119: Chapter 119 Xiao Nianyin uses a three-month agreement to stall Madam Qingli

After a long while, Xiao Nianyin finally spoke, her voice remaining cold and devoid of emotion:

"The agreement, naturally, holds."

Madam Qingli's brows twitched slightly as she waited for her to continue.

As expected, Xiao Nianyin's tone shifted:

"However, Fellow Daoist Qingli seems to have forgotten that the agreed deadline was not 'immediately'."

She looked up, her eyes calm and ripple-less:

"What we agreed upon was three months."

"Three months?" Madam Qingli almost laughed out of anger. "Xiao Nianyin, are you playing word games with me now?"

"It is not a word game."

Xiao Nianyin's tone had no fluctuation, as if she were stating a matter that had nothing to do with her.

"Furthermore, on the Law Execution Platform today, I publicly announced that Xu Ruyu and the Sect's Core Disciple, Leng Ningshuang, have set a Three-Month Agreement."

"This agreement concerns the face and ranking of the younger generation of my Hehuan Sect, and it is the final test of his qualification as the 'Sect Master's Personal Disciple'."

She looked at Madam Qingli, her tone flat yet carrying an unquestionable weight:

"If I let you take him away now, wouldn't I be slapping my own face, letting the entire Sect see me, the Sect Master, as untrustworthy? Where would the Sect's rules and face be?"

The mockery in Madam Qingli's eyes deepened. "Oh? Then what is Sect Leader Xiao's brilliant opinion?"

"When the three-month period expires," Xiao Nianyin said slowly, each word like a falling ice bead, "Xu Ruyu will naturally battle Leng Ningshuang and the others."

"Given his current cultivation Foundation, even if there are some oddities, facing Leng Ningshuang, who has long since entered the Golden Core Stage, his chances of winning are... slim."

She paused, seemingly weighing her words, but what she said was cold to the point of cruelty:

"At that time, if he loses, according to Sect rules, he will naturally lose his status as the 'Sect Master's Personal Disciple'. As for an ordinary Inner Sect Disciple, whether they stay or leave, the Sect will not interfere too much."

"If you take him away then, it will be perfectly justifiable. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"

The best of both worlds?

Listening to this high-sounding and airtight rhetoric, the faint expectation in Madam Qingli's heart completely turned into cold disappointment and realization.

As expected.

After recovering her cultivation, Xiao Nianyin had once again become that high-and-mighty, calculating Sect Master of Hehuan Sect.

What Three-Month Agreement, what Sect face—they were all just excuses.

How shrewd was Madam Qingli? How could she not see through Xiao Nianyin's true calculations?

She had just recovered her cultivation, and it might not even be fully stable yet; the power within her and the restarted Heavenly Charm Mysterious Maiden Heart Sutra also needed time to harmonize.

These three months, rather than a deadline for Xu Ruyu, were more like a buffer period for her to consolidate her cultivation and regain control of the overall situation.

More importantly... Madam Qingli's gaze turned slightly cold.

Xiao Nianyin's attitude toward Xu Ruyu was truly bizarre.

If she were truly as cold and heartless as she appeared, only wanting to draw a clear line, why use the 'Three-Month Agreement' to keep him in the Sect temporarily? Why even specifically point out that his 'chances of winning are slim'?

Most likely, this woman had not given up on the secrets Xu Ruyu carried—that strange Qi Refining Level 9, that odd Formation capable of fighting above his level, and perhaps even some traits remaining in his body that shared the same source as her own power.

Her so-called 'take him away after he loses his status as a personal disciple' was probably just a pretext.

Three months later, once her cultivation was completely stable, who knew what methods she would use against Xu Ruyu? Forced investigation? Imprisonment for research? Or... even worse?

Madam Qingli's thoughts raced, but her face showed little emotion.

She knew that falling out completely with Xiao Nianyin at this moment was not the best move.

The opponent was, after all, in the Saint Realm, on her home turf at the Hehuan Sect, and having just recovered, her Heart-Nature was unstable, making her actions potentially more extreme.

Although she had the heavenly fox tripod and hidden trump cards, in a hard fight, even if she could take Xu Ruyu away, she would surely suffer heavy losses and might even disturb that sleeping Old Ancestor, which was not what she wanted.

Very well.

Since Xiao Nianyin wanted these three months, she would give them to her.

It would also be a good chance for that silly boy Xu Ruyu to see with his own eyes how the 'Revered Master' he risked his life to save was becoming cold and heartless step by step, viewing him as a pawn and a tool.

Some hearts must die to be completely reborn.

Some paths must be seen clearly to be walked with determination.

Madam Qingli suddenly smiled, a smile that was aged and peaceful, as if the sharp confrontation from a moment ago had never happened.

"Fine."

She decisively put away the heavenly fox tripod in her palm; the nine-colored radiance faded, and the heart-palpitating ancient aura vanished along with it.

"Since Grand Sect Master Xiao has brought up the Sect rules and the Sect Master's face, speaking so reasonably..."

She looked at Xiao Nianyin, her gaze profound:

"This old woman is not an unreasonable person. Three months, then. Three months it is."

"However," her tone shifted slightly, remaining peaceful yet carrying an unmistakable reminder, "I hope that when the three months are up, Sect Leader Xiao will remember today's words and not... find some new reason then."

"After all, although our Taihu Clan has lived in seclusion for many years, we are not soft persimmons to be toyed with."

"If we are really talking about 'rules' and 'face', our ancestor... is the one who values 'credibility' the most."

This near-blunt warning caused another imperceptible ripple to pass through Xiao Nianyin's frozen eyes.

But she did not get angry, only nodding slightly:

"This seat always keeps its word."

"That's good." Madam Qingli said no more and turned away, her plump and charming figure gradually fading as if merging into the shadows. "I, Madam Qingli, will wait and see."

"If at that time, you, Xiao Nianyin, dare to go back on your word, I will make your Hehuan Sect remember well why I am called Madam Qingli!"

As her voice fell, her figure completely vanished from the bedchamber, as if she had never been there.

Leaving behind only a room full of icy coldness and the faint, vast aura of the heavenly fox tripod that had not yet fully dispersed in the air.

Xiao Nianyin stood alone in the center of the vast, cold bedchamber, motionless for a long time.

The cold and heartless mask on her face remained firm, with only her fingers slightly curling within her sleeves betraying a hint of her inner turmoil.

She understood Madam Qingli's threat.

That Ancestor Tianhu of the Taihu Clan... was indeed a problem.

But, three months...

Enough.

She slowly closed her eyes, feeling the majestic and cold Saint Realm spiritual power flowing within her once more. The familiar sensation of severing emotions and controlling everything brought by the circulation of the Heavenly Charm Mysterious Maiden Heart Sutra was bit by bit completely freezing and crushing the last traces of softness and throb remaining from last night.

Xu Ruyu...

This name crossed her mind, no longer bringing complex throbs, but a nearly indifferent scrutiny.

A pawn.

A tool.

A... special existence that needed careful observation and cautious handling.

She indeed needed these three months.

Time to completely stabilize her cultivation, time to untangle the secrets on him, and time to... decide his ultimate fate.

As for Madam Qingli and the Taihu Clan...

If they were sensible and took away a 'crippled' Xu Ruyu after three months, they would naturally live in peace.

If they were not sensible...

Xiao Nianyin slowly opened her eyes, a biting cold light in them.

That the Hehuan Sect could stand tall in the Demonic Path for thousands of years was not without its trump cards.

She raised her hand, a wisp of ice-blue spiritual power swirling at her fingertip, and lightly tapped the air.

An invisible ripple spread out.