Chapter 16

In the small realm, the danger was not high. Xue Yu had been to similar places no less than twenty times before. He skillfully led his junior siblings deeper inside. The denser the spiritual energy, the better the treasures. As they approached their destination, Ye Qiao could feel the spiritual energy surging chaotically within her.

“There are probably a lot of good things in this secret realm.” They weren’t the only ones here; there were also people from Yueqing Sect. Xue Yu was worried about being beaten to the prize.

At the very center of the secret realm, a large area of spiritual plants caught everyone’s attention. The emerald green leaves emitted a refreshing fragrance that cleared the mind upon scenting it.

“It’s Clearheart Grass.” Xue Yu had been fortunate enough to squat down next to a plant before, but it was later snatched by the Yueqing Sect people. He regretted it for a long time, not expecting such a large patch here.

He was genuinely excited.

Meanwhile, Ye Qiao was calculating furiously in her mind how much money these herbs could fetch if refined into pills.

“Hurry and harvest. People might come soon.” Learning from the previous interception, Xue Yu hurriedly instructed, “Try to preserve the roots as much as possible. We can transplant them to Dan Peak later.”

The four split up to work. Ye Qiao and Ming Xuan went to another area to harvest. Just as she squatted down to pick, a chilling talisman shot towards her at great speed. Just before it could hit Ye Qiao, Ming Xuan swiftly threw out a Vajra talisman to intercept the attack.

At the same time, after the talisman lightly floated down, Ming Xuan’s face turned cold. “It’s an Explosive talisman.”

If he hadn’t reacted quickly, it would have hit their little sister who had just reached the pinnacle of Qi refinement. She wouldn’t have died but would definitely have been blown away.

With hands behind his back, Song Hansheng shook his talisman at will without any remorse. “Not bad reflexes.”

Ming Xuan’s expression fluctuated, warily staring at him. He extended his hand to shield Ye Qiao behind him, now understanding that the Yueqing Sect’s direct disciples weren’t good people.

Their standoff successfully attracted nearby cultivators. It was human nature to join in on something, and gradually the surroundings filled up.

Ming Xuan’s face darkened.

Seeing this, Song Hansheng unceremoniously laid down a barrier, not allowing the cultivators to enter. In his view, since they had seen it first, this medicine field should belong to their Yueqing Sect. No one else could take even a single plant.

This scene made Ye Qiao sigh, “They’re quite protective of their food.”

Ming Xuan smirked at her analogy, finding it amusing. “Indeed. Look at him, he’s like a dog.”

Their banter made Song Hansheng’s face so dark it could drip ink.

Yun Que furrowed her brows slightly. “How can you speak like this?”

These cultivators were so rude. She felt somewhat angry deep down.

Ming Xuan glanced at her casually and said in a strange tone, “When we talk to you, you rush to join in?”

Ye Qiao chuckled. Her second senior brother had a mouth indeed, but listening to him retort was quite satisfying when not directed at herself.

Yun Que had always been pampered from childhood. Even after entering the immortal sect, everything had been smooth sailing. She had never been embarrassed like this before, her face showing embarrassment as she bit her lip, her eyes reddening.

Ming Xuan was astonished. “… Are you crying?”

This was crying?

He remembered that he used to tease her every day, calling her a little potato mine. Ye Qiao just remained silent, but turned around and punched him back.

Su Zhou felt heartbroken, quickly wiping away her tears while warning these two, “We are direct disciples of Yueqing Sect. This is our little sister.”

He was trying to get these four to be more aware.

“Wow—direct disciples?” After hearing the commotion, Mu Zhongxi quickly came over and heard Su Zhou’s words. He raised his eyebrows high and laughed, “So powerful?”

Xue Yu glanced up and saw a group of scattered cultivators gathering outside the barrier.

There was even some discussion.

“Yueqing Sect? No wonder they dare to be so arrogant.”

“Oh no, oh no, they’ve provoked Yueqing Sect’s direct disciples.”

“Don’t they know that Yun Que, the little sister, is the apple of their eye in Yueqing Sect? How dare they make her cry?”

Almost all direct disciples of each sect were well known. As long as their talent was high enough, most cultivators in the cultivation world were curious about geniuses.

It was somewhat unsatisfactory for Xue Yu that everyone treated Yun Que like a person. Just now, their little sister was ambushed by Song Hansheng, and there was no one to speak up for her.

He suppressed his dissatisfaction and calmly said, “So you are friends from Yueqing Sect.”

Xue Yu changed the subject, “But just now you made a move against our little sister. Isn’t that inappropriate?”

“If Second Senior Brother hadn’t reacted quickly, our little sister would have been injured.”

As he listened to Xue Yu’s words, Song Hansheng’s expression became even more disdainful. A disciple from a small sect, even if he was injured, so what?

His voice turned cold. “If she got injured, let it be. Let’s not mention that it didn’t succeed. Even if it did, do you want me to apologize?”

“A disciple from a small sect, how dare you?”

The surrounding cultivators nodded.

“That’s enough. Yueqing Sect didn’t pursue it, so why push it?”

