Chapter 367 - 4: Rope Binding
「The next day.」
Su Qin received a report from a Disciple, saying that the guest in Yingxian Tower had sent a message, inviting her for a meeting.
Su Qin was secretly overjoyed. She knew Ye Yan and Feng Ling had put in a good word for her, and the matter she’d entrusted them with had borne fruit.
She took her time to calmly do her makeup and dress, putting on a gorgeous court gown. Then, she left her own palace and made her way toward Yingxian Tower.
Upon entering Yingxian Tower, she met Ye Yan. The two exchanged a few pleasantries, and then Ye Yan led Su Qin to the Quiet Chamber where Fang Cheng was staying.
Su Qin gave a graceful curtsy and said softly, "Our Profound Jade Sect’s home is small and simple. Is your stay comfortable, Fellow Daoist Fang?"
Fang Cheng replied politely, "The scenery here is beautiful and the Spiritual Qi is abundant. It is a first-rate Grotto Heaven Blessed Land. You are too modest, Su Dao You."
He then added, "Yan’Er has already told me about the Profound Jade Sect’s situation. Taixu Mountain’s actions are dishonorable, a disgrace to the name of a Xuanmen Orthodox Sect. I will definitely help you with this matter."
Su Qin was overjoyed. After the three of them were seated, she took out a small, exquisite jade flower and handed it to Ye Yan, saying, "This item is a Pocket World Spiritual Building. It contains its own pocket dimension, over ten li in radius. I’ve placed a hundred Profound Jade Golden Silkworms and three Immortal Weaving Puppets inside. In the future, little sister, you can use this to weave your own Feathered Robes."
"This is far too valuable." The moment Ye Yan heard the description, she knew the item was extraordinary. It was comparable to the entire revenue stream of a prominent family. With it, one could continuously harvest Spirit Stones and support a family’s growth and prosperity.
Although the Abyssal Fang Family was not short on Spirit Stones, the family had many female members. With this treasure, she, as Fang Cheng’s principal wife, would have another tool to manage his concubines on his behalf.
"It’s best if you accept it, little sister. Otherwise, I truly don’t know how to thank you both," Su Qin said with a gentle smile.
Finally, she looked at Fang Cheng and asked for his guidance, "Fellow Daoist Fang, I wonder, how can I win the duel?"
Fang Cheng didn’t speak. Instead, a golden light suddenly shot out from his sleeve, flying toward Su Qin.
Su Qin was just about to defend herself when her entire body tensed. In the next instant, her Magical Power, her physical body, and even her Divine Sense were all sealed within her by an incomparably tyrannical force.
She was utterly astonished. Looking down, she saw a Golden Rope had already bound her tightly. No matter how much she struggled, it was all for naught.
"Su Dao You, just a small joke. What do you think of this Magical Artifact?"
As Fang Cheng spoke, the Immortal Binding Rope silently loosened its grip on the beautiful woman. As if it had a spirit of its own, it coiled itself into a neat roll and landed in front of Su Qin.
Su Qin’s expression was a mixture of shock and uncertainty. She sighed, "In all my years of cultivation, I have never seen such a miraculous Third-tier Magical Artifact."
Fang Cheng said, "I can lend you this treasure for the time being. As long as your opponent’s Cultivation is not too different from yours, you can use it to subdue them."
"This..." Su Qin’s thoughts churned. She immediately stood up, bowed to Fang Cheng once more, and said gratefully, "Thank you, Fellow Daoist."
She had been subdued in a single move by the Immortal Binding Rope just now, giving her a clear understanding of the treasure’s power.
It was incredibly fast, ignoring the obstruction of Protective Spiritual Light and Divine Techniques, subduing a person in the blink of an eye and making it impossible to guard against.
Fang Cheng waved his hand. "Fellow Daoist, you can use this time to briefly refine and familiarize yourself with this Magical Artifact, to avoid any complications when you face your opponent."
...
「A month passed in the blink of an eye.」
Over the past month, Fang Cheng, Ye Yan, and the other women had been living leisurely in Xuanyang Linhai, enjoying the spectacular scenery and passing their days in carefree bliss.
In contrast, everyone in the Profound Jade Sect, from top to bottom, was tense, fearful, and anxious.
The day of the duel finally arrived.
A massive and majestic Flying Celestial Palace descended from the sky, arriving outside the Profound Jade Sect’s Ten Thousand Flowers Vine and hovering silently in the void.
