Chapter 235: 128 Cherry Blossom is broken! Awakening the second nature! The witch is coming! _1
"Is it really so, sir?" Su Mengyao found it hard to believe. "Then... the owner of the Flower Moon House, is he really willing to let me go?"
"They have to be willing, even if they don't want to."
Lin Xiao lifted the curtain, pointing to a tall and graceful figure downstairs. "There, see her? She is my wife, a renowned existence in the Cultivation World. No one dares to disrespect her."
"Ah, so Young Master is married," Su Mengyao murmured, her gaze falling.
"What's wrong?" Lin Xiao asked.
"No, nothing," Su Mengyao said hurriedly. "But, Young Master, there are two people standing where you're pointing. Is it the tall one on the left, or... the petite one on the right?"
Lin Xiao hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "Both... both of them!"
Su Mengyao stared in disbelief.
After leading Su Mengyao out of the Flower Moon House, he saw his Master and Junior Sister at the entrance from a distance.
Behind them stood a line of women with bestial features, looking bewildered and uneasy.
These were the Semi-Monster courtesans who had been ransomed, numbering thirty to forty in all.
Wow, our Master is so efficient!
Lin Xiao inwardly praised and quickly walked over.
Unexpectedly, upon seeing him approach, this group of Semi-Monster courtesans, who had suffered so much humiliation and were now given a new lease on life, all fell to their knees, weeping!
"This lowly one pays respects to the Immortal! Many thanks to the Immortal for redeeming us!"
"The Immortal's actions are profoundly righteous and set an example for all cultivators of the Righteous Path!"
"Indeed! The Immortal has come! The mortal realm will be at peace! With the Immortal's arrival, justice prevails!"
"Immortal, would you be willing to take a wife or concubine? This lowly one is willing to serve the Immortal for life!"
Listening to the increasingly absurd praises around him, Lin Xiao felt his scalp tingle.
He glanced sideways.
There, he saw a pretty young girl with twin ponytails, playfully sticking her tongue out at him and giggling.
No doubt it was Yingying, that little rascal, who had tipped them off.
Lin Xiao cleared his throat and said,
"Alright, alright, stop kneeling!"
"Even if I saved you, it's not worth kneeling for!"
"Firstly, I redeemed you out of consideration for Niu Batian, the Sect Master of the Evil Extreme Sect and the King of Semi-Monsters!"
"Secondly, setting aside your Semi-Monster identity, you are also ordinary cultivators. In the future, you must cultivate diligently, do more to benefit your hometowns, and never commit deeds that offend the heavens! Do you understand?"
Lin Xiao declared with an air of righteousness.
"Yes, Immortal!"
The women replied, their eyes filled with grateful tears.
After distributing some miscellaneous Spirit Stones and dismissing the ransomed Semi-Monster courtesans, Lin Xiao arranged a separate carriage for Su Mengyao, the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox.
He himself boarded a carriage with his Master and Junior Sister, heading straight for Evil Wind Ridge.
「In the carriage.」
"Thank you, Master."
Lin Xiao looked at the stunningly beautiful woman beside him, who had removed her hood, her black hair cascading down. "I never expected you to trust me so much, Master."
"Hmph, when has your Master ever not trusted you?"
Xiao Hongling glanced at her beloved disciple. "So, your next plan is to use that little Fox Demon, Su Mengyao, to win over Niu Batian?"
"That's right."
Lin Xiao then explained, "Master, you may not know this, but Niu Batian has always been solitary and arrogant, and exceedingly tyrannical. The only person he feels guilt towards is his cousin, Su Mengyao. In his early years, to gain the support of other Demon Sects, he betrothed Su Mengyao to an Elder of the Cangmeng Sect. Unexpectedly, the little Fox Demon ran away from the marriage and vanished without a trace."
"Therefore, if we return her to Evil Wind Ridge, given Niu Batian's character, he will surely be deeply grateful to us. Then, great things can be achieved."
"I see."
Hearing this, Xiao Hongling finally smiled. "Xiao'er, you truly haven't disappointed your Master! I actually thought earlier..."
"Master, surely you didn't really think your disciple wanted to visit the Flower Moon House for pleasure?"
Lin Xiao picked up the thread, smiling. "With a great beauty like you, Master, by my side, why would I need to look at other women?"
As he spoke, his handsome eyes deliberately stared at her without blinking.
Sure enough, the proud beauty's cheeks flushed red. She took a large gulp of wine and said, "Master is Master, other women are other women! If... if you... if you have such needs, Master wouldn't stop you! Hmph!"
HAHAHAHAHA.
