Hua Ranhua's Request

After confirming her participation in the operation, You Su did not return to the cave Ji Xueruo.

After all, the behavior patterns of the Fire Armadillo are only speculations, and no one can guarantee how it will react. Therefore, just in case, it is best to gather around the edge of the pit and be on high alert at all times.

The forty-three cultivators stationed around here came from all over the country, and each of them showed their invitation letters to prove that they were not outsiders. It was impossible for outsiders looking for 'prey' to dare to approach such a large group of people.

The forty-three were cultivators from the Xuanxiao Sect, all at the upper level of the Water Condensing Upper Realm. Moreover, all three were True Disciple. You Su had met them briefly during the pre-battle mobilization, but unfortunately, Senior Sister Zi Xun and Senior Sister Si Han were not among them.

Although You Su was not familiar with these three, at Ji Xueruo's strong request, in order to avoid suspicion, he chose to temporarily separate from Ji Xueruo and sit with these three Xuanxiao Sect disciples, while Ji Xueruo stayed with Ao Yunlie's camp.

However, You Su was clearly in Cao Cao's camp but his heart was with Liu Bei, his gaze constantly drifting towards Ji Xueruo, even though he couldn't see anything. But it was understandable that Ji Xueruo didn't want to appear too close to him in front of so many people, as this would avoid a lot of unnecessary trouble and criticism for the two of them.

You Su then chatted absentmindedly with his three fellow disciples, learning that one was Talisman Cultivator under the Second Elder, another was a weapon cultivator under the Sixth Elder, and the third was a rather taciturn scholar who was far less familiar with You Su than the other Tenth Elder.

Just then, as if sensing something approaching, their expressions instantly turned serious.

Three cultivators dressed in expensive, dark yellow robes walked slowly towards them. The hems of their robes were embroidered with pale gold patterns, resembling the veins of the earth.

The leader was tall and imposing, with an extraordinary air about him. What was most striking was his yellow eyebrows, which appeared almost nonexistent in the sunlight. With each step he took, his hands behind his back, dust kicked up like smoke from the edges of his shoes, as if welcoming his arrival.

Strangely, his purpose did not seem to be the four Xuanxiao Sect members who were sitting and resting. He kept walking while casting glances at the four of them, or rather, at You Su, who had a calm expression.

Ke You Su kept her head down, playing with the foxtail grass beside her, and didn't even glance at him.

"That coward Ming Dao didn't even dare to draw his sword in the end. His death at the hands of rats is nothing to regret. It's a pity Ming Dao mediocre people like Mingdao are few and far between. Fellow Daoist You, you'd better not get carried away."

The leader withdrew his gaze, seemingly offering a well-intentioned reminder. However, even the three Xuanxiao Sect disciples could tell that he was belittling the significance of You Su's killing of Ming Dao, and even hinting at a provocation.

Ao Yunlie had already recounted the battle that night to everyone. His explanation was quite fair. Although Ming Dao did not draw his sword when he was facing certain death, it did not mean that he could have blocked You Su's tyrannical sword intent if he had drawn his sword.

After all, no one knows whether he ultimately gave up because he feared You Su's sword, the Fire Armadillo's gaping maw, or both...

"Thank you for the reminder, fellow Daoist. However, you are overthinking it. I am not being arrogant; I am simply..."

You Su casually picked up a foxtail grass and put it in his mouth. Finally, he looked up at the three uninvited guests and smiled brightly:

"Just arrogant."

The two men behind the leader immediately showed reproach upon hearing this, but the leader also smiled, giving You Su a deep look into his eyes:

"Since it's something you were born with, then it can't be changed. I misunderstood Fellow Daoist You."

After saying that, he turned and left.

"It's alright, I don't blame you," You Su whispered to his retreating figure.

After he walked away, a Xuanxiao Sect disciple muttered under his breath, "What's with that Little Saint Son showing off like that..."

You Su then confirmed the other party's identity; it turned out to be the Little Saint Son of the Western Wilderness Continent Savage Holy Hall, Water Condensation Perfection Realm.

