"By the way, Qingyi, recently, demon beasts have been running rampant outside the city, frequently appearing and harming people. Most of them lack spiritual intelligence, yet they are well-trained and act in a very orderly manner. After investigating, the Shenxing Department discovered that someone seems to be secretly manipulating all of this. Moreover, after tracking some of these demon beasts, I detected a familiar aura, but I just can't recall where I've encountered it before." Li Ye hurriedly steered the conversation toward the demon beasts.
"Oh? There's such a thing?" Chu Qingyi frowned slightly, her brows filled with confusion.
She had a certain understanding of demon beasts. Ordinary demon beasts lacked spiritual intelligence entirely—preying on the weak and hiding from natural enemies were all instinctive reactions. Occasionally, they might intrude into human settlements, but they were fundamentally incapable of deliberately harming humans.
Only demon beasts with high spiritual intelligence had the ability to appear in human towns, but they would not do so unless absolutely necessary.
However, there were always exceptions. Some inherently malevolent demon beasts, dissatisfied with their current living conditions, might take risks and appear in towns, committing transgressions.
Although the frequency of demon beast appearances might be higher in some border towns, it would never be as frequent as Li Ye described.
Overall, the probability of ordinary demon beasts actively appearing to harm people was very low, let alone such a large-scale and bizarre series of attacks.
From this perspective, if this matter were true, then the spiritual intelligence of these demon beasts had likely reached a terrifying level.
"According to what you said, most of these demon beasts that harm people lack spiritual intelligence, but their actions are very strange, as if someone is controlling them from behind?" She roughly understood Li Ye's meaning and asked in return.
"Mhm, do you think they might be controlled by an extremely high-level demon beast, which is why they're doing these things?" Li Ye shared his speculation with her.
"That's also a possibility." Chu Qingyi agreed.
Li Ye's words sparked an inspiration in her mind. Something seemed to flash through her thoughts, but it vanished in an instant, impossible to grasp.
"You just mentioned a familiar aura?" she asked.
"I'm not entirely sure. That familiar aura only existed for a moment before disappearing. I didn't have time to react, so I'm also wondering if my perception was mistaken at the time." Li Ye fell into recollection, describing his feelings from that moment to her.
"No, your spiritual sense is far stronger than mine. Back then, even Father praised you endlessly after noticing your extraordinary soul, which proves your spiritual sense couldn't be wrong," Chu Qingyi immediately dismissed his doubt and continued analyzing, "If you had such a feeling, then this matter is almost certainly true. Think carefully—could it be a demon beast you've dealt with before?"
Hearing her affirmation, Li Ye couldn't help but feel a surge of pride, even straightening his upper body a little.
"But the intelligence level of the demon beasts I've encountered before was generally average. The most formidable one has already been suppressed by the Punishment Department, with no chance of escaping to cause harm again." He frowned and shook his head.
The possibility Chu Qingyi mentioned was not something he hadn't considered. In fact, he had specifically gone to the place where the demon beasts were imprisoned to conduct a thorough inspection, only relaxing after confirming there were no oversights.
Hearing this, Chu Qingyi was momentarily at a loss for ideas and fell into deep thought.
As the two of them discussed, Li Xuan, inside the room, watched their harmonious and affectionate interaction—laughing and chatting together—feeling as though a bottle of vinegar had been overturned in his heart, sour and bitter.
Especially when he saw Chu Qingyi occasionally smiling, her delicate face blooming like a flower, it felt as if countless ants were crawling in his heart, making him unbearably restless.
How he wished it were him by Chu Qingyi's side at this moment, sharing laughter and joy with her.
Yet all he could do was watch the two of them in affectionate harmony with envy and resentment.
His gaze toward Li Ye was complex—filled with longing for his long-unseen adoptive father, as well as jealousy and resentment toward him.
He envied how Li Ye could openly accompany Chu Qingyi, while he could only be intimate with her in secret. He resented why Li Ye had to return today of all days—otherwise, he could have spent the morning with her in passionate embrace once more.
