Xu Qianlan also noticed the change in Jiang Che’s body at this moment, and instantly understood what Hu Qiao’er had tried to do just now.
She couldn’t help but marvel at this girl’s courage.
This might really be the only way to lure out the Shi Ling Gu without harming Jiang Che.
Coincidentally, the Shi Ling Gu would also be tempted to emerge because of Hu Qiao’er’s weakness.
This could very well be the only chance in Jiang Che’s entire life to trick the Shi Ling Gu out.
But it didn’t matter—even if it came to that, she could afford to take care of Jiang Che.
Xu Qianlan thought to herself.
“Ah Che…”
Hu Qiao’er’s voice sounded a little dejected.
“Qiao’er-jie, no matter what you say, I won’t trade your life for mine. You’re the one who made me feel life is worth living. I absolutely can’t let anything happen to you.”
“……”
Xu Qianlan looked at this scene, her heart a jumble of emotions.
She couldn’t understand it—she, too, was willing to do all of this for Jiang Che.
She was even willing to devote herself more than anyone else. So why did Jiang Che never approach her?
She let out a sigh.
“Xiao Che…”
Xu Qianlan wanted to take Jiang Che back with her and help him channel spiritual energy.
After all, throughout the entire sect, when it came to spiritual sense and control, no one could match her as a master of alchemy.
Just as she was about to walk over and take Jiang Che away, Little White behind her suddenly narrowed its pupils and grew alert.
From the shadows, a figure flashed by, and a dagger was already pressed against Jiang Che’s throat.
Xu Qianlan’s heart sank.
She found it unbelievable—how could someone sneak into the range of her spiritual sense without her noticing?
“Hehehe, I didn’t expect to run into the Xu Qianlan Chief of Xuandan Peak, Shenxiao Sect. Old man’s really lucky, seeing both of Shenxiao Sect’s chiefs within half a month.”
A hoarse voice appeared together with that figure.
Qin Zifeng walked out from the shadows.
Just now, Wu Qing had been blocking his way, but then suddenly let him pass.
Recalling Wu Qing’s expression at the time—he had always seemed refined and easygoing, but after glancing in this direction, his eyes suddenly turned furious.
He was even muttering something like, “This little brat! Wasting such a golden opportunity! Bah! Why am I cursing rabbits?” and then he disappeared.
“Who are you? Let him go!”
Xu Qianlan’s gaze turned cold as she stared directly at Qin Zifeng.
But the more she acted like this, the more excited Qin Zifeng became.
Good boy, to make Xu Head this anxious and even bring such a powerful spirit beast to find you—old man is truly curious, just who are you?”
“Ah Che! Let Ah Che go!”
Seeing the dagger pressed to Jiang Che’s neck, even piercing his skin and drawing a drop of blood, the always-calm Hu Qiao’er completely panicked.
But with a sudden burst of aura, Qin Zifeng blasted Hu Qiao’er away.
Qiao’er-jie!
“All right, kid, don’t move… If you die, I doubt Xu Head will let me go!”
Qin Zifeng grabbed Jiang Che with one hand, but something felt off—the boy seemed abnormally weak.
“Hey! Old geezer, can you only bully those younger than you?”
Xu Qianlan didn’t rush to check on Hu Qiao’er’s injuries. That earlier blow wasn’t fatal—Hu Qiao’er was likely just knocked unconscious.
But Jiang Che’s situation was much more dangerous—with both the Shi Ling Gu and this old man to worry about.
“Kill… kill him.”
“Shut up, you brat!”
Before Jiang Che could finish, Qin Zifeng squeezed his throat.
“Stop it! Old man, what makes you think I’m here for this kid?”
Xu Qianlan took a deep breath and slowly walked to Hu Qiao’er’s side.
“I’m here for this girl. She’s an Inner Disciple newly accepted by our sect this year, and may even become my Zhen Chuan Disciple. I was only nervous just now because I was afraid you’d hurt her.”
She calmly helped Hu Qiao’er up and fed her a Healing Pill.
This move completely confused Qin Zifeng.
“Impossible… This boy isn’t important? Then why does Lin Yin treasure him so much? And why did that person want me to capture him?”
That person?
Both Jiang Che and Xu Qianlan caught that detail.
But Xu Qianlan had to stay calm.
“How should I know about Lin Yin? She’s never been mentally stable—you haven’t heard?”
“Mentally unstable?”
Hearing this, Qin Zifeng became even more confused.
“That’s right, so capturing him is useless. Why don’t you let him go? Consider it accumulating virtue. Judging by your appearance, you’re a Xie Xiu, aren’t you?”
“This boy is useless? This boy is useless?”
Qin Zifeng muttered to himself. After years of cultivating the demonic path, his mind often became unstable in moments of confusion.
So much had happened today that his brain was starting to short-circuit.
Jiang Che seized this moment. As soon as Qin Zifeng loosened his grip, he bit down hard on the hand holding the dagger.
He’d been holding back his rage ever since Hu Qiao’er was blasted away by this old bastard.
“You little brat! Dare to bite me? Since my identity’s exposed anyway, if you want to die, I’ll grant your wish!”
Just as he was about to strike, he immediately sensed something was wrong.
His spiritual power was draining rapidly.
Inside Jiang Che, the Shi Ling Gu seemed to share his intent, greedily absorbing Qin Zifeng’s cultivation.
Moreover, the power of a Xie Xiu was always fragile, like paper—unstable, and now easily drained away by nearly half.
Qin Zifeng felt a surge of dread and immediately shoved Jiang Che away. Where he had been bitten, a deep mark was left.
“How… could this be! My spiritual power! Give it back…!”
Xu Qianlan was shocked by the Shi Ling Gu’s peculiarity.
She hadn’t expected that it could even drain the cultivation of an old Jindan Stage cultivator.
It seemed that those with weaker foundations could even have their cultivation forcefully stripped away.
Or perhaps it was simply because Xie Xiu were always unstable at the root?
At that moment, Qin Zifeng reached out to grab Jiang Che. This was about more than his cultivation—his very life was at stake!
“Shua!!!”
But just as he reached out, his arm flew off.
It happened too quickly—even Xu Qianlan was stunned.
All she saw was a flash of silver. At Qin Zifeng’s feet, a trench—or rather, a sword mark—had appeared with a swift sound.
Xu Qianlan sighed softly.
So she’s finally back.
High up in the night sky, a figure in a moon-white dress descended slowly.
In her hand was that familiar Qingluan Sword.
“When did you return?”
Xu Qianlan asked.
Lin Yin didn’t turn to look at her.
Xu Qianlan hated Lin Yin’s attitude. She was just about to step forward when Lin Yin turned around.
Her eyes, once jet-black, now glimmered with a hint of dark red.
A lock of her long black hair had turned silver-white. What shocked Xu Qianlan most was the invisible aura pressing down, making her afraid to take even half a step forward.
Is she mad or not?
“My hand… my cultivation… Give me your essence blood…”
Qin Zifeng collapsed to his knees in confusion.
Lin Yin glanced at Qin Zifeng, her eyes icy cold.
“Lin…”
Jiang Che, exhausted, collapsed on the ground. The Shi Ling Gu, even after feasting on part of a Jindan Stage Xie Xiu’s cultivation, was still unsatisfied.
It even found it especially unpalatable, preferring the tiny yet incomparably pure spiritual power in Jiang Che’s body.
Lin Yin gently picked up Jiang Che. Jiang Che had no strength to resist—he didn’t even want to call out to his master.
Seeing Lin Yin like this, Xu Qianlan finally breathed a sigh of relief.
At least she’s still normal.