“Wan Yunting, what do you mean by this?”
Qi Xiu and Chong Ling'er stared at Wan Yunting, surprised by his intervention.
Zhou Ruoxi and Lu Shuang, along with their fellow disciples, turned their heads and raised their eyebrows at the scene…
Zhang Xian'er and Zhao Xuyan also turned to look at Wan Yunting’s large hand pressing down on the box containing the Snow Mountain Sect martial arts manual. Only Zi Qing, sitting beside them, was looking down at a nameless little sand worm crawling on the ground, seemingly unconcerned.
Ji Ruxue, dressed in a red dress with her long hair tied in a high ponytail, revealed her stunningly beautiful face. Her bewitching fox-like eyes narrowed as she gazed at Qi Xiu. With alluring red lips, she smiled charmingly and said, “Don’t forget, I am the Divine Mother of the Divine Serpent Tribe. This Snow Mountain Sect martial arts manual was collected by our Divine Serpent Tribe. By rights, this belongs to our Divine Serpent Tribe. How can you take it away?”
Chong Ling'er, with two braids hanging down to her chest and a standard oval face, looked directly at Ji Ruxue with her bright, lively eyes and scoffed, “This is the Snow Mountain Sect martial arts manual. Does it belong to your Divine Serpent Tribe?”
Qi Xiu was momentarily stunned by Ji Ruxue’s enchanting eyes. However, Chong Ling’er nudged him, and Qi Xiu snapped back to attention. This time, he didn't dare to look at Ji Ruxue’s mesmerizing eyes again and said, “The Snow Mountain Sect is a righteous sect. Back then, your Divine Serpent Tribe colluded with the evil cults of the Western Regions, massacred countless people from the Snow Mountain Sect, and seized their martial arts manuals. This is theft, not something that rightfully belongs to your Divine Serpent Tribe.”
“Therefore, these Snow Mountain Sect martial arts manuals should be returned by us to the President of the Martial Arts Association for handling!”
“Hehehe…”
Ji Ruxue was amused by his words. She cast a sidelong glance at Qi Xiu and Chong Ling’er with her enchanting fox-like eyes and said with a smile, “Your Wudang Sect leader, Zhong Yulong, is the President of the Martial Arts Association, isn’t he? It seems to me that you also want to monopolize the Snow Mountain Sect martial arts manual.”
“You’re talking nonsense.”
Chong Ling’er’s large eyes widened as she pointed at Ji Ruxue and huffed, “The Snow Mountain Sect martial arts manual is to be handed over to the Martial Arts Association. How it’s handled will be decided by the association leaders of the various sects after discussion.”
Ji Ruxue waved her hand, not wanting to argue with them about it.
Qi Xiu frowned, looking at Wan Yunting’s hand holding the box, and said, “Abbot Wan, I hope you won’t make an unwise choice. We hope you can let us take these manuals back and hand them over to the Martial Arts Association for processing.”
Wan Yunting, who was roasting a small piece of the old snake’s heart with his Gentleman Sword, let out a unique grilled meat aroma. Although no seasoning was added, it smelled quite good. He said calmly, “I will keep these manuals for safekeeping!”
Qi Xiu and Chong Ling’er’s expressions changed slightly upon hearing this. Zhou Ruoxi raised an eyebrow and looked at the man with her autumn eyes, wondering what his intentions were.
“Hey, are you really going to hoard these manuals?”
Zhang Xian’er’s peach blossom eyes focused on Wan Yunting, and she said in a seemingly kind warning, “Do you know that if the various sects find out you took these manuals, you’ll truly become an evil heretic!”
Wan Yunting continued to roast the old snake’s heart, a smile playing on his lips. “As if I’m not considered an evil heretic in the eyes of your so-called righteous sects even if I don’t take these manuals.”