“Ah, ah, ah, Song Hansheng looks so handsome.”

“I’ve seen a direct disciple in such a small secret realm for the first time, and I’m proud.”

Ye Qiao listened and got up.

They were all Yueqing Sect’s lapdogs.

After Song Hansheng finished speaking, he sneered and then began to carry out the spiritual plant into his mustard seed bag. Su Zhou saw the scene and quickly joined him.

Mu Chongxi was so angry at the scene that he gritted his teeth. Just as he was about to storm in and confront them, Ye Qiao grabbed him.

“Fourth Senior Brother,” her voice was soft, as if contemplating something. Her large eyes curved innocently like crescent moons. “Can you defeat Song Hansheng?”

This question was akin to asking if a man was capable.

Immediately, Mu Chongxi responded, “I can take on three Song Hansheng.”

In terms of combat power, Fu Xiu was relatively weak; once someone closed in, they were pretty much at the mercy of a beating. Mu Chongxi’s statement wasn’t an exaggeration.

Ye Qiao’s eyes lit up. “Then can you kick him out?”

Mu Chongxi hesitated. “Isn’t that… not right?”

The Changming Sect was known for its charity, and its elders were straightforward and hot-tempered individuals.

In Mu Chongxi’s understanding, driving others away to monopolize something was against the principles of a righteous disciple.

Ye Qiao nudged him forward. “What’s wrong with that?”

Ye Qiao’s tone was sincere. “I studied to talk calmly with idiots.”

“And now I’m learning the sword to make idiots talk calmly with me.”

“Haven’t you heard a saying? ‘One day with a sword in hand, cut through all the reasoning.'”

Swordsmen don’t use swords to reason.

Though Mu Chongxi’s rational mind found her words wrong, his heart was strangely persuaded and even thought, “She has a point.”

“If you can, Fourth Senior Brother.” Ye Qiao pushed him forward. “I know you can, right?”

The little little sister looked at him with hope and trust, dispelling Mu Chongxi’s last hesitation.

“Alright.”

Mu Chongxi nodded, no longer hesitating. The moment he reached for his sword, his spiritual energy burst forth. White sword shadows flashed, causing everyone outside the barrier, including the wandering cultivators and the mysterious sword at Ye Qiao’s waist, to tremble simultaneously.

That was innate sword talent.

A sword genius that could be counted on one hand in the entire cultivation world.

As the sword energy dispersed, Ye Qiao admitted to herself that this normally unruly senior brother had impressed her.

Just before Mu Chongxi drew his sword, Song Hansheng sensed danger and didn’t even have time to grab the spirit plant in his hand, quickly stepping back.

But he was still too late; the diamond talisman on his body shattered.

Everyone was dumbfounded.

“Shattered?” Su Zhuo couldn’t believe it. “That was Senior Brother Sòng’s painstakingly crafted talisman, rumored to withstand a full-force strike from a Golden Core cultivator, and it just shattered like that?”

Just a sword energy, how could that be possible?!

Song Hansheng gritted his teeth.

If it hadn’t been for this diamond talisman, one could imagine the damage he would have sustained, even if he hadn’t been thrown back.

Where did these damn wandering cultivators come from?

Song Hansheng dared not act rashly anymore, glaring fiercely at the group, wishing he could swallow them whole for humiliating him.

“Come on, Second Senior Brother, Third Senior Brother.” Ye Qiao no longer paid attention to the Moonlight Sect people and waved happily at the two senior brothers who were still in shock.

Ming Xuan watched as his little sister and Mu Chongxi quickly harvested the spirit plants here. He couldn’t let his conscience go. “Shouldn’t we leave some for others?”

“Why should we leave any for them?” Ye Qiao said with determination. She understood why the Moonlight Sect had been losing in competitions for so many years. Being kind-hearted and naive wouldn’t get them anywhere!

“Don’t listen to Elder Zhao and Elder Duan’s nonsense.” She fervently brainwashed them, doing psychological work. “What’s ‘walk your own path and let others talk’? We should walk others’ paths and leave them with no path to walk.”

“Moonlight Sect doesn’t need to be shameless, but we can!”

“As the saying goes, ‘If a person has no shame, he can be invincible.’ As long as we are shameless enough, no one can defeat us.”

“Hurry up, Second Senior Brother, Third Senior Brother, or they’ll really be snatched away.”

After Ye Qiao’s brainwashing, Xue Yu and Ming Xuan suddenly woke up.

Yeah.

Why should they always be patient?

Does patience benefit them? No, it only leads to being bullied.

After being persuaded by Ye Qiao, the group of Moonlight Sect finally let go of their inhibitions. In such a grand manner, they occupied a field of medicinal herbs, leaving Su Zhuo trembling with anger. “How can you be so shameless?”

“We got it by our strength. Why should we care if you call us shameless?” Xue Yu turned his head, his tone gentle but still unusually righteous.

Xue Yu found that although this behavior lacked some etiquette, it was indeed refreshing.

Previously, he was bound by various rules every day, and every time he went out for experience, it was like being treated like a dog.

Now, following his little sister and taking advantage of the situation, it was much more comfortable.