Chapter 424: Jin Li: I Am Very Gentle.

Chapter 424 Jinli: I am… very gentle.

The Heavenly Venerable Mo Heng concealed his form, stealing silently toward the Broken Moon Abyss.

Since there might be some discrepancy regarding the Heavenly Venerable Mo Tong, he would have the Heavenly Venerable Mo Chi keep watch.

His figure remained hidden as he swept past numerous Yin Gods.

Even when he was less than a few miles from several of them, not a single Yin God of the Broken Moon Abyss detected his presence.

After a long while, Mo Heng halted his stride, his gaze piercing toward the deeper recesses of the abyss.

An array arrayed itself before him, obstructing his vision.

Though his prowess far exceeded that of Mo Chi, he lacked the microscopic insight into the ultimate truth possessed by Mo Tong.

Thus, at this moment, he could perceive nothing.

"Heavenly Venerable Mo Chi, please come forth at once for an audience," Mo Heng transmitted his voice.

Being a Yang God of the Realm of Ultimate Truth, his status and standing were both superior to Mo Chi's; naturally, he had not come to pay respects.

No sooner had the voice fallen than the array deep within the Broken Moon Abyss fluctuated, and a man in a gray robe emerged in great haste, looking somewhat flustered.

This naturally revealed panic could deceive a cultivator of the same tier, but to an ultimate truth expert of a higher realm, it was easily discerned.

"Greetings to the Heavenly Venerable Mo Heng!" Qi Yuan lowered his head, his expression respectful, though a trace of astonishment lingered on his face. "May I ask what brings the Heavenly Venerable to my Broken Moon Abyss?"

He was doing his utmost to act the part now, completely devoid even of inner thoughts.

"Mo Chi, have you seen the Heavenly Venerable Mo Tong recently?" Mo Heng cast a sweeping glance over Qi Yuan.

"Yes, a few days ago I paid a routine visit to the Heavenly Venerable Mo Tong.

At that time, he even invited me to… launch a surprise attack on the Moon Goddess Palace.

However, I had a cauldron of pills reaching a critical juncture at that moment, so I declined his offer.

Could it be that now…"

Qi Yuan continued his performance, his face painted with a look of shock.

"The Heavenly Venerable Mo Tong sustained some injuries." Mo Heng's gaze turned profound. "I suspect the wounds inflicted by the Moon Goddess Palace are quite severe and have already begun to affect him. As my true self is too far from the Crescent Moon Abyss to keep constant watch, you shall monitor him on my behalf."

Hearing this, Qi Yuan's expression grew solemn. "Heavenly Venerable Mo Heng, you suspect Mo Tong…"

He swallowed hard, leaving the remaining words unspoken.

"You need only watch him and report back to me at any time," Mo Heng said, offering no further explanation.

"As you command!" Qi Yuan kept his head low, not daring to look directly at Mo Heng.

"Return then," Mo Heng said indifferently.

Seeing this, Qi Yuan turned and retreated in a hurried manner.

About a dozen breaths later, Mo Heng narrowed his eyes, his gaze complex.

"This Mo Chi is also somewhat unusual; he lacks the aura of a newly born precious pill upon him."

Mo Chi had just claimed he declined Mo Tong's invitation because of alchemy.

If so, Mo Chi should have been refining pills continuously.

While he did scent the aura of a precious pill on Mo Chi, a careful distinction revealed it to be the scent of a pill long since formed, not one currently in the crucible or freshly born.

Therefore, the Heavenly Venerable Mo Chi was lying about this matter.

"He must be harboring some small secret." Mo Heng's gaze grew deep. "A pity my true self is so far removed from this place, otherwise I would quite like to see just what small secret this Mo Chi is hiding."

His eyes grew dark as an intuitive premonition struck him.

"Mo Qi's territory borders the Broken Moon Abyss, so I shall have him keep an eye on Mo Chi." After a brief contemplation, Mo Heng set off toward the region guarded by the Heavenly Venerable Mo Qi.

