Chapter 28: An Instant Connection and Goodwill. In the Blink of an Eye.

Chapter 28: An Instant Connection and Goodwill. In the Blink of an Eye.

The two black-and-white light orbs merged into one in Fu Yu's palm.

With a thought, it entered her sea of consciousness, lazily floating in a vast emptiness, emitting a faint glow.

She hadn't taken two steps before she noticed everyone around her staring at her.

Fu Yu: Tsk.

With another thought, the light orb returned to her palm.

She shoved it forcefully into her sleeve pocket, demonstrating to them: this thing isn't a physical object; it can't be stored in a sleeve pocket and can only reside in the sea of consciousness.

She added unnecessarily, "I'm not putting it in my sea of consciousness to keep looking at it."

Everyone: "..."

The Foxtail Grass Spirit had long been accustomed to its master's whimsical and self-incriminating style. It winked and gave a serious nod, "Even if Master watches it in the dead of night, it's only to comprehend the cultivation techniques within."

Fu Yu raised her chin proudly. "You are quite right."

The Foxtail Grass Spirit played along, stroking her ego. "Then, Master, shouldn't we take care of this bit of trouble before us before it gets dark?"

Everyone nodded in unison—as team members, they had been watching their leader eagerly, waiting for her to give the order.

Fu Yu raised an eyebrow, her gaze sweeping forward.

A straight, smooth ink-black stone path led to a secluded courtyard.

Two wooden doors were wide open. Under a tree in the courtyard was a black tea table of polished wood, holding a complete set of tea utensils.

Three people were in front of the tea table: one seated, and the other two standing behind her.

A Nascent Soul cultivator, Venerable Yunshang.

She was an exceptionally beautiful woman, her appearance preserved at the age of eighteen, draped in feathered garments, adorned with pearls and jade, her every movement soft and boneless, heart-melting to behold.

Sensing intruders, the yellow-clad maidservant standing behind her on the left swiftly approached, her sword half-drawn, blocking the courtyard gate.

The yellow-clad maidservant frowned, her slender brows tight, and sternly rebuked, "Who dares trespass into this secret place!"

Suddenly seeing the other party's yellow attire, Li Xueke inadvertently remembered their colleagues outside barking like dogs and couldn't help but chuckle: "Pfft!"

The yellow-clad maidservant's face instantly turned frosty. "How dare you disrespect—"

Just as she was about to act, a sweet, dulcet voice came from behind. "Alright, don't be harsh with them. It must have been difficult for them to get here. Let them come over."

The yellow-clad maidservant pursed her lips, sheathed her sword halfway, and stepped aside. "Yes."

Everyone exchanged subtle glances.

This Venerable Yunshang was truly beautiful and gentle, amiable and kind—no wonder everyone in Yulong City praised her.

Hua Lang and the others glanced at Fu Yu's expression. Seeing she had no intention of objecting, they gave a slight nod and stepped forward to pay their respects. "Greetings, Venerable. I am Hua Lang, a disciple of the Qingyun Sect."

"I am Xu Shuangqing." "I am Le Zhou." "I am Zhao Qing."

"Li Bailu." (Using an alias)

The corners of Venerable Yunshang's lips curved into a smile. Her gaze swept over each of their faces, and she nodded slightly in acknowledgment to each person.

After this brief exchange, the sense of goodwill in everyone's hearts multiplied.

Hua Lang couldn't help but think, 'Actually, it was her husband who injured the Patriarch. It might not have anything to do with her personally.'

Xu Shuangqing, being a female cultivator, also found herself staring at this Venerable in a daze.

Le Zhou and Zhao Qing weren't much better off. The moment they clearly saw her stunning beauty, they felt their minds completely captivated, unable to look away.

Li Xueke, the slow-witted one, reacted a beat later and belatedly felt a jolt of panic. 'Yikes! This woman is beautiful, yes, but she's not exactly a peerless beauty of the mortal world. Why are my eyeballs glued to her face and won't move!'

