Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

w.a.n.g Haoqiang rolled on the floor in an attempt to escape the whip.

 To his surprise, the whip was as flexible as a snake. It swiftly caught up to him and wrapped itself around his body. Then, it smashed his head against a rock like a hammer.

 w.a.n.g Haoqiang's eyes rolled backward, and he pa.s.sed out.

 “Ye Jiuge! What's the meaning of this?” Lin Yanxi was livid. She was just about to admonish Ye Jiuge for her immoral act when she realized that the whip had changed course and was charging at her.

 Lin Yanxi frantically brandished her Mystical Handkerchief to defend herself. As she did, she saw Luo Tian and Ye Yu vanish before her in the blink of an eye.

 The next moment, Ye Yu restrained her, and Luo Tian seized her Mystical Handkerchief.

 “Ugh! Why are you all so mean?” Lin Yanxi's beautiful face went pale, her tears rolled down her cheeks like pearls.

 “Ye Jiuge! You have gone too far!” A few male spiritual pract.i.tioners who fancied Lin Yanxi wanted to be the hero who saved the damsel in distress, but they were immobilized by a burst of force from Gong Xifan.

 Gong Xifan made his stance very clear: he was on Ye Jiuge's side.

 Ye Jiuge swung her hand, and the Lightning Snake Magical Whip struck Lin Yanxi on the back.

 Her face turned deadly white from the pain, and a cold sweat broke out all over her forehead. She looked extremely pitiful.

 The male spiritual pract.i.tioners could not bear to see her in such a state, and they all turned to stare daggers at Ye Jiuge.

 Ye Jiuge retracted her whip with a cold, indifferent expression.

 She knew that Lin Yanxi would act like she was in a lot of pain after being whipped, which was why she had decided to grant her wish.

 “Great Master Gong, Junior Sister Lin did not do anything wrong. Ms. Ye is too harsh with her.” A tall, burly male spiritual pract.i.tioner took a step forward to defend Lin Yanxi.

 “Do you mean to say that there's nothing wrong with her trying to sow discord among us?” Gong Xifan scanned the male spiritual pract.i.tioners before him with stern eyes before going on in a cold voice, “Let me make myself clear. From now on, anyone who attempts to negatively influence our army's morale will be killed. Absolutely no mercy will be shown.”

 After hearing Gong Xifan's words, the male spiritual pract.i.tioners exchanged glances. They did not dare say another word.

 They were all fond of Lin Yanxi, but their feelings for her were not strong enough that they would defy Gong Xifan.

 Upon careful thought, they realized that w.a.n.g Haoqiang and Lin Yanxi were indeed in the wrong.

 The two of them were not close to Yue Lingjun and Qiao Shaohua. They only spoke the way they did to spite Ye Jiuge. It was easy to see why they would be punished.

 Gong Honglei opened his mouth to speak. “Uncle, no matter what happens, both Ms. Yue and Junior Brother Qiao are still part of our team. We can't possibly stand by and watch the Bloodthirsty Sect kill them. We have to come up with a way to save them.”

 “How can we save them when we can't even destroy the protective formation?” Su Xun'er sighed. All the spiritual pract.i.tioners fell silent for some time after hearing her words. It was impossible for them to triumph over the Bloodthirsty Sect when they could not even deal with the Blood Mosquitoes.

 Right then, a small and skinny spiritual pract.i.tioner by the name of Sun Shufeng said subserviently, “Why don't we go back for reinforcements?”

 “Who's willing to do that?” asked Baili Moyun.

 “Of course, we'd all go back together!” Sun Shufeng said hurriedly.

 “That's true. The Bloodthirsty Sect is too much for us to handle. We should go back for reinforcements!” Many spiritual pract.i.tioners hastily nodded their heads. The thought of escaping had surfaced in their minds after the battle.

 “You are free to go back if you want, but I am staying here. I need to kill the Bloodthirsty Patriarch,” said Ye Jiuge.

 All the spiritual pract.i.tioners directed their gaze toward Gong Xifan.

 “If you want to go back, you can leave now. But, today is your last day to do so. If any of you leave tomorrow, I'll consider you deserters and execute you without mercy.” Gong Xifan made his intentions clear. He was going to continue attacking the Bloodthirsty Sect.

