The Hehuan Sect Was Squeezed Dry for Ten Thousand Years, but It Became a Sacred Ground?-Chapter 45 - Baiting the Hook—The Fish Finally Takes the Bait!
Chapter 45: Baiting the Hook—The Fish Finally Takes the Bait!
This time, Liu Ruyan decided against using the direct approach.
After all, the three girls had only been in the sect for half a year. If she acted too hastily, she might arouse suspicion.
Patience was key.
Compared to Duanmu Yao’s obvious excitement, Yu Hua and Zhou Qin were far more composed.
“Are you sure we won’t be discovered?”
Zhou Qin couldn’t help but ask in her heart once more.
“Relax. As long as I don’t release my spiritual energy or reveal my form, even a Tribulation Transcendence cultivator wouldn’t notice me,” replied Qing Yi confidently from within the jade pendant.
“Good.”
After careful deliberation, Zhou Qin also bowed to Liu Ruyan.
“Master above, please accept this disciple’s bow.”
This had been discussed beforehand.
If she wanted to uncover the secrets of the Qinglian Sect, she had to gain status—to become one of their own.
Qing Yi had assured her that only genuine recognition of a master mattered; the rest was mere formality.
Observing the girl, who was clearly more steady-minded than Duanmu Yao, Liu Ruyan accepted her while simultaneously contemplating her next steps.
That left only Yu Hua.
To everyone’s surprise, she did not choose the higher-realm sect master, Liu Ruyan. Instead, she turned and bowed to the Grand Elder, Xu Qingyao.
“Master above, please accept this disciple’s bow.”
The violet-haired beauty was visibly astonished. She hadn’t expected this girl to pick her.
Although she had a high opinion of Yu Hua, she felt that what she could teach was rather limited. If she ended up hindering Yu Hua’s potential, that would be unacceptable.
Instinctively, she glanced at Liu Ruyan. Seeing her nod, she smiled and accepted the disciple.
Yu Hua’s reasoning was simple.
She didn’t know if prolonged exposure to Liu Ruyan would expose her secrets. Between a Nascent Soul sect master and a Grand Elder at the Core Formation stage, the safer choice was obvious.
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As for learning cultivation techniques? Did she even need that?
After the tournament, Duanmu Yao and Zhou Qin became the sect master’s personal disciples, ranking second and third.
Yu Hua, the tournament champion, became the Grand Elder’s personal disciple.
The three of them were relocated from the ordinary disciples’ caves to luxurious estates reserved for direct disciples—spacious courtyards nestled in the mountains, complete with spiritual energy-gathering formations. A far cry from the cramped cliffside dwellings of regular disciples.
Interestingly, their residences were not far from one another and were suspiciously close to the sect’s forbidden rear mountain.
A month passed in the blink of an eye.
While Yu Hua’s circumstances remained unknown, Duanmu Yao and Zhou Qin were indeed receiving meticulous instruction under Liu Ruyan.
Both of them studied diligently.
Even with Qing Yi’s guidance, Zhou Qin was still limited in combat and cultivation knowledge—after all, she was an artifact spirit specializing in alchemy, not martial arts.
Over time, however, a stark difference emerged between Zhou Qin and Duanmu Yao.
Zhou Qin progressed steadily, while Duanmu Yao grew increasingly restless.
She could feel it—her cultivation speed was slowing.
At first, she could still boast of being a peerless genius.
But now, she was just… an ordinary genius.
At this rate, she could foresee a future where she was only slightly more talented than a common cultivator.
Even reaching Core Formation would be uncertain.
How could she accept that?
She confided in her master about the limitations of the royal Golden Dragon Physique.
But all she received in return was a helpless sigh and a shake of the head.
Despair and unease gnawed at her.
If she couldn’t change her fate, she had to seize every moment before her potential was completely sealed.
If she cultivated fast enough, she might still have a fighting chance to defy destiny.
Even if she failed, a higher cultivation base while young would give her a better shot at inching toward the Core Formation stage over time.
That was when she noticed her master, Liu Ruyan, frequently visiting the rear mountain.
Could the rumors about the Sect’s Forbidden Monster Prison be true?
Duanmu Yao dared not ask outright.
But she was already backed into a corner. How much worse could it get?
She was a princess of Great Xia—if she failed and got caught, she likely wouldn’t be executed.
And if even her future was denied to her, what was the point of living cautiously?
After much deliberation, she made up her mind.
She would take the risk!
Succeed or die trying.
From that day on, she spent her nights secretly exploring the rear mountain whenever Liu Ruyan was away.
She mapped out the terrain.
Plotted escape routes.
Then, on the seventh night, she finally made her move.
Dressed in black, she slipped out under the moonlight, convinced that she was undetectable.
She hurried toward the rear mountain, unaware of the shadow trailing her.
Liu Ruyan, concealed and amused, followed unhurriedly.
A month of baiting.
Finally, the fish had taken the hook.
Duanmu Yao was on edge. Every rustling leaf and distant sound made her heart skip a beat.
She darted her eyes around before pressing forward.
Stealthily, she made it to the forbidden site.
Taking a deep breath, she placed her hand on the stone gate.
She hadn’t even exerted any force yet when—
Rumble!
The gate trembled violently.
Startled, she jumped back.
Only when she saw the doors slowly open, revealing an empty passage, did she relax.
Patting her flat chest, she muttered, “Hah… So it was a sensory mechanism. I scared myself for nothing.”
Not far away, Liu Ruyan watched silently, having secretly activated the gate herself.
“……”
How foolish.
How embarrassing.
If she had known this girl was such an idiot, she wouldn’t have accepted her as a disciple in the first place.
