"I don't think this is a particularly difficult choice for Miss Xue to make."
"After all, you've fallen into my hands. Do you really think you can escape?" Qian Ran teased Xue Lingxun with an evil grin, his fingers playfully twirling her silky hair.
No wonder the noble villains in dramas always bypass the ladies who willingly throw themselves at them and instead enjoy the thrill of the hunt.
There's something to be said for this: watching a beauty struggle with a desperate decision—it's crude, it's wicked, and oh, it's utterly satisfying.
What a twisted delight!
Back in his previous life, how could he have possibly experienced such pleasure?
Even daring to entertain such thoughts would have landed him in a small dark cell for the rest of his life.
This is why the otherworld is such a blessing—as long as you either have a cheat-like system or are born into high nobility. Otherwise, you're just someone else's plaything, not the other way around.
"If I don't return, my people will certainly report back to my family and sect," Xue Lingxun retorted as she stepped back, glaring hatefully at the scoundrel before her. The thought of the powerful Xue Clan and Xuanyin Sect backing her gave her some confidence.
"Oh?"
"True, it wouldn't be ideal for me to kill you outright. But if I were to imprison you, would the Xuanyin Sect or the Xue Clan dare say a word? After all, you came here to assassinate me. Holy Spirit Sect, Spirit Hall, Shrek Academy… I wonder which faction's wrath your Xue Clan can withstand?" Qian Ran spoke with a sly smile.
Xue Lingxun fell silent.
These three factions—none of them were ones her Xue Clan could afford to provoke, let alone her Xuanyin Sect.
And this time, she was clearly in the wrong. Even if Qian Ran killed her, her family wouldn't have grounds to argue.
"I want to see Xu Sanshi with my own eyes." Xue Lingxun finally grasped the severity of her situation.
Still, she wouldn't give in to Qian Ran with just a few words.
"No problem."
"I can take you to him."
As Qian Ran spoke, he grasped Xue Lingxun's delicate hand.
Xue Lingxun tried to pull her hand away with all her strength, but she couldn't break free. No matter how furious she was, she dared not attack Qian Ran again. With his ghostly movement techniques, she wouldn't stand much of a chance against him.
What would happen if she truly enraged him? She didn't dare gamble on that outcome.
Before this, Ye Xishui had specially prepared a token of elder status for Qian Ran to help him move freely within the Holy Spirit Sect. In Mingdu, where the Holy Spirit Sect's underground influence was extensive, such a token was highly valued.
Holy Spirit Sect
Xu Sanshi had been highly valued ever since he joined the Holy Spirit Sect.
To be fair, Xu Sanshi's talent was indeed exceptional; otherwise, he wouldn't have been one of Shrek Academy's Twin Stars of the Outer Court.
In the Holy Spirit Sect, Xu Sanshi thrived like a fish in water, his cultivation improving rapidly.
"Qian Ran, oh Qian Ran, I probably ought to thank you. If it weren't for you, how could I have progressed so quickly?" In the darkness, Xu Sanshi suddenly opened his eyes.
His cultivation had already surpassed the Soul Emperor level, and his combat power was on par with that of a Soul Sage. As a dark soul master, he could often defeat opponents who were an entire major realm above him.
Previously restricted in Xuanyin Sect, he was now completely unrestrained in the Holy Spirit Sect.
"Qian Ran, once I break through to Soul Sage, I'll make sure to settle the score with you," Xu Sanshi clenched his fists angrily.
No matter what, he could never forget the humiliation Qian Ran had inflicted upon him.
Not only would he kill Qian Ran, but he'd also take Jiang Nannan back. Jiang Nannan was his possession, and he would never let Qian Ran have the last laugh.
"You must be Xu Sanshi. An elder wishes to see you."
A black-robed elder approached Xu Sanshi's quarters and called out to him.
"A big shot? Could it be that someone important in the Holy Spirit Sect has taken notice of me?" Xu Sanshi's eyes lit up.
Although his talent had earned him some recognition in the Holy Spirit Sect, he hadn't yet achieved any major status.
But now, it seemed his luck was turning.
"Sure enough, even in the Holy Spirit Sect, my talent won't go unnoticed." Xu Sanshi's eyes gleamed with excitement.
"You'll wait inside. The important figure will arrive shortly. Play your cards right—if you're lucky, today could be your big break," the black-robed elder advised, patting Xu Sanshi on the shoulder.
"Understood!" Xu Sanshi quickly erased the grin from his face and replaced it with a solemn expression.
Opportunities like this were rare in any sect. If he failed to seize this one, who knew when the next chance might come?
Hearing footsteps outside, Xu Sanshi bowed his head respectfully.
The Holy Spirit Sect's dark soul masters were notoriously temperamental; one misstep could provoke their ire.
"Xu Sanshi, long time no see."
"Qian Ran?! How is it you?" Xu Sanshi exclaimed, his gaze filled with horror as he stared at Qian Ran.
That face—he knew it all too well. Ever since leaving Shrek Academy, he had seen it every night in his nightmares. Qian Ran had become the very specter haunting his dreams.
"How are you here? Are you the elder they mentioned?" Xu Sanshi couldn't believe it.
This was the Holy Spirit Sect! It far surpassed Shrek Academy in power. In terms of top-tier combat strength, Shrek Academy couldn't hold a candle to the Holy Spirit Sect.
Just Long Xiaoyao and Ye Xishui alone were unmatched. Even Zhongli Wu, a Level 98 Super Douluo, had kept Shrek Academy under immense pressure.
In the original timeline, it was only thanks to Huo Yuhao helping Elder Xuan achieve a breakthrough that Shrek Academy gained another Limit Douluo and managed to stabilize the situation.
Now, Qian Ran's resources were all focused on nurturing Xian Lin'er and Cai Mei'er. Even with his support, they were still far from reaching Limit Douluo; after all, they had only reached Level 95 or 96 before. No amount of resources could elevate them to the pinnacle overnight.
Joining the Holy Spirit Sect, Xu Sanshi had been elated upon learning of its strength.
After all, the Holy Spirit Sect was far more promising than Xuanyin Sect.
But comparison was a cruel mistress. Just as he was reveling in his progress, Qian Ran's sudden status as an elder crushed his joy, leaving him utterly despondent.
"Here's my elder token. Care to check if it's authentic?" Qian Ran casually tossed the token to Xu Sanshi. The Holy Spirit Sect already had eight elders before Qian Ran joined, making him the ninth.
Qian Ran didn't particularly care about his status in the sect. The token was merely a tool Ye Xishui had given him to facilitate his movements in Mingdu.
Given his relationship with Ye Xishui, she wouldn't have hesitated to make him the deputy leader of the Holy Spirit Sect if he had asked.
"How did you do it?"
Xu Sanshi swallowed hard, staring enviously at the elder token in his hands.
Qian Ran—a Holy Spirit Sect elder? Unbelievable.
Xu Sanshi wondered if he was dreaming, but deep down, he knew this was no dream.
"Not too difficult," Qian Ran said, weighing the token in his hand. Could he admit that it had practically been forced upon him?
(Chapter ends)