Infiltrating The Yanyue Sect

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Duobao was tightly bound by the spirit rope, her expression dazed as she studied Qi Yuan's cultivation, magical artifacts, and talismans. He didn't seem like an ordinary disciple.

If he kills me, will he really get away with it?

In the original novel, Duobao was ambushed and killed by Feng Yue while battling Han Li. Han Li then used Thunderbolt to kill Feng Yue. Though he wasn't directly responsible for Duobao's death, his cautious nature prevented him from leaving himself exposed to the Yanyue Sect's retaliation.

If Qi Yuan were to kill her now, he would never be able to leave Huangfeng Valley alive.

Even Hongfu wouldn't be able to protect him indefinitely.

He needed a better solution.

Feeling the cold weight of Qi Yuan's gaze, Duobao shivered and pleaded, "What do you want? If you spare me, I'll give you all the treasures in my storage bag and pay you generously in spirit stones once I'm free."

Qi Yuan let out a chilling laugh. "Let you go? Once you're out, I won't be getting spirit stones, only a blade to the throat."

Seeing the flicker of murderous intent in his eyes, Duobao panicked. She immediately dropped to her knees, her voice trembling. "I swear, I mean it! Please, believe me!"

Rather than killing her and provoking a Jindan cultivator, Qi Yuan saw an opportunity. He could turn her into a pawn within the Yanyue Sect.

But first, he needed to make sure she feared him enough.

With a flick of his wrist, a cold dagger appeared in his hand. He idly toyed with it, his voice calm. "Spirit stones don't interest me. If you want to make an offer, it better be worth my time."

The dagger flashed, slicing cleanly through the surrounding weeds.

Duobao's face went pale. Desperation clouded her thoughts before she finally lowered her voice and blushed. "I… I am willing to be your woman…"

Qi Yuan looked her over, unimpressed. He shook his head. "You? No thanks. I have standards."

Duobao's eyes widened in disbelief. Her beauty had always been a source of pride, yet here she was, being outright rejected. Though she wanted to lash out, she bit her tongue, swallowing her anger.

Then, an idea struck her. It was underhanded, but in this situation, she had no choice. "If you let me live, I'll help you win the favor of an elder from my sect. Think about it—turning a small pawn into a hidden dagger within Yanyue Sect."

Qi Yuan raised an eyebrow. "Nangong Wan?"

Duobao shook her head hurriedly. "Not Elder Nangong. I would never get close to her. But my grandmother… She's already in the Jindan stage, but she still looks good for her age. If you spare me, I'll help you win her favor…"

A strange expression crossed Qi Yuan's face. Was she really offering up her own grandmother? If the elder found out, wouldn't she beat Duobao to death?

Still, verbal promises meant little without leverage.

Qi Yuan rummaged through Han Tianya's storage bag and found a small jade bottle labeled "Huangquan Pill."

According to the information left behind, this was a unique poison developed by Huadaowu over hundreds of years. Once ingested, the victim would require periodic doses of an antidote, or the poison would burn through their meridians, crippling them completely. Even Jindan cultivators couldn't purge it. Only those in the Yuanying stage had the ability to remove it entirely.

Qi Yuan pried open Duobao's mouth and forced the pill down her throat. "This is Huadaowu's signature poison. You've probably heard of it. Even if you go running to your grandmother, she won't be able to cure you. If you can find a Yuanying cultivator to save you, then I'll admit defeat."

Duobao choked, coughing violently. Her face went pale as the reality of her situation sank in.

If she told her grandmother, she would storm Huangfeng Valley in fury. If that happened, her own fate would be worse than death.

Survival was the only option.

With no other choice, she knelt and lowered her head. "Master, I dare not disobey…"

Qi Yuan smiled in satisfaction. He didn't take her life or her magical artifacts, but he stripped her of all her elixirs. Whether she survived or not was her own problem now.

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***Near the Central Fog***

Qi Yuan remained hidden in the shadows, observing the landscape before him.

The Blood Forbidden Land had three layers. The outermost layer, where he currently stood, was the first. The second was a ring of mountains, shrouded in dense, impenetrable white fog. The third was a towering pagoda over a hundred feet high—an enigma no one had ever reached.

To break through the fog, one required the Yueyang Orb. This artifact, crafted long ago by a Yanyue Sect disciple, was specifically designed to counteract the poisonous mist. It had no offensive or defensive properties, but it emitted a unique glow that dispelled the fog.

The Yanyue Sect had once monopolized the advantage, but to prevent resentment from rival sects, they had agreed to share the orb in rotation.

Qi Yuan's eyes narrowed. The disciple from Tianque Castle, who was in charge of the orb, had yet to make a move.

Bored, he sifted through Han Tianya's storage bag.

Among the top-tier magical artifacts, he found two crimson flying daggers, a pink handkerchief, and a defensive robe. The daggers were useful, but the handkerchief was better sold off.

The real surprise was the robe—a top-grade defensive garment. No wonder Han Tianya had remained unscathed despite Feng Yue's attack. Combined with his speed, his survival had seemed effortless.

Qi Yuan had lucked out this time.

He examined two high-level talismans. The first was the Flame Sun Talisman, capable of summoning a sea of fire for large-scale destruction. The second was the Condensed Bead Talisman, a single-target spell that focused immense power into a concentrated point.

Why hadn't Han Tianya used them?

It was simple. Han Tianya had calculated his odds and realized the talismans wouldn't be enough against Tian Lei Zi. Instead, he had prioritized escape.

High-level talismans weren't something to be wasted recklessly.

Aside from the artifacts, there were several mid-grade spirit stones and a handful of low-grade ones. The rest of the bag contained an assortment of basic elixirs and mid-to-low-grade talismans.

Not a bad haul.

Qi Yuan smirked, shifting his attention back to the white mist. It was only a matter of time before the Tianque Castle disciple made their move.

And when they did, he would be ready.

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