Chapter 731: Show of strength, struggle just for this day (1/2)

That’s right, Duanmu Yao flew to Nine Xuan Hall. Over the past few days, she had recovered some of her lightness techniques with master’s help, although that was all she had now. Despite the heavy injuries to her dantian, which still couldn’t collect qi, master had somehow found a way to heal the injuries by twenty percent via channeling true qi into her body again and again.

She had vaguely heard her master mention about finding a certain “thing” before he could help her heal completely. Actually, she wasn’t worried about her martial arts at all. She knew that master would definitely find a way to save her.

On the ninth floor of Nine Xuan Hall was the sword sect master’s living quarters. Here was a sanctuary that even Duanmu Yao didn’t lightly disturb. But she’d obviously lost all sense of reason today. Nine dragon-head locks secured the door to the top floor quarters. Duanmu Yao rejoiced at the sight, because only she and Long Feiye knew that the sight meant that their master had relapsed into his insanity again. He locked himself inside whenever he had a spell.

Before Duanmu Yao could speak, a shadow guard emerged and said respectfully, “Princess Duan, no one is permitted to approach without the grandmaster’s orders. Please leave.”

“I have to find master for something. Unlock the door immediately!” Duanmu Yao ordered.

“Princess Duan should know the rules of the ninth floor. Please don’t cause diffilcuties for this subordinate,” the guard replied. Hearing this, Duanmu Yao was now certain that master had really gone mad this time.

Perfect!

She was planning to provoke him until he succumbed to an insanity spell, but now she just saved tons of effort. As long as master didn’t interfere, killing Han Yunxi would be almost guaranteed. She’d murder her first, then report it afterwards. Master loved her so much that he wouldn’t do much against her.

“Fine, this princess won’t trouble you then! Haha!” Duanmu Yao turned on her heel and left. The guard could tell that something about her was peculiar today, but as long as she didn’t insist on entering the ninth floor chambers, it had nothing to do with him.

Meanwhile, Duanmu Yao returned to her own rooms, took out a bottle of poison, and downed the contents. It was a gift from Jun Yixie upon their first meeting, a famous, hypertoxic poison in the poisons world called Rose Rattan. Any victim afflicted would have strange, vine-line lines appear on their fingertips and then crawl up their arms to cover their entire bodies. Once the lines had fully covered the victim, they would start to suck their blood and blossom into scarlet red roses. At their peak, the blossoms would kill their host, because by then they’d gush with fresh blood until the victim was sucked dry.

It took three full days for the growth of the vines to develop into roses. Anyone who didn’t get the antidote after that would definitely die! Jun Yixie had given Duanmu Yao the antidote along with the poison, but she hadn’t taken it. She told him once that she’d never cure her victim after poisoning them with Rose Rattan. She never thought the day would come when she used it on herself.

Here was her last gamble for the next three days. Between Han Yunxi and herself, one of them would definitely die!

As Duanmu Yao watched the vein-like patterns bulge out from her fingertips and start climbing up, a cold smile rose to her face. Then she ran back to Lockheart Courtyard to find Cang Qiuzi. It wasn’t clear what she told him, but he only asked her one question.

“This is an excellent idea. But you’re certain your master won’t suddenly emerge from closed door cultivation?”

“He won’t today, at least. I can promise with my life!” Duanmu Yao spread out her arms to express her happiness. Even if master’s insanity passed today, he would still spend a few extra days on the ninth floor to reminescence about martial mother.

Very satisfied, Cang Qiuzi said, “Good! Yao Yao, you didn’t disappoint this old man at all!”

Duanmu Yao grinned before she suddenly burst into tears. “Martial uncle, save Yao Yao! Master’s in closed door cultivation so he doesn’t know about this, only you can save Yao Yao now!”

Without a doubt, she had started her act.

“Aiya, what’s wrong with you now?” Cang Qiuzi played along smoothly.

“Han Yunxi, she…she…she sent someone to poison my tea. She wants to kill me!” Duanmu Yao actually shed real tears.

“How dare she? She already forced Long Feiye to shoulder punishment, but still won’t change her ways? This old man will take charge of today’s events for sure! Come, I’ll bring you with me to find the antidote!” After leaving a few words with a trusted subordiante, Cang Qiuzi took Duanmu Yao all the way to Abstinence Courtyard. As soon as the disciples there spotted him, they went to report to Granny You.

By the time Granny You ran out, Cang Qiuzi had already ignored the people blocking them and charged towards the Abstinence Hall near the back of the mountain, searching room by room for their target. Granny You did a few somersaults in mid-air to land in front of them, blocking them both with her blade! Although she had no idea what had happened, Cang Qiuzi and Duanmu Yao must had made preparations if they could charge in so brazenly. Today was Log Feiye’s last day in confinement. No matter what, she had to held out until he was finished.

Numerous incidents of poisoning had occurred on Celestial Mountain within the month. Many poisonous beasts had appeared as well, alarming the disciples trying to cultivate. Granny You knew that Cang Qiuzi and Duanmu Yao had to be behind the incidents. Duanmu Yao had colluded with the Hundred Poisons Sect in the past, after all. Wouldn’t it be simple for her to obtain such poisons? Their goal was to simply lure out Han Yunxi.

But Han Yunxi didn’t disappoint her. Even now, she hadn’t taken a single step out of the Abstinence Hall. She wouldn’t let anyone provoke the regultions of Abstinence Hall or Celestial Mountain easily! She couldn’t let down Long Feiye’s trust, much less Han Yunxi’s perserverance!

As soon as Granny You unsheathed her sword, the ten main disciples under her tutelage did the same when they caught up to stand before her protectively.

“Granny You, what do you mean by this?” Cang Qiuzi demanded angrily.

“I was just about to ask you. Trespassing into Abstinence Courtyard without permission and charging into Abstinence Hall? What’s the meaning of this? It’s fine if you look down on my Courtyard’s rules when the words of the lowly carry little weight,” Granny You spoke, before her tone suddenly turned cold. “But rules of the Abstinence Hall are rules of Celestail Mountain. If you’re challenging them as the head elder, then this old woman will punish you!”

Immediately, she ordered her disciples, “Go to the peak of Celestial Mountain and invite the grandmaster here!”

Granny You was very clear that her skills were no match for Cang Qiuzi. The most she could manage was to stall for time. In truth, she’d already sent someone to find the sect head as soon as she heard of the duo charging in. Her words just then were just spoken for Duanmu Yao and Cang Qiuzi’s benfit.

Duanmu Yao only played the part of a weak victim while silently crowing to herself. Don’t waste your breath trying to bring master here to scare everyone!

Cang Qiuzi glanced at Duanmu Yao and saw that she was unmoved, so he felt even more certain. “Hehe, it’ll be even better if you can invite senior brother here! Let him be the judge of everything today!”