txolops Chapter 88 Hong Fu Enters Tianxing City
Chapter 88 Hong Fu Enters Tianxing City
A day later, the group finally finished their training in the Dreamlike Three Realms. As soon as they returned to Tianxing City, they put aside their trivial matters and rushed towards the mountain range where Cave No. 66 was located.
Even Lu Xueqi, who was traveling abroad, rushed back with Yuan Yao and Yanli via the teleportation array.
When everyone gathered in front of the cave, the previously noisy scene instantly quieted down.
Everyone consciously held their breath, lined up on both sides, and waited respectfully at the door, their eyes fixed on the tightly closed forbidden gate, as if it were their only faith and refuge.
As time slowly passed, the cave entrance finally opened from the inside.
Hong Fu stepped out first, followed closely by Song Meng and Zhong Weiniang.
The three of them used the teleportation point of the Dreamy Minor Realm to activate the teleportation array to the underground space of Tianxing City before the Dreamy Minor Realm closed, and arrived in this unfamiliar world!
Upon seeing Hong Fu appear, the eyes of the previously solemn crowd instantly lit up, and their tense nerves seemed to find a place to relax.
Everyone bowed in unison, their faces filled with relief and heartfelt respect. They looked like a drifting ship that had finally seen a lighthouse guiding its course. With Hong Fu by their side, they had found their anchor.
Hong Fu's gaze swept over everyone, her expression solemn. She gave a deep order: "From this moment forward, everyone must immediately go into seclusion! Focus all your efforts on learning the languages of the Chaotic Star Sea and Tiannan, and breaking through your own cultivation levels. All of this is to wait for Xiao Liu to return!"
"Yes!" the crowd responded in unison, their voices loud and clear, reflecting absolute obedience and unwavering conviction.
After the group entered the cave, Yanli quietly pulled Yuanyao to the back of the line, and asked in a somewhat uneasy voice, "Junior sister, what exactly is our situation? Aren't we supposed to be shop assistants? Why does it feel like we're being treated better than the sect's direct disciples? Maybe... we should just volunteer to be the shopkeeper's maids. I'm really uneasy about this, I'm scared!"
Yuan Yao remained silent, only subconsciously touching the storage bag at her waist.
The bag contained over a hundred century-old medicinal herbs and dozens of first-level demon beast corpses, all painstakingly collected by her in the Dreamlike Minor Realm.
She could tell that these people meant no harm, but her senior sister's words were not without reason. Such a huge amount of resources were being dumped on her for no reason, so the other party must have some ulterior motive.
But now that Han Xiaoliu is gone, all the mysteries can only be solved when he returns.
Yuan Yao gently shook her head, signaling her senior sister to relax: "Let nature take its course. This is by no means a bad thing for us. After all, we don't even have the qualifications to be the boss's maids. Now that we have this protection, what is there to worry about!"
Tianxing City, Miaoyin Gate
In the chaotic cultivation world of the Star Sea, where the strong prey on the weak, losing the protection of a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator would be tantamount to annihilation for the Myriad Sounds Sect.
With Wang Heng's death on Kui Xing Island, the pillar of Miao Yin Sect collapsed, plunging the entire sect into a precarious and desperate situation.
After Zhou Yuan finished handling her husband's funeral arrangements, she closed the door tightly, seemingly staying indoors, but in reality, she was already extremely anxious.
Now, only she and her child remain in the sect, struggling to keep it afloat. Without the deterrent power of a high-level Core Formation cultivator, those who once harbored ambitions have now revealed their true colors.
Even the usually aloof Star Palace made no attempt to hide its greedy gaze, trying to forcibly install a Core Formation elder in the Wonderful Sound Sect.
This isn't "helping out," it's blatant takeover!
If the other party succeeds, not only will the vast industry accumulated by Miaoyin Sect over generations change hands, but even the sales channels on which they depend for survival will be completely divided up. At that time, the mother and daughter will probably not even have a place to stand.
Faced with a life-or-death situation beset by internal and external troubles, Zhou Yuan had no choice but to place her last bet on Han Xiaoliu.
This person's identity is a mystery, yet his cultivation speed is incredibly fast, suggesting he must have an extraordinary and powerful background.
Most importantly, although he seems unfathomable, he is a "good person" with a single interest—and this is precisely the biggest bargaining chip of the Miaoyin Sect.
This cultivator with unlimited potential has taken a liking to his daughter. By using this connection with Han Xiaoliu, the current crisis of the Miaoyin Sect's annihilation might be easily resolved!
A series of hurried and slightly disordered footsteps broke the deathly silence in the hall.
The sound grew louder as it approached, each step revealing an undisguised panic and urgency, as if some ferocious beast was chasing after them, its heavy footsteps striking their hearts.
Immediately afterward, a graceful figure darted into the hall. It was a young girl dressed in simple clothes; though her attire was simple, it could not conceal her delicate and graceful features.
But at this moment, her usually serene face was filled with tension, and her chest was heaving violently, clearly indicating that she had been running extremely fast.
Without even catching her breath, she urgently reported, "Madam, news has arrived from Cave 66 today!"
Zhou Yuan, who had been sitting upright in the main seat looking ashen and full of sorrow, suddenly raised her head upon hearing this, and a glint of light flashed in her dim eyes.
