Chapter 251 - 246: Becoming the Master of the Blood Slaughter Sword

"Master, we’ve told enough stories. We should be heading back."

Du Youqian was actually still very curious about what miraculous object lay behind that screen.

But since Feng Xiaoyi hadn’t invited him to look, he wouldn’t insist.

Besides, it was best to hurry back now, lest his confidants be sacrificed.

Feng Xiaoyi also seemed rather listless. Du Youqian guessed that she hadn’t actually accomplished what she’d set out to do.

"Let’s go back," Feng Xiaoyi said lazily.

Hearing they were leaving, Little Wukong seemed a bit reluctant.

It seemed to really like this place.

An idea struck Du Youqian. "Master, how about I leave this Little Monkey here in your cave abode to play? I’ll come back for it in a few days."

Besides, although it had a Treasure to conceal its aura, it was better to be cautious in these troubled times.

Feng Xiaoyi was indifferent. "I don’t have anything valuable here. Let it play. In a few days, after the Sect’s major affairs are settled, you can accompany me here again and lend a hand repairing these Puppets."

Du Youqian chuckled. "If Master has a task, it’s this disciple’s duty to serve. Of course. But Master, as they say, even an Emperor doesn’t send a hungry army to war!"

Feng Xiaoyi laughed charmingly. "You wicked disciple, trying to extort your own master. What do you want?"

"Your Array Inheritance and Puppetry Art Inheritance," Du Youqian said without hesitation.

"Fine, fine. I had a lapse in judgment when I took you, a wicked disciple like this. It’s like I’ve been cursed with eighteen lifetimes of bad luck. Take them!"

Feng Xiaoyi’s words were harsh, but her actions were decisive. She took out several Jade Scrolls.

Du Youqian took them and, after a brief scan with his Divine Sense, his face lit up with joy.

It was indeed the Tier Four Inheritance for Arrays and Puppetry Art!

Although Feng Xiaoyi was surely holding something back—she was definitely a Tier Five Array Grandmaster—Du Youqian was already more than satisfied.

Once outside, Du Youqian put Little Wukong down, telling it to be careful and not run off. The Little Monkey let out a few SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAKS and immediately vanished.

Feng Xiaoyi and Du Youqian smoothly boarded the Flying Boat, adjusted its course, and headed back to the Holy Blood Sect.

Along the way, Feng Xiaoyi stared at the floating clouds outside the Flying Boat, lost in thought.

"Master, don’t worry," Du Youqian said, assuming she was afraid of being sacrificed to the Blood Slaughter Sword. "I will protect you."

Feng Xiaoyi glanced back at him, bit her full red lip, and gave a seductive smile. "I can protect myself."

"You should stop trying to act tough," Du Youqian said lightly.

Feng Xiaoyi suddenly leaned forward. Du Youqian tensed up a bit but didn’t pull away.

Her pleasant, fragrant scent wafted into his nose.

Feng Xiaoyi whispered, "Perhaps I can comprehend the complete Blood Slaughter Sword Scripture and, in doing so, grasp the entirety of the Blood Slaughter Sword Intent!"

As she said this, Feng Xiaoyi wore the expression of a woman who had just seen a limited-edition Hermès bag she couldn’t afford.

"I’ve heard that one who comprehends the entirety of the Blood Slaughter Sword Intent has a chance to be acknowledged by the Blood Slaughter Sword and become its new master! Just think about it—a Spiritual Treasure Sword from the Upper Realm, once Tier Seven, and now likely still retaining Tier Six power! If I could truly become the master of the Blood Slaughter Sword, I’d be a titan even if I returned to the Human World, never again having to be at the mercy of others!"

After speaking, Feng Xiaoyi paused, her enthusiasm waning. "If the Sect truly intends to sacrifice me to wield the sword, don’t you interfere. You wicked disciple, you have so many people to look after. Can you even manage them all? I might as well be the sacrifice, have my Essence Blood drained, and seek Possession to be reborn sooner."

Du Youqian was deeply shaken.

’There’s such a thing?’

’Comprehend the entire Blood Slaughter Sword Intent... and have a chance to become the master of the Blood Slaughter Sword?’

This... He couldn’t help but feel a stir of ambition.

But what he said was, "If you’re inside the Sect, I imagine attempting Possession won’t be easy."

Feng Xiaoyi pulled back and chuckled. "Isn’t that what my wicked disciple is for? You can carry my body out after it’s become a Living Dead husk, help me end it, and send me on my way to seek Possession. That would work, wouldn’t it? Besides, it’s not even certain that it will be my turn!"

Du Youqian thought about it. That was true.

Feng Xiaoyi was very skilled at Charm. She might even make Elder Shi develop a fondness for her, making him subconsciously unwilling to sacrifice her.

’But... why did Elder Shi warn me not to agree to Feng Xiaoyi’s requests?’

’Even if I agreed, I was supposed to go back on my word and not follow through.’

Du Youqian felt that he could be a little more frank with Feng Xiaoyi now, so he asked this question directly.

Feng Xiaoyi didn’t feign confusion or ignorance.

She seemed a little embarrassed.

Of course, there was no way to know if this embarrassment was just an act.

"Where should I begin? Actually, back when I took you as my disciple, the Sect investigated you and found some inconsistencies. For example, the ’Broken Water’ Sword Intent you comprehended from the Evergreen Master’s Immortal Sword Scripture Record was untraceable. So I covered for you, saying I had taught you everything. I told them I’d taken a liking to you long ago and had been secretly looking after you, which was how you were able to defeat Xi Mengran."

"But Elder Shi guessed I was covering for you, so he asked why I held you in such high regard and was so protective of you."

