Translator: CinderTL
"I've heard the Huai Lake Seven Heroes are all exceptionally beautiful. Is this true?" Xu Sanyan asked, his interest piqued.
Zuoqiu Shen remained wary, slowly backing away. "Indeed, the seven sisters' cultivation levels are also remarkable. All seven have come this time. If the opportunity arises, I would be honored to introduce you."
Zuoqiu Shen's meaning was clear: he was warning Xu Sanyan not to act rashly, implying he had powerful allies behind him.
"Heh, very well," Xu Sanyan replied.
Xu Sanyan understood the warning perfectly, but he dismissed it entirely. While the Huai Lake Seven Heroes might intimidate ordinary cultivators, to him, they were nothing special—at best, on par with Jiang Qinqin.
With a thought, a rune slowly materialized in the air, imbued with the concept of "obedience." It suddenly imprinted itself onto Zuoqiu Shen's mind.
Zuoqiu Shen's expression froze. Unconsciously, he felt a surge of fear and a faint sense of kinship toward Xu Sanyan. His wariness began to dissipate.
The cultivation gap between them was vast. Zuoqiu Shen was only at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, a full realm below Xu Sanyan, making it impossible for him to resist the power of the Demonic Seed.
"I ask, you answer," Xu Sanyan said, slowly approaching. This time, Zuoqiu Shen didn't retreat.
"Please... ask, Senior."
"How many members of the Zuoqiu Clan are here?"
"Seventy-seven."
"What are their cultivation levels?"
"Four Soul Refinement, sixteen Dao Seeking Realm, and forty-seven Foundation Establishment." Zuoqiu Shen felt a slight unease, but his words came without hesitation.
"What are the cultivation levels of the Huai Lake Seven Heroes?" Xu Sanyan asked, curious about this.
"Five at the Initial Stage of the Dao Seeking Realm, and two at Foundation Establishment Perfection."
"How do you communicate with each other?"
"Mother-child stones."
Xu Sanyan nodded slightly. Mother-child stones were the most common communication method in the cultivation world.
"What information have you obtained?"
"Yes."
Xu Sanyan raised an eyebrow. "Tell me everything."
"Someone saw a stone tablet inscribed with the words: 'When South City blooms, the Drum Tower Relic will appear.'"
When South City blooms, the Drum Tower Relic will appear...
Xu Sanyan pondered for a moment, then asked, "Where is the drum tower?"
"I don't know," Zuoqiu Shen replied, shaking his head.
Taking the inscription literally, "When the flowers bloom in South City, the Drum Tower Relic will appear," the Drum Tower Relic must be the key to this secret realm.
But... when would the flowers bloom in South City?
Xu Sanyan retrieved his mother-child stone and sent a message to everyone: "Is anyone in South City?"
Judging by the position of the sun, Xu Sanyan was likely in the west of the city. Traveling to South City could take a long time, especially since the city was so vast, its boundaries invisible.
Before long, a reply came: "Senior Brother, this is Xiang Tan. I'm in South City."
"Are there any flowers there?"
After a brief pause, another message arrived: "I haven't seen any flowers, but there's a towering ancient tree here. It looks like a chinese crabapple tree, but it's enormous."
Xu Sanyan gripped the mother-child stone, considering his options. "Everyone, gather in South City, near that chinese crabapple tree."
"Yes, Holy Son."
"Understood..."
"You come with me too," Xu Sanyan said, patting Zuoqiu Shen's shoulder.
"Yes."
Meanwhile, in the northwest corner of the city, beneath a towering pavilion, Fang Qingge pointed at the massive plaque and forced a stiff smile. "Immortal Maiden Wei, would you care to join me in exploring this place?"
Behind him, a slender woman stroked the emerald-green snake coiled around her finger. Hearing his words, she flashed a sweet smile, revealing her pearly white teeth. "Senior Brother Fang, you may call me Xunzhi. 'Immortal Maiden Wei' sounds too formal."
"Then I shall defer to your preference, Xunzhi," Fang Qingge replied smoothly, his face radiating a carefree smile. Yet inwardly, he sighed. He hadn't anticipated that the first person he'd encounter in the secret realm would be Wei Xunzhi, the Wei Clan's prized jewel from Three Mountains City.
