167: Three pendants

Outside Juejian Pass, the yellow sand had been stained dark purple by fresh blood, and a suffocating burnt smell permeated the air.

Zhao Wuji led the remaining remnants of the twelve sects, trembling, out from behind the defensive Formation.

This Body Integration Middle Stage mighty expert, who usually commanded awe in the Western Desert, now looked at Su Lin and his group as if a group of Mortals had seen living ancestors walk out of a myth.

Too brutal.

Too unreasonable.

Five Mahayana Stage Cultivators, gone just like that.

Not even dregs were left; they were even used by these four Revered Master and disciple as decoration Materials, plastered over that large hole.

Zhao Wuji swallowed, straightened his Daoist robe that was torn into rags, and bowed deeply, all the way down.

“Senior’s Divine Might! You saved the billions of lives in our Western Desert from suffering; such kindness will never be forgotten!”

Behind him, tens of thousands of Cultivators knelt in unison, their shouts shaking the heavens.

“Thank you, Senior, for saving our lives!”

Su Lin rubbed his temples with a slight headache.

He feared such scenes the most.

If it were before, when his “Invincible Revered Master” persona was still active, he would have at least spouted some grand words about “acting on behalf of heaven.”

But now, he just wanted to find a place to take a good bath and deal with the three pendants hanging on him.

“Alright, stop bowing.”

Zhao Wuji’s mouth twitched.

Casually wiping out the Mahayana Stage experts from the alien race’s homeland? That was too Versailles.

But he was a smart man and instantly saw that although this Senior’s cultivation seemed to be only Void Refining Stage, he was clearly the backbone of these three Devil Head women.

“Senior!”

Zhao Wuji quickly stepped forward, his tone respectful to the point of fawning, “This place is ravaged, and the blood Qi is too heavy, which might offend your Dharma Eye, Senior.

Although the Sky Dome Sword Sect, where this Junior resides, is not comparable to major sects, it does have a separate courtyard called Cloud Peak Immortal Palace, suspended above a sea of clouds, clean and elegant, with spiritual springs and waterfalls.

If Senior doesn’t mind, you may move there to rest for a while, allowing us to fulfill our duties as hosts.”

Su Lin was about to refuse and return directly to Daochu Sect.

But feeling the heavy weight of Su Hongling on his left arm, and the two unruly disciple on his right who were still glaring at each other, he changed his mind.

If they went back now, these three would tear apart the flying boat. It was better to find a place first, use the eight treasures demon-subduing feast that the System had just given him to appease them, and also give Su Hongling, this girl who was as dirty as a mud monkey, a bath.

It was better to find a place first, use the 【eight treasures demon-subduing feast】 that the System had just given him to appease them, and also give Su Hongling, this girl who was as dirty as a mud monkey, a bath.

“Lead the way.”

Su Lin was concise.

“Aye! Alright!” Zhao Wuji was overjoyed, immediately summoning a spare luxurious flying boat, “Senior, please! Fairies, please!”

...Sky Dome Sword Sect, Cloud Peak Immortal Palace.

This was an independent floating island suspended above a sea of clouds.

With white jade paving the ground, magnificent palaces, immortal cranes flying around, and several waterfalls of Spiritual Qi cascading from the island’s edge, it was indeed a good place for self-cultivation.

Undeniably, Zhao Wuji was very sensible.

After bringing them there, he left behind a dozen seemingly clever and beautiful maidservants (who were all scared away by a single glance from Luo Ximei), and also left piles of spiritual fruits and fine wine. Then, very tactfully, he led everyone to retreat ten miles away and activated the highest-level isolation Formation, fearing to disturb the peaceful cultivation of these “living ancestors.”

The entire floating island instantly had only the four Revered Master and disciple left.

Quiet, yet dangerous.

The main hall of the pavilion was extremely spacious, with warm jade paving the floor, making it smooth and comfortable to walk on.

Su Lin had just plopped down onto the wide, soft couch covered with a white tiger skin, and hadn’t even had time to sigh in relief.

“Bang!”

A pitch-black greatsword was heavily slammed onto the floor in front of him, half the blade sinking in.

Immediately after, the red figure pounced, directly pinning Su Lin onto the soft couch.

“Old Man! Look!”

Su Hongling straddled Su Lin’s waist, holding the greatsword like a treasure to Su Lin’s nose. The blade still had uncleaned blood and brains from the Purple Gold Leader on it.

“This is a trophy! Wasn’t my hammer strike just now cool? Am I much stronger than before?”

Her dirty little face was full of expressions seeking praise, her two red pupils sparkling, completely ignoring the two murderous gazes from the side.

Su Lin looked at the

“weapon of ill omen” that was an inch from his nose, emanating a strong stench, and then looked at Su Hongling’s clothes, which were a mixture of dirt, blood, and sweat.

His mysophobia flared up.

“Get down.”

Su Lin extended a finger, pressed it against her forehead, and pushed her away.

