Chapter 118: Exposure

Every time Qinglong Holy Son proposed to regulate his breath and meditate to restore spiritual power, Su Yao strongly objected.

She gave everyone only one hour to rest.

As soon as the hour was up, she immediately set off.

She was anxious beyond measure; thinking of Su Chen imprisoned and suffering in Qianyuan City's heavenly prison, how could she, as his elder sister, sit still?

How could she cultivate in peace?

"Xiao Lian."

"Madam, I am here."

Su Yao's face was as pale as paper; the yuan power stored in her dantian had been completely exhausted.

She ordered the maid: "Go outside and see if my husband is in the square; tell him we can set off now."

"If we leave at dawn, it'll be too late; I know my own body—I don't need to rest."

"Let's depart at the mao hour; leave early, arrive early at Qianyuan City."

Hearing Su Yao change the departure time again, the maid anxiously said: "Madam, your physique hasn't been perfected yet; the cultivation method and required materials are still being prepared. Such fatigue is detrimental to the medicinal efficacy spreading through your meridians."

"Young Sect Master, your blessings are deep; nothing will happen."

"Even if you worry about the Young Master, you must also consider your own health."

Su Yao has always been a woman of her word.

She is stubborn to the core.

Her temperament is also one of daring to act and be firm.

Once she has made up her mind, no one can change it; it's impossible for a maid's few words to sway her: "I've said it—I know my own body."

"Xiao Lian, you needn't worry; as long as I haven't confirmed Xiao Chen's safety, I cannot calm my mind to cultivate."

"Rather than fret in fear, it's better to hurry there."

"Hurry go; I've already sent a sound transmission to him, but he hasn't replied—I don't know what's happening over there."

"Go tell my husband to set off immediately at the mao hour; I can't wait."

The maid Xiao Lian hesitated, then swallowed the words she had been about to say, and glanced at Su Yao.

Thinking of Su Chen's current predicament, Xiao Lian lightly pursed her lips, didn't ask further, and hurried out to look for Qinglong Holy Son.

She was a maid who came with Su Yao as part of her dowry from the Heavenly Mystery Dao Sect; her bond of loyalty to Su Yao was matched only by her devotion to the sect.

Since the Heavenly Mystery Dao Sect suffered calamity, she too has been anxious.

Originally Su Yao didn't want to bring a maid, but Xiao Lian volunteered insistently, saying she wanted to accompany her.

Outside the ruins, she extended her divine sense in a search, but still couldn't find Qinglong Holy Son.

"Strange! Wasn't the Holy Son supposed to go out and calm the disciples?"

"How come there's no one outside?"

Xiao Lian swept the area with her divine sense; just as she was about to leave, she suddenly heard a shrill, flirtatious laugh coming from a nearby side room.

"Heehee… don't… don't… Holy Son…"

"You little slut, you've been hinting at me all along; when I was soaring on my sword, I couldn't hold back—I only hate that lowly wretch tagging along, rushing to be reborn like mad, urging me on."

"After just an hour's rest, you're already insisting on leaving—now I've finally caught my chance; where can you hide?"

"Holy Son…"

That familiar voice, conjuring a scene utterly unlike what Xiao Lian had imagined, imprinted itself in her mind, causing a buzzing in her head.

In an instant, she felt as if her whole body and even her blood had been frozen solid, chilling her to the bone.

Her mind crashed; she simply didn't know what to do.

She forced herself to calm, restrained her breath, and carefully hid at the window, poking a small hole with her finger.

The side room clearly showed signs of having been cleaned recently.

The waist-sword attendant who always stayed by Qinglong Holy Son's side lay flat on the bed, half-undressed, revealing a deep cleavage that looked like an abyss ready to swallow someone whole.

Qinglong Holy Son, meanwhile, was frantically tearing off his outer robe, his eyes rolling as he stared at the sword attendant's slender waist.

That expression left Xiao Lian's heart and soul shaken.

"Holy Son, how much longer until we reach Qianyuan City? Once we get there, will you hand over that lowly woman Su Yao to Ye Xuan the Young Master, then marry me with a ten-mile bridal procession?"

"I, your concubine, am nearly at my wit's end; with her around, you can't even take a concubine as you wish—what status does she have, what qualifications give her the right, dragging down a beauty like me so that I can only stay by your side as a sword attendant, without even a proper title?"

"Rest easy, Holy Son—when have I ever gone back on my word? She's a demon-spawn, a human traitor, a poisonous woman; where's any tenderness? She's loud and brash, her temperament fierce—how could she compare to you?"

"Just be patient; at most one more day, and I can hand her over to Ye Xuan the Young Master in exchange for the Star Battle Body Technique..."

Boom—

Boom boom!

Xiao Lian's face turned ashen, her whole body trembling, utter disbelief on her face: "How could this happen? How is this possible…"

What shocking secret had she just heard?

The Holy Son wasn't going to rescue the Young Sect Master; he planned to send the madam to Ye Xuan in exchange for the Star Pavilion Sealing Technique.

How could he be so ruthless?

Xiao Lian's tears fell like broken pearls, pattering down.

Her mind was a muddled mess; after a moment she forced herself onward, rushing toward Su Yao.

She had to tell the madam this earth-shattering news: the Holy Son of the Qinglong Holy Land had all along been feigning affection, everything a facade—his supposed deep love, his vow to love only the madam for a lifetime, were all lies.

It was all fake.

However—

"Ahhh!!"

As Xiao Lian's figure had just vanished, a nearby guard was startled and kicked her straight to the ground.

Hearing the Azure Dragon Holy Land had been disturbed and she was locked on before she could leave, she hurriedly shook her head in panic: "Holy Son, I didn't hear anything..."

What are you panicking about?

You didn't hear anything? the Azure Dragon Holy Son's eyes were extremely sinister.

You're in such a hurry to leave; could it be you want to go tell on the madam?

I think you want to tell her that I'm not going to save Su Chen, but to send her to exchange cultivation techniques?

Lowly servant!

The Azure Dragon Holy Son raised his hand, gathered a surge of origin power, and slapped Xiao Lian's face directly.

Bang!

Xiao Lian was slapped flying onto the ground, half her face swollen into a pig's head, she could barely cry out: "Holy, Holy Son, please spare the madam; the madam has just been cultivating, her body-refining rudimentary form, her limbs and bones filled with medicinal power, not yet refined, unable to use her cultivation—how could you treat her like this?"

Back then she defied Sect Master Su's strong opposition and resolutely married you; you once swore a Heavenly Dao Oath—aren't you afraid the oath will come true, bringing myriad calamities upon you?

Holy Son, you, you can't do this...

The Azure Dragon Holy Son raised his hand and flung another merciless palm.

Lowly servant!

Dare to curse me!

He almost ruined his plans.

He stared at Xiao Lian's cheeks, both already swollen out of shape, and gave a cold, grim laugh: "If you're going to blame someone, blame yourself for hearing what you shouldn't have; since the plan's been exposed, you might as well not leave."