Chapter 55 Master, is it alright?

Their appearance instantly broke the subtle balance and attracted the attention of everyone present.

The sound of swallowing saliva echoed continuously in the hall; those ordinary Cultivators had never seen such a stunning beauty.

With silver hair and purple eyes, a peerless countenance, and a black palace dress that fluttered without wind, her entire body seemed to be permeated with a layer of pure Yin Qi that made the Soul tremble while simultaneously stirring greed.

Her breathtaking beauty in this terrifying great hall was like a pearl in the dark night, instantly causing many Cultivators with lower cultivation levels to stare blankly, their breathing hitching.

"Wow, so... so beautiful!"

"Such a beauty, she is simply a Heavenly Immortal descended to the mortal world..."

Several Loose Cultivators and Disciples from small Sects with weak willpower were practically drooling, swallowing their saliva hard.

There was no help for it; You Li was simply too beautiful.

Xiao Ming watched them all making lecherous expressions; although he felt disdain in his heart, he had to admit that this little girl was truly captivating, to the point where even he had almost been unable to hold himself back.

Of course, while there were those with obsessive expressions and drooling mouths, there were naturally also those who were sharp-minded and somber.

At this moment, among the camps of the three major Sects, experts like Elder Ying, Zhao Chuan, and the White Bone Temple Cultivator were tense, their expressions grave, because they could vaguely sense the dangerous Aura invisibly radiating from You Li.

Although they could not see her true Realm, alarm bells were already ringing in their hearts.

Finally, Elder Ying spoke first: "This Fellow Daoist..." He bowed slightly, his gaze sweeping over You Li with wariness, "Your celestial appearance is peerless and your bearing is extraordinary, but please forgive this old man's dull eyes—I do not know which Sect you hail from? Are you also here for the Opportunity in this palace?"

He asked this question quite tactfully.

First, he flattered her to raise You Li's status, then asked about her background; it was both a probe and an attempt to fish for her intentions.

Upon hearing this, You Li glanced at Elder Ying indifferently with her amethyst-like eyes, then returned her gaze to Xiao Ming, as if no one other than her Master could attract her attention in the slightest.

The great hall fell into a dead silence again. A moment later, Zhao Chuan of the Yin Sha Sect could no longer hold back and snorted coldly, his voice like clashing metal: "Old Ghost Ying, why waste your breath on her! This woman's origins are unknown, and she is just playing god! The treasures in this palace belong to those capable of taking them! Does your Hundred Ghost Cave still want to talk about rules like who arrived first?"

He had a violent personality and believed more in his fists; although he was somewhat wary of You Li, he was not yet afraid.

The White Bone Temple Cultivator also let out a "ka-ka" strange laugh and reminded her with his Saint-like voice: "Old Ghost Ying, Old Demon Zhao, look clearly—she is a ghost body, not a human!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall exploded. It was quiet for a few breaths, then erupted in an uproar.

"This woman is actually a ghost, and I couldn't tell at all!"

"A female ghost... I like it!"

Just as everyone was discussing it, a calm and lazy voice rang out abruptly, causing the noisy scene to quiet down.

"Everyone, the items in this hall have an affinity with me!"

Although the voice was not loud, it clearly reached everyone's ears.

In an instant, everyone's gaze shifted in unison from You Li to the young man beside her, whom everyone had subconsciously ignored.

Because Xiao Ming had restrained his Aura, everyone was unaware of his true Realm.

Following this brief silence came a roar of mockery and curses!

"Pfft, hahaha! Kid, what did you say? Affinity with you? Who do you think you are!" A hot-tempered Late Golden Core Stage Loose Cultivator was the first to laugh wildly, pointing at Xiao Ming with a face full of mockery.

"Tch, a mere junior, daring to spout such nonsense here? Truly courting death!"

"I think you've been bewitched by this female ghost and have gone insane!"

"Where did this idiot come from? Since when do you have a right to speak here? Get lost!"

In an instant, mocking sounds and angry rebukes rose and fell.

In everyone's eyes, Xiao Ming was nothing more than a "Puppet" or a "kept man" controlled by the female ghost; for him to speak such wild words now was the height of absurdity!

Even experts like Elder Ying and Zhao Chuan frowned, feeling that this kid might really have been controlled and was just babbling nonsense.

However, along with these words came a cold, bone-chilling, and terrifying Killing Intent that seemed capable of freezing the Soul.

