Pill Master Hu’s smile visibly cooled at an eye-catching speed.
He glanced at Chen Ye, his tone significantly more subdued, "Qi Nourishing Pill? Yes, ten Spirit Stones per bottle, eleven pills. The old rule, an extra one for free."
Chen Ye didn’t mind the change in attitude and said directly, "Master Hu, please give me five bottles."
"Five bottles?!" Pill Master Hu’s hand trembled, nearly dropping the jade bottle, his eyes sparkling with excitement, "Well, well, well! Taoist Friend Chen truly has a generous hand!"
He plastered on a smile, retrieving five bottles of Qi Nourishing Pill from his Storage Bag and handed them to Chen Ye.
This old man changes his face faster than flipping a book,
Chen Ye silently mocked, yet his face remained polite and he expressed his gratitude.
Just as the internal gathering was about to disband and people prepared to leave.
"Creak—"
The courtyard door was pushed open once again.
An overpowering atmosphere suddenly enveloped the small courtyard, instantly quieting the previously noisy crowd, leaving everyone looking toward the door in shock and uncertainty.
They saw a group of several people walk in, all dressed in the attire of Lingyin Sect disciples.
Leading them was a young girl with golden hair!
She seemed very young, with exquisite features, wearing a moon-white fox fur coat, her dazzling golden hair gleaming vividly against the somewhat gloomy sky.
Her amber-colored eyes swept coldly across the people in the courtyard.
Bai Susu, the Bai Family’s daughter, True Man Baili’s legitimate child.
This name might not be widely known in Yunxi District, but among the knowledgeable Loose Cultivators present, more or less have heard of the Bai Family’s prestigious reputation, as well as this daughter’s unfathomable strength and... peculiar temperament.
Chen Ye was even more startled; when he saw her in the Three Thousand Great Mountains, this young girl still had a bit of childishness.
But now, she seemed cold and strong.
Perhaps, this was Bai Susu’s true nature!
Behind her, four or five Outer Sect disciples followed closely.
Among them, one with a graceful figure and indifferent demeanor was Li Qiuyun, whom he had met a few days ago in the Market!
Li Qiuyun’s expression was stern, her gaze sharp as it swept over the crowd. When her eyes fell on Chen Ye, her brow furrowed, almost imperceptibly.
Upon seeing this lineup, especially the golden-haired girl in the lead, Pill Master Hu’s face turned deathly pale, cold sweat streaming down his forehead,
He hurriedly stepped forward a few paces, stammering in an attempt to explain, "Immortal Masters, this... this is just a casual gathering with a few Taoist friends..."
"Pill Master Hu,"
Bai Susu did not care about his explanation, she didn’t even bother to glance at the kneeling old man.
Her amber eyes swept coldly over the Loose Cultivators in the courtyard, who wore expressions of terror, her tone so indifferent it bordered on apathy,
"How bold of you."
Those six casually spoken words carried the weight of a thousand pounds, weighing heavy on the hearts of everyone present.
"I... I..." Pill Master Hu’s legs went soft, almost collapsing to the ground.
"The sect has strictly forbidden the private concocting and trading of Blood Burning Pills; this is an ironclad rule, yet you treat it with contempt, openly setting up a furnace here for public sale and gathering?"
She tilted her head slightly, her face as exquisite as a porcelain doll, showing no pity, only a kind of near-cruel scrutiny,
"Or do you think my Lingyin Sect’s rules are merely trivial decorations? Hmm?"
The final rising tail note carried an undeniable authority, causing Pill Master Hu to shudder violently, like a sieve.
She paused briefly, her voice suddenly becoming stern: "You fool, living as you do also wastes Spirit Rice!"
The little girl, though small in stature, had a sharp tongue.
Pill Master Hu was so frightened that he fell to his knees with a thud, tears and snot streaming, "Spare me! Little old me knows I’ve done wrong! I’ll never dare again!"
"Too late." Bai Susu’s gaze was icy, without a trace of mercy.
She lifted her slender finger, without even the preamble of a Spell incantation.
A barely perceptible flicker shot out briskly from her wide fox fur sleeve.
It was a Flying Sword, thin as a cicada’s wing and swift as a darting rainbow!
The Flying Sword moved with unimaginable speed, leaving a faint golden trail in the air, piercing splendidly through Pill Master Hu’s forehead with pinpoint precision.
"Pfft—"
A gentle sound, like a bubble bursting.
