Rebuffed! Qiong Xiao's Self-Infatuation!

Longevity Immortal Abode, a household whose Daoists lived as long as Heaven.

Before Five Villages Temple, Qiong Xiao stared blankly at the words on either side of the gate.

Ancestor of Earth Immortals Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun, two Quasi-Sage Great Beings, both valued Ling Xiao highly. To Qiong Xiao, this was sheer fantasy, yet it was the truth.

Her expression turning solemn, Qiong Xiao made a Daoist salute toward the gate before calling out, "This junior, Qiong Xiao of the Sect of Interception, has come by order of my master, Tongtian, to pay respects to Great Immortal Zhenyuan and Senior Hong Yun."

Her voice echoed, stirring the winds and clouds.

"Creak!"

A crisp sound rang out.

Qingfeng and Mingyue pulled open the gates of Five Villages Temple and stepped out through the immortal mist.

Qingfeng gave Qiong Xiao a few appraising glances, then said blandly, "Senior Brother Ling Xiao does not wish to see you. Immortal Maiden Qiong Xiao, please return. The two masters are drinking and discussing the Dao with Senior Brother Ling Xiao, and they do not wish for you to disturb them."

Zhen Yuanzi possessed immense divine abilities, and his art of deducing heavenly secrets was exceptionally profound.

He had learned a little about what had happened within the Palace of Green Essence. Moreover, as a Primordial God who had cultivated for countless years, the instant Qiong Xiao appeared before Five Villages Temple, Zhen Yuanzi understood why she had come.

Ling Xiao was kind-hearted, and he feared that Ling Xiao would be deceived by the Sect of Interception once more.

Thus, he simply decided not to let Qiong Xiao enter the Daoist sanctuary.

"What? When you drove Senior Brother Ling Xiao away, you made no attempt to keep him. Now that you see he has reforged his Foundation and returned to cultivation, you want to trick him back? Your Sect of Interception truly is treacherous and deceitful!"

"I imagine that when Senior Brother Ling Xiao was in the Sect of Interception, he helped cleanse your spirit platform and resolve the karmic debts and consequences you had incurred. Yet now, you want to push him into a pit of fire. That alone proves your malicious intentions."

"If you ask me, the Sect of Interception is rotten from the top down. Not a single one of you is any good!"

Compared to Qingfeng's gentle refinement, Mingyue was far sharper with his words.

As Zhen Yuanzi's Daoist attendant, Mingyue could say things that Zhen Yuanzi could not bring himself to say for the sake of appearances.

Those few words were precisely what Zhen Yuanzi truly thought.

Now, through Mingyue's mouth, he had thoroughly berated Qiong Xiao and the Sect of Interception, not even sparing Tongtian.

"Junior Sister Mingyue, as cultivators, we should be magnanimous. Do not entangle yourself with an ungrateful person like Immortal Maiden Qiong Xiao, or it may affect your state of mind."

Qingfeng chimed in from the side, his face wearing an innocent expression.

"Hmph!"

"As cultivators, we follow our Dao Hearts! Let alone Qiong Xiao—even if Tongtian himself were here, I would make clear to him that he is unworthy of being a master and has acted against the principles of the Heavenly Dao!"

"Even if I am reduced to dust and ashes, I will stand up for Senior Brother Ling Xiao!"

Mingyue spoke passionately, his voice reverberating between Heaven and Earth.

At these words, Qiong Xiao's expression turned ugly. If not for Mingyue's status, she would have attacked long ago.

After all, Mingyue was merely at the peak of the Golden Immortal realm, while she had already touched upon the threshold of the Golden Immortal of Grand Dao realm.

"You must not insult my master. I came here only for Ling Xiao, the traitor of the Sect of Interception. I do not wish to make enemies of Five Villages Temple, so please inform Great Immortal Zhenyuan once more."

"Tell Ling Xiao that unless he returns with me, sorts out the Karmic Slaughter entangled with the Sect of Interception's fortune, and resumes his place overseeing the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation, I, Qiong Xiao, will never forgive him."

Qiong Xiao forcibly suppressed the anger in her heart before speaking to Qingfeng and Mingyue.

The pressure and aura of her peak Golden Immortal of Grand Dao cultivation unconsciously surged forth like a torrent, making the void tremble faintly and fully revealing her current mood.

"Forgive him? Hehe..."

"Dao Friends, let her enter!"

At that moment, a cold laugh drifted out from within Five Villages Temple.

Inside Five Villages Temple.

Ling Xiao withdrew his Divine Sense, looked toward Great Immortal Zhenyuan and Hong Yun, then said, "Seniors, there is no need to worry about this junior. I know what I am doing, and I certainly will not repeat the same mistakes."

"Letting Qiong Xiao in is merely so I can watch this clown from the Sect of Interception leap about!"

In his previous life!

Ling Xiao had read countless novels set in the Primordial Wilderness, so he understood the pattern of the God-tier Choice System.

God-tier choices needed to be triggered!

Qiong Xiao had come to Five Villages Temple to ask him to return to the Sect of Interception and continue burning himself out for others. Perhaps this situation could trigger the God-tier Choice System.

Therefore, Ling Xiao could only suppress his disgust and meet this personal disciple of Tongtian.