Those Cultivators who were still mocking were like people whose throats had been gripped by invisible hands; their laughter and curses stopped abruptly, their faces turned deathly pale, their bodies stiffened, and their eyes were instantly filled with terror!

You Li turned her head slowly, her pure purple eyes coldly locking onto the few Cultivators who had been shouting the loudest, the Killing Intent in her eyes undisguised.

Only waiting for Xiao Ming's order, she would immediately swallow the spirits and destroy the Souls of these ants who dared to insult her Master!

Feeling this undisguised and terrifying Aura, even experts like Elder Ying and Zhao Chuan changed color, subconsciously taking half a step back and exerting their full Cultivation Technique to guard themselves!

They finally confirmed that the strength of this silver-haired female ghost was definitely far beyond their estimations!

Just as the atmosphere remained at a stalemate, Xiao Ming spoke again, his voice gentle yet not lacking in dominance: "You Li..."

As soon as he spoke, the terrifying Killing Intent around You Li receded like a tide. She obediently lowered her jade hands, the coldness in her purple eyes instantly dissipated, and she returned to her look of total submission, turning slightly to the side to await her Master's command.

This huge contrast before and after almost caused the jaws of everyone present to drop.

Xiao Ming tilted his head slightly, looked at a palace door passage on the inner side of the hall, and said slowly to You Li, who was waiting quietly beside him: "In there is the Opportunity regarding your background; go in! As for these ants... I will just happen to use them to Cultivate."

Immediately, the Killing Intent in his eyes surged, and he no longer restrained his Aura.

Upon hearing this, although a flash of worry appeared in You Li's purple eyes, it was mostly absolute obedience to Xiao Ming's command.

She nodded gently, her ethereal voice filled with concern: "Then Master, be careful; You Li will go first."

She trusted her Master's strength and understood his intentions at this moment.

After speaking, her figure turned into a stream of light, instantly passing through a light door at the end of the hall and disappearing.

Seeing this scene, no one went to stop her; after all, they had just felt the powerful Aura radiating from You Li.

The moment You Li's figure disappeared, the hall was silent for a moment. When they confirmed that the unfathomable silver-haired female ghost had really entered the inner hall, and that the Restriction at the door seemed to be slowly closing, isolating the inside from the outside, all the remaining Cultivators in the hall turned their gazes toward Xiao Ming in unison.

Their gazes were no longer as wary or disdainful as before. Instead, they were like hungry wolves seeing a lone lamb, filled with greed, Killing Intent, and undisguised mockery!

The fear they had felt from You Li's Killing Intent was now entirely transformed into the violent rage of embarrassment!

"Hahaha! Kid, your backer has gone in, now let's see who can save you!" The Late Golden Core Stage Loose Cultivator who had been shouting the loudest earlier was the first to jump out, grinning hideously, and approached Xiao Ming step by step.

"A mere Golden Core Stage junior, daring to spout wild words? Truly courting death!"

"Earlier, you had that female ghost protecting you, but now... hehe, this daddy wants to see how many of my axe blows a pretty boy like you can withstand!"

"Take him down! When that female ghost comes out, we'll use him as a hostage!"

In an instant, various mocking sounds and angry curses filled the hall again.

In everyone's eyes, the kid before them had only been arrogant because he relied on the protection of that female ghost; now that she was gone, this boy was naturally fish on the chopping block, ready to be slaughtered!

Taking him down would both vent their anger and serve as a bargaining chip to restrain that female ghost—killing two birds with one stone!

Elder Ying, Zhao Chuan, and the White Bone Temple Cultivator, these three experts, although not as impatient as those Loose Cultivators, also had their eyes turn cold.

They looked at each other and saw the same thought in each other's eyes: take this kid down first, interrogate him about the female ghost's origins and purpose, and then decide what to do.

As for the Opportunity deep within this palace... after resolving this variable, they could compete based on their own abilities.

In an instant, the Aura of over thirty Golden Core Stage Cultivators (including six or seven Golden Core Peak experts) locked onto Xiao Ming!

The Killing Intent was like substance, freezing the surrounding air!

Facing this death trap that would have made any Golden Core Stage Cultivator despair, Xiao Ming did not even frown.

Not only was there no fear on his face, but he also revealed a... bone-chilling, devilish smile.

"Heh..." Xiao Ming chuckled softly and shook his head, as if lamenting the stupidity of the people before him: 'I originally wanted to let you live a little longer, but unfortunately... you insist on courting death yourselves!'