“You’re filthy.”

“Where am I dirty?! These are all medals!”

Su Hongling grumbled unhappily, but her body honestly moved back a bit, though her butt remained stubbornly glued to Su Lin’s leg.

“Second Senior Sister.”

A sinister voice came from the side.

Luo Ximei stood not far away, a wet towel in her hand at some point.

She slowly wiped her fingers, which had no dust, while scanning Su Hongling up and down with her platinum-colored right eye.

“Revered Master likes to be clean. If your smell makes Revered Master faint, can you bear the responsibility?”

“Exactly.”

Chu Weiwei also came closer, holding a bathtub carved with runes, “Second Senior Sister, one should know their place. You’re like a wild child picked up from a garbage dump right now, how are you fit to touch Revered Master?”

“Who are you calling a wild child?!”

Su Hongling bristled, grabbing the greatsword to swing it, “Want to fight? I haven’t killed enough just now!”

“Come on!” Luo Ximei was not to be outdone, Devilish Qi surging behind her, “It just so happens that this Venerable One wants to try what it feels like to Seal your brute strength.”

Seeing that the roof of the pavilion was about to be destroyed again.

“All of you, shut up.”

Su Lin’s voice wasn’t loud, but it carried an irresistible weariness and authority.

He pulled out a clean white bathrobe from his storage ring and threw it over Su Hongling’s head, completely covering her snarling face.

“Go take a bath.”

“I won’t!”

A muffled voice came from under the bathrobe, “I can’t wash myself clean! Revered Master always used to wash me!”

“...”

A vein throbbed on Su Lin’s forehead.

How old were you then! You’re hundreds of years old now! Can’t you have some shame?

“Wash yourself.” Su Lin refused very straightforwardly.

“Then I won’t wash! I’ll just rub all this dirt on you!”

Su Hongling pulled off the bathrobe, making to burrow into Su Lin’s arms, adopting a stance of a dead pig not fearing boiling water.

“I’ll help you wash.”

Luo Ximei suddenly spoke, a very “kind” smile appearing on her face.

She walked behind Su Hongling and grabbed her by the collar, like picking up a disobedient kitten.

“Second Senior Sister hasn’t been back for so long, she must be unaccustomed. As a Junior Sister, I should also show my filial piety.”

“What are you doing?! Let go of me! Fifth Junior Sister, do you want to die?!”

Su Hongling flailed her legs in the air, but under Luo Ximei’s suppression with that wisp of True Immortal Origin power, her strange strength was surprisingly unable to be exerted for a while.

“Third Senior Sister, why are you still standing there? Run the water.”

Luo Ximei winked at Chu Weiwei, “Remember to add more cleansing herbs. Second Senior Sister’s skin is too thick; she needs a good soak.”

“Understood.”

Chu Weiwei understood, and immediately filled the large wooden tub with greenish medicinal water, also adding several potent herbs that would make skin tingle and even peel a layer off.

“Second Senior Sister, please~”

“Help! Old Man, help! These two crazy women are trying to murder a fellow disciple!!”

Su Hongling screamed as she was dragged behind the screen.

Su Lin sat on the soft couch, listening to the “plop” of water and Su Hongling’s vigorous cursing from behind the screen, as well as Luo Ximei and Chu Weiwei’s clearly vengeful cackles.

He sighed and took out the sparkling golden 【eight treasures demon-subduing feast】 recipe from his storage ring.

“Does this thing really work?”

【This recipe was created by an ancient Chef God specifically for feeding… ahem, specifically for taking care of powerful individuals with extreme personalities.】

【The fragments of Dao Law contained within it act directly on the Divine Soul through the taste buds, having extremely strong calming, tranquilizing, and attachment-increasing effects.】

Su Lin looked at the names of the dishes on the recipe, which sounded outrageous.

Things like “Dragon Liver Phoenix Marrow Soup” (which could, of course, be substituted with Advanced Yao Beast meat), “Nine Revolutions Soul-Returning Braised Pork,” “Clear Heart Benevolent Pork Hock”... was this really an immortal cultivation recipe, not a pig-feeding guide?

Never mind, desperate times call for desperate measures.

Su Lin got up and walked towards the small kitchen in the side hall. Although they had long since achievedBigu (a type of fasting) (abstinence from grains) at their Realm, the desire for food was often the best means to control disciple... Half an hour later.

When Su Lin emerged from the kitchen carrying the last dish, “Eight Treasures Glazed Duck,” an indescribably potent aroma instantly enveloped the entire pavilion.

It wasn’t just the scent of food.

It was a smell that blended Spiritual Qi and the rhythm of Law, capable of directly arousing the most primal desire for food in living beings.

The commotion behind the screen ceased abruptly.

Immediately after.

“Boom!”

The screen, carved from ten-thousand-year-old ironwood, was directly shattered.

A red afterimage, trailing damp steam, rushed out like a hungry dog pouncing on food.

“Meat!!!”

