Chapter 82: A Startling Discovery

Matriarch Han Yuchi was alone in the sacred meditating room of the Celestial Orthodox Sect when she was suddenly alerted to a sudden movement by her extraordinary divine sense.

"Who is that?" She responded sternly.

At the same time she was also slightly startled.

The sacred meditating room was in the inner peaks of the Celestial Orthodox Sect and it was surrounded by many formidable defense arrays. It was almost impossible for a stranger to enter without raising any alarms.

But unfortunately for the intruder, it was impossible to surprise her.

"Master, it is your Xue'Er." Xue Qianxue had stepped forth from the shadows.

Han Yuchi was startled, "Qianxue, it is really you?" She was suddenly delighted when she saw that it was Xue Qianxue.

Xue Qianxue nodded lightly.

"Aren't you captured by Ling Feiyue? I've been looking all over for you. I've even lost your profound signature…"

"I have removed it with the help of Ling Feiyue." Xue Qianxue said simply.

Han Yuchi was startled, "Why did you remove it for?"

"Because I don't want to be imprisoned anymore." Xue Qianxue replied nonchalantly. "From now onward, I am no longer a protégé of the Celestial Orthodox Sect."

"Qianxue, my Xue'Er. We can discuss over this. You can still retain your Sacred Maiden position. Alright?" Han Yuchi smiled.

The reasons why she was making such a concession now was because after Xue Qianxue had displayed the Sacred Maiden Profound Art to the highest rank, she had become the only sacred maiden in the entire history of the Celestial Orthodox Sect to have achieved this feat.

If Xue Qianxue could become a Great Saintess in the future, the Celestial Orthodox Sect may even have an immortal cultivator among its ranks. Therefore Xue Qianxue was considered to be too precious to be given up now.

"Is that so?" Xue Qianxue said indifferently before she threw a scroll to Han Yuchi. "I am returning the Sacred Maiden Profound Art to the Celestial Orthodox Sect."

Han Yuchi was startled. "Please consider, will you? Your master misses you."

Xue Qianxue heaved a soft sigh, "I'm grateful to master for your upbringing and teaching but I have already made up my mind to be with Ji Yuan."

"Ji Yuan?" Han Yuchi frowned. This name was a little familiar but she could not remember where she had heard of this name before.

"Ji Yuan is actually Yuan Ji. He is the one that you have almost tortured to death!" Xue Qianxue said quietly.

"He is not dead yet?" Han Yuchi was unhappy when she had heard that.

But she was soon humming coldly, "But he will be dead man soon enough. Don't forget that he has a duel with the Divine Palace Master of the Hundred Flower Divine Palace. A mere fifth realm cultivator like him isn't going to survive."

"Fifth realm cultivator?" Xue Qianxue lit a faint smile. "He is a seventh realm cultivator. He will have a fighting chance."

Han Yuchi was startled, "He is a saint?" But she soon composed herself to smile coldly, "No one is able to win a duel with the Divine Palace Master. He is dreaming!"

"He is Sword Saint Ji Yuan so he will definitely be able to find a way to win. I have faith in him." Xue Qianxue said firmly.

All of a sudden Han Yuchi had turned ashen. Now she had remembered why she had found Ji Yuan's name to be so familiar. Sword Saint Ji Yuan was said to be a genius cultivator with the sword and she had long heard of his renown. Moreover he was also Fairy Ye Chengxi's master.

A seventh realm sword saint was definitely more formidable than most other seventh realm cultivators.

Han Yuchi had suddenly remembered that Ji Yuan had the reputation as the fastest sword in the entire Desolate Celestial Fraternity.

But she was soon humming, "He is nothing but a lecherous man that preys on his own protégés! And now he has even set his sight on my Qianxue!"

Xue Qianxue was not upset. Instead she quietly said, "Master. There is something I ought to let you know. It is about Zhao Songjin. She is no longer a chaste maiden. Therefore she can't practice the Sacred Maiden Profound Art. Moreover she is also a spy for the Evil Cultivation Palace and she is in cahoots with Jin Yilong. Whether you believe me or not, it is up to your discretion. There are many other moles here that are in cahoots with Zhao Songjin. You won't be pleased with this. Even the Little Princess of the Evil Cultivation Palace is involved and she is determined to obtain the Sacred Maiden Profound Art."

Yuan Ji had already told Xue Qianxue all that he knew.

"Really?!" Han Yuchi was horrified. "Songjin is a protégé of the Evil Cultivation Palace?!"

But before she could question Xue Qianxue further, she had already left quietly.