The Foxtail Grass Spirit turned its gaze, looking at one, then another.

Seeing everyone showing admiration for Venerable Yunshang, it slowly blinked once, its mouth gradually flattening into a curved line.

'Hey, have you all forgotten? Perfected Person Suwen said she saw this Venerable Yunshang harming a granddaughter. The granddaughter shouted for her grandfather to run, and that's why the grandfather...'

It clenched its teeth, its grassy fur trembling in the cold wind.

It watched helplessly as its companions drifted further and further away.

"Wait! Something seems wrong!"

A yellow-clad maidservant suddenly exclaimed.

Her gaze fell outside the courtyard. Seeing the scene beyond, her pupils shook violently. "Madam, the secret realm has changed! Outside is the painting gate!"

The mountain path, vegetation, and stone steps had vanished.

Outside, there was only a straight, smooth path, one end connecting to the courtyard, the other connecting to the two black-and-white painted gates at the secret realm's entrance.

The first and second trials were gone.

Cultivators who frequently explored secret realms knew what this situation meant—someone had completely cleared the trial and taken the reward.

The air briefly solidified.

Those entranced by the beauty were all startled, forcefully shaking themselves awake, revealing wary expressions.

Killing for treasure in secret realms was all too common. Who could guarantee this beautiful, captivating woman wouldn't turn hostile for profit?

She was a Nascent Soul cultivator.

A Nascent Soul killing a Foundation Establishment cultivator was easier than crushing an ant.

'Oh no!' Everyone thought the same thing simultaneously. 'That trial reward wasn't anything valuable. Even if we hand it over honestly, she probably won't believe us!'

Hearts raced, breaths quickened.

In that brief moment, Hua Lang mentally flipped through his entire family tree, truly begging his ancestors and elders (literally), hoping to summon a great deity to save them.

He didn't need to strain his ears to hear his companions' inner cries—Second Uncle, save me! Master, save me! Father, save me!

Thump-thump-thump-thump!

The sound of heartbeats was deafening.

After an unknown length of time, Venerable Yunshang gently parted her lips. "Ah, is that so?"

Everyone exchanged glances, tense and silent.

"You... are afraid of me?" Venerable Yunshang was slightly taken aback, then a sincere smile spread across her pretty face. "Don't worry, I'm happy for you too. Truly, the younger generation is awe-inspiring. My congratulations."

Hua Lang exclaimed in surprise. "Senior, you... aren't angry?"

Venerable Yunshang raised a slender, jade-like finger tipped with gilded polish, lightly covering her lips as she giggled softly. "I'm just here to find something to keep myself busy, that's all. My husband is busy and can't keep me company all day. Being alone is really boring and lonely, so this is just a way to pass the time."

Everyone involuntarily let out a long sigh of relief.

"So that's it!"

With the crisis averted, their cold sweat turned to a flush of relief, and their liking for this Venerable Yunshang increased greatly.

The atmosphere in the courtyard became warm and congenial.

The Foxtail Grass Spirit stood rooted to the spot, its already low spirits plummeting even further.

It watched helplessly as its companions walked forward, crowding around Venerable Yunshang.

It felt utterly out of place with all of this.

It pressed its lips tightly together, restricting its gaze to a narrow spot right before it.

It knew its master was right beside it. For now, its master hadn't yet stepped forward, hadn't walked over to the side of its archenemy.

It gave a slight shudder, trying its best not to use even a sliver of peripheral vision to look at Fu Yu.

If its master also... also felt an instant connection with this Venerable Yunshang, developed a favorable impression...

Then... then... then that would be okay too!

Yes, it's okay!

After all, the other party is a Nascent Soul cultivator. Of course, getting out in one piece is more important. It's fine to just gain her trust under false pretenses for now; what comes later can be dealt with later!

Yes, that's right, exactly!

While desperately trying to convince itself, it clenched its hands tightly. The little grass stems pricked its palms and fingers, a sharp pain spreading from its hands to other parts of its body.