Indeed, Mo Heng was exceedingly adept at layering his stratagems.

…

The Sixth Heaven, the Suiyun Pavilion.

The armored woman had changed into a set of jade-green casual attire, the murderous aura on her body dissipating slightly.

She walked out of the Suiyun Pavilion, a hint of gravity etched into her features.

"Aunt, are we not adversaries with the Molo Clan, locked in a great war? Why must we still secure a loan from them?" The young girl, Mu Bihua, bore a look of confusion, entirely unable to comprehend.

Today, she had accompanied her aunt to the territory managed by the Molo Clan to secure a loan.

The amount of immortal jade borrowed was an astronomical figure.

These immortal jades would be transported to their clan by the Molo Clan in successive batches.

"War is war, and business is business," the tall man remarked. "Do not be deceived by the fact that within the Demonic Abyss, the Molo Clan and the Moon Goddess Palace have been at war for nearly hundreds of thousands of years. Even now… those who have fallen are merely Yin Gods. Not a single Yang God Heavenly Venerable has perished."

The tall man spoke with a touch of lamentation.

In his view, the enmities of these great factions appeared utterly farcical.

Those who suffered casualties were merely the lower echelons.

The high echelons sat enthroned upon the heavens, untouched by the grievances below.

At any moment, a single written decree could turn a bitter foe into an ally.

"Hence, this business can naturally be conducted," the tall man said, a suspicious look creeping onto his face. "I am merely perplexed as to why Her Highness the Moon Maiden commanded us to seek a loan from the Molo Clan. The interest is by no means low."

On account of their hostility, the interest demanded by the Molo Clan for this loan was a notch higher than usual.

The interest they had to repay to the Molo Clan every ten years was an astronomical figure.

It could even be said that every ten years, the interest alone would require surrendering several immortal jade mines to the Molo Clan.

A single immortal jade mine was sufficient to sustain a Yin God Venerable in stepping into the realm of a Great Venerable.

"Indeed, with so much immortal jade, more than half our family property will have to be surrendered to the Molo Clan as interest!" At the thought of bearing such a debt, the young girl wore a bitter expression, deeply reluctant.

Just then, a slightly mocking voice drifted over as a fat, large-eared man approached. "Is it possible you still do not know? That Moon Maiden of yours has fallen for some little imp and voluntarily renounced her status as the Moon Maiden of the Moon Goddess Palace.

Now… she is likely short of cultivation resources, which is why… she seeks immortal jades from the Molo Clan."

Catching sight of the fat, large-eared man, Mu Tianshui gave a cold snort. "Even if the Eldest Miss loses her status as the Moon Maiden, it is not something a mere Zhao Family like yours can afford to offend!"

Hearing this, the fat, large-eared man's expression stiffened.

True enough, by virtue of the Moon Maiden's existence, their Zhao Family was far inferior to the Mu Family.

Even if Jinli lost her status as the Moon Maiden, the current Mu Family was still not something they could compare to at present.

Nevertheless, the fat, large-eared man could not help but retort, "Our Zhao Family can still send our daughters to the Moon Goddess Palace, retaining a chance to obtain the status of Moon Maiden.

Your Mu Family voluntarily renounced the status, severing the qualification to send your female clansmen into the Moon Goddess Palace!

This loan from the Molo Clan alone will give you a bitter cup to swallow.

Give it a thousand or ten thousand years, once that one of yours fails to break through to the Yang God realm, your Mu Family… will collapse entirely!"

This fat, large-eared man naturally believed that having lost her status as the Moon Maiden, Jinli could no longer obtain resource support.

To break through and step into the legendary realm of the Yang God Heavenly Venerable to defy her fate, she was taking a desperate gamble by borrowing immortal jades from the Molo Clan to fight to the death.

Such myths are not uncommon, yet their outcomes are invariably tragic.

How could achieving the Yang God be so easy?

In the five or six realms of heaven surrounding them, from ancient times to the present, not a single Yang God Celestial Lord has ever emerged.

