Chapter 40: The Exchange – Si Xianling Was Just Saying It, She Wouldn’t Really… Part 1

Si Xianling was just saying it. She would never truly advise Wu Qingshu to self-cripple her cultivation, but she also could not really go along with Shen Yanting’s wishes and have Wu Qingshu kill her on some future day.

Under the Spirit Mist Lamp, the bizarre sight unfolded of that strange girl with two furry long ears wielding her sword and slashing, repeatedly severing the Flame Beasts’ limbs. Her two furry long ears whipped against the Flame Beasts’ bodies again and again. Si Xianling watched the scene and finally noticed something off.

These Flame Beasts were ones the Heavenly Feast Sect used to guard the sect, closely linked to the Heavenly Feast Sect’s Sect-Protecting Grand Array. Even an ordinary Flame Beast was comparable to a nascent soul cultivator. The stronger ones even possessed out-of-body realm cultivation. Moreover, as demon beasts, their fur and shells were exceptionally tough, and they were innately connected to flames, making their combat power extremely terrifying.

Even Shen Yanting could not face them entirely at ease.

Yet Bo Xuenong, a nascent soul early stage cultivator, shuttled among them with ease.

The flames on the Flame Beasts grew more powerful as their cultivation strengthened. Bo Xuenong had been burned so many times without using spiritual power to protect herself. Not only were her arms not severed, but even her skin and flesh remained unburned. Even stranger were those two furry ears of hers, which looked so easy to ignite. They repeatedly dispersed the flames as they whipped the Flame Beasts, yet not a single spark clung to them.

The Flame Beasts, so ferocious against Shen Yanting, seemed to slow down against Bo Xuenong.

There seemed to be only one explanation.

Bo Xuenong’s bloodline had a restraining effect on the Flame Beasts.

Beasts differed from humans.

Their bloodline levels were distinct. In the same realm, a sufficiently special bloodline could almost completely suppress ordinary bloodline demon beasts, leaving them no room to fight back.

Yet the Flame Beasts were also demon beasts with special bloodlines.

Si Xianling’s gaze shifted to Shen Yanting’s shoulder. That Gray Fur Rabbit’s body had shrunk considerably and lay docilely on Shen Yanting’s shoulder, motionless.

Her natal beast was a bit more obedient on Shen Yanting.

Come to think of it, Si Tingxuan’s bloodline was already special enough, yet even Si Tingxuan could not suppress the Flame Beasts.

A bloodline capable of suppressing such special bloodline demon beasts… Si Xianling suddenly recalled the ferocious beast bloodline that had been exterminated five hundred years ago by the Three Great Sects in conjunction with the Divine Pavilion. The Divine Pavilion had publicly announced the eradication of the ferocious beast bloodline but delayed it by a full century. Si Xianling, who knew the timing of the Three Great Sects’ move, had been puzzled back then. If Bo Xuenong possessed a ferocious beast bloodline, it would explain everything—the Divine Pavilion had done it to cover up Shen Yanting taking someone with a ferocious beast bloodline away from the Cloud Smoke Sect.

Si Xianling was startled by her own guess.

She bit her lip slightly, trying to suppress the thought, but it grew clearer against her will.

Si Xianling felt no joy at uncovering the secret; she even felt a bit worried.

Only now did she understand why, no matter how she had pressed Wu Qingshu back then, Wu Qingshu had refused to tell her the truth about Shen Yanting leaving the Cloud Smoke Sect.

Si Xianling could not guess the purpose behind their arrangements, but she knew one thing: Shen Yanting was her old friend of many years, the best in both character and appearance.

Unknowingly, she bit her lip harder and harder until she broke the skin, tasting a faint salty, metallic flavor.

The bloody taste cleared Si Xianling’s mind a bit.

Shen Yanting had been right about one thing—saving her had involved Bo Xuenong as well.

Si Xianling finally made up her mind. She lowered her voice and said, “Sister Shen, as long as you don’t intend to kill her, if anyone else tries to kill her in the future, I will protect her with my life. Once we get out, I will immediately swear an immortal oath.”

With Si Xianling on her back, Shen Yanting rose into the air. Two fifth-grade azure talismans flew from her fingertips, instantly blasting apart the dozens of Flame Beasts gathering toward them. Only then did she have a moment to turn her head and glance at Si Xianling. Seeing Si Xianling drop her usual playful demeanor, she gently pursed her lips. “Thank you.”

“What’s with the politeness?” Si Xianling was not used to such formality from Shen Yanting. She waved her limp hand lightly. “If you don’t want to kill her, no one else should either…”

Shen Yanting interrupted Si Xianling. “Xuenong’s lifebound sword has a defect. It might very well lead her into demonic possession.”

“What!” Si Xianling could hardly believe it. “You gave it to her? How could you give her a flawed sword?”

Guilt instantly filled Shen Yanting’s eyes. “Fellow Daoist Si, I was deceived.”

Si Xianling seemed to understand the source of Shen Yanting’s guilt and new questions arose. “Who would dare deceive you?”

Shen Yanting could not say for sure. “The sword came from the Nether Gate Sect. The one who delivered it said it was a gift from Sect Master Ju.”

Si Xianling’s eyes widened. “You mean Ju Huaifang?”

Si Xianling’s shocked expression perfectly conveyed the shock Shen Yanting had felt upon discovering the anomaly with the Suspended Ink Sword. The Three Great Sects had always stood united against common foes. The Divine Pavilion was something they had established together. Even occasional minor frictions between disciples were quickly resolved, and every century there was a Three Sects Grand Tournament to foster bonds. The Three Great Sects’ sect masters were on extremely good terms. Ju Huaifang and Mo Tingshu were close friends, both with impeccable reputations.

