The Hehuan Sect Was Squeezed Dry for Ten Thousand Years, but It Became a Sacred Ground?

Chapter 35: A Prelude to the Tournament – Plum, Orchid, Bamboo, Chrysanthemum, Peach, Apricot, and Crabapple!

The women were momentarily stunned before joy overtook them.

“Thank you, Sect Master, for your generosity!”

They didn’t even ask what the reward was. The Sect Master had no reason to deceive a few low-level Golden Core cultivators over such a matter.

“However, before I take you there, there is one condition.”

“Sect Master, what would you have us do? We will follow your orders without question!” they declared resolutely.

To hear the Dao in the morning and die in the evening—while exaggerated—captured their willingness. To quickly advance their cultivation, they were willing to pay any price short of death.

“You don’t need to do much.” Liu Ruyan chuckled softly and then spoke firmly, enunciating every word:

“You must swear an oath to the Heavenly Dao. No matter what you see or experience tonight, you are forbidden to disclose even a single word to anyone else.”

She didn’t explain further because they weren’t yet qualified to know everything. Were it not for consolidating loyalty and strengthening the sect’s core power, Liu Ruyan wouldn’t have gone this far.

Her icy-blue eyes flickered with a trace of frustration as she thought of someone.

To get Ah Chen’s approval for this, she had endured countless unseen sacrifices.

The seven female stewards exchanged uncertain glances. After all, an oath to the Heavenly Dao wasn’t something to take lightly. As cultivators, they naturally held deep reverence for such vows.

But ultimately, their desire for advancement prevailed. One by one, they swore their oaths.

“Good.” Liu Ruyan nodded, satisfied with their discernment. If they had hesitated, she would have withdrawn the opportunity without hesitation.

To her, they were merely Golden Core cultivators—helpful but not indispensable to the sect’s growth.

Turning to one side, Liu Ruyan spoke calmly, “In that case, I’ll trouble Junior Sister Xu to lead the way tonight.”

Xu Qingyao, who had been waiting nearby, stepped forward, bowing gracefully with a faint smile. “Understood, Sect Master. I will fulfill your instructions to the best of my ability.”

***

The night was dark and windy, with the moon hanging high in the sky.

Scattered starlight mirrored the anticipation and nervousness in the hearts of the seven women.

They flew on swords, closely following Xu Qingyao, who soared ahead.

Opportunity?

What kind of opportunity awaits us?

When Xu Qingyao suddenly descended, the women followed without hesitation.

As their feet touched the ground, the steward with the crabapple motif on her gown glanced around before exclaiming in surprise, “Isn’t this the sect’s back mountain?”

The back mountain of the Green Lotus Sect consisted of endless forests and one significant landmark:

The Demon-Locking Prison.

The name immediately surfaced in their minds, and their suspicions were quickly confirmed as a familiar structure came into view—it was indeed the Demon-Locking Prison.

Xu Qingyao turned to face them, her smile carrying a hint of allure.

“What lies ahead involves one of the Green Lotus Sect’s greatest secrets!”

“If anyone wishes to leave, now is the time. I won’t hold it against you. But if you choose to stay, there will be no turning back later.”

The seven stewards exchanged glances, their confidence unshaken. None of them wavered.

In fact, their excitement grew.

They were well aware of the rumors surrounding the Demon-Locking Prison. Tonight, would they finally uncover the truth?

With a resounding boom, the heavy gates of the underground prison swung open.

The women entered in single file.

The moment they stepped inside, ferocious roars erupted from either side, and the oppressive auras emanating from the imprisoned beasts sent chills down their spines.

Their expressions turned serious.

Even the weakest of these creatures surpassed them in strength.

As they ventured deeper, the beasts grew increasingly terrifying in power.

They even surpassed Xu Qingyao, who was leading the way.

But she didn’t stop.

This made the female stewards question inwardly: What exactly is this so-called opportunity?

Gradually, the path descended further, and the roars of the beasts vanished. Yet, the winding road continued endlessly downward.

The female stewards had no idea how long they had been walking. Finally, faint light appeared below, signaling the end of the path.

They immediately straightened up, eyes focused ahead—only to be met with shock.

What was going on? Why was there a man?

Xu Qingyao ignored their reactions. Her previously composed and dignified demeanor transformed into one of seductive allure. She fixed her gaze passionately on the man she never seemed to tire of looking at.

Curling her crimson lips into a smile, she spoke in a soft, coquettish tone,

“Martial Nephew, your Martial Aunt has come to see you again. This time, I’ve brought plenty of gifts. Look, do you like them?”

She swayed her curvaceous hips and stepped aside, revealing the group of stunned and speechless female stewards behind her. It was as though she were presenting items for a buyer to inspect.

The man, Ning Chen, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them lazily and glanced at the line of delicate beauties standing before him.

One by one, panels of information appeared before his eyes.

There were too many of them for him to bother remembering, but the women each had a unique charm. Their robes were embroidered with motifs of plum, orchid, bamboo, chrysanthemum, peach blossom, apricot blossom, and crabapple—each reflecting their individuality.

Their cultivation levels ranged from the first to the second stage of the Golden Core realm.

As for their appearances, the ratings ranged from 89 to 92 out of 100. In the outside world, they would undoubtedly be considered rare beauties.

However, the innate talents they could offer were underwhelming. Only the Plum and Peach women carried blue-grade talents, while the others barely managed green-grade abilities.

Altogether, they didn’t provide as much benefit to Ning Chen as Xu Qingyao alone.

Ironically, they were still slightly better than Liu Ruyan.

Ning Chen felt a spark of interest, but nothing too strong.

Perhaps even Liu Ruyan herself thought offering these seven women for dual cultivation was beneath him. It was likely why she had begrudgingly allowed him to explore her “cold heart” on a previous occasion.

Although Ning Chen wasn’t inclined to give Liu Ruyan much face, he still respected her to some degree.

Her Heavenly Ice Soul Physique made her unique—unlike others who radiated heat, she was cold and refreshing, which piqued his curiosity.

That was why he had agreed to her plan.

For Ning Chen, helping these women was no issue. He viewed it as nothing more than a warm-up, akin to sampling seven appetizers before selecting the best talents during the tournament.

What truly amused him was seeing Liu Ruyan endure such humiliation for the sake of the Green Lotus Sect’s development. That, in his eyes, was the real entertainment.

Little did she know that no matter how glorious her ambitions of becoming the strongest sect master might seem, she would always remain one step beneath him.