Yu Ruyi, who was originally sound asleep in her lounge chair, had somehow sat up and was now holding a wine jar, sniffing it carefully: "Xiao Yong, can you be more professional when you buy wine? This isn't 30-year-old Daughter Red; it's at most 20 years."
After speaking, she raised the wine jar and gulped down the wine, which flowed down her, making her already thin clothes even more transparent. The entire jar was instantly emptied by her. Yu Ruyi let out a satisfied burp and casually threw the wine jar to the ground.
Three Flowers opened its mouth and spat out the Monster-Collecting Bag.
Wu Yong fanned away the smell of alcohol in disgust: "Master, I've investigated, and the situation is pretty much as Old Zhao said. It's not that his time was too short, only three seconds; it's indeed that this fox demon absorbed his Yang Qi."
"Tch." Yu Ruyi's hand flashed, and she pulled out a pig's ear, gnawing on it: "He's just a three-second man. You should play with him less. Your own time isn't long to begin with; if it gets affected again, wouldn't that be terrible?"
"Damn it!" Wu Yong rolled up his sleeves: "I am a Five Elements physique; the five types of spiritual power—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—are continuously regenerating within my body. An hour is nothing."
Yu Ruyi exposed her fragrant shoulder: "Really? How about we try?"
Wu Yong put down his sleeves, his expression serious: "Master, what are you saying? I am a gentleman."
Yu Ruyi covered her mouth and chuckled: "Good boy. Once you reach the Golden Core Realm, you'll be able to break through your Master's defenses. Right now, all you can do is get your Master covered in drool, nothing else, oh."
Wu Yong ground his teeth, making a squeaking sound: "Thirty years to the east of the river, thirty years to the west of the river; do not bully a young man for being poor!"
At this point, Wu Yong also felt a wave of melancholy. Who knew that the barrier-like membrane of a Nascent Soul Realm Cultivator would be so tough? He had secretly tried several times but couldn't break through it. Should he try external force to assist? But if he used external force to break that membrane, would it count as him cuckolding himself? Wu Yong fell into deep thought at this point.
Just then, a crane's cry came from outside the Yunhai Hall. Hearing the sound, Wu Yong quickly tied Yu Ruyi's clothes to prevent exposure.
A colossal, azure white crane flapped its wings and landed outside the door. The person who arrived was none other than Senior Brother Bai Jin, the deacon of the Budao Sect's Mission Hall, whose true form was an azure white crane.
Bai Jin leaped from the back of the white crane, entered the Yunhai Hall, cupped his hands, and saluted: "Jade Aunt, Elder Nangong Xue of the Hehuan Sect has come knocking. She says you have inexplicably abducted a pure courtesan from a shop under her jurisdiction."
Wu Yong was puzzled by this: "Inexplicably? Senior Brother, are you mistaken? I went to capture a demon."
He said, pointing to the Monster-Collecting Bag on the ground.
Bai Jin sighed: "Junior Brother Wu, I've said it many times: when we go out to perform missions, we must first go to the Mission Hall on Budao Peak to receive the mission. Every time you go down the mountain to do a mission, you don't pick up a mission from the mission board before going to capture people. It makes things very difficult for your Senior Brother."
Wu Yong turned to look at Yu Ruyi: "Master, you didn't pick up a mission again?"
Yu Ruyi waved her hand indifferently: "What's the big deal? I'll just have the Sect Master write a note later."
Bai Jin was clearly accustomed to Yu Ruyi's shamelessness: "Jade Aunt, shall we go?"
"Let's go then." Yu Ruyi reached out and grabbed Wu Yong's collar. She stomped her foot, and the Bishui Sword appeared out of thin air. Yu Ruyi stepped onto the Flying Sword, circulated her spiritual power, and flew away on her sword, speeding towards outside the hall.
Bai Jin mounted his white crane and flew after Yu Ruyi's figure.
Before long, the three of them arrived at the main hall of Budao Peak.
Inside the Budao Peak main hall, sandalwood incense curled, and jade pillars were coiled with Dragons.
Ren Pingsheng leaned back in a chair carved from sandalwood, his simple white long robe draped like clouds. His slender, jade-like fingers gently held a teacup. His features were picturesque, his expression calm, and his thin lips, when slightly pursed, seemed to smile faintly. The tea was clear, reflecting his unfathomable eyes, warm as jade, yet as distant as frost.
Sect Master Ren Pingsheng of the Budao Sect wore a dark, cloud-patterned long robe. He had sword-like brows and star-like eyes, and a composed demeanor. He sat upright in the main seat, his slender fingers gently tapping the armrest, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on his lips.
Across from him, Elder Nangong Xue of the Hehuan Sect was glaring at Ren Pingsheng with a face full of anger. She wore a emerald green long dress, her cherry lips seemed ready to drip, her skin was like congealed fat, and her Phoenix eyes, usually filled with killing intent, now held an added three points of allure due to her rage.
"Ren Pingsheng! What do you mean?!" Nangong Xue slammed the table with a loud bang: "You come to my territory to capture people without even a greeting, and you even capture my people!"
Yu Ruyi walked into the hall and happened to hear this sentence. She asked with a faint smile: "Oh? Your people?"
