Chapter 37 Her stepmother, Kuang Yunchu, looked at Xu Qingning again: "Oh..."

"Catch up?" Zhou Fuling paused for a moment, then smiled. "How else would you like to catch up?"

His fingers touched Xu Qingning's lips again.

His lips trembled slightly, probably knowing that there was no way to retreat.

Her reddened phoenix eyes opened wearily and disheveled.

He stared at her with icy eyes.

Zhou Fuling grabbed his throat.

"I lack patience; I need tranquility. Answer my question."

[Favorability-3%]

Xu Qingning remained silent.

Don't look at me.

Then he gave a cold laugh.

“I have a Qi-finding talisman. By finding your spiritual Qi, I can find you.”

Zhou Fuling raised an eyebrow: "Oh. It seems there are quite a few people who followed you. Are they all here to arrest me?"

A hand as cold as snake scales reached into Su Qingning's belt.

His black hair brushed against the back of Zhou Fuling's hand.

He let Zhou Fuling take a talisman.

Zhou Fuling met Xu Qingning's cold eyes.

"The Order to Annihilate the Gods... I know it. The Records of the Four Continents says, 'The Divine Continent has a talisman made by Liang Huo. If it appears, the five continents will surround and annihilate it.' You really think highly of me."

"So, you're here to kill me?"

Hiss.

The cold hiss of a snake reached Xu Qingning's ears.

The sensation of snake scales traveled up my shoulders and back, then up my neck.

Xu Qingning remained silent for a long time, then let out a cold laugh.

"You want to kill me, so you think I would also want to kill you?"

He said coldly, "Even if it's born, so what?"

"And in what capacity do you ask this question?"

Although he said that, his reddened eyes were fixed on Zhou Fuling's face.

It was as if they wanted to see every single change in her face.

Zhou Fuling's expression changed slightly, and she also scoffed coldly.

“Xu Qingning, of course I want you dead. However, your value has not yet been fully exploited.”

"As for what kind of identity it is, it is naturally that of an enemy."

"..." Xu Qingning pursed her lips tightly and clenched her fingers into a fist.

She did not deny it.

They denied having any intention to kill him.

His face was completely bloodless.

[Villain's favorability -3%]

A moment of silence fell between the two.

Xu Qingning's chin was once again roughly grabbed by Zhou Fuling.

"Speak. Who among you has come to Southern Continent?"

Xu Qingning gritted his teeth.

After a long silence, he gave a cold laugh and did not answer.

The two looked at each other.

Anger flashed in Zhou Fuling's eyes.

She used some methods. Not as cruel as she was to Mr. Qing, but definitely not gentle either.

Xu Qingning was panting heavily.

But Zhou Fuling had long known of his stubbornness. He didn't want to talk, and indeed, she couldn't get a single word out of him.

Zhou Fuling eventually gave up.

She forced Xu Qingning to take a sleeping pill. It was extremely agonizing. During this time, Xu Qingning kicked and bit, injuring Zhou Fuling's hand.

After that, Xu Qingning's mouth was gagged again.

He bit the strip of cloth, glaring at her with red eyes.

His face was pale.

When Zhou Fuling left the underground room, her face was grim, and she had no intention of talking anymore.

Xu Qingning was trapped in front of the pillar like a caged beast, her beautiful phoenix eyes reflecting the flickering candlelight, the iron chains on her boots taut, making a clanging sound.

As the door to the underground chamber closed, the clanging of chains echoed across the ground for quite some time.

...

The basement smelled cold and damp, and the candlelight was dim.

Xu Qingning frowned slightly.

The binding ropes on his hands and the chains on his ankles were cold and firm.

Xu Qingning made a mudra with both hands.

After a while, he leaned his head back against the pillar.

[Host, you clearly planned to question the villain Zou Lanci, so why did you forget everything and act so impulsively upon seeing him?]

Xu Qingning turned away and remained silent.

After the system appeared.

Seeing that Xu Qingning had no intention of talking about him and Zhou Fuling, his chest heaved, as if he was still immersed in his emotions.

The system could only observe the restrictions imposed on Qi Xuqingning.

[Host, you probably can't break this restriction anytime soon. The villain dealt with it, drawing the Keyin Seal on it, making it much more powerful than last time...]

Xu Qingning's long eyelashes drooped down, and her phoenix eyes were moist.

He knew.

On the Binding Immortal Rope are the seals of the Snake and the Monkey, which directly clash with his birth date.

In addition, she also addressed his Ten Gods and Five Elements.

