NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 423: Playing the fool
Chapter 423: Playing the fool
Two days later, Hai Ning City.
The airship docked, and a young man disembarked, carrying a woman with an alluring figure on his back.
The woman’s silhouette was captivating, her long hair was flowing, and her waist-to-hip ratio was astonishing. Her perfectly rounded curves were enough to arouse any man’s desire.
Her slender legs swayed in front of the man, making hearts flutter uncontrollably.
“Damn, those legs could kill a man. This guy is so lucky.”
“What do you know? That’s a top-grade ‘artillery mount’. You’d be lucky to last thirty breaths with her.”
…
Lin Fengmian ignored the chatter around him and quickly left the dock with Shangguan Qiong on his back.
Unbeknownst to him, some people started to follow him, but when they saw Lin Fengmian enter the Shanhai Residence in the city, they left in disappointment.
Lin Fengmian didn’t stay at the residence. Instead, he used Shangguan Qiong’s token to access the teleportation array and quietly left the city.
He flew close to the ground, weaving left and right to make sure he wasn’t being followed before speeding up.
“You’re quite experienced at evading people,” Shangguan Qiong, who had quietly woken up, complimented him in his ear.
Lin Fengmian sighed helplessly. “Being chased gives you experience. How could I not be good at it?”
However, when they reached the outskirts of the Joyful Union Sect, both of them sensed that something was wrong.
The messages they had sent to the Joyful Union Sect had gone unanswered, as if they had vanished into thin air.
“Damn it, Song Yuanqing is playing the fool!”
Shangguan Qiong immediately realized Song Yuanqing’s plan. He was pretending not to have received the messages so that he could continue annexing the Joyful Union Sect.
Every extra day he could drag this out, he could squeeze more resources from the Joyful Union Sect and capture more of its female disciples.
By the time Jun Wuxie held him accountable, he could easily make excuses.
Jun Wuxie wouldn’t break ties with a Unity Realm cultivator over something like this.
Shangguan Qiong gritted her teeth. “We need to get back to the Joyful Union Sect immediately!”
Only by returning and notifying the Joyful Union Sect could they expose Song Yuanqing’s act.
The sooner they returned, the sooner the conflict could be resolved, and the fewer lives would be lost.
Lin Fengmian frowned. “Sect Master, in your current state, wouldn’t going back just be sending yourself to your death?”
If Shangguan Qiong were at her peak, negotiating would be one thing. But in her current state, wasn’t she just walking into a trap?
“Don’t worry. Once we’re within the Joyful Union Sect’s territory, my condition will improve.”
What Shangguan Qiong meant by “improve” was switching places with Shangguan Yu, allowing her to handle the negotiations with the Heavenly Deception Sect.
Once they were within the Joyful Union Sect’s range, the connection between the sisters would allow Shangguan Yu to sense her presence.
Shangguan Yu would then come to meet them, and Shangguan Qiong could switch places, waiting until everything settled down before returning.
Hearing her words, Lin Fengmian thought about how the Joyful Union Sect’s fate was now tied to his own and nodded in agreement.
He was also worried that if the Joyful Union Sect fell, people like Xia Yunxi might be in danger within the sect.
Lin Fengmian carried Shangguan Qiong on his back and flew toward the Joyful Union Sect at full speed, his heart filled with anxiety.
Along the way, he took out a jade communication slip and instructed Liu Mei and Chen Qingyan not to return to the Joyful Union Sect until the situation was resolved.
Earlier, when they received Jun Wuxie’s message, Shangguan Qiong had mistakenly believed that the crisis at the Joyful Union Sect was over and called them back.
But with the current uncertainty, Lin Fengmian didn’t dare let them return and risk getting caught up in the mess.
Lying on his back, Shangguan Qiong seemed to be drifting in and out of sleep.
The soul death curse that Cao Zhengyu had unleashed in his final moments was exceptionally vicious, and Shangguan Qiong still hadn’t fully recovered from it.
Now, the only way forward was to return to the Joyful Union Sect as quickly as possible. Only by combining her strength with Shangguan Yu’s could they hope to dispel the curse of soul death.
