"Junior Brother, what do you think?"
Cui Hao glanced at Su Hao, then turned his gaze back to Liu Mei on the platform, as if missing even one look would be a tremendous loss.
"Senior Brother Cui is being so gracious that I can hardly refuse. If I did, I'd be ungrateful.
"But I'm afraid my strength is too low and I'll drag you all down."
Su Hao's eyes flickered.
"No matter. Don't sell yourself short. The gap between cultivators in the Qi Refining stage isn't that great. It's quite common for a fifth-level cultivator to beat a sixth-level one to death."
Cui Hao smiled and waved to his three companions.
They came over.
Name: Cui Ziming Realm: Qi Refining Level 7 Talent: Earth Spirit Body (White) Name: Wei Ying Realm: Qi Refining Level 6 Talent: Wisdom Heart (White) Name: Zhang Yanyan Realm: Qi Refining Level 6 Talent: Frost Condensation (Blue)
Including Cui Hao, there were two men and two women.
Cui Ziming appeared aloof. After giving a cold nod, he continued admiring the scenery, occasionally sneaking a glance toward Liu Mei.
"I didn't expect to encounter Fairy Liu here. I wonder if she's going to the Blood Soul Secret Realm or accompanying an elder on a mission.
"Su Hao, why have you kept your head lowered the whole time? Don't tell me you can't even appreciate such a stunning beauty as Fairy Liu? No way... Or are you not interested in women?"
Cui Hao reluctantly shifted his gaze back and teased him.
"Of course not. I've long heard of Fairy Feimeng's fame, and I'd love to look a few more times. But I've also heard that the female cultivators of Joy Peak use strange methods and can steal a person's soul without them realizing it."
Su Hao explained.
"Haha, so that's it. Junior Brother Su has quite a lot of self-control to endure without looking.
"But if Fairy Liu wanted to steal our souls, she could make us fall into her trap even if we didn't look. So look while you can."
Cui Hao patted Su Hao's shoulder.
Wei Ying nodded in agreement. "What man doesn't lust after beauty? Even I, a woman, am captivated by Senior Sister Liu's looks. Senior Brother Ziming, stop pretending too. You've sneaked glances toward Senior Sister Liu dozens of times already. Doesn't your neck hurt?"
Zhang Yanyan covered her mouth and giggled.
Cui Hao suppressed his laughter and winked at Su Hao, hinting that Wei Ying and Cui Ziming had a close relationship.
"You..." Cui Ziming's face flushed red. "What nonsense are you talking about? I'm just rather interested in that matter of capturing prodigies, so... so I was eavesdropping. I wasn't looking at Senior Sister Liu."
The conversation between Liu Mei and Fang Yunrong had not been concealed from the crowd.
Wei Ying curled her lips, not believing him at all. "Yes, yes, I misunderstood you."
Cui Ziming snorted coldly, folded his arms, and turned aside, no longer looking toward the upper floor of the small building.
"Capturing prodigies?" Su Hao's gaze darkened. Could they be refining people into materials for the Myriad Souls Pagoda, just like Zhang Yunfei?
"I heard that the Myriad Souls Pagoda suddenly shook some time ago. Hundreds of thousands of resentful souls inside the pagoda ran amok. Apparently, the pagoda sensed an exceptional material for its Artifact Spirit."
Cui Hao smiled.
"The Myriad Souls Pagoda's Artifact Spirit?" Su Hao pondered. Yet capturing prodigies and killing Zhang Yunfei were essentially the same thing, and he could only force down his fury.
Just then, a fragrant breeze swept over, its rich perfume assailing their nostrils.
Liu Mei floated down from the small building. The outer sect elder, Fang Yunrong, had already returned to his room.
Everyone watched Liu Mei descend and walk toward the crowd, instinctively making way for her.
She came to a stop near Cui Hao.
"Senior Sister Liu." Cui Hao reacted swiftly and hurriedly cupped his fists.
They were already in a corner, so she could only have come for them.
Once Wei Ying and Zhang Yanyan realized this, they hurriedly saluted and greeted her.
Cui Ziming's heart jolted. He could no longer maintain his aloof bearing and said with a fawning smile, "Senior Sister Liu, are you looking for me?"
He actually had a slight acquaintance with Liu Mei. When he was at Qi Refining Level 3, he had followed a group of senior brothers and sisters led by Liu Mei on a mission.