It's not as easy to handle as before.

A snake tail also appeared on its waist.

Long whiskers sprouted from the notch on its rosy scales, hissing as it looked down, its crimson eyes dark and brooding.

The scales on its body were bluish-green, except for the scales on its posterior belly, which were a rosy red.

Snake Nuwa.

Xu Qingning recognized this. This is one of Zhou Fuling's true forms.

An ancient demon, purely yin and harboring evil. She was a spy she transformed into.

The green snake tail pressed against my belly, cold and sticky.

Xu Qingning's eyelashes trembled slightly.

"Senior brother, are you cold?"

"Don't hide."

Once, the stone house was gloomy in the wind and snow.

The girl lay down in front of him, insisting on wrapping herself in her cotton-padded coat and snuggling close to him.

Her hands, like snakes, wrapped around his waist. Just like now.

"It's so cold. Let's warm up together." Zhou Fuling lifted the cotton-padded coat he had given her.

"It's such a hassle if you get sick."

She leaned against him.

"Shall we spend every cold day together like this from now on?"

They fell asleep together. Xu Qingning nodded quietly behind her.

The candlelight flickered.

Xu Qingning suddenly regained consciousness.

Everything disappeared.

Only the dim light and cold, desolate walls remained in the room. Everything had vanished.

His chest heaved violently, as if his heart was pounding.

Why.

I couldn't help but think about the past.

Xu Qingning closed his eyes.

Clench both hands into fists.

No. He had to realize that his former junior sister no longer existed.

It's all a scam.

If he cares, he will completely fall into her trap and become her puppet.

She will look down on him even more.

[Host, what's wrong? Your face looks so pale.]

[...] Xu Qingning did not respond.

He spoke after a long silence.

【nothing. 】

[By the way, what happened when the villain mentioned your first meeting?]

Aren't you the Way of Heaven?

Xu Qingning looked up.

The amount of information in the system is too strange. There are many things we don't know.

System: [It is the will of Heaven, but I truly do not know. I have no record of it here.]

What exactly happened in the past timelines?

Xu Qingning had asked the system before.

System: [In the past timeline, you would have been the villain's lover, watching her be manipulated, witnessing her kill her parents, and destroy the world.]

……lover.

Killing one's father and mother.

Xu Qingning clenched her fist tightly.

The system had previously given a general outline of the destruction, but this information was only given to him now.

Xu Qingning's body stiffened.

He was unaware of their current situation.

...How could he possibly become Zhou Fuling's lover?

They probably all hate each other.

In particular, she disliked him, yet pretended to be close to him.

But scheming?

...Killing one's father and mother?

What else does she have to go through?

"[Mother-killing? Who is she going to kill? And who wants to harm Zhou Fuling?]" Xu Qingning asked.

"The person who killed deserved to die," the system said. "You know who it was."

[But during this process, she went mad after experiencing things even the Heavenly Dao doesn't know about. The system is also slowly receiving information from the future. What you need to stop is her descent into darkness.]

Xu Qingning fell silent.

...

Xu Qingning hadn't expected this.

Zhou Fuling imprisoned him in this cold, dark cellar for two days and two nights.

She didn't have a friendly look when she arrived.

They stared at each other, wide-eyed.

She fed him medicine to make him lose his strength and prevented him from speaking.

Xu Qingning leaned angrily against the pillar, kicking her from time to time, not letting Zhou Fuling relax, only restraining himself when the system reminded him.

He couldn't control himself.

...He just wanted to see if angering Zhou Fuling would lead to her killing him.

Let's see if her heart is made of stone.

To be able to disguise it so perfectly.

How could someone be so heartless towards him?

[Host, I know you hate her for deceiving you!]

The system said, "[But don't provoke the villain anymore. If you don't win him over and increase his favorability by 30%, you'll be punished by heavenly lightning. Why bother?]"

So, when Xu Qingning saw Zhou Fuling again, she looked like a dead person.

I don't think I saw her.

However, he smelled a strong odor of blood.

Xu Qingning suddenly looked up.

What happened?

Was she injured?

But soon, he realized it wasn't Zhou Fuling's blood.

He glared at her, biting the strip of cloth tightly, to see what she was up to.

She forced him to take the medication again.

Xu Qingning was in a daze, leaning against Zhou Fuling, feeling her embrace him. He then lost consciousness.

...

The sound of cart wheels drifted through the curtains.

Xu Qingning's eyelashes trembled slightly.

He was awake. The Immortal-Binding Ropes on his wrists behind his waist were taut.

