Chapter 249: Betrayal

A single spiritual sense attack would drain the entire mind sea—this was not good news.

He Pingsheng retracted his technique, closed his eyes, and meditated for a full day and night before fully restoring his spiritual sense.

Restoring spiritual sense was far more difficult.

He checked the date—it was not far from the day he had agreed to meet the black-robed woman for the Tianxiang Douchou.

About ten days left.

"Time to refine pills!"

Boom…

With a thought, a cluster of blue-green flame appeared out of thin air.

Pill flame!

At the same time, He Pingsheng used spiritual power to activate the small cauldron used for pill refining.

This was his first time attempting to control pill flame with spiritual sense.

The result was quite satisfying.

He refined a batch of 【Qi-Condensing Pills】, and all twelve were top-grade.

He refined another batch of 【Spirit-Condensing Pills】, twelve in total—all mid-grade.

And it seemed effortless.

I have to say, dan fire is much more convenient than firewood.

Continue!

For the next five days, He Pingsheng spent all his time refining pills, mostly 【Spirit-Condensing Pills】.

After refining them, he casually tossed the pills into the Treasure Basin for enhancement.

Five days later, He Pingsheng descended from the third floor with a large quantity of pills and arrived on the first floor.

Qiao Huizhu was still in seclusion.

But upon hearing He Pingsheng's voice, she broke her seclusion.

"Let me see—what realm are you in now?" He Pingsheng's spiritual sense swept over her.

In two months, this girl had broken through two layers—she was now at Qi Refining Stage Ten.

Good. With a bit more time, she could directly attempt Foundation Establishment.

Since she had reverted her qi and re-cultivated, she encountered no bottlenecks—she only needed to continuously fill her dantian.

She wouldn't need a Foundation Establishment Pill when the time came.

"Not bad—Stage Ten!" He Pingsheng entered Qiao Huizhu's quarters and asked, "How are you progressing with the 【Mystic Heart-Soothing True Scripture】 I gave you last time?"

He had given it to her during his time at Divine General Mountain.

Qiao Huizhu smiled bitterly: "I haven't even had time to practice it—I was just focused on restoring my cultivation!"

He Pingsheng said, "No problem—you can practice it later. When your spiritual sense grows stronger, come find me. I have another spiritual sense technique for you to cultivate!"

He meant the defensive technique: the Nine Shield Method of the Purple Mansion.

After cultivating it, she wouldn't fear soul-based attacks.

"Mmmmm…" Qiao Huizhu leaned close, whispering softly: "Husband, you're so good to me…"

…

Several days later, the day finally arrived—the day he had agreed to meet the black-robed cultivator.

He Pingsheng tidied himself up and left with Qiao Huizhu.

To avoid unnecessary trouble, he gave her the Brocade Silk Treasure Robe, allowing her to disguise herself as an ordinary-looking woman.

He Pingsheng, meanwhile, restored his true appearance.

Even if Bai Shangli himself came and scanned them with spiritual sense, he wouldn't recognize these two as the ones he'd seen on Skull Mountain.

Of course, He Pingsheng was also prepared.

He put on the Seven-Button Sharp Metal Armor.

This was a top-grade magic treasure, bearing twelve layers of sealing arrays with astonishing defensive power.

Each button could withstand one surprise attack from a Foundation Establishment cultivator—seven in total.

Even if a Jin Dan cultivator struck, all seven buttons together could absorb most of the attack's force.

It guaranteed the wearer would not die.

The two strolled calmly out of the small courtyard, then boarded the rabbit-drawn carriage and rumbled to the entrance of the Red Stone Trading Society.

He Pingsheng waved his hand, retrieved the rabbit and stored it in his spirit beast bag, then put the carriage into his storage bag.

He spread out his spiritual sense.

Within a thousand zhang, everything was laid bare.

After two breaths, he took Qiao Huizhu's hand and walked to a large tree not far from the trading society.

This tree stood along the widest street in Red Stone City.

"Hello…" He Pingsheng bowed to the black-robed female cultivator beneath the tree.

The female cultivator startled: "Y-you—you…"

"Hehehe…" He Pingsheng chuckled: "Forgive me, fellow cultivator—I've disguised myself. I'm the one who made the arrangement with you on Skull Mountain to seek the Tianxiang Douchou."

"Oh…"

The woman widened her eyes and looked at Qiao Huizhu: "Is this the pretty girl?"

"You both disguised yourselves?"

He Pingsheng smiled but said nothing.

The woman said: "Good. Let's not delay—shall we leave now?"

He Pingsheng said: "Fine. But I haven't asked your name yet."

The woman replied: "I'm Mi Rong."

"Hmm…" He Pingsheng bowed: "I am Xu Kunlun."

"Fellow Cultivator Xu!"

"Fellow Cultivator Mi, lead the way!"

With that, the three boarded the carriage again and left the city gate.

This time, it was the West Gate!

After exiting the West Gate, they dismissed the rabbit and carriage, then took to the skies on swords.

Mi Rong said: "Flying west from Red Stone City for four or five days, we'll reach Mount Tianqiang. The place I mentioned is on Mount Tianqiang!"

"Let's go!"

Whoosh…

With that, Mi Rong shot westward first.

Behind her, He Pingsheng became a streak of light, sword in hand, carrying Qiao Huizhu as he chased after.

Two streaks of light cut across the sky.

After flying for about an hour, Mi Rong suddenly dropped down onto the peak of a towering mountain.

He Pingsheng thought she had run out of spiritual power and followed, landing his sword beside her.

"Fellow Cultivator Mi… what's wrong?" He Pingsheng asked.

Mi Rong turned to look at He Pingsheng but said nothing.

He Pingsheng immediately sensed something was wrong.

His spiritual sense erupted outward, probing every direction.

At that moment, a middle-aged cultivator in green robes stepped out from nowhere.

His face was pale, his build massive—it was none other than Bai Shangli, elder of the Free Immortal Sect.

"How did you change?" Bai Shangli stared at He Pingsheng and Qiao Huizhu, momentarily unable to recognize them!

Mi Rong said: "Senior, these two are disguised!"

"Oh oh oh…"

Bai Shangli looked at He Pingsheng and chuckled: "Kid, tell me—how are you going to live today?"

He Pingsheng coldly glared at Mi Rong, a chill on his lips.

He hadn't expected this woman to betray him.

But He Pingsheng wasn't afraid.

Before Bai Shangli could move, he immediately swallowed a snow-white pill.

Supreme Twin-Soul Pill.

"Taking a pill?" Bai Shangli sneered with utter contempt: "Some secret arts are powerful—after swallowing certain pills, combat power can surge, even by thirty percent!"

"Hehehe…"

"Too bad your cultivation is so weak!"

"Even if you doubled your strength, what then?"

"You're merely Foundation Establishment Stage Three—do you think you can move me, a Great Jin Dan?"

"Today…" Bai Shangli's lecherous gaze fixed on Qiao Huizhu: "I'll rape your consort right before your eyes. Hahaha… how amusing… tsk tsk tsk…"