"I'm looking for him." Liu Mei smiled brightly and pointed at Su Hao without even sparing Cui Ziming a glance.
"Him? A mere fifth-level Qi Refining cultivator?"
"Could it be that Fairy Liu has taken a fancy to that man's yang energy?"
"Hahaha... That man is doomed!"
"..."
The surroundings erupted in an uproar. Everyone sized up Su Hao. His cultivation was utterly ordinary, so the only thing that could attract a Joy Peak disciple like Liu Mei was a man's yang energy and essence.
Cui Ziming's expression turned gloomy.
Cui Hao pulled Zhang Yanyan a step backward.
"Junior Brother Su, what a coincidence. We meet again. What's with that expression? Don't tell me you don't remember me?" Liu Mei teased him, as if she and Su Hao shared a deep friendship.
Su Hao forced a smile and cupped his fists toward Liu Mei. "Senior Sister Liu, it's only been a few days. Of course I still remember you..."
"Where are you all going?" Liu Mei asked.
"Senior Sister Liu, we plan to go to the Blood Soul Secret Realm. Seeing this junior brother traveling alone, we invited him to come along."
Cui Ziming hurriedly answered, wishing he could replace Su Hao and seething inwardly at the boy's rudeness.
"Perfect. I'm going to the Blood Soul Secret Realm too. You don't mind adding me, do you?" Liu Mei smiled at Cui Ziming. "Junior Brother Ziming, it's been a long time. Your strength has improved greatly. If I hadn't gained some benefits recently, I'm afraid I wouldn't even be as strong as you."
"Senior Sister Liu, you flatter me. The Heavy Rock Art I cultivate is crude and simple, with limited potential and too little power.
"Your Wife-Pleasing Scripture is different. It's the number-one art of Joy Peak, profound and mighty.
"Even if you were only at Qi Refining Level 1, killing me would be like killing a chicken. How would I dare compare myself to you?"
Cui Ziming sighed.
The surrounding people nodded deeply in agreement. They had either witnessed or heard of the strange nature of the Wife-Pleasing Scripture.
Cui Hao and the others chimed in from the side.
Only Su Hao remained silent. He didn't believe that Liu Mei had caught up with the Flying Ship and was also heading to the Blood Soul Secret Realm by coincidence.
I've backed down again and again, yet this woman is truly bullying me!
"Junior Brother Su, you look unhappy. Are you unwilling to have me join you?" Liu Mei asked mockingly.
"If he's unwilling, then tell him to get lost." Cui Ziming glared coldly at Su Hao. "Stop putting on an arrogant act. Do you really think you're some kind of prodigy? How dare you slight and disrespect Senior Sister Liu!"
"Hey, Senior Brother Cui, you've misunderstood. Fairy Liu must have known Junior Brother Su for a long time. Otherwise, how could a fifth-level disciple dare put on such a face in front of her?"
Cui Hao held Cui Ziming back and reminded him.
Cui Ziming gave an awkward smile. "I see."
Together with Wei Ying and Zhang Yanyan, he looked at Su Hao in astonishment.
"I was merely overwhelmed by the favor. I didn't expect Senior Sister Liu to remember a nobody like me." Su Hao had no choice but to humble himself and force a smile.
Liu Mei moved closer, wrapped her arm around Su Hao's, and breathed a warm, fragrant breath against him as she said ambiguously, "How could I forget? Those times we spent together, every little detail, were etched into my bones. I'll never forget them for the rest of my life."
The two were extremely intimate, her chest pressed tightly against Su Hao's arm.
"..." Su Hao simply began deliberately swinging his arm, rubbing it against Liu Mei.
At this point, rather than keep playing the honest man, he might as well take advantage of the situation a little more.
That tiny movement stunned everyone.
Liu Mei dressed in a sexy and revealing style and behaved boldly. Sometimes, she even flirted with men by tossing them seductive glances.
The men she took an interest in were usually bewitched, leaving them no chance to approach her and take advantage of her.
It wasn't that the people around them had never seen Liu Mei seduce men, but this was the first time they had seen a man make skin-to-skin contact with her.
After all, the Wife-Pleasing Scripture was mysterious and unfathomable. It could drain a person's essence from a distance and kill them alive.
Those whose essence was drained were lucky if they merely died unconsciously in a beautiful dream.