"The Great Elder is currently recuperating and cannot be disturbed."
The disciples guarding the door blocked the approaching woman and spoke.
The woman cursed inwardly. *Great Elder? He has already been stripped of his rank and demoted to the lowest status, yet you sycophants remain so loyal.*
"I am here to deliver medicine on the orders of Grandmaster Pill King."
The woman spoke softly, shaking the jade bottle she held in her hand.
Having heard her words and having previously seen her both at the Great Elder's side and during the day's events, the guarding disciples permitted her entry.
As the woman stepped inside, the light illuminated her face.
It was Mo Linglin of the Mo family.
"Great Elder, this is the pill Grandmaster Pill King instructed me to deliver."
Mo Linglin gazed at Yun Ling, who lay upon the bed cultivating in an attempt to recover. A flicker of hatred flashed through her eyes.
"Bring it here."
Due to the hidden poison Xiao Yi Xian had left within Yun Ling, his recovery had been agonizingly slow.
Mo Linglin handed over the jade bottle. Yun Ling poured the pill into his palm and swallowed it without any examination.
The moment the pill dissolved in his mouth, Yun Ling sensed something was terribly wrong.
"What kind of pill is this—ugh!"
Yun Ling opened his mouth to speak, but before he could finish, a dagger plunged savagely into his heart. A scream tore from his throat.
He slapped Mo Linglin away, simultaneously realizing his body was betraying him. Under normal circumstances, even if his injuries were only half healed, she would never have withstood his blow.
"Why did you do this? What kind of pill did you give me?"
"Naturally, it is my Mo family's unique poison pill, concocted from a blend of over a dozen magical beast venoms and medicinal herbs."
"As for why I did this—you outwardly claimed to be as close as brothers with my family's Great Elder, but in truth, it was all for the remaining treasures of my Mo family, was it not?"
Yun Ling felt the virulent poison coursing through him and was flooded with regret. Had he only examined it carefully, he would have uncovered the deception.
Moments later, the guarding disciples heard the commotion and rushed inside. They discovered Yun Ling had been poisoned. One disciple seized Mo Linglin, while the other departed to find Gu He, as Yun Ling had gasped his final instructions.
Gu He arrived, but even he could not save Yun Ling. The pill, a fusion of dozens of toxins, struck directly at his soul. Combined with the time that had elapsed, his preexisting injuries, and Xiao Yi Xian's poisonous Dou Qi—under the weight of these compounded afflictions—Yun Ling finally perished in unbearable agony by the time Yun Yun and Yun Shan reached the scene.
After a thorough interrogation, Mo Linglin revealed the entire sequence of events. She was executed in secret.
Through this, Yun Yun also uncovered the hidden rot and other deep-seated problems festering within the Misty Cloud Sect.
Although Yun Ling's death stirred considerable unrest, everything was suppressed under Yun Yun's decisive management.
As for Yun Ling, one could only say he had brought ruin upon himself. It had nothing to do with anyone else.
In the days that followed, comforted by Xiao Tian and Xiao Yi Xian, Yun Yun recovered by the second day.
Xiao Tian divided his time between cultivation, refining medicines, and conversing with the women, carefully assessing their strengths and weaknesses.
Xiao Yi Xian was a four-star Dou Ancestor. Yun Yun, a five-star Dou Emperor. Qing Lin stood at the peak of the eight-star Great Dou Master realm. Ya Fei had reached the four-star Dou Master stage.
—
Xiao Tian's bedchamber.
In the wake of their intimacy, Yun Yun lay nestled in Xiao Tian's arms. He gently stroked her hair.
"Yun'er, I will soon depart for Jia Nan Academy. Will you come with me?"
Xiao Tian gazed at Yun Yun, whose expression was fraught with conflict, and tenderly caressed her face.
"As for the Misty Cloud Sect, you can simply let your master handle it. He has already broken through to the Dou Ancestor realm, and his lifespan is no longer a concern. He is likely sharpening his blade even now, eager to reemerge."
"Very well. I will leave with you."
Yun Yun recalled Yun Shan's former temperament. He would undoubtedly choose to reemerge and meddle in the Misty Cloud Sect's affairs later. He had previously stepped down as Sect Master only because his remaining lifespan had been short, choosing seclusion to attempt a breakthrough.
Coupled with the stark clarity she had gained regarding the sect's internal problems this time, she felt powerless to act. If she were to purge it, the Misty Cloud Sect would be crippled. They had already lost Yun Ling and could not afford to lose their other Dou King pillars as well.
Rather than saying she was leaving, it was more truthful to say she was escaping. She was also deeply reluctant to part from Xiao Tian. Who knew when they would meet again once he departed?
