I, who was turned into a woman by the Jade Maiden Master, want to rebel against the Heavenly Gang.

The "Charm Technique" of the Jade Cauldron of Joyful Union is not merely a fox spirit's art; it is actually closer to an illusion. It amplifies the desires in a person's heart.

This desire does not necessarily belong to the one who performs the spell, but rather to the person desired by the one being treated.

This desire is magnified infinitely, and so is the pain of not being able to obtain it.

Even a few provocative words might not be effective against an average person with good mental fortitude. Even if Teng Zijian is reckless, he is still a cultivator; how easy is it to disrupt his resolve?

However, at this moment, he was already under Qin Rufeng's illusion. Memories of the past began to replay in his mind.

He wasn't really stupid. His junior brothers and sisters were flirting and being affectionate right in front of him... He wasn't oblivious, nor was he unmoved; he was just deceiving himself.

Qin Rufeng's words were like knives, and the memories of the past felt like a thousand arrows piercing his heart. This pain was amplified infinitely by the backlash of his desires.

Teng Zijian roared to the sky, his fury shaking the heavens. All the pain transformed into a chill that spread through his dantian, causing a tearing pain throughout his body.

The chill and pain finally pulled him from his hallucination. He found himself lying on his back on the ground, his body covered in frost…

While Teng Zijian was trapped in a painful illusion, Qin Rufeng was not idle either. She condensed a ball of extremely cold water in her palm and struck Teng Zijian's dantian with a powerful palm strike!

In an instant, a cold wind arose, and ice crystals flew out. Qin Rufeng's first move struck his opponent's vital point.

The scattered ice crystals might not cause Teng Zijian too much harm, but the extreme cold air that penetrated his body froze his dantian and the surrounding blood.

When Teng Zijian woke up, he was furious.

Chapter 43 Kill Kill Kill

Teng Zijian swayed as he stood up again...

This was something Qin Rufeng hadn't expected. Even the icy rain he unleashed, fueled by the chilling aura that threatened to overwhelm his heart, and its close-range bombardment of his dantian, couldn't kill him.

Okay, since we can't kill him... let's try again!

However, Qin Rufeng's spiritual energy was almost depleted. Although taking another Qi Condensation Pill wouldn't be out of the question, it was still too risky. He was currently quite weak, and the five elements of spiritual energy within his body were severely imbalanced.

Because his master gave him the Ice Soul, Qin Rufeng has always primarily possessed a water-based spiritual root. He had just absorbed Yan Qingping's primordial yin, so his metal-based spiritual energy was also slightly abundant. And metal generates water; if he were to be given another strong medicine to stimulate it… he feared the cold energy would attack his heart again.

Although there's still one Fire Spirit Pill left, I'm not a guinea pig; I can't afford to waste this precious body like this. Besides, I need to conserve my energy to support Yan Qingping.

So Qin Rufeng simply sat down to meditate and regulate his breathing, first observing Teng Zijian's condition. Perhaps this was a final burst of energy before his death?

At this moment, Teng Zijian's meridians and blood circulation were all blocked. He could no longer charge forward like a bull, and could only try to thaw his frozen dantian by circulating his internal energy in place.

He was standing and practicing his internal energy when he saw Qin Rufeng meditating and adjusting his breathing right in front of him, which made him so angry that he spat out another mouthful of blood.

He glared fiercely at Qin Rufeng, gritting his teeth as he said, "A mere trick like that, how could it kill me? I'll tear you apart alive!"

Qin Rufeng observed that this person's vital energy was at its peak, and he still possessed considerable strength. The Jade Cauldron Manual of Joyful Union mentioned that vital energy, also known as true yang, is the fire of the life gate. If this could be used to melt the ice, perhaps the seal could truly be broken…

Thinking of this, Qin Rufeng immediately got up and created some distance, then took out the sword box that Yan Qingping had given her from her storage space.

Since using air conditioning is no longer suitable, let's find a safer method.

Using the "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix" technique on the spot, at least the cold energy won't attack my heart if I use golden spiritual energy. Moreover, this move mainly uses a treasure, so it's less harmful to myself.

Qin Rufeng half-closed her eyes, holding her breath and concentrating. The techniques and meridian pathways of the Myriad Swords Technique were already engraved on her body; now, she only needed to guide her true energy.

In just a moment, she was able to circulate her energy smoothly. She opened her eyes, her gaze already showing a hint of sharpness, and her brows were filled with a chilling sword intent.

