Chapter 6: Crisis at the Sect
“Can it help you, Celestial Sister?” Mingyan asked, seeing the shock on Huang Feiyan’s face.
“….” Huang Feiyan looked at him with a complex expression, sighing softly. “The female cultivator who saved you didn’t covet your blood… Whoever she is, she must be a noble soul… Mingyan, remember, never reveal your blood to others before you have sufficient strength…”
“Why?” Mingyan asked, puzzled.
“I’m worried you’ll be captured and used for alchemy. The Yang energy in your blood… it’s a prime medicinal ingredient… If exposed, you could be imprisoned and have your blood harvested daily for alchemy…” Despite her severe injuries, a lighthearted smile appeared on Huang Feiyan’s face as she stared at him. “…I didn’t find Dragon’s Blood… but I found you instead. It seems my luck isn’t so bad after all.”
“…Celestial Sister, you make it sound like you have ulterior motives…”
“Haha… I apologize. Did I scare you? I’m just pleasantly surprised. Your blood is useful to me.” Huang Feiyan’s smile faded as she noticed the cut on Mingyan’s finger had already scabbed over. She looked slightly surprised. “Your regenerative abilities are also quite strong… I truly underestimated your talent… It’s wasted here in Rain Terrace Blessed Land…”
Mingyan was growing numb to such comments. Many people praised his talent, but no one explained what exactly made it so special. He had even asked Sect Leader Xia Yanming, who claimed to be unsure but certain of Mingyan’s bright future…
Mingyan pricked his finger again. “I’ll let it drip into a bowl…”
Huang Feiyan nodded. Just then, Liu Mengli’s voice called from outside, “Brother! Brother!”
Mingyan paused, looking towards the door. Moments later, Liu Mengli rushed in. “Brother, Brother! Daddy said you need to hide this sister quickly!”
“What happened?” Mingyan frowned, sensing trouble. Huang Feiyan narrowed her eyes.
“Someone came looking for… this sister’s friend, wanting to take her away…” Liu Mengli tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Why are Daddy and the Sect Leader acting like they’re facing a great enemy if it’s just her friend?”
“Because they’re probably lying.” Mingyan quickly realized, looking at Huang Feiyan, who nodded in agreement. “They’re not my friends… they want to take my life… heh…”
“Is that so? Anyway, Brother, Daddy told me to stay with you and hide this sister quickly!” Liu Mengli exclaimed, understanding they were deceivers.
“We can’t hide…” Huang Feiyan shook her head. After a moment of thought, she looked at Mingyan. “Instead of hiding, it’s better to focus on healing…”
“But… dripping blood takes time…” Mingyan hesitated. “Or should I make a larger wound and let it spurt?”
“…I’m the one being saved. How can I ask you to make such a sacrifice?” Huang Feiyan shook her head. She looked at Mingyan’s fingertip, then reached out, took his hand, and gently sucked on his scabbed finger. The scab broke, and blood flowed again.
Liu Mengli watched with a bright red face, covering her eyes with her hands. How embarrassing! How could she do that to Brother?!
Mingyan was startled, feeling a tingling sensation in his fingertip. Huang Feiyan’s face also flushed slightly as she mumbled, “It’s just for healing… don’t think too much of it…”
“I… I know.” Mingyan nodded, accepting her explanation.
Meanwhile, outside Rain Terrace Blessed Land…
Several elders confronted a group of young cultivators. The younger disciples had been evacuated to the back mountain with the remaining elders, away from the impending conflict.
The young cultivators looked around eighteen, while the Rain Terrace Blessed Land elders appeared much older. Liu Yunfeng, the youngest among them, was over sixty.
However, the power difference wasn’t as vast as it seemed. Behind the young cultivators stood a man in green robes, his cultivation unfathomable, and a young woman with a sweet smile and charming features.
The young woman maintained her smile as she addressed the elders. “What is the meaning of this, Elders? I’m merely here to find my injured friend. Once I find her, we’ll leave.”
Liu Yunfeng frowned. “Celestial one, you’re being hasty. We’ve made it clear. We don’t know who your injured friend is or where she is. Barging into our Blessed Land like this is inappropriate…”
“I’m absolutely certain my friend is being held here. I hope you’ll release her…” The young woman sighed. “Release her, and we can forget this ever happened. I won’t hold a grudge…”
“I said, your friend isn’t here.” Liu Yunfeng reiterated.
“…Must we escalate this?” The young woman sighed. “Uncle Zeng, teach them a lesson. They’re being disrespectful.”
