Fairy, don't be afraid, I, Wang Daqi, am truly an honest man.

Inside the main hall, as Nangong Ling watched Sun Xiaotian walk away, his previously sharp aura instantly weakened.

"Master!" Shen Ruyan exclaimed in shock and rushed forward to support him.

The other disciples were also shocked and rushed forward.

Nangong Ling waved his hand, signaling the other disciples to step down: "You may all leave. I need to rest. Remember to find the medicinal herbs I asked you to find for me."

"Your disciple will remember this!"

One by one, the disciples left.

Only Shen Ruyan did not leave.

Those who just left were all disciples personally taught by Nangong Ling.

It's either Foundation Establishment or Golden Core cultivation.

It's not her place to search for elixirs yet.

Inside the main hall, the tense atmosphere gradually subsided, but it couldn't mask Nangong Ling's increasingly heavy breathing.

Shen Ruyan stood below the steps, looking at her master's once majestic and aloof face now ravaged by pain, and felt a pang of sorrow in her heart.

She knew very well that the fire poison in Nangong Ling's body had already penetrated deep into his bones.

All these years, he has only managed to suppress it by force with his superior cultivation.

The harder you suppress it, the fiercer the rebound will be.

That attack on Sun Xiaotian just now was probably the last bit of power that Master had managed to muster.

If Master falls, Lingyun Peak will change hands in an instant.

And these direct disciples will probably not have an easy time in the future.

"Ruyan, why aren't you leaving yet?" Nangong Ling frowned, his voice hoarse, carrying an undeniable air of authority.

Shen Ruyan took a deep breath, as if she had made a great decision, and suddenly knelt down on the ground.

"Master, your disciple... your disciple has discovered a way to save you!!!"

Nangong Ling gave a self-deprecating laugh, a poignant smile curving his lips: "A method? Even Golden Core level ice-attribute spiritual herbs would struggle to suppress the fire poison, unless there's a legendary pure Yin substance, or..."

"Or a man possessing the 'Supreme Yang Body' could sacrifice his life to cross the fire and neutralize the toxins!!"

Shen Ruyan spoke first, her voice echoing in the empty hall.

Nangong Ling's gaze froze instantly, then his face darkened, and his tone became icy and piercing: "Insolence! You dare mention such an evil method in front of your master? Do you want me to find a man and engage in that kind of dual cultivation and energy-draining practice? Didn't I tell you before that you're not allowed to mention it again?!"

"Master, please forgive me! That was absolutely not what I meant!"

Shen Ruyan hurriedly kowtowed, her tone extremely sincere: "Master, do you know how my Azure Water Golden Eyes were developed?"

"Hmm?? Could it be that you and the man with the supreme yang body...?"

"Yes!" Now that things had come to this, Shen Ruyan no longer hid the truth.

She laid her cards on the table.

If we don't speak up now, and something really happens to Master, I will spend the rest of my life in regret!

Then, Shen Ruyan quickly explained the situation.

"Master, Wang Daqi is an honest and kind man. You... you can go to him, it will be perfectly fine. Afterwards, you can just wash everything clean..."

"Nonsense!" Nangong Ling's face darkened further. "As the master of a peak, with a cultivation level of Nascent Soul, how could I possibly associate with an outer disciple... If he recognizes me, and this gets out, how will I ever have the face to stand in this world again?!"

Nangong Ling's pretty face flushed red, whether from anger or genuine embarrassment, it was hard to tell.

"Master! As long as the green hills remain, there's always firewood to burn!!"

Shen Ruyan anxiously moved a few steps closer. "That scoundrel Sun Xiaotian can't wait any longer. His probing just now was only the beginning. Once he's certain your strength has plummeted, he'll definitely make his move. At that point, you'll lose your position as peak master, and you probably won't even be able to afford the monthly Ice and Snow Soul-Condensing Pills!"

Nangong Ling fell silent, gripping the armrests of the throne tightly until her knuckles turned white from the force.

Indeed, the reason she can afford two Ice and Snow Soul Condensing Pills every month is because of her position as the Peak Master!

Otherwise, where would even a Nascent Soul cultivator earn so much?

Should I become a cultivator who has undergone tribulation?

But where would ordinary cultivators get so many spirit stones? And wealthy cultivators are not to be trifled with either.

