Dao Companion Crippled, Coveters Move

Chapter 456 442: Arriving at the Dao Sect, Shang Miaoyan Appears

When Ye Liyuan invited them to welcome Pei Yuhang, guilt flashed in both of their eyes.

They, too, were going to welcome their master. The difference was, they had only thought of deceiving their master's wife and sneaking off alone, while she had thought to take them with her.

The contrast made Qing Yueqiu and Yu Xiaoyan feel incredibly petty in an instant.

'If Master found out, he would surely be disappointed in us.'

Qing Yueqiu's and Yu Xiaoyan's usually lively eyes now darted about, not daring to meet Ye Liyuan's gaze, and a blush of shame crept up their fair cheeks.

"Yueqiu, Xiaoxiao, what are you two spacing out for? Hurry and come with me! Don't you want to see Ah Han?"

Ye Liyuan, who had already drawn her Spirit Sword and was preparing to take flight, glanced back at her two dazed disciples and asked in confusion.

"Yes, Mistress."

The two exchanged a look and hastily took to their swords, chasing after their Mistress's figure.

...

...

WHOOSH—

The biting mountain wind howled past, sweeping across Pei Yuhang's face and whipping his jet-black hair into a frenzy, weaving it into a flowing, inky waterfall.

His deep-set eyes narrowed slightly, gazing at the distant silhouette of the sect gate, which appeared and disappeared amid the swirling clouds. A relieved smile touched his lips.

'Finally… I'm back.'

He sighed inwardly. At the thought of soon seeing his beloved Dao Companion and disciples, a gentle warmth softened Pei Yuhang's gaze.

Steady footsteps sounded from behind him.

The crane-haired, rosy-cheeked Chen Xiuxian approached at a leisurely pace. After this period of recuperation, the wrinkles and signs of age on his face had faded considerably. In perhaps another half a year, the Primordial Qi he had lost in his battle with the Vortex Daoist would be fully restored.

He stroked his long, silver-white beard, his eyes narrowing slightly. Upon clearly seeing the three graceful figures waiting eagerly at the sect gate, he sighed wistfully and said:

"Sword Immortal Pei, your Dao Companion and disciples are waiting for you at the sect gate. What an enviable blessing you have.

It reminds me of my own Dao Companion and disciples... A pity that as time flew by, they were never able to break through the fetters of their Cultivation to extend their lives. The seas have turned to mulberry fields, and yet I am the only one left, living in solitude to this day."

"Elder Chen, my condolences."

Pei Yuhang lowered his gaze, only able to offer quiet consolation.

'The greatest difference between high-realm and low-realm Cultivators isn't how many powerful Divine Abilities they've mastered, but how long they can endure being washed away by the river of time.'

That was why, when Liyuan failed her Tribulation Crossing and her Dao Foundation was destroyed, he had acted like a madman, exhausting his entire fortune to heal her Dao Foundation.

Even if it meant submitting to his senior sister and Shang Miaoyan, betraying his own principles, he was determined to obtain the Heavenly and Earthly Treasures that would allow Liyuan to walk the path of cultivation once more.

Because if Liyuan's Cultivation couldn't keep up with his, her life, to him, would be far too short. Perhaps in the time it took for him to complete a single session of seclusion, she would face the five signs of decay and turn to a fistful of yellow earth.

Fortunately, he had succeeded.

Pei Yuhang raised his head again, his gaze seeming to traverse the vast Cloud Sea to meet his Dao Companion's eyes at the sect gate.

Chen Xiuxian took in the scene, a pleased smile spreading across his face.

He shook his head, as if to cast off his earlier melancholy. Then, with a deft motion, he untied the Jade Gourd from his waist and tossed it into the air. The Jade Gourd grew as it met the wind, instantly transforming into the size of a skiff and pulsing with misty Spiritual Qi in the Cloud Sea.

Chen Xiuxian nimbly leaped from the deck onto his Jade Gourd. He turned back to Pei Yuhang and said, "Sword Immortal Pei, go on and reunite with your Dao Companion and disciples."