Qin Rufeng made a hand seal with his sword fingers, and after a moment of contemplation, he said, "Open!"

The sword case then opened to the left and right with a clang, like a peacock spreading its tail. The sharp swords inside seemed to fly out like two rows of white egrets, hovering in the air.

Seeing this, Teng Zijian raised his arms to protect himself. His hands were already mobile.

However, Qin Rufeng had more than one trick up his sleeve. The snake mushrooms that had been placed in the ground suddenly emerged and wrapped around Teng Zijian's neck, strangling him.

Teng Zijian's face turned purple from holding his breath, and veins bulged on his forehead. He had no choice but to use both hands to pull at the snake mushroom wrapped around his neck. This was equivalent to controlling his hands, leaving his vital organs wide open.

Qin Rufeng raised his hand and pointed at Teng Zijian's brow, and a floating sword shot out like a streak of fire in the night sky!

However, that bull was indeed troublesome. His arms still had great strength, and when he saw the flying sword coming towards his face, he held his breath, lowered his head, hunched his chest, and used one hand to raise his iron arm to block it.

With a crisp clang, sparks flew everywhere. The sword bounced into the air, spinning before landing diagonally on the ground.

First, she froze his dantian, then pointed her sword at his brow. Seeing Qin Rufeng's ruthless attacks, all aimed at his vital points, Teng Zijian realized that what this woman had said about not being able to harm him in the slightest was all an act of weakness, a complete charade!

He grew increasingly furious!

But Qin Rufeng wasn't idle either. If the lock on the head didn't work, he'd shoot the chest.

She switched to using her sword fingers to form hand seals, controlling the flying swords to shoot at Teng Zijian one after another. However, when they hit him, they were like hitting solid iron and stubborn rocks, and they were all deflected.

"Hahahaha!" Teng Zijian, his face flushed with anger, still shouted loudly, "A mere Qi Refining stage prodigy! A despicable scoundrel! What can you do to me? Watch me tear you to pieces, eat your flesh, and sleep on your skin!"

Qin Rufeng was also enraged and shouted angrily, "What are you barking about?! We were complete strangers, and you tried to kill me over a mere disagreement. What right do you have to call me despicable?"

"In the secret realm, there is no fear of killing; the strong prey on the weak. If you can't afford to lose, don't come."

"You're all brazen when you bully the weak, but hysterical when your life hangs in the balance. What kind of beast are you? I'm right here, come and kill me!"

As Qin Rufeng spoke, swords shot out one after another. Although they couldn't pierce through, they had already cracked his frozen body.

With each sword strike, Teng Zijian would utter a fierce "Kill" from his mouth.

As he unleashed a barrage of flying sword strikes, he kept chanting, "Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!"

Qin Rufeng's last few sword strikes had already pierced Teng Zijian's body. But at this moment, the sword case was empty; all sixteen swords had been fired.

Teng Zijian remained standing in the same spot, and said in a low voice, "That's it?"

"That's it? Haha... Hahahaha!" He laughed wildly, then shook his arms and roared! The swords stuck in his body were all flung away, and the snake mushroom around his neck was also torn off.

"You monster! Have you thought about how you're going to die?" Teng Zijian glared at Qin Rufeng, his eyes bloodshot and turning red.

He gathered his strength again, but much more slowly. In truth, he was only clinging to life by hatred, and he had already reached his limit... but Qin Rufeng hadn't.

She gently touched her fingers.

As soon as he lifted his head, several tentacle vines shot out from beneath Teng Zijian's feet and wrapped around him. Then, a pair of white legs emerged from the ground and coiled around his waist like a python.

This is the very Fiery Ginseng that Qin Rufeng just planted in the ground. When it attacks, it grows larger. Its legs have become almost as long as a real person's, tightly wrapped around its waist like the roots of an old tree, impossible to shake off.

With a loud "boom," the ginseng exploded violently.

The earth trembled, and a fireball rose into the sky. The other three, who were locked in a fierce battle, couldn't help but turn their heads to look.

Qin Rufeng stood there, finally letting out a long breath. A moment later, there was a "thud," and turning around, he saw Teng Zijian's arm, which had been blown into the air, fall down.

First, he was frozen solid, then he was chiseled and pounded with a sharp sword, leaving wounds, and finally he was blown into the air by a flaming ginseng. After this whole ordeal, Teng Zijian was torn to pieces and died without a complete corpse.