Han Yuchi was left to stammer with shock, "This is impossible…and she is in cahoots with the Mystic Profound Pavilion as well…"

After a while she decided to look for Zhao Songjin.

A holy maiden panicky asked her, "Matriarch, where are you going?"

Han Yuchi stared coldly at her, "Who are you to question me? Don't tell me that you are going to inform Zhao Songjin on my whereabouts?"

The holy maiden quickly kneeled down, "Your protégé dares not."

"Then you shall knee here until I am back."

Then she turned to say to the dozens of holy maidens in the vicinity. "None of you shall make a move too! Or don't blame me for dealing you the sect punishments on the spot!"

With that she had hurried to Zhao Songjin's abode.

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Zhao Songjin and Jin Yilong were laughing as they played on the bed.

And this playing required that they had no clothing on them.

"Yilong, you are really so bold. You dare to come to my abode in the middle of the night." Zhao Songjin gasped with pleasures as she teased Jin Yilong. Then she said dreamily, "But I'm so glad that you have come."

"Haha, you have really missed me. Don't you?" Jin Yilong said proudly.

Then he said, "It is really just a pity that Ling Feiyue ruins your sacred maiden ceremony or else I will be banging the sacred maiden now."

"What is the hurry? Sooner or later I will be the sacred maiden and I will be in full control of the Celestial Orthodox Sect." Zhao Songjin was smiling. "If Xue Qianxue isn't found in another seven days, I will be the sacred maiden anyway. So let's hope that she is killed by Ling Feiyue…"

"Songjin, what are you doing?!" It was Han Yuchi and she had barged into the bed chamber all of a sudden, shocking Zhao Songjin and Jin Yilong at the same time as they turned ashen with fright.

Zhao Songjin quickly covered herself with the blanket as she stared blankly. Why was there no one to inform her that the Matriarch was here? Were all her informers sleeping?

Jin Yilong was panicky, "Matriarch Han, I can explain…"

Han Yuchi interrupted coldly, "Where is there to explain about your misdeed? Jin Yilong! I have always known that you are a lecherous man but you can even be so bold as to sneak into my Celestial Orthodox Sect!"

Jin Yilong had turned ashen and he was trembling. He had known that Matriarch Sacred Maiden Han Yuchi's temper was fiery. Moreover she was also a great saintess while he was only an initial tier saint. If she wanted to kill him, it would be all too easy.

But to his surprise Han Yuchi said to him coldly, "You may leave first. Make sure no one knows about it!"

Jin Yilong was startled that Han Yuchi was letting him off so easily. Without saying a word more, he quickly grabbed his clothes and ran off!

Zhao Songjin was secretly hurt by his gesture as she silently sighed. "How can he be so heartless? He didn't even take a single glance at me when he is running away..."

"Songjin!" Han Yuchi had returned her cold gaze upon her. "I know that you are a protégé of the Evil Cultivation Palace. How dare you infiltrate the Celestial Orthodox Sect! To think that I have trusted you all these years!"

When Zhao Songjin heard her, her beautiful eyes were startled and she had turned completely white. Even though she was a middle tier saintess but against her matriarch, she was just a speck of dust.

Against the profound might of her matriarch's Sacred Maiden Profound Art, she was really helpless. Moreover she had not fully recovered from her injuries from her exchange with Ling Feiyue.

In that instant, the cold gaze of her matriarch had caused her to wet her bed and Zhao Songjin was truly frightened.

"You have two choices now. Leave the Evil Cultivation Palace or die." Han Yuchi said coldly to her and her profound aura had completely suppressed Zhao Songjin.

Han Yuchi continued, "If you are willing to leave the Evil Cultivation Palace, you can rest assure that you will still become the next Sacred Maiden and I will even give you the blessings to marry Jin Yilong. What do you think?"

"I know that there are many moles of the Evil Cultivation Palace in here and even Little Princess is involved."

Zhao Songjin stared blankly at Han Yuchi in shock. How did her matriarch know so much?

"Your mission to obtain the Sacred Maiden Profound Art will only end up in failure and you will be punished. It is because only a chaste maiden can practice the Sacred Maiden Profound Art." Han Yuchi added coldly.

Zhao Songjin was startled at this revelation and was speechless. After so many centuries of planning, she could not even practice the Sacred Maiden Profound Art even if she had the cultivation method in her hands?

Finally she stammered weakly, "I can still be the sacred maiden if I betray the Evil Cultivation Palace?"

"Absolutely." Han Yuchi replied her. "Make your choice now."

After a short hesitation Zhao Songjin trembled and said weakly, "I don't wish to die. I will betray the Evil Cultivation Palace…"

"Good! You are my worthy protégé." Han Yuchi smiled.