Chapter 233: Scoundrel, Return My Body!
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“Wu Sang!” Master Qing Yan bellowed, veins throbbing on his forehead.
The fallen Sect Master Ji Yuan, the flustered Sect Master Wu Sang, and the nearly tearful Grand Elder all froze in place. Meanwhile, Hermit Bao Hua, who had been examining Master Qing Yan’s condition, paused her work and reached a conclusion.
“Master Qing Yan’s Sea of Consciousness is stable, and his soul seems to have grown stronger. He appears to be fully recovered.”
Sect Master Ji Yuan sprang up like a carp flipping in water, suddenly energized. “Does that mean Qing Yan’s illness is cured?”
Hermit Bao Hua both nodded and shook her head. “I can’t be certain. This is the first time I’ve encountered such a peculiar situation. Grand Elder, did you give Master Qing Yan something extraordinary?”
The Grand Elder’s eyes narrowed slightly. “I did not.”
This answer only deepened Hermit Bao Hua’s confusion. Wisely, she refrained from prying further, attributing it to Master Qing Yan’s great fortune and divine protection. After confirming once more with Sect Master Wu Sang that Master Qing Yan was in excellent condition, she took her leave, allowing the three members of the Five Elements Dao Sect to converse freely.
“Sect Master Ji Yuan, did you take Yu Zhao as your disciple?” Master Qing Yan’s first words upon waking surprised everyone; they were still focused on disciple matters.
Caught off guard, Sect Master Ji Yuan huffed, “I did. She’s my youngest disciple now.”
“You—!”
Master Qing Yan was so enraged that he started coughing violently.
The Grand Elder shot Sect Master Ji Yuan a disapproving look and gently patted Master Qing Yan’s back to help him catch his breath. “Sect Master Ji Yuan was joking. He hasn’t taken Yu Zhao as a disciple. Yu Zhao insisted she could only have one master.”
Master Qing Yan’s mood visibly improved, and a subtle sense of superiority crept into his gaze as he looked at Sect Master Ji Yuan.
Sect Master Ji Yuan clenched his teeth in frustration. Truly, this rascal looked better lying unconscious in bed.
The Grand Elder insisted Master Qing Yan stay and recover, while Sect Master Ji Yuan returned to fulfill his promises.
Under his quiet orchestration, Yu Zhao’s application to enter the Nine Abyss Secret Realm was approved. Not only that, but he generously granted two additional spots, which went to Yao Wu Ji and Si Tu Xuan.
Yu Zhao was genuinely surprised.
The Nine Abyss Secret Realm was an exclusive Five Elements Dao Sect territory, rarely accessible to outsiders. Even she hadn’t considered bringing Yao Wu Ji and Si Tu Xuan. Why was Sect Master Ji Yuan being so generous?
Later, when Yu Zhao questioned Zhou Jin Yue, she learned the reasons: the spot for Yao Wu Ji was to repay a favor to Hermit Bao Hua, while Si Tu Xuan’s inclusion came at a price. Sect Master Ji Yuan had contacted the Si Tu family beforehand and received ample benefits for the favor.
Yu Zhao relayed this information to Yao Wu Ji and Si Tu Xuan. Both were overjoyed, and despite her insistence that she had nothing to do with it, they attributed half the credit to her and expressed their heartfelt gratitude.
As their departure approached, Yu Zhao accompanied Yao Wu Ji to visit her master, Hermit Bao Hua.
The moment Yu Zhao laid eyes on the elegant and radiant Hermit Bao Hua, she was struck by how much the master and disciple resembled each other. Yao Wu Ji’s youthful charm mirrored Hermit Bao Hua’s mature grace. However, Yu Zhao firmly believed that Yao Wu Ji’s future achievements would one day rival or even surpass her master’s.
Besides Hermit Bao Hua, Yu Zhao also encountered Wang Sheng, who was soaking in a large vat filled with writhing poisonous insects. Despite the grotesque scene, Wang Sheng’s eyes remained clear. When he saw Yu Zhao, he became inexplicably excited, shouting incoherently.
Annoyed by the noise, Hermit Bao Hua promptly knocked him unconscious with a streak of spiritual light.
