Chapter Fifty-Seven: Schemes Upon Schemes

Jiang Tong's heart was thrown into turmoil, as if raging waves had crashed within him. He quickly realized, to his astonishment, that the pill he held was a supreme-grade Blood Recovery Pill!

The youth, who had not acted until now, revealed such generosity in his first gesture—Jiang Tong grew even more certain: this boy must hail from a powerful, hidden family.

After a brief hesitation, Jiang Tong swallowed two of the Blood Recovery Pills. He took a deep breath and sighed, “The spirit array and this dungeon were both crafted by my ‘wife’.”

Jiang Tong's life had been a tapestry of ups and downs. In his youth, brimming with ambition, he ventured into the world of cultivation with neither resources nor connections, and at first, his days were marked by hardship. But his exceptional talent gained him entry into the inner circle of the Hengyue Sect. By chance, he acquired a minor legacy, and later, he comprehended his own sword path, becoming a rising star. Jealousy brewed among his fellow disciples, and through their machinations, he became entangled with the sect’s only female elder.

The consequences were predictable: after suffering grave injuries, he was expelled from the sect. He endured only flesh wounds, but the female elder’s cultivation plummeted from the eighth rank of Nascent Soul Realm by seven minor levels, and she was left crippled in one leg. Devastated, she nearly lost her sanity.

Afterwards, he brought her to Su Feng Town, claiming outwardly to be a married couple. They lived together for hundreds of years, treating each other with respect, as family.

Jiang Tong forced a bitter smile. “She is none other than the once-renowned illusion array master, Xiang Changge.”

This was a secret he had kept for centuries. Now, having confessed, he felt an immense relief.

Su Li found the name Xiang Changge familiar, and after racking her brain, she remembered. Wasn’t this the scene from “Contract Spirit Beast,” where the Mo family girl, tipsy, confided her feelings? As the first female cultivator to confess, she made twelve trending topics on Weibo in succession.

Especially that most famous, romantic line, which delighted readers: “In the first twenty years, I lived in Xiang Changge’s shadow. You pulled me from that lonely island. Now, I want to step into your heart. Will you take my hand?”

Indeed, the enchanting Mo family girl was also an illusion array master!

Suddenly, Su Li felt a pang of melancholy.

She instantly lost interest in interacting, angrily withdrew her paw from the youth’s grasp, leapt onto his shoulder, and turned her back to him, sulking.

Shen Luo, helpless, drew her into his embrace again, gently smoothing her snow-white fur to soothe the inexplicably agitated spirit beast.

Su Li let out a contented “Awoo,” narrowed her dark-red feline eyes, and even cooperatively lifted her chin. Her tail swayed with abandon.

Everyone’s eyes glazed over, hearts fluttering.

So adorable!

Abruptly, Shen Luo lifted his head. His sharp gaze, laced with a cold smile and a warning, swept across every face.

It was like a chill wind brushing their spines; everyone felt their hair stand on end and hurriedly looked away.

So domineering!

---

And so frightening!

Jiang Tong’s heart thudded wildly. Such a young boy, yet possessed of such aura—what kind of illustrious figure would he become in the future?

After pressing the spirit beast back into his arms, Shen Luo had composed himself. He looked at Jiang Tong, seemingly thinking of something, and his lips curled as he asked, “Are your enemies connected to the Mo family?”

Jiang Tong’s expression changed dramatically, exclaiming in shock, “How did you know?”

“The other party is a formidable figure,” Shen Luo analyzed sharply. “In the past, you couldn’t contend with his family. Now, you can’t defeat him himself?”

Jiang Tong erupted in anger, “That old scoundrel Mo Fengxiao was lucky and cunning. He rose smoothly through the ranks and is now the sect master of Hengyue Sect. If only I’d killed him back then to prevent future trouble!”

Having vented, he noticed the youth’s look of realization, and his face suddenly froze.

And then, a pang of regret.

With just a few words, the youth had coaxed the truth from him—had he lived his years in vain?

“Master, someone has entered,” Lan Yu Jiao suddenly transmitted to Shen Luo. “The other party is at Nascent Soul Realm.”

Shen Luo’s brows arched, though his expression didn't change, maintaining his smiling demeanor. He continued, “The Twin Array can only be activated by someone at the ninth rank of Nascent Soul Realm. So, Xiang Changge not only recovered her cultivation long ago, but has advanced even further?”

Jiang Tong pressed his lips tightly, unwilling to speak, but his widened eyes had already betrayed him.

Hard to watch.

Su Li felt Jiang Tong’s bewilderment was rather pitiful. Shen Luo kept nudging him along, and he unwittingly revealed the entire truth.

Still, the youth was truly admirable!

She patted his arm with her paw, expressing her praise.

Shen Luo paused, inexplicably understanding her gesture, and his smile grew more genuine. He addressed Jiang Tong, “Because she advanced so quickly, you even suspect she’s involved in these events, don’t you? You brought us into the dungeon to attract her attention and test her reaction.”

Shen Luo rose, looking toward the tunnel entrance. He spoke coldly, “Since Senior Xiang is present, why not step forward and resolve the junior’s doubts?”

A gentle breeze swept by, and all was silent at the tunnel entrance.

Suddenly, a violet figure shot toward Shen Luo like lightning. Midair, a blue ice shard was launched from the side.

Xiang Changge spun swiftly, raising her palm to block, but the shard, like a spirit snake, crawled up her arm, blooming with blue lotus flowers.

Everyone—human and beast alike—stared in shock. The scene before them was enchanting, eerie, and fantastical.

---

A chilling, violent aura seeped into Xiang Changge’s flesh and blood. Then, the coldness transformed into a slender ice spike, piercing through her.

“Ah!” she cried out, collapsing to the ground.

Her arm struck the floor with a dull thud, snapping off and rolling toward the wall before coming to rest. To everyone’s surprise, not a drop of blood spilled—only clusters of blue ice lotus bloomed at the severed shoulder.

This was Lan Yu Jiao’s new secret technique: Nine Nether Blue Lotus.

Su Li exclaimed excitedly, “Third Brother, you’re amazing!”

Lan Yu Jiao frowned, not entirely satisfied. “It’ll do.”

Tiger Soul clenched his paw in frustration.

Damn it, that sly Third Brother stole the spotlight again.

The scene was silent.

After a moment, Jiang Tong rushed forward to shield Xiang Changge, hair bristling with fury. “This is outrageous! You’ve crippled Changge’s right arm—doesn’t that mean you’re forcing an illusion array master onto a dead end?”

Lan Yu Jiao snorted coldly, offering no explanation. Wisps of icy shards seeped from his fingers, threads of blue ice wrapping around the severed arm, then yanking it over to Jiang Tong.

Clang!

From the frozen, stiff hand, a dagger wrapped in black mist tumbled out.

Deathly silence. The room was plunged into stillness once more.

Jiang Tong was speechless; his face shifted between blue and pale, a spectacle to behold. He looked back, disbelief in his eyes, at the woman he had lived with for centuries—his gaze mingled regret, pain, and helplessness. He struggled for ages, unable to utter a word, and finally sighed deeply.

Eager to prove himself, Tiger Soul quickly spoke up, “Boss, her right leg has an issue.”

Su Li thought that, in this world, propriety between men and women was still observed, so Third Brother shouldn’t make a move. She crouched, leapt from Shen Luo’s arms, and landed steadily on the ground. Padding over to Xiang Changge’s right leg, she extended her sharp claws from her paw pads, raised them high, and slashed forcefully at her skirt.

Rip!

The sound of fabric tearing echoed.

What lay beneath left everyone stunned and their expressions changed dramatically.