Tao Yuening, who was engaged in fierce fighting on the other side, immediately sensed something was wrong. "Oh no! That idiot is in trouble!"

Chu Zhongtian also looked over there and said, "Senior brother, can't you even handle that little girl from the Jade Maiden Sect?"

Tao Yuening's brows were furrowed. "There are flames shooting up over there. That idiot has a golden spiritual root, but he's not very bright... What a blunder! What a blunder! Senior Brother Chu, you hold the fort for now, I'll go take a look."

After saying that, Tao Yuening turned and rushed towards Qin Rufeng. Upon closer inspection, she saw only devastation. The ground was crisscrossed with ravines and contained two large craters.

She didn't see the silly senior brother she usually disliked; she only saw Qin Rufeng standing there.

Chapter 44 This child must not be allowed to live.

Qin Rufeng had just sheathed his sword and was about to go to provide support when another one of them came at him instead. It was Tao Yuening, the junior sister of Qingyuan Sect.

Qin Rufeng glanced at Yan Qingping's direction again, only to see a giant sword slashing down from mid-air. Chu Zhongtian used magic to create a rock wall to block it.

Yan Qingping was probably using the first move of the Myriad Swords Technique, "One Sword Opens the Heavens." It seems she can still hold on; if I can kill Tao Yuening, victory is practically guaranteed.

He had intended to keep a low profile and hide until the very end, but now entering the secret realm meant passing three trials in a row? Left with no other choice, Qin Rufeng could only swallow another Qi Condensation Pill…

Tao Yuening seems to have a wood elemental root, so she shouldn't use water elemental energy. Therefore, Ru Feng left behind a precious sword in his hand.

Having just finished the battle, she is now quite familiar with the cultivation method of the Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix. She no longer needs to take out the sword box but can directly summon the sword from her storage space.

Tao Yuening couldn't sense Teng Zijian's presence. She quickly looked around and finally saw something not far away that looked like Teng Zijian's iron arm guard... and not just an arm guard, it looked like a severed arm.

"That good-for-nothing... can't even handle a Qi Refining stage cultivator! If I didn't hate being with him, I should have asked Senior Brother Chu to come over." Tao Yuening muttered to herself, already understanding the situation.

She scrutinized Qin Rufeng closely, becoming increasingly unsure of the woman's strength...

As someone with a wood-elemental root, she could sense the water-elemental energy emanating from Qin Rufeng. However, the raging explosion just now was likely the killing blow that would have been aimed at Teng Zijian.

Is she a fire elemental? But this woman is holding a sharp sword, and a metallic aura is slowly emanating from it.

"Could she have a pseudo-spiritual root? Then her cultivation level must be low, and even if she wins, it will be a huge drain on her energy." Thinking of this, Tao Yuening, who was originally afraid of metal energy, felt that she could do it again.

She sighed and said with regret, "Fellow Daoist Liu is quite skilled; he actually defeated my senior brother. It's a pity that after all his cultivation, he ended up with a body torn to pieces."

Qin Rufeng couldn't stand this kind of manipulative woman. But she needed to regulate her spiritual energy right now, so it would be good to play along and buy some time.

She sneered and said, "Isn't that all because of you? Now you suddenly care about your senior brother? Do you feel inconvenienced by not having someone you can order around at will?"

Tao Yuening trembled slightly upon hearing this, then a strange smile appeared on her face. "I see. I roughly understand how you won."

"My stupid senior brother is so simple-minded. He must have fallen for your provocation and lost his composure. What a waste!"

"Yeah, if she weren't useless, would you treat her like a dog?" Qin Rufeng retorted, but inwardly he became even more wary. Because Tao Yuening was far too shrewd.

Tao Yuening sighed again, and then slowly said, "Then why don't we stop here?"

Qin Rufeng laughed and said, "You think I'd believe that? Since we've already torn off all pretense, shouldn't we just go all the way?"

"It's not as you think," Tao Yuening said calmly. "Do you think the various sects are all on good terms?"

"If we really want to dredge up old grievances, the various attacks and killings between us over the long term have created a huge feud."

"The reason things are looking good on the surface right now is entirely because a balance of power has been achieved. If we insist on fighting to the death, it will only result in mutual destruction. The outcome will be like the snipe and the clam fighting while the fisherman benefits, or the mantis stalks the cicada unaware of the oriole behind."