Just as the Devilish Qi within Xiao Ming surged, and he was about to strike, a wisp of pink smoke drifted out, without any warning, from the soul-containing jade hanging on Xiao Ming's chest.

The smoke was extremely faint at first, yet it carried a strange, eerie fragrance that was cloyingly sweet to the bone and made one's mind sway. It instantly spread, enveloping the area of several zhang around Xiao Ming.

The pink smoke coiled like a dream or an illusion, instantly blocking the view from the outside. When the crowd's perception probed into it, it was like a clay ox entering the sea; they could only vaguely see two blurred figures in the mist, along with a Soul-stealing, bewitching Aura.

This sudden turn of events caused the crowd of Cultivators, who had been on the verge of attacking with swords drawn, to pause. They stopped in their tracks, looking at the area where Xiao Ming was with suspicion and uncertainty.

"What is going on? What kind of demonic magic is this?"

"Such eerie smoke... Be careful, it might be a trap!"

"Eh! It seems... there is another woman inside, no, that is a female ghost! ... Damn, another female ghost?"

Even people like Elder Ying and Zhao Chuan, who were at the Golden Core Peak, furrowed their brows. They could feel that this pink mist had no lethality, but its bewitching intent went straight into the Soul, making people subconsciously vigilant and afraid to rashly intrude.

Inside the pink mist, the graceful figure of Meiying slowly appeared. She was still stark naked, her exquisitely beautiful body flickering in and out of sight within the pink mist. Her curves were Soul-stirring, and every part of her exuded a temptation that could drive one mad.

But at this moment, standing before Xiao Ming, her beautiful face wore a hint of trepidation, and her slender jade fingers were slightly clenched; she seemed somewhat nervous.

"Master..." Her voice was soft and seductive to the bone, yet it also carried a pitiful tone. "Mei... Meiying has a request."

Watching this vivid and fragrant scene before him, even with his firm determination, Xiao Ming's eyelid twitched slightly. He suppressed the restlessness in his heart and asked in confusion, "What is it? Just say it."

Seeing that her Master did not seem dissatisfied or reprimand her for her sudden appearance, she hurriedly explained, "Master, please calm your anger! Meiying did not intend to disturb you. It is just that the woman among the pair who just snuck into the hall..." She extended a jade finger, pointing toward an inconspicuous shadow in the corner of the hall.

Xiao Ming looked in the direction she pointed and indeed saw a man and a woman sneaking around there. However, when he saw their faces clearly, his mouth twitched uncontrollably. Those two were the "wild mandarin ducks" who had been engaging in hanky-panky in the outer stone forest and had later snuck in during the chaos.

At this moment, the man looked nervous, while the woman's clothes were slightly disheveled, and her face still carried an un-faded flush.

Meiying continued to plead in that voice that could make one's bones melt, "Master, the clothing of our Phantom Ghosts needs... needs to absorb the Yang Qi or blood essence of a beloved one to slowly manifest..." She pursed her lips, and a slight blush quietly crept onto her beautiful face.

"In the future, when Meiying runs errands for Master outside, it is inevitable that I will have to show my face... Moreover, Meiying needs to absorb Yang Qi to progress in my Cultivate. So... so Meiying wants to beg for Master's permission to let Meiying control that woman as a Puppet. This way, Meiying can drive her to run errands for Master, and also use her to absorb Yang Qi to improve my Cultivate."

By the time she finished speaking, her voice grew weaker and weaker, carrying a hint of shyness, yet appearing even more seductive.

After listening, Xiao Ming's mouth twitched violently. Good heavens, this female ghost's clothing actually had to be manifested in this way!

He originally intended to refuse, thinking that he could just not have her show her face outside in the future, but looking down, he saw the longing and pleading on the beautiful face so close to him, and her captivating eyes seemed to be filled with mist.

"Master... is it okay?" She begged softly, her breath as fragrant as an orchid.

Xiao Ming felt his scalp tingle and subconsciously swallowed a mouthful of saliva. Especially since this female ghost was naturally bewitching, and now with this pitiful appearance, the lethality was off the charts. He helplessly rubbed his brow and sighed, "Fine, what do you want to do!"

"Thank you, Master!" Hearing this, Meiying beamed with joy, leaned in, and quickly pecked Xiao Ming on the cheek, leaving behind a cold and soft sensation.

Immediately, she turned around slowly and reached out with her jade hand toward the corner from a distance!

The woman who was tidying her clothes suddenly felt an irresistible force strike her. With a cry of surprise, her whole body was uncontrollably lifted off the ground and instantly pulled into the pink mist!

