"Waka-ka! This woman has the purity of a young girl and the allure of a mature woman. Even a cultivator with a steadfast Dao heart like me can barely hold myself back!"
"Brother, I'd advise you to hold yourself back. Otherwise, you won't have anything left down there in a moment!"
The male cultivators all shuddered, clamping their legs together for fear of being castrated and turned into eunuchs.
"Brother, what's this woman's background?"
"She's one of the Mysterious Moon Society's Ten Saintesses. And the Mysterious Moon Society is one of the Southern Wilderness Domain's three super sects. With a terrifying force like that, would you dare provoke her?"
Zhuo Dongxuan narrowed her beautiful eyes slightly. She thoroughly enjoyed being watched with awe by the crowd.
However, that wasn't why she had come here. She was after the Dao Fruits, of which only three remained on the tree ahead.
She continued forward with elegant, catlike steps. She seemed to be moving slowly, but in less than five minutes, she had covered six li.
Just as she was about to continue, a flash of white light appeared before her. The light vanished, transforming into the youth who had stolen the limelight earlier.
Hahaha!
Looks like this boy called Xiao Yao was afraid!
Feeling unbearably smug, she was just about to part her red lips when she heard the youth's cheerful voice by her ear. "You're just in time."
Huh?
Zhuo Dongxuan gave Xiao Yao a careful once-over. Apart from being handsome enough to make her heart flutter, he didn't look like anyone she'd met before.
At the same time, the cultivators around them began to chatter.
"This kid knows the Mysterious Moon Society's Saintess?"
"Damn! That kid's got incredible luck with women! Why don't I ever get that lucky?"
"But the Saintess looks surprised and confused. She doesn't seem to know him."
"Could he be one of those super outgoing types, acting familiar with everyone and striking up a conversation? That's a major taboo with the Mysterious Moon Society's Saintess!"
The crowd eagerly awaited the sight of Xiao Yao getting beaten senseless by Zhuo Dongxuan.
But that scene never came. Instead, Xiao Yao clasped Zhuo Dongxuan's slender hand in his right hand and hurried toward the Dao Fruit Tree without stopping.
The Mysterious Moon Society cultivators behind Zhuo Dongxuan were left utterly bewildered, completely unable to figure out what had just happened.
"Let go of this Saintess's hand!" Zhuo Dongxuan shouted, no longer bothering to act like a proper lady after she came to her senses.
Xiao Yao froze for a moment, wondering if Society Mistress Song hadn't told the Mysterious Moon Society cultivators entering the Giant Spirit Secret Realm about him.
Outside the Giant Spirit Secret Realm,
Pagoda Master Sun, Society Mistress Song, and Pavilion Master Li—the leaders of the Southern Wilderness Domain's three super sects—were sitting in meditation, not daring to make a move to leave.
The reason was obvious: Xiao Yao's master, the Lotus Sword Emperor Dongfang Xuetong, stood there, gazing at the entrance to the Giant Spirit Secret Realm.
Her stern expression had the three of them trembling in fear. They were afraid that if they stood up and took even one step, she would kill them with a single glance.
Suddenly, Society Mistress Song remembered something. "Uh! I think I forgot to tell our people entering the Giant Spirit Secret Realm about that young man."
"But he has that token. As long as he takes it out, the Mysterious Moon Society's cultivators should understand!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Society Mistress Song felt a terrifying pressure unlike anything she'd felt before. She quickly realized it was coming from behind her.
And the only person who could put this much pressure on her was the Lotus Sword Emperor.
"Though I believe my disciple will be fine, if anything happens to him, the Mysterious Moon Society will have no reason to exist."
Dongfang Xuetong's tone was ice-cold. She was clearly not joking.
As Society Mistress Song trembled all over, she prayed inwardly, Young man, please don't let anything happen to you!
Near the Dao Fruit Tree in the Giant Spirit Secret Realm,
Xiao Yao released Zhuo Dongxuan's boneless, delicate hand. Without wasting any words, he took out the token Society Mistress Song had given him.
Zhuo Dongxuan glanced at it, then dropped to her knees with a thump, clasping her hands in salute. "Your disciple Zhuo Dongxuan pays her respects to the Society Mistress!"
The Mysterious Moon Society cultivators behind her immediately saw the token as well.
They dropped to their knees in unison. A succession of thumps rang out, followed by a louder, more forceful chorus of shouts, perfectly coordinated.
"Your disciples pay their respects to the Society Mistress!"
Like the other cultivators, Xiao Xueyu and the rest of the Xiao Clan members were baffled. They had no idea when Xiao Yao had become the Mysterious Moon Society's Society Mistress.
Xiao Yao said solemnly, "Everyone from the Mysterious Moon Society, please rise!"
Zhuo Dongxuan and the other Mysterious Moon Society cultivators got to their feet, all looking at Xiao Yao strangely.
Why had the Society Mistress given this youth the token that symbolized her status?
Before entering the Giant Spirit Secret Realm, Zhuo Dongxuan hadn't heard her master mention anything about it. She only knew that her master had kept an eye on the Shocking Heaven Tower's Tower Master and the Tai Chi Pavilion's Pavilion Master.
Could her master and the other two have killed one another, only for this youth to reap the benefits?
"Achoo!" Outside the Giant Spirit Secret Realm, Society Mistress Song sneezed, then muttered, "Who's cursing me?"
"What are you thinking? People with our level of strength could be cursed around the clock throughout the Southern Wilderness Domain. Your body must be the problem. Want this Pavilion Master to give you a checkup?"
Pavilion Master Li narrowed his eyes, the corners of his mouth curling upward like a lecher.