"Sigh..." He propped his head on the windowsill in frustration.
Eventually, the sight of the loving couple became too irritating, so he simply closed his eyes and drifted back into a light sleep.
"Do you think it's possible that this demon beast isn't imprisoned in the Punishment Division?" Chu Qingyi tilted her head thoughtfully, as if an idea had struck her.
"Not imprisoned in the Punishment Division? Impossible. I can't vouch for other Shadow Blades, but every demon beast I've encountered has been subdued by me. There's no way one slipped through the cracks," Li Ye blurted out, immediately dismissing Chu Qingyi's suggestion.
"Oh? Think carefully again?" Chu Qingyi wore a meaningful smile on her face.
"There absolutely couldn't be any... Wait!" Li Ye paused abruptly, his eyes lighting up with a strange intensity. He continued in disbelief, "Could it be... that one?"
The "it" Li Ye referred to was the Profound Spirit Serpent that had once lured him and Chu Qingyi near Jinling City. Back then, young and reckless, they had heard during their cultivation journey that this serpent was wreaking havoc in the region. Driven by passion, they charged into its lair, only to realize they had made a fatal mistake—they hadn't thoroughly investigated the demon beast's true strength.
At the time, the cultivators who had encountered the Profound Spirit Serpent claimed it was at the mid-stage of the Profound Tier. But when they finally faced it in battle, they discovered it had already broken through to the late-stage of the Profound Tier. With their cultivation at the Three Flowers Gather at the Summit realm, they were no match for it.
Unsurprisingly, the couple quickly fell into a disadvantage after just a few exchanges with the serpent. In the end, they barely escaped thanks to Chu Qingyi unleashing her innate immortal qi.
Recalling how Chu Qingyi had unhesitatingly shielded him and fought desperately to protect him, Li Ye felt a ripple of emotion in his heart, his gaze toward her tinged with tenderness and concern.
"It's just a guess. After all, according to you, no demon beast has escaped from the Punishment Division. That leaves only the Profound Spirit Serpent among the ones you've encountered," Chu Qingyi said calmly, clearly having already considered this possibility.
"But that Profound Spirit Serpent... even though it had late-stage Profound Tier cultivation, its strength and influence were far from enough to command other demon beasts, let alone control such a large number of them," Li Ye frowned, looking deeply troubled.
"Don't forget, once a demon beast takes human form, its cultivation speed far surpasses that of ordinary cultivators," Chu Qingyi reminded him.
"You mean... it broke through again?" Li Ye's eyes flashed with astonishment.
It is important to understand that while demonic beasts possess innate physical advantages and, after taking human form, cultivate at a speed far surpassing that of humans, each breakthrough they make requires immense effort and is as difficult as overcoming a heavenly tribulation.
Moreover, the increase in power brought by a breakthrough comes with significant risks. If the process is disrupted by external interference or fails due to the beast's own shortcomings, the consequences can range from losing all previous progress and starting over from scratch to severe damage to their cultivation foundation, affecting their future potential.
At this moment, Chu Qingyi's suggestion that the Mystic Spirit Serpent might have evolved truly startled Li Ye.
High-tier Mystic-grade demonic beasts are already rare, and if it had undergone a further breakthrough, it would have reached the low-tier Earth grade...
Given their current strength, the two of them might still stand a chance against a high-tier Mystic-grade beast, but facing a low-tier Earth-grade beast, they would likely perish before even having the opportunity to flee.
"Since our own cultivation has advanced, it is not so surprising that the Mystic Spirit Serpent might have broken through as well," Chu Qingyi said as she walked over and sat down on a nearby stone chair.
She toyed with a string of colorful fluorite bracelets on her wrist, which she had stumbled upon at a market. Each fluorite bead had been meticulously polished to a smooth roundness and strung together with gold thread. At the time, she had been captivated by the bracelet's exquisite craftsmanship, with each fluorite bead shimmering in its own unique hue, dancing with a kaleidoscope of colors under the sunlight.
