Chapter 15: Are you finally going to attack me?

Watching Li Xingruo flee, Shi Xiangwen didn’t rush to pursue her.

The blood he spat earlier was partly an act to test if she’d seize the chance to attack, but it was also true that an old soul injury was showing signs of flaring up.

He had used a secret technique, merging his spiritual sense into the core’s energy mass, probing its depths at the cost of soul backlash.

Like a pot of oil simmering over a low flame, the spirit vein’s calm exterior hid energy teetering on the edge of eruption.

Even a brief touch felt like his spiritual sense was scorched by fire.

“To collect and conceal such vast, volatile energy within the vein’s core… a master with such transcendent skill—within the entire immortal sect, they’d be counted on one hand,” he murmured. “Why would someone of that caliber meddle with Chunding Mountain’s spirit vein?”

Glancing toward Li Xingruo’s fleeing direction, Shi Xiangwen shook his head. “No matter. If this involves those old monsters, I’d better steer clear for now. After all, the current Chui Xing Peak master is a ‘cripple’…”

“Before Master ascended, he warned my fate was too weak to bear the weight of destiny.”

“Let’s see if this girl, favored by the Heavenly Dao, has a strong enough fate to break the immortal sects’ deadlock.”

His words fell, and his figure vanished.

While he was meditating and muttering, Li Xingruo had scrambled to the crevice’s mouth.

Looking back and seeing no pursuit, she sighed in relief.

Through the crevice carved by the energy torrent, she could see the blue sky above.

The stinking Taoist didn’t chase me—he must be badly injured!

She didn’t know how he got hurt, but this was her best shot at escape.

With an ecstatic [I’m gonna be free!] vibe, she took a deep breath, channeled spiritual energy into her legs, and aimed for the exit.

The crevice wasn’t too deep—a light push off the walls would get her out easily.

If only she had her flying sword, she’d escape even faster…

“Hah!”

Aiming for freedom, Li Xingruo surged forward, shattering the stone beneath her feet, shooting upward like an arrow.

Bang!

Just as she thought she’d escape, the air at the crevice’s mouth solidified into an impenetrable wall.

Crashing hard, she felt her body nearly break apart.

“My neck…”

Li Xingruo yelped in pain, bouncing back to the ground, landing ungracefully in a sprawl on the shattered stones.

Trying to push herself up, her body was limp, strengthless.

To her horror, she realized the wall was laced with a paralyzing lightning array.

“Uh, Miss Xianer, what… happened?”

As she circulated spiritual energy to shake off the numbness, a figure approached leisurely. “Why were you running so fast? Backlash from your speed?”

Shi Xiangwen’s amused voice drilled into her ears like a vengeful ghost, making her vision blur with rage, nearly fainting from frustration.

“I’m fine, just lying down to look at the sky… ouch!”

“You’ve got a bump on your head and call it fine?”

Deliberately taunting her for her sneak attack, Shi Xiangwen echoed her earlier words: “Miss Xianer, are you okay? Shall I channel energy to heal you?”

“No need, Brother Shi!” Knowing she was at a disadvantage, the paralyzed Li Xingruo softened her tone.

Crouching beside her, Shi Xiangwen pinched her nose tip, feigning a sigh:

“Alas, my kind heart can’t bear to see others suffer.”

“Brother Shi, your chivalry is admirable, but I… ah, stinking Taoist, what are you doing!”

Before she could finish, Shi Xiangwen scooped her up by the waist.

“Hey, stinking Taoist, you’re a monk! Breaking vows will send you to hell!”

Seeing him hold her on his lap with a suspicious look, Li Xingruo’s mind raced with possibilities.

As a demonic path disciple, though inexperienced, she’d read the Hehuan Sect’s pamphlets, detailing over a hundred ways to handle women—some torturous, some… ecstatic.

This vile Taoist was so wicked, he wouldn’t stop at this. Once at the Huangji Sect, he’d probably use this to threaten her, like in those lewd Hehuan Sect stories.

[Miss Xianer, you wouldn’t want the Chui Xing Peak master to know about this, would you?]

The beastly Taoist pulling her into a room, lighting aphrodisiac incense and candles, committing all sorts of sins…

Terrifying!

Her face flushed red, Li Xingruo wriggled desperately to escape his grasp.

She cursed:

“You shiny-on-the-outside, filthy Taoist! Finally showing your beastly side? The Three Pure Ones won’t spare you…”

“As a righteous Huangji Sect disciple, if you do something beastly, you’ll be hunted by the world!”

“Why’re you staring at my butt? You’re not that shameless, are you…”

Ignoring her frantic curses, Shi Xiangwen pressed her slender waist, raised his hand, and brought it down hard.

Slap!

With the crisp sound, Li Xingruo’s eyes widened in shock, her red lips parting, her curses halting.

“You… stinking Taoist, you…”

She’d imagined several beastly scenarios, even picturing positions.

This stinking Taoist was just… spanking me?

Amid the humiliation and shame, anger surged in her heart.

“A warrior can be killed but not shamed! Damn Taoist, just kill me!”

Shi Xiangwen raised his hand again, smiling. “Miss Xianer, not satisfied with my treatment?”

“Satisfied, my foot! You’d better never fall into my hands!”

Slap!

Another loud smack reminded her who was in whose hands now.

“Ow, stinking Taoist, just hit—why use lightning energy? You pervert…”

Slap!

“Enough! Let go, or I’ll get mad!”

Slap!

“Ah, it hurts! Hurts! I was wrong, okay!”

Slap!

“Why keep hitting? I said I was wrong! Stinking Taoist, you’ll die horribly!”

Li Xingruo tried pleading, but after a few soft words, she couldn’t help cursing again.

Amid the slaps and her mixed screams, her hips burned with stinging pain.

Savoring the humiliation, one thought echoed in her mind:

This grudge, I’ll remember!