Chapter 40 Shi Liuying's Mind Was Read; Xuanji Daozun: What exactly is this woman...?

Xuanji Daozun approached step by step.

He did not deliberately release his aura, but his imposing presence as someone who had long held a superior position, and the almost tangible chill emanating from him at this moment, made the surrounding air seem thick and heavy.

His silver-white robe trailed over the fine grass and dust on the ground, without leaving a trace of dirt, yet every step he took felt like stepping on Su Wan's heart.

Su Wan felt as if her heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys were all trembling violently with each rhythmic, cold footstep.

She was utterly helpless. She didn't dare let her master see her, so she instinctively sought protection, shrinking behind Shi Liuying and clutching her clothes tightly at her waist.

She clattered her upper and lower teeth together, making a sound like someone not wearing long johns in Harbin: "Hehehehe... Help! Help! Help! Help!"

Shi Liuying was on high alert the moment Xuanji Daozun appeared.

She quietly extended a wisp of spiritual energy, attempting to sense the depth of the other party's power. However, that wisp of spiritual energy vanished instantly, like a mud ox sinking into the sea, without even causing a ripple.

Shi Liuying felt a chill run down her spine.

Although her strength has improved by leaps and bounds recently, making her one of the best among the younger generation of cultivators, and even able to hold her own against some ordinary elders, she clearly realized that there was an insurmountable gap between them when facing such an unfathomable being whose aura was on par with or even stronger than those of the reclusive elders in the sect.

The pressure was immense, but Shi Liuying's small body ignited a powerful fighting spirit. She had to become stronger, she absolutely had to become stronger! Only then could she possess the power to protect what she wanted to protect when facing any injustice or threat.

Just then, Xuanji Daozun's cold gaze swept over the trembling Su Wan and landed on Shi Liuying. His thin lips parted slightly, and he uttered two emotionless words: "Get out of the way."

The voice wasn't loud, but it carried an unquestionable air of command from a superior.

Shi Liuying felt the uncontrollable trembling and dependence from the hands behind her back. In an instant, Su Wan's earth-shattering cry flashed through her mind. She remembered Su Wan's grievances of not knowing how to do it for 150 years, and she also remembered that particularly jarring word "old lecher" in the midst of angry denunciations.

All the clues connected, sketching a picture in her mind—how the innocent and carefree junior sister, after struggling and resisting time and time again, was forced to submit to the tyranny of the "hypocritical" person in front of her, imprisoned and played with like a canary, and even deprived of normal cultivation and interpersonal communication.

A surge of courage, a mixture of anger and pity, welled up from the bottom of his heart, instantly dispelling the instinctive fear caused by the disparity in strength.

Pushing her poor junior sister, who had finally seen a glimmer of hope, back into the fire? Shi Liuying couldn't do that!

Instead of backing away, Shi Liuying straightened her back even more, like a small tree standing proudly against the wind, firmly standing between Su Wan and Xuanji Daozun.

There was no fear in his clear eyes, only a steadfast and resolute determination.

Xuanji Daozun frowned almost imperceptibly, a hint of impatience flashing in his eyes.

Where did this arrogant disciple come from, daring to obstruct him?

Too lazy to waste words, he casually raised his right hand, his sleeve flicked lightly, and an invisible yet powerful force swept towards Shi Liuying, intending to sweep her aside with ease.

He didn't even use a fraction of his true strength this time; he simply brushed away a speck of dust.

However, the scene that was expected—the female disciple being easily brushed aside—did not occur.

The moment the force struck her body, Shi Liuying stood firmly on the ground as if rooted to the spot. Her spiritual energy circulated at an unprecedented speed, and her hands drew a smooth arc in front of her. With an extremely precise angle and force, she managed to withstand the blow!

A muffled sonic boom echoed in the air. Shi Liuying swayed slightly, her face paling slightly, but she did not retreat an inch!

"I want to torment my junior sister."

Shi Liuying took a deep breath, suppressing the surging blood in her chest, and said in a clear, firm, and resounding voice, "Get past me first!"

The impatience in Xuanji Daozun's eyes was instantly replaced by shock and a faint hint of amazement.

Although he didn't use much force in his flick, the difference in their cultivation levels was significant. Even an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator would never be able to receive it so easily, let alone deflect the force so skillfully.

The female disciple's timing and the guidance and transformation of her spiritual energy were absolutely superb!

He even felt that if he suppressed his cultivation to the Nascent Soul stage, he might not be able to do a better job than her when faced with the same move.