He tilted his head slightly upwards.

This is a horse-drawn carriage. From his observation, it was heading north, seemingly in the direction of the first section.

There is a "Cloud Candle Pagoda" there.

The Grand Competition for the Sect Master of Yun Ning Sect will be held at Yun Zhu Tower.

Xu Qingning leaned against the side of the carriage.

A gentle breeze blew through the window cracks, and his eyes cleared a little.

Previously, Zhou Fuling had used some kind of medicine that caused his spiritual meridians to be restricted.

Now, half a day later, he has finally regained some of his senses.

Zhou Fuling's figure could be seen outside the curtain.

Her black hair was tied back with a silk ribbon, and she wore a green robe with a faint fragrance, just like the strange fragrance that Xu Qingning had smelled at the bottom of the cliff.

She turned around and met Xu Qingning's gaze.

Xu Qingning turned away.

Zhou Fuling sneered and turned around. Xu Qingning silently observed the situation around her.

The roads in the South Continent are not peaceful; all sides are interrogating and exploiting them.

Zhou Fuling endured countless interrogations.

But something's not right.

Xu Qingning suddenly realized that the questioning Zhou Fuling was receiving was not in accordance with the usual practices of the immortal sects. It seemed that she had been intentionally followed all the way, not just by people from the Southern Continent.

Where are you from?

Halfway there, Zhou Fuling seemed to realize something was wrong. She shook off the group of people and returned to the car.

She was covered in cold sweat and smelled of blood.

Xu Qingning coldly avoided the situation.

But upon smelling the blood, he couldn't help but turn back to look at her.

Zhou Fuling's face was pale, her veins were bulging, and her breathing was extremely disordered, as if she was about to fall into a coma at any moment.

Xu Qingning's fingers opened and closed, her gaze fixed on Zhou Fuling.

He had never seen Zhou Fuling in such a state in the past ten years.

What exactly is this Devouring God Powder?

But Zhou Fuling's face grew increasingly pale, as if she were about to bite her lips until they bled.

Xu Qingning's expression changed slightly as he moved closer to her.

He held the Immortal Binding Rope tightly, unable to untie it, and could only glare hatefully at the culprit, fine beads of sweat seeping from his forehead.

In the blink of an eye, Zhou Fuling seemed to wake up from a daze, fed herself a pill, and calmed down.

She met Xu Qingning's gaze.

"So close to me? Came here specifically to gloat? Too bad, you'll be disappointed."

"..." Xu Qingning looked away and closed her eyes.

...He thought she was blind.

Zhou Fuling continued on her journey.

Xu Qingning felt increasingly uneasy.

A moment later, Zhou Fuling was riding her horse, her robes were crushed.

She turned around and saw Xu Qingning rolling over to her.

He sat up, his snow-white robe crumpled and spread on the ground, his dark hair disheveled, yet his appearance was incomparably handsome.

His face was somewhat pale, his phoenix eyes fixed on her, still tightly biting the cloth strip with the silencing seal.

"...What are you doing?" Zhou Fuling asked with a displeased expression. "Do you have something to say?"

Xu Qingning's expression was also indifferent, and she lowered her eyes indifferently, which could be regarded as acquiescence.

Zhou Fuling ignored him.

Enraged, Xu Qingning kicked her several times.

Just as Zhou Fuling was about to get angry, she saw Xu Qingning kick a stone out of the car window and shoot it northward. She looked in that direction and her expression changed drastically.

She released the restraint on Xu Qingning's lips.

Xu Qingning: "If you want to go and die, then go." "..." Zhou Fuling said, "Say it again."

"..." Xu Qingning naturally didn't say anything.

Zhou Fuling also noticed something amiss ahead. "Tell me, what did you find?"

"There's a hidden incantation symbol here, with the trigram Qian above and Gen below, indicating that Zou Lanci's troops are stationed there. But this roadside..."

Xu Qingning's gaze then fell upon the scene by the roadside, shrouded in a thick white mist.

"The fog formation here is indeed something that the Southern Continent often uses for defense. But this is different from what I've seen in the Southern Continent before. Someone is deliberately leading you to the north to fight Zou Lanci."

Xu Qingning had just finished speaking.

Zhou Fuling's expression changed again.

She went down to investigate.

"That's true."

Xu Qingning nodded arrogantly. "You'd better leave. We can investigate the reason later."

Zhou Fuling remained motionless for a long time, seemingly deep in thought.

Her probing gaze occasionally swept over Xu Qingning, as if she was puzzled as to why he had told her this.

