Fairy, don't go! I have a mod.

Moreover, her usually sharp eyes were now wandering, staring blankly at the water, and the curve of her lips was softer than I had ever seen before.

Tang Ruoyin's hand stopped.

She slowly withdrew her hand from in front of Li Xizhao, then slowly straightened up, squinting as she stared at Li Xizhao.

What couldn't she see through with those eyes? They'd been sisters for over a hundred years; she could guess who Li Xizhao was going to insult the moment she raised an eyebrow.

Besides, look at her current expression of being smitten.

"No way."

Tang Ruoyin's voice was very low, but her tone was as if she had caught something very serious.

"No, you won't..."

She choked abruptly, as if the word was too absurd.

Li Xizhao turned his head away, reached out and brushed aside the spiritual mist on the water's surface, his tone feigning indifference.

"It's nothing, don't overthink it."

Tang Ruoyin didn't press for details, but simply rested her head back on her shoulder, unable to suppress the smile on her lips.

She knew Li Xizhao too well; the more stubborn he was, the more guilty he was.

But she didn't press further; she simply changed the subject lazily.

"Okay, I won't say anything. I'll wait and see."

"By the way, that kid's new book is quite interesting, you can check it out."

Li Xizhao was slightly taken aback and turned his head to look at her.

"A new book? That 'The Return of the Condor Heroes'? The one Qin Shuxin has?"

Tang Ruoyin nodded and reached into the pile of clothes by the pool to pull out a book.

She flipped through it casually.

"This book is even better than The Legend of the Condor Heroes. I stayed up half the night reading it yesterday."

She raised her eyes and gave Li tide a meaningful look.

Li Xizhao took the book and ran his fingers over the cover.

The flying boat glided smoothly above the sea of ​​clouds, and the disciples on the deck gathered in twos and threes.

Some were meditating and regulating their breathing, some were wiping their ritual implements, and some were leaning over the side of the boat, shouting loudly at the mountains and rivers below.

The lounge inside the cabin was relatively quiet, with a small table, two pots of spirit wine, and several plates of dried meat and spirit fruit. Mu Tianmiao and Fu Xing sat facing each other.

Mu Tianmiao picked up the wine pot and filled Fu Xing's cup. The amber-colored wine swirled in the cup, exuding a rich aroma.

Fu Xing removed the hood of his cloak, revealing a thin face. His slightly tanned complexion, tanned from years of traveling, made him look much older than his actual age.

He picked up his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp, then picked up a piece of spirit beast jerky and stuffed it into his mouth.

With my cheeks bulging from chewing, I felt infinitely more relaxed than I had been in the main hall.

"It's alright. I travel around and cultivate wherever I want. The name of our Immortal Shadow Sect is quite useful outside. As long as I show my identity token, no one will usually make things difficult for me."

As Fu Xing spoke, he poured himself another glass, his tone as casual as if he were chatting about everyday things.

Mu Tianmiao also picked up a piece of meat, chewing as she asked.

"So you're still afraid of women? I saw you practically glued to the wall in the main hall just now."

Fu Xing didn't shy away from the topic and nodded frankly.

"There's nothing I can do, it's an old problem. I was almost beaten to death by my adoptive sister and adoptive mother when I was a child, and ever since then I've felt uncomfortable around women."

"It's not that I hate it, it's just that I can't control myself. My legs go weak, I break out in a cold sweat, and I can't even speak properly."

He spoke of it casually, clearly used to this kind of thing.

"So you plan to grow old alone?"

Mu Tianmiao looked at him while holding a wine glass.

Fu Xing shrugged nonchalantly.

"So what? Being alone is fine. If it really doesn't work out, you can find a Daoist partner like those male disciples in our sect. That's good too."

He said this with such a serious expression that he didn't seem to be joking.

Mu Tianmiao almost spat out the half-mouthful of wine he had just drunk from his nose. He choked several times before he recovered, coughing and waving his hand.

"Then forget it, whatever makes you happy."

He quickly changed the subject, wiped the wine stains from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, and leaned closer to lower his voice.

