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However, for an experienced Fake Dan cultivator like He Yuanwu to have been utterly obliterated, while this woman managed to survive—there was something unusual about that.

"Given the situation, He Yuanwu was either used as a pawn, or Zhou Qingxuan’s true strength surpasses that of an average Fake Dan cultivator," Lan Chang\'an speculated. Both possibilities seemed equally plausible.

Moreover, Huanglong Immortal had only one chance to strike, and his primary target had been He Yuanwu, not Zhou Qingxuan.

For a genius beast-tamer like Zhou Qingxuan, possessing a quasi-third-rank spirit pet wasn’t out of the question.

But having a fully-fledged third-rank spirit pet capable of rivaling a True Dan cultivator was unlikely.

It wasn’t just a matter of control or the risk of being devoured by the pet.

If she truly had that kind of strength, she wouldn’t need to be so cautious, scheming from the shadows, and going through all this trouble.

"Zhou Qingxuan is asking for help now because she isn’t confident in dealing with the remaining Fu siblings. She claims to be heavily injured, but this may be a display of weakness, thinking I wouldn\'t dare come otherwise."

"Does she think I’m going to play the role of He Yuanwu number two?"

Lan Chang\'an couldn’t help but consider the worst-case scenario.

Based on the current information, Zhou Qingxuan’s strength might be comparable to a Fake Dan cultivator, and her condition was likely less than perfect.

If he only went to talk without delving too deeply into cooperation, the risks were manageable.

That is, assuming there were no traps lying in wait.

Lan Chang\'an’s interest in the escaping Fu siblings stemmed primarily from two things: the Crystal Condensation Pill’s main ingredient and the petrified body of the Huang Dragon Beast.

After weighing the pros and cons, he decided to take action.

He moved several li north, found a shaded spot under a tree, and closed his eyes. His consciousness merged with the second life sealed within the Nine Seal Stele.

With the support of the second lifetime, his powerful spiritual sense instantly swept across four to five li, reaching the bamboo forest Zhou Qingxuan had mentioned.

...

"There are no traps or ambushes."

In the bamboo forest, Lan Chang\'an only detected a temporary warning array.

Inside the bamboo grove, a simple bamboo hut stood, where a delicate-looking young woman in a yellow dress sat cross-legged, her complexion pale and her energy weak.

Zhou Qingxuan’s once flawless face now bore a scar the length of a finger, and her shoulder and dress were stained with blood.

"She’s indeed injured, and not lightly."

Lan Chang\'an withdrew his spiritual sense, reaching a preliminary conclusion.

On a larger scale, Zhou Qingxuan hadn’t lied. She had a legitimate need for assistance and cooperation.

Lan Chang\'an glanced toward the bamboo grove a few li away but chose not to approach.

He turned back and headed to the wooden hut where he had left Shi Manrong and Ye Fei.

After waiting for a while, Shi Manrong finally managed to lift the restrictive seal placed on Ye Fei by the Fake Dan cultivator.

"True feelings are revealed in times of hardship! For Fairy Shi and Fellow Daoist Lan to risk their lives to rescue me—Ye Fei is deeply grateful," Ye Fei said as he struggled to his feet and gave them a deep bow.

Facing the intimidation of an Immortal, even a blood brother would not necessarily dare to come over to save someone.

"For today\'s matter, I owe both of you a significant favor," Ye Fei promised sincerely.

"Fellow Daoist Ye, there’s no need to be so formal. We only acted because we were certain that He Yuanwu was either dead or severely injured," Lan Chang\'an explained, detailing the general situation.

Ye Fei understood, however, that even with those circumstances in their favor, Lan Chang\'an and Shi Manrong\'s actions were still commendable.

Lan Chang\'an and Shi Manrong were close, perhaps even lovers. If they had harbored any malicious intent, they could have easily killed him and placed the blame on the now-deceased He Yuanwu, with no one left to dispute it.

Ye Fei had suffered quite a bit during his captivity, leaving him weak.

