Chapter 645 539: "Shang Miaoyan, You Want to Take Advantage of My Predicament! To Think I Trusted You...

Just then, a furious and savage voice came from behind.

"Get lost! You painted hussies, stay away from Xiaohan!"

Shang Miaoyan's voice rang out from behind as the karmic fire of her Honglian technique streaked across the ceiling, illuminating the surroundings.

Only then did Pei Yuhang see that he was completely surrounded by countless Beauty Jade Statues.

The one that had just spoken from behind him was a gentle beauty from Jiangnan, holding a small, round fan.

He snorted coldly and was about to draw his sword, but his Dao Heart keenly sensed danger.

Pei Yuhang instantly realized that using violence against these Beauty Jade Statues in this cavern would likely trigger some kind of Restriction.

"Xiaohan, are you all right?"

Shang Miaoyan rushed to Pei Yuhang's side and shoved away all the Beauty Jade Statues surrounding him.

Pei Yuhang was kneeling on one knee, his head bowed. His ink-black hair fell in a messy tangle over his forehead, hiding the faint flush at the corners of his eyes.

"I'm fine... I was careless."

His voice was much deeper than usual, carrying a hint of suppressed hoarseness.

His breathing was hot and ragged. Every exhale seemed like a desperate attempt to restrain something.

A Spiritual Light flickered in Shang Miaoyan's eyes as she carefully examined his condition. Her pupils suddenly constricted—

"Xiaohan, you've been afflicted with an Emotional Poison."

Her voice was grave. She gently placed her fingertips on his wrist, feeling the chaotic flow of Spiritual Power within him.

"There's something wrong with the zither music in this passage. It seems harmless, but it silently accumulates a sonic poison inside the body."

She glanced at the smiling Beauty Jade Statues around them, her gaze turning cold. "When the light disappeared and these statues came to life to touch you, it detonated all the Emotional Poison that the zither music had sown."

Hearing this, Pei Yuhang forced himself to look up. His eyes shimmered with a watery sheen, but he was still struggling to maintain his clarity.

"Then why are you unaffected?"

An unnatural blush crept across Pei Yuhang's cheeks, and the corners of his eyes were tinged with a vibrant hue. His gaze toward Shang Miaoyan softened involuntarily before he forcibly suppressed it.

Gazing at Pei Yuhang's difficult-to-resist appearance, Shang Miaoyan's heart trembled. She swallowed and said:

"My Cultivation Technique counters this zither music..."

She paused, her fingertips gently stroking his hair, her voice so low it was almost a whisper to herself:

"Besides... you're the only one who can stir my emotions."

Before Pei Yuhang could clearly hear what she said, he felt his body lighten.

Shang Miaoyan had already helped him up, letting him lean against her. She bent her long legs slightly, allowing Pei Yuhang to rest his head on her soft lap.

Shang Miaoyan raised her slender fingers and pinched his chin, forcing him to look up at her.

The look in her beautiful eyes was deep and held a commanding intensity that brooked no refusal.

"You... you're not going to take advantage of my weakness, are you?!"

A flash of shame and anger crossed Pei Yuhang's eyes. He tried to struggle up but was gently pressed back down by her hand on his shoulder.

He gasped, his voice laced with disappointment. "And here I thought you'd actually changed... I was even willing to travel with you..."

Shang Miaoyan didn't answer, merely gazing at him quietly, her eyes turbulent with emotion.

The next instant—she leaned down and kissed him.

Mmph...!

Pei Yuhang's pupils contracted. He struggled instinctively but was held firmly in her embrace.

Her lips were soft and cool, carrying a clear, crisp Spiritual Power that slowly drew the scorching heat from his body.

His initial resistance gradually faded. The daze in his eyes receded, replaced by a thread of clarity.

'The Emotional Poison... she's absorbing it.'

After a long moment, Shang Miaoyan slowly pulled back. She gently wiped the corner of his lips with her fingertips, a hint of a smile in her eyes.

Pei Yuhang's breathing steadied, and the watery sheen in his eyes was gone. He was silent for a moment before saying in a low voice:

"I'm sorry."

"I misjudged you."

Shang Miaoyan chuckled lightly. She helped him to his feet, her tone returning to its usual cheerfulness:

"It's nothing, Xiaohan. You don't need to be so formal with me..."

She looked up toward the depths of the passage and said softly, "Didn't you sense your little disciple was nearby? Let's hurry over."

Pei Yuhang's expression grew serious, and he nodded immediately.

The two wasted no more time and strode forward quickly.

They gradually emerged from the dangerous passage ringed by beauties. Pei Yuhang glanced back, inwardly alarmed.

