C6 Not Looking for Me!

Two hundred merit points?

Lin Xiao hadn't anticipated the immense rewards that would come from altering someone's life.

Hsu Qingqing's body shivered delicately.

At first, the pill seemed to have no effect after being swallowed, but soon, a warm and gentle current coursed through her, cleansing her body like a refreshing spring.

Then came an unparalleled sense of relief. She coughed up a mouthful of blood, startling Xiaodie, who instantly glared at Lin Xiao with murderous intent.

"Xiaodie, wait!"

Hsu Qingqing exclaimed, "The Qilin Poison—I never imagined I'd encounter it in my lifetime. Could it really be that the heavens are looking out for me?"

She paused, then shook her head dismissively.

What heavens?

It was all Lin Xiao's doing.

"Where did this pill come from? My cold poison is cured, and I can feel a tiny stream inside me boiling, voraciously absorbing the spiritual energy from around us."

Hsu Qingqing's revelation surprised Xiaodie.

Yet, this was merely the beginning.

Hsu Qingqing's body trembled once more as her aura surged explosively.

Bang! Bang!

With two successive leaps, she advanced from the early to the late Foundation Stage...

"Miss, your cultivation level—it's the same as mine, but even more powerful," Xiaodie said, astounded.

Hsu Qingqing nodded, her gaze filled with gratitude towards Lin Xiao, "I've acquired a spiritual root."

"I'm aware," Lin Xiao replied, his expression dark.

"Where did the pill come from?"

"Someone gave it to me."

Hsu Qingqing pressed no further.

She understood Lin Xiao's reluctance to share, but it was clear he had endured much to obtain this life-saving pill, even engaging in a heart-wrenching deal behind her back.

Her own family couldn't secure such a pill!

Nor could Qin Hao!

There was only one plausible explanation: Lin Xiao had encountered a master, perhaps even becoming enslaved to one for the sake of the pill.

Unbeknownst to her, Lin Xiao's mind was elsewhere.

He simply wanted to say...

I sought this pill solely with the intention of killing you.

"Junior Brother Xiao Fann!"

Abruptly, a man clad in a blue robe approached, cradling Xiao Fann's body in his arms. He fixed a fierce glare on Lin Xiao and Hsu Qingqing. "Did you do this?"

"Do you really think he was taken out by a spirit beast?" Lin Xiao sneered, knowing that only a fool would admit to such a thing at this moment.

The newcomer was clearly far more powerful than Xiao Fann, who had only recently established his Foundation. In contrast, the newcomer was already in the late stages of Foundation building.

"I am Qi Wei, a disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect's Inner Sect, and I greet my fellow Daoists," the man said as he laid down the body and stood up, brandishing a spirit sword and pointing it at Hsu Qingqing. "Your life and the beast crystal, leave them behind. The spirit beast has been wounded by me and has little strength left. There's no way it could have killed my junior brother."

"If not the spirit beast, then who?" Xiaodie thought Qi Wei was being completely unreasonable.

By the time she and her mistress arrived, Xiao Fann was already dead, as was the spirit beast. Clearly, it had been a fight to the death for both parties.

"Qi Wei?" Hsu Qingqing recognized the name. He was a disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect with exceptional talent, rumored to possess a medium-grade spiritual root and to be in the late stages of Foundation building. Even Xiaodie wouldn't stand a chance against him.

"Senior Brother Qi, by the time I arrived, your junior brother was already dead, and only Lin Xiao was here. He's merely at the third layer of Qi Training. It's implausible that he could take down one of the Heavenly Sword Sect's finest," Hsu Qingqing said with a furrowed brow. "We belong to the Green Hill Sect. I ask that you let us through."

"It doesn't matter which sect you're from. If you've harmed Junior Brother Xiao Fann, I assure you, you won't leave here alive," Qi Wei said with a cursory glance at Lin Xiao, who looked too meek and harmless to be a killer. Without further thought, he prepared to strike Hsu Qingqing.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

Hsu Qingqing knew better than to take the situation lightly and immediately unleashed the full power of her water spiritual root.

