Chapter 82: Striking a Bargain with the Tiger
Chapter 82: Striking a Bargain with the Tiger
Unlike Zhao Xuhe and Lu Yuanchun, Luo Wuya wasn’t a man driven by carnal desires. Thus, he had merely observed the scene in silence using his spiritual awareness.
Even so, the sight of Yushuzhen—normally as aloof as a snow lotus at banquets—now lying on the bed with disheveled robes, her delicate face streaked with tears, stirred an unexpected flicker of unease within him. Her beauty, once untarnished, now resembled a flower trampled and crushed beneath someone’s weight.
“Junior Sister Yu,” Luo Wuya exhaled sharply before sweeping his hand forward. A radiant light enveloped her, easing the tension in the room.
Yushuzhen’s expression softened with relief and gratitude, but her lips soon curled into a bitter smile. “I’m sorry for letting you witness this… Please, don’t speak of it.”
“You worry too much, Junior Sister,” he replied, sighing. Though he hadn’t seen the details, he suspected she’d been forced into this by Lu Yuanchun. “Your secret is safe with me.”
“Thank you, Senior Brother.” Her voice trembled, her eyes glistening with tears. She looked like a rain-drenched plum blossom, fragile and sorrowful.
Luo Wuya soon pressed for answers. “So this is how it happened… You and Zhao Xuhe were once in love, but when he became the Heaven-Mending Peak Master’s disciple, Lu Yuanchun interfered. You confronted him for Zhao’s sake, only to be tricked, losing your virtue and dignity.”
As the Three Rivers Association’s second senior disciple, Luo Wuya knew Zhao was now the Heaven-Mending Peak Master’s chosen son-in-law. There was no way he could marry an outsider. Yushuzhen had clearly been deceived.
Yushuzhen forced herself upright. “It’s late, Senior Brother. I must rest now. Please excuse me.”
“I understand,” Luo Wuya nodded, sensing her discomfort. Though he wished to help, he had no desire to be dragged into this mess. With a final sigh, he turned to leave.
Once he departed, Yushuzhen rose slowly, sealed her cultivation cave, and let her sorrowful mask fall away. Her face hardened into cold indifference.
“That should do it.”
Zhao Xuhe, Lu Yuanchun, Luo Wuya—these were the three big fish Yushuzhen had targeted. She’d tailored strategies for each.
Zhao was a romantic at heart, so she’d pretended to fall for him, becoming his secret lover. Lu, envious of Zhao’s favor from the Heaven-Mending Peak Master, had been easy prey when she approached him as Zhao’s “fiancée.”
Luo Wuya, however, was different. A Refining Qi expert aiming for Foundation Building, he viewed women as fleeting as ashes. To him, Yushuzhen had played the role of a fallen woman seeking redemption. If he took the bait, she’d have him hooked. If not, he was merely a backup—no loss.
This was Yushuzhen’s art of manipulation: tailored tactics for each target. Beyond these three, she had countless lesser disciples wrapped around her finger. No wonder her cultivation advanced so rapidly.
“Remarkable, simply remarkable,” murmured Lv Yang within Skull Mountain, watching her schemes unfold. “At this rate, she’ll surpass all other disciples.”
“Still, her moves are too bold,” he added, his palm glowing as visions of possible futures swirled in the air—each leading to the same inevitable outcome.
“What are you doing?”
The sudden voice made Yushuzhen freeze mid-thought. Even Lv Yang stiffened.
A young man in black-and-white robes stood in the cave, his face youthful yet wise, his gaze piercing. Though his smile was gentle, his icy eyes locked onto Yushuzhen like a predator.
She turned to stone—not just her body, but her thoughts and fears, as if turned to cold stone.
But the true target wasn’t her. The Heaven-Mending Peak Master’s divine sense had bypassed her entirely, focusing on Lv Yang behind her.
“Who dares scheme against my disciple?” he demanded. “Where did you learn the Heavenly Opportunity Theft?”
Lv Yang remained calm. He’d anticipated this. Zhao Xuhe and Lu Yuanchun were his disciples, and the Heavenly Opportunity Theft was a dual-cultivation technique clearly originating from the Heaven-Mending Peak Master himself.
He’d prepared for this moment since crafting Yushuzhen as a “fated vessel.” But meeting face-to-face was impossible. Instead, he’d use her as bait.
“A petty trick,” Lv Yang said, taking control of Yushuzhen’s body. “I merely wish to strike a deal.”
“You?” The Heaven-Mending Peak Master raised an eyebrow. “Was it you who stole the Coiling Dragon Cultivator’s karmic fortune that day?”
He didn’t sound angry—only intrigued.
“What do you want in return?”
“Your bloodline.” Lv Yang’s voice was steady. “Senior Chen lives, and I can help him reincarnate. You wouldn’t want your son’s soul to vanish, would you?”
“Xin’an!?” The Heaven-Mending Peak Master’s expression shifted. He began divining, uncovering Chen Xin’an’s hidden fate. Yet no matter how he probed, the answers eluded him.
Whoever could block his divination was either backed by another Foundation Building expert or possessed a rare treasure. Either way, daring to threaten him was bold.
“Tell me,” the Peak Master finally said. “What do you want? A Foundation Building Relic? A Supreme Divine Ability?”
“Neither.” Lv Yang shook his head. “I want Yushuzhen to use the Heavenly Opportunity Theft on Xiao Shiye, but I need you to obscure her karmic trail.”
The Peak Master’s eyes gleamed. “You want to steal Fortune Immortal’s luck?”
Lv Yang smiled. “Precisely.”
Xiao Shiye was Fortune Immortal’s pawn. Yushuzhen’s interference would draw attention, and Lv Yang alone couldn’t hide the traces. Partnering with the Heaven-Mending Peak Master was the only way forward. With Chen Xin’an as leverage and the Peak Master’s rivalry with Fortune Immortal, the deal was tempting.
Yet Lv Yang knew the risks. This wasn’t just a partnership—it was a game of cat and mouse.
(End of Chapter)
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