114: Chapter 114 A stunningly beautiful woman! The exquisite master of the chosen one…

Yet, looking at the beauty in his arms, Zhou Liangan had not a shred of pity in his eyes. Instead, they were filled with a thick malice and a smug, successful smile.

Zhou Liangan lowered his head, leaning close to Seventh Master Ao Qingyan's ear, and spoke slowly in a voice only the two of them could hear, his tone dripping with playfulness. "I told you long ago to be obedient and enjoy the romantic moments with this young Revered Master, but you just wouldn't listen. Now look at you, fallen into my hands. Let's see how arrogant you can be now."

Zhou Liangan raised his hand, gently brushing Seventh Master Ao Qingyan's pale cheek. The smile at the corner of his lips grew wider. Holding the beauty in his arms, he took a step forward, and his figure instantly vanished into the billowing dust of Black Wind Canyon.

Zhou Liangan found a secluded cave, and after setting up a Restriction barrier there, the corners of his mouth curled upward...

...

...

...

Kunlun Mountain's continuous peaks were covered in perennial snow, and fierce winds whipped snow into the sea of clouds with a howl. Even the main peak's palace deep within the mountain's heart carried a bone-chilling coldness.

Qin Xiuyuan stood before the Cold Jade Bed inside the palace. His originally handsome face was now as pale as paper, and even his lips had lost all color.

He clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white, the joints popping with a crisp cracking sound as if he wanted to crush his own bones.

His chest surged with monstrous hatred, along with uncontrollable fear and guilt. A hostile aura overflowed from his body, causing the surrounding air to turn cold. The candlelight in the corner of the palace flickered, almost extinguished directly by this murderous intent.

"Zhou Liangan! You damned bastard!" Qin Xiuyuan gritted his teeth, squeezing each word from between them, a freezing coldness surging in his eyes. "One day, I will cut you into a thousand pieces and scatter your ashes! Even then, it won't appease the hatred in my heart!"

His mind was filled with the scenes from the Imperial Capital just now: the surging bloody light within the Heavenly Heart Demon Array, the disbelieving yet worried eyes of his Seventh Master, Seventh Master Ao Qingyan, when he accidentally struck her out of the teleportation light beam, and Zhou Liangan's face with its mocking smile.

Like a stray dog, he had fled back to Kunlun alone in disgrace, leaving his most beloved Seventh Master in the hands of that devil.

At the thought of the suffering Seventh Master Ao Qingyan might endure, Qin Xiuyuan's heart felt as if it were being squeezed hard by a hand. It hurt so much that even his breathing trembled, and he wished he could turn back right now to fight to the death with Zhou Liangan.

But Qin Xiuyuan knew better than anyone that he was no match for Zhou Liangan at all.

Even his Seventh Master, who possessed the Dragon Clan Bloodline and unfathomable strength, had fallen. Returning would only mean throwing away another life, making his Seventh Master's sacrifice completely meaningless.

This feeling of helplessness was more agonizing than death itself.

Just as Qin Xiuyuan was about to lose control of his emotions and the spiritual energy throughout his body began to run wild in disarray, a clear, ethereal, and inexplicably majestic voice entered his mind without warning, echoing directly within his Sea of Consciousness.

"Xiuyuan, come to my place of secluded cultivation. I have important matters to ask you."

The voice was not loud, yet it seemed to possess a strange power, instantly suppressing his surging hostility and even calming Qin Xiuyuan's chaotic spiritual energy quite a bit.

Qin Xiuyuan's body shuddered violently. His eyes, which had been filled with murderous intent just a moment ago, widened instantly, and the anger on his face was replaced by awe. Even his voice carried a hint of disbelief, "Third Mentor? Aren't you in death seclusion, attempting to break through to the Ningshen Realm? How could you..."

"I felt a slight unease in my heart, a sudden premonition that a major event might be about to occur." Xiang Yaocen's voice remained calm, yet it carried an unquestionable tone of command. "Come to my place of secluded cultivation immediately. Do not delay."

"Yes! Your Disciple will head over right away!" Qin Xiuyuan immediately restrained all his emotions and responded with utmost respect, not daring to delay for a single moment.

Qin Xiuyuan dared not show the slightest negligence. He turned and rushed out of the palace. With a flash of spiritual light beneath his feet, he summoned his Flying Sword, which transformed into a streak of light, flying toward the deepest part of Kunlun Mountain's Forbidden Ground.