It stung the heart a little, just a little, only a little.

It's okay... it's okay...

Really, it's okay!

It noticed that this courtyard seemed to have some strange ward, making the air taste sour. Breathing it in felt like inhaling cotton soaked in vinegar, clogging the heart, weighing down the stomach, making it so uncomfortable it almost wanted to laugh.

Fu Yu suddenly let out a soft 'tsk'.

Hearing her voice, the Foxtail Grass Spirit's body couldn't help but shudder violently, the fluffy foxtail on its head rustling and shrinking into a thin strand.

It drew in a sharp breath and slowly rolled its eyes toward Fu Yu.

It saw Fu Yu squinting slightly, her face turned to the side, the corners of her mouth downturned, pressed into an indescribably complicated grimace.

It couldn't understand her expression.

Hesitantly, it tugged at the grass fur by its legs, firmly keeping its mouth shut and asking nothing.

As long as it didn't ask, its master must feel the same way, disliking this Venerable Yunshang.

Yes, that must be it!

'Master, you don't like her either, right?'

If Fu Yu could hear its thoughts, she would definitely shout back—MORE! THAN! THAT!

Fu Yu's mood at this moment could be described as extremely complex.

She couldn't even describe what exactly she was seeing.

This Venerable Yunshang's face was truly... truly something that made her rack her brains, wringing her mind dry, yet she couldn't find an apt adjective.

She had seen many people burdened with heavy karma.

But none were like Venerable Yunshang, where all the karma was concentrated on her face.

Pitch-black, densely packed, countless threads of karma twisted and tangled, covering her entire head and face—at a glance, it was just a large, squirming mass of black earthworms forming a head.

Fu Yu considered herself well-traveled and knowledgeable, but suddenly encountering this sight, she could only utter a sigh of admiration.

With the sheer amount of sin Venerable Yunshang had accumulated, if the King of Hell executed her, he'd probably gain merit.

Fu Yu sighed, averted her eyes, gritted her teeth against the ache, and walked forward.

The Foxtail Grass Spirit cautiously followed behind her. She actually noticed its spirits were very low, the entire grass seeming flattened by the surrounding air, but at the moment she really couldn't spare the mental energy to comfort it.

She wanted to scream for help herself.

When she got closer, Fu Yu focused her gaze on the tea table, finally managing to catch her breath slightly.

Venerable Yunshang said sweetly, "For this challenge, I wonder if any of you have any ideas?"

Hua Lang originally wanted to say that it was all the team leader's credit earlier, but meeting Venerable Yunshang's smiling eyes, his mind suddenly grew hot, and as if possessed, he said, "This junior is willing to serve the Venerable."

He cupped his hands in salute, volunteered, sat down beside the tea table, rolled up his sleeves, and picked up the empty teacup in front of him.

The Foxtail Grass Spirit's mouth fell open in shock.

It stared dumbly at the others.

Apart from Li Xueke, that fool, who was still standing there dazed, everyone else was eagerly nodding. "We are willing to serve the Venerable."

The Foxtail Grass Spirit was almost driven to tears by these bootlickers.

It pressed its lips together tightly, glaring at them.

"Tss—ow ow! Tss—"

A series of pained hisses suddenly escaped from between Hua Lang's teeth.

The Foxtail Grass Spirit focused its gaze and saw boiling hot water gushing out from the teacup in Hua Lang's hand. It kept flowing even after filling the cup, splashing onto the web of his thumb and his wrist.

The fingertips holding the cup were scalded bright red. He gritted his teeth and endured for a moment before he couldn't take it anymore, dropping the teacup with a clatter.

Failure.

Venerable Yunshang was taken aback.

So this is the skill of someone who cleared two levels back-to-back?

A troubled look crossed her delicate, beautiful face. "I’ve tried many times already. My husband even helped me hold the cup... He’s strong and never dropped it, but he still couldn’t pass the level."

