Many children, many blessings: Stealing the offspring of powerful figures to cultivate immortality.

"It seems that unless I teach you a lesson, you won't know what the wrath of Heaven is."

Lin Qingxue's voice was devoid of any warmth, and the gleaming white sword energy gathered at her fingertips caused a thin layer of frost to form on the surrounding air.

The sword energy wasn't aimed at Jiang Yining, who was struggling to hold on, but at Jiang Lei behind her, who was being fiercely protected by Elder Mei.

Destroying a genius is more satisfying than killing an ordinary person.

Just as that wisp of sword energy was about to leave his hand...

"Please calm down, fairy!"

Jiang Yining coughed up a mouthful of blood. The weight of her body made her legs go weak, and she knelt down.

She didn't look at Lin Qingxue, but instead pressed her forehead against the cold bluestone slab in an almost pleading manner.

"Fairy...the fairy is right."

"It is because I am a mere mortal with short-sightedness and ignorance of the immensity of heaven and earth."

"For this child to catch the eye of the fairy and be brought back to the Lingxiao Sword Sect is truly his good fortune, an immense blessing that the Jiang family could only dream of for generations!"

Her voice was hoarse, with a hint of bloodiness, and every word was spoken with great difficulty, as if she had used up all her strength.

This sudden show of weakness caused Lin Qingxue's fingers, which were gathering sword energy, to pause for a moment.

She looked down at Jiang Yining, who was kneeling on the ground, her contempt even more pronounced.

Just moments ago she was like a mother wolf protecting her cubs, her spine ramrod straight, but in the blink of an eye she knelt down and begged for mercy.

They really are just ants from the lower realm, with very weak bones.

"Now you know to beg for mercy? Too late."

Lin Qingxue had no intention of giving up, but she enjoyed the feeling of controlling other people's lives and deaths.

"It's not too late! It's not too late!"

Jiang Yining raised her head, forcing a fawning smile onto her pale face. Combined with the bloodstains at the corner of her mouth, she looked exceptionally pitiful.

"My fairy has come from afar, and you must be tired from your journey. This matter is of great importance. Could you... could you allow me, as a mother, to say goodbye to my child?"

"I have prepared a small feast at the manor, firstly to welcome the fairy and wash away the dust of her journey, and secondly to bid farewell to my son."

"You see, we can't let this child...go on an empty stomach, can we?"

As she spoke, she secretly gave Elder Mei a wink.

Elder Mei understood, and holding Jiang Lei, she used her body to block Lin Qingxue's view and quietly retreated back into the mansion.

Lin Qingxue frowned slightly.

She could have simply snatched him away, but Jiang Yining's words made her change her mind.

"Will you host a welcome dinner for me?"

She found it somewhat ridiculous.

What good things could a down-on-their-luck family in a small border town possibly have to offer?

However, she was still somewhat concerned about the faint "master's aura" emanating from Jiang Yining.

This is a good opportunity to investigate further.

If this woman really is hiding some secret related to our master, killing her directly would be counterproductive.

"it is good."

Lin Qingxue dispersed the sword energy from her fingertips and withdrew the mountain-like pressure.

I will give you one hour.

"In one hour, I will not only take this child away, but also all the cultivation techniques and treasures related to the 'Frosty Sword Intent' that you possess."

She was convinced that Jiang Yining was able to withstand her pressure because she had cultivated some kind of special technique.

"Yes, yes, I obey."

Jiang Yining responded repeatedly, struggled to her feet, and personally welcomed Lin Qingxue into the front hall.

……

The banquet was prepared quickly.

It was called a banquet, but it was really just a few exquisite vegetarian dishes and a pot of fruit wine with little spiritual energy.

Lin Qingxue sat in the main seat, too lazy to even touch her chopsticks, her expression indifferent.

Jiang Yining, holding Jiang Lei who had changed into clean clothes, sat at the lower end of the table with a humble smile on her face and personally poured wine for her.

"Fairy, this is our Qingyun City's specialty, 'Plum Wine.' Although it can't compare to the sect's finest liquor, it has a refreshing and crisp taste. Would you like to try some?"

As she spoke, her fingers, hidden beneath her sleeves, silently crushed a talisman paper concealed in her palm.

It was a colorless and odorless "spirit-guiding talisman," a low-level talisman she found in Ji Lingxiao's storage ring. Its function was to temporarily amplify a cultivator's perception of a specific aura.

At the same time, a very faint powder drifted into the air as she poured the wine, merging into the smoke from the incense burner.

It is a slow-acting poison, colorless and odorless, that does not take effect immediately, but can silently invade the meridians, causing the cultivator's spiritual energy circulation to become sluggish.

After doing all this, Jiang Yining's heart was pounding.

She's gambling.

Given Lin Qingxue's arrogance, she wouldn't be wary of the petty tricks of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

It's also possible that her concern for Ji Lingxiao will make her exceptionally sensitive to that special aura.

Lin Qingxue picked up the wine glass, smelled it briefly, and then put it down.

"No need."

Her gaze fell on Jiang Lei, who was in Jiang Yining's arms.

The little guy didn't seem interested in the food on the table; he was looking down, intently munching on his chubby little hand.

"Give me the child." Lin Qingxue's tone left no room for argument.

Jiang Yining stiffened, a troubled look on her face.

"Fairy, he...he's still young, he's shy..."

"Hmm?" Lin Qingxue narrowed her eyes.

"Okay, okay," Jiang Yining dared not say anything more, carefully picked up Jiang Lei, and walked towards Lin Qingxue.

Just as the two approached each other.

Jiang Yining tightened her grip on Jiang Lei's arm, seemingly unintentionally.

This action made Jiang Lei, who had been very quiet, feel uncomfortable.

He subconsciously struggled for a moment, and a trace of the sharp aura that he was born with, belonging to the "natural sword bone," uncontrollably leaked out.

This trace of breath was extremely faint.

Normally, it might only flash by.

However, under the effect of the "Divine Guiding Talisman", it was magnified dozens of times in the perception of Lin Qingxue, a Golden Core cultivator who specializes in swordsmanship!

"Buzz!"

In Lin Qingxue's mind, it was as if thousands of swords were buzzing simultaneously.

For the first time, a look of utter horror appeared on that perpetually frozen face.

This aura...

This cold, aloof, timeless sword intent, which severs all ages and regards all living beings as mere straw dogs...

You can't be wrong!

Absolutely right!

This is Master's "Supreme Forgetfulness Sword Intent"! It is the supreme inheritance of the Lingxiao Sword Sect!

She followed her master for a hundred years, trying to understand day and night, but she only learned a few superficial things.

But the aura emanating from the infant, though immature, was extremely pure! It was as if it had been directly extracted from the very source!

Lin Qingxue's breath caught in her throat.

She suddenly looked up, and the look in her eyes when she looked at Jiang Yining was no longer one of contempt and greed.

Rather, it was a complex emotion mixed with fear, jealousy, and a frenzied murderous intent.

"you!"

"Who are you?!"

"Where did you... steal your master's sword intent from?!"