By analogy, the status of the Savage Holy Hall is similar to that of the Xuanxiao Sect in the Central Yuan Continent, and the Little Saint Son is the sect's recognized leader among the younger generation. However, there is a Great Holy Son at the Feather Transformation Realm above him, hence the title Little Saint Son.

It is worth mentioning that the Xuanxiao Sect never establishes titles such as Saintess or Holy Son, because the Xuanxiao Sect is a comprehensive sect where various paths coexist, and all kinds of geniuses exist, so it is impossible to select a disciple to represent them all. However, Wangshu Fairy forcibly made herself the Saintess of the Xuanxiao Sect in the eyes of outsiders through her own strength.

"If my senior brother Fu or junior brother Duanmu were here, would he dare to provoke us like this? Why not go to all the other places, instead of coming right up to us to show off?"

Another disciple echoed this sentiment. Although they were True Disciple, apart from Lotus Peak, the number of True Disciple on other peaks was generally in even numbers, with eleven being the second fewest on Bihua Peak. Of course, this was related to the fact that the Third Elder only accepted beautiful female disciples, and the work of cultivating Spirit Plant could be assigned to Outer Disciple through tasks, so the Third Elder was too lazy to accept too many True Disciples.

Therefore, they are true geniuses, but not the best among geniuses. Even if they are proud, they know that they cannot be on equal footing with the Little Saint Son.

The "Senior Brother Fu" he mentioned was his own senior brother, Fu Heng, whom the Second Elder personally acknowledged as the number one talisman master below the Transformation Realm. It is said that Fu Heng could have broken through to the Transformation Realm long ago, but he had been so immersed in the talisman path that he had no interest in cultivation, yet he was able to enter the island by chance. As for Junior Brother Duanmu Jin, he was the beloved disciple of the Ninth Elder, Venerable Rongshan, who established the position of Rongshan Peak of the Xuanxiao Sect as the most respected among the younger generation in swordsmanship. These two were also the most dazzling disciples selected by the Xuanxiao Sect, enough to rival the prestige of the Little Saint Son.

"Even if they were here, the Little Saint Son wouldn't be very nice. Junior Brother You was able to kill Ming Dao, which means he's no worse than Ming Dao. The Little Saint Son is just arrogant and conceited." The disciple from Book Immortal Peak saw things clearly.

The other two disciples nodded slightly, one of them reminding, "However, Junior Brother You does need to be careful of this person. You are still young, there's no need to get angry with him."

"I will, thank you, Senior Brother," You Su said.

Seeing that You Su didn't seem to care much, the disciple added, "Don't take it lightly. He came specifically to find you for a reason."

"What's the reason?" You Su curiously.

"The Holy Son of the Savage Holy Hall once came to the Central Yuan Continent and fought against your senior sister, Wangshu Fairy. At that time, Wangshu Fairy didn't hold back, causing the Savage Holy Hall to lose face. He is now the new Holy Son, and you are Wangshu Fairy's junior brother..."

There was no need to say more at this point. You Su gave him a reassuring smile, "Then I mustn't embarrass my senior sister and her sect."

"How could you be like this..."

Before the word 'stubborn' could be uttered, You Su interrupted:

"Senior brother, do you know how many factions are involved among these forty-three people?"

The three disciples exchanged glances, and it was the scholar who spoke first; he was clearly the most learned of the three.

"The first group is naturally the Western Wilderness Continent's force, led by the Little Saint Son of the Savage Holy Hall, consisting of ten people."

The second group consisted of six people, led by Qu Zhaixing of the Xingyue Sect, from the Southern Yang Continent. The third group, also from the Southern Yang Continent, was led by Hua Ranhua, a disciple of the Venerable Hua Yin Qiming Sect's Huayin Venerable, and consisted of five people.

The fourth group was from the Northern Ao Continent. They didn't have a cultivator at the peak of the Water Condensation Perfection stage leading them; there were five of them, but they seemed very united.

The fifth group is from our Central Yuan Continent. Like us, there is no cultivator at the peak of the Water Condensation Perfection stage to lead them. Apart from the four of us, only one of the other four is a disciple of the Divine Mountain Immortal Sect, and the other two are from local sects.

