Chapter 11: Help! There's Something Filthy!

“Master, Master…”

That voice, full of grievance, belonged to Bai Lianyi.

Why wasn’t she in the Pill Tower gathering spiritual herbs? What was she doing in Han Chuan?

Moreover… if Xia Huanjiao remembered correctly, wasn’t Siguo Cliff a place forbidden to those without cultivation?

Who had brought Bai Lianyi down?

“It seems there are others assisting them,” Xu Yingying, far from foolish and even gifted, deduced.

She usually focused all her attention on Xia Huanjiao and remained indifferent to everything else, which made her seem less sharp.

With just a little thought, she could unravel the truth.

“You do realize they’re connected, don’t you?”

Xu Yingying’s voice whispered in Xia Huanjiao’s ear, tinged with ambiguity, like the touch of a scaled creature causing goosebumps to rise.

Xia Huanjiao felt no real fear, firmly believing Xu Yingying would not harm her.

She opened her mouth, intending to share the details of the “Gossip System” in her mind with Xu Yingying.

But no words came out.

It was as if an invisible hand tightly covered her mouth, forbidding her from speaking or revealing anything to others.

Behind her, it seemed a monstrous beast was watching her intently!

Xia Huanjiao spun around sharply, but there was nothing there.

Xu Yingying drew a talisman in the air, concealing herself and the little ball under a tree.

She did not wait for Xia Huanjiao’s reply, asking with some confusion, “What’s wrong?”

Though surrounded by bitter cold ice, Xia Huanjiao was sweating profusely.

Seeing this abnormality, Xu Yingying frowned. “Are you feeling unwell?” she asked.

Xia Huanjiao said nothing, shaking her head silently but grasping Xu Yingying’s sleeve tightly with her small chubby hand.

From the start, she never truly respected the “Gossip System.”

Although wary, she did not take it seriously.

Perhaps influenced by novels from her previous life, she had assumed systems sided with the “characters” and wouldn’t bring harm.

She had been careless!

Such strange things are not necessarily benevolent.

After all, even the so-called protagonists cared little for others’ lives; a small system would have even less compassion.

Seeing Xia Huanjiao’s discomfort, Xu Yingying prepared to carry her away.

However, the little ball stubbornly insisted on staying.

Her voice lowered, as if afraid the people ahead would discover them.

“Let’s listen a little longer, see what they’re saying.”

Xu Yingying, always doting on the little ball, stayed put, though her cold eyes betrayed worry.

Her dislike for the former Elder Head of the Sword Sect and the disobedient woman deepened.

So annoying.

Might as well kill them all.

***

The soft little hand rested on Xu Yingying’s hand, and the anger in her heart softened as if pushed aside by a tender touch.

Forget it.

Seeing the little ball’s curiosity, they would live a little longer.

Xia Huanjiao tiptoed closer to the barrier Xu Yingying had drawn, her soft, plump face pressed flat against it.

The voices from the other side were faint, fragmented guesses.

“I… I want Master…”

“Don’t worry, I will lure them away…”

“Master, disciple, disciple misses you so much…”

Xia Huanjiao watched as the two seemed like wild mandarin ducks, beginning to do things that made one blush deeply under the sky as their blanket, and the earth as their bed.

No!

Is this the delicate little heroine?

Is this not some forbidden, adult scene?

The little ball was clueless but wide-eyed with amazement.

Xu Yingying immediately covered the little ball’s eyes as the lovers began their fiery passion.

Her voice grew colder.

“Don’t look, filth.”

Xia Huanjiao also raised her chubby hand to cover Xu Yingying’s eyes, speaking in a childish voice, “Yingying, don’t look either.”

“Disgusting.”

Though their eyes were covered, their ears still caught the sounds.

After falling into the demonic path, one’s desires were infinitely amplified.

Those who once wore a façade of righteousness now indulged in carnal pleasures, even more obsessed.

Xia Huanjiao cursed herself for having only two hands, unable to cover her ears.

Those filthy words mercilessly drilled into her ears!

So shameful!

They really had no shame!

After an unknown time, the voices finally ceased.

Xia Huanjiao lowered her burning hands, feeling her own overheated ears and sympathizing with Yingying’s suffering.

“Shameless!”

To anger Yingying — who rarely spoke — to this degree was truly a feat.

Originally, Xu Yingying intended to track Lin Xiao immediately but was stopped by Xia Huanjiao.

The little ball’s grape-like eyes gleamed mischievously as she said,

“Wait for them to come.”

“Set a trap for the prey.”

The little ball’s expression was scheming, but Xu Yingying found it endearing.

So she suppressed her murderous intent and waited for their arrival at the Sword Sect.

It was fine.

A few months’ wait was nothing.

In the following days, the Sword Sect was peaceful, disciples diligently fulfilled their duties.

***

The Sword Elder still descended the mountain occasionally to visit the bustling marketplace, buying toys for the young sect leader to play with.

The disciples trained hard, enduring hardship—truly putting in effort.

Of course, they also labored for the secret realm opening next month.

The Sword Sect possessed a secret realm left by a great immortal, containing countless heavenly materials and earthly treasures.

The realm opened once every ten years, attracting nearly all cultivators hoping for fortune.

Before ascending, the great immortal had said,

“Cultivation in the mortal realm is difficult; mutual aid is the secret to ascension.”

Sadly, few heeded this advice.

Xia Huanjiao remembered the secret realm contained the remains of an ancient demon spirit capable of reshaping one’s innate bones.

Perfect for Jiang Biehe’s current condition.

So, when registering disciples for entry, Xia Huanjiao specifically instructed to add Jiang Biehe’s name.

The disciple in charge of registration looked troubled, saying, “But Senior Brother Jiang’s cultivation is only at the third level of Qi Refinement; isn’t that unsuitable?”

They practically implied Jiang Biehe entering the realm would be a burden.

Xia Huanjiao paused mid-swing with her wooden sword, turning around with her round, puffed-up face flushed with anger, looking even more like a steamed bun.

Yet her words made the registering disciple tremble.

“You still remember he’s your senior brother?”

Her tone was laced with sarcasm.

Instantly, the disciple broke out in cold sweat, hurriedly kneeling, head bowed.

“Disciple admits fault!”

“I wasn’t questioning the leader’s decision, I just think Senior Brother Jiang was injured and should—”

“Enough!” The little ball had no patience for excuses.

She swiftly approached and kicked him.

“When Senior Brother Jiang distributed spirit stones to you before, did you ever say he needed them or that you shouldn’t be given so many?!”

“You are so ungrateful, unfaithful—unworthy disciples of the Sword Sect!”

“Where are the disciples of the Sword Peak?!”

The registering disciple pounded his head on the ground, trembling, looking toward Jiang Biehe with a choked voice, “Senior Brother, please save me!”

“I know my mistake!”

But the ever obliging senior brother only turned away indifferently, refusing to look at him.

The Sword Peak disciples promptly escorted the man away.

Passing Jiang Biehe, the man nervously called out,

“Senior Brother.”

Jiang Biehe lowered his head, hiding his emotions, responding in a muffled voice,

“Hm.”