Su Wan was terrified by the sudden exchange, and seeing that Shi Liuying had actually fought with her master to protect her, tears welled up in her eyes again.

She pulled hard on Shi Liuying's arm, her voice trembling with tears: "No, Senior Sister, stop hitting me! I'm fine, I'll go back with him, I'll just act cute... At worst, I can hide for a few more years or decades, I'll always find a chance to sneak out and cultivate! You can't beat Master!"

She knew perfectly well that although Old Bi Deng was disrespectful and had ulterior motives, his cultivation was truly terrifying, making him one of the sect's top combat forces.

She often fantasized about one day beating that old Bi Deng to a pulp and getting revenge, but she also knew that there was a difference between dreams and wishful thinking.

Shi Liuying grabbed Su Wan's cold, trembling hand tightly, turned around, and looked earnestly into her eyes, her tone more serious than ever before: "But you want to cultivate, don't you?"

“You don’t want to be kept like a pet by him, without any dignity.”

"You don't want to lose your freedom, or the possibility of pursuing the Great Way."

Su Wan lowered her head under her gaze, tears still clinging to her long eyelashes. Because of her naturally soft voice, which now had a nasal tone, it sounded more like a pitiful whimper. She murmured softly, "But I don't want you to die, Senior Sister..."

This was the first and only person she had encountered in her 150 years in this strange and perilous world who treated her kindly, taught her sincerely, and was willing to stand in front of her, regardless of the cost.

She would rather continue to endure the torment than lose this warmth.

Shi Liuying's heart was deeply touched, and she gripped Su Wan's hand tightly again, calling out, "Junior Sister..."

Su Wan raised her tear-blurred eyes and looked back at her, a thousand words stuck in her throat, only turning into a choked sob: "Senior Sister..."

The two held hands and looked at each other with tears in their eyes. A tragic yet comical atmosphere, reminiscent of the poem "The wind is howling, the Yi River is cold, the hero departs and never returns," inexplicably spread, as if life and death were about to be separated.

Xuanji Daozun watched their heartfelt farewell with a blank expression.

His gaze was fixed on Su Wan's hand, which was gripping the other's arm with complete reliance and trust, and he just stared at it.

The fact that others feared and avoided Su Wan, a newcomer, inexplicably aroused Xuanji Daozun's strong sense of irritation.

This feeling of being completely excluded from her world made him extremely unhappy.

He forcibly shifted his attention away from Su Wan and focused it back on Shi Liuying, asking in a cold voice, "Are you a disciple of the Myriad Manifestations Sect?"

Shi Liuying looked at him warily, then raised her head and replied, "Yes."

"good."

A faint hint of consideration flashed in Xuanji Daozun's eyes: "Then I will test your strength."

Before he finished speaking, he pointed his fingers like a sword, and a highly refined silver sword aura, exuding a chilling aura, appeared out of thin air.

Although it was only an inch long, it caused the surrounding temperature to drop sharply.

"Draw your sword!"

Shi Liuying's pupils contracted as she sensed the terrifying power contained within the sword energy, realizing that this was a true test, and possibly a life-or-death battle.

She dared not be negligent in the slightest, instantly discarding all distracting thoughts and immersing her mind completely in her own spiritual power and sword intent.

She had to fight, and only by giving it her all, even... only by killing this old Biden who had designs on her junior sister, could she completely save her junior sister from his clutches!

She was able to help Senior Sister Rong Yan and Senior Sister Chi Yang get rid of men's entanglements, and this time it was the same; she had to rescue her junior sister from this lecherous old man!

"Zheng—!"

A clear, melodious sword cry rang out, and Shi Liuying's natal spirit sword was drawn in response, its blade shimmering with light, reflecting the surging fighting spirit emanating from her.

She lightly touched the ground with her toes, her figure darting out like a startled swan, the tip of her sword trembling, transforming into specks of cold stars, as she actively met the silver sword energy!

In an instant, sword energy crisscrossed and spiritual light flashed across the open space behind the mountain.

Shi Liuying pushed her spiritual power to its limit, her sword moves were exquisite, sometimes light and graceful, sometimes heavy and steady, and her control over power was much better than when she was in the Danzong Grand Competition.

She felt neither joy nor sorrow, but had only one thought in her heart—to defeat the lecher!

Xuanji Daozun stood with his hands behind his back, dealing with Shi Liuying with only a single sword aura, but his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

This female disciple is indeed a prodigy! Her sword mind is clear and her understanding of the Dao far surpasses that of her peers. Her spiritual power is solid and profound, and her foundation is extremely solid.

