Meng Li’s eyes were completely dazzled. All sorts of magical treasures blurred her vision. Heavenly and earthly treasures were placed everywhere, brazenly flaunting immense wealth. Some even rare and hard-to-find medicinal herbs had been turned into potted plants.
“So, my moneybags of a benefactor, are you satisfied with this 9-million-merit-point house?~”
“I couldn’t even cough up ten thousand right now, let alone nine million…”
Meng Li looked at the sheer luxury inside. If this residence were offered to the outside world, the cultivation resources within would be enough to found an entire sect. Even the Yin Yang Immortal Sect didn’t have this many good things, right?
“Oh, rest assured, the bill has already been paid for~”
“Hm?”
Meng Li, who had been wondering how to handle this, immediately perked up at these words. The level of opulence in this room had already surpassed imagination. Compared to her Shizun’s previous cultivation cave abode—which had been empty and cave-like, with nothing but an ice bed—this was a different world entirely.
Before Meng Li could even react, the token from earlier was already being handed back to her. The black-gold patterns on its surface and its heavy weight in her palm all exuded an aura of extreme luxury without exception.
“I… I was too short-sighted…”
“If Junior Sister ever needs anything, you can also contact the sect’s construction team through the token~”
“Uh, wait…”
Before Meng Li could finish her question, the woman vanished from the spot. Meng Li looked at the luxurious furnishings around her and the weighty token in her hand. For some reason, at this very moment, she felt an overwhelming sense of being… kept.
“Senior Sister Situ is this rich…? 9 million merit points… how many missions would that take…”
“Speaking of which, there don’t seem to be any extra rooms here…”
Xi Miaoyi scanned the surroundings. She never expected that as a Devil Sect mole, she could actually latch onto such a powerful patron. Meng Li turned around, a smug expression on her face, and immediately pushed open the luxurious master bedroom door from earlier.
“If there are no extra rooms, then perhaps~”
Meng Li had finally found her opening. If they were forced to sleep together due to a lack of rooms, well, that couldn’t be helped, could it? Xi Miaoyi, as if sensing the shift in Meng Li’s inner thoughts, didn’t know how to react for a moment.
“Round and round we go, and I still can’t escape it. And here I almost thought, just moments ago…”
Xi Miaoyi sighed, about to step into the bedroom and await the other’s favor. But her front foot had just stepped across the threshold when, behind her, a magic array suddenly materialized. The abrupt appearance of the formation startled both of them.
“Wh-What is this?!”
Seeing the sudden array, Meng Li immediately ducked behind Xi Miaoyi, cautiously eyeing the formation that had appeared. As it grew brighter, complex lines began to interweave.
“This… This seems to be a Teleportation Array…”
“Huh, how do you know? Have you seen one before?”
Xi Miaoyi voiced her judgment somewhat uncertainly. She had only ever seen Teleportation Arrays within her own sect. Their structure was incredibly complex, requiring a massive number of intricate lines, which was why they were typically drawn as large as possible.
Xi Miaoyi stared in amazement at such a compact Teleportation Array. To achieve a creation this small, the internal lines would have to be refined to an unimaginable degree.
“Is Junior Sister satisfied with the cave abode…”
From within the tiny formation, the voice arrived before the figure even appeared. Hearing that familiar voice, Meng Li instantly felt a pang of panic. After all, the owner of this voice was someone she knew all too well.
“Shi… Senior Sister!”
With Meng Li’s single cry, it was as if the true master of this cave abode was making her entrance. A graceful silhouette emerged from the light and shadow. Situ Xue’s icy gaze swept across the room before settling on Xi Miaoyi standing before her.
“Junior Sister, you certainly have refined tastes. This room has just been prepared, and you’re already inviting guests over for a tour…”
“Senior Sister Situ, let me make my excuses—er, no, let me explain! This Senior Sister here has a special identity, and the one in her arms…!”
“Xi Miaoyi, Devil Sect mole. Head Disciple of the Left Protector of the Soul Refining Sect. Considered the most likely candidate to become the Saintess of the Soul Refining Sect…”
“Ah, this…”
Meng Li had just been about to fabricate an image of two destitute sisters—family broken, cultivation resources plundered, alone and relying on each other. She never expected Situ Xue to outright expose the other’s identity, short of stating her ID number.
“If you intend to hide things from me, you should first weigh your own worth…”
“Since Senior Sister already understands, there’s no point in hiding it. These two…”
“Their affairs are not something I want to know about, nor am I interested. If you wish to keep them here as servants, that would be appropriate. Or perhaps…”
As Situ Xue spoke, she turned her head to glance at Xi Miaoyi, who was already trembling like a sieve. From the moment she had infiltrated this sect, Xi Miaoyi had felt her disguise was flawless. Yet now, she felt as if her identity as a mole was practically public information throughout the entire sect.
“Does Your Excellency intend to dispose of me directly…”
Xi Miaoyi kept her head low, not daring to meet the other’s eyes. She could only weakly ask this question, as if she were nothing more than a fish on a chopping board, forced to tread carefully no matter where she went. But upon hearing this, Situ Xue merely let out a cold laugh.
“You are not yet worth the effort of disposing of…”
After answering the question, she produced a long, rectangular jade box from her robes and tossed it directly to Xi Miaoyi. Seeing the box flying towards her, Xi Miaoyi quickly freed one hand to catch it.
“This… This is…”
“The box contains 12 pills. Six of them are enough for you to cultivate to the Nascent Soul Stage. The other six are sufficient for that little one in your arms to reach the Demon King level…”
“Your Excellency, why are you…”
“Your Excellency? That form of address is quite discerning. Take these pills and leave this place. If you don’t wish to cultivate, selling these would also be enough to live out your life as an ordinary mortal. This is the most lenient method I will offer…”
Xi Miaoyi looked at Xi Miaomiao nestled in her left arm, then at the jade box in her right hand. Even though the box remained unopened, the ethereal pill fragrance drifting in the air was enough to make one intoxicated with longing. There was no doubt that the pills inside were of the absolute highest quality.
“I…”
“What? Not enough? If you find it insufficient, I can simply give you another box…”
Situ Xue’s expression had not wavered the entire time. Even handing over such precious pills seemed as casual as an adult giving candy to placate a child.
Xi Miaoyi’s body trembled slightly, as if deep in thought. Seeing the hesitation, a hint of a cold smile appeared on Situ Xue’s lips, as if she had already seen the answer. She turned to leave, but Xi Miaoyi quickly darted forward, blocking her path.
“What? Two boxes are still not enough…”
“This item is indeed precious. Perhaps with these two boxes of pills, I could indeed live a life of comfort. However, I refuse!”
…………
…
