Some People Look Meek and Submissive

After a while, the Ink Jade Tower Ship transformed into an Escape Light and flew out of Luquan City.

Experiencing flight for the first time in this world, Pei Ling had no mood to admire the surrounding scenery. Instead, he stood on the deck with his eyes on his nose and his nose on his heart, doing his utmost to make himself seem even more cautious.

Fairy Li had already flicked her sleeve and entered the cabin before leaving the city. The remaining three stared at one another for a moment. A trace of Sha Qi flashed between Zheng Jingshan's brows as he shouted in a deep voice, "Who gave you the nerve to trespass into my quarters?!"

"..." Pei Ling racked his brains for an excuse. Fuck, I didn't want to either. Would you believe me?

Seeing that he did not answer, Zheng Jingshan's eyes glinted viciously. If this had been half an hour ago, he would not even have bothered asking before striking with his palm.

But Pei Ling had, after all, been brought aboard by Senior Sister. He had no idea what plans she might have for him...

As his thoughts turned, he suddenly realized something and blurted out, "Why has the mark from the Bewitching Bone Rakshasa Painting dispersed?! Did Senior Sister do it?"

Pei Ling was startled by this. Only then did he realize that his cultivation had risen another layer, and he was now at Qi Refining Layer 4.

He steadied himself and was about to speak when Pei Hong Nian cried out first, "Qi Refining Layer 4?!"

Zheng Jingshan did not know Pei Ling's background, but Pei Hong Nian was the Pei Clan's Sect Son and had been sent to the Chongming Sect's outer sect since childhood. Whenever he returned home, he was responsible for guiding the younger generation. How could he not know that when he had returned to Pei Manor a few days ago, Pei Ling had been merely at Qi Refining Layer 2?

By the count of it, less than a month had passed. Yet this younger clansman had silently advanced two whole layers?

"Hm?" After hearing Pei Hong Nian explain what had happened, Zheng Jingshan immediately thought of something. He swiftly checked his belongings, and his expression changed at once. Ten Bone Quenching Pills were missing!

As the accompanying pill for the Bone Forging Art, a Bone Quenching Pill could normally only be taken one at a time. Ten had vanished at once, which meant Pei Ling might not have snuck into his room to cultivate just once, but at least ten times.

Pei Hong Nian was merely one of his dogs—no, the entire Pei Family was no more than dog-like things before him. And Pei Ling had been utterly inconspicuous within the Pei Family, not even qualified to approach Jade Wutong Courtyard.

Yet this kid looked meek and submissive on the surface, while secretly breaking into his quarters, stealing his pills, cultivating in his room, and doing so right before the Bewitching Bone Rakshasa Painting... Not once or twice, but ten times!!

At that moment, Zheng Jingshan found himself of one mind with his deceased former fellow disciple, Wu Tingxi: Had wild cultivators now reached the point where they would risk their lives over a mere ten Bone Quenching Pills?!

Or had great sect disciples like them grown too comfortable after staying within the sect day after day, gradually losing the awareness that one had to contend for the Great Dao, and that failing to advance meant falling behind, without even realizing it?

Even as his heart turned cold with alarm, his opinion of Pei Ling improved somewhat.

After all, under the indoctrination of survival of the fittest, although Pei Ling's actions seemed to Zheng Jingshan like a loss outweighing the gain—raising his cultivation from the mere Qi Refining Layer 2 to Qi Refining Layer 4 was simply not worth gambling his life on—this unscrupulous pursuit of strength nevertheless aligned with the True Meaning of the Great Dao.

Exceptional courage, still young, ruthless toward his clansmen and himself alike, born in humble circumstances, and cheap to win over... Zheng Jingshan's thoughts raced. No, that alone probably would not be enough to catch Senior Sister's eye.

His Senior Sister was a true disciple of the Chongming Sect, practically a Saintess. Although Pei Ling was already considered promising material in Zheng Jingshan's eyes, how could Fairy Li's vision compare to his?

With that thought, Zheng Jingshan restrained his anger, gave Pei Ling a deep look, and drew a bone saber from his Storage Pouch with a backhand motion.

The bone saber was about four feet long and snow-white throughout, save for a Blood Thread down the middle that seemed not yet to have congealed, bright and dripping-red. The hilt bore engraved images of green-faced, fang-toothed evil ghosts in the act of devouring people. The instant it appeared, faint sounds of ghosts weeping and wolves howling could be heard, eerie beyond measure!

Pei Ling could not help becoming alert at the sight, but Zheng Jingshan showed no intention of attacking. Instead, he reversed the hilt, pinched only the tip between two fingers, and said slowly, "You contributed considerably to apprehending Wu Tingxi this time. Though the fifty Bone Quenching Pills have already been awarded, the two of you have gained nothing so far! The Sacred Sect has always been clear in its rewards and punishments. How about this? I will use only twenty percent of my strength. Come up one by one. Whoever can pull the saber from between my fingers shall receive this Aversion to Life Saber."

"Thank you, Senior Brother Zheng!" Pei Hong Nian had paid no attention to Pei Ling before. Only just now had he noticed that this younger clansman's cultivation was actually equal to his own. He was filled with envy and jealousy, his emotions tangled, but these words nonetheless delighted him beyond measure. "Senior Brother is generous and forthright. This junior brother will remember it with gratitude to the depths of his heart!"