What's even more remarkable is their indomitable spirit and their calm and resourceful approach when facing the enemy.

He secretly praised him, but at the same time felt an indescribable sense of regret and anger—which peak elder was so lucky to have such a talented person under his wing?

His talent and potential are actually approaching those of his top disciple, Jun Lintian!

It seems that after Junlintian, the Wanxiang Sect truly has a worthy successor.

Unfortunately, he was not Xuanji's disciple.

Although the two fought fiercely, Xuanji Daozun remained in control throughout, only defending and not attacking, intending to test Shi Liuying's limits.

Shi Liuying grew stronger with each battle. She could feel the spiritual energy within her body flowing as she pleased, and the powerful sense of strength that came with its surging and circulating flow intoxicated her.

She could even sense that, as her strength increased, the power within her body from the "system" that often tried to interfere with her will seemed to have been suppressed by her surging fighting spirit and pure spiritual power, becoming much more docile.

Finally, Shi Liuying's eyes cleared, and she poured all her spiritual power into the sword, unleashing the strongest attack she could currently control!

The sword light, like a rainbow piercing the sun, carried a resolute determination to tear everything apart, and fiercely slashed towards Xuanji Daozun!

The admiration in Xuanji Daozun's eyes deepened, and a thin layer of silver light naturally appeared in front of him.

"boom--!!!"

The dazzling sword light collided violently with the silver light shield, producing a deafening roar.

The seemingly thin light shield fluctuated violently, and finally, under Shi Liuying's all-out attack, it shattered with a "crack" sound, like a bullet piercing glass!

However, the instant the light shield shattered, a counterforce also surged forth.

Shi Liuying felt an irresistible force strike her chest, a sweet taste rose in her throat, and she was sent flying backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground.

The spirit sword in her hand flew out and stuck in the ground beside her.

"Senior Sister!" Su Wan let out a shrill scream and rushed over without hesitation, kneeling down next to Shi Liuying.

She frantically tried to help Shi Liuying, but dared not touch her lightly, for fear of causing further harm.

Looking at Shi Liuying's tightly closed eyes, pale face, and traces of blood on the corner of her lips, and then thinking of her master's unfathomable strength, her pupils trembled, and she uncontrollably imagined many things.

Senior Sister withstood so many of Master's attacks and even broke through his defenses; her internal organs must have been shattered! Now, she's clearly clinging to life with her adrenaline surging; there's no hope of recovery!

Overwhelmed by grief and rage, Su Wan was instantly engulfed. She abruptly raised her head, and for the first time, her eyes, filled with undisguised and deep resentment, shot straight at Xuanji Daozun!

That gaze was like two poisoned needles piercing Xuanji Daozun's heart, causing him to tremble inexplicably and feel a sense of panic he had never experienced before.

His face remained expressionless, his voice still indifferent, but he subconsciously explained, "She's fine."

He was just depleted of spiritual energy and his blood was churning. He suffered a slight internal energy shock and will recover after a few days of rest.

His gaze returned to Shi Liuying, who was struggling to sit up, and his tone was one of heartfelt and sincere praise: "You are very good."

After a moment's thought, he continued, "With a solid foundation, exceptional comprehension, and unwavering resolve, he could potentially replace Jun Lintian as the next chief disciple of the Myriad Manifestations Sect after another hundred years of dedicated cultivation."

If this evaluation were to spread, it would be enough to shock the entire Myriad Manifestations Sect!

Who is Jun Lintian? He is hailed as a once-in-a-millennium genius, the personal disciple of Xuanji Daozun, and the recognized next-generation leader of the sect!

At this moment, Xuanji Daozun actually said in person that this unknown female disciple has the potential to replace Jun Lintian!

However, Shi Liuying did not respond to his praise.

She fiercely wiped the blood from her lips with the back of her hand, raised her head, and met Xuanji Daozun's gaze without fear, her clear eyes burning with an indomitable fire.

She said, enunciating each word clearly, "One day, I will defeat you!"

Upon hearing this, Xuanji Daozun was truly puzzled.

He had never met this woman before, so why did she harbor such strong hostility towards him, and even make such an impossible vow?

His appreciation for talent led him to ask an unusually extra question: "Why must you defeat me?"

Shi Liuying was taken aback by his question. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, but how could she possibly say the real reasons?

"To avenge my junior sister?"

"To stop you from bullying your fellow disciples?"

"Get rid of you, you old lecher?"