Su Hongling, wrapped in a white bathrobe that was clearly too big, her hair still dripping wet, barefoot, her red eyes now glowing green, stared intently at the plate in Su Lin’s hand.

She didn’t care about Revered Master’s dignity anymore, directly jumping onto the table and reaching out to grab it.

“Slap.”

Su Lin tapped her hand with a chopstick.

“Did you wash your hands?”

“Washed, washed! They almost scrubbed a layer of skin off me!”

Su Hongling extended her hands to Su Lin, and indeed, they were rubbed red, emitting a strange medicinal scent.

At this moment, Luo Ximei and Chu Weiwei also walked out.

Although their clothes were still relatively neat, their hair was a bit disheveled, clearly having gone through quite a struggle in that tub.

But when they smelled that aroma, their attempts to maintain composure instantly showed signs of collapse.

“This... what is this?”

Luo Ximei swallowed.

She was a demonic Cultivator, most sensitive to things that aroused desire.

This dish... had poison?

No, it was addictive!

“Sit down.”

Su Lin placed the dishes in the center of the table; there were eighteen hearty dishes in total, each sparkling with luster, with small Dragons and Phoenixes condensed from steam floating above them.

“Eat.”

This command was like the bugle call to battle.

Su Hongling was the first to act.

She didn’t even use chopsticks, directly grabbing the “Clear Heart Benevolent Pork Hock,” which was larger than her face, and took a big bite.

“Mmm—!!!”

The skin was soft and glutinous, melting in her mouth, fatty but not greasy.

The rich meaty aroma burst in her mouth, then transformed into a warm current that rushed directly into her Sea of Consciousness.

Her Qi and blood, which had been somewhat restless from the forced Breakthrough and the recent battle, instantly became incredibly docile under the soothing effect of this warm current.

It felt like her Divine Soul was being gently caressed by a pair of warm hands.

“Delicious! So delicious! Woo woo woo...”

Su Hongling devoured the food, sobbing indistinctly.

“For a hundred years... what garbage have I been eating... rocks, tree bark, and stinky Yao Beast meat...”

“Old Man... I missed you so much...”

【Ding! Second Disciple Su Hongling’s bond value +5!】

【Note: The power of braised pork surpasses a thousand words.】

Seeing Su Hongling looking like a starving ghost reborn, Luo Ximei and Chu Weiwei exchanged glances, both seeing disdain in the other’s eyes.

“How unrefined.”

Luo Ximei sat down elegantly, picked up her chopsticks, and took a piece of what looked like the most exquisite “Nine Revolutions Soul-Returning Braised Pork.”

“It’s just cooking, isn’t it? What delicacies haven’t this Venerable One eaten...”

She put the meat into her mouth.

In that instant.

Luo Ximei’s pupils suddenly dilated.

The light in her platinum-colored right eye swirled uncontrollably.

This taste... wasn’t just delicious.

This meat contained an extremely faint yet utterly pure fragment of Space Law, which resonated perfectly with the True Immortal Origin that had not yet fully undergone Fusion within her body.

It was like adding lubricant between two gears.

The discomfort of swollen Meridians that had always accompanied her actually lessened somewhat after eating this piece of meat!

“This...”

Luo Ximei looked at Su Lin in shock.

Revered Master... actually hid Law in the dishes?!

Was it for me?

Was it to help me regulate my body?

A huge sense of sweetness surged in her heart, a hundred times sweeter than the braised pork.

“Revered Master...”

Luo Ximei looked at Su Lin, her eyes full of affection, “This meat... is so sweet.”

She extended the tip of her tongue and licked the sauce from the corner of her mouth, the gesture full of suggestion.

【Ding! Fifth Disciple Luo Ximei’s bond value +2!】

Seeing this, Chu Weiwei was not to be outdone.

She scooped a spoonful of “Dragon Liver Phoenix Marrow Soup.”

It was delicious upon tasting, with a long-lasting aftertaste.

Most importantly, this soup actually contained a special spiritual essence that could nourish a poisoned Physique, causing the constantly restless poisonous insects within her body to quiet down.

“Revered Master truly cares about me...”

Chu Weiwei was moved to tears, “Even when making soup, he thinks of Weiwei’s Physique...”

【Ding! Third Disciple Chu Weiwei’s bond value +3!】

The meal was devoured like a whirlwind.

Eighteen dishes, and in the end, even the plates were licked sparkling clean by Su Hongling.

The three, full and satisfied, no longer had their previous animosity.

The special effects of the 【eight treasures demon-subduing feast】 began to take hold.

A lazy, extremely comfortable drowsiness surged into their hearts, suppressing even their combative emotions.

“So full...”

Su Hongling sprawled ungracefully on the chair, patting her round belly, and let out a burp infused with Spiritual Qi.

“Old Man, I’m sleepy.”

Rubbing her eyes, like a well-fed kitten wanting to sleep, she swayed to Su Lin’s side and collapsed into his arms.