This woman was truly uncanny. Legend had it that on the day of Wei Xunzhi's birth, countless insects had gathered from within a hundred miles, each carrying blades of grass as offerings in a grand procession.
Wei Xunzhi lived up to the legend. By the age of seven or eight, she had already displayed extraordinary talent in cultivation, particularly in Beast Taming, where her innate gifts were unparalleled.
What made her truly bizarre was her exclusive interest in venomous creatures. Whether it was a thousand-legged centipede, a venomous snake, or a poisonous toad, any such creature that fell into her hands would become utterly docile.
This also meant that no one dared to play with her as a child, for fear that if angered, she would unleash her venomous insects.
Fang Qingge watched Wei Xunzhi approach and silently stepped back. She was the first woman who stirred not a hint of sexual interest in him.
Though she wore revealing attire—a short skirt barely covering her chest, exposing her smooth, slender arms, a waist so small it could be encircled with one hand, and long, pale legs that shimmered in the sunlight—he dared not get closer.
Yet Wei Xunzhi seemed particularly interested in him, persistently closing the distance.
Fang Qingge desperately wanted to tell her, "Immortal Maiden, please maintain your dignity!"
"Does Senior Brother Fang dislike me?" Wei Xunzhi asked, her eyes brimming with tears as she noticed his wariness.
"I wouldn't dare," Fang Qingge blurted out, then quickly corrected himself, "No, I don't dislike you."
"Hehe, I knew Senior Brother Fang was the best!" Wei Xunzhi's expression instantly brightened as she wrapped her arm around his and nuzzled her cheek against his shoulder.
Fang Qingge visibly stiffened, his voice trembling slightly as he said, "Xunzhi, could you... control your pet?"
The small snake that had been coiled around Wei Xunzhi's arm had somehow slithered onto Fang Qingge's shoulder. It was now stretching its body, surveying its surroundings, its forked tongue flicking in and out.
"Oh, Senior Brother doesn't like Xiao Qing?" Wei Xunzhi asked.
Without any visible movement from Wei Xunzhi, the emerald-green snake seemed to understand human speech. It slid down her neck and disappeared into her short skirt.
Fang Qingge glanced sideways, catching a glimpse of the deep cleavage before quickly averting his gaze.
Heaven only knew how many venomous creatures she was hiding. The snake was already the third species he'd seen—previously, there had been a centipede and a round, unidentifiable insect.
"Let's go," Wei Xunzhi said, pointing to the pavilion ahead. She wrapped her other arm around Fang Qingge's and pulled him forward. "We should go take a look."
In the vast city, nearly ten thousand figures were scattered like raindrops falling into the sea, leaving barely a ripple.
Xu Sanyan positioned Zuoqiu Shen in front of him, letting the younger man lead the way as they traversed the long streets, one behind the other. Suddenly, they stopped in their tracks.
Two figures stood ahead, their backs turned to them. Sensing their presence, the pair halted and turned around.
Both sides instantly tensed, ready for a confrontation. Before Xu Sanyan could assess the situation, Zuoqiu Shen exclaimed in surprise, "Third Sister? Fourth Sister?"
"Brother Shen?"
Xu Sanyan narrowed his eyes. How convenient.
They had just been discussing the Huai Lake Seven Heroes, and now they'd encountered the third and fourth siblings?
"And this is...?" The woman in crimson brocade robes glanced at Xu Sanyan.
"I am Xu Sanyan from the Harmonious Mountain Praying Dao Sect," Xu Sanyan replied, improvising a name on the spot. "It's an honor to meet you both, Immortal Maidens."
"Ah, a distinguished disciple of the Praying Dao Sect," the woman replied. "I am Zuoqiu Hui, and this is my younger sister, Zuoqiu Xin. Thank you for looking after Brother Shen."
"You're most welcome. Where are you two headed?"
"We received..." Zuoqiu Xin began to speak, but Zuoqiu Hui quickly interrupted, "We're gathering south of the city. Would you care to join us, fellow cultivator?"
(End of the Chapter)
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