Ye Qingxian was extremely displeased.
She looked at Tang Yuehua with an almost scrutinizing gaze.
Because she realized her best friend seemed to harbor some ulterior motives. From the hints in her words, her feigned fragility, and the small action of putting away Lin Xiao's handkerchief earlier, Ye Qingxian could see a glimpse of it.
That slut…
If Lin Xiao hadn't been present, Ye Qingxian would have cursed her out loud.
Tang Yuehua, however, still kept her eyes lowered, speaking with a pitiable air:
"Lin Xiao, I was wrong before, but like your Aunt Ye, I truly care about you."
"The Clear Sky Sect poses no threat to you. If you promise me you'll leave them a way to survive, I'll give you the Phoenix Bone and Soul Tool you desire."
"I can compensate you properly for my past wrongdoings; anything you want from me, or anything you want me to do, I will do…"
Tang Yuehua bit her lip.
She was already dressed in plain white mourning clothes, and her figure was like a ripe peach, tender and juicy. Her unique aura of noble elegance exuded a distinctly feminine allure. Furthermore, after Ye Qingxian had healed her face, she was also incredibly beautiful and charming…
Lin Xiao felt something was a bit off.
Ye Qingxian, meanwhile, watched with cold eyes.
This is pure seduction!
"Slap!"
Unexpectedly, Ye Qingxian slapped Tang Yuehua across the face. Tang Yuehua's expression shifted to one of shock. As she looked up in surprise, her eyes met Ye Qingxian's, and she immediately lowered her head guiltily.
"You're not young anymore, are you?"
"Nearly forty? For an ordinary person, no matter how well they maintain themselves, once they reach a certain age, their skin quickly loses elasticity, and wrinkles will sprout like bamboo shoots after rain. How many years of youth do you have left?"
"Aren't you ashamed?"
Tang Yuehua was utterly mortified by Ye Qingxian's words.
Her lips trembled, and she cried:
"Then what do you want me to do? The Clear Sky Sect raised me, nurtured me. Are you asking me to watch it head towards destruction and do nothing?"
These words might have been just a fig leaf.
Or they could have been Tang Yuehua's true feelings.
Seducing Lin Xiao was the simplest, quickest, and most effective means for Tang Yuehua to achieve her goals.
Tang Yuehua seemed to steel herself.
She knelt on the ground, clutching Lin Xiao's leg, crying like a weeping pear blossom:
"I am merely a weak woman."
"I know you resent the Clear Sky Sect for what they did to you back then, but I was completely unaware of it. The elders in the Sect hid it from me! What could I have done?"
"I'm not asking you to spare the Clear Sky Sect, just to leave them a path to survival! I promise that from now on, the Clear Sky Sect will never stand against you…"
Lin Xiao frowned slightly and retorted:
"Is that so?"
"Since you have no say in the Clear Sky Sect, what right do you have to make promises to me with just empty words?"
Ye Qingxian saw that Tang Yuehua's attempts to touch Lin Xiao were not working.
She used a surge of Soul Power to push Tang Yuehua away and said coldly:
"Cry if you want to cry, make a scene if you want to make a scene! But don't touch him!"
She truly didn't understand how her best friend, who used to have such a cold and noble demeanor, had become so shameless.
Tang Yuehua was taken aback. She suddenly said:
"To put it bluntly, you don't believe me, do you?"
"Lin Xiao, I can find the Phoenix Bone and Soul Tool for you first. As long as you promise not to annihilate the Clear Sky Sect, but to leave them a sliver of hope for their continuation…"
"Please, Lin Xiao, I won't harm you!"
Lin Xiao tightened the robe around him and fell into thought.
He suddenly asked:
"Are the Phoenix Bone and Soul Tool in the Clear Sky Sect?"
Tang Yuehua shook her head.
"Promise me, and I'll tell you."
Tang Yuehua was no naive young girl; she was quite cunning. It would be difficult to trick information out of her.