Seeing through Pavilion Master Li's little scheme, Society Mistress Song shot him a sideways glare and said coldly, "Even at my worst, I'm still in better shape than you, you half-dead old geezer. I don't need you examining me."
"How did you get this token?" Zhuo Dongxuan asked, unable to contain her curiosity.
Xiao Yao shrugged calmly. "Society Mistress Song gave it to me."
Zhuo Dongxuan could only think that her master had gone mad.
If this thing was to be given to anyone, it should go to an Emperor Tier expert. How could she give it to a weakling in the Sea Opening Realm?
But she didn't know the full story, so for now, she could only do as Xiao Yao said. Once they got out, she would demand an explanation from her master.
"What do you want us to do?"
With her Spiritual Sense spread out, Zhuo Dongxuan sensed five thousand cultivators gathered within ten li of the Dao Fruit Tree, including nearly a hundred in the Sea Opening Realm.
Even if she and the Mysterious Moon Society disciples behind her joined forces, they still couldn't claim the Dao Fruit Tree for themselves.
She thought it would be nearly impossible even if they teamed up with the youth and the people behind him.
Still, thanks to the Mysterious Moon Society's reputation, they could withdraw safely with ease.
So she assumed the youth must be planning to do just that.
"You only need to do one thing: protect yourselves and my clan members. Other than that, no matter what happens next—even if the sky falls and the earth splits—it has nothing to do with you." Xiao Yao spoke with utmost seriousness.
Zhuo Dongxuan stood frozen. She had already guessed that Xiao Yao intended to face the five thousand cultivators surrounding them—or perhaps even more—all by himself.
Was this boy crazy?
He was only at the peak of the second layer of the Sea Opening Realm!
Even with my cultivation at the peak of the ninth layer of the Sea Opening Realm, I wouldn't dare do this.
"What are you standing around for? Hurry over to the Dao Fruit Tree and protect my clan members."
Xiao Yao's shout brought Zhuo Dongxuan back to her senses. She stared at him blankly and asked, "Aren't you afraid of dying?"
"Of course I'm afraid! But these people aren't worthy!" Xiao Yao's handsome face brimmed with confidence.
But to Zhuo Dongxuan, he just looked like an arrogant fool who didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth.
Fine!
He'd made himself clear. If she kept trying to talk him out of it, she'd only be asking for trouble.
"Mysterious Moon Society cultivators, do as he says."
Tap, tap, tap!
Tap, tap, tap!
Tap, tap, tap!
Before long, all forty-three Mysterious Moon Society cultivators had rushed beneath the Dao Fruit Tree, shielding the Xiao Clan members from every angle without leaving a single opening.
"They've taken their positions! Next..."
Before Zhuo Dongxuan could finish, Xiao Yao abruptly cut her off. "You too. What are you standing here for?"
"Me too?" Zhuo Dongxuan pointed at herself with her fair hand. She truly hadn't expected Xiao Yao to be this brazen.
But that wasn't even the most outrageous part. Xiao Yao nodded and said, "That's right! You're getting in the way of my performance."
Damn!
Ever since she began cultivating, other people had been the ones getting in the way of her performance. She had never gotten in anyone else's way.
Wounded in her pride by his contempt, Zhuo Dongxuan snapped angrily, "I'm the dignified Saintess of the Mysterious Moon Society, and this is what you're making me do? No way! I'm not doing it! Hmph!"
Xiao Yao took out the token. "That's an order. If you keep throwing a tantrum, I'll toss you over there myself. You don't want to expose yourself in front of all these people, do you?"
"Ugh! You're bullying me!" Zhuo Dongxuan pouted angrily, her cheeks puffing up like a bun. She looked even cuter that way.
But Xiao Yao showed no tenderness toward her. He said coldly, "I'll count to three. Don't blame me for being merciless after that!"
"Three!"
As soon as he spoke, Zhuo Dongxuan hurriedly bolted away. Clearly, all that allure she'd shown earlier had been an act.
Xiao Yao seized the Saint Artifact, the Taiyan Sword, and used Mana to amplify his voice as he shouted, "I know you want the Dao Fruits, or even the Dao Fruit Tree itself. But unless you step over my dead body, you won't get a thing!"
The cultivators were stunned!
No one had expected this youth to dare speak like that.
There were already more than five thousand cultivators present. They could drown him just by spitting.
Zhuo Dongxuan looked at Xiao Yao as though he were already dead.
His strength was certainly outstanding, but he lacked tact—or perhaps he simply didn't know how to adapt. What a shame to see such a genius wasted!
Just then, she heard the sound of slow footsteps. She turned and saw that the youth's clan members had arrived.
The woman's figure was slightly less graceful than hers. She opened her mouth and said, "Saintess, I beg you to save Xiao Yao later."
"It's not that I don't want to save him. With so many people attacking, there's no way I could." Zhuo Dongxuan's face was troubled.
In the world of cultivation, overwhelming numbers were indeed the least useful tactic—but it depended on the situation.
If there wasn't a huge gap in cultivation levels, then overwhelming numbers were an extremely effective weapon.
Xiao Xueyu's expression darkened. She knew she was asking too much, but after seeing such a genius as Xiao Yao with her own eyes, she truly didn't want him to die!
Ah!
Ah! Ah! Ah!
Roars erupted from every direction.
One after another, Transcendent Realm cultivators gripped their weapons and charged at Xiao Yao.
One after another, Law Condensation Realm cultivators unleashed spells and attacked Xiao Yao.
Five-colored rays of light drew closer and closer to Xiao Yao.
Unable to bear watching, Xiao Xueyu closed her eyes. Even now, she still couldn't understand why Xiao Yao had done this.
Wasn't this the foolish act of someone courting death?
Before you continue