"Hua Lang, can you even do it? Let me give it a try!" Xu Shuangqing barged in.

Hua Lang didn’t want to give up his spot. The two of them jostled for a while, almost knocking over a large bamboo tube placed beside the tea table.

It was an ordinary large bamboo tube, smooth-edged and about a foot deep.

Xu Shuangqing casually steadied it, then shoved Hua Lang aside with a forceful push, sending him landing on his rear.

She raised her hand, smoothed her sleeves, and went through the full, proper guest ritual with dead seriousness before respectfully picking up the teacup.

Boiling water poured out endlessly.

"Hiss..."

"Clang!"

Hua Lang, still sitting on the ground, burst into laughter. "All that fancy nonsense for nothing!"

Xu Shuangqing got up, scowling.

"Two Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and you can’t even hold a little hot water?" Le Zhou mocked. "Step aside, let me try!"

He silently circulated his qi, sheathing his palm in the thick skin-hardening technique of a body cultivator. Confidently, he lifted the cup. "Watch me show you what real—hiss! Fff-fff-fff!"

He shook his hand and jumped up, his expression as if he’d seen a ghost. "It doesn’t block the heat! It doesn’t block the heat!"

Zhao Qing also clamored to show off. "Don’t waste your efforts. Let me analyze the situation. First... second..."

Venerable Yunshang raised her slender, jade-like fingers and tapped her temple lightly in annoyance.

"So you all just relied on luck to clear the earlier levels?"

Fu Yu stared at the tea table, lost in thought.

Jun Bu Du came from a major cultivation family. Those great families were just like aristocratic clans in the mortal world—hypocritical, rigid, obsessed with elaborate rituals, and fond of luxury and refinement.

Fu Yu had always despised worldly hypocrites the most.

After all, when death was at their doorstep, they didn’t have much more backbone than street swindlers.

Although she and Jun Bu Du were already engaged, she didn't love him enough to extend that fondness to the art of tea.

So she deliberately played a trick and tampered with his tea table.

Incantation of Breaking—no matter your cultivation level, you’d burn your hand.

She still remembered that day, on a day with a gentle breeze, sitting across from him as he raised his hand, pulled back his sleeves, and lifted the kettle to brew tea.

Fu Yu almost regretted it.

If she'd known his tea-brewing movements were so graceful, she would've spared this tea table.

But she soon realized something was wrong.

Her Incantation of Breaking seemed to have no effect on him. He merely added a few tea leaves and then calmly handled the boiling water.

Picking up the cup, swirling it, pouring water with grace—his movements flowed like clouds and water, effortlessly elegant.

Fu Yu watched, momentarily entranced.

Occasionally, he would glance at her quietly, signaling her to drink.

His gaze was cool, showing no anger, yet it held a certain intensity.

Fu Yu was not one to admit defeat.

Just an Incantation of Breaking—who's scared of who?

So she picked up her teacup, signaling him to pour—pour as much as he wanted! However much he poured, she'd drink it!

'Hiss—'

Outwardly calm and composed, inside, a little version of her was jumping up, shaking her hands, and hopping around wildly.

Endure. Keep enduring. Endure again and again.

Finally, Fu Yu regretted it.

Not because she was afraid of the heat.

It was just that her own incantation was so powerful it even scared herself—getting beaten by her own hand wasn't shameful.

She needed to find a way to save face.

"Hold up."

She raised a hand with fingertips red from the heat, pretending to be unbothered as she complained about his slowness. "The cup is too small. Drinking from it is too slow and tedious."

Jun Bu Du stopped his movements, blinked slowly once, signaling that she could do as she pleased.

So Fu Yu waved her hand, sending out a strand of spiritual energy to cut a section of bamboo tube—of course, not just to shake off her painfully scalded hand.

She hugged the large bamboo tube, using it as a cup. "Come on!"

Fu Yu never expected that he would have preserved this scene as well.

Was this even worth watching?

