Fairy Ranran was far too generous!
Zhou Shengqian felt that the wisest decision of his entire life was leading his whole sect to pledge allegiance to her. What he did not know was that even after he ascended one day, he never once regretted this thought.
"Many thanks, Fairy. I truly have no way to repay such kindness!"
If he could, he would have thrown himself at her feet in lifelong devotion. Too bad this old body of his was already well on its way to becoming a decrepit husk. If only he had met Fairy Ranran a few decades earlier, he would have shamelessly clung to her and never let go.
Yao Ranran waved her hand dismissively. "Think nothing of it. Alchemy is just a hobby of mine. Take the pills and start preparing for your Core Formation."
"Yes! I will not fail Fairy's expectations. Unless I succeed in forming my core, I will not step out again!"
Zhou Shengqian's excitement left his face flushed red. His hand trembled as he clutched the jade vial.
"Sect Master Zhou, there's no need to be so harsh with yourself. Of course, failure in Core Formation often means death… but you must walk out alive."
"Yes! I will make my preparations immediately!"
He bolted off like a gust of wind. Yao Ranran almost suspected he had guessed she was about to bring up spirit stones, and so fled before she could.
Touching her nose, she muttered, "Forget it. Sect Master Zhou has done so much and stayed loyal. These pills can count as a gift."
Besides, the kidnapping of Zhou Lili was not entirely unrelated to her. This could serve as compensation for father and daughter both.
Far away, Zhou Shengqian suddenly thought of that very point.
"Wait… Fairy Ranran didn't even ask me for spirit stones?"
Something felt very wrong.
He stopped and turned back, only to find Yao Ranran was already gone.
His eyes widened with shock. "Fairy Ranran… Fairy Ranran is truly such a kind, beautiful, and generous Fairy!"
They had misunderstood her all along!
Everyone had assumed Fairy Ranran was a greedy woman obsessed with wealth. Only today, upon receiving the priceless Phoenix Core-Breaking Pills without giving a single stone in return, did he realize how wrong he had been!
He was such a fool!
Smack!
He slapped his right cheek hard.
"How could I use my selfish, narrow heart to judge the pure, beautiful soul of Fairy Ranran? I am the world's greatest fool! I deserve death! I truly deserve death!"
Without hesitation, Zhou Shengqian slapped himself back and forth, leaving bright red welts across his cheeks.
-
Creak, creak, creak.
The stone door groaned open.
Nie Rong gazed at the light spilling in from outside and murmured, "What exactly do you want? Our lives are worthless. My master will never agree to become the Holy Palace's Holy Maiden."
Zhou Lili, frail and weak, whispered, "The moment I saw them, I knew Fairy Ranran wouldn't come. If you want her as Holy Maiden, then at least show the sincerity of your Holy Palace."
Crack!
A cold, barbed whip lashed down, drawing simultaneous cries of pain from both Nie Rong and Zhou Lili.
Wan Huaiyuan's voice was icy. "If she does not come, you will all die."
Nie Rong glared through the pain, his wounds swelling red. "I am an elder of Wuxiang Sect. Kill me, and do you think Sect Master Han will let you off?"
Elder Qian Zhi sneered from the side. "Nie elder, the moment you took a disciple who wished to sever ties with Wuxiang Sect as your master, Sect Master Han likely already abandoned you."
Nie Rong choked on his words, his face darkening.
"Grand Elder, Second Elder, all you want is Fairy Ranran as your Holy Maiden, is that it?" Zhou Lili, gritting her teeth against the pain, turned toward them. "Tell me honestly, is your Holy Palace wealthy?"
Wan Huaiyuan scoffed. "The Beiming Holy Palace stands on par with the Central State's Wuxiang Sect. To call it merely 'wealthy' is an insult!"
Zhou Lili's eyes lit up, her throat swallowing greedily. "Then isn't the solution obvious? If your palace is overflowing with spirit stones and resources, why bother kidnapping us? Just pile them high before Fairy Ranran and the Holy Palace will have its Holy Maiden."
Wan Huaiyuan and Qian Zhi froze, then shouted in anger. "Nonsense! If it were that simple, would we need to drag you here? Nie Rong especially cost us no small effort to capture!"
Zhou Lili stared blankly. Since when did being a hostage come with this kind of insult?
Nie Rong suddenly snapped back to himself. "No, she's right! That's exactly how simple it is. I still have a sound transmission talisman. List out every treasure your Holy Palace has, and my master will come at once!"
"…"
Wan Huaiyuan and Qian Zhi exchanged a look of disbelief.
Qian Zhi stroked his white beard, uncertain. "Grand Elder, should we try it? Nie Rong doesn't look like he's lying."
Wan Huaiyuan's eyes narrowed on Nie Rong. Then his expression shifted coldly. "You dare try to trick me? You think I'll believe such nonsense? I should kill you both here and now… starting with the girl!"
Zhou Lili screamed, "No! Why is it always me who suffers?!"
Nie Rong cried out urgently, "Why would I lie? Even if you kill us both, my master will never agree to become your Holy Maiden!"
"That's right, that's right! Only spirit stones and treasure can move Fairy's heart! Uuuhh…" Zhou Lili's whole body shook in terror.
Qian Zhi quickly cut in. "Grand Elder, I don't think they're lying. Why not test it first?"
Wan Huaiyuan pulled back his blade at the last moment, face frosty. "Since Second Elder speaks for you, I'll give you one chance."
Creak, creak, creak.
The stone gate closed once more. Qian Zhi held the transmission talisman tightly as he followed Wan Huaiyuan. "Grand Elder, just now… were you truly about to kill them?"
Wan Huaiyuan eyed his white hair and beard, then shook his head. "You may look intimidating, Qian Zhi, but no. I only meant to scare them into speaking the truth."
Qian Zhi blinked, then realization struck. "As expected of Grand Elder. In that situation, they still insisted only wealth could move Yao Ranran. Then… do we really trust them?"
Wan Huaiyuan looked back at the sealed stone gate, voice low and grim. "Time is running short. However ridiculous their words may sound, we have no choice but to believe them."
After all, killing them outright would never lead Yao Ranran here. Better to keep them alive. Eventually, the moment to lure her out would come.
-
Eastern Wilderness.
Gu Ling Mountain.
Yao Ranran stared in confusion at the phoenix and Xiao Rong, both crouched sneakily outside Tang Xiangyin's door, peeking in with guilty little faces. At once, her temper flared.
"Xiao Rong, who did you learn this from? Was it Jiang Shengxiang who taught you such things?"
The two turned around in fright.
Xiao Rong flustered, wide-eyed, stammered, "Boss, no one taught me this! Even Xiao Jiang doesn't know about it!"
"How could he not? Then how do you know what you're doing?"
Hands on her hips, Yao Ranran glared fiercely. He might just be a little tree spirit, but she would never allow him to learn bad habits.