"I made a joke at the time. I said I was raising you up to Core Formation so I could dual-cultivate with you. After all, I’ve preserved my primal yin for so many years. With the right Secret Technique, I could break through the Golden Core Middle Stage bottleneck in one go."

Du Youqian couldn’t help but want to roll his eyes.

’You have countless lovers, and you’re talking about "primal yin"?’

’Is the atmosphere too heavy, so you decided to tell me a joke?’

Seeing his expression, Feng Xiaoyi knew what he was thinking.

She wasn’t ashamed or annoyed, just smiled seductively. "You wicked disciple, do you think just anyone can see through my Illusion Technique? So many men thought they shared a night of passion with me, but it was just a night of illusion. I simply sent them into a wet dream. That’s why I never mess with Core Formation Cultivators; I’m not confident I could trap a Core Formation Master in an illusion they couldn’t escape. Elder Shi Shentong is truly formidable; his Divine Sense is incredibly powerful. Before you, he was the only one who knew I was still a virgin."

Du Youqian asked, confused, "But Master, you... why would you do that? Why create such an image for yourself?"

Feng Xiaoyi giggled, her body shaking with laughter. "My dear disciple, don’t you know how difficult it is for a Kun Cultivator to protect her virtue in a place like the Holy Blood Sect? I hadn’t reached Core Formation back then, and every time I used Possession, it took time to recover my strength. Isn’t it normal to use a few little tricks to protect myself before I’m back at full power? Once everyone believed I was a master of Gathering and Replenishing, a Demoness who devoured men whole, and they even began to fear me, then I was safe."

After she finished, Du Youqian was surprised, but upon reflection, it all made sense.

He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "So, Elder Shi told me not to agree to your requests because he was afraid I’d be... used for Gathering and Replenishing by you?"

"That’s right. Every True Inheritor is a precious treasure. Elder Shi couldn’t bear to see his wicked disciple be used for Gathering and Replenishing," Feng Xiaoyi said jokingly.

After learning several of Feng Xiaoyi’s secrets in one day, Du Youqian felt that the distance between them had narrowed considerably.

Of course, he couldn’t trust Feng Xiaoyi completely.

But Feng Xiaoyi was even willing to share the secret of the passage to the outside world. Such a heaven-shattering secret had already become a bond between them.

"Master, can you tell me how to get through that passage to the outside world?" Du Youqian asked.

Feng Xiaoyi didn’t speak. She just took out a blank Jade Scroll, closed her eyes to inscribe some information into it, and handed it to Du Youqian. "See for yourself."

Du Youqian took the Jade Scroll and probed it with his Divine Sense.

An image appeared: heavy panting, slender limbs—it must be from Feng Xiaoyi’s own perspective. Before her was a turbulent maelstrom, a storm of sand and wind that could flay a Core Formation Master to the bone.

Feng Xiaoyi struggled forward through the sandstorm...

When Du Youqian withdrew his Divine Sense from the Jade Scroll, he was still analyzing the various details of the image he had just seen.

After a long moment, he finally asked, "Master, you were Tier Four when you came through, right? I saw that you had a very difficult time, and you were in peril several times. Do you have to be at least Tier Four to get through that passage?"

Feng Xiaoyi pouted and frowned slightly, as if the memory was too painful to revisit. "For a Human Race Cultivator, even a Core Formation Cultivator at the Golden Core Late Stage, it’s impossible to pass through that passage alive."

Du Youqian’s heart grew heavy.

He couldn’t achieve Nascent Soul Formation in Momenan, which was why he wanted to go to the outside world.

But to survive the passage, he needed to reach Nascent Soul Formation first.

It was a catch-22.

But he quickly realized that Feng Xiaoyi’s words contained a limitation.

"Does that mean a Tier Three Demon King of the Demon Race can pass through?"

At first, Feng Xiaoyi was unsure. "Perhaps..."

But after a pause, she said with certainty, "If it’s one of the thick-skinned races, or a race with strong defensive talents, then yes, Tier Three is possible."

Du Youqian was encouraged. "So you’re saying a Tier Three Body Refining Cultivator from the Human Race could also pass through?"

Feng Xiaoyi laughed in spite of herself. "A Body Refining Cultivator? How difficult is Core Formation for them? Just look at the Great Compassion Temple. They are the most famous sect for Body Refining, yet how many years does it take for them to produce a true Core Formation Cultivator? The only reason they can maintain their status as one of the Third-class Sects is because of their sect’s supreme treasure, a Relic Inheritance. Every one or two hundred years, it can create a Core Formation Cultivator. If you practice their Body Refining Technique without the Relic, achieving Core Formation is just a pipe dream."

Du Youqian didn’t offer an opinion, just silently took note.

After a while, he asked again, "What part of the Human World is on the other side of this passage?"

"My little disciple, even if I told you, could you really go there now?" Feng Xiaoyi reached out as if to pinch Du Youqian’s cheek, but then thought better of it and lowered her hand. She probably remembered his combat prowess and got scared. "If you’re so interested in the Human World, someday your master will inscribe all her memories of the Human World into a Jade Scroll for you."

"Why wait for someday? Let’s do it now!" Du Youqian said, striking while the iron was hot.

Feng Xiaoyi couldn’t win against him, so she had no choice but to inscribe a few more Jade Scrolls and toss them to him, buying herself a moment of peace.

But Du Youqian didn’t have time to look at them closely for now.

The journey from the Hundred Thousand Mountains to the Holy Blood Sect was quite long.

After leaving the Hundred Thousand Mountains region, Du Youqian began to feel uneasy.

He performed a divination and found the situation was not looking good. He immediately switched his ride to the Thousand-Mile Shuttle, willing to burn through a large amount of Spiritual Diamonds to rush back to the Sect as quickly as possible. He had to prevent a situation he dreaded from becoming an irreversible reality.