My Answer

Cao Xueyan heard these words and, despite the pain, gritted her teeth and said: “Is there still any need… to keep pretending like this?”.

Lu Qianyun’s smile didn’t fade at all.

Leisurely, she pulled out a stack of powerless talismans.

A closer look — weren’t these the completely invalid God-Suppressing Talismans?.

And this demon girl had just claimed she personally watched her leave the Daoist temple.

Didn’t that mean Lu Qianyun had already broken free from the talisman’s restraints at that time?.

Maybe even earlier!.

But then why didn’t she seek revenge immediately?.

Putting herself in the other’s shoes, Cao Xueyan felt that if she had suffered such a betrayal, she would never have been able to swallow that humiliation.

But Lu Qianyun clearly wasn’t an ordinary person — many people probably underestimated this so-called “Demonic Saintess.”.

“Pretending?”.

Lu Qianyun laughed as if she had heard the funniest joke in the world.

She casually tossed the stack of talismans behind her, laughing so hard she nearly lost her breath.

Only after a long while did she calm down.

She slowly crouched until her height matched Cao Xueyan’s.

“You really think I was pretending earlier?”.

Lu Qianyun extended a slender jade-white finger, lifting Cao Xueyan’s chin and forcing the girl to look at her.

“I, Lu Qianyun, have only been sold once in my life.

A brothel madam once sold me to a cultivator of the Pleasure Sect.

Only then did I transform and become a Saintess later on.

And you… you are the second one.”.

After speaking, Lu Qianyun tightened her grip on Cao Xueyan’s chin and jerked her toward herself with a rather rough motion.

Cao Xueyan couldn’t resist.

The sudden movement pulled at her injured knees, and a wave of piercing pain surged through her whole body.

She wanted to scream, but forced herself to hold it in, swallowing the pain.

Now the two of them were extremely close — Lu Qianyun’s lips nearly brushing against Cao Xueyan’s ear… or rather, the pair of fox ears on top of her head.

“Guess how I repaid that brothel madam who sold me?”.

Lu Qianyun’s warm breath made the sensitive fox ears tremble nonstop — but this time, it was from fear.

Lu Qianyun continued: “I’m a kind person.

I can’t stand seeing others suffer.

Even my furnaces — when I dual-cultivate with them — I try to consider their feelings, not hitting too hard, letting them enjoy mortal bliss as much as possible.

So, I personally brought that madam to the Pleasure Sect.

She was already past forty — for mortals, that’s quite old.

But with some beauty-preserving pills, she was still presentable.”.

“She was actually rated highly by the furnaces under me.

To endure the unrestrained draining of cultivators for three whole days with a mortal body — that truly surprised me.

But until the moment she died, her face always carried a genuine smile.

I let her experience the greatest pleasure this world can offer.

That counts as repayment, doesn’t it?.

So tell me — if you fall into their hands, how long do you think you can last?”.

As soon as she finished, Lu Qianyun let go.

Without support, Cao Xueyan’s head drooped instantly.

She tried to get up from the ground, but after the near-destructive blow, her knees hurt so much they couldn’t respond at all.

She could only lean her weight forward, preventing her full body weight from crushing her injured knees, lessening the pain a little.

“What will it take… for you to tell me how to leave this cave-heaven?”.

Cao Xueyan asked.

“Are you asking for yourself, or for Qin Ximo?”.

Lu Qianyun replied expressionlessly.

Cao Xueyan stayed silent — but that silence itself was an answer.

Lu Qianyun understood as well.

Her earlier calm vanished instantly.

Cao Xueyan was right — Lu Qianyun had been pretending, enduring all this time.

The resentment in her chest, the hatred in her heart — her wrath and poison had nowhere to go.

She couldn’t accept betrayal.

Because in the past, Shen Yuemian’s position in her heart was nothing like those disposable furnaces.

She had truly treated her as a trusted aide.

Even during dual cultivation, she used a gentler method so both would benefit.

But the Shen Yuemian she knew had long since been replaced without her noticing.

The soul inside this body now — she had no idea who it belonged to.

This wasn’t betrayal at all.

Shen Yuemian was never truly her furnace — she had simply been using Lu Qianyun from the beginning, merely as a tool to get close to Qin Ximo.

“You’re so sure Qin Ximo can survive the heavenly tribulation?”.

Lu Qianyun asked coldly.

Cao Xueyan said nothing.

She herself wasn’t sure — but she chose to trust the simulator.

She hoped Qin Ximo truly held the favor of heaven because of her Nine-Tailed Fox bloodline.

Lu Qianyun suddenly slapped her forehead.

“Right, knowing that woman, she might actually pull through and successfully form her Nascent Soul.”.

“You’re truly impressive — traveling all this way with me just to give your body to Qin Ximo so she could form her Nascent Soul.”.

“But even if she succeeds, as long as she stays inside this cave-heaven, she can’t hurt me.

Your talismans will eventually run out — maybe they’re running low already.

Then both of you can stay here with me.

Who knows — we might even become good sisters and research dual cultivation together.”.

Cao Xueyan suddenly raised her head, staring directly at Lu Qianyun.

“I can make Qin Ximo spare your life — if you take her out of here.”.

Lu Qianyun narrowed her eyes, then chuckled.

“Nascent Soul cultivators are terrifying — a single thought could doom me.

Asking me to bring her outside… isn’t that just suicide?.

Do you think I’d agree?.

I underestimated Qin Ximo once.

I won’t make the same mistake again.”.

Cao Xueyan understood — Qin Ximo absolutely could not remain trapped here.

Otherwise, everything they had done would be wasted.

Twenty years later, Qin Ximo would still be absent, and the Qingyun Sword Sect would be massacred.

The entire mountain gate would be razed by demonic cultivators — her master included….

She could not allow that!.

Just then, a sword cry echoed from the distant sky.

Cao Xueyan looked back — a blinding sword light tore open the gloomy tribulation clouds.

She couldn’t see the figure, but she could almost picture Qin Ximo facing the tribulation alone.

Cao Xueyan gritted her teeth, expression resolute:

“Qin Ximo is blessed by heaven.

She has not only found a method to reach Nascent Soul, but even toward the Divine Transformation stage and beyond!.

Given time, she will reach it all.

How long do you think your cave-heaven can trap someone like her?.

I refuse to believe you haven’t considered this.”.

Lu Qianyun’s face remained blank.

“Yes.

But what of it?”.

Cao Xueyan made her offer:

“I can persuade Qin Ximo to swear a Heavenly Oath — she will swear never to harm your life.”.

“If you can go that far…”.

Lu Qianyun’s expression shifted.

“Just what is your relationship with Qin Ximo?”.

There were simply too many mysteries around this girl.

“That… has nothing to do with you,” Cao Xueyan said weakly, her consciousness blurring from the pain.

Lu Qianyun thought for a long time, glancing occasionally at the distant tribulation clouds.

Finally, she nodded.

“Fine.

If you can make her swear a Heavenly Oath, I will take you out.

But after that, you must come back with—”.

Before she finished, Cao Xueyan collapsed forward, fainting at Lu Qianyun’s feet.

Lu Qianyun touched her and found her body soaked in cold sweat.

She dragged Cao Xueyan inside, retrieved healing pills from her pouch, and fed them to her.

Soon, the bleeding in Cao Xueyan’s legs stopped.

Lu Qianyun sat nearby, staring at the distant, surging Qin Ximo and muttered:

“Qin Ximo…

Qin Ximo…

Why must all the blessings in this world fall into your hands?.

I really… cannot accept it.”.