"However... I didn’t use any so-called evil technique before, I even wanted to help."
Chen Ye spoke softly, with a playful smile,
"But since you said so, I will fulfill your wish."
He flicked his fingers, tiny droplets of sweet rain shot towards that cultivator, and in an instant, the surrounding blood reeds caught the scent and surged towards that cultivator like mad.
"Taoist Friend Bu, I will leave first... you are the only Spirit Plant Cultivator, the sect will not make things difficult for you."
Chen Ye wiped his hands, ignoring the pleading sinful cultivators, suddenly looking at Bu Feifan.
Bu Feifan’s complexion was as pale as paper.
He never imagined that Chen Ye, whom he regarded as a savior and pillar of support, standing shoulder to shoulder with him just moments earlier, would say such words.
"Chen... Taoist Friend Chen..." his voice trembled, "Are you... are you going to abandon me?"
Chen Ye slightly furrowed his brow.
He and Bu Feifan were merely acquainted, what abandonment is there to talk about?
He originally didn’t want to say much more, but Zhiwei suddenly tugged at her master’s sleeve and said crisply:
"Uncle Bu, you are a Spirit Plant Cultivator, Wei Shu still needs you to identify the grotto heaven spirit grass, he won’t let you die. And my master has a grudge with Wei Shu, wouldn’t going with you harm you?"
Bu Feifan’s steps halted, rendered speechless for a moment.
...
Deep within the reeds.
Chen Ye held Zhiwei, his figure swift as a phantom.
The little one with ink-black hair shifted about, finding a more comfortable sitting position within her master’s arm.
She watched her master, her black eyes sparkling, her pink lips pursed with a sweet smile.
Master is truly amazing!
Everyone was terrified by the blood reeds, but master showed no fear at all, just casually cleaning up the terrifying reeds.
Except...
She suddenly remembered the previous words, showing a bit of apprehension on her porcelain-white little face, her voice soft and gentle: "Master, did Zhiwei just say too much?"
"Yes, you did say too much."
Chen Ye nodded earnestly.
The little girl instantly became tense.
Her thin legs involuntarily pressed together, her small waist straightened, her bright eyes staring unblinkingly at her master.
Chen Ye’s tone suddenly changed, with a teasing smile: "But... master does hope Zhiwei speaks up a bit more."
Zhiwei was confused, softly asking: "Ah? Then should I speak?"
"Speak what?"
Chen Ye raised his eyebrows, his fingertips gently pressed on his disciple’s soft cherry-pink lips,
"Master means this speaking up."
That porcelain-white little face turned crimson instantaneously, spreading to her delicate ears.
The little girl was utterly embarrassed, paying no attention to her manner, like a startled little rabbit, she hurriedly buried her scorching face deep in her master’s neck, refusing to lift it again.
"Hmm?"
Chen Ye looked at her adorable appearance of wishing to shrink into a ball, his smile deepening,
"When guiding Taoist Friend Bu earlier, your small mouth was quite articulate? But now you’re a little mute?"
The small head in his arms, strands of ink-black hair brushed his chest, tickling.
"Alright, alright, I won’t tease you anymore."
Chen Ye chuckled lightly, a gentle palm soothing the slightly tense delicate spine due to shyness, while he played with her cascade-like silky green hair with his fingers.
"Master originally wanted to leave directly, which might leave this person with resentment. But Zhiwei mentioned it, so now he can understand master... in the future, perhaps he could relay a few messages for master when in the Lingyin Sect’s group."
The little one in his arms said nothing more, only the arms around his waist quietly tightened a bit.
After a long while, a soft and sticky voice finally spoke:
"Zhiwei doesn’t want to trouble master, only wishes to help him, even just a little."
The surrounding winds were cold and eerie, the colored reeds swaying like ghostly shadows, occasional distant dying screams of other sinful cultivators could still be heard.
Chen Ye listened closely as the screams gradually subsided.
This indicated that sect cultivators were about to enter the grotto heaven.
Chen Ye’s fingers ran through his disciple’s hair, smiling slightly: "Help? Zhiwei can help master greatly right now. Previously, master heard you mention the Floating Shadow Pearl, you seem... to have a way?"
He actually didn’t have much expectation.
The Floating Shadow Pearl is a magical artifact unique to the Sect, and what can Zhiwei, an inexperienced little girl, do about it?