“Hehehe…”
Ji Ruxue swayed her slender serpentine body and sat down right next to Wan Yunting. Her fox-like eyes looked at Zhang Xian’er and Qi Xiu, then she glanced at Zhou Ruoxi and Lu Shuang and the other three disciples who were sitting there with furrowed brows…
Ji Ruxue smiled charmingly at Wan Yunting. “I’ve told you before, these so-called martial arts sects, while preaching benevolence and righteousness, aren’t they all killing each other for profit behind the scenes? Hypocritical!”
“Hey, who are you calling hypocritical?”
Chong Ling’er’s large eyes glared angrily at Ji Ruxue, very displeased with the seductive demeanor of this demoness. She couldn’t help but curse inwardly: *It’s just because she’s pretty.*
“I’m talking about you.”
Ji Ruxue was not afraid of them. She pointed at Chong Ling’er and Qi Xiu, the senior and junior siblings, and said with a smile, “Do you dare to say you don’t have any selfish motives in your hearts?”
These words left Qi Xiu and Chong Ling’er speechless. They did have selfish motives.
Qi Xiu turned and shouted at Zhou Ruoxi, “Sect Leader Zhou, say something! Are you just going to stand by and watch the Snow Mountain Sect martial arts manual be monopolized by them?”
Zhou Ruoxi’s delicate eyebrows furrowed, and her autumn eyes looked at the man, unsure of his intentions.
Wan Yunting turned his head, glanced at Zhou Ruoxi, and smiled. He said directly, “Let me be blunt, you won’t be able to take this Snow Mountain Sect martial arts manual!”
Qi Xiu and Chong Ling’er’s expressions changed drastically. They quickly said to Zhang Xian’er, “Your Dragon Tiger Mountain should say something.”
Zhao Xuyan looked at Zhang Xian’er, but she sat down and waved her hand, saying, “Don’t ask me. If you can beat him, then just snatch it. Anyway, I’m not interested in these manuals.”
Zhao Xuyan fell silent after hearing what Ancestor Xian’er said.
Zhou Ruoxi also exchanged a look with her senior sister and junior sister, signaling them not to get involved.
“Seventh Senior Sister, please do something about it.”
Seeing that no one dared to make a move on Wan Yunting, Chong Ling’er had to go to Zi Qing.
But Zi Qing was busy looking at a few insects on the ground searching for food, completely ignoring the matter…
“Forget it.”
Qi Xiu pulled Chong Ling’er, telling her not to bother Zi Qing, knowing his seventh senior sister’s disposition – she would never involve herself in such matters.
Qi Xiu looked at Wan Yunting’s back with a deep gaze and said, “Since Abbot Wan insists on having his way, then let him be. When the various sects know about this, he’ll have to face the consequences.”
Wan Yunting, who was still roasting the old snake’s heart, smiled and signaled to Ji Ruxue beside him. She then directly picked up the box containing the martial arts manual and carried it away.
Wan Yunting took down the roasted old snake’s heart, sniffed it, found it acceptable, and took a bite. His eyes immediately lit up, and he nodded as he ate, “Not bad. Although it has no flavor, it tastes quite good.”
“Let me have a taste too…”
Ji Ruxue sat down beside him. Wan Yunting tore off a small piece of the heart meat for her. Ji Ruxue popped it into her mouth and ate it, nodding with satisfaction.
“Sect Leader Zhou, why don’t you all have some too?”
Wan Yunting turned his head and called out to Zhou Ruoxi and Lu Shuang. Then he turned to Zhang Xian’er and Zhao Xuyan, “You all come and eat. This snake demon has cultivated for over five hundred years. Its flesh and blood are great tonics, especially its heart.”
“I want to try too…”
Zhang Xian’er, who had been impatient, immediately shifted her position and snatched a bite of the roasted heart meat from Wan Yunting’s hand. Her peach blossom eyes widened and sparkled, and she exclaimed, “It’s delicious! The meat is firm and flavorful. It would be even more fragrant with salt and cumin…”
Wan Yunting said, “Did you not bring any seasonings with you when you entered the mountains these past few days?”
