Who gave you permission to refine demons like this?

"That's true according to the law, but Qianqian's case isn't handled that way."

He Qianqian asked curiously, "Then how do we calculate it?"

She turned around and looked directly at Lin Sheng: "What do you think of my appearance, young master?"

"Beautiful, fair-skinned and pretty."

He Qianqian's looks are captivating from any angle; she's the type who can take great photos no matter what.

She's only this age now, not yet at the age where a girl's appearance changes drastically as she grows up. If given more time, Lin Sheng believes that He Qianqian's appearance will definitely be extraordinary.

In particular, she was also particularly fond of Lin Sheng. If she didn't have feelings for him, Lin Sheng's brothers wouldn't agree, but this was something he had never understood.

"And what are your feelings for me, young master?"

He Qianqian's voice was clear, but with a slight tremor.

Lin Sheng looked at her for a moment and then said, "Qianqian, we've known each other for so long, it's natural that I have feelings for you."

"I just don't understand why you like me so much?"

From the first moment we met until we got to know each other, your affection for me was clearly evident.

Can you tell me exactly what it is that attracts you?

He chuckled as he spoke, "I remember my first impression of you wasn't very good; it was right after a battle."

Lin Sheng decided to find out more about He Qianqian's naturally high level of favorability today.

He Qianqian laughed. She suddenly reached out and cupped Lin Sheng's face, gently pressing her forehead against his.

"Young master, there are never any real answers to matters of the heart, nor can they be explained by any logic."

"When I first saw you, my heart skipped a beat. I knew you were the one I was looking for."

"That's why I've always thought of you, young master, and I look forward to seeing you every day."

Whether you are a mortal or a cultivator, young master, you have always been my young master.

"He is...my future husband."

He Qianqian spoke her last words softly but forcefully, burying her head in Lin Sheng's arms, not daring to look at him.

They didn't get any results from that.

Although he didn't get the answer he wanted, Lin Sheng felt the other person's sincerity and held him tightly in his arms.

The two pressed themselves against each other, and for a moment the room fell silent.

After a long while, He Qianqian finally said, "Anyway, I'm sticking with you, young master."

"Even if I have to be your concubine from now on, I'll still follow you."

Lin Sheng laughed heartily, shook his head, and teased the other party.

Soon after, He Qianqian had a variety of dishes served, an exceptionally lavish spread. Then, He Qianqian poured two glasses of wine, one for herself and one for Lin Sheng.

She raised her wine glass and said, "Today is to celebrate your breakthrough and your official becoming a cultivator."

"I have been very sorry that I was unable to congratulate you in time a few days ago."

He Qianqian had already sensed it when the envoy arrived, and wanted to see Lin Sheng that very day, but Aunt Nan never left, so she didn't have the chance.

While the other party was away investigating matters, she immediately invited Lin Sheng to her residence.

While enjoying drinks and conversation, He Qianqian, whose alcohol tolerance was limited, quickly became tipsy.

Her flushed cheeks held a seductive charm as she clung to Lin Sheng, saying, "Young Master, I can't drink anymore."

"If you can't drink anymore, then don't. I'll help you to bed."

Lin Sheng helped him to the bed, but as soon as he touched the bed, the other person pressed him down and breathed hot air into his ear: "Young master, you are already a cultivator."

"Then we don't need to worry about Yuanyang anymore."

Good grief, so that's what they were waiting for me.

"Okay, I'll go with you." He said, touching He Qianqian's waist.

Seeing Lin Sheng's actions, He Qianqian's eyes flashed with joy, and she became even more intoxicated.

However, Lin Sheng circulated his profound energy in both hands, silently channeling heat into He Qianqian's body.

When he picked He Qianqian up, she had already fallen asleep.

Lin Sheng covered her with a blanket, tidied up the things on the table, touched her face, and quietly left.

He Qianqian only sat up abruptly after Lin Sheng's footsteps completely disappeared in the hallway.

In fact, she hadn't fallen asleep at all; she had been pretending to be asleep the whole time.

His eyes were clear, and he showed no signs of intoxication.

She pouted and said, "Young master, really, I'm already like this."

"Sigh, I should have known better than to use the background of a mortal. Now that the young master has done this, I have no choice but to sleep with him even if I can't."

He Qianqian muttered to herself, then could only lie down helplessly.

Lin Sheng stepped outside the building and looked at the sky. The full moon shone brightly, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

"Tomorrow should be a good day."

"It seems that the demon-slaying operation in the next few days will proceed smoothly."

He walked home under the moonlight, pondering whether he should move to a different place.

After all, as one cultivates, many things need a place to be stored.

My old house is fine for storing clothes, but it's not enough to store demon materials.

Lin Sheng turned the corner and stepped into the alley. In the dead of night, the road he took home every day was deserted and empty except for him.