Without a second thought, he stepped forward first, gripped the hilt with both hands, and yanked hard.

The Aversion to Life Saber did not budge.

Pei Hong Nian's expression grew grave. Drawing a deep breath, he circulated the qi and blood throughout his body, fully mobilizing his Qi Refining Layer 4 cultivation, then seized the hilt again with all his strength... It still did not budge!

After several attempts in a row, Zheng Jingshan's fingertips had not shifted in the slightest. Pei Hong Nian was ashamed yet unwilling to accept it, and wanted to try once more, but Zheng Jingshan had grown impatient. "Enough. Your strength is insufficient. Step down."

With that, he looked at Pei Ling.

Although Pei Ling did not know why Zheng Jingshan had suddenly let the matter rest and even taken out the Aversion to Life Saber as a reward, what room did he have to refuse at a time like this?

Yet just as he was about to step forward, he suddenly shuddered.

His left arm had previously been struck by Wu Tingxi's Five Poisons Finger, leaving a wound deep enough to expose bone. Though the poison had been neutralized and it had improved greatly after dual cultivation, it had not yet fully healed. His right hand was uninjured, but the problem was that its palm was tightly clutching the Nourishing Origin Pill he had just stolen from Fairy Li!

What should he do?

Seeing his hesitation, Zheng Jingshan's expression darkened slightly.

When Pei Ling had first come to the main hall of Pei Manor under the Patriarch's orders to await Zheng Jingshan's instructions, he had kept his brows lowered and his eyes meek, the very picture of obedience. Yet now he actually dared to hesitate. Could it be that he believed he had gained Senior Sister's favor and was deliberately putting on airs?!

If that was the case, then this child... was nothing special.

"Pei Ling, how dare you!" Pei Hong Nian was feeling dejected. His Eyeballs shifted, and he suddenly shouted, "Senior Brother Zheng has bestowed a reward, yet you hesitate to step forward. Could it be that you look down on this Aversion to Life Saber?!"

Fuck your cultivation-world palace intrigues. I'll remember this!

And that trash system!

I never should have given that brain-dead thing a five-star review!!!

Pei Ling cursed inwardly. The origin of the Nourishing Origin Pill "gifted" by the system was suffocatingly fucked up. At this moment, he could only grit his teeth, extend his left hand, and reach for the Aversion to Life Saber.

At that instant, the light around them abruptly dimmed.

Pei Ling froze, swiftly sweeping his gaze around, but he saw no sign of daylight being blocked. Just as suspicion rose within him, he discovered that faint Black Mist had suddenly begun to rise from the deck.

The Black Mist had appeared without warning and spread with astonishing speed. It quickly climbed to the waists of the three men, followed by a chill that seemed to strike directly at their souls.

Even Pei Ling and Pei Hong Nian, despite enduring it with all their strength, could not stop their teeth from chattering.

As the two brothers looked on in horror, the Black Mist churned in Surging Waves as though summoned. It swiftly surged toward a spot not far from the three of them, forming an inky pillar of mist over a dozen yards high, bearing down like a dragon!

The next moment, the mist pillar collapsed with a boom, and two half-transparent women in palace attire appeared instantly.

The woman on the left wore her cloudlike hair piled high and a Flower Crown. Her features were beautiful, but her face was deathly pale. The woman on the right looked no more than fifteen or sixteen. Elegant and lovely, she wore twin spiral buns and a jeweled collar, while several ghostly blue butterflies fluttered around her. Whenever their wings trembled lightly, pale blue luminous powder drifted gracefully down.

Both women wore wide sleeves and flowing sashes, their robes seemingly intact, but everything below their knees had turned into Black Mist, leaving them floating above the deck. They both tilted their heads toward the three men. Their eyes contained no pupils, only a profound expanse of ink-black darkness, making them particularly eerie to behold.

"Senior Sister's Ghost Maids..." Zheng Jingshan's pupils contracted, and a hint of wariness instinctively surfaced on his face. Nodding, he said, "Miss Jiao Ni and Miss Wu Liu have come together. Does Senior Sister have instructions?"

"The Mistress commands that each of you return to your cabins to rest," the woman on the left said indifferently. "If you need anything, simply shake the bell in your room."

Zheng Jingshan hurriedly asked, "Senior Sister, she..."

The woman on the right covered her mouth and laughed softly. A flash of blue seemed to gleam in her ink-black eyes. Without even looking at him, she said in a gentle, soft voice, "The Mistress also said that until we reach the sect, unless it is a matter of considerable importance, no one may go to the top floor and disturb her."

Seeing Zheng Jingshan instantly fall silent, she was finally satisfied. Sweeping her gaze over the three men, she asked curiously, "What are you doing?"

"In reply to Miss Wu Liu, Senior Brother Zheng was testing us." Pei Hong Nian explained what had happened, dejectedly lowering his head.

After hearing him out, the two women exchanged a glance. Jiao Ni became interested. "So you have already failed, and now it all depends on this younger clansman of yours?"

Pei Hong Nian gave an awkward laugh. "Yes."

Hearing this, Jiao Ni looked at Pei Ling with a faintly smiling expression. "Fine. Continue. We will watch the excitement."

Pei Ling's hair stood on end beneath the gaze of those profound ink-black eyes. He hurriedly lowered his head, cold sweat instantly seeping from his forehead. His right hand was still clutching the Nourishing Origin Pill that their Mistress had lost!