She practically sprang to her feet, took a few steps to the girl, and snatched the communication jade slip from her.
Zhou Yuan trembled as she probed her divine sense into it. In just a moment, her tightly furrowed brows relaxed instantly, and an uncontrollable flush of ecstasy rose on her originally tense and pale cheeks.
She clutched the jade slip tightly, as if it held the very lifeblood of the entire Miaoyin Sect in her grasp. Her voice trembled slightly with excitement: "Quick! Go and fetch Miss! Prepare gifts; I will personally visit Senior Han!"
Before the protective light barrier outside Cave 66, Zhou Yuan and her daughter stood expectantly, only to be greeted by Yu Niangzi's slightly apologetic reply: "Sect Leader Zhou, it's truly unfortunate, Young Master Liu is away traveling and has not yet returned!"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Yuan's delicate eyebrows furrowed instantly, her eyes filled with surprise and uncertainty.
She instinctively gripped the jade slip in her hand, thinking to herself: This is impossible! I clearly received a telepathic message stating that the transaction would proceed as planned! If Han Xiaoliu isn't here, then who sent the message? Who is actually in charge of things in this mansion now?
Yu Niangzi glanced at Zhou Yuan's ever-changing expression, seemingly having anticipated her doubts, and then explained, "Nowadays, all matters, big and small, in the manor are managed by the young master's master, and all decisions are made by her."
"Han Xiaoliu's master?!" Zhou Yuan's pupils contracted slightly, and her heart was filled with shock.
Isn't Han Xiaoliu an old monster who possessed another body and started his cultivation?
How come there's suddenly an extra master?
If someone could teach someone like Han Xiaoliu, what kind of extraordinary talent must this master be?
Could it be that we've guessed wrong, and they come from a reclusive family of cultivators with profound heritage?
With this thought in mind, Zhou Yuan looked at her daughter Ziling, who stood silently beside her, and made her decision.
She took a deep breath, concealing the surprise and doubt in her eyes, and adopted an extremely solemn expression. She respectfully bowed to Lady Yu, saying, "In that case, please inform her that Zhou Yuan, the sect leader of Miaoyin Sect, and her beloved daughter Ziling have come to pay a visit!"
Seeing Zhou Yuan's solemn expression, Yu Niangzi clearly guessed the implications, so she said no more, returned the greeting with a bow, and turned to go inside to report.
A moment later, Lady Yu returned and gestured for them to enter: "Please come in, both of you!" With that, she activated the array token, and the previously tightly closed barrier slowly cracked open to reveal a passage, leading the two inside.
As Zhou Yuan walked through the dazzling corridor, she continued walking with a polite smile on her face, casually inquiring, "May I ask how Fellow Daoist Han addresses his master? It's our first meeting, so we shouldn't be impolite."
Without glancing to the side, Lady Yu calmly uttered four words: "Fairy Hongfu."
Zhou Yuan's previously composed pace suddenly halted, and she almost stumbled, but she quickly adjusted her pace and caught up.
She tried her best to maintain her composure, but her heart was in turmoil: the Fairy Hong Fu?
She would never have imagined that Han Xiaoliu, who usually seemed lecherous and snobbish, would actually have a woman as his master!
Wait… a female cultivator, teaching a disciple like Han Xiaoliu… Zhou Yuan’s mind flashed with her own guesses, and her eyes became strange and wary: Could she be some kind of demonic witch who teaches people to engage in dual cultivation? Otherwise, how could she have taught a lecherous 'gentleman' like Han Xiaoliu!
As Zhou Yuan passed through the dazzling passage, the scene inside the cave made her slightly taken aback.
Two pretty young women were busily moving about, arranging the guest seating with extremely high standards.
In the center of the hall stood an antique-style three-sided armchair. On the table, not only were spiritual fruits and tea prepared, but also extremely precious calming incense was lit, the curling smoke revealing the great importance attached to this meeting.
On the Luohan bed, which symbolizes the main seat, sat a female cultivator dressed in a long red robe.
She didn't deliberately release her aura, but the spiritual pressure emanating from her body made the air seem to freeze, revealing her to be at the terrifying level of a late-stage Core Formation cultivator!
This female cultivator is none other than the Fairy Hong Fu.
Her crimson, wide-sleeved robe shone like a raging fire, with intricate cloud patterns embroidered in gold thread at the hem. These patterns flickered in and out of view with the spiritual light flowing around her, exuding both the nobility of a Core Formation cultivator and a sense of composure and domineering presence honed by the passage of time.
She didn't wear those cute girlish hairstyles; instead, she tied her long black hair up high, securing it with only a phoenix-head gold hairpin, revealing her smooth, full forehead and sharp, knife-like eyebrows.
Although the years have left very faint traces around her eyes, this has not diminished her beauty; on the contrary, it has endowed her with a mature charm and fierce aura that young female cultivators could never possess.
She simply sat there quietly, her back ramrod straight, one hand resting on the armrest, her fingertips lightly tapping a red jade whisk, her body enveloped in faint lightning.
Those icy eyes swept over us indifferently, carrying an air of domineering authority, as if she could summon thunderbolts with a mere wave of her hand if she so desired.
This powerful and cold aura was completely different from the image of the "demonic witch" that Zhou Yuan had imagined. Instead, it was more like a sect elder who held the power of life and death, making people dare not act rashly in the slightest.