He suddenly stopped and shouted to those around him, "Stop hiding, come out!"

"If you keep following us, you'll be in deep trouble. If you're going to take action, do it now. Don't drag things into other people's hands."

Lin Sheng placed his hand on the Hunting Blade and looked at a shadow behind him.

But there was no one in the shadows. Lin Sheng drew his sword, and the blade flashed out.

The blade's edge struck the shadow, causing it to ripple like flowing water, and then a figure gradually appeared.

"I thought it was just alarmist talk, but it turns out they really have noticed it."

"Has that guy who used to not even know when he could enter the country become so powerful now?"

Lin Sheng recognized the voice; it belonged to the first dojo he had ever interacted with.

He looked at the person who slowly emerged from the shadows and said, "Zhang Baisheng, it's been a long time. Why aren't you focusing on improving your strength? Instead, you're studying these unorthodox methods."

"The Nine Blades Sect can no longer afford to support you, so you need to fend for yourself, is that right?"

Hearing Lin Sheng use the current state of the Nine Blades Sect to mock him, Zhang Baisheng's face darkened.

Unlike those who easily switch allegiance, he has his own feelings for the Nine Blades Sect.

Lin Sheng pointed at the other person with his chin: "If you want to fight, let's do it now. I'll let you see how hard my fists are now."

In response to Lin Sheng's provocation, Zhang Baisheng coldly retorted, "Are all the people taught by Liuyun Pavilion as unreliable as Cao Xingyi?"

"They only teach the laws and methods, but not the etiquette and manners, and they don't even know how to get along with others."

"Ha, you yourself said it's about getting along with people, does your Nine Blades Sect even deserve to use that word?"

Zhang Baisheng clenched his fists, wishing he could rush up right now and rip Lin Sheng's tongue out.

However, he ultimately held back, firstly because the other party was no longer the cultivator who had not yet entered the realm, and secondly because the timing was not right.

He took a deep breath and looked at Lin Sheng: "Your Liuyun Pavilion will also be participating in the demon-slaying operation for a few days, right?"

Are we just going to ignore what we just discussed?

It seems the other party isn't here to fight.

Lin Sheng replied, "It is my duty to go to Liuyun Pavilion."

"I just don't know if any of your dojos are willing to take on this responsibility."

Zhang Baisheng ignored the nitpicking in Lin Sheng's words and said, "The sealing of the mountain and the extermination of demons is an order from the Imperial Court's Martial Virtue Department. The Nine Blades, Golden Begonia, Flying Swallow, and Frost Wet Child martial arts schools will all send people there. I will lead the Nine Blades team."

"I presume that Liuyun Pavilion is occupied by you and Cao Xingyi."

"I've come here to discuss a collaboration with you."

Lin Sheng seemed to have heard something utterly absurd and blurted out, "Cooperation?"

"Your Nine Blades Sect wants to cooperate with us?"

Is the sun going to rise in the west tomorrow?

"Yes, the details of the collaboration are very simple."

"We will not initiate any conflict or dispute with you on the mountain."

If we encounter a common target of demons, whoever kills the demon first gets to keep it; otherwise, we will not initiate any further contact with you.

Lin Sheng frowned. What the other party said was normal, very normal, but it sounded very abnormal coming from the mouth of the Nine Blades Sect.

Moreover, judging from the content of the cooperation alone, it doesn't seem like a cooperation at all, but rather a pre-agreed agreement or disclaimer.

Lin Sheng asked directly, "Zhang Baisheng, just say what you mean, what's your purpose in this cooperation?"

Without hesitation, Zhang Baisheng replied immediately, "There is only one purpose."

"Prevent the three martial arts schools, Jintang, Feiyan, and Shuangshizi, from wiping out the Nine Knives Sect."

"The Nine Blades Sect has been wiped out? You dojos usually share everything, how come you're suddenly turning against each other?"

Lin Sheng had previously heard Zhao Fengnian mention that the Nine Knives Sect had had its talents poached by several other martial arts schools, and he had also witnessed the situation firsthand.

He figured it was nothing more than a competition between martial arts schools for cultivators, and he would be happy to see the Nine Paths Sect have fewer people.

But now that the matter is connected to the complete annihilation of a dojo, he instantly realized that things were not as simple as they seemed, and that there were some secrets hidden behind them that he did not know about.

"Explain yourself clearly. If you don't, we can't reach a cooperation agreement with you."

Zhang Baisheng remained silent for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "You already know that the Jin Tang and Fei Yan martial arts schools are constantly poaching cultivators from Jiu Dao using their techniques."

"But this is only their outward behavior. In private, they are constantly encroaching on Jiu Dao's original businesses, not only destroying existing partnerships but also seizing territory."

"Many of the original resource storage warehouses were secretly destroyed or completely wiped out by spies within the organization."