"Alright. I will speak to Yun Shan about this. I will also help you repay his kindness in raising you. You may return to visit whenever you wish."
"Mm. I will heed your words. Thank you, Xiao Tian."
Moved beyond words, Yun Yun nestled against Xiao Tian's chest, listening to the steady, powerful rhythm of his heartbeat.
Xiao Tian understood Yun Yun's nature well—calm, gentle yet resilient, yet always carrying a thread of indecisiveness, even a hint of fragility. This became all the more apparent when she faced matters of the heart or complicated relationships.
"There is no need for such words between us. If you wish to thank me, why not take some practical action?"
Xiao Tian flipped over, and the two began a fresh round of sparring.
—
"When I depart, I will take Yun Yun with me. She will also resign from her position as Sect Master of the Misty Cloud Sect. As compensation, I will give you a mid-tier Earth-grade wind-attribute cultivation method with an accompanying Dou Technique, two Dou Spirit Pills, one Imperial Pole Pill, and a favor from me."
Xiao Tian laid out his offer directly, without any hint of stinginess. Yun Yun's eyes widened instantly. These were immensely precious items, exceedingly rare throughout the entire Gama Empire.
Low-tier Earth-grade cultivation methods were virtually nonexistent in the empire. As for the Dou Spirit Pill and Imperial Pole Pill, even Gu He might not be able to refine them with a high success rate.
Yun Shan was equally stunned by Xiao Tian's terms. As for the cultivation method, Yun Shan valued Xiao Tian's favor even more. This was the most flexible asset and the most priceless of all.
A favor might ultimately prove hollow—or its recipient might one day ascend to unimaginable heights, at which point the value of that favor would soar beyond measure.
"I am very interested in that sound transmission device of yours."
Yun Shan swiftly composed himself, narrowing his eyes as he studied Xiao Tian. He knew that Xiao Tian treasured Yun Yun deeply—and that he was a man who valued loyalty and generosity above all.
"I can add five for you. I do not possess many of these myself. You understand how scarce such items are. They have never even surfaced before."
Xiao Tian paused briefly, feigning reluctance and a limited supply.
"Ten."
"Five."
"…"
In the end, after a brief round of negotiation, the number was settled at seven.
Xiao Tian produced two Dou Spirit Pills, one Imperial Pole Pill, and seven sound transmission stones.
He then turned to Yun Yun, who withdrew the Earth-grade cultivation method Xiao Tian had given her from her storage ring.
This, too, had been discussed beforehand. Bringing it forth was also Yun Yun's personal wish.
This cultivation method had been gifted to her by Xiao Tian. Yun Yun did not directly produce it and offer it to the Misty Cloud Sect.
It was not that Yun Yun was selfish or unwilling to consider the sect's welfare. Rather, she felt the item was far too precious, and she had no right to decide its fate. It had always belonged to Xiao Tian alone.
Yun Shan's hand, hidden within his sleeve, trembled faintly when he saw the cultivation method drawn from Yun Yun's hand.
He had known this boy was deeply fond of Yun Yun, but he had never imagined it extended to such an extent. He instantly regretted that his terms had been too modest and that he had been swayed by the promise of a favor.
The core reason, of course, was Xiao Tian's terrifying talent—something utterly beyond his control. A favor of this magnitude was something no Sect Master could possibly refuse.
Xiao Tian and Yun Yun left a soul imprint on one of the sound transmission stones they handed to Yun Shan.
"Then we shall take our leave first. Should you have any pill refining matters that require my assistance in the future, you may contact me. I would be delighted to cooperate with you."
Xiao Tian led Yun Yun toward the cave dwelling's exit.
"Master, your disciple takes her leave."
Yun Yun offered a respectful curtsy and followed Xiao Tian out.
After they had gone, Yun Shan picked up the mid-tier Earth-grade cultivation method and began studying it intently. In time, he fully converted to its practice.
This cultivation method eventually became the foundational art of the Misty Cloud Sect. But that, of course, is a story for another time.
"You are far too generous. Those things are all so precious."
Yun Yun bit her red lips lightly, her eyes shimmering with an emotion beyond words.
Xiao Tian smiled faintly, his gaze profound as he looked at her, as though seeing straight through her heart.
"Those things are not even one ten-thousandth as precious as you."
His voice was low and gentle, like a spring breeze brushing against her heart.
Yun Yun's heart trembled violently, as if it had melted entirely in that very moment. She was flooded with an unprecedented happiness and contentment. No longer suppressing the surging emotion within her, she threw herself into Xiao Tian's arms.
"Thank you, husband."
Xiao Tian nodded with a smile. Their gazes met, as though time itself had stilled in that instant.