Inside the saint-level array pattern.
Ye Qiu kept his eyes closed. All he could hear was the constant howling wind rushing past his ears. With a thought, he communicated with Old Nine. “Old Nine, are you alright?”
“Relax, this old man isn’t dead yet,” Old Nine replied in a tough tone, though his voice was extremely weak.
“Old Nine, thank you!” Ye Qiu said gratefully.
Old Nine continued, “That Yin-Yang Sect fellow has gone after Dugu. I taught Dugu a divine ability, so he should be able to get away.”
“Although I helped you finish off one saint, two more are heading this way. I can sense their auras.”
“Kid, you’re still not out of danger.”
Ye Qiu’s expression turned grave.
Old Nine changed the subject. “But you don’t need to worry too much. I’ve already made a deal with the little fox. At the critical moment, she’ll help you.”
Little fox?
“You mean the little white fox?” Ye Qiu asked in surprise. “Her cultivation is even lower than mine. How can she help me?”
“Don’t underestimate her. She’ll give you a massive surprise, an absolutely enormous one.” Old Nine chuckled wickedly. “Sometimes even I’m a bit jealous of you. Your luck is just too good!”
Ye Qiu rolled his eyes. Being chased by saint-level powerhouses was supposed to count as good luck?
Old Nine said, “I’m not talking any more. I can’t hold on. I need to enter deep slumber. Remember, hurry up and find my body. Once it’s whole again, we won’t have to keep running like this.”
“Got it,” Ye Qiu promised.
“Good luck,” Old Nine said, then fell completely silent and slipped into hibernation.
A few moments later.
Ye Qiu and True Person Longbrow landed. When they opened their eyes, they found themselves in a desolate wilderness.
“Little brat, just who on earth is Old Nine? He actually killed An Zaitian. That’s insane!” True Person Longbrow exclaimed in shock.
“I don’t know his background either. Before he was dismembered, his cultivation must have been terrifying,” Ye Qiu replied. He then asked, “Old fogey, how far are we from the Southern Ridge?”
True Person Longbrow answered, “Still very far. We’ll need to activate the saint-level array pattern at least several dozen more times to reach the Southern Ridge.”
“Don’t linger. Let’s move,” Ye Qiu urged. “Two saints are chasing us.”
True Person Longbrow immediately activated the array pattern again.
They had plenty of spirit stones now. Even a few hundred activations would not be a problem.
Soon, the two leapt into the array pattern and vanished.
Less than ten seconds after they disappeared, two figures stepped out of a void rift: Li Chaohui and Nangong Jingyun.
“What a pity about that brat’s handsome skin but useless,” Nangong Jingyun remarked.
“What do you mean?” Li Chaohui asked, puzzled.
Nangong Jingyun giggled. “Men who run fast are usually fast in other departments too.”
Li Chaohui’s mouth twitched. He thought to himself, I’m a saint. My speed is far exceeds that kid’s.
Noticing the look on Li Chaohui’s face, Nangong Jingyun smiled faintly. She suddenly reached out a jade hand and caressed his aged face.
Li Chaohui instantly stiffened. Even his speech began to stammer. “Fairy Nangong, wh-what are you doing?”
“Am I beautiful?” Nangong Jingyun asked with a seductive smile.
Li Chaohui forced a smile. “When you were young you were already on the Heavenly Immortal List. Now you’re even more beautiful.”
“Then do you like me?” As she spoke, Nangong Jingyun deliberately leaned forward. A snowy expanse surged forward, fragrant wind assaulted his senses, and Li Chaohui could not help swallowing hard.
“Come on, tell me. Do you like me or not?” Nangong Jingyun struck alluring poses, her eyes watery and utterly bewitching.
“Fairy Nangong, please stop teasing this old man,” Li Chaohui said with a wry smile. “We should hurry and chase Ye Changsheng. If he gets away, the Heavenly Venerable will blame us.”
“Don’t worry. Although the kid escaped using the saint-level array pattern, with our cultivation it will be easy to catch him.” While speaking, Nangong Jingyun’s arms had already looped around Li Chaohui’s neck. She gazed at him lovingly. “Old Li, do you like me or not?”
Li Chaohui had no choice but to steel himself. “I do.”
“Is it real liking, or are you just trying to make me happy?” Nangong Jingyun pressed.
Li Chaohui felt extremely uncomfortable. He had no idea what this woman was planning, so he said, “Back then you were the dream goddess of countless men, including me. Of course I truly like you.”
Nangong Jingyun put on a resentful expression. “If you like me, why are you only telling me now? If you had said it earlier, we might already have a house full of children and grandchildren.”
Li Chaohui’s heart skipped a beat.
What did she mean?
Could this woman actually like me?
“Old Li, at your age, I wonder if you can still… perform?”
While speaking, Nangong Jingyun’s slender fingers roamed over his body like a snake, slowly moving downward.
“Fairy Nangong, stop joking, hiss—” Li Chaohui suddenly tensed and shivered.
Because Nangong Jingyun’s hand…
“Well, well, Old Li. I never expected at your age you’d still get excited so easily. The old blade is still sharp!” Nangong Jingyun laughed coquettishly.
Li Chaohui’s old face flushed crimson.
Suddenly Nangong Jingyun changed the subject. “The Heavenly Venerable ordered us to capture that kid alive. Don’t you think that’s a bit strange?”
“It is strange,” Li Chaohui agreed. “If the Heavenly Venerable had struck to kill, the kid would already be dead. He couldn’t have escaped. I just don’t know why the Heavenly Venerable insists on taking him alive.”
Nangong Jingyun said, “I strongly suspect the kid is hiding some secret that only the Heavenly Venerable knows about. He hasn’t told us.”
Li Chaohui narrowed his eyes. “You mean the kid has treasure on him?”
Nangong Jingyun nodded slightly. “Don’t forget, that kid came out of Undying Mountain.”
Li Chaohui continued, “The Heavenly Venerable places such importance on him. If there really is treasure, it must be something heaven-defying.”
“That’s what I think too. For something to move a Saint King like the Heavenly Venerable, it can’t be ordinary.” Nangong Jingyun cupped Li Chaohui’s old face in both hands and said softly, “Old Li, let’s discuss something, alright?”
Li Chaohui glanced at her and instantly understood. “You want the treasure on that kid for yourself?”
“You really do understand me.” Nangong Jingyun planted a kiss on Li Chaohui’s cheek and continued, “Help me get the treasure.”
Li Chaohui hesitated. “But the Heavenly Venerable…”
“Forget about the Heavenly Venerable. Once we have the treasure, we’ll fly far away together. I’ll be with you every day and let you live like an immortal. Deal?”
Nangong Jingyun blinked, her tone part negotiation, part pleading, part longing, but mostly coquettish.
Saints are still human. They are not detached from worldly desires.
Li Chaohui glanced at Nangong Jingyun’s figure and said, “I can agree, but…”
“But what?” Nangong Jingyun asked quickly.
“I want to inspect the goods first.” With that, Li Chaohui reached for those surging waves.
“You horny old goat, what’s the rush?” Nangong Jingyun slapped his hand away and laughed. “When we get the treasure, you can play as much as you want.”
“Hahaha…” Li Chaohui threw his head back and laughed, full of spirit.
“Let’s hurry and chase that kid!” Nangong Jingyun urged.
“Fine. From now on I’ll listen to you.” Li Chaohui stepped into the void rift.
The smile on Nangong Jingyun’s face vanished instantly. In its place was pure disgust.
“As if this old lady would ever be with you. Hmph. Once I get the treasure, I’ll be the first to kill you. Ptui!”
