After the Fairy Maidens Fell to Darkness, They Captured Me to Ruthlessly 'Repay' Their Gratitude-Chapter 80 - "Do You Mind Carrying Your Master’s Scent?"

“When do you plan to become a direct disciple?” Feng Yuan asked casually, handing a cup of tea to He Ange as if they were simply chatting about the weather.

Sitting across from his master, He Ange accepted the tea and took a sip, only to grimace slightly.

His master’s taste was... unique. The tea tasted more like bitter medicine than anything remotely enjoyable.

“To qualify as a direct disciple, one must at least reach the Core Formation stage. As of now, I’m still a step away from completing the advancement ceremony,” He Ange replied calmly.

Currently, He Ange was at the late Foundation Establishment stage. Thanks to the resources he had recently obtained from Qin Shiyan and Nightfall, he wasn’t lacking in cultivation materials.

However, relying solely on resources could only take him so far. Reaching the peak of Foundation Establishment was the limit. To advance to Core Formation, he would need to absorb spiritual energy from others.

There were two ways to do this.

The first was the straightforward method: killing someone and taking their energy. It was quick but crude, with limited energy refinement and a high risk of backlash.

The second method was more... intimate. Like with Xia Ranyue, he could deceive someone into willingly opening their spiritual gates, allowing him to drain their energy.

But He Ange couldn’t rely solely on Xia Ranyue. She had only just reached Foundation Establishment herself, and her spiritual energy was far from sufficient to satisfy his needs.

“Don’t you have a senior sister, An Luo Yi?” Feng Yuan suggested, sipping her tea as if she were merely discussing the weather.

He Ange froze, his eyes flashing with a hint of mischief before he quickly looked away.

“That... doesn’t seem right. Besides, Senior Sister is at the late Core Formation stage. I wouldn’t stand a chance against her,” he said hesitantly.

“Does it really seem wrong? Your master supports you,” Feng Yuan said, her tone indifferent.

“But Senior Sister has always been kind to me. She raised me when I was a child, and she’s looked after me ever since I joined the Shengxu Sect...” He Ange began, his voice trailing off.

“Then why wasn’t she the one who saved you from the abyss?” Feng Yuan interrupted coldly, her phoenix-like eyes glinting with a sinister light.

He Ange looked up at her, his thoughts swirling.

Their gazes locked, a silent understanding passing between them.

After a moment, Feng Yuan set her teacup down with a faint, chilling smile.

“The Abyss Spirit Orb is with An Luo Yi now. That alone is a debt she owes you. Asking her to assist you in advancing to Core Formation isn’t unreasonable,” she said.

He Ange took a sharp breath, his expression thoughtful. “Master’s words... are not without merit.”

“But Senior Sister is incredibly powerful. She recently defeated the Holy Son of the Demon Sect. If she discovers my rogue cultivation roots during dual cultivation, she might see it as a betrayal and kill me. I’d rather spend a few more years serving you, Master,” he said, sighing dramatically.

Feng Yuan watched him for a moment before crossing her legs beneath her gown, a cold smile playing on her lips.

She saw through him.

From the start, He Ange had already considered using An Luo Yi to advance his cultivation. His hesitation and complaints were merely a ploy to garner more support from her.

He was hinting at something.

Feng Yuan understood.

She removed a ring from her left pinky finger and placed it on the table, sliding it toward him.

“This is your reward for bringing back the Abyss Orb,” she said.

He Ange picked up the ring, examining it closely. It was a simple design, adorned with a small jade gemstone.

“Master, may I ask what this ring does?” he asked, puzzled.

“It’s just a trinket I found in the abyss. I thought it looked nice, so I made it into a ring,” Feng Yuan replied nonchalantly.

“Ah?” He Ange blinked, confused.

“Is it not beautiful?” she asked.

“It is,” he admitted.

“Then cherish it. It’s not easy to find jade in the abyss. Consider it a token of my regard,” she said, her tone matter-of-fact.

“Wait, that’s it? Nothing else?” He Ange asked, still skeptical.

He had assumed that, as an ancient spirit phoenix, Feng Yuan’s accessories would be imbued with extraordinary powers. If it was just a decorative piece, why would he, a grown man, wear a ring?

“Oh, one more thing,” Feng Yuan added. “I’ve worn that ring for over a thousand years. It’s imbued with my scent. I hope you don’t mind.”

He Ange wasn’t sure if she was being serious or deliberately vague. Her words left him feeling utterly perplexed.

The ring carried her scent?

He glanced at Feng Yuan, who showed no signs of displeasure, and brought the ring to his nose for a sniff.

Sure enough, it carried a faint, soothing fragrance—the same scent that lingered around Feng Yuan herself.