In a moment, a dark green glow enveloped her, giving her the ethereal appearance of a celestial being banished to earth.

"Late Foundation Stage, with a non-such water spiritual root?" Qi Wei was stunned. A non-such spiritual root was the hallmark of a Core disciple, wasn't it?

He had assumed he could easily resolve the situation and get revenge for Xiao Fann, but now it seemed that hope was dashed.

"You'll regret this!"

In a panic, Qi Wei fled, clutching Xiao Fann's body.

Lin Xiao was at a loss for tears.

Hsu Qingqing hadn't pursued Qi Wei to finish him off. Instead, she had mentioned her own sect and even dropped Lin Xiao's name.

But it no longer mattered to him. With two hundred merit points in hand, he had secured a means to protect himself for the future.

"Miss, you possess a spiritual root, and it's a rare one at that!" Xiaodie looked on with eyes brimming with envy.

Hsu Qingqing nodded, casting another glance at Lin Xiao.

Back at the sect, Lin Xiao wasted no time in redeeming his merit points.

Two hundred of them!

He invested ninety points to elevate his fire spiritual root to the highest quality and another hundred to advance his cultivation to the Foundation Stage Middle Period.

With the remaining ten points, he opted for a low-grade gold spiritual root pill.

He couldn't let those merit points go to waste. If necessary, he could always work on enhancing his gold spiritual root later.

All things considered, his venture into Sinner's Valley wasn't for naught. Although Qingqing had survived and, through her ordeal, emerged as a prodigy with a supreme water spiritual root, Lin Xiao had reaped substantial rewards himself.

"If the sect learns of my dual spiritual roots, one of which is of the highest caliber, surely they'll hold me in higher regard..."

Lin Xiao sighed deeply. The task of eliminating Qingqing had become even more challenging. With her supreme water spiritual root and her status in the late Foundation Stage, she was out of Lin Xiao's league, even with his additional low-grade gold spiritual root—the gap in their cultivation was just too wide.

"I still have a spirit crystal from a late Foundation Stage spirit beast. Maybe I should head to the Points Pavilion and trade it for a divine weapon."

Lin Xiao had nearly finished cataloging his inventory. It was well-stocked, yet divine weapons were in short supply. Securing a formidable divine weapon or an exceptional high-quality cultivation method could significantly boost his combat abilities.

The following day, as Lin Xiao was preparing to visit the Points Pavilion, he was interrupted by a visitor who escorted him to the sect's martial arts training ground.

Trouble was brewing.

He had always known that Hsu Qingqing was more trouble than she was worth.

True to form, Qi Wei had shown up at the sect with reinforcements.

Since Qi Wei only knew Lin Xiao by name, Lin Xiao was summoned for a direct confrontation.

Beside Qi Wei was a master whose cultivation level Lin Xiao couldn't fathom. The sheer force of the spiritual energy emanating from this figure was suffocating.

Lin Xiao realized this was no ordinary member of the Heavenly Sword Sect—it was one of the elders!

Present also was an elder from the Green Hill Sect, alongside Qi Tian and the other elder.

This was the Disciplinary Elder, Du Cheng, the one who had taken an interest in Qin Hao.

"The inevitable has arrived. If there's no avoiding it, I'll meet it head-on. With my talent, it shouldn't be hard to impress the elder," Lin Xiao thought, approaching Qi Wei with an unflappable demeanor.

They stood face to face. Qi Wei's eyebrows lifted slightly. "What's this about?"

"What do you think? If you're itching for a fight, let's get on with it," Lin Xiao responded firmly.

"Step aside, you're a mess. How much did you drink?" Qi Wei dismissed him with a wave of his hand. "I'm a top disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect's Inner Sect. And you, Lin Xiao, are nothing but a lackey from the Outer Sect. Even if my junior brother spared you a hand, you wouldn't stand a chance. Get lost!"