Why…………

To be honest, she was unwilling to accept it.

After three hundred years of secluded cultivation, he finally entered the Nascent Soul Realm!

However, due to internal injuries, he was unable to enter the Nascent Soul stage.

Her cultivation level has not improved at all; in fact, it is declining every day!

She understood that Sun Xiaotian was so bold because he was fearless.

The sect leader of the Misty Sect had long harbored doubts about her strength.

Sects don't tolerate idlers!

Inner disciples who lack strength will be expelled from the inner sect and relegated to outer sect disciples!

Even a peak leader without formidable strength will face demotion!

"Hmm?? Master seems to be interested."

Shen Ruyan was incredibly intelligent and adept at reading people's expressions.

Seeing that her master was interested, Shen Ruyan's eyes flickered slightly, and she revealed her final plan:

"Master, we can keep this a secret!! You go to Wang Daqi, and he won't find out."

"Nonsense, how could I not know about doing...doing that kind of thing?" Although Nangong Ling denied it immediately, he became curious and couldn't help but want to hear Shen Ruyan's plan.

Shen Ruyan said, "That Wang Daqi is only at the Qi Refining stage; his eyesight is limited. You can wear your Illusion Mask; it can alter your aura!"

"At that time, you pretend to be a newly accepted junior sister from the outer sect. Say that you have encountered a problem in your cultivation and need his 'assistance in healing'."

"This way, you can both cure your fire poison and he will never discover your true identity!! Wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone..."

Nangong Ling was horrified. Normally, she would have already struck him with a palm if she heard such an absurd idea.

Feeling the intense heat within his body that threatened to burn his soul to ashes, and recalling Sun Xiaotian's sinister face...

It seems to actually work.

Nangong Ling suddenly had this strange idea.

But soon, she shook her head again.

"I am the Peak Master of Lingyun Peak, a Nascent Soul cultivator! How could... how could this be?"

"Master, actually, I didn't let him discover my identity at first!" Shen Ruyan blushed and, in order to persuade her master, she simply explained her situation.

Upon hearing this, Nangong Ling was speechless.

"You mean, you accidentally shattered the blindfold covering Wang Daqi, and that's how he saw you?"

Shen Ruyan nodded.

"And then what happened?" she asked, inquiring about what happened after the two locked eyes.

Thinking to himself, Shen Ruyan was being far too careless.

Put yourself in her shoes; if it were her, she would have been so ashamed she wanted to disappear!

She remained completely unfazed, which shows just how thick-skinned she is!

"Master, later I thought, it's not a big deal, and that kid definitely wouldn't talk nonsense, otherwise, he would know the consequences, right, Master??? Now I actually feel much more relaxed with him, I'm not nervous anymore, and... and..."

Shen Ruyan really wanted to say that it felt quite comfortable.

But she, a woman of impeccable character, was too embarrassed to say such things.

Nangong Ling's expression was strange.

I never imagined that my virtuous disciple, who was so chaste, would have such a dissolute side.

You really can't judge a book by its cover.

"Master, this opportunity is fleeting! You don't want your cultivation to decline every day, do you? If it's truly irreversible, I fear you'll regret it!"

"...Does he really not see it?" Nangong Ling's voice trembled, tinged with a hint of doubt.

"How could a Qi Refining cultivator possibly see through his master's avatar?!"

Shen Ruyan said firmly.

A long, deathly silence fell over the main hall.

After a long while, Nangong Ling closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh.

"Enough...enough. Ruyan, I don't want a third person to know about this."

"Disciple swears, if I divulge even half a word, may I be struck by lightning!!!"

Shen Ruyan was overjoyed.

She knew that her master's life was temporarily saved.

Nangong Ling, on the other hand, had very complicated feelings.

He recalled how he had solemnly sworn to his disciple that even if he died, his cultivation was destroyed, and his soul was scattered, he would never seek out someone with a Supreme Yang Body to cultivate with.

Now, however, we have to look for it.

Isn't this a slap in the face?

Even if she's proven wrong, she has to keep going.

Cultivating the Tao is arduous; we must not back down because of a little difficulty!

Thinking of this, her eyes gradually sharpened!

"Master, I'll contact Wang Daqi right away and arrange to meet... tonight, how about that?"

"it is good."

Next, the master and apprentice began to discuss the details.