97: Yun Mu, who works for free

Deep within the karst cave, it was deathly silent.

Chu Qianqian gripped the longsword in her hand tightly; her knuckles turned slightly white from the force.

An intense internal struggle was raging within her.

This "Junior Sister Mu Yun" before her, whose origins were unknown and who spoke nothing but nonsense, seemed harmless, but her words were filled with strangeness.

Not only did he see through her physical issues at a glance...

...he even knew how to break the Hehuan Heart-Devouring Gu.

Reason told her she should immediately seize this person and subject him to severe torture to force out his true identity and purpose.

But... Chu Qianqian's hand holding the sword couldn't help but tremble.

She didn't dare to gamble; she couldn't afford to lose.

If things truly escalated and her secret was exposed, the consequences would be unthinkable.

In comparison, the deal proposed by this Mu Yun before her...

...though full of risk, also gave her a glimmer of hope to escape control.

"Whew..."

After a long while, Chu Qianqian exhaled a long breath of turbid air.

"Clang!"

She sheathed her sword. Her cold gaze scraped across Yun Mu's face like a blade, and her voice was low and full of warning:

"Fine, I will trust you once. I won't stop you from entering the Yaochi Immortal Realm. But..."

She stepped forward, and the pressure belonging to a Half-step Guiyi Realm suddenly released, firmly enveloping Yun Mu:

"If you dare to lie to me, or if you can't remove my Gu when the time comes... I will make sure you have no place to be buried!"

Facing this blatant threat, Yun Mu felt a secret joy.

It's done! This trip to the Immortal Realm is secured!

On the surface, however, he put on a terrified and overwhelmed expression, quickly bowing and speaking with utmost respect:

"Senior Sister, rest assured! I only wish to seek an Opportunity to rebuild my Foundation; how would I dare to joke with my own life and deceive you?"

"Once we enter the Immortal Realm, this Junior Brother will certainly do his best to help Senior Sister detoxify! It's a pleasure doing business with you."

Chu Qianqian gave him a cold look and said nothing more.

Since the deal was struck, Yun Mu didn't want to linger, lest complications arise.

He cupped his hands, preparing to turn and leave to study his gains from tonight and digest that Core Secret Technique.

"Wait."

Just then, Chu Qianqian's emotionless voice came from behind him.

Yun Mu paused and turned back in confusion:

"Does Senior Sister have any further instructions?"

He saw Chu Qianqian expressionlessly extending a hand as white as jade toward him.

The palm was spread open before him, perfectly still.

"Although I agreed to take you into the Immortal Realm, that is our private deal."

Chu Qianqian's tone was terrifyingly calm, as if she were stating a simple fact:

"However, all those 'Opportunities' you've scoured from various places in the Holy Land tonight must be handed over."

"Huh?!"

The smile on Yun Mu's face froze instantly, and he almost lost his composure.

He widened his eyes and looked at Chu Qianqian in disbelief, his voice cracking:

"On... on what grounds?! Senior Sister, these... these are all scraps that I, your Junior Brother, painstakingly picked up from trash piles by sheer luck..."

"Scraps?"

Chu Qianqian remained unmoved, and a hint of vengeful pleasure even flashed in her eyes.

She spoke with righteous indignation:

"Regardless of whether they are scraps, as long as they were unearthed within the boundaries of the Yaochi Holy Land, they are the assets of the Yaochi Holy Land."

"As a Yaochi Disciple, embezzling public property is punishable by the abolition of one's cultivation and expulsion from the Sect according to the law!"

She shook her open palm, her voice filled with unquestionable authority:

"If you don't hand them over, then our deal is off."

"I'll take you to see the Law Enforcement Elder right now and let him judge who these 'scraps' should actually belong to!"

Yun Mu felt a tightness in his chest, and a mouthful of old blood almost sprayed out.

So shameless! Simply too shameless!

I've been working hard for most of the night, and finally got my hands on some treasures with great difficulty.

Does this mean I've been working for you for free this whole time?! Have you no shame!

He stared intently at Chu Qianqian's beautiful but cold face, his mind racing with a thousand curses.

However, anger aside, reason told him that he absolutely could not fall out with her now.

Compared to these external Possessions, the quota for the Yaochi Immortal Realm and his hidden identity were the top priorities.

After weighing the pros and cons, Yun Mu could only swallow his bitterness.

"Here... take them! Take them all!"

With a look of extreme pain, he pulled out his gains from tonight.

He even had to squeeze out a smile that looked worse than crying:

"Senior Sister is right! These are all Holy Land assets, and I... would never dare to keep them for myself! Senior Sister is truly selfless; I am in awe, truly in awe!"

Looking at the treasures in her hand that emitted an extraordinary aura, Chu Qianqian's mood inexplicably improved.

After being oppressed by that perverted sister and Lu Yi for so long, she finally got to make someone else suffer today!

This feeling... was truly satisfying!

She unceremoniously pocketed everything and then nodded with satisfaction:

"At least you're sensible. Go back and stay put; don't go running around anymore, or else next time... you won't be so lucky."

With that, she didn't give Yun Mu another glance. Her figure flashed, and she drifted away.

Leaving Yun Mu standing alone in the empty karst cave, looking at his empty palms, wanting to cry but having no tears.

"My Sword Intent Fragments... my Spirit Pearls... my secret technique..."

"Chu Qianqian! You just wait! Sooner or later, I'll settle this debt with you! With interest!"

He cursed frantically in his heart for a while before finally slinking back to his residence... Saintess Peak of the Yaochi Holy Land.

After returning to her Immortal Cave, Chu Qianqian sat at the table, looking at the treasures "confiscated" from Yun Mu with a complex expression.

After hesitating repeatedly, she still took out that pink sound-transmitting Jade Slip from her bosom.

Spiritual power was injected, and the Jade Slip vibrated slightly.

Far away in the Hehuan Sect, Lu Yi received the message immediately.

After listening to her report, Lu Yi replied calmly to the sound-transmitting Jade Slip:

"Well done. Keep those things for yourself for now and bring them all over next time. Continue to monitor him; do not alert him."

Having said that, he cut off the connection.

Beside him, Chu Qianqian leaned in curiously:

"What's wrong? What's the background of that little Disciple named Mu Yun?"

She blinked and guessed:

"Could it be... that some peerless old monster has undergone Possession and Rebirth? Or perhaps a descendant of some hidden Sect?"

Lu Yi shook his head and chuckled:

"No... those old fogies aren't quite so 'omniscient and omnipotent'."

"Knowing Opportunities like the back of his hand, knowing the course of the future, and even being able to produce specific solutions at critical moments..."

"This flavor... is just too strong."

Lu Yi thought to himself:

This isn't some Possession; this is clearly a—Reincarnator!

"Regardless of his background, since he wants to enter the Immortal Realm, we will grant him his wish."

Lu Yi smiled and turned to Chu Qianqian, saying:

"After all... I am very interested in the memories of someone with such 'foreknowledge'."