The terror and despair on Pill Master Hu’s face froze, his body slumping silently, devoid of life.
The entire process was fast as lightning, clean and precise.
Bai Susu didn’t even furrow her brow, like squashing an annoying bug.
"Father always said that rules are rules, and those who break them must pay the price."
With Pill Master Hu’s death, all the Loose Cultivators present were as silent as cicadas in winter, not daring to breathe too loudly.
Chen Ye’s heart was shaken, in the Three Thousand Great Mountains, he still thought Bai Susu was a little girl.
But with her current demeanor, how could she still be the immature child?
Bai Susu was quite satisfied with the effect, she raised her chin to survey the scene and ordered her disciples behind her, "Li Qiuyun, go and collect all the Blood Burning Pills!"
"Yes!"
Li Qiuyun replied respectfully.
She immediately led the others forward, confiscating the Blood Burning Pills from Pill Master Hu’s Storage Bag and from the Loose Cultivators’ hands.
Even if the Loose Cultivators who bought the Blood Burning Pills were reluctant, they dared not resist.
"Hmm...?"
Bai Susu maintained her cold demeanor, watching her disciples’ busy work with a sense of ennui.
Suddenly her gaze shifted, glancing at Chen Ye.
Chen Ye stiffly displayed a smile.
He only felt himself lucky or unlucky to consecutively catch the attention of two Lingyin Sect disciples.
"..."
Seeing Chen Ye’s unease, Bai Susu quickly averted her gaze, adding casually,
"For the rest, clean out the old man’s possessions as contributions for the sect."
Other disciples, upon hearing the order, pounced like wolves onto Pill Master Hu’s corpse and residence.
Chen Ye stood among the crowd, watching the scene akin to a house raid before him, his spine chilled repeatedly.
Goodness!
This Pill Master Hu amassed wealth by concocting Blood Burning Pills, undoubtedly long targeted by Lingyin Sect, kept like a pig for slaughter until it fattened up!
It seems likely Lingyin Sect had noticed Pill Master Hu long ago.
Just leveraging the current Inner Sect competition, having the Inner Sect disciples harvest in passing.
This Bai Susu also purposely waited until Pill Master Hu sold all the Blood Burning Pills!
Once the Lingyin Sect disciples finished plundering Pill Master Hu’s residence, they allowed the Loose Cultivators in the courtyard to leave.
"Junior Martial Uncle Bai!"
Li Qiuyun handed Pill Master Hu’s Storage Bag to Bai Susu.
Bai Susu unceremoniously accepted the Storage Bag, suddenly asking, "Did you all investigate the Loose Cultivators in the courtyard thoroughly?"
Li Qiuyun nodded without hesitation, "Yes, these people have had no direct contact with Demon Cultivators."
"Then... who was that sword-bearing Loose Cultivator just now?"
Noticing Li Qiuyun’s surprise, Bai Susu added expressionlessly,
"You just looked at him."
Li Qiuyun immediately grew anxious, hurriedly explaining, "Upon investigation, I found this person once lived in the shantytown area and had contact with me. Later, I purchased a Magical Artifact from him by chance, so I took an extra look."
"Oh? Just took an extra look?"
Bai Susu tilted her small head slightly, smiling teasingly,
"I saw your gaze just now, not looking at an ordinary Loose Cultivator. What? Interested in him? Indeed, this Loose Cultivator, though somewhat down-and-out, looks quite decent when tidied up."
Li Qiuyun’s cheeks turned slightly red, a mix of embarrassment and anger, she quickly retorted, "Junior Martial Uncle Bai! This person is merely at the Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer, of mediocre talent, acting surreptitiously. How could I fancy him?"
Bai Susu curiously pursed her lips, shaking her head like a little adult:
"Alright, alright, it was just a joke... The matter here is settled, let’s withdraw!"
Li Qiuyun fumed silently.
She just didn’t expect that this Chen Ye was actually the same Chen Ye from the shantytown area.
That’s why she looked a bit longer.
Wait...
Suddenly, Li Qiuyun’s expression changed.
In a way, Bai Susu’s previous words meant that the Loose Cultivator was considered decent-looking?
Believe it or not, that person’s appearance did somewhat resemble True Man Bai who had fallen.
Down-and-out, yet carrying a hidden, restrained sharpness...
"Hey, where did Junior Martial Uncle Bai go?"
The disciples, being slow on the uptake, realized that Junior Martial Uncle Bai, who had been swaggering in front of them, had suddenly vanished!