After a while, she set off and changed direction.

Zhou Fuling silenced Xu Qingning once again.

Xu Qingning glared angrily at her, but then heard a system notification.

[Congratulations, host! Villain's favorability increased by 3%]

Xu Qingning froze.

Even when Zhou Fuling was playing with him, he didn't make any further moves and surprisingly didn't resist.

My breathing stopped.

After Zhou Fuling left, he stood there stunned for a long time before he came to his senses.

No.

...Xu Qingning's hands instantly clenched into fists, her head lowered, her eyes cold.

No. This is unacceptable.

We must not let her manipulate us any longer.

...

In the middle of the night, Zhou Fuling drew back the curtains.

She successfully shook off all her stalkers.

After walking a few miles, Xu Qingning saw her seemingly using a jade tablet to contact someone. She then stood outside, lost in thought for a long time.

Zhou Fuling came in.

Xu Qingning coldly lowered her eyes, ignoring her.

However, they discovered that Zhou Fuling's emotions were not quite right.

She sat alone beside Xu Qingning, gazing blankly at the distant starlight.

After a while, she spoke.

"By the way, senior brother, I want to ask you something."

Xu Qingning suddenly looked up.

"Senior brother"?

No, he was never her senior brother. He was just a pitiful person who had been completely deceived by her.

Xu Qingning remained silent, but slowly looked at Zhou Fuling, gesturing for her to speak.

"If you encounter the situation I'm about to describe, what should you do?"

What is she trying to say?

But Zhou Fuling said, "Suppose there are three cultivators named Golden Sword, Inferior Peak, and Dark Serpent, and they must engage in a three-way duel. They can take turns choosing one of them as their duel opponent. The three of them are roughly equal in strength, but if we were to rank them, Golden Sword would be the strongest, Inferior Peak the second, and Dark Serpent the third."

"Liefeng wants to force Anshe to kill Jinjian. So, what should Anshe, who is third in skill, do to ensure his survival to the greatest extent possible?"

...?

Xu Qingning opened her eyes.

It felt like all the blood in my body was flowing backwards.

What exactly did Zhou Fuling mean by that?

Golden sword... Zou Lanci?

The inferior peaks... the eight major mountain gates correspond to the character "peak".

Is she talking about Kuang Yunchu?

In a flash, Xu Qingning also remembered the message sent by Kuang Yunchu.

At the time, I thought it was an attempt to sow discord between him and Zhongzhou, but now it seems... it's as if they want him to create conflict and become a witness to Zhou Fuling killing Zou Li.

Zhou Fuling narrowed her eyes upon seeing his expression.

"So you really do know something. You know who I'm talking about?"

Xu Qingning's silencing spell was broken once again.

He took a breath.

“I know what you want to know. Indeed, when I was being held captive by you at Yintian Village, I received a message from Kuang Yunchu. She reminded me to come and protect you, saying that Zou Li was coming to kill you.”

Xu Qingning paused, then probed, "What else do you know?"

Zhou Fuling remained silent, as if pondering the meaning of Xu Qingning's words.

"What is your relationship with Kuang Yunchu?" Xu Qingning asked her, struggling to speak.

His relationship with Kuang Yunchu was so sensitive that he was determined to figure out the relationship between Zhou Fuling and Kuang Yunchu.

Zhou Fuling gave him a cold glance but didn't say anything.

“Zou Lanci wants to kill you. But no matter what, don’t trust Kuang Yunchu,” Xu Qingning said.

But then Zhou Fuling smiled.

"Xu Qingning, if I were to say now that I want to use you and Kuang Yunchu as a bargaining chip, what would you do?"

Xu Qingning's pupils contracted.

-

Zhou Fuling's figure was faintly visible beneath the curtain.

She walked half a mile, dodging the Yun Ning cultivators, passing through mountains and forests.

Until they reached a secluded mountain forest.

Xu Qingning was led off the car by Zhou Fuling.

He was forced to a standstill by Zhou Fuling's sword, and although he looked somewhat disheveled, he still stood tall and remained neither humble nor arrogant.

But his face was somewhat pale, and his eyes were closed.

He ignored Zhou Fuling the whole way.

Seeing his expression, Zhou Fuling chuckled:

"What? You really think I'd hand you over to Kuang Yunchu?"

Xu Qingning looked up in confusion.

Zhou Fuling smiled and said:

"It was all a joke. How could I possibly hand my senior brother over to Kuang Yunchu? However, Young Master Xu is my eyes and ears. He will have to witness for me and help me with some things later."