"Rather than letting someone else steal our fruits, it's better to maintain this balance," Tao Yuening said casually. "We're in the same boat."

"With your intelligence, can't you understand this? The secret realm isn't just for the two of us. If we fight to the death, wouldn't that just benefit others?"

Tao Yuening frowned and said, "You, me, and that Miss Yan are all women. You know what would happen if we fell into someone else's hands."

Hearing this, Qin Rufeng couldn't help but feel a little guilty...

Tao Yuening continued, "As you can see, I have no affection for this silly senior brother."

“I’m already annoyed by his constant harassment. Now that you’ve killed me because I’m not as skilled, my senior brother Chu and I won’t risk a fight to the death to avenge him.”

"Why don't we call it quits here? Let's each retreat and find a place to rest and recuperate." Tao Yuening's lips curled up slightly, a smile appearing on her face. "I know that your relationship with that Miss Yan is extraordinary."

"If you don't agree to stop... my senior brother and I will fight to the death to kill your lover. Neither of us will get away with it."

Upon hearing this, Qin Rufeng froze on the spot, completely motionless...

She wasn't considering Tao Yuening's suggestion. Liu Xiaqia Ba Ling Si Lin Wu stood there seemingly lost in thought, but in reality, he was practicing his internal energy.

Because the other moves of the Myriad Swords Technique are too difficult to execute. Even if the meridian techniques are already engraved on the body, it still takes some effort to unleash the moves.

Before Tao Yuening uttered those last words, Qin Rufeng had genuinely considered giving up. After all, a mutually destructive fight wouldn't be good.

But she said she would kill Yan Qingping even if it meant mutual destruction… This tactic is called “attacking where the enemy must defend.” This woman is incredibly cunning.

At this moment, Tao Yuening also regretted her last words. To her, no matter which senior brother it was, even Chu Zhongtian, she wouldn't hesitate to abandon him when the time came.

Therefore, she did not expect that threatening Yan Qingping would have such a strong impact on Qin Rufeng. At this moment, it seemed as if the words "kill to silence" were appearing in one of Qin Rufeng's eyes, while "cut the weeds and eliminate the roots" were in the other.

Therefore, the two men had the exact same opinion of each other: "This child must not be allowed to live!"

Having expended enough energy, Qin Rufeng suddenly looked up at Tao Yuening! In an instant, an invisible sword aura shot straight at Tao Yuening's throat! She had spent so much effort just to unleash this move, [Ambush from Ten Sides].

Qin Rufeng quite liked this move. It was somewhat like Iaijutsu, allowing him to suddenly strike while exchanging pleasantries. Although using it this way was rather unethical, there wasn't much room for such etiquette in the world of cultivation.

However, just as Qin Rufeng made his move, countless thorns sprouted from the ground around him.

An invisible sword aura struck Tao Yuening's throat with a "whoosh!" sound, causing blood to splatter everywhere. Along with the splattering blood, a jade ring was also cleaved in two.

Qin Rufeng was startled and immediately realized that it was a protective magic weapon. She wanted to make a move, but her limbs were already entangled by thorns.

These thorns are incredibly strange; even fleeting moments like light and water couldn't escape them. It seems their meridians were sealed, preventing them from circulating their energy.

"In the end, I still won! Haha~ cough! cough cough!" Tao Yuening laughed twice before spitting out a mouthful of blood; she herself was also seriously injured.

She picked up the pendant around her neck, looked at the jade ring that was still half intact, and said, "Use your charm and flattery to please both men and women. Naturally, people will send you good things to help with your cultivation."

"You should know this quite well, after all, you've even learned the moves of the Taihua Sword Sect. Aren't you afraid of breaking taboos and being punished by your family?"

“Speaking of which, we’re quite alike,” Tao Yuening said, looking at Qin Rufeng, who was struggling against the thorns. “But you can’t beat me, because I never show my true feelings.”

Chapter 45 Where did you come from?

As she spoke, Tao Yuening snapped her fingers lightly. The vines tightened instantly. Thorns pierced Ru Feng's delicate skin, and blood flowed out immediately.

Not only that, the blood that flowed out was also sucked up by the thorns. The originally brownish-green thorns gradually began to turn red.

Qin Rufeng panicked; her life was now on a countdown. Unable to circulate her internal energy, she couldn't seal her acupoints to stop the bleeding. She could only rely on the Ice Soul in her dantian to release cold energy and slow the blood loss.