"Enough, all of you, leave now." A maid in yellow began shooing them away. "Don’t make fools of yourselves here any longer."

Hua Lang and the others nearly buried their heads in the ground.

Fu Yu glanced up, seeing that they had suffered enough, and stepped forward.

Avoiding that worm-like head with her gaze, she sat down, lowered her eyes, and rolled up her sleeves.

Her demeanor was calm and composed, her every movement carrying an air of immortal grace.

For a moment, everyone was stunned.

As if doused with cold water, a realization struck them—how had they completely forgotten just who it was that brought them here?

"Senior Sister Xie..."

Everyone stared at her, dazed.

Her every move was a delight to behold, picturesque in its grace.

With a flick of her slender hand, she picked up a... huh?! She picked up a large bamboo cylinder.

"Tinkle, tinkle, tinkle—"

The jade-green tea poured in.

Fu Yu was the picture of composure, holding the bamboo tube motionless.

"Ding."

The last emerald drop rippled.

In that instant, they all knew—the third trial was over!

"This... is it?"

The yellow-robed maidservant following Venerable Yunshang laughed in exasperation. "That's the height of absurdity!"

Who would ever use a bamboo tube to drink tea on such an elegant tea platform?

"Ah..."

Venerable Yunshang clapped her hands, delighted. "We've cleared it."

Hua Lang and the others looked at her, met those beautiful eyes, and stared, dazed once more.

Venerable Yunshang said, "Thank you for your hard work on my behalf."

The Foxtail Grass Spirit all but jumped out of its skin. "Who served you—"

Fu Yu promptly yanked it back.

Venerable Yunshang beamed. "My husband always says I'm too delicate for wind or rain, that if I want a star, he'll just fetch it for me. Now I'll show him—something he couldn't accomplish, I've done it myself. I'm not some hothouse flower he keeps under glass."

After clearing the level, the tea platform dissolved into ink wash.

The scenes of the "tea competition" flared and faded.

From the black-and-white painted door, a third halo of light welled forth. Venerable Yunshang gave a tinkling laugh and reached out to snatch it. "Oh? What's this? Well, I don't understand it anyway. I'll keep it for my husband to see."

"Hey—Venerable One, you..."

Struggle warred in Hua Lang's eyes.

But that was clearly Xie Fuyu's reward for clearing the level. No matter how beautiful or powerful Venerable Yunshang was, she couldn't just take it like that...

Venerable Yunshang tossed a smile over her shoulder. "Little friend, did you have something to say to me?"

Hua Lang froze, his mind buzzing. He bit his tongue and could no longer muster any words of protest.

The Foxtail Grass Spirit gritted its teeth in anger.

It kept stealing glances at its master, but Fu Yu's expression remained calm and detached, her eyes lightly lowered, as if completely unconcerned and indifferent to the situation.

Fu Yu wasn't as composed as she appeared. She simply couldn't bear to look at that wriggling mass for even a moment.

She absentmindedly raised a hand, pointing toward the main hall atop the steps. "Time to proceed to the main hall."

The Foxtail Grass Spirit: "."

Though filled with grievances, it still noticed its master had used the wrong idiom.

A spark of interest lit Venerable Yunshang's eyes as she smiled and looked at the group. "For the next challenge, I'll be counting on you all again."

She led the two yellow-robed maidservants up the steps first.

"Master..."

The Foxtail Grass Spirit quietly tugged at Fu Yu from behind, pouting, its eyes brimming with grievance. "How could this be... they... you... she, she's..."

It choked up, unable to form a complete sentence.

"I know, I know." Fu Yu patted its shoulder. "Touch my stuff? She's got a death wish."

She lifted her gaze, glancing toward the main hall.

That was the fourth level—an Illusion Array.

One she had set up herself.

Fu Yu pressed her fingers against the Foxtail Grass Spirit's shoulder and drifted past it lightly.

"Next level, I'll show you how it's done." She smiled sidelong, still wearing that lazy, utterly nonchalant expression. "Don't blink."