Kunlun Mountain's Forbidden Ground was shrouded year-round by a Nine-fold Innate Great Formation. Even a Personal Disciple like him dared not take a single step closer without his Revered Master's summon.

The Flying Sword pierced through layers of clouds. The deeper he flew, the denser the surrounding Spiritual Qi became.

Eventually, the Spiritual Qi in the air almost condensed into a visible white mist. Taking a single breath felt as if his entire body's Meridians were being soaked in warm water, and even Qin Xiuyuan's previously injured Meridians felt a soothing warmth.

What was even more peculiar was that within this extremely dense Spiritual Qi, there was a faint, almost imperceptible trace of Dragon Qi mixed in.

The Dragon Qi was domineering and noble, carrying an ancient, primordial aura. Even a mere trace of it inspired awe, leaving one daring not to commit the slightest desecration.

Soon, Qin Xiuyuan landed before a cave deep within the Forbidden Ground.

There were no guards at the entrance of the cave, but there was an invisible barrier. Just standing outside, he could feel the vast pressure emanating from within, causing him to subconsciously soften his breathing.

Qin Xiuyuan put away his Flying Sword, tidied his Daoist robe, and respectfully entered the cave.

The inside of the cave was a world of its own. The ground was paved with smooth, Warm Jade, and the walls were embedded with Night-luminescent Pearls, illuminating the entire cave as bright as day, yet not at all glaring.

In the very center of the cave lay a futon. Qin Xiuyuan walked over to the futon and knelt down properly, not even daring to raise his head.

As soon as he knelt steadily, he felt a gentle yet irresistible force wrap around his Divine Soul. A wave of dizziness washed over his head, and his consciousness felt as if it were falling into a bottomless pit, sinking continuously.

The surrounding scenes changed rapidly. The Warm Jade cave and the Night-luminescent Pearls all receded at lightning speed. Amidst the spinning world, in just the blink of an eye, his consciousness stabilized once more.

When Qin Xiuyuan came to his senses, he found that a wisp of his Divine Soul had already floated into an unimaginably grand and vast pavilion.

The pavilion was absurdly massive, with towering Coiled Dragon Jade Pillars rising from the ground, carved with complex and profound runes. Each rune flowed with a faint spiritual light, and just looking at them made one's mind tremble.

The pavilion was paved with white jade tiles, polished to a mirror-like shine. The surrounding Spiritual Qi was so dense that it had liquefied, slowly flowing across the floor. A faint, refreshing fragrance filled the air, and with a single breath, even his Divine Soul felt nourished.

This place was the Secret Realm of his Third Mentor, Xiang Yaocen.

Only a powerhouse of Xiang Yaocen's caliber could create such a vast world.

Qin Xiuyuan's Divine Soul trembled slightly. He quickly composed himself and looked not far ahead.

Atop a high platform in the deepest part of the pavilion, a figure sat upright on a futon.

The woman wore a robe of seven-colored flowing light, the halo on the robe slowly shifting with her breathing, as if the rainbow from the heavens had been woven into it.

Her figure was slender and graceful, and even while sitting, her mature and exquisite curves were visible. Her entire being exuded a dignified and elegant demeanor, like a goddess from the Nine Heavens who did not consume the food of common mortals, yet she also possessed a charming allure unique to mature women. Her peerless grace made one's heart race at a single glance, yet one dared not harbor the slightest profane thought.

At this moment, her eyes were slightly closed, her long eyelashes like two small fans resting on her eyelids. Even with her eyes closed, one could see how beautiful her face was. Her skin was like the finest Mutton-fat White Jade, delicate without a single blemish. Her nose was high and straight, and her lips were full and exquisite. Even without any expression, she was breathtakingly beautiful.

Qin Xiuyuan did not dare to look further. He quickly knelt on the ground, his Divine Soul prostrating as he saluted respectfully, "Disciple Qin Xiuyuan pays respects to Third Mentor."

"Rise." Xiang Yaocen's voice echoed in the empty pavilion, still in that clear and elegant tone, yet carrying a trace of imperceptible fatigue.