The remaining nine were the sixth group, all Demon Cultivator from the Eastern Ying Continent. They were led by two cultivators at the peak of the Water Condensation Perfection: Ao Yunlie of the Golden Lion Clan and Lu Xie of the Horned End Clan.

You Su nodded upon hearing this, indicating that he had gained a relatively clear understanding of the power dynamics here.

Judging from their strength on paper, the cultivators from the snow-covered Northern Ao Continent are the weakest. If the two forces from the Southern Yang Continent cooperate, they will naturally be the strongest. However, if they split up, the Demon Race will definitely be superior, not to mention that the Demon Race also has Miss Xue Ruo.

You Su then went to get to know the other cultivators in the Central Yuan Continent. These cultivators were all of high cultivation levels, but they were very polite to You Su, who was only at the lower level of the Water Condensing Lower Realm and could defeat the Dao of Ming Dao Realm. Some even complimented him, saying that he would be the second Wangshu Fairy. You Su, of course, just smiled and ignored it.

Back at the camp, You Su guessed that these people wouldn't let him rest in peace, after all, his achievements that night were truly terrifying. Before, when outsiders mentioned him, they would at most discuss the second disciple of the Lotus Sword Venerable or the junior brother of Wangshu Fairy, but after the battle of Ming Dao, people began to truly remember his name.

The second person to visit him was Qu Zhaixing from the Xingyue Sect. He was handsome and dressed like a spirited scholar.

Qu Zhaixing was completely different from the Little Saint Son; talking to him was like a breath of fresh air. He expressed friendliness, said some polite words hoping for a pleasant cooperation, and then left on his own. Of course, You Su wouldn't reveal that he had killed two Xingyue Sect disciples, and Ao Yunlie and the others obviously wouldn't be so talkative either, after all, those two deserved to die.

The third to arrive was a burly man from the Northern Ao Continent. This was the first time You Su had encountered a cultivator from the Northern Ao Continent. He wore a robe made of animal leather, and his aura seemed to carry the scent of ice and snow. One glance was enough to distinguish him from the people of the other four continents.

The burly man, who called himself Zang Zhong, had a stern face and an imposing aura. You Su initially thought he was also there to cause trouble, but to her surprise, he came to express his admiration. Zang Zhong even took out a large piece of Snow Yak meat as a gift, which flattered You Su. Taking advantage of the topic of Ice Milk Wine, the two chatted amiably, and You Su returned the gift, only to learn that the simple Principle of the icy land was that the strong were respected.

After Zang Zhong left, Hua Ranhua from the Qiming Sect arrived next.

The newcomer was a woman of ethereal beauty, with a face so captivating that even fish and geese could not compare. Her graceful steps seemed to be surrounded by a profusion of flowers. When she spoke, she was different from the person who had spoken on the spot before. Instead, she invited You Su to take a walk together and chat about Ming Dao's affairs.

You Su initially wanted to refuse, but considering that she and Ming Dao were from the same school, she felt it necessary to explain clearly, so she gave in to her wishes.

The two strolled around the forest at a certain distance, but since the area was full of cultivators, they were basically under the watchful eyes of many. Among the observers, a pair of beautiful eyes stared intently.

"Although he is from the same sect as me, according to what Young Master You said, he truly deserves to die. He instigated a conflict between the human and demon races for no reason, solely out of his own evil intentions. Rather than Young Master You, I should be grateful to you on behalf of the human race," Hua Ranhua said with a smile.

"Miss Hua, you flatter me." You Su maintained a certain distance.

"It's not an exaggeration. The war between humans and demons is just one spark away from starting. If he succeeds, countless innocent lives will be lost. Young Master You killed one person, but saved countless others. I will explain this properly to our sect. I believe Venerable Tingyu is a reasonable person."

You Su quite liked Hua Ranhua's understanding and sensible nature.

"I thank Miss Hua," You Su said, bowing in gratitude.

"That's only right, Young Master You, there's no need for thanks. But I have a favor to ask, and I hope Young Master You can help me." Hua Ranhua bowed gracefully, her voice soft and sweet.

