Chapter 165: The overbearing Chiyan Sect!

"Sweet love..."

Jiang Ye and Zheng Feng, who was grilling fish, exchanged a glance.

The two of them almost couldn't keep a straight face.

If such words had come from the mouths of Zheng Hui or Chen Lili, it would have been normal.

They were young girls, at the age to yearn for such things.

But coming from the woman in the purple dress, it felt somewhat bizarre.

The earnest, longing expression on her beautiful, oval face, paired with the unfathomable aura surrounding her, felt completely incongruous no matter how one looked at it.

Zheng Hui, however, was completely oblivious. She watched the woman in the purple dress with shining eyes, her dark, round pupils filled with curiosity and anticipation, and asked impatiently:

"Sister Qin, what is your beloved like?"

Hearing this, the woman in the purple dress pondered for a moment, resting her chin on one hand, a girlish look of longing appearing on her stunning face.

Her gaze fell upon the leaping flames, as if she were seeing some distant scene through the firelight, and she spoke softly, her voice tinged with a dreamlike quality:

"My beloved, you ask..."

"I hope he is a peerless hero!"

"When I am in danger, he can step on colorful auspicious clouds to save me..."

Hearing this, Zheng Hui's dark, round pupils were filled with light:

"How romantic! Sister Qin, you will definitely meet your beloved!"

The woman in the purple dress shook her head slightly, a faint melancholy appearing on her beautiful oval face, and a self-deprecating smile tugged at the corners of her mouth: "That seems unlikely."

Zheng Hui was slightly startled, a look of confusion appearing on her small face as she tilted her head and asked: "Sister Qin, why are you so pessimistic..."

"It's not that I'm pessimistic."

The woman in the purple dress sighed softly, the sigh dissipating in the night breeze, tinged with a bit of helplessness and loneliness: "I haven't met a man more powerful than myself yet."

"Eh..."

Zheng Hui widened her eyes, her small face full of shock, her mouth open wide enough to fit an egg, and she couldn't help but exclaim:

"Sister Qin!"

"You are too amazing!!!"

Jiang Ye and Zheng Feng's expressions also changed.

This woman was truly boundless in her pretension.

The world was vast, and there were so many powerful people...

This woman actually dared to utter such wild words.

If these words were to spread, she would likely never have a day of peace again.

Zheng Feng was a young man after all, and his ability to control his temper wasn't as good as Jiang Ye's; he couldn't help but cough several times.

His handsome, delicate face turned red, and the corners of his eyes twitched slightly, clearly struggling desperately to hold back his laughter.

His fingers trembled slightly on the grilled fish, almost flipping it into the fire.

However, he wasn't a fool; he wouldn't say anything that would make the woman in the purple dress lose face, so he forced a stiff smile:

"Senior Qin, the grilled fish is ready, you can eat it now..."

As he spoke, he handed over the freshly grilled stream fish, but he didn't dare look directly at the woman in the purple dress, fearing he would burst out laughing again if he couldn't help himself.

Zheng Hui eagerly helped sprinkle seasoning on the grilled fish, and the aroma immediately became even richer.

The woman in the purple dress smiled slightly and reached out to take the grilled fish, her movements elegant and composed.

She parted her cherry lips slightly and took a light bite; the fish skin was crispy, the meat tender, and the taste of the seasoning bloomed on the tip of her tongue, her eyes immediately lighting up.

She was very well-bred; once she started eating the fish, she stopped talking and just tasted it quietly.

Zheng Hui squatted beside her, looking eager to speak but unable to, appearing quite comical.

Before long, the woman in the purple dress had finished all the fish Zheng Feng had just grilled, and a satisfied smile appeared on her beautiful oval face.

She reached into her sleeve and felt around, her movements as light as the wind. A moment later, a look of apology appeared on her face: "I'm sorry, I didn't bring any money..."

Zheng Hui quickly said: "Sister Qin, you are being too formal, what money is needed for a few grilled fish!"

Zheng Feng also nodded slightly and said: "It is our honor that Senior Qin would deign to eat our fish. A few stream fish are not worth much, Senior need not take it to heart."

The woman in the purple dress shook her head slightly and said: "I am not the type to eat without paying; I cannot take advantage of you."

Afterward, she looked at the group and asked softly: "Do you have any difficulties?"

Hearing this, Jiang Ye and Zheng Feng were slightly startled.