Ye Qingxian then said:
"Lin Xiao, let me help you talk to her."
"You go to sleep."
Late at night, Ye Qingxian simply couldn't stand Tang Yuehua's coquettish behavior any longer, and she also feared Lin Xiao might soften and be seduced by this wretched woman.
Lin Xiao nodded upon hearing this.
To be honest, the only reason he was speaking with Tang Yuehua was out of consideration for Ye Qingxian. He had no good feelings towards this woman and had no desire to waste time dealing with her.
...
The next day.
Lin Xiao woke up and finished his boxing practice.
Ye Qingxian invited him to the reception hall for a chat.
Tang Yuehua was also there.
"The negotiations are settled."
"Tang Yuehua will first hand over the Phoenix Bone and Soul Tool to you, and then swear an oath never to associate with Tang San or Tang Chen."
Lin Xiao was somewhat surprised.
Why were they only giving benefits? Didn't Tang Yuehua have any conditions to propose?
Ye Qingxian seemed to see through Lin Xiao's thoughts and sneered:
"Does she even deserve to negotiate terms?"
"The Clear Sky Sect is already doomed. She has no other choice but to beg us!"
"Let's wait until she brings the items first!"
Lin Xiao looked at Tang Yuehua. She appeared haggard and wasn't as eloquent as she was last night. She seemed completely subdued by Aunt Ye's "tyranny," acting like an obedient maid.
Lin Xiao gave Ye Qingxian a thumbs-up.
Aunt Ye is amazing!
As expected, only women understand women best...
There's nowhere to hide in front of a best friend.
Tang Yuehua said resentfully:
"The Phoenix Bone and Soul Tool are located in the Clear Sky Sect's Inheritance Ground."
"That's why I kept it a secret before. But I can't retrieve them alone. Lin Xiao, I need you to go to the Clear Sky Sect with me."
Ye Qingxian's brow furrowed, about to scold her.
Tang Yuehua quickly said:
"Everything I'm saying is the truth, I absolutely don't intend to harm you!"
"Actually... there's a secret path into the Clear Sky Sect. If you don't trust me, you can bring Poison Douluo along!"
Lin Xiao and Ye Qingxian exchanged glances.
But they weren't surprised.
The Clear Sky Sect had been besieged for so long, yet they hadn't charged down the mountain for a desperate fight. Both of them had long suspected they had a backup plan.
As it turned out, they did have a "mouse hole."
Tang Yuehua felt very wronged.
She was essentially leading people to raid her own sect's home. But there was no helping it; Ye Qingxian understood her too well. Last night's negotiation lasted all night, and in reality, only one thing happened:
Ye Qingxian made Tang Yuehua realize that she had absolutely no bargaining chips.
Once the Clear Sky Sect was destroyed, there would be plenty of ways to make Tang Yuehua comply, but those were methods Ye Qingxian didn't want to use. Therefore, it was best for Tang Yuehua to surrender in advance, make some contributions, and then perhaps make demands.
But this way, the initiative would be entirely in Lin Xiao's hands!
What if she was taken advantage of for nothing?
Tang Yuehua protested vehemently.
The only response she received was Ye Qingxian's cold gaze.
After being worn down all night like a hawk, she finally surrendered.
What made Tang Yuehua most upset was that yesterday, Ye Qingxian had acted uncharacteristically, saying many sharp and harsh words, telling her not to think of crooked paths and not to set her sights on Lin Xiao.
Otherwise, Ye Qingxian would truly kill her...
Sensing the killing intent emanating from Ye Qingxian, Tang Yuehua backed down.
But she was outwardly compliant while inwardly defiant, still thinking:
What are you so proud of? Once I really get Lin Xiao, who knows who will be closer between Aunt Ye and Aunt Tang...
Tang Yuehua's lips curled upwards.
This was an opportunity to retrieve the Phoenix Bone and Soul Tool.
It was also an opportunity to avoid Ye Qingxian and have some alone time with Lin Xiao.
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