After taking two pills to stabilize his condition, he rested for a short while.

With the night sky overhead, the three of them boarded a flying boat and began their return journey.

"Fellow Daoist Ye, while you were imprisoned, did you notice any other accomplices besides He Yuanwu?" Lan Chang\'an asked.

"No, after imprisoning me, He Yuanwu interrogated me, but I had no contact with anyone else from the outside," Ye Fei replied.

"Well, it’s good that you made it back safely."

Compared to the fate of the former peak master of Little Pill Peak, Ye Fei had been much more fortunate.

He Yuanwu had captured him merely to hinder Huanglong Mountain, depriving Fu Xuemei of a capable healer.

It was a simple, brutal plan, but it had nearly succeeded.

...

Ten li away, inside the bamboo grove.

Zhou Qingxuan, who had been sitting cross-legged in meditation, suddenly opened her eyes as she sensed the disturbance in the protective array outside.

In the dark, there was a faint "squeak," followed by complete silence.

Moments later, a small black bird darted into the bamboo hut, holding a communication talisman in its beak.

Zhou Qingxuan activated the talisman, and a calm male voice echoed in her ears:

"I am grateful for Miss Zhou\'s trust. However, I owe a debt to Huanglong Mountain, and given my past cooperation with the Zhou Family, I am reluctant to involve myself in the fight between you two."

"If Miss Zhou is truly injured and in need of aid, feel free to come to Wuqi Mountain."

After hearing the contents of the message, Zhou Qingxuan\'s expression darkened, her eyes gleaming coldly like ice.

"Lan Chang\'an, you’ve disappointed me greatly! I sincerely offered you a once-in-a-lifetime cooperation, and you don’t even know how to grasp it," she muttered through gritted teeth, frustration and resentment evident in her voice.

From her perspective, the greatest threat—Huanglong Immortal—had already fallen.

Yet her own strength had been diminished.

Facing the heavily injured Fu Xuemei alone, her chances of success were now slim.

"Huanglong Immortal’s final blow was truly vicious. If I can’t obtain Huanglong Mountain’s magical treasure or the Huang Dragon Beast’s inner core, I\'m afraid that it will be difficult for this body of mine to hope for True Dan…"

Zhou Qingxuan murmured, her expression flickering with uncertainty.

...

Late at night, back at Little Turtle Peak.

Lan Chang\'an opened his eyes, his brows furrowing as he stepped outside.

Cough, cough! "Fellow Daoist Lan, I have urgent matters to discuss…" A familiar figure in a yellow dress appeared at the gates of Little Turtle Peak, pale-faced and coughing blood.

"Miss Zhou, who hurt you so badly?" Lan Chang\'an asked in surprise.

He hadn’t expected Zhou Qingxuan to come to him directly.

Lan Rou, his maid, helped Zhou Qingxuan into the cave mansion.

Little Turtle Peak was protected by a quasi-third-rank formation, and since this was Lan Chang\'an’s territory, he didn’t mind negotiating with Zhou Qingxuan here.

"It’s nothing, just some internal injuries flaring up," Zhou Qingxuan forced a smile, circulating her magical power to restore some color to her face.

Once inside, Lan Chang\'an dismissed his maid.

At Zhou Qingxuan’s request, they came to a secret room, and Lan Chang\'an laid down restrictions.

Taking a deep breath, Zhou Qingxuan’s chest rose and fell as she steadied herself before speaking:

"Fu Xuemei, the True Dan heir of Huanglong Mountain, is gravely injured. To deal with me, she has used up her last life-preserving card, a third-rank talisman."

"This True Dan cultivator is carrying the treasures of Huanglong Mountain, including the petrified Huang Dragon Beast and even the chance of forming a Dan!"

"Due to her severe injuries and her need to protect her brother, Fu Xuemei’s escape has been slow. I have a unique beast-taming technique that allows me to sense the Huang Dragon Beast’s aura from a distance."

Without any pleasantries, Zhou Qingxuan got straight to the point, laying out the situation.

