Jin Yao avoided Wen Ting in the trial grounds to prevent conflict, while Wen Ting continued to rampage, snatching treasures without concealment.
Xiao Man followed Jin Yao, appearing exceptionally obedient and unmoved by the treasures.
Jin Yao glanced at Xiao Man, "If you see any treasure you fancy, you may go and retrieve it yourself."
"Does Second Young Master have any treasure in mind? I will certainly do my utmost to retrieve it for Second Young Master." Xiao Man immediately pledged her loyalty. She still harbored the intention of using Jin Yao to enter the Jin family. However, Jin Yao planned to silence her after using her, so there was no need for her to be polite. She wondered who would be superior if Jin Yao and Wen Ting clashed.
"The treasure I have in mind, I have already told you. When will you be able to retrieve it for me?"
"After we return from the trial grounds, I will be able to enter," Xiao Man said slowly. "At that time, I will surely bring it for Second Young Master."
"Good, I will wait for you to bring it to me." With that, Jin Yao tossed a Blood Flame Dragon Lotus, collected by a guard, to Xiao Man. "This is a reward for you."
Xiao Man caught it immediately. "Thank you for Second Young Master's reward."
"Follow this young master, and you will not be shortchanged," Jin Yao said proudly. The people from the Seven Sects were short-sighted; a little benefit was enough to buy them over. Such people could be used, but not kept.
"Understood."
"Go and see where Wen Ting is. We will try to avoid him. If you encounter a treasure you desire and cannot obtain it alone, you may also ask Elder Shen for help."
"Second Young Master, speaking of which, I did fancy a treasure, but..." Xiao Man appeared troubled. "It is guarded by a Gale Triple-headed Wolf, and even Qin Yu and I working together are no match for it."
"Gale Triple-headed Wolf?" Jin Yao sneered. "It's merely a high-level magical beast. Elder Shen, please assist her."
"Yes, Young Master."
After Xiao Man thanked him profusely, she led Elder Shen to where she had discovered the Gale Triple-headed Wolf. Elder Shen's gaze fell upon Xiao Man.
"Lad, your talent is considerable. You're close to the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm, aren't you?"
"Elder Shen flatters me. I have only just entered the Golden Core realm, and the mid-stage is still far off," Xiao Man said humbly. "I have always aspired to become a Supreme expert."
"Supreme expert." Elder Chen stroked his beard and smiled. "Ambitious. What kind of expert do you consider to be a Supreme expert?"
"Naturally, it is a Nascent Soul expert like Elder Shen."
"Nascent Soul experts are already extremely formidable on this continent, and only aristocratic families and sects possess them. Even among aristocratic families, Nascent Soul experts are few. This time, the Seven Sects have produced quite a few promising seedlings," Elder Shen said slowly. Cultivators at the Golden Core stage, under thirty years of age, could be taken into the family. However, disciples who grew up in the Seven Sects could not be recruited. This was because they would be stuck at the Golden Core stage. She could, but the Second Young Master had no intention of sparing her life. What a pity.
"That is also thanks to the support of the aristocratic families and sects," Xiao Man said softly. To prevent the Seven Sects from producing experts and thus overturning the current world order, the aristocratic families and sects had used flawed cultivation techniques and martial arts to silently control the Seven Sects. Under the servitude of the aristocratic families and sects, the Seven Sects would never have experts beyond the late Golden Core stage.
Elder Shen glanced at Xiao Man and smiled. That smile hid too many emotions.
Xiao Man's peripheral vision caught Elder Shen's smile, and she also smiled, her face full of innocence. Anyone who dared to see her as a naive and innocent person would suffer greatly.
Elder Shen had initially thought that the Gale Triple-headed Wolf Xiao Man mentioned was merely a high-level magical beast. However, to his surprise, this Gale Triple-headed Wolf was exceptionally powerful, clearly at the Saint Beast level!
"You brat, you're good at picking out good things!" As Elder Shen saw what the Gale Triple-headed Wolf was guarding, a glint of greed flashed in his eyes. That was the Xuan Yang Blazing Flame Fruit. This fruit was most suitable for fire-element cultivators, and he happened to be one.
"This tree has grown quite a few Xuan Yang Blazing Flame Fruits. After we kill this Gale Triple-headed Wolf, Qin Yu and I will only take one fruit each, and the rest will be yours, Elder," Xiao Man said with a smile.
Elder Shen was overjoyed. He had been thinking about how to keep all the fruits for himself, but Xiao Man had taken the initiative. She only wanted two fruits, and the rest were his!
Elder Shen focused on dealing with the Gale Triple-headed Wolf, while Xiao Man hid in the windward position, watching Elder Shen battle the beast. A faint medicinal scent drifted with the wind, was swept towards the Gale Triple-headed Wolf, and inhaled by Elder Shen.
While Elder Shen was locked in fierce combat with the Gale Triple-headed Wolf, Wen Ting arrived. As Elder Shen's peripheral vision caught sight of Wen Ting, he immediately became wary.
Wen Ting twirled the Blood Jade Flute in his hand, looking at Elder Shen with a smile that was not a smile. After a moment, he blew the Blood Jade Flute. The melodious music flowed out, enchanting to hear, but Elder Shen dared not listen. He immediately sealed his hearing, but once he blocked his hearing, he could not track the Gale Triple-headed Wolf's position with his eyes.
"Young Master Wen, what exactly do you want?"
Wen Ting blew the Blood Jade Flute in his hand with a face full of smiles. The melody started gentle, then steadily rose in pitch, becoming even piercing at the end. Under the impact of the music, the Gale Triple-headed Wolf became extremely berserk, ferociously attacking Elder Shen.
Seeing that the time was right, Xiao Man secretly used her spiritual power to envelop the Xuan Yang Blazing Flame Tree and transferred it into the Tongtian Tower. The deranged Gale Twin-headed Wolf did not notice at all. Elder Shen had to guard against Wen Ting and fend off the Gale Triple-headed Wolf's attacks, leaving him no attention to spare for the Xuan Yang Blazing Flame Tree.
After collecting the tree, Xiao Man quickly went to find Jin Yao. If she could resolve Jin Yao here, her path to rebirth and return should be a little smoother. Moreover, Jin Yao had always intended to use her and then silence her. Why should she be polite?
Jin Yao was attacking a Venomous Demon Spider with his guards. Xiao Man, however, ran back in a disheveled state. "Second Young Master, it's bad! Elder Shen and Young Master Wen have started fighting!"
Jin Yao was slightly startled. "Why would they start fighting?"
"We were fighting the Gale Triple-headed Wolf with all our might when Wen Ting suddenly appeared at a critical moment, snatched the Xuan Yang Blazing Flame Tree, and controlled the Gale Triple-headed Wolf to attack Elder Shen."
"Damn it!" Jin Yao immediately withdrew from the battle. "Leave a squad to continue killing the Venomous Demon Spider. The rest will come with me to aid Elder Shen."
"Second Young Master, what if the people we bring are controlled by Young Master Wen?"
Jin Yao's footsteps halted. He looked at the people following behind him. Indeed, Wen Ting could not only control beasts but also people's hearts. If their men were controlled by Wen Ting, they would be in danger.
Jin Yao pondered for a moment. "Everyone seal your hearing and come with me to aid Elder Shen."