With that, he turned to Du Cheng. "Elder Du, where's the person I'm looking for?"

"He'll be here shortly; I've sent word," Du Cheng replied with a strained smile.

Qin Hao, still deep in seclusion, was on the verge of a breakthrough. Unaware that Elder Du had summoned him, he knew he couldn't afford to snub a senior who had been both a protector and a formidable presence in the sect.

"Senior Brother Qin, congratulations on emerging from seclusion. Have you achieved a breakthrough?" Lee Si asked obsequiously.

With a nod and a trace of defiance, Qin Hao confirmed, "After months of seclusion, I've finally advanced to the ninth level of Qi Training. I'm confident I'll take first place in the upcoming battle among the Outer Sect disciples.

Lin Xiao is still alive. We need to find a solution. I don't want anyone discovering that it was I who harbored murderous intentions towards Lin Xiuxiu."

"Yes, I understand," Lee Si said with a sly grin.

"Hmm, serve me well, and I won't shortchange you. Once you discover my identity, you'll realize that the so-called Inner and Outer Sects mean nothing. Perhaps only a core disciple, a true monster, would merit my family's earnest attention."

Qin Hao dismissed the concern with a wave of his hand, "There's no need for fear. Lin Xiao was so incompetent that I was forced to act. You're different; you're smarter, more capable. And I did consider Lin Xiao's fate. I poisoned him to grant him one last moment of bliss before his death. Consider it a final boon from his master. Sadly, he's utterly useless. Lin Xiuxiu was rescued, and I doubt he got a taste of victory."

"Thank goodness I fled. Seeing Ye Chen and Chung Tong so furious that day scared me witless. Lin Xiao truly is worthless, failing to handle even a woman." Lee Si nodded in agreement, though a shiver of fear still ran through him.

Had Lin Xiao not insisted on tormenting Lin Xiuxiu that day, he would have been the one suffering!

"Don't let your mind wander; it can be deadly," Qin Hao said with a smile.

Lee Si shuddered, nodding incessantly.

"It's time to visit Elder Du. He summoned me from my retreat, likely with good news. Perhaps he intends to award me a Recovery Pill to boost my power and usher me into the Inner Sect. Rest assured, I won't disappoint him. Today, I'll prove to everyone that I am the strongest in the Outer Sect."

Qin Hao's face was etched with confidence.

Upon reaching the martial arts field, he caught Qi Wei's bitter gaze fixed on him.

Qin Hao regarded him with scorn.

Here in the Green Hill Sect, with Elder Du's presence, he was untouchable!

Was there really someone foolish enough to challenge him?

"I'll kill you!"

Unable to contain himself any longer, Qi Wei charged, pinning Qin Hao to the ground and pummeling him relentlessly.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Bang! Bang!

"I've made inquiries. Lin Xiao is your stooge! Hsu Qingqing is your betrothed! Damn you! If I can't defeat your fiancée, can I not defeat you too?! You're nothing but lowly Outer Sect scum!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Junior, don't push it too far." Du Cheng couldn't stand by and watch any longer, but he was blocked by an elder from the Heavenly Sword Sect.

The elder spoke up, "I'd advise you to stay out of this. If you don't, the longstanding friendship between our sects could be destroyed. Besides, the disciple who died is the son of Xiao Xuan!"

At this revelation, Du Cheng was stunned.

Xiao Xuan was the second-in-command of the Heavenly Sword Sect, rumored to be in constant seclusion. If he were able to leave his retreat, he'd probably have already come to exact a bloody vengeance himself...

"Elder, save me! Help me, please!"

Qin Hao's cries of agony filled the air.

He had emerged from seclusion with the intention of making a grand entrance, not to be on the receiving end of a beating!

This was not at all what he had envisioned!

Lin Xiao watched Qin Hao's battered and torn flesh and discreetly backed away.

So, he wasn't the target?

That would have been good to know sooner...