If she had agreed to give Bo Xuenong a chance at life, why tamper with the lifebound sword?

Could it be Sang Fan?

Back then, without this Supreme Elder from the Nether Gate Sect leading the opposition, the Three Great Sects’ test for Bo Xuenong would not have become so harsh.

Shen Yanting suppressed her inner thoughts and did not voice those questions. She lowered her gaze to the white Blood Lotus Mark on her wrist. Back when Bo Xuenong had killed Guan Caimei, that white lotus petal had only turned a very faint crimson. Now, that petal had become a vivid red.

Bright red, like blood.

The first Blood Lotus petal had formed.

Those inner sect disciples of the Heavenly Feast Sect were all in the know. Once the secret was exposed, their first thought was murder to silence them, without a shred of guilt. None of them deserved to live. If they denied Bo Xuenong’s right to survive, Shen Yanting would not accept it.

For the first time, Shen Yanting harbored thoughts of defying Mo Tingshu, even challenging the authority of the Three Great Sects.

Bo Xuenong was willing to die for her, and she could die for Bo Xuenong.

However… When Shen Yanting had asked Si Xianling to swear an immortal oath to kill her, she had been resolute. Now that she had ideas of opposing the Three Great Sects, she did not want to drag her old friend into it.

“Fellow Daoist Si, forget what I just said.”

Si Xianling knew Shen Yanting well enough to immediately understand her concerns. Her gaze drifted to Bo Xuenong, who ignored the flames on her own body but used spiritual power to protect the centipedes and turtles on hers. Wu Qingshu had taught her from childhood to repay kindness.

She was not the most sensible, but she still possessed some fine qualities.

Si Xianling patted her chest. “Sister Shen, who am I?”

Already badly injured and extremely weak, that pat brought a surge of sweet blood to her throat. Si Xianling quickly covered her mouth and swallowed it back down. She did not want anyone to see her patting herself until she coughed up blood.

Feeling that salty taste again, she inwardly cursed the entire Heavenly Feast Sect once more.

Once Si Xianling recovered a bit, without waiting for Shen Yanting to reply, she continued on her own. “This girl has the Beast Taming Sect and Cloud Smoke Sect backing her. My birth mother is the top talisman cultivator, my stepmother is the second-best pill cultivator, my great-aunt is the top beast cultivator, my eldest aunt is second, my little aunt is third… The top twenty beast cultivators are all from my family. In the Cultivation World, I might not strut around, but I do have some face. If I say I’ll help your little disciple, I’m not afraid of getting implicated. Whoever dares to act against me will have to ask my mom first if she agrees.”

Shen Yanting blasted away five Flame Beasts and turned to ask Si Xianling, “Zhu Ningfu is the second-best pill cultivator?”

“I’m exaggerating!” Si Xianling felt no shame in bragging. She coughed lowly twice, fine threads of blood misting out, but her voice grew a bit louder. “Actually, she’s not on the Tianxiu Catalogue, but nascent soul realm pill cultivators are rare, right? No name probably means those Divine Pavilion folks dropped the ball. It definitely wasn’t because Zhu Ningfu lacks the skill.”

The chances of evading the Divine Pavilion’s eyes were slim, but pill cultivator realm breakthroughs were difficult.

A body integration realm pill cultivator willing to forgo further breakthroughs could already vie for first-grade pill refiner status. It really was unreasonable for her to be unnamed on the Tianxiu Catalogue.

Since Si Xianling was determined to help them, Shen Yanting could no longer refuse.

In the Cultivation World where the strong reigned supreme, if enough powerhouses willing to speak for Bo Xuenong gathered, would the Three Great Sects be willing to reconsider the test’s terms?

Shen Yanting did not ponder for long.

From the corner of her eye, Si Xianling spotted Gui Nian’an starting to struggle. “Sister Shen, that little girl can’t hold on much longer.”

Although most Flame Beasts were held back by Bo Xuenong and Shen Yanting, the occasional one or two slipping to the rear still overwhelmed Gui Nian’an somewhat. With no corpses here for her to control, her greatest asset could not be used. She also had to protect the cultivation-less Liu Huairou behind her and could not disperse too much corpse qi. Gui Nian’an already bore several wounds.

Shen Yanting circled to Bo Xuenong’s side, grabbed her sword-wielding hand that would not stop, and quickly retreated.

“Master, I can…”

Before she could say “protect you,” Shen Yanting’s fingertip pressed against her lips, silencing all her words.

The faint cool fragrance dispersed the blood scent clinging to her nose, restoring a bit of reason to the obsessive Bo Xuenong.

Bo Xuenong instinctively sniffed, wanting more of the scent.

The fragrance on Shen Yanting was very faint and carried a slight chill, akin to bamboo leaves kissed by morning dew. Strangely, this elegant aroma could overpower the intense blood scent that nearly set her bloodline ablaze.

Somewhat greedy for this calming scent, Bo Xuenong pressed her lips tighter against Shen Yanting’s fingertip.

Bo Xuenong nearly kissed her fingertip. Shen Yanting quickly withdrew her hand.

Bo Xuenong did not think much of it. She instinctively followed the cool fragrance, her nose chasing Shen Yanting’s fingertip.

Even as Shen Yanting’s fingers fell back to her side, Bo Xuenong bent at the waist to follow, her nose pressing against the fingertip again, rubbing gently against it.

This bizarre behavior caught the eyes of many. Si Xianling’s cry of surprise reached her ears. Shen Yanting’s finger slid across Bo Xuenong’s nose and grabbed one of her furry long ears, yanking her body straight. With a straight face, she returned to the serious matter. “Xuenong, until you grow stronger, let Master protect you first.”

Her face was stern, full of gravity.

As if nothing had just happened.