This was the tone of someone in a superior position.

"Sister Qin, we are going to the Duanling Mountain Range tomorrow..."

Zheng Hui, who was standing to the side, was about to speak.

"Xiao Hui!"

Zheng Feng immediately spoke up to stop her, his voice tinged with urgency, and even some severity.

He knew his sister was naturally naive and innocent; after chatting with this woman in the purple dress for a while, she had completely let down her guard.

If she kept talking, she would likely reveal everything about the Heavenly Spirit Fruit.

The woman in the purple dress before them had a mysterious identity and unfathomable strength.

People's hearts are hidden behind their faces; who knew what she was planning?

How could they reveal such important information?

He only wanted to send the woman in the purple dress away as soon as possible.

"Brother..."

Zheng Hui pursed her lips.

Although she felt that this Sister Qin was not a bad person.

However, she already understood what Zheng Feng meant and immediately closed her mouth in resignation.

The woman in the purple dress watched this scene and vaguely understood the three's reservations.

There was no anger on her face, only an understanding of the ways of the world, and then she smiled faintly:

"Are you going to the Duanling Mountain Range?"

"Perhaps we will have the chance to meet again."

"The night is deep, and I am sorry to continue bothering you."

"Then I will take my leave first."

After saying this, she turned and left, unhurried, like a wisp of clear breeze.

The purple skirt fluttered lightly in the night breeze, like a blooming violet, gradually blurring in the twilight.

A moment later, the purple figure had completely disappeared from the eyes of Jiang Ye and the others.

The night wind blew, and the campfire crackled.

Jiang Ye and the others stood where they were, looking in the direction where she had disappeared, and were silent for a moment.

"Brother, why didn't you let me speak!"

Zheng Hui finally couldn't hold it in anymore, her small face full of dissatisfaction, her small mouth pouting high:

"Sister Qin is not a bad person! If she were willing to help, what would that bear demon count for!"

Zheng Feng took a deep breath, his handsome, delicate face full of helplessness:

"Xiao Hui, you can know a person's face but not their heart. We are complete strangers to her; what if she has evil intentions..."

Zheng Hui opened her mouth, wanting to retort, but found she couldn't say anything.

Jiang Ye stood to the side and had not spoken the whole time.

He did not blame Zheng Hui, nor did he echo Zheng Feng.

After a long while, he finally said: "Let's find another place to rest; we still have to enter the mountains tomorrow."

Zheng Feng nodded, a flash of admiration in his eyes, "Elder Jiang is indeed thoughtful; we should indeed find another place to rest."

The next day, the sky was bright.

Jiang Ye and the others rose early, had a simple meal of dry rations, and then rode their fast horses toward the Duanling Mountain Range.

The morning mist was like gauze, shrouding the wilderness, dyeing the distant mountains a hazy dark cyan.

The closer they got to the Duanling Mountain Range, the more people they encountered on the road.

There were martial artists in groups of three or five, as well as lone rogue cultivators, all with solemn expressions and vigilant gazes.

"Elder Jiang, those people ahead are from the Qingyun Sword Sect."

Zheng Feng rode his horse closer to Jiang Ye, lowered his voice, and used True Qi transmission, his voice forming a line that entered only Jiang Ye's ears.

Jiang Ye followed his gaze and saw, not far ahead, five Embracing the Pill Realm martial artists wearing cyan tight-fitting clothes and sharp auras, riding together.

They had long swords hanging at their waists, the scabbards ancient and simple, with cloud patterns carved on the hilts—the very mark of the Qingyun Sword Sect.

The five people's gazes were like lightning, scanning their surroundings from time to time; they were clearly seasoned veterans.

"Qingyun Sword Sect."

Jiang Ye nodded slightly, a flash of understanding in his aged eyes.

He knew that this was the local power in Lingchuan Prefecture, with strength similar to the Tianqing Sect, and they held considerable prestige in the Lingchuan Prefecture territory.

The people from the Qingyun Sword Sect ahead naturally saw Jiang Ye and the others as well.

The leader was a middle-aged man with a cold expression, whose gaze swept over Jiang Ye and the others like a hawk sizing up its prey.

His gaze lingered on Zheng Feng and Zheng Hui for a moment, then fell on Jiang Ye's aged face, a flash of solemnity in his eyes.

