The Master and His Wealthy Fiancée

Chen Dong casually replied, "I don't know. It might be some kind of phenomenon caused by those from the Demon Race."

"What about the Demon Race member inside? I heard from Zhang Miao and the others that one of them charged in!"

Chen Dong shook his head, his expression a little exaggerated. "I have no idea. I just wandered around in there for a bit and came back out. The condensed black mist is too powerful; you can't sense anything inside!"

This was the story Chen Dong had prepared when he came out. It was best to pretend he knew nothing. He had even changed out of the blood-stained green robes he was wearing earlier into a fresh set.

'Being able to single-handedly kill a Golden Core Stage Demon Race member in the black mist would attract too much attention. The sudden surge in my cultivation would be hard to explain, too. It's better to keep a low profile if I can. Besides, that Demon Race member's Demon Heart was a bit unusual—there was a star inside its core. The last thing I want is to attract the attention of some big shot from the Demon Race right now.'

This was also the guidance given by the Grand Divination Art: hide all traces. For this reason, Chen Dong had even run back to dispose of the Demon Race member's corpse.

Hearing this, Tang Lian nodded in agreement. "I've already notified the sect again. A Nascent Soul Elder should be here soon!"

He had personally experienced how disorienting the black mist was; his own team had gotten completely lost in it. Now, faced with an even denser mist, he didn't dare lead a team inside. Qiu Cai's example was a stark warning. Plus, there was still a Golden Core Stage Demon Race member in there. It was better to seal off the mist and wait for the Elders to arrive.

Hearing this, Chen Dong thought, 'Just as I expected, a Nascent Soul Stage Elder is coming.'

Nascent Soul Stage cultivators stood guard at the edge of the All Heaven Guarding Array. It had taken Chen Dong's group twelve days to travel from the sect, but a guardian Nascent Soul cultivator would only need an hour or two to get here—perhaps even less.

However, seeing the black mist shrink once more, Chen Dong relaxed slightly.

They waited for a full hour, during which the black mist condensed into a small ball.

Tang Lian searched everywhere but found no trace of any Demon Race members. He muttered to himself in frustration, "Strange, where on earth did the Demon Race go? And why isn't the Elder here yet?"

He was worried about his younger brother Tang Xian's safety. He still hadn't seen Tang Xian and just wanted to find and kill the Demon Race member quickly so he could go look for his brother.

Just as he spoke, the last of the black mist suddenly vanished, revealing only Li Zhixuan sitting cross-legged on the ground. At that very moment, peach blossoms filled the sky, and Zisang Jin, dressed in a flowing pink gown, appeared among them.

"Greetings, Peak Master Zisang!" everyone exclaimed, bowing one after another.

Chen Dong, however, found it very strange. 'Why is it her? And isn't her timing a little too perfect? It's as if she was waiting for Li Zhixuan to finish refining... All those excuses I prepared to stall for time are useless now.'

Zisang Jin smiled brightly. "I am already aware of the situation. There's no need for you to pursue the hidden Demon Race member any further. You can return to the sect and report. This mission will be counted as a Golden Core Stage Demon Race mission, and you will receive double the contribution points."

Chen Dong's heart skipped a beat. 'What does she mean by that? Does she know what happened to the last Demon Race member? How long has she been nearby? Did she see me form my Golden Core? My Divine Sense is now comparable to the Late-stage Nascent Soul, and if I can see through the black mist, she certainly can too!'

A bad feeling welled up inside Chen Dong.

After she spoke, Zisang Jin raised a hand and formed a technique seal. The peach blossoms in the sky swirled, and Tang Xian—who had been hiding deep within the earth dozens of miles away, severely injured—was swept up and brought before them.

Tang Xian was still dazed. After using a Secret Technique to escape the Demonic Puppet's attack, he had been hiding deep underground to heal. Only upon seeing Zisang Jin did he realize he had been rescued.

"Thank you, Peak Master Zisang!"

Tang Lian held his younger brother, Tang Xian, and was immensely grateful to Zisang Jin.

Zisang Jin nodded slightly, then turned her smiling gaze to Chen Dong and Li Zhixuan.

Her stare made Chen Dong's scalp tingle. 'I'm no match for Zisang Jin right now. Besides, Tian Sisi is still in the Cyan Sky Sect, and Zisang Jin is her senior sister. Fighting is out of the question. But the secrets from the black mist are too significant—a wisp of Xuan Qi, a Five Senses Calming Flower... There's no guarantee Zisang Jin won't get other ideas.'

"You two, come with me!" Zisang Jin said, her tone leaving no room for argument.

With a casual wave of her hand, the sky full of peach blossoms swirled, pulling Chen Dong and Li Zhixuan into a world that was an ocean of flowers.

Chen Dong watched Zisang Jin warily, while fear was written all over Li Zhixuan's face.

Zisang Jin's smile was brilliant and radiant. She asked softly, "Why are you two looking at me like that?"

Chen Dong frowned and asked, "Peak Master Zisang, why are you doing this?"

"Because I feel like it."

Chen Dong's frown deepened. "Peak Master, what is your intention? Please speak plainly!"

Zisang Jin lightly tapped her foot on her Peach Blossom Divine Sword, as sprightly as a young girl.

"There's no need to be so tense. I's not interested in your secrets. In fact, I'll even help you hide them!"

Hearing this, Chen Dong breathed a sigh of relief. 'Zisang Jin must have seen everything: me killing that Demon Race member, Li Zhixuan refining the Five Senses Calming Flower, and my cultivation soaring. However, she probably doesn't know about the Xuan Qi. Otherwise, she couldn't possibly be this nonchalant. Even Mu Qingzhu only saw me meditating and cultivating, so Zisang Jin probably saw the same thing.'

Then, Zisang Jin looked at Chen Dong with a sly glint in her eyes. "I heard from Changyan that you wanted to take on a long-term Demon Race hunting mission but were rejected for not having enough seniority. Is it that you don't want to stay in the Cyan Sky Sect?"

Chen Dong now had a weakness she could exploit, and for a moment, he was at a loss for words.

"Actually, you could just betray the sect. The three major sects aren't as old-fashioned and conservative as they used to be. Besides, you two have your own Cultivation Techniques, so you don't feel much loyalty to the sect anyway!"

A glimmer of hope appeared in Chen Dong's eyes. 'Could it be because of Tian Sisi? Is Zisang Jin trying to drive me out of the sect?'

He looked at her with a hopeful expression, but her threatening smile sent a chill down his spine.