Her vermilion lips parted slightly as she spoke slowly, "Xiuyuan, tell me everything that happened during your trip down the mountain, in detail and without missing a single word. What on earth happened to make you so panicked, to the point that even Seventh Sister could not return with you?"

Hearing this, Qin Xiuyuan, who had just stood up, knelt back down with a thud. His head was lowered deeply, and his face was instantly filled with guilt and self-reproach, his voice even carrying a choke.

"Third Mentor, your Disciple is useless! Your Disciple has failed Seventh Master and all my Revered Masters!" His voice trembled, filled with deep regret. "This time, your Disciple went down the mountain because I received news that my mother, Yu Xiaoshuang, was detained by the people in the Imperial Capital. Your Disciple thought of rescuing my mother, but I didn't expect... I didn't expect this to be a trap from the very beginning!"

Qin Xiuyuan took a deep breath, suppressing the choke in his throat, and explained the entire sequence of events from beginning to end, detail by detail.

From the moment he received the news and rushed to the Imperial Capital, to discovering that everything was a trap set by Zhou Liangan, to him blindly charging into the Heavenly Heart Demon Array, and everything that transpired within the array.

When he spoke of how he had lost control of his mind inside the array, causing his spiritual energy to run wild, and how he had accidentally struck Seventh Master Ao Qingyan—who wanted to pull him away with her—forcing her out of the teleportation light beam, his voice trembled even more violently. His forehead pressed against the cold white jade floor tiles, and even his shoulders shook slightly.

"...That Heavenly Heart Demon Array was too bizarre. Your Disciple simply could not control his own mind. By the time your Disciple realized what had happened, Seventh Master had already been struck out of the teleportation light beam by me, and the outside was crawling with Zhou Liangan's men. Your Disciple wanted to go back and save her, but the teleportation light beam had already closed. Even though your Disciple exerted all his strength, I could only watch helplessly as Seventh Master was left behind by Zhou Liangan, while I fled back to Kunlun all by myself..."

By the end, Qin Xiuyuan's voice carried a sob. His fists were clenched tightly, his fingernails digging deep into his palms, completely unaware that they were bleeding. He did not dare to look up into Xiang Yaocen's eyes, fearing he would see disappointment and anger in his Revered Master's gaze.

The entire pavilion fell into dead silence, with only the sound of Qin Xiuyuan's suppressed breathing.

After a long while, Xiang Yaocen's voice rang out again. Her tone did not carry the anger he had imagined, but instead held a trace of a complex sigh.

"Rise. This matter cannot be blamed on you," Xiang Yaocen's voice was very soft. "The Heavenly Heart Demon Array is originally an ancient evil array, highly capable of confusing one's mind and triggering the deepest obsessions and Heart Demons in one's heart. Your mind was occupied with your mother, leaving you unsettled to begin with, so falling prey to it was inevitable."

She paused, her tone carrying a hint of melancholy, "Moreover, perhaps this is simply the tribulation Seventh Sister was destined to face in her life, one that could not be avoided."

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

Qin Xiuyuan suddenly lifted his head, his eyes full of disbelief. He had not expected that his Third Mentor would not blame him.

But before Qin Xiuyuan could say anything, Xiang Yaocen, who had kept her eyes closed, suddenly opened her eyes.

Xiang Yaocen's eyes were like a galaxy, clear and profound. A single glance seemed to see through a person's past and present, leaving even the secrets in the depths of his Divine Soul unable to be hidden.

However, the moment she opened her eyes, those calm pupils suddenly flashed with extreme shock, as if she had seen something completely impossible.

Her gaze locked onto Qin Xiuyuan, scanning him up and down several times. Even her breathing paused for a moment. Her tone was filled with incredulous shock, "How is this possible? Xiuyuan, your Luck... How could you have lost so much of your Luck?!"

Qin Xiuyuan's expression froze instantly, his brows furrowed tightly. He looked at Xiang Yaocen in bewilderment, "Third Mentor? What do you mean by that? What do you mean by losing Luck? Disciple... Disciple does not understand."

Qin Xiuyuan was truly bewildered.

He only knew that he had suffered a major setback this time, lost Seventh Master Ao Qingyan, and was severely injured, but he had never thought about matters of Luck.