Xu Qingning was taken aback for a moment.

If one were to say that the blood was somewhat cold before.

At this moment, the blood in my arm boils and feels numb, and that sensation travels to my brain, making me feel lost.

“Zhou Fuling, you’re being ridiculous!” he shouted angrily.

How could she joke about Kuang Yunchu's matter with him?

She knew perfectly well.

They knew about his feud with Kuang Yunchu.

He knew how much pain her words had caused him.

But in an instant, Xu Qingning fell silent again.

Their relationship was different from before, and he could no longer judge her actions with the same perspective as in the past.

So be it.

Xu Qingning followed Zhou Fuling into the quiet mountain forest.

On the stone steps, there appeared to be an abandoned temple.

Is this where she's going?

However, when Xu Qingning stepped onto the steps, although he had expected it, he stared in shock at the people in front of the ruined temple.

The person in the lead, dressed in a green robe and cloak, was none other than the Lord of the Mortal Realm and his stepmother, Kuang Yunchu.

In addition, several of Kuang Yunchu's confidants stood behind her.

There was Miao Jia, an old friend of Xu Qingning, and several other mountain lords.

When the Lord of Miaojia Mountain saw Xu Qingning being restrained, he was extremely surprised, but he did not say anything.

Zhou Fuling: "You really came."

Kuang Yunchu smiled and said, "Since you have sincerely invited me, I have brought my people with me."

Her voice was gentle, like the chirping of a nightingale.

Xu Qingning's gaze lingered between Zhou Fuling and Kuang Yunchu.

Kuang Yunchu then looked at Xu Qingning: "Oh? You actually captured Young Master Qingning. And you even brought him here. What does that mean? You didn't say he would come."

Xu Qingning's breath trembled as she pursed her lips in thought.

But Zhou Fuling said, "I like having him by my side. Little Mother, are you going to stop me?"

...“Little Mother”?

What is she saying?

Xu Qingning was contemplating the situation.

But Zhou Fuling's shocking words made him widen his phoenix eyes.

incredible.

Xu Qingning looked at Zhou Fuling with disbelief in her eyes.

Young mother?

What exactly is her relationship with Kuang Yunchu?

Zhou Fuling didn't look at him.

Kuang Yunchu smiled: "Baby, your taste hasn't changed in a hundred years."

Zhou Fuling: "Instead of exchanging pleasantries here, why don't we go inside?"

"No. I think it's best if Xu Qingning doesn't hear our conversation."

Kuang Yunchu said, "His observation of our conversation already poses a risk to both of us."

“Is that so?” Zhou Fuling said.

Kuang Yunchu fell silent again: "Yes. I've been thinking about it, just in case—"

"I have to kill him."

Suddenly, she struck out with her palm, her spiritual energy swirling into a soft, green cloud, and powerfully pierced towards Xu Qingning's face!

Kuang Yunchu's cultivation technique ranks second in both the immortal and mortal realms, second only to Zou Lanci.

Xu Qingning gritted her teeth, but stared coldly at her without flinching or showing any fear.

But a surge of blood-red light blocked Kuang Yunchu's path.

Xu Qingning's eyelashes trembled slightly.

Zhou Fuling said:

"Young Mother, the 'Life-Stealing Technique' you taught me can still put me to a fight against you. Are you pleased?"

Zhou Fuling stood in front of Xu Qingning.

Her palms were covered in blood.

However, Kuang Yunchu's combat strength far surpasses Ning Tingyue's.

Zhou Fuling seemed to be struggling to block Kuang Yunchu's spiritual power.

The bones and skin around his body made rustling sounds, as if they were being crushed by Kuang Yunchu's spiritual power.

Her face gradually turned pale.

Xu Qingning frowned deeply.

"Attack the second position of Gen."

After hesitating for a moment, he whispered a reminder.

He knew Kuang Yunchu very well, after all, they had been rivals for many years.

Zhou Fuling shifted her spiritual power to contend with Kuang Yunchu.

The cold wind blew through Xu Qingning and Zhou Fuling's hair.

Kuang Yunchu abruptly withdrew his spiritual power.

"Well, even as a prisoner, Young Master Xu still hasn't forgotten old friendships and is going to help this demon cultivator junior sister who deceived him?"

Xu Qingning pursed her lips tightly and remained silent.

Kuang Yunchu's killing intent had not subsided: "And Xiao Wu, do you want to fight me for the sake of this person who betrayed you? Your Devouring God Powder won't last long."

...Betrayal? Xu Qingning was stunned.

When has this ever happened?