toad...

The probability of all these conditions being met simultaneously was simply too low.

It was as if an invisible hand was pushing from the shadows, piecing all these "happenstances" together to bring about today's situation.

"Is it really just good Luck?"

Xu Yuan's gaze flickered.

This kind of interlocking "Opportunity," seemingly custom-made, felt more like the result of being blessed by Luck.

Thinking of the word Luck, a name could not help but flash through Xu Yuan's mind—Ye Feng!

"Could this Liu Yaner... also be connected to Ye Feng's Luck? Or, is she herself the manifestation of some kind of 'Luck'?"

"A female lead?"

Xu Yuan guessed in his heart.

With this thought, Xu Yuan could not help but ponder for a moment.

Killing Liu Yaner seemed simple enough for now, but it might mean missing an important clue; keeping her might allow him to lure Ye Feng out.

"Wake her up," Xu Yuan instructed.

Zhao Zheng immediately stepped forward, channeling a trace of Spiritual Qi, and tapped lightly but firmly on several of Liu Yaner's Acupoints.

"Mm..."

Liu Yaner let out a painful groan, her long eyelashes fluttering a few times, and she slowly opened her eyes.

After the initial confusion, the intense pain and weakness hit her, causing her to instantly wake up.

Liu Yaner saw Xu Yuan standing before her and the surrounding Overlord Blade Sect Disciples eyeing her like tigers; her face immediately turned even paler, and a trace of fear flashed in her eyes, but she quickly forced it down, struggling to squeeze out a pitiful and charming expression.

"Chen... Daozi Chen... what a cruel heart you have, to strike such a heavy hand against a weak woman like me..."

Liu Yaner's voice was weak, yet still carried her habitual softness and charm.

Xu Yuan remained expressionless and directly interrupted her: "I ask, you answer."

"If there is even half a sentence of falsehood, death."

The cold murderous intent was palpable, causing Liu Yaner's delicate body to tremble violently, and the last trace of color on her face completely faded away.

She did not doubt for a second that the youth before her would truly strike immediately.

"Dao... Daozi, what do you want to ask? This slave will definitely tell you everything I know!" Liu Yaner's voice trembled, not daring to have any thoughts of prevarication.

"Where did you get the method to urge the Yao Beast's advancement?" Xu Yuan's question went straight to the core, his gaze like a torch, staring intently at Liu Yaner's eyes. "Within the Joyful Union Sect, there is absolutely no such Heaven-Defying secret technique, otherwise the Joyful Union Sect would have renamed itself the Beast Taming Sect."

A struggle flashed in Liu Yaner's eyes, as if she were weighing something, but in the end, the fear of death overwhelmed everything.

"It... it was Ye Feng..."

It really was him!

A cold light flashed in the depths of Xu Yuan's eyes as he continued to press: "Ye Feng? The traitor of my Overlord Blade Sect? Explain in detail!"

"Yes..."

Liu Yaner dared not hide anything and confessed intermittently.

"About two months ago... at a secret stronghold of the Sect outside, a youth arrived, dying from severe injuries—it was him, Ye Feng."

"He didn't know what method he used, but he actually persuaded the stronghold deacon to take him back to the Sect to meet the Sect Master. The Sect Master not only took him in but also gave him quite a lot of resources to heal his injuries..."

"The Joyful Union Sect actually dared to harbor a traitor of my Overlord Blade Sect; do they want to start a war?!" Zhao Zheng shouted angrily.

Xu Yuan reached out to stop Zhao Zheng, but his gaze also darkened a few degrees: "Continue."

"Yes..."

"Ye Feng's injuries recovered shockingly fast... Moreover, he seemed to understand many lost ancient secret techniques, possessing deep insights into Formations, pharmacology, and even beast taming... He approached me on his own initiative, saying he had a tremendous Opportunity to bestow upon me, on the condition that I must do three things for him in the future..."

"It was he... who gave me the incomplete scroll of that 'Blood Burning Yuan-Inducing Technique'... He said that by using this technique to stimulate the Yao Beast's potential, one could assist the Yao Beast in its Foundation Establishment Breakthrough, but the price was a greatly reduced Lifespan and decreased potential for the Yao Beast..."

"He guaranteed that this method was foolproof; as long as one first used the Heart-Confusing Gu to wipe away the Yao Beast's consciousness, and then used this method to assist its Breakthrough, one could control a Foundation Establishment Yao Beast within the Blackwater Secret Realm and sweep through the Secret Realm."

"Who would have known, I encountered you, Daozi..."

After listening, Xu Yuan was silent for a moment, his thoughts racing.

All his guesses had been confirmed.

Ye Feng really wasn't dead!

Not only was he not dead, but he had also turned misfortune into a blessing, seemingly obtaining some kind of ancient Legacy and mastering many strange secret techniques!

He was actually able to produce such an evil technique to forcibly catalyze a Foundation Establishment Yao Beast!

He was truly worthy of being a child of Luck; as long as he wasn't killed immediately, he had the potential to rise rapidly.

"What are the three things he wants you to do?"