The scandal involving Wang Tong, the senior disciple of Mingyue Peak, and Peng Cheng spread through the Yanxia Sect like wildfire, quickly becoming the laughingstock of all the disciples. It was easy to imagine that soon, this scandal would spread to all the major sects in Shenzhou. When that happened, Wang Tong's infamous reputation would certainly rival that of Leaf, the notorious rogue.
Leaf, upon hearing the news, merely smirked and didn't give it much thought. To him, Wang Tong was a minor figure. Pranking him was no big deal, certainly not something worth dwelling on.
Leaf sat cross-legged under a thousand-year-old pine tree on the cliff edge of Wu Yue Peak, savoring the sensation of spiritual energy surging through his 99 meridians and the harmonious interplay between the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and his own internal energy.
At this moment, the concentration of spiritual energy in Leaf's body surpassed that of most cultivators at the fifth or sixth level of the Fetal Movement stage. His organs and muscles were glowing with a bright silver light, tinged with faint golden hues. He was nearing the Great Perfection stage of Qi Condensation.
For most cultivators, reaching such a level of spiritual energy in the Qi Condensation stage would inevitably lead to a breakthrough, as it would naturally align with the rules of heaven and earth. But Leaf, with his 99 unobstructed and wide meridians, could accommodate far more spiritual energy than ordinary cultivators. Moreover, the unique nature of his Supreme Sky Immortal Technique allowed him to easily suppress this energy, preventing an uncontrolled breakthrough.
"Just one step away. One more step to reach the Great Perfection of Qi Condensation," Leaf murmured, opening his eyes to the dawn sky with a faint smile. Soon, he would enter the Fetal Movement stage, open the Heaven Meridian in his chest, and truly experience the extraordinary power of the Supreme Sky Immortal Technique.
At that moment, a streak of purple approached from the horizon, resembling a drifting purple cloud.
"Leaf, come up here," Mo Qianqian called from atop the purple cloud.
"Hey, little lady, coming to see me so early in the morning. You must have missed me," Leaf said, stretching lazily with a grin.
"Are you coming up or not?" Mo Qianqian demanded, stomping her foot in frustration. She felt like seeking out this rogue was a big mistake.
Leaf leaped up and landed on the purple cloud, causing it to shake violently. Mo Qianqian, unsteady, stumbled and fell into Leaf's arms.
Mo Qianqian gasped as her ample chest pressed against Leaf's firm torso, sending a tingling sensation throughout her body.
Leaf chuckled heartily, enjoying the feel of Mo Qianqian's soft curves against him. "Wow, you're really well-built, aren't you?"
"You scoundrel!" Mo Qianqian blushed furiously, stepping back and angrily slapping at Leaf's chest.
Leaf dodged nimbly and shouted, "If you don't control your flying artifact, we're both going to crash and become ghost lovers!"
Mo Qianqian realized that without her control, the purple cloud was plunging rapidly toward the cliff. She screamed and quickly steered the cloud, which swooped in a graceful arc and headed toward the distant mountains.
A hundred miles from Wu Yue Peak, among the verdant hills, a waterfall cascaded down, sending a cool mist into the air. Leaf lounged lazily under a large tree near the waterfall, gazing at the changing dawn sky as the sun slowly rose.
Mo Qianqian stood by the pool at the base of the waterfall, her expression tinged with melancholy.
"Hey there, little lady. You didn't bring me here just to show off that sourpuss face, did you?" Leaf called out, his voice cutting through the roar of the waterfall.
"You rogue! Who are you calling a sourpuss?" Mo Qianqian spun around, glaring at Leaf with fiery eyes.
Leaf chuckled, then shifted his tone. "That look on your face wouldn't have anything to do with your senior brother's scandal, would it?"
Mo Qianqian froze, surprised. "You heard about it too?"
Leaf smirked inwardly. Of course he'd heard; he was the mastermind behind it all.
"News like that spreads fast. I doubt anyone in the entire Yanxia Sect hasn't heard. You're upset—does that mean you have feelings for him?" Leaf arched an eyebrow.
"Don't talk nonsense! Do you think everyone is as depraved as you? Senior Brother has always been kind and protective of us. How could anyone have known he was like that... You wouldn't understand, you scoundrel." Mo Qianqian's eyes misted over.
Leaf flicked his finger, conjuring a transparent bubble with his spiritual energy. In the morning sunlight, it shimmered with rainbow colors before popping with a soft "ping," its fleeting beauty vanishing like a dream.
"See, hypocrites are like that bubble in the sunlight. They're bound to burst eventually. But true rogues, now they're different. Rogues are honest about their deeds—an eye for an eye, and always chasing after the ladies..." Leaf laughed heartily.
Mo Qianqian rolled her eyes. The first part of his speech seemed almost philosophical, but the latter half revealed his true rogue nature. Yet, in a strange way, true rogues seemed more endearing than hypocrites.
Realizing her thoughts, Mo Qianqian quickly dismissed them. What was she thinking? This rogue was messing with her mind!
"Hey, little lady, you don't seem scared of me anymore. Are you starting to think rogues aren't so bad after all?" Leaf teased.
"When was I ever scared of you? What's there to fear about a stinking rogue?" Mo Qianqian huffed, her eyes meeting Leaf's defiantly, trying to prove she was unafraid.
But when Leaf's gaze turned deep and playful, Mo Qianqian couldn't hold it and looked away, her cheeks flushing red.
A little lamb like her was no match for a cunning wolf.
Teasing her lightened Leaf's mood considerably. It seemed a man always needed a woman's company to keep things lively.
Just as Leaf was about to continue teasing Mo Qianqian, his smile suddenly froze, and a flash of alarm crossed his eyes.
"Hey, little lady, listen up. There's danger in the pool. Don't turn around, just slowly walk towards me." Leaf's voice was a thin, steady thread.
Mo Qianqian looked up, seeing the seriousness in Leaf's expression, and felt a jolt of fear. She was about to follow his instructions but then remembered who she was dealing with. No way she'd believe him. If there was danger in the pool, wouldn't she sense it this close?
"You outdated trickster! If you don't want me to look, I'll do just that..." Mo Qianqian said defiantly, turning her head despite Leaf's warning. The words caught in her throat, and her face turned ghostly pale.
Rising from the splashing water was a massive, triangular snake head, its cold, malevolent eyes locked onto her.