Translator: CinderTL
Song Wen moved swiftly to Ye Bing's side and pulled the still-stunned woman into his arms.
"I owe my fortunate breakthrough entirely to the Void Union Primordial Breakthrough Pill you refined, Immortal Maiden. I have no way to repay you, so I can only follow your example and offer myself in service."
Ye Bing suddenly sensed something and glanced down, her delicate face flushing crimson.
"Why are you doing this again..."
"It's simply because you are too beautiful, Immortal Maiden. I can't help myself."
Several days later, Ye Bing rose from the stone bed, dressed, and walked to the stone table a few dozen feet away. She retrieved a bronze kettle and Spirit Tea, then began boiling water to brew tea.
Song Wen casually donned a long robe and approached Ye Bing, reaching out to embrace her. But Ye Bing raised a hand to stop him.
"Gou Jun," she said, "I've been happy and content these past few days, but this must end here. From now on, let us remain fellow daoists."
"Why?" Song Wen asked, his face filled with confusion.
Ye Bing replied, "Since my late husband passed away, I've abandoned all thoughts of forming a dao companion bond with anyone."
Dao companion?
Song Wen's expression froze for a moment.
Forcing a wry smile, he stepped back two paces and sat down across from Ye Bing.
Ye Bing continued, "Give me some time. Perhaps one day I'll come to terms with it. If that happens, I might agree to your proposal."
"Immortal Maiden, you truly don't need to force yourself," Song Wen said, his smile still present but strained.
He quickly straightened his robe, ensuring it was perfectly neat and orderly.
By then, Ye Bing had brewed the Spirit Tea and filled two cups. She handed one to Song Wen and drained the other in a single gulp.
Setting down her teacup, Ye Bing asked, "You still haven't answered my two previous questions."
Song Wen took a sip of tea and replied slowly, "Your suspicions are correct. I was the one who sought you out to trade information about Jiang Yushan. I used that information to gain his trust and become his lackey, all to eliminate him. Like you, I also harbor a grudge against Jiang Yushan."
Ye Bing's eyes lit up. "In that case, why don't we join forces to deal with Jiang Yushan together?"
Song Wen listened, slowly savoring his tea without immediately responding.
His true motive for wanting to kill Jiang Yushan was twofold: first, to avenge the public humiliation he had suffered at Jiang Yushan's hands; and second, to retaliate against Jiang Lanruo.
After all, he had been coerced into joining the Jiang Family by Jiang Lanruo, then sent to the Rotting Miasma Ridge to retrieve the Nine Deaths Grass, nearly meeting a tragic end—perishing immediately after Ascension.
Thus, the person Song Wen truly wanted to kill was Jiang Lanruo.
Ye Bing's words, however, reminded him that he might be able to use Jiang Yushan to obtain the method for reaching the Eastern Profound Continent, a goal he had long dreamed of.
After Chi Pei's death, the Divine Blood Gate sent a cultivator named Hong Zhe to permanently reside at Veiled Moon Hall, ostensibly to investigate Chi Pei's death. However, Song Wen suspected that the Divine Blood Gate had learned that the shadow void within Jiang Yushan's Sea of Consciousness was nearing completion and had assigned Hong Zhe to oversee its hatching.
Hong Zhe was a late-stage Void Refinement cultivator, possessing knowledge of secrets far surpassing Chi Pei's.
It was possible that this man knew other methods of reaching the Eastern Profound Continent.
By controlling Jiang Yushan, it should be relatively easy to lure out Hong Zhe and force him to submit.
This meant they couldn't simply eliminate Jiang Yushan; they needed to capture him alive.
"Immortal Maiden, to be frank, my enemies aren't limited to Jiang Yushan. There's also Jiang Lanruo," Song Wen said.
"Jiang Lanruo?" Ye Bing frowned slightly.
Jiang Lanruo was nothing like Jiang Yushan, that useless playboy who only knew how to toy with women.
Setting aside her mid-stage Void Refinement cultivation, the mere fact that she dared to use Jiang Yushan to hatch the shadow void—and had managed to conceal her scheme without a single slip for so many years—revealed her meticulous planning and ruthless methods. She wouldn't be an easy opponent.
Ye Bing couldn't help but feel apprehensive.
"Immortal Maiden, I propose we capture Jiang Yushan alive first, then use him to lure out Jiang Lanruo. What do you think?" Song Wen asked, worried that Ye Bing might be intimidated by Hong Zhe and the Divine Blood Gate's reputation and act rashly, eliminating Jiang Yushan and ruining his plans. Therefore, he didn't reveal his full strategy.
Ye Bing hesitated. "We both only recently advanced to the Void Refinement Stage. Even if we join forces, we might not be a match for Jiang Lanruo."
"Rest assured, Immortal Maiden. I alone am sufficient to deal with Jiang Lanruo," Song Wen declared confidently.
A flicker of surprise crossed Ye Bing's eyes. "You're that certain?"
Song Wen nodded. "Even when I was merely at the Divine Transformation Stage, I managed to escape Du'e. Dealing with Jiang Lanruo now will be no challenge at all."
Ye Bing remained unconvinced. "The Jiang Family has more than just Jiang Lanruo at the Void Refinement Stage. If we kidnap Jiang Yushan, we might alert his father, Jiang Liangbi, and the Jiang Family's Ancestor, Jiang Guyun. If all three converge, we'll be in grave danger."
"Immortal Maiden, have you forgotten?" Song Wen said. "Jiang Lanruo secretly incubated the shadow void within Jiang Yushan's Sea of Consciousness. We're using this as leverage. How would she dare reveal this to Jiang Liangbi and Jiang Guyun?"
Ye Bing pondered for a moment before slowly replying, "Very well. I agree to help you eliminate Jiang Lanruo as well."
"Thank you for your assistance, Immortal Maiden," Song Wen said with a smile.
"Though we address each other as fellow daoists, there's no need for such formality," Ye Bing replied.
A radiant smile spread across Song Wen's face, his eyes brimming with delight. "I agree. We shouldn't be so reserved with each other."
As he spoke, he reached out with his right hand and grasped Ye Bing's left hand, which rested on the stone table.
"Don't get handsy," Ye Bing snapped, pulling her hand away. Her eyes flashed with anger, but a faint blush tinged her fair cheeks.
"Forgive my momentary lapse in restraint, Immortal Maiden," Song Wen said, though his face showed no remorse. Instead, his smile only widened.
"Immortal Maiden, this mission is dangerous. Shouldn't we prepare more Earth Evasion Talismans?" Song Wen finally revealed his true intention.
Ye Bing said, "The spiritual materials required to craft fifth-tier earth evasion talismans are difficult to obtain. Mass production won't be easy."
Song Wen replied, "Back when we were only at the Divine Transformation Stage, these materials might have been hard to find. But now that we've reached the Void Refinement Stage, things will be much simpler. Immortal Maiden, rest assured. You only need to focus on drawing the talismans; I'll take care of procuring the materials."
Ye Bing said, "If you can secure the materials, I'll naturally craft the talismans for you."
"Then I thank you, Immortal Maiden," Song Wen said with a smile. He then changed the subject, asking, "Immortal Maiden, are you confident you can craft sixth-tier earth evasion talismans?"
Ye Bing shook her head slightly. "I've never even seen the crafting method for sixth-tier earth evasion talismans, let alone crafted one."
"That's a pity," Song Wen said.
He regretted both missing the chance to obtain a sixth-tier earth evasion talisman and failing to acquire the crafting method itself.
As for the crafting method for fifth-tier earth evasion talismans, Song Wen had obtained it from Ye Bing long ago.
(End of the Chapter)
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