"The former Grand Elder is currently recuperating and cannot be disturbed."
The Cloud Mist Sect disciples guarding the room blocked the approaching woman.
Inside, the woman sneered inwardly.
Former Grand Elder? He's already been stripped of his authority, yet these sycophants are still clinging to him.
"I am here under the orders of Grandmaster Pill King," she said gently, raising the jade bottle in her hand."I've been sent to deliver medicine."
Seeing the jade bottle—and recognizing her as someone who had long accompanied Yun Ling—the disciples exchanged glances before stepping aside.
"You may enter."
As the woman walked into the room, torchlight illuminated her face.
It was Mo Linglin of the Mo family.
"Great Elder," she said softly, bowing slightly."This is the pill Grandmaster Pill King instructed me to deliver."
Yun Ling sat cross-legged on the bed, forcibly circulating his Dou Qi to suppress the lingering poison in his body. His complexion was pale, his breathing unstable.
As Mo Linglin looked at him, a trace of hatred flashed through her eyes.
"Bring it here."
Yun Ling's injuries were severe, worsened by the hidden poison left behind by Little Fairy Doctor. Recovery had been slow and agonizing.
Mo Linglin handed over the jade bottle.
Without hesitation, Yun Ling poured the pill into his palm and swallowed it whole—without examining it.
The moment it entered his throat, his expression changed violently.
"What kind of pill is th—"
Before he could finish—
Pssh!
A dagger stabbed straight into his heart.
"Aaaah—!"
Yun Ling screamed in pain and struck out in panic, sending Mo Linglin flying across the room.
Yet the instant he did so, his pupils shrank.
Something was terribly wrong.
Even in his current condition, Mo Linglin should not have been able to withstand his blow so easily.
"What did you do?" he roared hoarsely."What kind of pill did you give me?!"
Mo Linglin staggered to her feet, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. She laughed coldly.
"Of course, it's my Mo family's Poison Soul Pill—refined from over a dozen magical beast venoms and rare medicinal herbs."
"As for why," she continued bitterly,"You pretended to be sworn brothers with my family's Great Elder, but your real goal was our remaining treasures, wasn't it?"
The poison erupted instantly.
Yun Ling's Dou Qi became chaotic as despair flooded his face. If he had examined the pill even briefly, he would have discovered the truth.
But it was already too late.
The commotion alerted the guards outside. They rushed in, only to find Yun Ling convulsing in agony.
One disciple subdued Mo Linglin on the spot, while another hurried to summon Gu He—acting on Yun Ling's final, frantic command.
Gu He arrived swiftly.
Yet even he was powerless.
The poison attacked not only the body, but the soul itself. Combined with Yun Ling's severe injuries, Little Fairy Doctor's lingering poisonous Dou Qi, and the delay in treatment—
Under the effect of multiple deadly factors—
Yun Ling died screaming in agony.
By the time Yun Yun and Yun Shan arrived, it was already over.
After a thorough interrogation, Mo Linglin confessed everything.
She was secretly executed that very night.
Through this incident, Yun Yun finally saw the rot hidden beneath the Cloud Mist Sect's surface—corruption, greed, and decay that had long gone unchecked.
Yun Ling's death caused an uproar.
But under Yun Yun's firm handling, the matter was quickly suppressed.
In the end, Yun Ling had only reaped what he himself had sown.
In the days that followed, Xiao Jietian and Little Fairy Doctor quietly accompanied Yun Yun, helping her recover from the emotional toll.
By the second day, her condition stabilized.
Xiao Jietian alternated between cultivation, alchemy, and spending time with the women—carefully assessing their strengths.
Little Fairy Doctor: Four-Star Dou Zong
Yun Yun: Five-Star Dou Huang
Qing Lin: Peak Eight-Star Da Dou Shi
Ya Fei: Four-Star Dou Shi
Xiao Jietian's Bedchamber
After their intimacy, Yun Yun lay quietly in Xiao Jietian's arms as he gently stroked her hair.
"Yun'er," he said softly,"I'll be leaving for Jia Nan Academy soon. Will you come with me?"
Yun Yun's expression turned conflicted.
"As for the Cloud Mist Sect," Xiao Jietian continued calmly,"leave it to your master. He's already broken through to Dou Zong—his lifespan is no longer an issue. He's probably eager to reappear."
After a long silence, Yun Yun finally nodded.
"…Alright. I'll go with you."
She understood Yun Shan's personality well. Now that his lifespan was secure, he would certainly return to the forefront.
And after this incident, Yun Yun could no longer deny the sect's deep-rooted problems.
If she carried out a full purge, the Cloud Mist Sect would be crippled. They had already lost Yun Ling—losing more Dou Kings would be fatal.
Rather than leaving…
It felt more like escape.
Yet she was unwilling to part from Xiao Jietian.
"Good," he said gently."I'll speak to Yun Shan and help repay his kindness in raising you. You can return whenever you wish."
"Mm," Yun Yun whispered, resting her head against his chest."Thank you, Xiao Jietian."
He understood her perfectly.
Calm and gentle, yet indecisive—especially when emotions were involved.
"There's no need for thanks between us," he murmured."If you insist… why not show it with action?"
He rolled over.
Another round of sparring began.
Cloud Mist Sect — Yun Shan's Cave Dwelling
"When I leave, I will take Yun Yun with me," Xiao Jietian said directly."She will resign as Sect Master."
"As compensation, I will offer a mid-tier Earth-grade wind-attribute cultivation method, a matching Dou Technique, two Dou Ling Pills, one Emperor Breaking Pill, and one favor from me."
Yun Yun's eyes widened.
Any one of these items would shake the Jia Ma Empire.
Earth-grade cultivation methods were practically nonexistent. Even Gu He could not guarantee success refining Dou Ling or Huangji Pills.
Yun Shan was equally stunned.
But among all these rewards, what he valued most—
—was Xiao Jietian's favor.
A favor from someone with such terrifying potential…
…was priceless.
"I am interested in those sound-transmission items of yours," Yun Shan said slowly.
Xiao Jietian pretended to hesitate.
"I can add five. I don't have many of them myself—you know how rare they are."
"Ten."
"Five."
"…Seven."
The number was settled.
Xiao Jietian took out the pills and seven message stones.
Yun Yun then removed the Earth-grade cultivation method from her storage ring and placed it before Yun Shan.
This had been discussed beforehand.
Though it was given to her, Yun Yun never felt it was hers to decide its fate.
When Yun Shan saw it, his hand trembled slightly.
Only now did he realize just how deeply Xiao Jietian valued Yun Yun.
A soul imprint was left on one message stone.
"Then we'll be leaving," Xiao Jietian said."If you ever need pill refinement in the future, feel free to contact me."
"Master," Yun Yun said softly, bowing deeply."Your disciple takes her leave."
They departed together.
Afterward, Yun Shan stared at the cultivation method for a long time—before resolutely converting to it.
It would later become the foundational cultivation method of the Cloud Mist Sect.
"You're far too generous," Yun Yun whispered as they walked away."Those items were all incredibly precious."
Xiao Jietian smiled, his gaze deep and steady.
"They're not even one ten-thousandth as precious as you."
His voice was gentle—yet unwavering.
Yun Yun's heart trembled violently.
All hesitation melted away.
She threw herself into his embrace.
"Thank you… husband."
Xiao Jietian smiled.
At that moment, time itself seemed to stand still.