Outside the door, a long, pale neck stretched forward—topped with a stunningly beautiful face.
Gao Yang froze. He knew that face.
It was the snake-woman he had met on his very first day at the Azure Mountain Sect.
A demon spirit.
His expression darkened.
How could such a creature even enter the sect?
With the Immortal Mistress's power—and the vigilance of the senior disciples—how could these abominations possibly survive here?
He had never questioned it before.
Not until today, after seeing the steward… and those two faces beneath the mountain gate.
The realization struck him cold.
These demon spirits were kept here—by the Immortal Mistress herself.
Hisss… hehe…
The snake-woman slithered closer, her neck coiling toward him. Her forked tongue brushed his throat—light as silk, cold as death.
Gao Yang's body stiffened. A chill flooded his veins, as though he had fallen into an ice pit.
She was powerful—almost as strong as the steward.
The qi in his body froze. Gao Yang tried to summon the Seven Fiends.
But before he could, the snake-woman spoke, her tone a mix of honey and venom. "Hisss… hehe… I'm not here to hurt you."
Gao Yang didn't stop. He trusted no demon.
"The steward sent me," she continued, voice dripping with amusement, "to test whether you planned to escape today. But… I've changed my mind."
Her sinuous neck coiled around him, pressing lightly against his skin. She licked his cheek again. "Hisss… hehe… how fragrant. They say you swallowed the Immortal Mistress's Immortal Pill. I didn't believe it before… but now I do. No wonder you want to escape. If it were me, I'd run too."
Gao Yang steadied his breath. "What are you trying to say?"
"Hisss… hehe…" Her golden pupils locked with his eyes, unblinking. Her red lips parted, fangs gleaming. The forked tongue traced the outline of his jaw. "Let's make a deal."
Gao Yang's voice was ice. "What kind of deal?"
"Hisss… hehe…" she whispered beside his ear. "I'll help you escape. You let me taste… just a drop of your blood."
A smile tugged at his lips. "And when did I ever say I wanted to escape?"
The snake-woman froze. "You… don't want to run?"
Gao Yang tilted his head. "What's wrong? Lost your hiss?"
Her face twisted, fangs bared. "You're mocking me!"
Gao Yang waved a hand lightly, forcing calm. "Your breath stinks."
Her eyes flared with fury. "I really want to eat you alive!"
He smiled faintly.
No one noticed his clenched fists—the cold sweat pooling in his palms.
He was gambling.
And he had won.
Inside the Azure Mountain Sect, every whisper, every thought—was known to the Immortal Mistress.
For this snake-woman to dare say that she would have run if she'd taken the Immortal Pill—it meant she had protection.
Someone powerful enough that even the Immortal Mistress could not touch her.
Gao Yang understood. Right now, he was the Immortal Pill. To devour him would be to bypass the process of refinement entirely.
The snake-woman's coils tightened with anger, but she didn't dare strike.
Then a cool, melodic voice rang out from beyond the door:
"Sister… seems I didn't cut deep enough last time."
The snake-woman's face drained of color.
Her neck snapped back; she dissolved into a streak of shadow and vanished.
Twelve stepped inside, her smile gone. "What happened?"
Gao Yang shrugged. "As you can see."
Her gaze hardened. "You were trying to run, weren't you?"
He returned a mild smile. "How could I?"
Twelve snorted. "You'd better not."
She handed him two buns. "No chicken legs today. Make do."
Gao Yang accepted them, a flicker of guilt tightening his chest.
Despite her temper—and her occasional blows—Twelve treated him better than most.
He took a bite of the soft white bun. "How's your injury?"
Twelve smirked. "Oh, so you do remember I was hurt."
Gao Yang's smile faltered.
He had indeed forgotten. All his thoughts had been on escape, not on the sword wound she had taken for him.
"Our Bai Family's cultivation is… unique," Twelve said quietly. "Our qi can heal."
Some truths were not to be spoken plainly.
But Gao Yang understood. His rapid recovery hadn't come only from the Fifth Sister's pill or the Immortal Pill within him—but also from the Bai Family's secret art.
No wonder it was forbidden knowledge.
The next morning, a maid knocked on his door. "Immortal attendant, the steward awaits you at the mountain gate."
Gao Yang opened his eyes and exhaled slowly.
A night of cultivation had sharpened his strength. Even the lingering damage from the Seven Fiends was gone—washed clean by the Bai Family's technique.
If he was to keep up his act, it had to be flawless. After last night's 'test,' the steward surely believed his words.
Today, he would finally get a glimpse beyond the mountain gate.
When Gao Yang arrived, the steward was already waiting—dressed in flowing white robes, his long beard dancing with the wind. To the eye, he looked every bit the serene immortal.
But in Gao Yang's true sight, he was still the same coffin board—only now wrapped in Daoist silk.
Gao Yang approached and bowed. "Steward."
"Immortal attendant, please, don't!" The steward flinched, hurriedly lifting Gao Yang's hand. "This old man dares not accept such honor. I'm just a gatekeeper—unworthy of your salute."
"Where are we going today?" Gao Yang asked.
The steward's eyes gleamed. "Today's task concerns you as well. I planned to handle it myself, but since the matter involves your servant—and you've been wanting to go out—I sought the Immortal Mistress's permission. She agreed."
Gao Yang's heart tightened. "Xiao Man?"
The steward nodded. "Indeed."
"What happened to her?" Gao Yang asked quickly.
Could it be she'd been caught visiting her parents in Chai Village?
"You'll see," the steward said with a faint smile.
Gao Yang noticed the strange look in his eyes. Steeling himself, he feigned irritation. "That useless girl again. When Master returns, I'll ask her to replace the servant!"
"When do we leave?"
"Soon," the steward said. "We're waiting for one more. The Immortal Mistress has assigned you to handle this matter. I'm only here as escort."
Gao Yang said nothing.
After a while, a figure approached—a woman with a sharp, monkey-like face and fine hair covering her body.
Today, she was unusually well dressed. To ordinary eyes, she was a graceful beauty.
Gao Yang's heart sank, but his expression didn't waver. He bowed. "Seventh Senior Sister."
She frowned. "Why is he here?"
"The Immortal Mistress's orders," the steward replied.
Seventh Senior Sister shrugged. "Fine. Just make sure he doesn't hold back when the time comes. I won't."
The steward smiled softly. "Don't worry. Thirteen knows his place."