"You do not understand?" A heavy, strange look flickered in Xiang Yaocen's beautiful eyes. She leaned forward slightly, her gaze still locked onto him, "Xiuyuan, from birth, you have been one of the few people in this world possessing great Luck. You have an innate Dao body, and your Luck is like a dragon. Ordinary disasters cannot even approach you. Throughout your life, you have turned misfortune into fortune, relying not only on your talent and the protection of us Revered Masters, but more importantly, on this innate Luck of yours."

Xiang Yaocen's tone grew increasingly grave, and her brows furrowed tighter, "But now, the Golden Dragon of Fortune on you is dim and lusterless; someone has forcibly extracted a full two-tenths of it!"

Qin Xiuyuan's mind went blank with a loud buzz.

Although he did not know much about the theory of Luck, he understood just how important it was for practitioners like them.

Those with abundant Luck can encounter Opportunities during seclusion, find treasures when out, and turn misfortune into fortune in battle. But if one's Luck declines, even drinking cold water might cause trouble, and one might be struck by lightning while walking on the road, let alone achieving a Breakthrough in cultivation. If not careful, one might suffer Qi Deviation and perish.

Someone had actually extracted two-tenths of his Luck?

"Third Mentor... This, how is this possible?" Qin Xiuyuan's voice trembled, "Disciple has never felt any abnormality. How could someone extract my Luck?"

"Do you think you were able to escape back to Kunlun Mountain from Zhou Liangan last time by relying on your own ability? Was it truly just a coincidence?" Xiang Yaocen looked at him, her tone tinged with helplessness, "It was because your Luck was thick enough to forcibly block that disaster for you! But what about Seventh Master Ao Qingyan? Although she possesses the Dragon Clan Bloodline and is gifted, she is not the Child of Destiny like you and lacks your great Luck. That is why she was captured by Zhou Liangan and could not avoid this disaster!"

These words were like a heavy hammer, striking Qin Xiuyuan's heart hard.

Qin Xiuyuan had originally thought that he was able to escape back because of his all-out efforts, but he never expected... that it was all due to this Luck?

And Seventh Master Ao Qingyan had been left behind because she lacked his kind of Luck?

"It is me... it is all my fault!" A look of extreme bitterness appeared on Qin Xiuyuan's face, and his eyes instantly turned red, "If I had not insisted on going down the mountain to save my mother, if I had not fallen into the trap, Seventh Master Ao Qingyan would never have gone to the capital with me, and would not have fallen into the hands of that Zhou Liangan! It is all my fault!"

He let out a long sigh, his face filled with an unbearable sense of helplessness and despair.

He did not even have the courage to fight his way back now; he had no idea how to save Seventh Master Ao Qingyan.

Watching Qin Xiuyuan's disheartened appearance, Xiang Yaocen raised her eyes and scanned him quietly. Her tone carried a trace of gravity, "Xiuyuan, your current situation is likely very dire."

Qin Xiuyuan trembled all over and suddenly lifted his head. His expression tightened instantly, his eyes filled with panic, "Third Mentor, what do you mean by that? You... you might as well speak clearly. Disciple can handle it."

Xiang Yaocen sighed faintly, a trace of helplessness and worry flashing across her beautiful face, "Alas! Your Luck is constantly declining, and the speed is increasing. Revered Master is worried that if this continues, it will not be long before you..."

Xiang Yaocen stopped halfway, but the meaning behind her unfinished words was already very obvious.

Qin Xiuyuan's heart constricted fiercely, and his body trembled slightly. He gritted his teeth and stared at Xiang Yaocen, "Third Mentor! Just say it! What will happen?!"

"You and that Zhou Liangan are destined to be mortal enemies." Xiang Yaocen finally spoke, her crimson lips parting slightly. Each word was like a heavy hammer striking Qin Xiuyuan's heart, "He likely possesses a secret method specifically for plundering the Luck of others. The two of you are like the two ends of a balance; if his Luck prospers, your Luck will decline. You are naturally mutually exclusive. There has never been a possibility of reconciliation between you; either you live, or he lives. There is no third path."

Xiang Yaocen paused, the worry in her tone deepening, "And Revered Master can see from your situation that for every person close to you who is lost, and every time you suffer a calamity, more of your Luck is devoured by him. The fact that you have had two-tenths of your Luck extracted is the best proof. If things are allowed to develop like this, the day your Luck is completely devoured by him will be the time you perish, and at that time, you will never have any chance to turn things around."

