Nodding his head, Shun Long smiled as he first dipped his fingers inside the black ointment.
His hand then stroked Liu Mei's slender hand, like a brush painting on a canvas.
The feeling of his hand touching Liu Mei's milky-smooth skin as he applied the ointment was something unique to Shun Long, while the atmosphere around the 2 of them was slowly changing.
It felt like the distance between them, was shortening with each stroke of his hand.
After Shun Long finished applying the black ointment on Liu Mei's hand, he looked at her and said
''Senior sister, you should be able to move your body very soon. The paralyzing poison will quickly go away and you should be able to apply the green ointment on yourself.''
Looking at Liu Mei's face who seemed somewhat sad when she heard this, Shun Long smiled as he continued
''However, if you happen to feel any discomfort and don't want to move just yet, I can certainly help you apply the rest of it.''
Feeling that her thoughts had been seen through, Liu Mei felt embarrassment, but she still happily nodded her head with an enchanting smile on her face, as she then whispered
''You don't have to call me senior sister anymore... just call me Liu Mei.''
Shun Long nodded his head, and with the same smile as before, he said
''Then, you should also call me Shun Long.''
Feeling her cheeks heating up, Liu Mei lowered her head but she still felt happy in her heart.
After Shun Long had finished applying the green ointment on her hands, he said
''You should start feeling the effects of the green ointment in less than 10 minutes.''
Liu Mei then stared at Shun Long's eyes intently, and after taking a deep breath she said in a serious voice
''Shun Long... you should leave the 'floating cloud sect'.''
...
The moment that he heard Liu Mei's words, Shun Long was dumbfounded, as he stared at her with eyes full of surprise.
He hadn't expected to hear something like that, especially from the sect master's daughter.
Liu Mei however, didn't seem to mind Shun Long's reaction as she continued
''Unless you plan to stay an outer disciple forever, you should leave the sect while you still can... because once you become an inner disciple, you may no longer have that chance.
After all, the 'inner city' isn't as simple as it actually seems.
Don't you find it weird that I'm all alone inside this second trial, since Liu Changpun had ordered all the inner disciples and Elders to rush to the central region 5 days after entering the 'Vermilion realm'?''
Indeed, this thought had passed through Shun Long's mind, but he had simply assumed that Liu Mei hadn't managed to meet with anyone else up until now.
However, Liu Mei had also called Liu Changpun by his actual name instead of calling him 'elder brother', and based on the hatred and disgust that she displayed, it seemed that there was more to this than what meets the eye.
Seeing that Shun Long was pondering over what she had said, Liu Mei then continued
''The reason I am not together with the rest of them, is because I don't plan to ever return back to the 'floating cloud sect'!''
It seemed that after she had finally said these words that she had been keeping in her heart, all of Liu Mei's suppressed emotions burst out along with them, as she then continued explaining everything, without any intent to actually conceal the inner matters of the sect.
''Do you know why none of the disciples or Elders of the 'inner city' protested, when Liu Changpun said that everyone must gather in the central region 5 days later no matter what?
It's because once you become an inner disciple, you will be forced to choose one of the 5 families that you want to 'follow'.
The family that you choose to follow, will then offer you enticing rewards depending on your strength and potential, but once you join them you will have to follow their every order.
Everyone that entered the 'Vermilion realm' from the inner city, has to listen to the words of the 'future sect master'.... while as for the top 100 in the arena rankings? It is because they are all the strongest outer disciples as well as the 'future of the sect'.
As long as they don't die in here, everyone in the top 100 will enter the 'inner city' sooner or later, and become inner disciples. Therefore, allowing them to enter the 'Vermilion realm', is still in the best benefits of the sect in the end.''
Shun Long had trouble believing what he had just heard, but deep in his heart, he felt that what Liu Mei had told him was the truth.
Unknowingly, Shun Long couldn't help but blurt out a question that had suddenly appeared in his mind
''Then, did Fu Li know about all of this?''
If fatty Fu really knew about this and didn't tell him, then things would be completely different.
Liu Mei shook her head as she said
''I don't know. As the heir of the Fu family, Fu Li should have known, but... because of his character it is quite possible that his family hasn't told him anything yet.''
Liu Mei's answer however, didn't reassure Shun Long, as many different scenarios had now formed in his mind.
''Did Fu Li and Lu Wen approach me because they wanted to draw me in their families? It's actually possible for Lu Wen who claimed that he was 'forced' to return back to the sect, but Fu Li didn't know anything about me when he had met me in the 'Alchemists' Guild'.''
Coming to this conclusion, Shun Long's furrowed brows slightly relaxed, but he had still decided to obtain a clear answer from fatty Fu in the future.
''So, will you still stay in the 'floating cloud sect'?''
As Liu Mei voiced her question, she hadn't realized that she was eagerly staring at Shun Long with sparkling eyes, as she waited to hear his answer.