The Joyful Union Sect’s Scheme

What was her motive?

Lin Yao, standing before him, had meticulously orchestrated this intricate trap; what exactly was she hoping to achieve?

Qin Yan gazed at Lin Yao, who was now laughing maniacally before him.

Gone was any trace of the valiant heroine she had once appeared to be.

Frankly, if her acting prowess were judged on Earth, she would undoubtedly win at least a Golden Horse Award.

“Ah—”

Lin Yao cupped her slender hands around her cheeks, a sickly smile plastered on her face as she looked at Qin Yan.

“The foremost male cultivator of the Yanqing Sect, you are truly more impressive in person than by reputation.

Judging by your bewildered expression, you must be wondering why I’m doing this, aren’t you?

In truth, I noticed you back in that storyteller’s tavern…”

As she spoke, she lowered her hands, her somewhat sharp nails tracing a line across Qin Yan’s cheek.

Qin Yan felt the spiritual energy within him sealed away.

He had lost count of how many times he had experienced this sensation!

Damn it, were all the female cultivators in this world so ostentatiously oppressive?!

Witnessing this scene, Xiao Miao felt like a wronged party, like a victim of misfortune.

It was as if she had swallowed a bitter herb, unable to articulate her suffering.

Had she not so readily believed the words of the woman in red before her, perhaps none of this would be happening now.

Yet, she had no opportunity for a do-over, for she certainly didn’t possess a cheat-like ability such as time reversal.

Still, this predicament was not entirely without a solution.

“Shizun, please intervene!”

Xiao Miao cried out in her heart.

“Xiao Miaozi, must you always call upon this old one to act? Use your wits; you surely have another way!”

Xiao Miao’s Shizun responded thus, sounding remarkably self-assured.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Miao felt as though she might vomit blood on the spot.

How could her Shizun be so unreliable at such a crucial moment?

Then she watched as Lin Yao drew ever closer to Qin Yan, her chest seemingly poised to press against his face.

Lin Yao, for her part, seemed to believe the situation was entirely under her control.

She intermittently touched Qin Yan here and there, her hands roaming over him.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, what a pity. Let’s go, my little darling!”

Lin Yao spoke, casting a dismissive glance at Xiao Miao, as if looking at a dead person.

She then reached out, seized Qin Yan’s arm, and darted out of the cave.

The two quickly vanished from Xiao Miao’s sight.

Xiao Miao’s Shizun still made no move.

Xiao Miao, meanwhile, felt the rampant toxins raging within her body, until they encountered the Heavenly Dew Strange Water within her.

Like a bane meeting its nemesis, the toxins began to furiously melt away and disintegrate.

Yes, that was it.

The primary function of her Heavenly Dew Strange Water was healing.

Given its healing properties, such mere toxins were naturally beneath its notice.

Her earlier panic, coupled with Lin Yao’s outrageous actions, had clouded her judgment.

Now, Xiao Miao had calmed down, and swiftly used the strange water to gradually and rapidly dissolve the toxins within her body.

She then rose to her feet, unhooked the iron ruler from her back, the fury in her eyes practically soaring to the heavens.

Next, she spotted Xiao Li trembling in the corner.

For a mere second-level Qi Condensation cultivator like Xiao Li, a Foundation Establishment cultivator was simply too powerful, an existence akin to a Foundation Establishment Ancestor.

“Come with me.

We’ll go find your master together.”

Xiao Miao spoke.

Seeing this, Xiao Li nodded, then, with a leap, landed on Xiao Miao’s shoulder.

Qin Yan’s scent still lingered in the air.

Xiao Li had committed it to memory, and could perfectly follow the trail of his scent to guide Xiao Miao.

Witnessing this scene, Xiao Miao’s Shizun couldn’t help but sigh, muttering, “Indeed, this child can be taught.”

Didn’t her disciple harbor feelings for Qin Yan?

Now that such a situation had arisen, it would serve perfectly to warm their relationship.

If she were to intervene, things would become rather awkward.

****

Meanwhile, Lin Yao, darting through the dense forest, carried Qin Yan slung over her back.

Qin Yan frantically complained internally.

‘Must it be this posture?’

He couldn’t help but recall the Spider Demoness.

Indeed, possessing a beautiful facade was truly a double-edged sword, constantly drawing the covetous gazes of others.

By now, Qin Yan had also gradually calmed down, and questioned Lin Yao.

“Aren’t you afraid Xiao Miao will seek trouble with you later, or perhaps notify my sect?”

“Hmph,” Lin Yao scoffed, a look of utter disdain on her face.

“Having been poisoned by my Joyful Union Sect’s unique venom, men may be unharmed, but women are sure to die.

Even if she’s a Golden Core cultivator, she won’t gain any advantage.”

“Joyful Union Sect?” Qin Yan’s mind froze for a second, he asked, somewhat astonished.

‘Such a sect actually exists in this world?’

“Oops, I seem to have let something slip,” Lin Yao chuckled, though in truth, she felt at ease, deeming it of no major consequence.

“Once I return and present you to the elders, untold riches and glory will be ours, hahahaha.”

Qin Yan asked again.

“Then aren’t you afraid the Yanqing Sect will learn of this later and cause trouble for your Joyful Union Sect?”

“Trouble? We’re a demonic sect; if we were afraid of trouble, we’d have disbanded long ago,” Lin Yao retorted.

“As for you, Qin Yan, you’ll surely come to love the techniques of my Joyful Union Sect.

Tsk, tsk, tsk, just imagining the lofty foremost male cultivator being utterly corrupted by my sect, eventually falling and becoming our sect’s Saint Son—that scene truly brings joy to my heart!”

‘What kind of plot is this? Have I stumbled into some kind of hidden world?’

Qin Yan ranted frantically in his mind.

‘I don’t want to join a sect full of beautiful, lewd immortal maidens!’

And these maidens’ goal was to corrupt him, transforming him from the righteous foremost male cultivator into their demonic sect’s Saint Son.

While such a development might sound exhilarating to any normal man, Qin Yan vehemently refused.

It wasn’t because he was abnormal, but because he was a man of integrity!

A man couldn’t possibly make sounds like the voluptuous immortal maidens in some xianxia novels, uttering “Hoooohhh…”

“I refuse!”

Qin Yan declared.

“That’s not up to you, Qin Yan,” Lin Yao said.

“Haven’t you noticed the changes happening to your body?”

The changes—

Beyond the spiritual energy sealed within him, Qin Yan suddenly felt his body growing hot.

Moreover, his “little Qin Yan” was gradually beginning to stir, and Lin Yao seemed to notice as well, her cheeks faintly flushing.

“To think… Qin Yan has some hidden depths.”

Lin Yao’s tone was laced with teasing.

Teased by a wicked woman, Qin Yan felt as though he might cough up blood.

Just then, he sensed a gust of wind approaching from behind them, carrying a familiar aura.

“Thieving hussy! Release Qin Yan!!!”

Xiao Miao’s voice, growing from distant to near, rapidly approached the two.

“What?!!!”

Lin Yao felt the strong wind coming from behind her, her heart filled with profound surprise.

She hadn’t expected someone to truly be unaffected by this peculiar venom.

Could Xiao Miao truly be some Golden Core True Person?

Her heart couldn’t help but pound.

After halting her steps, she prepared to face Xiao Miao directly.