Xuanjian: I am the tenth son of Zhenchi, and I plot to seize the throne from Zhenlong.

"On the 26th of July, I traveled to the edge of the desert. Yu Yuxi also had designs on me. I used the aphrodisiac in the demon cultivator's storage bag, along with my lustful desires, to take her away from Jin Yu."

In a mortal village, Su Ming, who was sitting cross-legged on a couch with his eyes closed in cultivation, suddenly opened his eyes, his eyes filled with helplessness. His "future self" had been talking to him about this matter frequently these days.

He didn't feel any psychological burden, but could such a simple and crude plan really succeed? The female cultivator didn't seem to have any intention of going with him.

Just as I was pondering this, Yu Yuxi pushed open the door and entered, carrying a plate of wine and dishes, her face beaming with a smile.

According to the master, she still had to go to Jiangnan with this person, and then find a way to bring him back to the sect. Naturally, she dared not disobey the master's orders, but at least this time she could recover her spiritual power and no longer be treated as a maid.

Su Ming casually ate a couple of bites, then met Yu Yuxi's expectant gaze. Knowing what she was thinking, he pondered for a moment and decided to try his own method first.

"Ahem, um... Yu Xi?"

Upon being suddenly called out like that, Yu Yuxi felt a chill run down her spine, her body stiffen, and her eyes immediately became alert.

"You...you're trying to renege on your debt?"

Su Ming took out a pill and placed it in an empty cup: "How could this be? It's just... that..."

Su Ming quickly gulped down a mouthful of wine, only to find that the wine was unusually burning his throat today.

He calmed down a bit, casually grabbed the wine cup containing the pills, and asked in a relaxed tone, "With so many demonic cultivators in the desert right now, how do you plan to get back to Golden Feather?"

Yu Yuxi withdrew her hand, which was about to touch the cup, and pouted: "I have my own methods."

"Okay, okay."

The two chatted casually, while Jiang Shi watched from the side speechlessly. He had arranged everything; this kid could have just stepped inside, but he had to make such a fuss.

Yu Yuxi's brows furrowed deeper and deeper. She glanced furtively at Su Ming, whose face was growing increasingly red, and finally couldn't hold back any longer. She spread her hands and said, "Give me the pill. I'm leaving."

Su Ming nodded, poured two glasses of wine, and raised his glass in a gesture of respect: "We've been through thick and thin together, so be careful on the road."

Yu Yuxi glanced at the wine glass pushed in front of her, a hint of unease flashing across her face. She had laced the wine with aphrodisiacs and sleeping potions beforehand; according to her plan, Su Ming, with his spiritual power, wouldn't be drugged too quickly.

She only needs to leave early and then return to make a false accusation, which will give her a reason to continue following him, and maybe even force him to return to his clan.

She just hadn't expected that Su Ming would lose his mind and drag her through all that trouble without giving her the pills. Her spiritual energy hadn't recovered yet, and after that cup of wine…

"Won't the real person just ignore this?"

With a determined heart, Yu Yuxi tilted her head back and gulped down the wine, then quickly reached out to ask for the pills.

"What's the rush? This area is relatively safe, and there are no demonic cultivators around." Su Ming muttered, feigning a bit of drunkenness, but he was nervous. He had secretly slipped aphrodisiac into Yu Yuxi's drink earlier, and after trying it for a while, he felt that his own methods were even less likely to succeed.

Having devoted himself to cultivation within his clan for so many years, this was the first time he had done something like this, and his tone was somewhat unnatural: "Um, Yu Xi... do you have a cultivation partner?"

Yu Yuxi was trying her best to regulate the dormant spiritual energy in her body to resist the effects of the medicine. She just shook her head and continued to reach out for the pill.

Upon receiving the pill, Yu Yuxi was overjoyed and was about to swallow it when her wrist was firmly grabbed.

Su Ming tugged at his collar, somewhat bewildered by the strength of the liquor. His voice was hoarse as he said, "The desert is dangerous. How about... you... marry... cough, and go to Jiangnan?"

Yu Yuxi froze, feeling a burning sensation on her wrist as it was being gripped. She quickly struggled, saying, "Let go!"

"Okay, okay."

As the pill entered her mouth, she felt a sense of relief, and only then did she realize the meaning behind Su Ming's words. She looked up in disbelief.

But then she saw the man opposite her immediately avoid her gaze, looking around nervously, and fanning himself with his collar.

After a few moments of silence, she suddenly chuckled: "You want me to betray my sect and become a rogue cultivator with you?"

Su Ming stopped what he was doing, opened his mouth, unsure how to respond. He silently dispersed the gray-red in his eyes, and after a few moments of silence, said, "Then... have a safe journey."

Did I say I wasn't going?

"what?"

Yu Yuxi's eyes also showed some guilt. She didn't know if her master was still watching, so she could only grit her teeth and say, "I was seriously injured. A demonic cultivator kidnapped me and took me to Jiangnan. Later, I was rescued. You... have to come back to Jinyu with me."

She gasped for breath and took two steps to go out, but she fell to the ground after only two steps.

Yu Yuxi struggled a couple of times but her body still felt weak. Seeing Su Ming sitting blankly in the chair, she said irritably, "Are all you cultivators idiots? Come help me up!"

"Okay, okay."

...

Why are you touching my leg?

"No...no, I thought you were injured."

"Hey, what are you doing now?"

"This liquor is very strong, let me carry you to rest for a while."

Su Ming picked up Yu Yuxi, whose eyes were glazed over, but after taking only two steps, he felt his legs give way and the two of them fell to the ground and rolled around in a heap.

"Bang!"

"Hiss~" Yu Yuxi's head hit the table leg hard, and the pain made her eyes clearer.

"What's wrong with you?"

"I think I've had a bit too much to drink. Let me rub it for you."

"You...don't lean on me..."

…………

The next morning, Yu Yuxi suddenly opened her eyes and quickly felt around in the blanket. Seeing that her clothes were neat and tidy, she breathed a sigh of relief. Only then did she catch a glimpse of Su Ming sitting cross-legged on the edge of the bed, meditating with his eyes closed.

She scrutinized him carefully, her face flushing slightly, before finally speaking: "All talk and no action?"

"Huh? You've reached the seventh level of Qi Refining."

Su Ming had already noticed that the woman on the bed had woken up. He stiffly went to pour a glass of water and handed it to Yu Yuxi, nodding while avoiding her gaze.

Sitting back down on the ground, he suddenly remembered what his cousin Su Yubai had said, and felt that his cousin must have been bragging.

------

Southern Xinjiang, Bifu Mountain…

"The cultivation methods of demons and humans differ. In addition to the spiritual energy absorbed during Qi Refining, the immortal foundation they build is also more inclined towards their own bloodline."

The young man with vertical pupils at the head of the table waved his sleeve, and a jade box and a pill were handed to Minghua.

"Following the instructions left by the master, I found a female water demon for you, refined a Foundation Establishment Pill, and also... obtained the spiritual water [Tianyi Chunyuan]."

At this point, a hint of heartache flashed across Canlufu's face. This spiritual water was something she had obtained after traveling around the surrounding demon kingdoms for many years, refining pills for demons, and sacrificing a great deal of resources.

It's a waste to use this to help a Qi Refining demon break through to the Foundation Establishment stage. Now it even has to give up this main hall with the most abundant spiritual energy.

"Could this demon be one of those beings' offspring?"

Its heart skipped a beat, and it dared not think any further. After stepping out of the main hall, it activated the formation, completely sealing off the area.