Nangong Xue put her hands on her hips and replied: "Nonsense! Who in the entire Qingyun City doesn't know that the Gold Phoenix Pavilion is under my protection, Nangong Xue of the Hehuan Sect? Ask them, who doesn't know?"
The Hehuan Sect Disciples behind Nangong Xue all nodded.
"What evidence do you have to arrest someone at the Gold Phoenix Pavilion?"
Ren Pingsheng nodded to Yu Ruyi: "Ruyi, the evidence."
Yu Ruyi slowly began: "Ten days ago, Zhao Erhe, a Disciple of Tianjian Peak of the Budao Sect, accepted a commission to escort materials to Qingyun City. On the way, Zhao Erhe was attracted by Miao Yin, who was soliciting customers at the entrance, and stayed overnight at the Gold Phoenix Pavilion.
Three days and three nights later, Zhao Erhe returned to Tianjian Peak looking emaciated. After diagnosis by a Disciple of Danxia Peak, it was determined that Zhao Erhe's Yang Qi had been drained.
Therefore, three days ago, I dispatched Wu Yong, a Disciple of Yunhai Peak, to the Gold Phoenix Pavilion to thoroughly investigate the pure courtesan Miao Yin. After an on-site arrest, it was confirmed that Miao Yin is a fox demon of the Green Hill White Fox clan from North Ju Luzhou."
As she spoke, Yu Ruyi threw the Monster-Collecting Bag onto the ground with a dull thud. The bag opened, and a white fox tumbled out in a disheveled state.
Yu Ruyi pointed at the white fox and continued: "The fox demon contains the essence of dozens of people, so it's impossible for her to have no one protecting her. From this, it can be inferred that the Gold Phoenix Pavilion must have secretly raised fox demons, firstly to expand their own business, and secondly to collect Yang Qi for the Hehuan Sect. Did it succeed or not!"
"It succeeded!" Wu Yong and a group of Hehuan Sect Disciples shouted and clapped their hands from the side.
Nangong Xue glared, and the Hehuan Sect Disciples all lowered their heads and stopped their actions.
"Old woman Nangong, do you have anything else to say?" Yu Ruyi teased the Three-Flower Cat while casting a sidelong glance at Nangong Xue.
Nangong Xue's expression changed. She pointed at the unconscious white fox on the ground: "Let me state this beforehand: I have no relation whatsoever to that Gold Phoenix Pavilion."
"Hahaha." Yu Ruyi scoffed: "Didn't you just say that everyone in Qingyun City knows that the Gold Phoenix Pavilion is under your protection?"
Yu Ruyi, holding the Three-Flower Cat, took a few steps forward: "And as far as I know, you are the boss behind this Gold Phoenix Pavilion."
"I warn you not to speak carelessly!" Nangong Xue pointed at Yu Ruyi: "Be careful, I'll go to the authorities and sue you for defamation, you know? I'll sue you for defamation! She's defaming me! She's defaming me!"
Just then, the jade pendant at Nangong Xue's waist shimmered and emitted crisp dripping sounds.
Ren Pingsheng's figure flickered, and he snatched the jade pendant into his hand. With a flick of his hand, he activated the jade pendant, and immediately, an anxious voice came from within the jade pendant.
"Lord Nangong, you must uphold justice for the Gold Phoenix Pavilion! The money tree, the Green Hill Fox Miao Yin, has been captured. It will be difficult to gather future offerings. You must know that our Gold Phoenix Pavilion has never failed to pay a single cent of our offerings."
Nangong Xue snatched the jade pendant back: "You good-for-nothing Gold Phoenix Pavilion, you actually dared to secretly raise a fox demon!"
"Lord Nangong, you..."
"What 'you'?! You actually dared to secretly raise a fox demon, you! I give you seven days to come to the Budao Sect and surrender."
"Lord Nangong, I..."
"What 'I'?! I warn you, don't even think about running away! Don't even think about escaping to North Ju Luzhou through the Green Hill Fox clan.
Then taking a Flying Boat to the Eastern Victory Divine Continent, contacting the Macaque clan, and then running to the Southern Jambudvipa to circle around to the West Niuhe Continent! You better not let me see you! If I see you, I'll kill you in minutes!"
Subsequently, Nangong Xue directly smashed the jade pendant in her hand to the ground. With a crisp 'snap', the jade pendant instantly shattered into countless pieces scattered everywhere.
Ren Pingsheng, Yu Ruyi, Bai Jin, and Wu Yong looked at Nangong Xue, utterly bewildered.
Nangong Xue pointed a single finger to the sky: "I am irreconcilable with evil!"
The Hehuan Sect Disciples behind her all applauded: "Good~~!"
Ren Pingsheng's gaze swept over them, and the Hehuan Sect Disciples all shrank their necks and stopped applauding.
"Forget it, you all may withdraw first. I'll have a private chat with Nangong Xue." Ren Pingsheng rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.
Yu Ruyi secretly tucked the Judge's Brush from Inkstone Mountain into her embrace and led the way out of the hall. Wu Yong followed closely behind. Ren Pingsheng was about to speak but then thought better of it. Anyway, the Judge's Brush would eventually appear in the pawn shop on Purple Cloud Peak, so he let her be.