If it weren't for Shang Miaoyan—a cultivator who had mastered the Yin Yang Technique to an extremely profound level—an ordinary cultivator would never have been able to pass through here with their cultivation suppressed.

Even some Great Cultivators would likely have succumbed here without a counteracting Magical Treasure.

However, passing through this place was not without its benefits.

Pei Yuhang's Silent Sword hummed softly in his hand. He took a deep breath and said, "I can feel the invisible shackles on my body have loosened a bit."

"The suppression from the Abyssal Sea Palace has weakened. I can now use the power of an Early- to Mid-stage Golden Core cultivator!"

"Me too."

Shang Miaoyan clenched her fist, a look of surprise on her face.

"It seems that passing through these deadly areas can weaken the Abyssal Sea Palace's suppression... Xiaohan, just as you said, the signs that this Abyssal Sea Palace was deliberately planned are becoming more and more obvious.

By now, many of the old-timers must have figured out that they're in a trap."

"We'll take it one step at a time..."

Pei Yuhang didn't have the energy to think about what Yuan Tianming was plotting. He just wanted to find his treasured confidantes as quickly as possible.

Following Xiaoxiao's Sword Qi, Pei Yuhang and Shang Miaoyan continued forward and soon discovered several bodies.

Traces of Sword Intent lingered on the corpses.

Pei Yuhang and Shang Miaoyan exchanged a look.

"Xiaohan... is your disciple being hunted?"

Pei Yuhang said nothing, but a silent fury was building in his eyes, like a sharp sword just before it is drawn from its sheath.

The two continued onward, discovering that the Luminous Pearls in the corridor had all been destroyed, plunging the surroundings into darkness.

To avoid alerting their enemy, Pei Yuhang did not create a light source.

They suppressed their auras and moved forward slowly.

In the darkness, Pei Yuhang felt for and found a Stone Gate. He could sense Xiaoxiao's aura was just beyond it.

Pei Yuhang pushed the door gently, and the grinding of the Stone Gate inevitably made a sound.

"Wait—"

Shang Miaoyan raised a hand to stop him, but she was a step too late.

A cold gleam of light suddenly shot out from the Stone Gate. It was incredibly fast and came from a tricky angle, aiming straight for Pei Yuhang's neck.

But Pei Yuhang simply pinched two fingers together, catching the cold gleam and holding it fast between his fingertips.

The person inside the Stone Gate seemed not to have expected the enemy at the door to be so powerful. She struggled to pull her sword back, but failed.

However, the sword in her hand seemed incredibly important to her. She clearly could have abandoned it and fled, but she didn't.

Just as she was preparing for a life-or-death struggle, Pei Yuhang spoke softly:

"Xiaoxiao... it's me."

WHOOSH—

A warm, orange flame was summoned by Pei Yuhang, illuminating the secret chamber.

The charming young woman before him stared wide-eyed, her lips trembling as she looked at the White-clothed Sword Immortal.

"Ma... Master!!"

THUD—

Just as she always did when welcoming Pei Yuhang home to the Cold Palace Sword Mansion, Yu Xiaoyan threw herself into his arms, sobbing quietly against his chest.

"Master, is it really you? Is it really you...?"

"Why did it take you so long to come back...? I missed you so much. I thought... I thought I was dreaming..."

Pei Yuhang gently stroked her hair, his voice soft.

"I'm sorry. I made you worry."

VMM—

The Rain Smoke Sword in Pei Yuhang's hand let out a soft hum.

Then, a Soul Body drifted out from the sword and also threw itself into Pei Yuhang's embrace.

Pei Yuhang looked at the translucent figure in his arms, his voice trembling. "Gu Nan? How did you..."

'Master, we came to the Endless Sea to find you, but Xiaoxiao and I were running out of time. To grow stronger, I voluntarily became an Artifact Spirit,' Yu Gu Nan said gently to the master she hadn't seen in so long.

Yu Xiaoyan then spoke up, her voice muffled. "Don't worry about my sister, Master."

"I found the legendary Rebirth Lotus Root! It's enough to forge a new Lotus Body for her!"

Hearing this, the deep furrow in Pei Yuhang's brow finally smoothed out.

"Is that so? That's wonderful... Wait, Xiaoxiao, you have the Rebirth Lotus Root?!"

Yu Xiaoyan looked up and blinked. "Yes, Master. Do you need it, too? I picked all the lotus roots from that pond.

That's why a bunch of bastards started hunting me down."

"But right now, Elder Lu Ruoxi is healing Ji Xichan, and she urgently needs a batch of the Spiritual Medicines I have for her Alchemy. Master, let's go meet up with Elder Lu first!"