Chapter 294: Wanton Looting

Several days later, Lu Yang confirmed that there were no issues with Perfected One Xiu Xin.

[Marionette] was indeed domineering. As long as Lu Yang activated this talent, no matter what attitude Perfected One Xiu Xin held before, she would ultimately submit.

As for Yun Miaoqing, Lu Yang didn’t use [Marionette] to forcibly manipulate her.

Mainly because it wasn’t necessary. Ever since Yun Miaoqing discovered that Lu Yang could help accelerate her cultivation progress, she had been wholeheartedly in seclusion cultivating.

Especially after Yun Miaozhen proposed “staying at the Hidden Sword Villa temporarily,” she didn’t step a foot outside her door.

But this suited Lu Yang’s intentions perfectly.

The only thing that made him somewhat uncomfortable was that since Perfected One Xiu Xin also cultivated the Ice Heart Ruthless Sword Art, she didn’t have any friends in the Sword Pavilion.

After all, everyone knew this technique emphasized Supreme Ruthlessness, with a heart like ice. Except for a very few who liked this style, no one was interested in pressing their warm face against a cold butt. The only person Perfected One Xiu Xin could call over was a Middle Stage Foundation Establishment sword cultivator.

“The current [Marionette] can only control those at the Initial Stage of Foundation Establishment.”

“For the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment, I’m afraid I have to wait until my Immortal Spirit body is also nurtured to this realm before I can attempt to control them. Better not take this risk.”

Stability above all!

As for entering the Sword Pavilion to control those Initial Stage Foundation Establishment cultivators… that would be equivalent to taking a dump right under the eyelids of a Golden Core Perfected Lord. Lu Yang dared not do that.

So the urgent task was to improve his own realm as soon as possible.

Lu Yang’s current Immortal Spirit body was still at the Initial Stage of Foundation Establishment. To improve, he had to consume enough Geng Metal spiritual objects. Fortunately, this wasn’t difficult.

Rumble.

Inside the Hidden Sword Villa, Yun Miaozhen wore a cold expression. Her vast Spiritual Sense directly enveloped the villa, followed by the release of the powerful aura of the Late Stage of Qi Refining.

Regarding Yun Miaozhen, Lu Yang had ultimately rewarded her once, allowing her to break through her bottleneck from the Middle Stage to the Late Stage of Qi Refining. This also made her even more deadset on following Lu Yang. However, after walking out of the room, she immediately forgot Lu Yang’s existence, remembering only his instructions.

Find an excuse to loot the Hidden Sword Villa!

As a subsidiary sect under the rule of the Sword Pavilion, the Hidden Sword Villa was full of Geng Metal spiritual objects. If he wasn’t worried about alerting the Sword Pavilion, Lu Yang would have robbed them long ago.

But letting Yun Miaozhen do it would cause no trouble.

After all, the Hidden Sword Villa wasn’t even a Foundation Establishment sect. Their strongest member was only at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining. They wouldn’t dare do anything to Yun Miaozhen, who was at the Late Stage of Qi Refining.

Not to mention there was also Perfected One Xiu Xin present.

Soon, Yun Miaozhen’s cold voice resounded through the entire Hidden Sword Villa: “Effective immediately, the Hidden Sword Villa is sealed. No one is allowed to enter or leave without permission!”

As her voice fell, Perfected One Xiu Xin also acted at the right moment. She directly took out a handkerchief and deployed it in the air. Although it was just an ordinary treasure, with the blessing of a Foundation Establishment Perfected One’s stature, it obscured the sky and sun, enveloping the entire Hidden Sword Villa in the center like a wall of copper and iron.

“Which Senior is casting a technique to seal my villa!?”

Soon, a figure soared into the sky from the center of the Hidden Sword Villa. The voice was incredibly fearful, flying over almost immediately.

The newcomer was an old man in a dark robe.

Although he possessed the cultivation of the Great Perfection of Qi Refining, he obviously hadn’t cultivated any Great Divine Abilities. His cultivation was just average, and his appearance showed significant signs of aging.

“You are…”

The old man was slightly stunned after seeing Yun Miaozhen, but his face soon turned grave as he recognized the person before him as the disciple from the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion who had come to select a sword embryo.

“Jade Pivot, Yun Miaozhen.”

Yun Miaozhen stood with her hands behind her back and sneered. “I received a report that the Hidden Sword Villa is colluding with the Jiangbei Demonic Path, intending to abduct disciples of my Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion!”

“What!?”

Upon hearing this, the dark-robed old man’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.

Colluding with the Jiangbei Demonic Path!?

This was a monstrous crime! In the land of Jiangnan, colluding with the Demonic Path was absolutely politically incorrect. Once discovered, heads would definitely roll!