Having said this, he flicked his sleeves and departed.

"How infuriating! That Zhao family's motley crew—they're nothing but dreamers!" the young woman Mu Bihua said angrily. "The Moon Maiden will surely break through to Yang God and slap that man's face hard!"

The tall man then turned his gaze to Mu Tianshui: "That Dao companion of the Moon Maiden… what is he like?"

He was somewhat curious.

Mu Bihua also looked over, her eyes expectant.

The Moon Maiden had abandoned her title for a man, causing an uproar within the Mu family.

One elder had even gone so far as to pull out his own Divine Infant on the spot, offering it to Jin Li in hopes of making her change her decision.

Others wept bitterly.

Few truly recognized their place. After all, they were accustomed to flaunting their seniority, and some were extremely stubborn.

Yet there was no need for Jin Li to act; Mu Tianshui had already dealt with those elders.

The eldest daughter's decision was the Mu family's will.

At this moment, Mu Tianshui recalled the man by the eldest daughter's side, her expression complex.

To be honest, it was the first time she had seen the eldest daughter act so much like a lovestruck girl.

"He… has an outstanding appearance."

After thinking for a long while, Mu Tianshui could only come up with this one virtue of Qi Yuan.

She could think of no other.

"Huh?" Mu Bihua blinked.

Was the Moon Maiden so shallow?

Did she only care about looks?

"Is there anything else?" Mu Bihua pressed.

"His speech… is witty and humorous, full of wild imagination." Mu Tianshui finally chose a tactful answer.

In truth, when she heard Qi Yuan's words, she found them absurd, nonsensical, and utterly baffling.

What was all this about adding an egg to noodles? Eating beef?

And the Mara clan's destruction, borrowing high-interest loans?

What did any of that have to do with anything?

If Qi Yuan were not the one the eldest daughter favored, she might have suspected he was a mad cultivator who had gone astray.

"An outstanding appearance, plus a mouth that can charm a girl—no wonder the Moon Maiden has fallen for him," the tall man sighed.

Mu Bihua did not want to speak.

She felt that Qi Yuan would be better off not talking at all; talking only detracted from him.

"I wonder if the Moon Maiden's move… is a blessing or a curse," the tall man said with a sigh.

Borrowing so many immortal jades from the Mara clan had burdened the Mu family with severe debt.

The only way out was for the Moon Maiden to break through to Yang God—there was no other option.

Could they possibly hope for the Mara clan to simply vanish?

…

At the Broken Moon Abyss, Qi Yuan, clad in a blood-red robe, lounged lazily with his legs crossed, holding the Linglong Jade Flute in his hand.

"Being an actor is so boring. Sigh, having to play a role every day—am I going to get depression?"

"The worst part is, no one pays me a salary."

"I've thought about it for a long time and still can't figure out who owes me my wages!"

"I'd better stop thinking; it'll make my head swell."

"But heh, it's not bad. These past few days, I've had quite a haul—I've already caught two little fools. Too bad they're only Yang Gods at the Heavenly Position realm."

"What are you doing? Open a video call and let me see!"

Qi Yuan spoke as if he were back on Wangyue Continent, chatting with Jin Li.

The new Linglong Jade Flute had added a video call function.

It wasn't very difficult to implement.

But due to the existence of Creation Treasures, such communications were usually blocked.

So, before leaving the Absolute Moon Abyss, Qi Yuan had sought out Longyue Celestial Lord and asked her to grant him and Jin Li permission, so their communications wouldn't be blocked.

On the Broken Moon Abyss side, Qi Yuan also held partial authority—he could grant himself permission.

"Is there no one around you?" came Jin Li's voice from the Linglong Jade Flute.

"No one. What's up?" Qi Yuan asked curiously.

At that moment, a white light flashed on the Linglong Jade Flute, and a hazy mist appeared before Qi Yuan.

Jin Li raised her pale arm, holding the Linglong Jade Flute. She was completely unclothed, sitting in a bathtub.

