Wishful Thinking

The Bliss Canon was the Heavenly Mountain Pavilion's supreme sect art. Only the current pavilion master's personal disciples could be taught it. Naturally, only the successor to the position of pavilion master would receive the complete cultivation formulas; the other disciples would be taught different levels according to their aptitude and cultivation.

Zhao Xin'er was one of the current pavilion master's personal disciples, and an outstanding one among them. Naturally, she knew the Bliss Canon. As for how many levels she had mastered, probably only she herself knew. Du Tianchou certainly did not.

But for Du Tianchou, it was enough that Zhao Xin'er practiced the Bliss Canon. Others might not understand this art, but as a disciple of the Peaceful Heaven Sect, he knew a fair amount about the Heavenly Mountain Pavilion. The Bliss Canon was extraordinarily important to the pavilion. It had a miraculous effect: a female disciple who practiced it would invariably find an outstanding young man in Jianghu to become her dual cultivation partner. Afterward, her strength would advance by leaps and bounds, and naturally, her partner would also enjoy a great increase in strength through the effects of dual cultivation.

This was Du Tianchou's aim: to raise his standing within the Peaceful Heaven Sect and increase his strength. He craved both.

Naturally, if he succeeded, the rewards would be considerable. Besides gaining those two things, he would also obtain a beauty like Zhao Xin'er. Who could object to that? But if he failed, death would probably be his only path. Although the Heavenly Mountain Pavilion could do little to the Peaceful Heaven Sect, since the two great sects were evenly matched, taking his life would be as easy as turning over a hand. After all, the Heavenly Mountain Pavilion would never forgive what he had done this time, and with the Peaceful Heaven Sect in the wrong, it naturally would not keep him.

Du Tianchou's audacity knew no bounds this time, and he had staked his life on it. The struggles among the Peaceful Heaven Sect's disciples were exceptionally fierce. Never mind covert struggles-even open fighting was normal. The sect largely ignored such matters, even when disciples died, unless casualties occurred on a large scale. Recently, Du Tianchou had offended his eldest senior brother, whose strength surpassed his own. He understood that senior brother's nature very well: given an opportunity, he would certainly take Du Tianchou's life. Thus, when Du Tianchou happened to learn that Zhao Xin'er had left the mountain, he had thought of this plan to smash his cauldrons and sink his boats.

Now that his carefully laid scheme had succeeded, Du Tianchou felt indescribably pleased with himself.

Something seems wrong. Looking at Zhao Xin'er before him, Du Tianchou began to feel puzzled. He did not seem to sense any signs of poisoning in her. Yet earlier, he had been quite certain that she had succumbed to his Spirit-Transforming Powder. If she had been poisoned, her strength should now be greatly diminished. Moreover, the three lechers he had just encountered had actually taken the opportunity to dose her with an aphrodisiac poison. Looking at her now, that poison did seem to be having some effect. After all, her face was suffused with an alluring flush. Was that not precisely a sign of the aphrodisiac taking effect?

There should be no problem. Even if Zhao Xin'er's strength hasn't been greatly diminished, that aphrodisiac poison will probably still be difficult to cure. Du Tianchou feared Zhao Xin'er's martial prowess and did not dare attack just yet. He wanted to wait until the poison took effect, ensuring that nothing could go wrong.

"What is it? Puzzled?" Zhao Xin'er asked coldly.

"Hm?"

"Puzzled that I'm perfectly unharmed?" Zhao Xin'er sneered. "Spirit-Transforming Powder certainly lives up to its reputation as the Peaceful Heaven Sect's exclusive poison. Even the Medicine Immortal Valley cannot develop an antidote, and the Poison God Valley is very interested in it as well. After experiencing it myself, I certainly discovered just how formidable it is. Unfortunately, it still cannot do anything to me."

"Hahaha! Zhao Xin'er, stop trying to mystify me. I know more about Spirit-Transforming Powder than you do. Although your strength exceeds mine, you haven't reached a level where you can disregard it. If you were fine, would you still be standing here talking to me like this?" Du Tianchou did not believe her. As he had just said, he had great confidence in Spirit-Transforming Powder.

"I won't deny that this Spirit-Transforming Powder caused me considerable trouble. But this interval has also given me time to recover. This time, I will take the head from your shoulders," Zhao Xin'er said, slowly drawing her longsword.

"Then let me see whether your strength is still what it was!" Though Du Tianchou said this, he retreated several steps and assumed a defensive stance. Deep down, he still feared Zhao Xin'er greatly.

"Wait!" Seeing Zhao Xin'er about to attack, Du Tianchou was startled. Had he been mistaken? Had she really not been poisoned?

"What else do you have to say?" Zhao Xin'er asked.

"I must admit, your willpower is truly remarkable. Even after being dosed with an aphrodisiac poison, you can act as though nothing has happened. I truly admire you," Du Tianchou said with a smile. "However, the way to cure this poison is... hehehe... Zhao Xin'er, if you really kill me, there isn't a soul for hundreds of li around. When the fires of lust consume you, no one will be able to relieve you. My looks may not rival Pan An's, but I can still be considered handsome. As for martial arts, although I fall slightly short of you, Miss Zhao, how many people in Jianghu are my match? Besides, the Heavenly Mountain Pavilion and the Peaceful Heaven Sect are a fitting match in status. Miss Zhao, things have reached this point. There's no need to keep talking tough."

"Aphrodisiac poison?" Zhao Xin'er sneered. "Could such sordid trash pose a problem for me? Enough nonsense. Prepare to die!"

Huang Xiao heard every word of Zhao Xin'er and Du Tianchou's conversation from the inner room. After all, only a wall separated him from the outer hall.

Zhao Xin'er? What a lovely name. So this young lady is called Zhao Xin'er! Huang Xiao thought. The Heavenly Mountain Pavilion? The Peaceful Heaven Sect? What sects are those? I don't think I've heard of them.

Still, Huang Xiao was not surprised. He knew nothing at all about the affairs of Jianghu. Of course, even without understanding them, he knew that the Heavenly Mountain Pavilion and the Peaceful Heaven Sect must have considerable backgrounds.

As for the Medicine Immortal Valley and Poison God Valley they had also mentioned, Huang Xiao paid them even less attention. Whatever sects they were, what did they have to do with him?

What concerned him now was Zhao Xin'er. No matter what, she and he had shared the intimacy of husband and wife. Whatever Zhao Xin'er thought, as a man, he naturally had to take full responsibility for the matter.

This man from the Peaceful Heaven Sect clearly harbored sinister intentions. Huang Xiao worried whether Zhao Xin'er was his match. After all, he knew that she really had been poisoned by that Spirit-Transforming Powder or whatever it was called, as well as the aphrodisiac poison.

Unfortunately, Huang Xiao had the will but lacked the power. His acupoints were still sealed.

It had not occurred to him that even if his acupoints had not been sealed, how much use could his meager cultivation have been?

While countless thoughts flashed through Huang Xiao's mind, Zhao Xin'er had already attacked in the outer hall.