Wanyun froze in place.
She looked at the man before her, wanting to speak, then stopping, then wanting to speak again. Only after a long while did she stammer out, "Under normal circumstances... I wouldn't lose to Yingnian."
"Yes, yes, you didn't lose." Chu Mo nodded dismissively. "But since I saved your life, shouldn't you have the sense to offer me my reward?"
Wanyun fell silent. The facts were right before her, leaving no room for argument. She could only answer haltingly, "Thank you for saving me, fellow Daoist. Once I return, I will prepare a generous gift..."
"No need for all that trouble."
Chu Mo interrupted her and walked straight up to her.
Before Wanyun could work out what he intended, he reached unceremoniously into her sleeve and pulled out the painting that imprisoned the thought spirit.
Her eyes widened. Just as she was about to speak, his hand deftly moved elsewhere, rooting out her grotto-heaven Dharmic Treasure and taking her savings from within.
How was this fellow so practiced at this?! And how did he know so much about what she carried? What exactly had Yingnian done with her body?!
In her shock, Wanyun's almond-shaped eyes went perfectly round. She even forgot to stop him.
Chu Mo calmly tallied his reward.
Aside from her Life-bound Magical Treasure, Wanyun carried few precious items. Her pills, spirit materials, and the like barely merited a glance. Only the three thousand units of spirit matter and one special painting scroll were truly valuable. He unrolled a corner of it and saw a lifelike figure within, its aura mysterious and wondrous. Its cultivation strength actually reached late-stage Spirit Transformation.
"Good stuff." Chu Mo nodded, rolled the painting back up, and pocketed it along with everything else.
He raised his head to look at