“If we did, it would be with the people from the Kunlun Sect.”
Zhang Xian’er said. Wan Yunting turned his head and looked at Yuan Gaowu and their two elders, who were tied up and thrown aside, along with several young disciples…
Yuan Gaowu at this moment had none of the demeanor of a sect leader. His face was pale, and he sat there dejected, likely regretting and unwilling.
“Someone come.”
Wan Yunting continued to roast the old snake’s heart and called out to the Kunlun Sect people over there.
Fifth Elder Ren Bo immediately had a young disciple step forward. His hands were tied. Wan Yunting untied them and said, “You roast it yourself, and then give it to them to eat. It will take a few days to leave the mountain, so I can’t let you die.”
“Oh, right.”
As he said this, Wan Yunting suddenly turned his head and looked at Qi Xiu and Chong Ling’er and the others, “After tonight, we will part ways tomorrow. You take these people back.”
Qi Xiu and Chong Ling’er’s expressions froze, and they exchanged glances. Zhang Xian’er, who was sitting nearby eating meat, raised an eyebrow and asked, “And you, aren’t you leaving the mountain with us?”
Zhou Ruoxi, who had also come over, along with the injured Lu Shuang and He Shanyue, sat down and also looked at Wan Yunting.
Wan Yunting also turned his head and deliberately glanced at her, saying, “I won’t be leaving the mountain for now. Besides, if I go back with you, wouldn’t that be walking into a trap?”
Qi Xiu said, “Abbot Wan, why must you do this? Why not hand over the Snow Mountain Sect martial arts manual to our Martial Arts Association? Perhaps if the various sects see your actions, they won’t pursue your learning of the逍遥派 (Xiaoyao Sect) skills anymore.”
Wan Yunting glanced at him and laughed, “What sect’s skills I learn is none of your various sects’ business. After all, some people have wicked hearts. No matter what sect’s skills they learn, they are still wicked!”
Qi Xiu frowned at his words, unable to refute them.
“Alright, don’t bother with them. Hurry up and roast some meat to fill your stomachs, and then properly circulate your energy to heal. You all need to leave Death Valley tomorrow.” Wan Yunting waved his hand, too lazy to argue with Qi Xiu and the others about this matter, as they all knew the truth in their hearts.
Wan Yunting knew that although the various martial arts sects claimed to uphold benevolence and righteousness, they were all driven by profit.
Take the Kunlun Sect’s actions this time as an example. What was the difference between them and the evil cults?
Therefore, Wan Yunting saw through the true faces of some individuals in the various sects, which was why he seized the Snow Mountain Sect martial arts manual and refused to give it to them.
Since he was already considered an evil heretic by those people, he might as well disregard everything else and focus on strengthening himself first.
After all, if your fist is strong, then your words have weight!
The old snake’s enormous heart was quickly half-eaten by Wan Yunting and the others. Wan Yunting was stuffed, but he kept circulating his energy to digest it, knowing that the heart of this five-hundred-year-old snake demon was a great tonic and could help with healing.
Yuan Gaowu and Guan Yongwu, the Kunlun Sect people, had their hands tied, and Wan Yunting had sealed their acupoints, making it impossible for them to use their internal energy. There was no need to worry about them making trouble.
Thus, after Wan Yunting, Ji Ruxue, Zhou Ruoxi, and Lu Shuang had finished eating, everyone found a spot to meditate and circulate their energy to heal…
The temperature in Death Valley dropped drastically at night. Everyone could only huddle under the rocky slopes, relying on the meager warmth of the bonfire for heat. Chong Ling’er and Zhao Xuyan had already fallen asleep…
In the latter half of the night, Wan Yunting slowly opened his eyes. After completing his cultivation, he had refined the old snake’s heart, and his previous injuries had recovered. He then turned his head to look at Zhou Ruoxi, who was still meditating and circulating her energy to heal against the rock wall.