Should I expose her painful past in front of my junior sister again?

Shi Liuying finally turned red with anger, shut her mouth tightly, and stubbornly turned her head away, looking as if to say, "Do whatever you want with me, but don't even think about me submitting."

Just as Shi Liuying remained silent, inwardly cursing Xuanji Daozun for being "disrespectful to elders," "bullying others with his power," and "persecuting innocent junior sisters," an unbelievable scene suddenly appeared before Xuanji Daozun's eyes.

He saw that above Shi Liuying's head, at about the same level as her forehead, a heavy, pure white, cloud-shaped phantom appeared out of thin air.

Above the cloud, as if projected by a high-quality photographic stone, a dynamic scene was clearly displayed—and in that scene was none other than the face of Xuanji Daozun himself!

However, the man in the picture was completely devoid of his usual aloofness and otherworldly demeanor; instead, he looked... lewd!

For the first time, a very inappropriate, almost constipated, distorted expression appeared on the incomparably handsome face of Xuanji Daozun.

He racked his brains but couldn't find a more fitting word than "obscene" to describe the image of himself in the female disciple's mind.

In the scene, "Xuanji Daozun" grinned, revealing a treacherous and evil smile, and rubbed his hands together as he approached a trembling figure huddled in a corner step by step.

Su Wan's face was streaked with tears, filled with terror and helplessness, as she cried out, "No...no..."

"Xuanji Daozun" cackled strangely, his voice greasy: "You think you can escape to somewhere with such a small furnace?"

Immediately afterwards, an extremely large bed with an exaggeratedly large bed covered with a bright red quilt depicting mandarin ducks playing in the water appeared out of nowhere in the scene.

Accompanied by the continuous, chilling "hehehe" laughter of "Xuanji Daozun," Su Wan let out a drawn-out, shrill scream as she was forcibly dragged to the bed: "No—Old Bi Deng—!!"

Xuanji Daozun: "..."

The anger that had risen in Xuanji Daozun's heart due to Su Wan's resentful gaze, and the doubts that arose due to Shi Liuying's hostility, were instantly shattered by this bizarre, absurd, and filthy scene.

He felt a sudden tightness in his throat, unable to go up or down, choking him so much that he almost lost his ever-present icy expression.

This is outrageous! Absolutely... outrageous!

Shi Liuying had no idea what had happened, only that the imposing elder in front of her suddenly had an extremely strange expression.

First came the coldness, then, as if seeing something unbelievable, his pupils contracted sharply, as if he had been subjected to a tremendous shock.

Shi Liuying keenly sensed that the other person's gaze was focused on the space above her head. She subconsciously reached out and grabbed at the empty space above her head, but found nothing.

Xuanji Daozun immediately realized that the woman in front of him was completely unaware of the strange image appearing on her head.

His gaze swept quickly over Su Wan, who was clinging tightly to the woman's arm, staring at him warily and suspiciously, clearly unaware of the "clouds above her head."

What's going on?

Xuanji Daozun pondered repeatedly, various thoughts surfacing. Was this sudden scene... some kind of prophecy?

Does this foreshadow that he will be possessed by an evil spirit in the future? And after being possessed, he will do such despicable and shameless things that are outrageous to both gods and men, bullying and humiliating his most... cherished little disciple?

Xuanji Daozun was greatly shocked.

Xuanji Daozun's expression suddenly changed.

Just who is this female disciple?

A terrible suspicion began to grow in his mind like a poisonous vine—could it be a premonition of inner demons?

Or is it a warning from Heaven? A premonition that a great calamity will befall him on his path of cultivation, causing him to lose his mind and fall into demonic ways, affecting Wanwan…

Thinking of this, when Xuanji Daozun looked at Su Wan's red and swollen eyes, her pale face, and the way she clung tightly to Shi Liuying for protection, the anger he felt from being scolded was completely extinguished. In its place was a complex emotion that was hard to describe, mixed with a trace of... perhaps even he himself did not realize it, a sense of lingering fear and pity.

He stood there in silence for a long time, so long that Su Wan and Shi Liuying felt that the cold pressure seemed to have eased a little.

His gaze fell on the conspicuous hammer beside Su Wan, and he recalled her all-out effort to finally leave a mark on the mountain wall, as well as her 150 years of grievances and longing.

Finally, Xuanji Daozun sighed almost inaudibly.

He slowly stepped forward, and just as Su Wan tensed up, thinking he was going to pull her back without explanation as usual, or even kiss her against the wall with his hands on her waist, he simply reached out his hand.

