This was actually a misunderstanding.

After a while.

The originally peaceful Blood Refining Peak suddenly surged with gale-force winds as Escape lights rose from all directions. Hundreds of demonic cultivators from the Inner Sect arrived aggressively, tearing through the air.

This group of demonic cultivators all had cold expressions and were fuming with rage. Their entire bodies radiated a chilling Killing Intent, and in an instant, they completely surrounded the entire Blood Refining Peak.

The leader was a thin, black-robed old man with pale skin and eyes as deep as an abyss. He was surrounded by a swirling yin wind and layered shadows, accompanied by what sounded like countless wails and howls that struck fear into the soul. He was clearly a terrifying demonic cultivator of the Hedao Realm.

Following closely behind was a group of fierce-looking Demonic Sect Disciples, each filled with righteous indignation and seething with Evil Qi, as if they wanted to devour someone alive.

This group was only the first wave. As time passed, many more demonic cultivators who had heard the news continued to gather here one after another.

Aside from the demonic cultivators from the Shen Clan, most of these people were Inner Sect Disciples who admired Shen Xingxuan's beauty, and among them were many True Disciples.

Upon hearing that their goddess had been kidnapped by an Outer Sect Disciple, they were instantly enraged, wishing they could immediately hack a certain bold Little Thief into a thousand pieces to vent their hatred.

"How dare he kidnap Senior Sister Shen! He deserves ten thousand deaths. I'll personally skin him alive!"

"That's right! Later, we'll make him taste all the tortures of the Yin Sha Sect, making him regret ever being born into this world..."

"How could Senior Sister Shen be captured by an ant in the Foundation Establishment Realm? Qi Da must have used some despicable means, or he has accomplices."

"No matter who it is, anyone related to that perverted demon must die!"

Seeing the chaotic scene and many people eager to charge inside, the leading old man's brow furrowed, and he shouted coldly:

"All of you, back down!"

Hearing this, the demonic cultivators stopped in their tracks and involuntarily retreated.

At this moment, a middle-aged man beside the old man said hesitantly:

"Elder Shen, the madman who kidnapped Xingxuan lives here in Courtyard No. 1 of Class A."

"Xingxuan is still in his hands. If we push him too hard, I'm afraid he might take a desperate risk and harm her."

"Hmph!"

A cold light flickered in the old man's eyes as he swept a cold gaze over him, his voice filled with Killing Intent:

"With me here, if that little beast dares to touch a single hair on Xingxuan's head, I will make him wish he were dead!"

The middle-aged man immediately shut his mouth upon seeing this, his gaze toward Blood Refining Peak becoming increasingly venomous.

"Let's go!" The old man flicked his sleeve, leading the demonic cultivators to set up an inescapable net as they grandly pressed toward Courtyard No. 1 of Class A... At this moment, the gate of Courtyard No. 1 of Class A was wide open, and everyone soon saw the scene inside, their expressions instantly freezing.

It was completely different from the kidnapping scene they had imagined.

The courtyard was quiet and elegant, surrounded by green ivy. A young male cultivator in the attire of an Outer Sect Disciple was leisurely lying on a rattan lounge chair, resting with his eyes closed.

Not far from him, a stunning beauty with a slender figure, golden hair, and blue eyes was sitting cross-legged on a stone platform, meditating to adjust her breathing.

Her small face, whiter than icy jade, was serene and peaceful. Her long, thick eyelashes drooped slightly, making her look as pure and refined as a water lily, making one reluctant to disturb her.

Accompanied by the surrounding singing birds and fragrant flowers, this scene faintly revealed a sense of tranquility and peace, as if time itself had slowed down.

Seeing this, everyone's face showed an expression of disbelief.

Wasn't it said that Shen Xingxuan was kidnapped by a heinous villain?

Looking at it now, Shen Xingxuan didn't look like she had been kidnapped at all; instead, it looked like a couple living their daily lives... As if sensing someone's arrival, Shen Xingxuan slowly opened her beautiful eyes, walked with light steps to the old man's side, and performed a graceful bow:

"Xingxuan greets Third Uncle."

As her voice rang out, the old man was the first to react, speaking in a heavy tone:

"Xuan'er, what exactly is going on here?"

Shen Xingxuan's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, and after a brief pause, she spoke in a calm tone:

"It's nothing. There was a small situation just now, but it's fine now."

The old man was stunned, his brow full of suspicion as his eyes involuntarily turned toward Qi Yuan, who had stood up from the lounge chair:

"Wasn't it said that you were kidnapped? Is this kid not the kidnapper?"

"I appreciate the concern of Third Uncle and my fellow Disciples."

Shen Xingxuan took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the urge to tear a certain someone into a thousand pieces, and said through gritted teeth, "This matter is actually a misunderstanding. As for the specific reason, let Qi Da tell you himself!"

After saying that, she stepped aside with an expressionless face.

Recalling the previous actions of a certain lecher, Shen Xingxuan wanted to kill him on the spot and naturally had no mood to explain anything.

