Chapter 1331: Betraying a Friend to Survive
Translator: CinderTL
Wu Lingzhu wielded a short sword, aiming directly for Song Wen’s face.
The blade moved with lightning speed, its icy tip piercing the air first.
Yet, when the sword’s tip came within an inch of Song Wen’s forehead, it struck an invisible barrier—as if striking a wall of iron and bronze. The blade halted, unable to penetrate the faintest trace of spiritual light.
Instead, a terrifying force surged back through the sword, sending searing pain through Wu Lingzhu’s palm. Her grip shattered, blood gushing from the split flesh between her thumb and forefinger.
"A Void Refinement Stage cultivator!" Wu Lingzhu’s eyes widened in horror.
As she tried to retreat, a smile bloomed on Jiang Yushan’s face, now inches from hers.
The smile was unnervingly wide, stretching his lips to reveal two rows of perfect teeth. To Wu Lingzhu, it seemed grotesque and sinister, sending chills down her spine.
In that instant, a massive hand shot out like lightning, clamping around her slender, snow-white neck before she could react.
The hand tightened like an iron vise, threatening to crush her throat.
Immediately afterward, a surge of profound spiritual power surged along Song Wen’s arm and flooded into Wu Lingzhu’s body. Like a raging torrent, it crashed through her meridians, instantly shattering the orderly flow of her spiritual power into chaos.
Wu Lingzhu’s vision went black, her ears rang like thunder, and her limbs went limp. She lost consciousness and collapsed into unconsciousness.
Wu Qinghan fared no better. Her situation mirrored Wu Lingzhu’s: her dagger, aimed at Song Wen’s chest, was blocked by his protective spiritual power. Then, Song Wen’s other hand seized her neck, and she too fell into unconsciousness.
Without pausing, Song Wen soared upward, breaking through the cascading spray of water, and plunged into the roaring waterfall. He then ascended against the current, reaching the river above the cliff, and continued his upstream escape.
After traveling over ten thousand miles against the river’s flow, Song Wen noticed no pursuers behind him and breathed a sigh of relief.
It seemed the commotion caused by Wu Lingzhu’s shattering of the waterfall had gone unnoticed.
Everything was proceeding according to plan.
Song Wen found an isolated spot and flew out of the river channel. Carrying the two women, he traveled another several hundred thousand miles until they reached a desolate mountain valley.
The valley was densely forested, its canopy so thick that it blotted out the sun.
Song Wen landed in the dense forest and casually tossed the two women against a massive tree. He then channeled spiritual power into each of them, helping to stabilize their chaotic internal energy.
After about half a cup of tea’s time, as their spiritual power gradually stabilized, the two women finally stirred awake.
"Who exactly are you, and why have you abducted us?" Wu Lingzhu demanded, bracing herself against the tree behind her as she forced herself to stand, enduring the searing pain from her torn meridians. Her eyes remained fixed warily on Song Wen.
"Nothing much," Song Wen replied. "I’ve been a bit short on funds lately and thought I’d borrow some spirit stones from you two immortal maidens."
"You only want spirit stones?" Wu Lingzhu asked, her voice filled with disbelief.
A smirk curled Song Wen’s lips as his gaze lingered on Wu Lingzhu’s full breasts, his eyes glinting with lust.
"If Fairy Lingzhu doesn’t mind, we could also engage in some... other activities."
"As long as you spare my life, I’ll do anything you ask," Wu Lingzhu said, quickly removing her storage ring and tossing it to Song Wen.
Sensing this wasn’t enough to secure her survival, she added, "I’m still a virgin. No man has ever touched my body."
Song Wen accepted the storage ring and gently rubbed it in his hand.
Wu Lingzhu had deliberately removed the restriction on the ring, allowing Song Wen’s divine sense to easily penetrate it.
A flicker of anger crossed Song Wen’s face.
"Why are there so few spirit stones?"
The storage ring contained only slightly over twenty thousand high-grade spirit stones. Considering Wu Lingzhu had swindled over thirty-seven thousand high-grade spirit stones from Song Wen, this was a paltry sum.
Wu Lingzhu hurriedly explained, "I’ve been preparing to advance to the Void Refinement Stage recently, and most of the spirit stones have already been spent."
"What about the spirit stones you swindled from me?" Song Wen glared at her, looking every bit like a robber cultivator demanding his due.
"I only received half of the thirteen thousand high-grade spirit stones you spent at the Jade Pavilion. As for Lilang Pavilion, it is indeed an establishment of the Myriad Swords Pavilion. I didn’t receive any spirit stones from that night’s transaction. However, the golden core stage attendant had colluded with me beforehand. She helped me trick you out of all your spirit stones to purchase the Spirit Communication Jujube," Wu Lingzhu confessed.
Song Wen’s primary goal wasn’t the spirit stones, so he didn’t press Wu Lingzhu further on the truth of her claims. Instead, he turned his gaze to Wu Qinghan.
"And you? How many spirit stones do you have?"
Wu Qinghan’s injuries were more severe than Wu Lingzhu’s, preventing her from standing. She could only lean against a large tree behind her, barely managing to sit up.
"I have over thirty thousand high-grade spirit stones, along with several Spirit Treasures."
Seemingly fearing Song Wen might kill them, Wu Qinghan removed her storage ring and tossed it to him.
Song Wen caught the ring and examined its contents. The fury on his face softened slightly.
"This paltry sum isn’t enough to buy both your lives. Especially Fairy Lingzhu—you’re hailed as the Wu Clan’s greatest genius in a millennium. To save your life, the Wu Clan would surely pay a hefty price. Let’s make it... three hundred thousand. A millennium’s first genius should be worth that much."
Turning to Wu Qinghan, Song Wen continued, "I’ve decided to let you return and deliver a message to the Wu Clan. Tomorrow at noon, have a Divine Transformation Stage cultivator bring three hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones to this mountain valley. Once the stones are secured, I’ll release Fairy Lingzhu unharmed."
A flicker of hope flashed in Wu Qinghan’s eyes.
"Are you truly willing to let me go?"
"With your mere early-stage Divine Transformation cultivation and status as an ordinary member of the Wu Clan, thirty thousand high-grade spirit stones is more than enough to buy your life. Besides..." Song Wen suddenly stepped forward, his fingers pinching Wu Lingzhu’s smooth chin, "I still have some... pleasurable matters to attend to with Fairy Lingzhu. I’ll need you to return and spread the word."
Wu Lingzhu saw Song Wen’s face looming close, a flicker of fear flashing in her eyes.
"She’s no ordinary clan member! She’s Wu Bo’s great-granddaughter! Keeping her would fetch you a much higher ransom."
"Oh? Is that true?"
Song Wen feigned surprise and delight, immediately releasing Wu Lingzhu and scrutinizing Wu Qinghan from head to toe.
Wu Qinghan, who had been secretly rejoicing at her easy escape, now glared at Wu Lingzhu with venomous resentment.
"Wu Lingzhu, after all these years of friendship, you would betray me like this?"
"It seems Fairy Lingzhu was telling the truth! You really are Wu Bo’s great-granddaughter," Song Wen said smugly. "I initially thought you were just some insignificant pawn caught in the crossfire, but it turns out you’re the real prize."
Yet, as soon as the words left his lips, a flicker of doubt crossed Song Wen’s eyes.
"If you’re truly Wu Bo’s blood relative, protected by a Body Integration Stage cultivator like him, you shouldn’t lack spirit stones. Why would you conspire with Wu Lingzhu to kill me and steal my spirit stones?"
(End of the Chapter)
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