 The spiritual pract.i.tioners fell silent.

 They all knew that they would just end up like Yue Lingjun and Qiao Shaohua, crushed one after the other if they were to leave on their own.

 “Let's not be depressed. I'm sure we'll be able to think of a way to destroy the protective formation if we all work together. You must be tired. Go back and rest for now!” Gong Honglei tried to smooth things over.

 The spiritual pract.i.tioners left quietly. Each one looked listless.

 Gong Xifan walked over to Ye Jiuge's side and asked her in a low voice, “Does Ms. Ye have any ideas about how we can destroy the formation?”

 “Let me think about it some more!” Ye Jiuge did have an idea, but she still needed to make some arrangements.

 “We don't have much time left.” Gong Xifan furrowed his brow. The Blood Lotus Flower was set to bloom in four days.

 “I'll try my best to come up with something soon.” After sending Gong Xifan away, Ye Jiuge called Ye Yu over. She asked him, “Didn't you say that Shou Hou was someone whom your sister trusted? Can you get him to help us?”

 “I can ask him, but I have no way of getting to Bloodcloud Peak now.” Ye Yu had always wanted to ask Shou Hou about his sister, but he had not been able to make his way past the protective formation.

 Ye Jiuge pondered for a moment and said, “I'll get Ye Zi to bring you there.” For now, Zi Shang was the only person who could make his way past the protective formation at will.

 “Alright. When am I leaving?” Ye Yu's eyes lit up.

 “I'll let you know soon.” Ye Jiuge knew that she had to pay the price if she wanted to ask Zi Shang for a favor.

 Just as Ye Jiuge expected, Zi Shang pounced on her and ravaged her the moment he heard her request. He only headed out with Ye Yu once he was satisfied.

 “A beast will always be a beast.” Ye Jiuge touched her swollen lips bitterly before she put on a veil and asked Luo Tian to call over Gong Xifan.

 “Miss, have you come up with a plan?” Gong Xifan asked.

 Ye Jiuge nodded and said, “Indeed. But there is something I'd like Great Master Gong to help me with.” She did not know how things were going with Ye Yu, so she had to prepare for all eventualities.

 “I'll do all I can to help you, Miss.” Gong Xifan answered.

 “I heard that Great Master Gong is good at refining spiritual tools. I'd like you to help me refine a spiritual tool that is capable of concealing the Jade Spiritual Pill.” Ye Jiuge fished out a dark green bead.

 “The Jade Spiritual Pill. What are its effects?” Gong Xifan stared curiously at the pill.

 “This Jade Spiritual Pill is used to treat toxemia. It helps get rid of poison in the blood, and it is also able to flush out the toxins from the body. It's the perfect medicinal pill to take if one wishes to maintain a youthful appearance.”

 “Miss, now is not the time to care about maintaining a youthful appearance.” Gong Xifan was infuriated.

 “Don't be angry, Great Master Gong. Please let me finish…” Ye Jiuge told Gong Xifan about the pill's other effect. Hearing it, he was over the moon.

 “I never knew that the Jade Spiritual Pill had such an effect! Miss, you are truly gifted at Spiritual Alchemy!” Gong Xifan laughed heartily.

 “I need Great Master Gong to help me refine a suitable spiritual tool so that we can make full use of the Jade Spiritual Pill.” Ye Jiuge had come up with this idea at the last minute, and her plan's success rested on Gong Xifan.

 “Well, I happen to have the perfect spiritual tool.” Gong Xifan's love for refining tools had led him to collect numerous peculiar items over the years. He took out a palm-sized black pearl from his Magical Bottomless Bag and said, “I refined this bead by mimicking the Thunder Pearl's design. Sadly, it is not very powerful, but it'll be perfect for holding the Jade Spiritual Pill.”

 Ye Jiuge thoroughly examined the black pearl and nodded contentedly. “Yes, it will.”

 She then pa.s.sed a bottle of Jade Spiritual Pills to Gong Xifan. “Can you put all these Jade Spiritual Pills into the pearl?”

 “Of course. I'll get started right away.” Gong Xifan moved very fast. He only needed two hours to finish refining the pearl.

 When Ye Jiuge received the finished product from Gong Xifan, Ye Yu had returned from Bloodcloud Peak.