'Maybe... I need to pretend and lower my guard down to know all my enemies?' Zhou Qiaolian thought while strolling in the woods. She looked calm but, there was a feeling of unrest in her mind.
Because most of the beast hunters and cultivators in the south region possessed straightforward and proud personalities, they were like an open book. This was the reason why Lady Zhou Qiaolian was able to play with them in the palm of her hands. They were too predictable for her.
However, after the recent troubles that she stir, she discovered that there were three foreign forces who were also targeting her.
But, no matter how she tried to investigate the origin of these forces, she can't find anything, not even their identities.
The presence of those forces was rather alarming!
As far as what Qiaolian knew, the master in Scarlet Islands was always in seclusion. The man had never stepped out of his territory and just diligently focused on his enhancement.
As for the King of the Frozen Azure region, if the majesty's people entered the Boundless Shoreline, it would be a declaration of war. In their content, the North and South regions had a covenant that forbids official families and their people to trespass each territory.
Only the people in Scarlet Islands had neutral freedom. But, such liberty was also useless for they rarely ventured out of their place. It could be seen as this region served as a border of the North and South.
With this understanding, Qiaolian could only anticipate that those foreign forces may have originated from outside of their Heng continent.
If this was true, a slim mistake of hers could be a great opportunity to trap her down. She would be in grave danger!
But, if she doesn't give them a chance to trap her down, she would never know who they are... until it would be too late!
This was but a battle of hidden schemes!
Under the air full of wild noises of the insects and night creatures in the Green Mountain, Qiaolian deliberately slowed down her pace until her footsteps came to a halt.
She was fully annoyed by the idea that she could not identify the foreign forces that were just waiting for her to lower her guard.
'Since you are waiting for me to drop my guard, I might as well give you this luxury. Let's see how good your capability is!' She thought and sat in the grassy area. She unhurriedly gathered her knees up on her chin and hugged them.
Her plan was to appear that she had fallen asleep... or something similar. After finding a comfortable sitting position, her eyes lowered, and she noticed a reddish herb buried in the soil. It was just beside her foot. Its head was the only visible part that she could see.
Without thinking too much, Qiaolian reached for the herb and pulled it out, and looked closely. "Even the heavens are giving me snacks..."
Once it was out of the ground, the herb emitted a relaxing aroma hitting directly to her nose. Qiaolian was taken aback and smelled it closely for a while.
"It's such a waste to eat the fragrant roots. Why do you smell so good? Better than flowers," she mumbled and put it inside her sleeve pocket.
But after a while, she abruptly stood straight and throw the root on the ground. "Oh noo... I've inhaled that fragrance!"
Qiaolian's face turned dark.
For those sects that focused on dual cultivation, there were several medicines that could provide cultivators the passion to cultivate longer. In this way, they could boost their inner force faster. But, it was said that the medicines were a double-edged sword. It could also potentially harm their body.
Qiaolian had never seen nor used such medicines. But, when she felt that the energy in her body drastically turned chaotic, she immediately realized that this herb could be one of the many medicines to extend their practice!
She did not hesitate to throw the herb right away! And when the root landed on the ground, its reddish color instantly turned dull.
At that moment, Qiaolian instinctively decided to abandon her plan and just find a suitable place to neutralize her chaotic energy.
As long as the aroma that she inhaled would lose its effect, she could easily control her energy back to its normal state.
Her figure hastily run with no specific destination but after just a few meters of running, her breathing considerably turned slow. Her body suddenly felt hot.
The changes in her physical condition were extremely drastic. Perhaps, the aroma that she inhaled was too potent!
"Ohh... I'm doomed! No, no, no... Who is this idiot who plants such a malicious kind of herb around the mountain! Ahhh..." Qiaolian cursed and pushed her feet to run faster.
But, soon after, she could feel that her legs were getting limp too. The usual tranquil energy of the inner core in her chest was too chaotic. And the desire of cultivating was flaring within her body.
In her situation, she struggled to stand straight. She leaned on the nearest tree and started neutralizing the energy in her body.
There was no time for her to find a suitable place!
And by some sort of bad luck, the direction where Qiaolian was heading to, it was the location were majority of the group of beast hunters were gathering!
These beast hunters had been trying to search her location. Thus, they were quick to notice Qiaolian But, but for some reason, they just stared at her.
"Lady Zhou is over there... Wait! Is she refining her inner core?"
All eyes snapped and look in her direction. The other cultivators also appeared in the shadows.
Qiaolian had never expected that her feet would deliver her to the area with thousands of cultivators around. But, since she had strangely afflicted with the herb effect, perhaps, it was her body that was searching for similar heat!
"We really strike a good fortune! This Lady Zhou is a dual cultivator. The foundation of her elixir field is formidable. We can remove it and sell it to the big sects at a high price!"
"Hehehe... Xuan Sect will pay us millions of gold for sure! And we don't need to kill her. With her alluring beauty, she can be our maid and serve us!"
That's right. Those beast hunters were momentarily in a daze while gazing at the alluring figure of Qiaolian. Everything about her was just carved so perfectly.
Surrounded by thousands of opponents, Lady Zhou Qiaolian gathered her composure and suppressed her energy.
Despite the threats she heard, her countenance did not change a bit.
"I will naturally cooperate. B-But, only to someone who can protect me and take me out here."
The sooner she could get out of their encirclement, the better! Any more delay in neutralizing her energy will cause something that is beyond her imagination.
In fact, she does not dare to imagine what she would do if she failed to restore the energy flow in her inner core.
Bewitched by her words, the thousands of opponents started fighting and killing their companions.
In the midst of a chaotic battle, this cunning lady just scoffed and escaped!
"Hmmph! Want to steal my elixir field? I'd rather destroy it and die with dignity! However, those opponents are not too smart and easily fell on my trick! Hehe... How foolish!"
Qiaolian was completely satisfied to reach a safer place. She then started circulating her inner force.
However, what she did not notice was that there were vines around the ground that were secretly tracking her location...
"Lady Zhou is indeed capable!"
"Who is there---"
Before Qiaolian could finish her words, a finger tapped the side of her neck, completely restricting her movements.
"My... my... the rumors about you are too modest. Your beauty is ethereal!"
When the person appeared in front of Qiaolian, her eyes constricted. "Scarlet Island Master Huan Xue! What are you doing here in the Boundless Shoreline? W-Wait... I c-can't sense your elixir field! What---"
"That's right! My dear lady, I'm here to steal yours! Hehehe..."