"By the way, did you bring the Eight Desolate Beauties Ranking? I think this issue should have been released by now!"

Fu Xing smiled and took a thin booklet out of his storage bag, tossing it over.

"You really haven't forgotten your original intention, watching every episode without fail. Here, it's fresh out of the box, still warm."

Mu Tianmiao caught it and chuckled as she opened the cover.

As the name suggests, it only judges appearance, not cultivation level, combat strength, or faction.

Throughout the entire Eight Desolations World, female cultivators, from Nascent Soul stage experts to Foundation Establishment novices, can make the list as long as they are beautiful enough.

The list is compiled by Fengxintang, a subsidiary of Wanjieshulou, and is updated monthly. Almost every cultivator in the entire Eight Desolations World has a copy.

He watches every episode without fail, even more enthusiastically than when he watched talent shows and participated in ranking competitions in his previous life.

He turned to the first page, and the most important list immediately came into view: the list of those who had reached the Divine Transformation stage.

The top spot on the list was prominently displayed by the name that had dominated the rankings for three hundred years.

A portrait of Ji Yaohua, the mistress of Yaochi...

But you can't see her bare face clearly, it's all luminous... It's not to my taste, but it does look good.

A brief comment was attached: "An unparalleled beauty, the first person in three thousand years of the Jade Pool."

Mu Tianmiao's gaze lingered on that line of text for a moment.

He had never met Ji Yaohua in person, but her name was known to everyone in the Eight Desolations World. She was a peak Nascent Soul cultivator and the supreme ruler of the Yaochi Holy Land.

It is said that her appearance is beyond beautiful; rather, it is so striking that it would make others feel ashamed of their own appearance.

His finger slid down a little, and the corners of his mouth turned up.

Second place goes to Li Xizhao, the Lord of Immortal Shadows. A commentary follows: "He attained enlightenment at will, shattering all laws with a single sword; all laws flowed like his sword, his immortal shadow's elegance surpassing all in the Central Plains."

Mu Tianmiao stared at those words for several seconds, her hand slowing down the page-turning process.

He constantly talks about his master, but every time he sees Li Xizhao's name listed after the Lord of Yaochi on the rankings, he feels inexplicably resentful.

Master is still so beautiful. It's not just her face that's beautiful, but also her carefree and unrestrained attitude that makes her radiate light.

Unfortunately, if he ever gets the chance, he'll definitely try to win the heart of the Queen of Yaochi and bring her down from her pedestal.

Chapter 41 Yun Qingyao's Forbearance

The painting was created by artists from Fengxintang based on eyewitness accounts. Although it cannot compare to the real person, it is still quite lifelike.

He didn't recognize most of the fairies on this list; they were all elders or true disciples of various sects, each with their own unique charm.

He flipped through the pages listlessly, when his gaze suddenly stopped on one of them.

Bai Lingyin, the Holy Maiden of the Qingyun Sect.

The woman in the portrait has a beautiful smile.

Below is a line of smaller text: The original Holy Maiden Yun Qingyao abdicated for some reason, and Bai Lingyin succeeded her.

Qingyun Sect? The Qingyun Sect that Yun Qingyao belongs to?

Mu Tianmiao frowned slightly.

He had no recollection of the name Bai Lingyin, but the fact that Yun Qingyao had abdicated stirred something within him.

He still vividly remembered Yun Qingyao's refusal to drop her cultivation level even at the cost of her life in the secret realm that day. How is she now?

The Qingyun Sect's flying boat also traveled above the sea of ​​clouds. Its hull was slightly smaller than that of the Xianying Sect's, but it was decorated with extreme luxury.

The bow of the ship was adorned with golden cloud patterns of the Qingyun Sect, which shone brightly in the sunlight.

When the music ended, the surrounding disciples applauded and cheered, their praises rising and falling. Bai Lingyin nodded slightly.

She wore a dignified and reserved smile, enjoying the moment of being the center of attention.

Yun Qingyao stood not far away, clapping her hands expressionlessly, at a steady pace, as if she were completing a sect mission.