The hazy mist obscured her figure, hiding everything below her delicate shoulders beneath the water. The milky water did little to block Qi Yuan's gaze; soft, fair flesh was faintly visible, with faint traces of kiss marks still lingering.

Qi Yuan's memory was instantly pulled back to that day of intimacy with Jin Li.

He swallowed hard.

That water was so big and so white.

If Ning Tao and the Golden Canary were a handful,

Jin Li's—though not as "uncovered" as his junior sister's—could still smother him.

"Isn't this a bit improper?" Qi Yuan blinked.

Fortunately, this was the cultivation world, and the Linglong Jade Flute was his creation. Its principles were different from those of his previous life on Blue Star, so he didn't have to worry about privacy leaks.

A look of recollection appeared in Jin Li's eyes: "Back when you killed Xuan Huang Jin Kong and chatted with me, I was bathing at the time.

When I heard you say you had killed Xuan Huang Jin Kong, I was doubtful.

It's the same feeling now, similar to hearing you just say you've captured two Yang Gods."

Jin Li smiled as she spoke.

Back then, she hadn't taken Qi Yuan's words seriously, even treating them as a joke.

Now, Qi Yuan's claim of capturing two Yang Gods was even more exaggerated than killing Xuan Huang Jin Kong.

If it were spread, no one would believe it, but this time, she believed him.

"Between people, there should be sincerity. I rarely tell lies!" Qi Yuan said earnestly.

Jin Li raised one hand to shield her chest, making it seem even more trembling, "a great uproar."

"What do you want to do to me now?" Jin Li's eyes sparkled with bright smiles.

Back then, separated by the exquisite jade screen, they couldn't even see each other.

Now, it was different.

"Give you a kiss?" Qi Yuan's gaze traveled from top to bottom, pausing briefly on her lips, snow-white neck, fragrant shoulders, and soft bosom, speaking sincerely.

"Anything else?" Jin Li continued to ask expectantly.

Qi Yuan's gaze moved further down, pausing on her slender waist, with its graceful contours and distinct waistline.

He continued downward, a look of disappointment in his eyes: "You're still wearing underwear while bathing?"

Jin Li's face flushed red, she covered her mouth and laughed, but the scenery of her chest was revealed in that moment.

Yet in the next breath, the smile on her face froze, because Qi Yuan's voice sounded somewhat... grating?

"Why doesn't your underwear have an elastic band?

Otherwise, I'd take it off, pull out the elastic, and tie up your hair.

You don't tie your hair when bathing—it's easy to get wet!"

Qi Yuan wanted to give himself ten consecutive thumbs up for his emotional intelligence.

People with low EQ at times like this only think about their own desires.

But he was different; he was a caring man who could notice details others missed.

Right now, because Jin Li had no elastic band to tie her hair, quite a few strands had already fallen into the bathwater, soaking wet.

"...How about we end the video call?"

"Ah? Right, you're bathing, this really isn't appropriate. Let's end it." Qi Yuan was very considerate. As the saying goes, food and sex are human nature. He wanted to watch, and even more... but mutual respect was key, wasn't it?

"No." On the other side, Jin Li shook her head. She gathered her black hair, her expression gentle, her gaze focused, her brows and eyes full of warmth: "I want to look at you a little longer."

"Hmm... Jin Li, would you like me to teach you a cultivation technique?" At this moment, Qi Yuan looked at Jin Li, thinking seriously.

"What technique?"

"Qi Yuan's improved version of the Radiant Sword!" Qi Yuan said earnestly.

"Alright." Jin Li nodded gently. Whatever Qi Yuan said, she didn't question and would mostly agree.

"This sword art is extremely powerful. It can disguise one's dense killing intent, transforming it into a righteous and luminous sword!

Once this sword is drawn, you'd look like a leader of the righteous path!"

Jin Li's limpid eyes blinked, water droplets splashing on her snow-white face. She lowered her head, a blush spreading over her jade-like fair skin, adding a touch of charm.

Jin Li looked a little aggrieved: "I... am very gentle."

(End of this chapter)