"As for the Dragon Corpse and the matter of the [Chosen One] being able to command an Ancient Cultivator as an emissary, I will report it to the Great Elder and the Sect Leader."

"Of course, I won't take the credit for your contributions, hahaha!"

Pei Yuhang shook his head. "You jest, Senior."

He then bowed to Chen Xiuxian and watched the carefree senior depart.

After Chen Xiuxian left, Pei Yuhang returned to the room. His gaze fell on Fan Xuan, who had put her mask back on, and a complex look flashed in his deep-set eyes.

"You head back to the Cold Palace Sword Mansion first. If anything comes up, contact me via Transmission Token."

Fan Xuan huffed. "I know. A busy man like Sword Immortal Pei has to take care of his Dao Companion and disciples first, of course. My turn only comes last~"

Her voice was drawn out, laced with clear mockery.

"Don't say it like that. You make it sound as if our relationship is something that can't see the light of day…"

"Yes, yes, of course—"

Fan Xuan replied in a singsong tone, rising to her feet and stretching languidly. Her slender waist carved a graceful arc in the sunlight, like an elegant cat.

"Well then, Sword Immortal Pei, you go ahead and see Fairy Ye. I'll head back to the Cold Palace Sword Mansion by myself."

As she spoke, she even made a deliberately exaggerated bow.

Watching her antics, the corner of Pei Yuhang's mouth twitched involuntarily. Nevertheless, he took a Pill Boy Robe from his Storage Pouch and handed it to her.

"Change into this. You won't attract attention when you get off the Spirit Wheel."

"Mm."

Fan Xuan accepted the Pill Boy Robe, thinking to herself that she actually had a Treasure Robe that could hide her in the void. If she simply wore the Void Cloak and didn't actively reveal her aura, no one would be able to discover her, even without a disguise.

But she certainly wasn't going to tell that to this oh-so-proper Sword Immortal.

Pei Yuhang watched Fan Xuan walk out the door, his deep-set eyes glinting with thought.

'In the end… I'm still letting her come back with me, aren't I?'

Pei Yuhang let out a soft sigh.

'To be honest, given the uncertainty of whether Fan Xuan still answers to Shang Miaoyan, the best choice for the safety of my Dao Companion and disciples would have been to not let her return with me.'

'But whenever I see Fan Xuan, I remember the words she left me with during the Trial of Heart Tribulation: "We will meet again."'

'I just can't bring myself to be ruthless.'

'Whatever. Keeping her by my side will make it easier to see what Shang Miaoyan is planning. If I leave Fan Xuan outside the Sect, Shang Miaoyan might just send someone with even fewer scruples to get close to me, and that would be a real hassle.'

Pei Yuhang could only console himself with this line of reasoning.

...

...

Fan Xuan slipped away from the Spirit Wheel without a sound, her sleeves fluttering as she weaved through the vast Cloud Sea.

She was just about to sneak into the Dao Sect's territory when her brow furrowed slightly, as if she sensed something.

[Jiu, come here.]

The voice carried an authority that seemed etched into her very marrow, making Fan Xuan bite her lower lip. A flicker of struggle flashed in her eyes, but in the end, she dared not resist. She stiffly changed direction, heading toward the source of the command.

Gradually, the clouds and mist parted, revealing a peerless beauty suspended in the air. She possessed an aura that was at once captivating and noble.

The hem of her black and red dress billowed like karmic fire, while datura flowers embroidered in gold thread shimmered in and out of view on her sleeves.

Shang Miaoyan's Cultivation seemed to have improved again. She now wore crimson eyeshadow at the corners of her eyes. Far from looking vulgar, it instead gave her a faint, divine quality.

With every glance, she was both beautiful and bewitching.

"Holy Daughter…"

Shang Miaoyan looked at Fan Xuan, who was bowing in submission to her, and a flicker of satisfaction crossed her enchanting eyes.

'Very good. The pawn is still under my control.'