Chapter 459 - 400: Severing Divine Thought

"What benefit can I promise you?"

The breeze brushed her face. The Female State Preceptor stood inside Junzi Temple, hair slightly tousled by the wind.

She had thought Chu Huaixu would follow the principle of "strike while he’s down, finish him off" and, while the Emperor’s Divine Thought was asleep, take the chance when she had taken the initiative to "deliver herself to his door" to sever the Divine Thought inside her.

But who would’ve thought this brat would look so utterly fearless.

You had to know, the grudge between him and the Ancestor Emperor was absolutely massive!

Their situation could only be described as "till death, no rest."

And yet, if we’re talking about what kind of benefit I can grant you...

The greatest benefit she could possibly offer would naturally be that... naturally be that....

At this thought, an image of that enchanting scene in the Emperor’s Pool surfaced again in her mind.

Earlier, she had repeatedly entertained one thought—might as well just give it to him!

To Lin Qingci, if that day in the Emperor’s Pool she had really engaged in Dual Cultivation with Chu Huaixu, and in the middle of that twist of fate handed over the virgin yin the Ancestor Emperor had coveted for so long, that would count as a wildly satisfying act of revenge!

She hated the Ancestor Emperor.

Hated him to the extreme.

Only, the situation now was a little different from back then.

She took a deep breath and countered:

"What sort of benefit does Direct Disciple Chu want from this State Preceptor?"

Lin Qingci hadn’t expected Chu Huaixu to so bluntly show such a mercenary face.

The young man lying on the recliner simply smiled again and said:

"State Preceptor, why are you throwing the question back at me? You’re the one asking me for help here. Shouldn’t you be the first to state your position, let me see some sincerity?"

Seeing that faintly teasing smile on his face, she only felt a mix of shame and anger.

This was an experience she’d never had in her entire life.

"Cultivation Technique, Technique, Heavenly and Earthly Treasures, Spiritual Artifact, Talisman... just name it." She frowned as she replied.

An Eighth Realm Great Cultivator, and the exalted State Preceptor of Moon Country, naturally had a very deep foundation, and thus the confidence to speak so.

"State Preceptor, oh State Preceptor, the things you just mentioned—me, as a Daoist Sect direct disciple, the Dao Ancestor’s heir, do you really think I’d be short on those?" Chu Huaixu could only find it amusing.

He was, honestly, just deliberately teasing her.

Seeing her looking all dignified and pure with a touch of sternness, he just happened to find it entertaining.

It was like when he went to the Purple Bamboo Forest to see his stuttering master; he’d always deliberately make Shen Man say a few more words.

For Chu Huaixu, having the illustrious State Preceptor of Moon Country—who in the future had a chance to advance to a Ninth Realm Great Cultivator—owe him a tremendous favor was worth far more than any treasure.

So he stopped deliberately playing with her and instead smiled as he said:

"State Preceptor, this junior was joking."

"I can help you with this."

"As for any benefit, that’s really unnecessary."

Hearing this, Lin Qingci’s heart instantly lifted with joy, a great weight finally dropping from her chest.

Only, the moment she heard Chu Huaixu refer to himself as "junior" in front of her, she felt a flash of discomfort.

What... exactly did he mean by that?

Does he feel I’m way older than him?

And seeing that roguish grin on his face, she felt her temper rise even more.

She just kept feeling this brat was intentionally making fun of her.

But precisely because this was an experience she’d never had before, some indescribable ripples stirred in her heart.

Chu Huaixu gradually reined in his smile, stood up, and with a serious expression and concern in his tone said:

"State Preceptor, there’s one thing this junior has to mention first."

"You should be well aware how great the risk is, right?"

Lin Qingci nodded silently.

"The Emperor’s Divine Thought has entrenched itself deep in my Sea of Consciousness for many years and has already fused with the foundation of my Sea of Consciousness."

"Moreover, the Ancestor Emperor has left several Restrictions there. They won’t be so easy for you to deal with."

"If you exert yourself with full force, it will definitely affect my Sea of Consciousness as well."

"Once the Emperor’s Divine Thought is damaged from within, it will surely cause me tremendous backlash."

"The foundation of my Sea of Consciousness will be damaged beyond recovery." Lin Qingci said calmly.

But as she spoke, her tone was utterly tranquil, as if she wasn’t worried at all.

Or rather, she simply didn’t care.

Compared to annihilating that strand of Divine Thought, this price wasn’t something she even put in her eyes.

"As long as State Preceptor is aware." Chu Huaixu nodded.

He was, frankly, just issuing his own non-liability statement.

So she wouldn’t dump the blame on him later.