"The loss of resources and manpower has a great impact on Nine Blades. You, Liuyun Hall, naturally cannot feel it, but within Nine Blades Sect, everyone knows the wolfish ambitions of those two dojos."

"The once mighty Nine Blades Sect has become like this in the blink of an eye."

As he spoke, Zhang Baisheng laughed and shook his head helplessly.

But then he looked at Lin Sheng, his tone becoming serious.

"The Nine Blades Sect will take the remaining disciples with the strength to do their best to exterminate the demons, collect demon materials, and rely on these demon materials to gradually gather the Nine Blades Sect's existing resources and industries."

"We want to seize this opportunity to preserve the Nine Blades Sect."

"This mission to vanquish the demon at Wuzhi Mountain is both an opportunity and a risk for us."

"Our Nine Blades Sect will lead the remaining disciples up the mountain. This matter will surely not be kept secret from Jin Tang and Fei Yan. They will definitely take this opportunity to attack us."

"Once they succeed, the remaining Nine Blades Sect disciples will no longer have the strength to stop them."

"You don't need to tell us. We know what we are like, and we know what those dojos are like. The seniors in those dojos have already left behind countermeasures."

"We're not afraid to take action. No matter how much the Nine Blades Sect has declined, it still has some tricks up its sleeve."

"But the Jin Tang and Fei Yan martial arts schools are vicious, and you and Cao Xingyi are quite strong. If they attack you under the name of the Nine Blades Sect and then use someone else to do their dirty work, the fate of the Nine Blades Sect is predictable."

Zhang Baisheng took a few steps forward, letting the moonlight shine on his face.

"I am different from those disciples. To me, the Nine Blades Sect is like the Flowing Cloud Pavilion, like you. I do not want to see it destroyed, nor will I."

"Therefore, I am here to reach this cooperation with you. I do not want you to help us, but simply to let you know the Nine Blades Sect's role in this operation."

"You can focus on your work; the Nine Blades Sect has its own plans."

"How is it, Fellow Daoist Lin?"

After listening to Zhang Baisheng's words, Lin Sheng understood what he had done.

Indeed, as he said, Liuyun Pavilion did not know how badly the Nine Blades Sect was doing, but it could guess a little.

For example, Lin Sheng can now clearly see that Zhang Baisheng's eyeliner doesn't look as natural as it used to.

Liuyun Hall established itself in this area by virtue of its strength and its relationship with the Martial Virtue Division. How did the other dojos, which were not as strong, manage to gain a foothold? You should know that there were more than just these few dojos in the past in Hequan Town.

Naturally, it involves fighting and killing, establishing oneself through fists.

When everyone had meat, the various martial arts schools lived in harmony. But now that there's no meat to eat, the Nine Blades Sect has clearly become the biggest piece of meat.

The Nine Blades Sect clearly knew the details of the other martial arts schools, so their motivation for coming to find Lin Sheng today is understandable.

"It seems that the Nine Blades Sect is indeed facing a life-or-death crisis, otherwise Zhang Baisheng wouldn't have pulled his head down like that."

"The content of the cooperation is fine. This mission is to eliminate demons. Master also said not to provoke trouble, but to fight back when necessary."

After thinking for a moment, Lin Sheng realized that this cooperation would also be beneficial to Liuyun Pavilion, at least they wouldn't have to worry about having another enemy.

But he still asked, "How can you guarantee that things will go as you say, and that you won't launch a preemptive attack?"

"How can we believe something that's just empty talk without any evidence?"

Zhang Baisheng took out a blue jade stone from his pocket and handed it to Lin Sheng.

"This is a Divine Sense Stone, containing a wisp of the divine consciousness of each of us in this operation. If there is any problem, just shatter it, and everyone will be affected by the shattered divine consciousness."

"It will take some time to recover, and given the current situation of the Nine Blades Sect, their decline in strength is obvious."

"Back then at Wuzhi Mountain, in that state, we would have been the most obvious targets."

Lin Sheng gripped the stone and looked at the other person: "You're so confident in handing it over to me? Aren't you afraid I'll break it right now and make your Nine Blades Sect a target ahead of time?"

"Although Liuyun Pavilion is at odds with all the other martial arts schools, now the Nine Blades Sect is also at odds with Jintang and Feiyan. The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

We believe this.

Even bad people know to ask good people for help when they're in trouble.

This is really a case of being manipulated.

Lin Sheng, in front of Zhang Baisheng, put the stone into his storage ring.

Seeing that the matter had been settled, Zhang Baisheng was about to turn and leave.

Lin Sheng then asked, "Why don't you go talk to my senior brother? You should know that he is stronger than me and has more authority to speak on the matter."

Zhang Baisheng slowly stepped into the shadows, his figure gradually disappearing into the shadows, only then did his voice faintly drift out.

"Your mouth is cleaner than his."

"I'm afraid I won't be able to resist and start a fight with him."