Lan Chang\'an could sense her inner urgency. It seemed she truly wanted to work with him, and at least she wasn’t here to deceive him.

"Such a grand inheritance and the key to forming a Core… Why would Miss Zhou come to me instead of working with your family?" Lan Chang\'an asked, raising an eyebrow.

"There’s no time. The Zhou Family is several days’ journey from Wuqi Mountain. Besides, our family’s old ancestor has already made it clear that they don’t want to get involved in the Huanglong Mountain affair, fearing the repercussions."

"So, Miss Zhou is acting independently?"

"That’s right," Zhou Qingxuan nodded. "To increase my chances, I initially partnered with He Yuanwu. All I want is the Huang Dragon Beast’s inner core—everything else can ceded to my collaborator."

"Oh? So, if He Yuanwu died, how is it that you managed to escape unscathed?" Lan Chang\'an asked pointedly.

"I didn’t escape unscathed. My quasi-third-rank spirit pet is gravely injured and unconscious. Though my injuries aren’t fatal, they’ve destabilized my dantian," Zhou Qingxuan replied, her eyes blinking as she tried to appear pitiful.

"If you don’t believe me, Fellow Daoist Lan, you can examine my body for yourself."

Her eyelashes fluttered, and she looked up at him, her expression soft and vulnerable.

"I’ll take your word for it."

Lan Chang\'an shook his head, showing no interest in examining her body.

The fact that Zhou Qingxuan had returned alive was already impressive enough, and her injuries, while serious, didn’t warrant close inspection.

"How did Miss Zhou, as the party that was tracking, encounter Huanglong Immortal?" Lan Chang\'an asked.

"I was tracking the Huang Dragon Beast. Earlier, it must have been in Huanglong Immortal’s possession, and he was with Fu Xuemei and her brother.

"Then, sensing that something was wrong, Huanglong Immortal must have handed the Huang Dragon Beast over to Fu Xuemei. He then attacked us from behind…"

Zhou Qingxuan’s expression was bitter, and fear lingered in her eyes as she recalled the ambush.

Lan Chang\'an was momentarily stunned. He hadn’t expected the renowned Huanglong Immortal to play such a cunning trick at the end of his life.

In hindsight, it made sense. Huanglong Immortal had only one chance to strike.

If he had attacked head-on, he might not have achieved such a decisive outcome.

Instead, he had managed to kill the traitor He Yuanwu, seriously injure Zhou Qingxuan, and even damage her cultivation foundation.

Of course, this was also the opportunity gained by going to Little Turtle Peak and trading with Lan Chang\'an.

...

"Fellow Daoist Lan, have you made your decision? If we delay much longer, Fu Xuemei will recover some of her magical power, and we’ll miss out on a once-in-centuries opportunity."

Zhou Qingxuan smiled, her delicate features aglow with beauty.

Her radiant face was as captivating as the tale she had woven.

"Miss Zhou, I enjoy listening to your stories, but I have no intention of becoming a character in one of them," Lan Chang\'an chuckled, finishing his tea in one gulp.

Hearing this, Zhou Qingxuan fell silent, her gaze locking onto the youthful-looking man in white before her.

At that moment, it felt as though she were staring at an immovable stone, weathered by countless years and the tides of the world.

"Miss Zhou, Little Turtle Peak does not entertain guests overnight," Lan Chang\'an said as he rose to his feet.

"Fellow Daoist Lan, I won’t force cooperation. However, given my severe injuries, I hope you’ll at least help me recover," Zhou Qingxuan pleaded softly.

"My medical skills are mediocre. If your injuries aren’t life-threatening, I suggest you visit Herbalist Ye at Little Pill Peak tomorrow." Lan Chang\'an politely declined.

After all, he was a talisman master, not a healer, and he didn’t want to deviate from his path.

Restoring people to full health and saving lives sounded noble, but it often entangled one in unwanted karmic ties and grudges.

"I don’t trust anyone else, and time is of the essence. There’s no room for complications."