The hand with its distinct knuckles and terrifying strength did not grab her waist as Su Wan had expected. Instead, it gently, with an unprecedentedly tender force, landed on her head and patted her soothingly.

"Since you wish to cultivate," Xuanji Daozun's voice remained devoid of warmth, but the coldness within seemed to have softened somewhat, "then cultivate diligently."

Su Wan was completely stunned. She looked up at him blankly, as if she didn't recognize the person in front of her.

Xuanji Daozun withdrew his hand, took a step back, glanced at the still wary Shi Liuying, and added, "I will not hurt her."

This statement was both a response to Su Wan's resentful gaze and perhaps... a subconscious attempt to distance himself from the possibility of being possessed in the future.

Looking at Su Wan's bewildered yet flattered expression, he continued in a calm tone, "You said before that you liked the material of the Flowing Cloud Brocade."

He paused, as if organizing his thoughts: "The jewelry and clothes that were ordered three months ago are all finished."

As he spoke, a delicate, small mustard seed pot that shimmered with a faint silver light appeared in his hand and he handed it to Su Wan.

Su Wan subconsciously took it, and when she probed it with her divine sense, she immediately gasped.

The interior space was enormous, with hundreds of gorgeous dresses, sets of exquisite jewelry, and various dazzling defensive artifacts and trinkets that were clearly not ordinary items, arranged in a categorized manner.

The fabric of those dresses was indeed the extremely precious and rare Flowing Cloud Brocade that she had once casually praised.

So... the reason Master came here today is not because he discovered she had sneaked out to cultivate and wanted to arrest her and punish her, nor is it because he wanted to do anything improper to her.

Rather, he simply wanted to personally hand over these things that he had specially prepared for her.

Su Wan's heart felt like it had been scratched by a kitten, both itchy and uncomfortable.

A faint sense of guilt quietly began to grow.

Did she misunderstand her master?

Perhaps, aside from his occasional inappropriate physical contact, overly strict control, and preventing her from cultivating, he was... quite good to her?

However, her newly emerging sense of emotion was instantly shattered by Xuanji Daozun's next words.

Xuanji Daozun spoke in his characteristic, flat yet authoritative tone: "But you are only allowed to indulge yourself this time."

"Once the sect's protective formation is repaired, you must return to Silent Extinction Peak, stay by my side, and settle down properly. You must not act recklessly again."

Su Wan: "..." Just as I thought! She knew it! A leopard can't change its spots, and Old Bi Deng can't change his control freak ways!

A fake, sweet smile instantly spread across her face, her voice so sweet it could drip honey. Clutching the mustard seed pot, she wriggled slightly, saying, "I know, Master! I'll be good~ You're busy, go back now, don't worry about me~"

Xuanji Daozun's eyelids twitched slightly at her deliberately coquettish voice, but when he thought of the "possession prophecy" and saw her seemingly obedient but actually disobedient appearance, his sense of investigation and urgency intensified.

He looked deep in thought, as if facing a huge crisis concerning the survival of his sect and his own reputation. Finally, he gave Shi Liuying a deep look.

His gaze lingered for a moment, especially on the top of her empty head.

Xuanji Daozun ultimately said nothing more. With a flash of his silver robe, his figure vanished from the spot as if merging into the void.

He had to go back as soon as possible, not only to speed up the repair of the sect's great formation, but also to immediately go into seclusion to carefully study what this strange "prophecy" was all about!

If there really is a risk of being possessed...

A fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and he was determined to nip that potential danger in the bud!

Only Su Wan, who had survived the ordeal, and Shi Liuying, who looked completely bewildered, remained on the spot.

Shi Liuying clutched her still somewhat aching chest and blinked blankly.

Is that... the end?

That terrifying elder just left like that?

He even praised her?

Although she tried her best but still failed and was unable to fulfill her vow to "save her junior sister," which made her very frustrated and guilty, things seemed to... inexplicably develop in a positive direction and be resolved?

She looked at Su Wan, who was also incredulous and panting heavily, her mind filled with questions.

Why was the elder's gaze so strange when he looked at her last?

Furthermore, he genuinely didn't seem to have any intention of harming his junior sister? He even allowed her to cultivate?

What exactly happened with this change? She didn't hear any suspicious system notifications either.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, which had become sparse from the earlier fight, and fell on the two silent girls.

Shi Liuying and Su Wan exchanged a glance, both feeling a sense of unreality, as if they were in another world.

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Author's note: Random red envelopes [pat on the head]