You Su paused for a moment, then said, "Miss Hua has done me such a great favor, please feel free to speak freely."

"Then I won't stand on ceremony." Hua Ranhua smiled sweetly. "With Young Master You's strength, you should be the main force in the encirclement and suppression of that Fire Armadillo tomorrow."

You Su remained silent, waiting for the woman to continue.

"To be honest, I have some grudges against Qu Zhaixing. Tomorrow will surely be a fierce battle. Qu Zhaixing appears refined on the surface, but he is actually full of cunning schemes. My Cultivation Method are special, and it is difficult to protect myself from all sides when using them. I am worried that he will secretly harm me, so I would like to ask Young Master You to protect me."

You Su raised an eyebrow, completely unprepared for this request.

"You already have followers, why would you need to ask me for help?"

"Didn't he? Young Master You's existence must have been unexpected for him. Only in this way can he protect my safety. I will reward Young Master You after this is over."

"There are twenty-seven people besieging us tomorrow. Does he dare to launch a sneak attack in broad daylight?"

"You underestimate the wickedness of human nature, Young Master You. Otherwise, why do you think we can't get along? The Xingyue Sect's motto is to do everything for themselves, and their reputation in the Southern Yang Continent is not good. He's held onto that personal grudge for a long time. If we were to confront him head-on, I certainly wouldn't be afraid of him. However, this man is quite cunning, and I have to be wary of him in secret."

You Su couldn't help but think of the two Xingyue Sect cultivators who had ruthlessly killed Huang Xi. He had only half-believed what Hua Ranhua had said, and he began to ponder in his heart:

This request was nothing compared to the merit she could gain by helping him explain things to the Qiming Sect. Moreover, she hadn't even invited him to join in killing Qu Zhaixing; she only needed to protect her secretly. In fact, if Qu Zhaixing didn't take any action, this merit would be a freebie.

You Su couldn't think of a reason to refuse, and was about to answer when she suddenly sensed a familiar presence approaching—it was Ji Xueruo with a cold expression.

"Ao Yunlie and Lu Xie looking for you." Ji Xueruo left behind a string of cold words, then stood in front of the two of them, as if waiting for You Su to immediately go with her.

"It seems we've been delayed a bit too long, so I won't disturb you any longer Young Master You." Hua Ranhua smiled lightly. "Young Master You must keep your promise."

To everyone's surprise, as soon as the sweet words fell, Ji Xueruo turned around and left resolutely.

Feeling embarrassed, You Su bowed to Hua Ranhua and quickly followed Ji Xueruo.

"Miss Xue Ruo, slow down, there's no rush." You Su didn't dare to pull her in public, so she quickened her pace to catch up.

"I see you two still have more to say, you can continue chatting." Ji Xueruo turning her head.

"We were talking about Ming Dao's matter. We've finished talking. She said I was acting for the greater good and was willing to explain on my behalf."

Upon hearing this, Ji Xueruo slowed her pace slightly. "Is she really that good?"

"Sigh, how would I know if it's good or not? It's good enough that she doesn't try to explain herself, or that she doesn't smear my reputation."

"Smearing? So you also think you're not doing this for the greater good?" Ji Xueruo snorted lightly.

"I'm not doing this for any grand cause, of course, but for my aunt," You Su joked.

Ji Xueruo stumbled, her cheeks puffing out in anger, but she couldn't show it in front of so many people, so she forced herself to remain calm and hide her embarrassment and anger in her heart.

Stop with the smooth talk! What about the agreement? What agreement?

You Su found Ji Xueruo's forced seriousness somewhat amusing and deliberately teased, "Miss Xue Ruo is very concerned?"

"Say it or don't, it's up to you." Ji Xueruo also lost her temper.

You Su was secretly delighted, but still pulled her aside and told her everything about what had happened.

Upon hearing this, Ji Xueruo didn't press You Su for more information.

After a night of waiting, thick clouds finally gathered over the Secluded Island, and the moment to surround and hunt down the Fire Armadillo had finally arrived.