She cherished the bracelet so much that she wore it almost constantly on her wrist. The translucent, colorful fluorite beads accentuated her already fair skin, making it even more alluring.
"Even back then, we were no match for the Mystic Spirit Serpent. Now that it has broken through..." Li Ye's brows furrowed into a deep crease, his expression clouded with unshakable worry.
Chu Qingyi clearly shared his concerns, her deep, tranquil eyes rippling with subtle apprehension.
"This Mystic Spirit Serpent is not only terrifyingly powerful but also highly intelligent. If it truly has broken through, there are likely few in Jinling City who could stand against it," Li Ye continued.
"If things unfold as we suspect, the strength of the Mystic Spirit Serpent after its breakthrough would be truly formidable. Even the combined might of all the powerful cultivators in Jinling City might not be enough to resist it. Moreover, this matter involves ordinary citizens, and mishandling it could incite widespread panic," Chu Qingyi said gravely.
Not only the citizens—if the officials of the Judicial Department were to learn of this, it could sow fear and unrest within their ranks. Before the real danger even arrived, they might descend into chaos themselves.
Furthermore, with walls having ears, if word of this were to spread among the common people, it could trigger unprecedented turmoil with unimaginable consequences.
Thus, if this were true, it must not be leaked under any circumstances.
A moment later, as if realizing something, Li Ye asked in surprise, "Qingyi, you just said we've both made breakthroughs? Could it be that you... you too?"
Chu Qingyi did not answer his question, instead looking at him with a faint, enigmatic smile.
Seeing that she did not deny it, Li Ye instinctively released his spiritual sense, probing toward her body.
Just as his spiritual sense was about to make contact, he felt as though an invisible barrier had suddenly materialized between him and Chu Qingyi. The barrier was solid and profound, completely repelling his spiritual sense and preventing it from penetrating even the slightest bit further.
In his shock, he gathered his spiritual sense into a longsword and forcefully thrust it toward the barrier.
Bang!
After a loud crash, Li Ye staggered backward several steps from the impact, barely steadying himself under Chu Qingyi's calm gaze.
"Qingyi, you... this..." He stood there as if struck by lightning, staring blankly at Chu Qingyi.
If he hadn't misjudged, when he tried to forcefully pierce the barrier just now, his spiritual sense suffered a powerful backlash from it. For the first time, he felt his spiritual sense was as insignificant as a tiny ant, while the power within the barrier was like a vast ocean, utterly beyond his ability to perceive.
The stark reality lay before him. No matter how unwilling he was to believe it, Li Ye had to admit that Chu Qingyi's achievements in cultivation had long since far surpassed his own.
"Qingyi, have you... broken through?" he asked weakly.
"Just by luck," Chu Qingyi replied with a faint smile. Seeing him disheveled and cautious, she felt a sudden pang of emotion. She had always thought Li Ye was exceptionally talented and brimming with confidence, able to remain composed in any situation. Yet now, the deep-seated insecurity emanating from him left her momentarily dazed. She couldn't even recall the last time she had seen him so timid.
It seems he has changed somewhat during this time...
As she thought this, an unfathomable light flickered in her eyes.
"As expected of you. Not only have you recovered from your injuries in such a short time, but your strength has also improved so much," Li Ye praised, though a bitter smile appeared on his face.
Back in the Celestial Master's Mansion, both he and Chu Qingyi had been among the most talented, and in some ways, his spiritual soul and comprehension had even been slightly superior to hers. As a result, his cultivation had always been ahead of hers, which gave him a sense of superiority despite his family background and reputation being inferior to hers.
But now, reality had dealt him a harsh blow. He had thought it was no small feat to break through several minor realms within three months, only to find that Chu Qingyi had unknowingly surpassed him long ago.
How could this not shatter his confidence?
Chu Qingyi saw through his thoughts and smiled gently. "My breakthrough was thanks to my mother's elixir. After healing my internal injuries, a small portion of the medicinal effects remained, which allowed me to break through by chance."