Bai Lingyin handed the jade flute to the disciple beside her, her gaze sweeping over the crowd and landing on Yun Qingyao, her smile undiminished.

Her voice was gentle and soft, yet every word was clearly audible to everyone present.

"Senior Sister Qingyao, don't forget about this secret realm mission. Our Qingyun Sect is determined to obtain the Thousand-Year Cicada. Senior Sister is at the ninth level of the Golden Core stage, so we'll have to rely on you to clear the way."

The words were spoken politely, but everyone present could sense the tension beneath.

Several disciples standing behind Bai Lingyin exchanged glances, their lips curling into malicious smiles, and their eyes all turned to Yun Qingyao.

The lead team, consisting of five people, walked at the very front of the entire group, responsible for stepping on traps, scouting monsters, and shielding the main force from the first wave of unknown dangers.

To put it bluntly, it's like stepping on a landmine.

Sending a sword cultivator at the ninth level of the Golden Core stage to do this kind of work is not a sign of respect, but a clear indication that they are pushing her to the edge of a knife.

But what can be done? It was her own choice...

As long as I work hard and hard and hard... until I reach the Nascent Soul stage... I can leave the Qingyun Sect... Before that, I must repay my master's kindness in teaching me.

Inside the Qingyun Sect's flying boat, the five members of the lead-up team had already assembled.

Yun Qingyao sat in the corner, wiping the Qing Shuang sword in her hand.

The sword reflected her calm and composed face. Her fingers held a soft cloth, wiping the sword from the guard to the tip with unhurried movements.

Beside her sat a female disciple with a round face and almond-shaped eyes, who was helping her organize spare talismans and pills, glancing at her from time to time, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

This female disciple was named Shen Xiaotang, a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator, and one of the few people Yun Qingyao in the sect was still willing to talk to.

Now that Yun Qingyao has lost her position as Holy Maiden, Shen Xiaotang has not distanced herself from her; on the contrary, she has become even closer to her.

Sitting opposite her were three other people, two men and one woman, all at the early stage of the Golden Core realm. They were staring at Yun Qingyao with undisguised resentment.

One of the square-faced male cultivators even deliberately slammed the short knife in his hand on the table, making a piercing sound.

Their resentment was not without reason. The lead team was essentially cannon fodder, walking at the front to step on traps and block monsters for the main force behind them. Their casualty rate was the highest among all the task assignments.

They didn't want to die, but they had no choice, and they blamed all their resentment on Yun Qingyao.

If Yun Qingyao hadn't lost her position as Holy Maiden, why would Bai Lingyin have arranged such a personnel configuration?

The lead-up team was supposed to be sending out its best personnel, but now it's become a disguised form of exile.

Yun Qingyao didn't even glance at them, only lowered her head to wipe her sword, as if she was completely unaware of those piercing gazes.

Shen Xiaotang couldn't help herself and reached out to tug at Yun Qingyao's sleeve, her eyes slightly reddening.

"Senior sister, this is too unfair. Clearing the path is dangerous enough, and Bai Lingyin only gave us a few people. Besides you and me, there are only the other three..."

She lowered her voice and didn't say what she was going to say, but the meaning was already very clear.

Yun Qingyao raised her hand and gently pressed down, causing Shen Xiaotang's words to get stuck in her throat.

Just then, Yun Qingyao's collar moved slightly, and a fluffy little head peeked out from the edge of her clothes.

Two dark, bright eyes timidly surveyed their surroundings.

It was the little fox spirit, who had shrunk in size and was hiding in her collar. It probably smelled the gunpowder and wanted to come out to check the situation.

Yun Qingyao raised her hand and gently pressed it back down, rubbing its head with her fingertips in a gentle yet uncompromising manner.

Xiaoyu whimpered in grievance and obediently shrank back into her collar.

Amidst the mountains and rivers, the entrance to the secret realm has not yet been fully opened, but the flying boats of various forces are already hovering in the sky like stars.

Several well-known medium-sized sects and independent cultivator alliances were also present.

Large and small flying boats are scattered among the sea of ​​clouds, with just the right distance between them, neither too close nor too distant.