The elders looked as if they'd seen a ghost, and the proud geniuses from Central Province trembled in fear.
What on earth was happening to this world?
Elder Wu and Jin Wanshan exchanged glances, realizing there was nothing left for them to do.
"Where's Meng Gaofei?" Qin Yang blocked an Inner Sect disciple and demanded.
The disciple, pale with fear, pointed shakily in a certain direction, unable to speak.
Qin Yang frowned and immediately ran toward that location.
At the foot of Dark Shadow Peak, by Bi Yue Lake.
"You've been following me all this way. What do you want?" Lou Mengyu's face remained expressionless, her eyes cold as ice.
Meng Gaofei laughed viciously. "To do something good, of course!"
He pulled out a jade bottle from his robes and smashed it at Lou Mengyu's feet.
A red powder spread rapidly, forming a dense fog.
Meng Gaofei inhaled the mist, his eyes burning with even greater fervor, bordering on madness.
Lou Mengyu's killing intent grew. "Fire Snake Flower Poison?" she demanded coldly.
"Exactly!" Meng Gaofei laughed, looking completely confident. "I know your family is special, but the more special the family, the more they care about their reputation! Once I make you mine, your family will have no choice but to accept me. Then I'll..."
Meng Gaofei continued his monologue, completely oblivious to the pink mist's inability to reach Lou Mengyu's body.
Though her attire appeared ordinary, every layer concealed yellow-grade magical artifacts. With garments capable of regulating temperature, how could she possibly fall for such a superficial trap?
"You overthink too much," Lou Mengyu said, materializing before Meng Gaofei and thrusting a finger at him.
"Still resisting? Haha, let's see how long you last! You'll be begging me soon enough!" Meng Gaofei's face twisted grotesquely. The Fire Snake Flower Poison had clouded his judgment.
He swung his palm forward, but a sudden numbness seized his hand, spreading until all sensation vanished.
For a fleeting moment, clarity flashed in Meng Gaofei's eyes as he remembered - Qin Yang had used the same technique to cripple his other hand! Now both limbs were ruined!
"Fire Snake Flower Poison?"
A familiar voice cut through the tension.
Meng Gaofei's scream of pain echoed as Qin Yang gripped his throat, lifting him effortlessly.
"Cutting grass requires removing roots. No room for pests." Qin Yang's eyes glinted with lethal intent.
"You... you still dare to return to the Thousand Hidden Sect? You're dead! There's no way you'll leave alive!" Meng Gaofei gasped out between struggles.
The corner of Qin Yang's mouth twitched upward. "Oh? Then who will stop me from leaving alive? Elder Zhang? Or perhaps the Sect Leader?"
"You'd best release me quickly. If I plead for mercy on your behalf, I might just spare your corpse!"
"Can't see the situation even when death's at your door? Who would you plead to?" Qin Yang snorted derisively. "No matter who you choose, I'll send you to meet them right now!"
With those words, Qin Yang twisted his fingers violently.
Meng Gaofei's eyes bulged, and he gasped his last breath.
"Are you a fool? You followed Meng Gaofei after he came calling?" Qin Yang turned to Lou Mengyu, waving a hand before his face.
The wind had dispersed the Fire Snake Flower Poison's fumes.
Understanding Qin Yang's concern, Lou Mengyu produced the Celestial Token. "This token isn't just for counting kills during the beast tide. It can also send temporary messages."
Qin Yang looked at the token's back, where two characters now appeared: "Return Quickly".
"What does this mean?" Qin Yang asked, perplexed.
Lou Mengyu explained, "This is a message from Mr. Wu. Without it, I wouldn't have followed Meng Gaofei."
Qin Yang produced his token, but the back of it remained blank.
"Why did he only pass you a message? Where is he?" Qin Yang asked.
Lou Mengyu shook her head. "Since arriving at the Thousand Hidden Sect, I haven't seen Teacher Wu at all. He must have gone off on some errand again."
Qin Yang nodded and began advancing toward Lou Mengyu.
At first, Lou Mengyu showed no suspicion. But as Qin Yang drew closer, she instinctively began retreating. Soon, she realized something was amiss.
"What are you trying to do?" Lou Mengyu demanded.
"Help you remove the poison, of course!" Qin Yang replied.
"Poison? What poison? Don't tell me..." A crimson flush crept up Lou Mengyu's neck as she sputtered, "Ugh, I'm perfectly fine!"
"Impossible," Qin Yang countered with mock seriousness. "Only those at the Zongshi Realm can project true qi outward. With that fierce wind earlier, you couldn't have avoided it. Rest assured, I'll remain completely detached—this is purely a matter of removing poison."
"You shameless wretch! You vile scoundrel!" Lou Mengyu ground her teeth. With Qin Yang's cultivation now surpassing hers by a full realm, how could she possibly resist? And all under the guise of such lofty pretenses!
"I really haven't been poisoned! I'm wearing the magical silk robe you gave me!" Lou Mengyu protested.
"That's not enough! This is just a yellow-grade magical artifact; it might not provide complete protection. The truth is, the real defense comes from the black silk you refused to wear... You must have activated the Ice Heart Art to suppress the poison after being bitten, right?" Qin Yang pressed, his voice low and insistent.
He had cornered Lou Mengyu by the water's edge, leaving her no retreat without falling into the pool.
"I..." Her face flushed crimson. How could she admit she'd worn that nearly transparent black silk beneath her robes?
"See? You deny being poisoned, yet your cheeks burn like fire." Qin Yang's fingers brushed her delicate cheek, his touch lingering.
Lou Mengyu jerked away as if stung, but Qin Yang's arm locked around her waist, crushing her against his chest as if trying to meld their bodies together.
"Let me go!"
"Relax. We've shared this before."
"You beast!"
"At least I'm not a beast's beast."
Trapped in Qin Yang's iron grip, Lou Mengyu struggled futilely. Every protest fell on deaf ears, leaving her completely at his mercy.
"I am indeed a descendant of the Qin family, whether you believe it or not. Our union is inherently legitimate. If you're truly that uncomfortable, I could knock you out first and then..."
"No!" Lou Mengyu shook her head helplessly.
The corners of Qin Yang's mouth twitched upward before he burst into laughter. With a forceful tug, he tore through her yellow-grade magical artifact robe.
"Ah!" Lou Mengyu gasped as the black gauze artifact clinging to her body accentuated her curves even more provocatively.
"You said you weren't wearing anything," Qin Yang sneered with malicious amusement.
The fact that she was wearing this final layer meant she hadn't been poisoned. But with events unfolding this way, what room for retreat remained?
The final garment proved too delicate. Qin Yang, wary of harming her, whispered against her ear, "Release your defenses yourself. Don't make me resort to force."
Lou Mengyu's body went limp, but her will remained unbroken.
Qin Yang's hands roamed freely, overwhelming her defenses. Within moments, her resistance crumbled, leaving her mind adrift in desire.
Just as he prepared to breach her final barrier, the atmosphere thickened tenfold in an instant!
Clouds ignited like burning embers, transforming into a sea of flames. A phoenix's cry pierced the heavens as a fiery phoenix circled overhead, its wings ready to strike at any moment.
When the phoenix spread its wings, they spanned dozens of zhang, their movements creating waves of fire that surged like ocean tides.