He didn’t even know this woman well; who knew if her head was screwed on straight.

Better not let her drag him into a mess.

"Then please follow me, State Preceptor." Chu Huaixu gestured invitingly.

He believed that with Lin Qingci visiting, Xiang Yan and the others were definitely "eavesdropping."

Since there had been no Transmission to stop him, that meant they’d tacitly approved his decision.

Chu Huaixu quickly led Lin Qingci to the secluded cultivation chamber inside Junzi Temple.

In the two rooms next door, the Big Ice Cube and Xiaoxu were both in seclusion.

The two of them were Refining Profound Yellow Origin Fragments; the efficiency wouldn’t be that fast.

After entering the room, Chu Huaixu set up a Restriction.

Then he swept his hand, and the two futons on the floor floated up and landed again, positioned so the two of them could sit facing each other.

"State Preceptor, please."

The barefoot Female State Preceptor lifted the hem of her robe a little, then sat cross-legged on one of the futons.

Her body was lush; if she didn’t hike her robe up a bit and just sat down directly, the fabric would be pulled too tight.

Chu Huaixu sat cross-legged opposite her, the two quite close.

"State Preceptor, release the defenses around your Sea of Consciousness and stabilize its foundation."

"I’ll be quick."

"But it might hurt a little," Chu Huaixu said.

Lin Qingci nodded and replied, "Direct Disciple Chu can go all out."

She slowly closed her eyes, then took a deep breath.

After a few breaths, she slowly nodded, signaling that this young man could begin.

Chu Huaixu raised his hand, pressed his two fingers together, and lightly tapped the woman’s glabella.

In the next instant, the Heart Sword entered the Female State Preceptor’s Sea of Consciousness.

He quickly found that strand of Emperor’s Divine Thought entrenched within.

Old grudges surfaced in his heart.

Killing intent surged wildly in Chu Huaixu’s chest.

"Die for me!"

The Heart Sword slashed forward with unmatched might!

Never mind that this Emperor’s Divine Thought wasn’t the main soul and was in a weakened state.

Even at full strength, it wouldn’t withstand this sword!

The sword cuts flesh; the heart cuts soul.

That strand of Divine Thought immediately began to gradually perish.

And in its struggle, the slumbering Emperor’s Divine Thought instantly awoke.

"Lin Qingci!!!"

"You dare collude with an outsider to harm Us!"

"Ahhh, you lowly forbidden plaything, you really intend to give yourself to him, don’t you!"

"We’ll see you die a miserable death! Ahhh!"

"We’ll see you both die miserable deaths..."

But within the Sea of Consciousness, Lin Qingci sent a Transmission, saying things that baffled Chu Huaixu.

"Yes, I’m giving myself to him."

She provoked the Ancestor Emperor once again.

Only Chu Huaixu couldn’t make sense of it.

Giving me what?

I haven’t fucking taken a single benefit from this.

Chu Huaixu immediately increased the force of the Heart Sword.

Earlier he’d actually been somewhat careful, wanting to do a bit of fine control.

He didn’t want to make Lin Qingci suffer too much.

He wanted to reduce damage and backlash to her Divine Sense as much as possible.

He hadn’t expected this Ancestor Emperor to still be barking!

"What the fuck are you barking for—die!"

The Emperor’s Divine Thought instantly turned to ashes.

The whole process took barely ten breaths.

But the agony raging through the Sea of Consciousness left the Female State Preceptor sitting before Chu Huaixu deathly pale, her lush, delicate body trembling uncontrollably.

Cold sweat had already soaked her, even her hair was damp and clinging.

Lin Qingci had actually been mentally prepared.

She knew the whole process would be torment.

But she hadn’t expected it to be this tormenting.

And she had to stay conscious, couldn’t faint, had to keep her Sea of Consciousness stabilized.

Otherwise, the backlash and injury she suffered would only be worse!

And once the Emperor’s Divine Thought was destroyed, the backlash that followed was the most painful part—and it wouldn’t be short-lived.

"State Preceptor, hang in there," Chu Huaixu opened his eyes and reminded her.

He’d already done everything he could.

Lin Qingci gave a slight nod.

Her body was still trembling, and her breathing had grown rapid.

But there was nothing more Chu Huaixu could do.

He watched as the Female State Preceptor began forming seals with both hands, casting Magic on herself.

After the time it takes for half a stick of incense to burn, she finally opened her eyes slowly.

"It’s... over." Lin Qingci’s face was bloodless, her body swaying.

"Th-thank you." As she finished speaking, her whole body pitched forward and fell into Chu Huaixu’s arms.

...