The two of them flew toward the Joyful Union Sect, soon entering its territory.
Along the way, they encountered many disciples from the Heavenly Deception Sect, but they managed to avoid them without incident.
When avoidance was impossible, Lin Fengmian had no choice but to eliminate them swiftly.
Shangguan Qiong watched as he calmly and skillfully killed, looted, and disposed of the bodies, remarking with a strange tone, “You’re quite proficient at this.”
Lin Fengmian smiled faintly. “It’s nothing. Just a matter of practice!”
As he continued to kill the disciples of the Heavenly Deception Sect, Lin Fengmian grew increasingly tense and exhausted.
As they finally neared the Joyful Union Sect, Lin Fengmian let out a long sigh of relief.
Following Shangguan Qiong’s directions, they arrived at one of the hidden outposts of the Joyful Union Sect.
However, the place was deserted, with no one in sight. The only silver lining was that it hadn’t been discovered by the Heavenly Deception Sect.
After inspecting the area, Lin Fengmian activated the defensive formations to ensure their safety before resting.
“Sect Master, shall we rest here for a while before continuing?”
Knowing that his spiritual energy was nearly depleted, Shangguan Qiong nodded in agreement.
Lin Fengmian looked around and then carried her toward the hot spring used for bathing.
“What are you trying to do?” Shangguan Qiong asked slightly nervously.
“Sect Master, your current appearance is a bit… unkempt. How about we clean up before we go back?”
Lin Fengmian teased her with a sly grin, making her want to bite him in frustration.
“Are you saying I stink?”
These past few days, she had been enduring immense suffering, sweating profusely, her clothes soaked through.
Add to that the wind and sun exposure, and she was indeed as disheveled as Lin Fengmian had described – something she had never experienced before in her life.
Lin Fengmian quickly shook his head. “Sect master, how could I dare? You’re exuding a rich, fragrant aroma that carries for miles!”
He wasn’t completely wrong. At Shangguan Qiong’s cultivation level, she no longer consumed mortal food, and her sweat carried a unique, intense fragrance.
However, the smell on her was actually a mix of Lin Fengmian’s sweat and blood, but he turned the tables on her.
Shangguan Qiong coldly snorted, gritting her teeth. “I’m not washing!”
Lin Fengmian sighed helplessly. “Don’t you find it unpleasant?”
“I don’t care!” Shangguan Qiong insisted.
“But I do. Come on, let’s get cleaned up.”
As he spoke, Lin Fengmian carried her toward the hot spring, causing Shangguan Qiong’s expression to change dramatically.
“What are you doing? Are you trying to rebel? Do you think I won’t kill you?”
Lin Fengmian remained unfazed, continuing to carry her toward the hot spring with an indifferent expression on his face.
“Sect master, you do have a bit of a smell. I can’t handle it. Please bear with it and soak in the water for a bit.”
He closely watched Shangguan Qiong’s reactions, ready to stop at the first sign of real resistance.
However, Shangguan Qiong only punched him a few times like a petulant woman before giving up and glaring at him fiercely.
Lin Fengmian carried her into the steaming hot spring, feeling his pores open up in relaxation.
He couldn’t help but silently praise the women of the Joyful Union Sect for their luxurious lifestyle – he was reaping the benefits too.
He placed Shangguan Qiong to the side, leaning her against the edge of the pool, and quickly stripped off his dirty clothes, washing himself in the water.
“Sect Master, does this count as a couples’ bath?” Lin Fengmian joked.
Shangguan Qiong, with most of her body submerged and only her chest and above exposed, leaned weakly against the edge of the pool.
“You little brat, just you wait!”
Lin Fengmian continued to bathe comfortably, laughing. “Sect Master, I didn’t take off your clothes. How is this your loss?”
Shangguan Qiong snorted and closed her eyes. “I’m afraid my eyes will get dirty!”
Lin Fengmian ignored her and focused on washing away the blood and grime from his body.
Shangguan Qiong, on the other hand, opened her eyes slightly and couldn’t help but become a cat staring at her crotch. Her throat moved slightly, and she began to breathe softly.