Suddenly, He Ange felt as though he understood.

“Master, as the sovereign of the abyss, if I wear this ring, wouldn’t it signify your authority?” he asked.

“Perhaps,” she replied, her tone indifferent.

She neither confirmed nor denied it.

Feng Yuan rarely explained the value of her possessions. She believed that their worth would reveal itself in time. If He Ange wanted to understand the ring’s significance, he would have to figure it out on his own.

Now, He Ange understood.

He placed the ring in his storage pouch, but Feng Yuan’s voice stopped him.

“Do you mind my scent?” she asked, her phoenix-like eyes narrowing slightly.

“Not at all,” he replied quickly.

“Then why aren’t you wearing it?” she asked.

“Master, can I really wear something you’ve worn?” he asked hesitantly.

“Why not?” she replied, her tone cool.

He Ange felt a pang of awkwardness.

Their perspectives were clearly different.

Because Feng Yuan appeared as a stunningly beautiful young woman, He Ange instinctively treated her with the respect one would show to an elder of the opposite sex.

But Feng Yuan wasn’t human. She was a spirit phoenix.

For spirit beasts, scent was a crucial aspect of social hierarchy. By wearing her ring and carrying her scent, He Ange would be acknowledging her dominance as his master.

Refusing to wear it could be seen as rejecting her authority.

“Master, is this acceptable?” He Ange asked as he slipped the ring onto his finger.

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“It is,” she replied.

“Then... if there’s nothing else, may I take my leave?” he asked cautiously, standing up.

But before he could leave, Feng Yuan called him back.

She rose from her bench, her bare feet touching the ground as she approached him. With a simple gesture, the Abyss Orb floated from the table into her hand.

Standing before him, she had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze due to their height difference.

It wasn’t that He Ange was particularly tall—Feng Yuan was simply petite.

Despite her imposing presence, Feng Yuan’s true height was only about 160 centimeters. Normally, she compensated by sitting on high chairs or floating, which made her seem taller.

Now, seeing her standing on the ground, He Ange couldn’t help but marvel at how she managed to exude such a commanding aura despite her stature.

“?”

Feng Yuan raised an eyebrow, her phoenix-like eyes narrowing. She reached up and pinched his cheek, her voice icy.

“If you dare disrespect me again, you’ll spend the rest of your life kneeling in my presence,” she warned.

“No, no, I wouldn’t dare... I was admiring you, Master,” He Ange stammered, breaking into a cold sweat.

He had assumed Feng Yuan wouldn’t care about something as trivial as height.

Clearly, he was wrong.

Satisfied that he had learned his lesson, Feng Yuan released his cheek with a faint huff. She handed the Abyss Orb back to him, then floated back to her bench.

“Master, you’re giving the Abyss Orb back to me?” He Ange asked, surprised.

As he took the orb, he noticed that his control over it had significantly improved. With this newfound mastery, he felt confident he could corrupt even a peak Core Formation cultivator with ease.

It seemed the Abyss Orb responded well to authority. After being handled by Feng Yuan and paired with her ring, it had become much more obedient.

Feng Yuan, as the apex predator of the abyss, could effortlessly command respect from even the most unruly treasures.

Watching He Ange toy with the orb, Feng Yuan closed her eyes and crossed her legs once more.

“It’s just a toy. I have no use for it,” she said. “Bring me the Abyss Spirit Orb, and we’ll see about combining the two.”

“Understood. Thank you, Master!” He Ange said, bowing deeply.

…

Yong’an City, Abyss Spirit Hall Ruins

Although Qin Shiyan had managed to suppress the majority of the explosion caused by Nightfall’s self-detonation, the underground ruins of the Abyss Spirit Hall remained heavily damaged.

Thanks to the Abyss Spirit Orb’s protection, An Luo Yi was unharmed but still unconscious.

Liu Moqing, however, wasn’t as fortunate.

Her meridians were shattered, her internal organs severely damaged. Although Xu Daoyun’s attacks hadn’t left external wounds, the internal injuries were catastrophic. Her survival was nothing short of a medical miracle.

Both An Luo Yi and Liu Moqing were being tended to by skilled healers near the Abyss Spirit Hall.

Meanwhile, Qin Shiyan was investigating the ruins.

Although the Abyss Spirit Orb had been secured and the Demon Sect’s Holy Son was dead, understanding what had transpired underground was crucial.

Walking through the maze-like ruins, Qin Shiyan used a spell to filter the dust and ash from the air. Her brows furrowed with each step, her unease growing.

What kind of battle had taken place here?

Crunch.

Her foot struck something brittle. Looking down, she saw a charred fragment of an accessory.

She picked it up, examining it closely. It seemed... familiar.

“This is...”

“Golden Thread Heart Jade?”