A moment later, he withdrew his gaze and turned his head away expressionlessly.

Neither side had any intention of greeting the other, and there was a hint of wariness in each of their eyes.

Once they entered the Duanling Mountain Range.

It would be the pure law of the dark forest.

No rules, no morality, only the strong preying on the weak, only life and death.

If they discovered precious spirit herbs or spirit fruits, those who were ruthless could even kill their own friends.

Let alone outsiders.

Jiang Ye withdrew his gaze, his expression calm, showing no emotion.

Suddenly.

He frowned.

The next instant.

Accompanied by a surging fire aura spreading out, a fiery red figure sped over from the distance.

That person was extremely fast; as their legs moved, they were actually faster than riding a horse, and with every step they took, the ground trembled slightly, kicking up a cloud of dust behind them.

Sensing the aura on the other person that was far thicker than that of an Embracing the Pill Realm martial artist, a flash of surprise crossed Jiang Ye's eyes: "A Divine Qi Realm martial artist..."

Zheng Feng, standing to the side, was full of solemnity, his handsome, delicate face full of wariness, and he lowered his voice: "This should be someone from the Chiyan Sect."

"Chiyan Sect?!"

Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow.

He didn't know much about this sect.

Zheng Feng used True Qi transmission:

"The Chiyan Sect is a sect from Qingyue Prefecture. Among the many sects in Linzhou, their strength is in the upper echelon, stronger than our Tianqing Sect. They primarily cultivate fire-attribute True Qi, and it is said that they act quite overbearingly..."

Before he could finish speaking.

The fiery red figure had already swept past Jiang Ye and the others, like a burning meteor, rushing toward the front.

The road ahead happened to be occupied by the five people from the Qingyun Sword Sect riding together; their five horses took up most of the road, and they were moving forward unhurriedly.

However, the fiery red figure had no intention of going around at all and actually charged straight at them.

Looking at that posture, they completely disregarded the five people from the Qingyun Sword Sect, as if they weren't Embracing the Pill Realm martial artists, but weeds on the side of the road that would be crushed if they blocked the way.

"Damn it..."

Seeing this scene, a flash of shock and anger crossed the eyes of the middle-aged man leading the Qingyun Sword Sect.

"Scatter quickly!"

When he felt that surging fire aura, he could only let out a low roar, pull the reins tight, and dodge to the side of the road.

The four people beside him also hurriedly dodged on their horses, their movements clumsy; where was the composed look they had before?

The fiery red figure whistled past them, bringing with it a wave of scorching heat that made their clothes flutter loudly, and several horses were startled, neighing and retreating backward.

From beginning to end, the fiery red figure didn't even look at them.

Jiang Ye and the others watched the retreating back, their expressions varied.

"This Chiyan Sect acts truly overbearingly, completely disregarding the Qingyun Sword Sect."

Zheng Feng shook his head slightly with a wary expression.

Zheng Hui pursed her small mouth and said: "This person's fire aura is far worse than our Peak Master's, yet they are so rampant, hateful!"

Jiang Ye didn't say much, but a deep look flashed in the depths of his eyes.

They hadn't even reached the Duanling Mountain Range yet, and they had already encountered a Divine Qi Realm martial artist.

It seemed that the water in this number one dangerous place in Linzhou was even deeper than he had imagined.

He withdrew his gaze and said faintly: "Let's go."

The three of them rode their horses forward, the sound of hooves echoing in the empty wilderness.

Near the afternoon, the sun slanted to the west, the sunlight becoming soft and dyeing the earth a golden yellow.

Jiang Ye and the others finally arrived at the foot of the famous Duanling Mountain Range.

Looking up, the mountains were continuous, with overlapping peaks, like a giant wall spanning between heaven and earth, blocking their view completely.

"Elder Jiang, let's tie our horses here first and find another place to go up the mountain!"

Zheng Feng dismounted, his movements agile, his gaze scanning the surroundings, looking for a tree stump to tie the horses to.

Afterward, the three of them packed their bags and stepped into the Duanling Mountain Range along a hidden mountain path.

High in the sky, the clouds were thin, and the mountain wind was vast.

A figure drifted over the mountain range like a clear breeze, her clothes fluttering in the wind, like a blooming violet, particularly striking among the blue sky and white clouds.

She looked down and smiled faintly:

"It is quite a coincidence that we have met again."