Seeing Perfected One Xiu Xin beside Yun Miaozhen, the old man didn’t dare harbor even half a rebellious thought. He immediately bowed down and shouted loudly, “Injustice! My Hidden Sword Villa has raised swords for the Superior Sect for generations and has never had any improper thoughts. How could we collude with the Demonic Path? I beg the Superior Sect to investigate clearly!”

Hearing this, Yun Miaozhen narrowed her beautiful eyes. “Are you implying that I wronged you?”

“I wouldn’t dare…”

Before the old man could explain, Yun Miaozhen waved her hand. “Say no more. Since I am here, I am naturally confident in finding the demons.”

Calculating the time, they should have arrived by now.

Soon, a loud bang was heard inside the Hidden Sword Villa. Soaring demonic Qi exploded. The originally calm dark-robed old man instantly turned pale with fright.

There really were demons!?

Yun Miaozhen wasn’t surprised in the slightest.

After all, the demons in the Hidden Sword Villa were the ones she had previously asked Perfected One Xiu Xin to secretly manipulate karma to attract, intending for them to abduct Yun Miaoqing.

“Damn it! How could this be?”

In the soaring demonic Qi, a Saint Sect disciple looked around with an ugly expression. At first glance, his ferocity seemed overwhelming, but in reality, his eyes were full of fear.

Something’s wrong. How could I be so blinded by greed?

I originally only planned to loot a few low-level Sword Pavilion disciples on the edge of Jiangnan. How did I inexplicably run to a place like the Hidden Sword Villa?

…Not good!

Thinking of this, the Saint Sect disciple’s face changed drastically. “It’s a Founda…”

Clang!

The next second, Perfected One Xiu Xin flicked her finger. A streak of sword light flew out, taking the lives of the group of Saint Sect disciples in the blink of an eye.

“Jiangbei demons—everyone has the right to kill them.”

Yun Miaozhen looked calm, then turned to the dark-robed old man, scaring him into hurriedly explaining, “Superior Sect, please see clearly! We really didn’t know beforehand…”

“So what?” Yun Miaozhen shook her head. “Even if you truly didn’t know beforehand, there is still the crime of negligence. I discovered it this time, so it’s fine. But if these demonic cultivators had really abducted my Sword Pavilion disciple, you wouldn’t be able to escape responsibility when the investigation came down.”

“This… this…”

The dark-robed old man looked increasingly bitter. But he saw that after speaking, Yun Miaozhen stopped talking and instead stared at him with wide, beautiful eyes.

Hm?

After a moment of silence, the old man lowered his voice and said, “Since the demons have already been executed… is there a possibility of not pursuing this matter further?”

“That depends on you.”

Yun Miaozhen said indifferently, “Harboring demons is a huge crime after all. If you want to prove your innocence, you must find the most critical problem within.”

Hearing this, the old man rolled his eyes:

“Replying to the Superior Sect… speaking of which, the villa recently received a new batch of spiritual object sword embryos for sword refining. These demons might have come for them. Perhaps they have already tampered with that batch of spiritual objects… I wonder if the Superior Sect could take them away and check them thoroughly for us?”

As his voice fell, Yun Miaozhen finally nodded slightly. “This is indeed a very critical problem.”

Hidden Sword Villa, inside a quiet room.

Yun Miaozhen walked into the room carrying a heavy Storage Bag, only to see Lu Yang at the desk at a glance.

“Who goes there!?”

Yun Miaozhen was shocked at first, but after seeing Lu Yang’s face and meeting his eyes, a look of confusion instantly appeared in her eyes, followed by a complete understanding.

The next second, she bowed down and carefully approached, holding the Storage Bag up to Lu Yang. “Master, I have checked the Hidden Sword Villa. All the Geng Metal spiritual objects are here. There are no more. If you want more, I’m afraid we can only look to the surrounding sects.”

“Ah!”

Lu Yang stood up and took the Storage Bag.

“Well done.”

After counting the Geng Metal spiritual objects in the bag, Lu Yang nodded with satisfaction. With a thought, he sent all of them into his Immortal Spirit main body.

But this wasn’t enough.

A mere Hidden Sword Villa, without even a Foundation Establishment cultivator, had accumulated Geng Metal spiritual objects that would at most speed up his progress by ten percent. He needed more.

“Have you done what I asked you to do earlier?”

“Replying to Master, it is done.”

Yun Miaozhen whispered, “I have already sent a letter to the Ancestor. I am currently the disciple the Yun Family values most. The Ancestor will definitely come after receiving the letter.”

Hearing this, Lu Yang smiled immediately.

The first fish had taken the bait.

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