"Excellent!"

"The humiliation you suffered in the Sect of Interception cannot simply be forgotten. Since Tongtian sent a disciple, Qiong Xiao must be prepared to humiliate herself. You need not have any reservations. Hong Yun and I will firmly support you."

Approval showed in Zhen Yuanzi's eyes, and he made no effort to hide his praise for Ling Xiao.

His Dao Heart was resolute, and he understood what mattered.

His future potential was limitless.

Furthermore, under Ling Xiao's guidance, Zhen Yuanzi had begun repairing the damaged western earth veins during the Lich Tribulation. While accumulating vast amounts of merit, he had also gained the blessing of the Will of the Earthly Dao through the Earth Book.

The restrictions of the Heavenly Dao upon the Hongmeng Purple Energy had long since been worn away.

He only needed the right opportunity to become a Saint on the spot.

Thus, Zhen Yuanzi did not fear Tongtian. As long as Ling Xiao did not kill Qiong Xiao, he could do whatever he pleased.

Once he became a Saint, even if Ling Xiao killed several disciples of the Sect of Interception, it would not be a major matter to Zhen Yuanzi!

"Very good!"

Ling Xiao raised his cup and drank the spiritual wine, no longer standing on ceremony with Zhen Yuanzi.

Very soon!

Qingfeng and Mingyue approached, with Qiong Xiao following behind them.

"Greetings, Great Immortal Zhenyuan and Senior Hong Yun!"

Qiong Xiao made a Daoist salute, though her eyes kept darting toward Ling Xiao.

Early Golden Immortal of Grand Dao realm, with dense aura and natural Dao Resonance.

Ling Xiao had truly reforged his Foundation, and his origin had fully recovered. He was now even more sacred and natural than when he had first joined the Sect of Interception, as though he were about to draw close to the Great Dao itself.

Qiong Xiao had only ever seen such a sight in the Three Pure Ones and some of the most powerful Primordial Gods.

Yet now, Ling Xiao possessed such unique Dao Resonance and bearing.

Qiong Xiao felt her Dao Heart tremble. Convictions she had held for ages suddenly collapsed with a thunderous crash.

"If there is anything you wish to say, say it to little friend Ling Xiao quickly!"

"People of the Sect of Interception are not welcome here!"

Hong Yun tapped the jade table and spoke listlessly. A trace of his Quasi-Sage Dao Resonance leaked out, nearly pressing Qiong Xiao until she could not lift her head.

Ling Xiao sat upon a meditation cushion and never once gave Qiong Xiao a proper look.

Seeing this, Qiong Xiao's heart calmed. Then she said, "Junior Brother Ling Xiao, the Sect of Interception's fortune needs your protection, and the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation has also begun to stir."

"Return to the Sect of Interception with me. I will ask Elder Sister Yun Xiao, Senior Brother Duobao, and the others to speak for you. I believe Master will forgive your sins and accept you beneath his seat again."

"For countless ages, you were someone all your fellow disciples respected. Now that you have betrayed the Sect of Interception, you have become the target of everyone's condemnation. But as long as you admit your mistake to Master, we can all return to how things were before."

As Qiong Xiao spoke, scenes surfaced in her mind.

Ling Xiao formed hand seals, not even bothering to wipe the sweat from his forehead as he cleansed her of the karmic debts and consequences clinging to her. Even though his mana was greatly depleted, he never stopped.

At that moment, a trace of longing and affection had arisen in Qiong Xiao's heart.

But once Ling Xiao became crippled, everything vanished like smoke.

Thinking of this, Qiong Xiao continued, "Elder Sister Yun Xiao, Our Lady of Golden Spirit, and several other senior sisters also worry about you. As long as you return to the Sect of Interception, we can fulfill every request you once had."

"Even if you pass my test, I can become Dao companions with you..."

As her words fell, Qiong Xiao's lovely face flushed slightly.

It was as though saying such things was immensely embarrassing and difficult for her.

Looking at Ling Xiao, whose body emitted a faint holy radiance, Qiong Xiao felt a warm current flow through her heart. A thought suddenly arose from nowhere.

Becoming Junior Brother Ling Xiao's Dao companion seems barely acceptable.

"I can't take this anymore!"

The moment Mingyue heard these words, he exploded.

He was about to roll up his sleeves and slap Qiong Xiao across the face, but Qingfeng quickly covered his mouth and held him back.

Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun exchanged glances, communicating through Divine Sense.

"An ordinary yet overconfident woman?"

Zhen Yuanzi frowned slightly and curled his lips.

"Tongtian only accepts disciples but never teaches them. Qiong Xiao's character could not possibly be much better! Even if she is not rotten to the core, she has still been negatively influenced by the chaotic melting pot that is the Sect of Interception."

"Keep watching the show. I have never seen anyone so shameless. She wants to become little friend Ling Xiao's Dao companion? Is she worthy?"

Hong Yun showed no mercy. In his eyes, Qiong Xiao had already been branded shameless.

"What kind of nonsense is this?"

"Test me?"

Ling Xiao was utterly astonished. This was the first time he had realized that Qiong Xiao was such a person.

Before he could mock Qiong Xiao, the System's voice rang out in his mind first...