After listening, Qin Xiuyuan's pupils suddenly constricted. His face was instantly covered with horror, and his hair stood on end.

He finally understood the terrifying nature of Zhou Liangan.

"What? Such a thing actually exists?!" Qin Xiuyuan's voice trembled, his face filled with despair, "But... but with my current strength, wanting to kill him is simply impossible! Even Seventh Master Ao Qingyan is not his match. I... what can I use to fight him?"

Qin Xiuyuan was truly desperate. He could not even break one of Zhou Liangan's Formations and had almost lost his own life. What could he use to fight this devil who could plunder Luck?

Xiang Yaocen looked at Qin Xiuyuan's desperate appearance and sighed again, "Alas! That is true. Zhou Liangan's methods are indeed sinister. However, I and your remaining five Revered Masters are deeply intertwined with your Luck. If all else fails, we might be able to block this catastrophe for you and suffer the disaster on your behalf."

Upon hearing this, Qin Xiuyuan was stunned.

Qin Xiuyuan suddenly lifted his head, his eyes instantly turning red. Tears fell without warning as he looked at Xiang Yaocen, "Third Mentor? No! Absolutely not! The six Revered Masters are about to enter seclusion to impact the Ningshen Realm. This is a major event you have prepared for decades! Suffering the disaster on my behalf will ruin your cultivation Foundation! It might even cause you to perish! Disciple absolutely cannot let you take such a big risk for me!"

"Cultivation?" Xiang Yaocen looked at him, her eyes filled with a trace of melancholy, "If we cannot even protect you, then even if we achieve a Breakthrough to the Ningshen Realm, what would be the point?"

Xiang Yaocen paused, her tone helpless yet incomparably firm, "Your Seventh Master Ao Qingyan is gifted and possesses the Dragon Clan Bloodline Legacy, yet she is no match for that villain. If the six of us go to confront that villain one by one, it would be like adding fuel to the fire; it would only make the fire burn more vigorously and needlessly provide him with Opportunity and Luck. Since my Kunlun Mountain shares this disaster with you, it is destined that we cannot avoid it. It would be better to actively face the disaster; perhaps there is still a glimmer of hope."

"Third Mentor..." Qin Xiuyuan looked at Xiang Yaocen, his tears flowing even more profusely. He kowtowed several times heavily, his forehead striking the white jade floor tiles with a dull "thud, thud" sound, "The great kindness of the Revered Masters, Disciple Qin Xiuyuan will never forget! Even if I am smashed to pieces, Disciple cannot repay the Revered Masters' kindness!"

"Alright, do not say these things." Xiang Yaocen nodded slightly and waved her hand, "You go down first. I must immediately send word to your other Revered Masters to discuss together how to deal with that Zhou Liangan and how to rescue Seventh Master Ao Qingyan."

"Yes! Disciple obeys!" Qin Xiuyuan responded respectfully, kowtowed once more, and his Divine Soul slowly withdrew from this Secret Realm.

When Qin Xiuyuan's consciousness returned to his body in the cave, he found that there were still undried tear marks on his cheeks.

He respectfully saluted the prayer mat again before turning and tiptoeing out of the cave.

In Xiang Yaocen's Secret Realm, watching the direction where Qin Xiuyuan's Divine Soul had disappeared, a complex and indefinable look flickered in her beautiful eyes.

She raised her slender fingers, her fingertips tracing complex seals. But after calculating, she only saw a fog before her; she could only see boundless blood and the constantly declining Golden Dragon of Fortune.

She sighed faintly and flicked her fingertips. A stream of light flew from them, crushing the communication jade talisman and sending a message to the other five Saints.

"Sisters, come to my place of seclusion quickly. There is a major matter to discuss regarding the life and death of Kunlun Mountain. Do not delay."

At the same time, thousands of miles away, in a cave hidden underground.

The cold and damp air was permeated with a faint smell of blood and a trace of elusive Devilish Qi.

There were no lights in the cave, only a few magic crystals embedded in the walls emitting a faint red glow, making the entire cave look gloomy and eerie.

It was at this moment that Seventh Master Ao Qingyan suddenly opened her eyes.

A gentle yet domineering force of vitality suddenly injected into her body, flowing along her Meridians...

PS: The picture is Xiang Yaocen