Seeing her adorably flustered state, Lin Xiao desperately wished he could snatch the wine flask from her hand and kiss her stubborn little mouth!
Just then, Lu Yingying, who had been sleeping beside them, stirred. Her beautiful eyes fluttered open, and her small lips trembled as she murmured,
"Eldest Senior Brother, Master… Yingying feels so dizzy. It's like my spiritual sense has been invaded by some power…"
"Don't be scared, let your Eldest Senior Brother take a look!"
Lin Xiao's heart skipped a beat. He quickly helped his Junior Sister lean against him, simultaneously placing his hand on her pulse to check her condition.
Xiao Hongling also leaned over nervously, placing her fingertips on her disciple's forehead and probing with her Divine Thought.
The next moment, Lin Xiao and Xiao Hongling exclaimed simultaneously, "Yingying, you've broken through to the Dharma Appearance realm!"
Hearing this, Lu Yingying's beautiful eyes widened in astonishment as she stammered, "Is... is it true?"
"Of course, it's true!"
Xiao Hongling said, her face alight with surprise and joy, "I never imagined that you, little girl, would bypass the mid-stage Golden Core overnight, directly achieve Golden Core perfection, and condense your own Dharma Appearance!"
"None of the disciples I, Xiao Hongling, have chosen are mediocre!"
Saying this, her brow furrowed slightly. "It's just a pity... your Dharma Appearance is ethereal and formless, quite mysterious. Until it fully materializes, even I cannot perceive its true outline or substance."
"Furthermore..."
At this point, her expression turned somewhat grave. "I keep feeling that Yingying's constitution has undergone some subtle changes."
"By the way, Xiao'er, can your Formless Sword Intent detect any changes in Yingying's constitution?"
She looked at her eldest apprentice, whose brows were tightly knitted.
"I... I can't sense it, Master."
Lin Xiao gritted his teeth and decided to tell a white lie!
Of course, he didn't dare say anything.
At this very moment, all of Lu Yingying's information was laid bare before him, and... it had become exceedingly strange!
Name: Lu Yingying
Age: 15 (nominal age, of marriageable age)
Cultivation: Dharma Appearance Initial Stage (Dharma Appearance: Primal Ancestor of the Bear Demon Clan · Ancient Iron-Eating Giant Beast)
Physique: Beast Control Spirit Body (Original Physique), Witch's Frenzied Body (a secondary physique awakened by external forces, one of the top-tier cauldron physiques in the Myriad Realms! Effect One: Can greatly enhance cultivation level through Dual Cultivation with a loved one. If the 'Blissful Profound Realm' is achieved, the enhancement effect is doubled. Effect Two: All techniques +100. Internally, the body undergoes a subtle, astonishing transformation to perfectly match her Dao partner. Each Dual Cultivation session will also elevate the Dao partner's cultivation level. Note: Under the influence of this physique, if one does not engage in Dual Cultivation with a Dao partner for an extended period, one's cultivation level will gradually decline, potentially even damaging one's origin.)
He was numb.
Seeing the information panel displayed by the system, Lin Xiao was utterly stupefied, his mind a complete blank!
He truly didn't know how he was going to explain this to his Master and Junior Sister!
That such an innocent and adorable young girl, due to his, Lin Xiao's, blunder, had awakened this dark, overwhelmingly charismatic cauldron physique, instantly transforming her into an energy-draining demoness!
He, Lin Xiao, was simply a beast! Worse than a beast!
Yes, as Lin Xiao calmly recalled, he probably knew what had caused his Junior Sister's transformation!
It had to be that accursed secret treasure of the Hehuan Sect—the Wishful Stick!
Forget it, forget it. Let's look at it from another angle...
Yingying's strength has greatly increased, hasn't it? In the original story, she could repel the Ghost Witch Sect's water demon beast single-handedly. Now that she's entered the Dharma Appearance realm, wouldn't she crush it?
As for this bizarre physique she's awakened...
Lin Xiao gritted his teeth, his heart heavy as he thought, "The one who tied the bell must be the one to untie it! Junior Sister is in trouble. As her Eldest Senior Brother, if I don't descend into hell, who will?"
It just so happens that I possess the Heavenly Human Secret Art, which should complement her physique quite well!
With this thought, seizing the moment when his Master was lost in thought, he lifted his Junior Sister's delicate and lovely, anime-like fair face and lovingly kissed her forehead.
"Master, we'll reach Evil Wind Ridge in about half an hour. Could you... perhaps give us some privacy for a moment?"
"I want to spend some time alone with Junior Sister, to... talk with her. Maybe she'll feel a bit better."
Lin Xiao mustered his courage and asked tentatively.
Xiao Hongling stared at him, utterly bewildered.