Dozens of Life Talisman Cultivators with extraordinary bearings, all dressed in uniform black and white robes, marched out in neat formation. They lined up imposingly on both sides of the palace, a majestic honor guard with a powerful aura.
From the front of the palace, four Life Soul Cultivators—two men and two women—strolled out. The one in the lead was a beautiful woman with a cold and stunning demeanor.
She wore a simple, snow-white dress, cinched at the waist with a jade-green belt that accentuated her fine figure.
This woman’s name was Yun Yanlan. She was a newly promoted Life Soul Elder of Taixu Mountain. Having reached the Life Soul realm before the age of one hundred, her talent for cultivation was renowned throughout Cang Country.
The three Life Soul Cultivators behind her were all long-famous figures from other sects among the Nine Sects of Mystic in Cang Country. They had been invited by Yun Yanlan to witness the duel.
On the Profound Jade Sect’s side, more than ten Elder Disciples flew out from the sphere of the Ten Thousand Flowers Vine along with Su Qin.
Su Qin flew up into the sky alone and came to a stop. Her beautiful eyes fell upon Yun Yanlan as she said coolly, "Little sister Yan Lan, it’s been a long time."
Yun Yanlan, her white robes fluttering, also flew out and came to a stop opposite Su Qin. She gave a graceful curtsy and said, "Sister Su, have you been well these past few years?"
Su Qin smiled faintly. "Thanks to you, little sister, I’ve been doing just fine. I heard you became a Tripod Furnace for your Master’s Junior Brother. Tell me, how was that?"
Yun Yanlan’s expression remained calm and indifferent, showing no trace of anger or joy. She simply said, "After today, you will be joining me in serving Master Hu, sister. Then you will know what it is like."
It turned out their wager was this: Yun Yanlan had bet a treasure from Taixu Mountain that could elevate one of the Profound Jade Sect’s Tier Three Spirit Silkworms to the fourth tier.
Su Qin, on the other hand, had wagered every single person in her sect, from top to bottom, to become Tripod Furnaces for Yun Yanlan’s Master’s Junior Brother.
The shadow of that cultivator surnamed Hu loomed behind both Yun Yanlan’s breakthrough to the Life Soul realm and her duel with Su Qin.
According to rumors, this man was an expert in Dual Cultivation Secret Methods. His greatest pleasure in life was to cultivate exceptionally beautiful virgin female Cultivators, only to steal their pure Yin essence once their Cultivation reached a certain level of achievement.
The Profound Jade Sect had originally been an unremarkable, second-rate sect in Cang Country, but it had somehow fallen into the sights of this cultivator surnamed Hu, which led to the events of today.
Su Qin sneered, "It’s still unknown who will win or lose today. You speak too soon, little sister."
Yun Yanlan said no more. Instead, she took a handful of crystalline blue sand from the embroidered pouch at her waist. With a wipe of her hand, it transformed into a brilliant blue radiance that expanded to a thousand zhang in length within a breath. Like a silken ribbon or a rainbow, it stretched across the sky—a truly spectacular sight.
"Sister Su, please enlighten me."
As her voice fell, the brilliant blue radiance transformed into a monstrous, strange light that surged toward Su Qin.
Su Qin stood her ground, unmoving. With a sharp cry, she raised her hand and pointed. A golden light shot from her sleeve, streaking across the sky like a flash of lightning as it flew toward Yun Yanlan.
Unflustered, Yun Yanlan left half of the blue radiance behind, intending to block the golden light.
But when the golden light met the blue radiance, it passed right through without the slightest obstruction!
In the blink of an eye, the golden light ignored Yun Yanlan’s Protective Spiritual Light and wrapped itself around her body dozens of times.
Su Qin had just channeled her Divine Techniques to block the blue radiance for a moment when she saw it lose its luster. Countless grains of blue sand now floated in the sky, devoid of spiritual power.
Yun Yanlan’s eyes went wide, as if she couldn’t believe what had happened. Her expression a mixture of shock and disbelief, she stared at the Immortal Binding Rope on her body and stammered, "Su Qin... you..."
Before she could finish her sentence, she plummeted from the clouds.
The turn of events had been as fast as a flash of lightning. In the span of a single breath, Yun Yanlan had been subdued by Su Qin. Even those who might have wanted to intervene had no time to do so.
Su Qin sent a Brocade Ribbon flying out to catch Yun Yanlan, bringing her back to her side. Then, with a point of her finger, she placed a restriction seal on her.
...