Meanwhile, Qi Yuan had already walked calmly to the old man and bowed with his hands clasped:

"Disciple Qi Da greets Senior."

The old man frowned and stared at Qi Yuan, his gaze majestic and sharp, as if he could see through a person's heart:

"Junior, recount this matter from beginning to end, exactly as it happened. There must not be a single lie, otherwise, I won't mind personally performing a Soul Search."

Hearing this, Qi Yuan nodded unhurriedly and said loudly:

"Reporting to Senior, because a life was lost on our Blood Refining Peak, this Disciple went to the Law Enforcement Hall of the Outer Sect to report the case."

"Unexpectedly, upon arriving at Elder Zhao's punishment hall, I found that Elder Zhao had lost his mind and no longer recognized anyone. He was attacking Senior Sister Shen like a madman. It was likely that something went wrong with his cultivation, leading to Qi Deviation."

"As the Sect Master's Personal Disciple, Senior Sister Shen has always been beautiful and kind-hearted. She couldn't bear to let the frenzied Elder Zhao go out and harm the innocent, so she had no choice but to step in and stop him."

"At that time, Elder Zhao was like a demon, not hesitating to use some self-mutilating secret technique to fight for his life, wanting to drag us down with him. Fortunately, Senior Sister Shen's methods were superb, and she managed to completely suppress him."

"Despite this, Elder Zhao's final counterattack before death still injured Senior Sister Shen. To ensure she could be saved safely, this Disciple had no choice but to invite Senior Sister Shen back to my Immortal Cave to heal."

"As the saying goes, saving a life is like fighting a fire. This Disciple didn't have time to explain to others and could only carry the incapacitated Senior Sister Shen and run all the way. Perhaps this caused some misunderstandings during that time..."

After hearing these words, everyone was stunned, their minds unable to process it for a moment.

What was the situation?

Wasn't it said that this kid was a lustful villain? How did he become a hero saving a beauty?

This turn of events was simply too large, catching everyone completely off guard!

But thinking about it carefully, compared to the extremely absurd idea of a Nascent Soul Cultivator being kidnapped by an Outer Sect Disciple in the Foundation Establishment Realm, this explanation seemed much more reasonable.

Moreover, the relaxed and harmonious state of the two in the courtyard just now perfectly corroborated the boy's claim.

For a moment, many people believed it, the Killing Intent in their eyes toward Qi Yuan vanishing, replaced by blatant envy, jealousy, and hate... To encounter such a once-in-a-century opportunity, this kid's luck is just too good, isn't it?

"Xuan'er, is what he said true?"

The old man was clearly not someone easily fooled. He didn't blindly believe Qi Yuan's side of the story but looked at Shen Xingxuan with a scrutinizing gaze.

"Correct!"

Shen Xingxuan narrowed her beautiful eyes and nodded slightly with an indifferent face.

Seeing this, the old man's brow relaxed. After thinking for a moment, he spoke again:

"Since it's a misunderstanding, then this matter ends here. Qi Da saved Xuan'er's life, and my Shen Clan will surely repay him in the future."

Although he still had some doubts in his heart, he was an old fox and realized that compared to getting to the bottom of things, this result was undoubtedly the optimal solution.

Thinking of this, he suppressed his thoughts, swept a cold gaze around, and announced in a heavy voice:

"The truth of the case has come to light, and all of you present are witnesses. If anyone dares to spread rumors and slander Xuan'er's reputation in the future, my Shen Clan will fight them to the death!"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone was as quiet as cicadas in winter, nodding in agreement one after another.

"Third Uncle is wise!"

Shen Xingxuan bowed respectfully to the old man and then said, "Everyone should head back first. After I give Junior Brother Qi a few instructions, I will return to the Inner Sect to recover."

Hearing this, the old man did not linger and drove away the onlookers who wanted to continue watching the excitement.

After everyone had left, Shen Xingxuan's eyebrows immediately shot up, and she said with a face full of frost:

"You lecher, I've done as you said. Quickly return that shadow recording talisman to me!"

If she hadn't just made a Heavenly Dao Oath, she would tear the boy in front of her to pieces right now, even at the cost of gaining a reputation for 'repaying kindness with enmity.'

Anyway, this was a demonic sect; what use was a good reputation?

As a noble favored daughter of heaven, she was actually forced to perform such shameful actions. It was truly a great humiliation!

If this shadow recording talisman were leaked, the consequences would be unimaginable... "Hehe, Senior Sister Shen must be joking."

Qi Yuan smiled slightly and spread his hands, saying, "This shadow recording talisman is This Qi's life-saving item. How could I possibly hand it over?"

"However, I can promise you that as long as you cease your activities and completely abandon the idea of dealing with me, then besides the two of us, no third person will ever see this shadow recording talisman."

"Otherwise, before long, everyone in the Cultivation World will have a copy..."

Shen Xingxuan instantly bristled and snapped in exasperation:

"You... despicable!"