The urgent matter now is to quickly escape Wei Shu’s divine sense range.
Even with the Floating Shadow Pearl in hand, he must leave.
Otherwise, once Wei Shu enters the Grotto Heaven, he will be able to control me anytime using the Spirit Lock Nail, and it will be too late to escape then.
Especially after witnessing the power of this Blood Reed, Chen Ye has already decided in his heart that if Wei Shu truly chases after him, he will ignite this reed field and fight him to the death!
Zhiwei twisted her waist a bit, somewhat uncomfortable with her master’s hand ruffling her hair.
But after listening to her master’s words, she nodded her little head decisively:
"Yes, Master. Inside the Grotto Heaven, divine sense cannot reach beyond ten feet. So the Sect chose to use the Parent-Child Pearls to help Wei Shu control everyone’s location."
Chen Ye nodded silently; this way, Wei Shu can control the situation more easily.
"But... although the Floating Shadow Pearl is a Parent-Child Pearl and can sense without relying on divine sense, there must be a subtle connection between the pearls. Otherwise, how can it sense?"
Chen Ye understood this logic.
Unfortunately, he really doesn’t understand it and therefore is powerless.
Moreover, after entering the Grotto Heaven, Chen Ye also tried to forcibly refine the Floating Shadow Pearl.
But what he could think of, the Sect had already thought of.
Once the Floating Shadow Pearl enters the body, it can integrate with the Dantian’s Spirit Lock Nail, and through the Spirit Lock Nail, forcibly parasitize the cultivator’s body.
Chen Ye’s mind hesitated: "Zhiwei, since you know, isn’t there a solution?"
The black-haired girl sat up slightly in her master’s arm, her beautiful eyes curved into crescent moons, with a bit of excitement:
"Yes, Master, did you forget that Zhiwei has the Purity Glaze Body?"
She raised her slender, fair fingers and gestured as she explained,
"The Floating Shadow Pearl is linked by spiritual connection, enabling Parent-Child Pearls to resonate with each other. But as long as there’s a connection, it can be interfered with. Master’s Qi Concealment Technique is merely a cover, thus ineffective; at most, it can only obscure the end of the connection, and the bad guys will eventually find their way. But Zhiwei can integrate the aura into the natural world, then... the aura of the Floating Shadow Pearl can also be merged! This way, it will be untraceable!"
Chen Ye’s eyes lit up.
His Qi Concealment Technique, though capable of limit breaking, merely uses the aura of nature to aid in concealing himself.
But Zhiwei is truly one with nature!
After all, her physique is named Purity Glaze precisely because it has no barriers with the world!
He believed nine-tenths of it in his heart but still casually asked: "Is this true?"
"Yes!"
The black-haired girl nodded vigorously, her pink lips softly affirming.
She seemed to want to say something, her small face blushing slightly, and her voice lowered,
"Did Master forget? Before, when Zhiwei... Zhiwei was with Qing Jun, even while Master... um... Master was answering nature’s call..."
Thinking of that day, she looked somewhat resentful.
Master was too mean, not allowing the disciple to serve him.
Master’s hands are used for alchemy and cultivation... not for wiping one’s bottom!!
"I understand, as your Master!" Chen Ye cleared his throat, forcibly steering the topic back on track, "Since that’s the case, let’s start then!"
"Yes!"
Zhiwei took a deep breath, silenced herself, and gently leaned her little head against her master’s chest.
Gradually, a mystical aura emanated from her body.
Chen Ye merely felt that his apprentice in his arms seemed about to disappear from his embrace.
Instinctively, he wrapped his hands tighter around her slender waist, as though trying to fuse her into himself.
The disciple blinked her eyes helplessly, her voice soft: "Master, your disciple is right here, always by your side..."
She embraced her master in return, silently continuing to activate the Purity Glaze Body.
Suddenly, Chen Ye felt a sharp clarity through his entire body, the ever-present feeling of being watched vanished completely... it truly disappeared!
Success!
Chen Ye’s heart surged with joyful exuberance!
With this shackle gone, his heart felt much lighter.
Keep in mind, during the high pressure moments earlier, Chen Ye consciously joked with his disciple to avoid alarming her.
How about now?
Chen Ye remained serious: "Zhiwei has greatly helped your Master, and your Master must reward you properly."
The black-haired girl struggled to push against her master’s chest, finally freeing some space, she raised her small face, filled with anticipation: "A reward?"