Shen Qing shrugged guiltily, a hint of ingratiating smile appearing on her face. "Master, how could you think like that?"
Ling Zhou rolled his eyes. "You little girl, don't I know you well enough?"
Li Xian watched the intimate conversation between the master and disciple from behind. Jealousy welled up in his heart time and time again.
He had initially thought that it was normal for the master and disciple to have a good relationship after getting along for so long. But when he saw Shen Qing making some cute gestures, his jealousy finally got the better of him.
Shen Qing rarely made such little gestures in front of him.
After holding it in for a long time, he finally couldn't help but take a step forward and stand in front of Shen Qing, forcefully separating the two.
"A junior named Li Xian pays respects to the master."
Li Xian's voice was cold, with red - rimmed eyes and a hint of aggrieved emotion. He glanced at Shen Qing.
Since Shen Qing also addressed Yu Xuzi as master, Li Xian followed Shen Qing's generation and called Ling Zhou master.
Ling Zhou was stunned for a moment when he saw someone suddenly squeeze in. Then he realized that Li Xian could see him now.
Ling Zhou winked at Shen Qing silently, asking, "Did you tell him everything about me being in your spiritual sea before?"
Shen Qing nodded, silently confirming.
A smile tugged at Ling Zhou's lips. He thought to himself that this little girl really trusted Li Xian.
"Get up. Although this is our first meeting, I've seen you many times in Shen Qing's spiritual sea. You're a remarkable young man. At such a young age, you've already reached the late stage of Nascent Soul. Your future is boundless."
"It's a pity that I can't give you a meeting gift now. After everything is over, I'll definitely make it up to you."
"Don't think it's shabby, though. I'm not as generous as Yu Xuzi. So..."
As he spoke, a look of embarrassment appeared on Ling Zhou's face.
He was far from being as generous as Yu Xuzi. The magical artifacts from a thousand years ago had been updated and replaced many times. Even his talismans and pills were just ordinary things in front of Li Xian.
He was really troubled about what meeting gift to give.
Li Xian held Shen Qing's hand and stood in front of Ling Zhou. A hint of obsession appeared on his face. "Master, you're being too kind. Your approval of my marriage with Shen Qing is the best meeting gift for me."
"I've always heard about your elegance from Shen Qing. Now that I've seen you in person, I'm truly impressed."
Although it was a compliment, Ling Zhou could sense a bit of hostility in it.
Moreover, from Shen Qing's memories, he knew that Shen Qing was tight - lipped. Everyone only knew that Shen Qing was his disciple, but she had never told others about their relationship.
Li Xian was just jealous.
Ling Zhou didn't know whether to laugh or cry. His little disciple's Taoist partner was really a petty man.
Shen Qing noticed that Li Xian had said a few more words than usual and his mood was different. She tilted her head, wondering why he was acting like this.
But she still nodded in agreement with Li Xian's words.
After the three of them exchanged a few more pleasantries, they sat cross - legged to discuss the plan to seize Ji Zhongming's body.
Although Ling Zhou disliked Ji Zhongming and his identity as the Demon Lord very much, there was no other body for him to choose from at the moment. He couldn't possibly seize Lin Yibai's body, could he?
Not far away, Lin Yibai was being tortured by Pei Xuanjing and the others. They were inflicting on Lin Yibai all the pain that had once been inflicted on Shen Qing.
Lin Yibai's face had been disfigured, and her once gentle eyes were now filled with intense hatred.
By now, she understood everything. These three people had regained their memories. No matter how much she begged for mercy or showed weakness, they wouldn't spare her.
The dying Lin Yibai was filled with resentment.
Shen Qing!
It was Shen Qing again!
Why, even with the help of the system, was she still suppressed by Shen Qing? These toadies were originally hers, but as soon as Shen Qing made a slight change, they rushed to atone for their sins.
What on earth was Shen Qing's charm? Why was the Heavenly Dao so unfair? Why did Shen Qing get all the good things!
"Pei Xuanjing, He Yu, Shen Chuyun, remember your current looks. It was you who insulted Shen Qing back then, but now you're blaming it all on me."
"Do you think Shen Qing will be touched by what you're doing? In Shen Qing's eyes, you're all scoundrels and enemies! You're like toads in the mud and customers in the brothel. You're disgusting!"
Lin Yibai was already delirious. Her soul was already injured, and now being tortured like this, she was at the end of her strength.
So she used all her strength to curse loudly, trying to vent her anger before she died.
But her curses only led to more crazy revenge from the three of them. They seemed to have gone mad with killing, releasing all the evil hidden in their hearts on Lin Yibai.
Li Xian and Shen Qing had their backs to each other. Ling Zhou saw Lin Yibai being tortured from between them. He shook his head and clicked his tongue twice.
"Have they turned dark? They're so ruthless. They don't seem like righteous cultivators at all."
Although Ling Zhou said this, he had no intention of going down to save her.
After all, knowing all of Shen Qing's secrets, he also knew that the poor must have something hateful about them. Although Lin Yibai was pitiful now, those who had been harmed by her before were even more pitiful.
"It's just a dog - eat - dog situation. Master, don't dirty your eyes."
Shen Qing was eating a fruit, her face cold and her words emotionless.
She wasn't a saint. She definitely wouldn't save her enemy.
Li Xian was even calmer, his attention only on Shen Qing beside him.
Outside the dream...
After Ji Zhongming retrieved the other half of his clone, he learned that most of the disciples of the Qingyun Sword Sect had gathered in the back mountain, and even the sect master and several elders were there.
He panicked instantly. He didn't expect these people to discover his whereabouts so quickly.
But Lin Yibai's body was here. If he left with the Soul - Locking Banner, Lin Yibai's soul would have no body to rely on. But if he were to help Lin Yibai change her body, he was also reluctant to part with Lin Yibai's beautiful face.
For now, he had to wait for the delusion to return with the demon soldiers and try to buy some time for Xiaobai's soul to recover.
After it recovered halfway, he could let Xiaobai's soul return to her own body, and then he would rescue Xiaobai.
Although he really wanted to take Xiaobai's body away, with his ability, he couldn't guarantee that Lin Yibai's body wouldn't be damaged at all when he took it out of the mountain - protecting formation.
After all, he highly valued Lin Yibai's beauty.
Moreover, Ji Zhongming always looked down on the sect's cultivators in his heart. He always thought that with his strength, he could single - handedly fight several elders of the sect.
But just when he was proudly thinking that his plan was flawless, a chanting sound came. The black mist around seemed to be dispelled, revealing the location of the Soul - Locking Banner.
"Buddhist cultivators? When did Buddhist cultivators come to the Qingyun Sword Sect?"
Ji Zhongming was a bit irritable. He didn't have much demonic energy left. It was already very difficult for him to keep the Soul - Locking Banner running.
If things continued like this, he would have to take a risky move.