In a hushed tone, Yao Wu Ji explained to Yu Zhao that Wang Sheng’s unique bloodline made him the perfect candidate for cultivating a King Insect, though Hermit Bao Hua assured it wouldn’t endanger his life.
Yu Zhao remained noncommittal.
Impressed by Yu Zhao during their meeting, Hermit Bao Hua expressed her satisfaction. Upon learning that Yu Zhao would accompany Yao Wu Ji into the Nine Abyss Secret Realm, she generously gifted a large number of alchemy pills. Yao Wu Ji, thrilled, lavished her master with compliments for a long time.
After bidding farewell to Hermit Bao Hua, Yu Zhao made a detour to visit Sect Master Wu Sang’s residence. Unsurprisingly, she left with more pills and accurate information on the Ice and Fire Ghost Orchid.
With everything prepared, their journey began.
On the day of departure, half of the Five Elements Dao Sect gathered to send them off. Every disciple wore genuine smiles of relief.
The Enforcement Squad’s leader was leaving—finally, their peaceful days could return!
Meanwhile, on Lone Moon Peak, Master Qing Yan had just returned when he heard Quan Ye’s loud, boisterous voice echoing through the air.
“Second Senior Brother, please plead with the Sect Master for me. I want to go to the Nine Abyss Secret Realm too.”
“Why don’t you explain it to the Sect Master yourself?”
“I already tried, but the Sect Master refused!”
“If the Sect Master doesn’t agree, then don’t go.”
“No, I must go! Even Yu Zhao is going—why can’t I?”
The moment Yu Zhao’s name was mentioned, there was an immediate reaction within Master Qing Yan’s sealed Sea of Consciousness.
“Zhao’er! I need to see Zhao’er!”
“Qing Yan! The Nine Abyss Secret Realm is the second most dangerous in the Five Elements Secret Realms. You should send some protection to Zhao’er!”
“Qing Yan! If you don’t act, don’t blame me for fighting to the death!”
“…”
Master Qing Yan’s brows furrowed slightly. He thought for a moment. Forget it. It wasn’t his own decision to intervene—it was the relentless clamor of the soul fragment within his Sea of Consciousness. Powerless against it, he could only relent.
With a single thought, Master Qing Yan appeared at the gates of the Five Elements Dao Sect in an instant.
Yu Zhao and her companions had just finished bidding farewell to the sect disciples and were preparing to leave when the oppressive presence of a Soul Transformation Stage cultivator descended abruptly.
Yao Wu Ji’s face turned pale as she instinctively retreated behind Yu Zhao.
Yu Zhao took a step forward, frowning as she looked at the figure dressed in pristine white—Master Qing Yan. A cold sneer formed in her heart.
Master Qing Yan woke up even faster than she had anticipated. The techniques of the Evil Spirit Arts were indeed extraordinary.
“Greetings, Master Qing Yan,” she said.
The disciples of the Five Elements Dao Sect, initially stunned by his presence, quickly bowed and greeted him respectfully.
Where had the rumors come from that Master Qing Yan was on the brink of death? It was utter nonsense. The man before them exuded an even more commanding aura than before.
“Zhao’er! It’s Zhao’er!”
“Qing Yan! Let me out to see her!”
Master Qing Yan was about to berate the unruly soul within him when suddenly, a powerful force locked his soul back inside the Sea of Consciousness. He watched, mortified, as his body moved of its own accord, tears welling in his eyes as he gazed at Yu Zhao with deep affection and called out, “Zhao’er!”
The disciples nearby stared at him in utter disbelief. Master Qing Yan was utterly humiliated. “You insolent fool! Give me back my body!” he roared internally, his soul struggling fiercely to regain control.
Yu Zhao nearly gagged at his heartfelt “Zhao’er.” Disgust was soon accompanied by shock and confusion. The hostility between her and Master Qing Yan was well-known, and there was no way he would address her so intimately.
Yes, Master Qing Yan had once called her Zhao’er, but that was a long time ago—back when she had just joined the sect. It was a memory so distant that she had almost forgotten they ever had any warm moments.
So, what exactly was he plotting this time?