After leaving the secret realm, Lin Huaiqing had no time even to say goodbye to Yin Shuangyue. He immediately flew back to the Xuantian Sect on his sword.
The entire journey was an ordeal. A sinister heat burned in his dantian, threatening to consume him.
It flushed his cheeks as though he had been steamed, leaving his legs so weak that he nearly fell from his spirit sword several times.
At last, he understood what the black-clad cultivator had meant.
The man had drugged him with an aphrodisiac, using such a despicable method.
It was potent and fast-acting. He had inhaled only a little smoke, yet its effects were already overwhelming.
Fortunately, his spirit sword carried him safely to the Xuantian Sect without incident.
It stopped at the mountain gate.
Seeing a white-robed figure staggering along the long flight of steps, the disciple on guard assumed he was some unknown wandering cultivator who had come calling while drunk.
Only upon approaching did he realize it was Immortal Venerable Huaiqing, who rarely appeared in public.
“Immortal Venerable Huaiqing, what’s wrong? Please wake up!”
He shook Lin Huaiqing, accidentally catching sight of the flushed skin beneath his pristine white robes.
“Something’s wrong! Hurry and notify Elder Qiuyue! Immortal Venerable Huaiqing has been poisoned!”
Before losing consciousness completely, Lin Huaiqing still managed to feel grateful.
Fortunately, the disciples guarding the gate today weren’t healers. If they discovered he had been given an aphrodisiac, how could he ever show his face in the Xuantian Sect again?
Meanwhile, inside the secret realm, his two disciples were in turmoil.
Something had clearly been wrong with their master. But he had rushed off before they could find out more, and neither knew how he was doing now.
After a long silence, Yu’er finally lost patience.
“Hey! Why aren’t you saying anything? What do we do next? Why don’t we report this to my master once the trial ends? She’ll certainly see that justice is done!”
“No! I have to get out. I can’t wait another three days!”
“Neither can I.”
Though neither explained, both understood. They had to find Lin Huaiqing—right now.
“Let’s go!”
Qin Du and Mu Yunting immediately pressed their signal devices, voluntarily withdrawing from the trial.
Two flashes of red light, and both men vanished.
Yu’er was left standing there, bewildered.
“Hey! Seriously? What could be so urgent? Wait for me!”
Another red light flashed. Yu’er followed them out of the realm.
She hurried after the two, finally catching up and running ahead to block their path.
“Wait, aren’t you coming with me to see Master? We need to explain what happened. If I go alone, I won’t have any witnesses!”
“Miss Yu’er, we really have something urgent to attend to. Find your master and tell her everything first. If you need us, contact us by long-distance voice transmission!”
Having given Yu’er those instructions, Mu Yunting summoned the Qingyu Sword from his sea of consciousness.
Qin Du promptly jumped onto it first.
Ignoring his shameless behavior, Mu Yunting stepped onto the flying sword, and the two headed straight for the Xuantian Sect.
“Hey! Hey!”
Dancao Peak—Anxiang Waterside Pavilion.
“You cannot enter without Elder Qiuyue’s permission.”
Two young medicine attendants barred their way.
“My master is in there! How is he?”
“Elder Qiuyue is treating Immortal Venerable Huaiqing. Please wait outside.”
They had no idea how much time passed before they finally heard Shen Qiuyue’s voice from within.
But she merely called one of the young attendants inside.
A short while later, the attendant emerged and beckoned to them both.
“Elder Qiuyue sent me to tell you that the aphrodisiac affecting Immortal Venerable Huaiqing is no ordinary drug. One of you needs to come inside and help cure him.”
That was a staggering amount of information—made all the more shocking by the fact that it came from a young medicine attendant.
Qin Du remembered how hot his master’s forehead had felt back in the realm. So the aphrodisiac had been the cause.
He had little experience with such drugs, but he knew a thing or two.
Someone afflicted with an aphrodisiac could only be cured through dual cultivation with another person. Otherwise, their life would be in danger.
And even the healing elder had said this was no ordinary drug. Could her solution be to have their master practice dual cultivation with one of them?
Wouldn’t that explain exactly what the black-clad cultivator had said?
“Me! I’ll help cure Master!”
Without another thought, Qin Du moved to enter.
“Why should it be you? You dem— I will never let you defile Master!”
“I don’t have time to fight you. Let go!”
Qin Du shook off Mu Yunting’s grip, only to be seized even more tightly a moment later.
Mu Yunting’s eyes were slightly red. As though making up his mind, he snapped, “You have no say here! I’m Master’s direct disciple!”
“Master took me first! Don’t you understand seniority? Besides, could you even do it?”
Qin Du began looking Mu Yunting over with open disdain.
After what he had observed over the past few days, nothing could convince him that Mu Yunting and Yu’er had shared no history in their previous life.
Which raised a question about whether the man preferred men or women.
But there were children nearby. He saw no need to spell it out.
His insinuation, however, instantly ignited Mu Yunting’s temper.
The Qingyu Sword appeared a moment later.
“Keep talking nonsense, and I’ll take your life!”
“Hmph! You think obtaining a sacred weapon gives you the right to throw your weight around in front of me? Take this!”
The two began fighting right there in Anxiang Waterside Pavilion. Sword energy flew everywhere, destroying the surrounding flowers and plants. The two young attendants fled to a corner by the wall in terror.
Hearing the commotion from the inner room, Shen Qiuyue hurriedly put down her work and rushed outside.
“What are you two doing?! If you want to fight, go back to Lingxiao Peak! Stop this at once!”
Both halted.
Looking at the ruined plants throughout the pavilion, Shen Qiuyue finally understood why her senior brother was always worried about his disciples’ discord.
They really did go at each other with swords drawn!
“Didn’t I tell one of you to come inside and help cure your master? How did that turn into a fight?!”
Qin Du and Mu Yunting exchanged a glance. Neither would say a word about why they had started.
In the end, one of the young attendants ran out from the corner and answered, “They were fighting over who would go in to help.”
“Yes, Master. Sword cultivators are so violent. One disagreement, and they start fighting.”
Their explanation only left Shen Qiuyue more bewildered.
All she wanted was a bowl of blood from one of these virginal young men to use as a medicinal catalyst. Was that really worth fighting over?
“Fine, fine. Both of you come in!”
Shen Qiuyue sighed and compromised.
“What?! Together?!”
They spoke in unison.
Shen Qiuyue gave an irritated grunt of assent, opened the door, and went inside.
Though somewhat apprehensive, the two glared at each other before following her in.
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