Chapter 44 - Is It Funny That the Reincarnated Senior Sister Is Also Being Pursued?

Bai Lian quietly slipped into Xie Cai's bedroom, concealing her presence as she slipped in when the maids were coming and going, and then floated up to the beam to spy on the scene below. What she saw made her eyes widen in surprise. In the center of the room was an enormous bed, large enough for ten people, covered with what seemed to be layers of floral white blankets. But upon closer inspection, Bai Lian realized they weren't blankets at all, but rather a gathering of young girls! The young women lay sprawled in various positions, making the spacious bed appear cramped. Some, having failed to secure their place on the bed, were instead curled up on the cold stone floor. Amidst this unsettling scene, an emaciated, hunched man panted endlessly—any onlooker might think he was on the brink of dropping dead right there amidst the young women. Yet none of this was what astonished Bai Lian the most. After all, in this salacious world, corrupt villainous bosses hosting lewd gatherings were too many to count. What truly shocked her was the identity of the man straining so desperately—she recognized him all too well. It was the same sharp-faced, power-abusing butler who had recently been trailing behind Xie Cai! Bai Lian felt a wave of dizziness crash over her. Wait a moment, if this butler turned out to be the real Xie Cai, then what was going on with the imposter leading him around two days ago, behaving like a sycophant and even demeaning himself when he insulted her? Was this a voluntary charade? Madly indulging a role-playing fantasy? But if the butler was indeed the real Xie Cai, then the phony Xie Cai might just be the so-called celestial being Tang Chuhuan had mentioned—the one who attempted to save Binhe Town before disappearing without a trace. It didn't quite add up, though, since his cultivation level was merely at Fengchu Ninth Layer, far from the celestial stature revered by mortals. Moreover, the true Xie Cai's capabilities were only around Fengchu Third or Fourth Layer—powerless even against a formidable mortal fighter! Tang Chuhuan could punch him out with a single hand! As Bai Lian pondered, Xie Cai, in the midst of his exertions, let out an angry roar and began to tremble violently. Seconds later, he collapsed sideways, utterly spent. Bai Lian quickly averted her gaze, covering her eyes—too small, she didn't want to feel sorry for him. But soon, she sensed something else. With Xie Cai's movements, the girl beneath him started trembling blankly, and threads of vitality were drained from her in fine strands, transforming into spiritual energy that merged into Xie Cai's body. Bai Lian frowned slightly, noting how most of the spiritual energy entered Xie Cai's body only to leak out uncontrollably from his dantian. No wonder he appeared to be in his thirties or forties yet only reached the Fengchu Third or Fourth Layer of cultivation, suggesting... he should never have been able to establish any foundational level at all. Because he lacked any aptitude for cultivating immortality, unable to absorb spiritual power properly. Even if he absorbed it, his dantian couldn't store it, letting it dissipate into the air. His current situation clearly indicated the use of a secret art that allowed him to extract vital energy from others through dual-cultivation methods, forcibly converting it into spiritual power locked within his dantian. Yet, he could only retain a mere tenth of that power. No wonder she found Xie Cai's aura obscure and mottled when she had observed him before. Relying on this meager spiritual power to advance to Qinxin Fourth Layer probably meant that Xie Cai had victimized countless young women. Bai Lian could no longer tolerate it. She jumped down from the beam, landing gracefully in front of Xie Cai. He was about to continue his vile deed but was startled by Bai Lian's sudden appearance. He grabbed a girl to shield himself and was just about to question who Bai Lian was when she smoothly sidestepped the human shield and punched him in the face. His body flew backward, collapsing limp on the ground like a piece of rag, unconscious. Bai Lian rubbed her fist. She wasn't one for idle villain monologues, and being in the heart of enemy territory, she couldn't afford to alert any guards. Her task now was to find the fake Xie Cai, deal with both of them, and then proceed with a thorough interrogation. As for the girls... Bai Lian glanced at the young women on the bed, who had yet to realize what had happened, and frowned. They had been ruthlessly exploited as vessels, leaving their foundations damaged; it was a wonder they were still alive. Most had lost their sense of self through sheer torment, showing no significant reaction even upon witnessing Xie Cai being knocked unconscious. She sighed. Such was the chaos of the cultivation world—the powerless mortals were utterly defenseless before cultivators and could only submit to their whims. Gently tapping her finger, she summoned a subtle glow, which descended upon the girls. Previously, she mentioned how much of Tai Xuan Xin Jing was transformed by the Founding Patriarch of Tai Hua Sword Sect into a compliant companion for Tai Hua Sword Scripture. Most notably was the healing ability of Tai Xuan Xin Jing. Though it couldn't repair these girls' foundational damage, it could temporarily preserve their lives. The rest would be addressed after dealing with Taixu Manor. With the ethereal glow enveloping them, the girls slipped into unconscious slumber—a little trick by Bai Lian to prevent them from becoming liabilities during the ensuing chaos. She retrieved several talismans, sticking a Soul-Sealing Talisman on Xie Cai's forehead to ensure he wouldn’t wake soon and distributing others around the room to form a small labyrinth, safeguarding the sleeping girls. After everything was arranged, she set out towards the core of the grand formation. Every maid she encountered along the way met with unconsciousness. Well, even though this was a stealth mission, wasn’t Assassin’s Creed all about sneaking, too? Soon enough, she arrived at a peculiar chamber. In stark contrast to the debauchery in Xie Cai’s bedroom, this room was filled with men and women, old and young alike, in far greater numbers and presenting an even more sickening sight. Scarlet runes covered the floor, with dozens of naked mortals suspended from beams above, their bodies hanging down to the ground. At the formation’s center, the fake Xie Cai sat cross-legged, continuously siphoning life force from the suspended individuals and channeling it into the array as spiritual energy. Bai Lian sensed this and her expression turned grave. For the array not only absorbed the life force of the people hanging but also intended to envelop the entire Taixu Manor within its scope. And if allowed to grow for a few more years, the entire city of Gusu could be engulfed, a living supply of life force for the mastermind behind the scenes! Facing this impostor, Bai Lian now understood why he remained at the Fengchu Ninth Layer— Because he wasn't just a mere converter of spiritual power; he was also among the livestock expanding this massive array, his own cultivation becoming nourishment for the formation. Or rather, this array was built with him as the very core!