"Junior Sister Liu!" The man was shocked and was about to rush over, but he was struck by a trace of bewitching Aura that spilled out when the pink mist dispersed, causing his mind to sway, and he was dragged back by his fellow Disciples.

Inside the pink mist, the woman who had been pulled in stumbled and fell to the ground. She hurriedly got up and looked in terror at the exquisitely beautiful, weird, and naked female ghost before her, as well as the calm and indifferent-eyed Xiao Ming beside her. She was immediately scared to the point of shaking all over and said with a trembling voice, "What... what are you going to do?"

Meiying ignored her, her eyes glowing with intense red light. Her hands formed a strange and complex seal, and she chanted something. A pink stream of light instantly submerged into the woman's brow and disappeared!

The woman's body gradually began to tremble violently. A struggle and fear flashed in her eyes, but they were quickly replaced by a pink haze of confusion, and her expression became seductive and submissive.

"It is done, Master." Meiying slowly withdrew her hands, looking with satisfaction at the woman who was now obediently kneeling. Then she turned to Xiao Ming and gave a seductive smile, her voice carrying a hint of triumph, "This Puppet is quite useful. Next... it might be a bit unsightly, so please, Master, move aside for a moment, and do not let her dirty your eyes."

Xiao Ming also seemed to understand her thoughts. He looked at the crowd still outside the pink haze, each with their own thoughts and some eager to try, then nodded slowly. He took a deep look at the controlled woman, flickered his figure, and retreated from the range of the pink mist.

As soon as he came out, the ball of pink mist seemed to lose its support and exploded with a bang! A more intense, cloyingly sweet pink fragrance swept across the entire hall like a tide!

At the same time, the crowd saw that where the pink mist exploded, the female ghost whose appearance could not be seen before had disappeared, leaving only Xiao Ming, who was walking slowly toward the hall door, and the woman who had been pulled into the pink mist.

The woman's originally pretty face was now covered with a weird flush, her eyes were dazed, and her gaze was as seductive as silk. Her clothes had become half-revealing, exposing large patches of snow-white skin. As she moved, her waist twisted and turned, and she made seductive sounds from time to time. Every move of hers now exuded extreme flirtatiousness and wantonness! It was as if she had instantly turned into a femme fatale born to seduce men!

"Mmm ah... so hot... so uncomfortable..." Her voice was high-pitched, and she actually began to pull at her already scant clothing in public, pressing herself toward the few male Cultivators closest to her!

This sudden, salacious, and dramatic change left the entire hall of Cultivators dumbfounded!

"Damn... this woman... what is going on?"

"Damn, what a slutty woman!"

"Be careful, that pink mist is strange!"

"Little vixen, I will make you scream and beg for mercy in a while."

Many Cultivators with poor willpower had their eyes turn instantly fiery, and their breathing began to grow heavy. Even experts like Elder Ying and Zhao Chuan felt their minds sway slightly and hurriedly used their Cultivation Technique to resist this pervasive bewitching power.

In an instant, the atmosphere of the entire hall changed from grave and stern to eerie and lewd!

All sorts of sounds of swallowing saliva and tearing clothes were endless. Only a few of the strongest at the Golden Core Peak were still resisting desperately by relying on their own means.

Zhao Chuan gave an angry shout, barely managed to gather his Qi, and questioned, "Old Ghost Ying, what is going on with this female Disciple of your Sect?"

Seeing the remaining Cultivators who were barely keeping their sanity all looking over, Elder Ying subconsciously swallowed a few mouthfuls of saliva and hurriedly explained, "How would I know? It must be some means cast by that female ghost who appeared just now..."

Before he could finish speaking, a Loose Cultivator at the Golden Core Peak said loudly, "Let us first join forces to break this Restriction and get out of this hall before talking!"

The crowd looked at each other. Although they were wary of one another, given the current situation, they had no choice but to temporarily join forces.

On the other side, after exiting the palace, Xiao Ming wandered around the perimeter, found a huge rock, sat cross-legged, and slowly began to Cultivate.

The harsh environment and Yin Qi in the Secret Realm did not distract him. Xiao Ming focused his attention, occasionally swallowing a few Medicinal Pills, and his own Aura was slowly strengthening at a speed visible to the naked eye.

And the hall door not far behind him first kept making thumping sounds, then the sounds slowly weakened, and finally disappeared completely, leaving only a series of high-pitched and repressed groans and shouts that were intensifying as time passed...