The man in green robes vanished, reappearing behind the Rain Terrace Blessed Land elders. Before they could react, he kicked the elder next to Liu Yunfeng in the waist with a leg as hard as steel. A cracking sound echoed, like breaking bone. The elder screamed and flew backwards, crashing into a pile of rocks and becoming buried. Liu Yunfeng was shocked and retaliated with a palm strike. The man in green casually met his attack with his own palm. A loud “bang” resonated, and Liu Yunfeng turned pale, sent flying into the sect’s entrance sign, shattering it.
Liu Yunfeng crashed to the ground, struggling to rise, then coughed up blood. He looked up at the man in green with shock. “What… what is your cultivation level?”
The man didn’t answer. He looked at the last of the three elders who had blocked the young cultivators, flashed in front of him, and seized him by the throat. His voice was cold. “Hand over my young mistress’s friend, and I’ll spare your lives. Otherwise, I’ll kill you all!”
The elder struggled futilely. The grip on his throat tightened, threatening to end his life with a single squeeze.
“What a violent way to visit.” Xia Yanming finally appeared, followed by several other elders. He glanced at Liu Yunfeng under the broken sign, the elder buried under the rocks, and the elder choked by the man in green. He sighed. “Release Elder Chen. There’s no need for this.”
“You must be the sect leader of Rain Terrace Blessed Land.” The young woman smiled. “I know Elder Zeng’s methods are a bit harsh, but I’m sure you understand my concern. I don’t want anything to happen to my friend… So, hand over my friend, Huang Feiyan, and we’ll pretend this never happened.”
“Pretend it never happened?! You’ve severely injured our elders, and we’re supposed to forget about it?!” A purple-robed elder beside Xia Yanming glared at the young woman, his voice filled with rage.
“You imprisoned my young mistress’s friend first. Did you expect us to apologize?” One of the young male cultivators sneered, his eyes full of disdain.
“I can sense her aura here…” The man in green, still holding Elder Chen, said to the young woman he called “young mistress.”
“They can’t hide her… See?” The young mistress seemed to be losing patience. She closed her eyes. “I don’t want Elder Zeng to resort to a massacre, so I hope you’ll cooperate. Hand over my friend. My patience is limited.”
“We both know you’re not friends. Why the charade? You just want Celestial Huang’s life.” Xia Yanming sighed. “Release Elder Chen. We’ll hand her over.”
“You misunderstand. Huang Feiyan and I are truly friends.” The young mistress’s expression brightened. She smiled and signaled to the man in green, who released Elder Chen. His face was purple from being choked. He collapsed, gasping for air, then stood up and returned to Xia Yanming’s side.
“Celestial one, young friends, and honored Daoist, please follow me…” Xia Yanming instructed the other elders to tend to Liu Yunfeng and the other injured elder, then led the young mistress, her companions, and the man in green away.
“Don’t try anything foolish. Today could be the end of Rain Terrace Blessed Land. You’re no match for me. You’re only at the peak of the Divine Gate Realm.” The man in green returned to the young mistress’s side, narrowing his eyes at Xia Yanming in warning.
Xia Yanming sighed. “Don’t worry, I’m not impulsive…”
“Good.” The young mistress smiled sweetly.
Meanwhile, Huang Feiyan was still sucking on Mingyan’s finger.
As the blood filled with life force and pure Yang energy entered her body, her spiritual energy guided it to eradicate the Yin toxin. The toxin, which had been resisting and devouring her energy, now fled like mice before a cat, cornered and annihilated by the Yang energy.
Within a short time, half of the toxin was dispelled…
Suddenly, a commotion arose outside. Huang Feiyan, with her sharp senses, noticed it first. Her expression changed. Mingyan also heard footsteps. Both became instantly alert. Mingyan quickly withdrew his finger from Huang Feiyan’s lips and pulled Liu Mengli behind him protectively.
“Little Liu, Mingyan, are you still in there?”
“It’s Elder Li.” Mingyan relaxed, recognizing the voice of the elder who usually guarded the entrance.
“Elder Li, what is it?” Mingyan opened the door. Elder Li stood outside, his face grim.
“Quickly take Celestial Huang to the back mountain and evacuate the Blessed Land with the other disciples…” Elder Li said urgently. “I’ll help the sect leader hold them off. The farther you escape, the better!”
He handed Mingyan a cloth bag. “Your master asked me to give this to you. He told you to take care of Little Liu… No time for talk. Go to the back mountain now!”
Mingyan froze. “What do you mean? Is Master… in danger?!”
Liu Mengli’s eyes widened. “Is Daddy in danger?!”
“Take Little Liu and go! There’s no time!” Elder Li’s voice was sharp. He then vanished with a light tap of his foot. Huang Feiyan’s face was dark, filled with guilt as she looked at Liu Mengli and Mingyan. She wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words.
Leave a Reply