"My Qingyi is so outstanding. I should work harder too," Li Ye said with a bitter smile, knowing full well that her words were merely meant to comfort him.
Yet the main reason he had fallen so far behind Chu Qingyi lay within himself.
During this time, he had been avoiding reality, indulging in physical desires with Xu Ruanyao and reveling in her genuine admiration and reverence. It had made him somewhat complacent, and his mind had drifted entirely away from cultivation, causing his strength to stagnate completely since his last breakthrough.
"So, what is your current strength?" he continued to ask.
"I suppose I've half-stepped into the realm of Yin-Yang Convergence," Chu Qingyi replied after a moment of thought.
The Fortune Elixir that Yun Wanshang had refined for her had indeed healed her internal injuries and allowed her to make further progress, but it had only helped her break through to the late stage of the Three Flowers Gather at the Summit.
After losing her virginity, she had feared that her cultivation talent and insight would be affected, but the reality was that her cultivation not only remained unaffected but actually accelerated significantly.
This left her utterly perplexed, unable to understand the reason behind it.
At times, she even felt as though fate had played a cruel joke on her life. When she was still a virgin, to avoid hindering her cultivation progress, she had made an agreement with Li Ye to wait until they reached a certain level of cultivation before consummating their relationship. Yet the stark reality now felt like a harsh slap in the face—losing her virginity had brought no adverse effects at all but, quite absurdly, had instead benefited her.
However, there was no turning back, and no regrets could undo what had happened. Since things had already come to pass, she could only face the facts before her.
"Half a step into the Yin-Yang Convergence realm..." Li Ye muttered dejectedly. He had thought that with his current strength, he could at least put up a fight against a cultivator in the Yin-Yang Convergence realm, and if nothing else, he could still manage to escape.
But when he faced Chu Qingyi earlier, he realized just how laughable his previous assumptions had been.
In the face of absolute power, he was like an ant, utterly helpless and with no chance of escape.
"Yes, the feeling of the bottleneck has become increasingly evident lately. It seems I'm only missing a suitable opportunity to officially break through into the Yin-Yang Convergence realm. By then, when facing the Profound Spirit Serpent, the gap in strength won't be too vast," Chu Qingyi nodded and said.
"Facing the Profound Spirit Serpent?" Li Ye looked at her in surprise.
According to her, it wouldn't be long before she naturally broke through into the Yin-Yang Convergence realm, and by then, their return to the Celestial Master Mansion would be imminent.
She could easily ignore the events unfolding in Jinling City, simply brush off her sleeves, and return to the Celestial Master Mansion.
Moreover, dealing with the demon beast was the responsibility of the Judicial Department. There was no need for her to get involved in this mess.
"Yes, since our arrival in Jinling City was because of it, it should also end because of it," Chu Qingyi's tone was calm, yet it carried an undeniable firmness.
If this matter truly was the doing of the Profound Spirit Serpent, its strength must have reached a terrifying level.
Within Jinling City, the top leaders were no match for it. By then, the only one capable of facing it would be Chu Qingyi after her breakthrough.
She could have walked away, but given her nature, it was impossible for her to simply abandon the situation.
Furthermore, it was this demon beast that had initiated her life in Jinling City. Only by resolving it with her own hands could she peacefully conclude her time here and return to the normalcy of the Celestial Master Mansion.
The gentle sunlight caressed her face, adding a touch of sacredness to her flawless features.
Her eyes shimmered with determination, for there was another reason she couldn't simply walk away.
Somehow, she had developed an inexplicable affection for this small city that held countless memories for her. She loved its hazy appearance shrouded in morning mist, the way it was tenderly bathed in the golden glow of the setting sun, the wisps of smoke rising from its rooftops at dusk, and the sounds of chickens clucking and dogs barking echoing through its winding streets and alleys.
Everything she experienced here was the vibrant essence of life she could never have encountered at the Celestial Master's Mansion.
Even the dilapidated old Li family residence before her eyes now felt incredibly warm and familiar.
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