After looking at the woman for a few seconds, Jiu Shen's heart jolted in surprise. 'This woman's body... This is a saint physique... The Verdant Flames Saintly Vermilion Body! A mortal world actually gave birth to such a body? But the fool cultivated a pure ice secret technique...' Jiu Shen's lips twitched.
A person with Verdant Flames Saintly Vermilion Body was innately gifted in manipulating flames. He/she would be also able to practice any flame techniques with half the effort and get twice the rewards. Furthermore, such a physique was rare even in the Primordial God Realm. That was why Jiu Shen was surprised to see someone with that kind of physique in a mortal world.
The woman's name was Lu Sulan. She frowned after sensing Jiu Shen's deep gaze. She felt like she was being stripped naked with all her secrets laid bare before the man's eyes.
"Sire, if you're only here to cause trouble, then please leave our Ice Cloud Sword Sect." Lu Sulan said in neither humble nor arrogant tone of voice. She was also somewhat wary of the other party's strength since she could not feel anything from him at all. It was like he was a mortal that hasn't practiced cultivation for all his life.
Jiu Shen remained calm and unperturbed under all the ladies' gazes. "I would like to speak with you alone." He said in a serious tone as he looked at her with an expressionless face.
Lu Sulan could not see through the thoughts of Jiu Shen. His silver eyes were like two deep pools of tranquil water. No one could see any ripples of emotion nor see the depths of his gaze.
Despite her wariness towards Jiu Shen, she was also curious about what he wanted to discuss with her. She stared at Jiu Shen's silver eyes but she hurriedly looked away. She felt a sense of inferiority as if she was like a firefly looking at the moon.
"Since sire wanted to discuss something with me, please follow me." Lu Sulan said.
Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly and followed behind her.
As for the disciples, they heaved a sigh of relief after seeing that Jiu Shen was already gone. They believed that nothing would happen to the sect with their sect leader keeping an eye on him.
"Who is that man? He is so scary..."
"He must be a sect leader from a hidden sect or a recluse expert."
The disciples discussed among themselves while glancing at Jiu Shen's departing back figure.
Meanwhile, Lu Sulan brought Jiu Shen to the topmost floor of their sect's library.
She had reasons for bringing him here. First, there was a protective array carved inside this floor which she can use against Jiu Shen if he makes any suspicious move. And lastly, she did not want to bring any man to her room.
"Please take a seat, sire." Lu Sulan gestured for him to sit down as she grabbed a pot of tea. She then filled a cup for Jiu Shen and herself before she sat down.
Jiu Shen eyed her practiced movements when she filled their cups with tea. He then grabbed the cup and inhaled the scent of the tea before putting it back on the table.
Lu Sulan saw his actions and felt a bit annoyed. "Sire, are you looking down on our sect's Frozen Miscanthus Tea?" She asked in a cold voice.
Jiu Shen glanced at her and shook his head calmly. "Have you been drinking this tea the moment you started cultivating?" Instead of replying to her question, he asked his own.
Lu Sulan was surprised because he was indeed correct. She had been drinking the Frozen Miscanthus Tea since she started cultivating. It was something that the previous sect leader told her to do in order to hasten her cultivation speed. And after drinking it, she would experience a small amount of increase in her practice speed. "How did you know?" She asked with a frown.
Jiu Shen stared at her peerlessly beautiful face with a placid expression. "Did you experience a sense of discomfort after breaking through the 7th-rank Emperor? And the moment you broke through to the 8th-rank Divine realm, the discomfort became more intense..." He said nonchalantly.
As for Lu Sulan, she was looking at Jiu Shen while feeling increasingly horrified in her heart because everything he said indeed happened to her. "You... You..."
Jiu Shen waved his right hand prompting her to remain silent. "I came here to ask for ten years worth of Frozen Cloud Glacier." Jiu Shen stated while ignoring her peculiar gaze.
"What?! You're asking for ten years worth of Frozen Cloud Glacier?! No, that's not possible, sire." Lu Sulan frowned while shaking her head.
Jiu Shen's lips involuntarily curled up making her feel as if Jiu Shen was holding her by the neck. "I can help you remove your illness in exchange for the Frozen Cloud Glacier. What do you think?"
Lu Sulan did not really have an illness. Her condition was simply the aftereffects of practicing a secret technique that contradicted with her Verdant Flames Saintly Vermilion Body.
Lu Sulan's heartbeat quickened but she did not show it outwardly. "I don't have any illness, sire. Please state a different condition."
Jiu Shen maintained his poker face while looking at her. "Let me be honest with you, young lady. 8th-rank Divine realm is the most you can reach with your current condition. And your lifespan will continue to decrease at a very fast rate of time. You know what I mean." He then pointed at her hair.
Lu Sulan had an icy blue hair, but there were graying spots signaling her decreasing life span.
After hearing his last sentence, Lu Sulan's body trembled. With a quivering voice, she said. "May I ask for your esteemed name, sire?"
"Call me Jiu Shen."
"Lord Jiu Shen, can you really cure me?" Lu Sulan had an expectant gaze as she looked at Jiu Shen.
"I can indeed help you cure your illness. In fact, I have two ways to cure your illness." Jiu Shen stated with a calm look.