"If you could heal Fu Xuemei, why won’t you help me? We’ve known each other for years, and I’m more than willing to pay for your services," Zhou Qingxuan’s voice trembled as she bit her lip, tears threatening to spill.

Between them, Zhou Qingxuan certainly had a longer history with Lan Chang\'an.

"Is it because Fu Zhenren is prettier than I am, or because her cultivation is higher?"

"That was a special case."

Lan Chang\'an didn’t bother to explain further. He simply raised his hand to signal that it was time for her to leave.

With a look of deep resentment, Zhou Qingxuan turned to walk out.

But just as she reached the door of the chamber, the girl in the yellow dress suddenly staggered and collapsed to the ground.

"You…"

Lan Chang\'an was speechless, suspecting that she might be faking it.

But when he bent down to take a closer look, he saw blood trickling from Zhou Qingxuan’s lips, and her forehead was drenched in cold sweat, making her appear genuinely unconscious.

"Miss Zhou, are you alright?" Lan Chang\'an asked warily, preparing to check on her condition.

He leaned in, but just before he could touch her, he hesitated, sensing that something was off.

Cough!

Zhou Qingxuan coughed again.

Puh!

Her pink lips parted, and she suddenly spat out a stream of blue-tinged blood, aimed directly at Lan Chang\'an’s face.

Alarmed, Lan Chang\'an instinctively activated his protective barrier and dodged the main force of the blood. However, small droplets splattered onto his shield, causing it to corrode with a faint "sizzle."

"Zhou Qingxuan!"

Lan Chang\'an shouted angrily, immediately summoning a stack of talismans.

Just as he steadied himself, he noticed Zhou Qingxuan’s expression had become eerie, her eyes glowing with a strange greenish light.

Boom!

A sharp chill shot through Lan Chang\'an\'s mind, and the next moment, his sea of consciousness was flooded with a cold, piercing sensation.

In his sea of consciousness, he saw a small, jade-green translucent insect with countless compound eyes and long, whip-like antennae, crawling into his sea of consciousness.

"Jie Jie Jie… Let us share this body of boundless vitality, together."

"Hundred Abodes Soul Gu!"

Lan Chang\'an gasped in shock, immediately circulating his spiritual sense to fortify his mind.

Within seconds, he calmed himself and considered his options.

The first was to use the spiritual sense techniques from his past life to counterattack.

The Hundred Abodes Soul Gu was a soul-based creature, and ordinary spells had little effect against it.

However, the bloodline of this insect far exceeded his expectations. At the very least, it was of a heavenly-grade bloodline, as its presence radiated a soul-level pressure that made Lan Chang\'an\'s sea of consciousness tremble.

His spiritual sense techniques might work.

The second option was to summon the full power of the Nine Seal Stele\'s second life, a peak Core Formation stage existence. On the soul level, he was confident he could suppress the creature.

"Hehehe… Let this seat explore the deepest secrets of your mind," the green, ghostly insect cackled as it expanded in his vision, with a sense of recklessness that encroached on heaven and earth.

Lan Chang\'an\'s thoughts turned, he made the decision to use his ultimate weapon.

Just then, from the depths of his mind, the ancient and dormant Nine Seal Stele let out a faint hum.

Hum!

The ancient, mysterious stele, weathered and dark, suddenly emitted a pale gray light. In an instant, it enveloped the jade-green insect, pulling it away from Lan Chang\'an’s sea of consciousness.

"No—!"

The Hundred Abodes Soul Gu\'s voice was abruptly cut off as it vanished from Lan Chang\'an’s mind, leaving no trace behind.

"Is… that it?"

Lan Chang\'an blinked, momentarily stunned by the unexpected outcome.

He let out a slow breath of relief, knowing that it was the Nine Seal Stele that had just struck.

His heart raced with excitement. This was the first time the Nine Seal Stele had ever acted like this in either of his previous lives.

As he focused his mind on the Nine Seal Stele, he quickly discovered a new change!