Volume 7, Chapter 438 – Yaoyao Infiltrates the Donglai Sect

In a pitch-black alley, a masked man dressed in black robes fidgeted like an ant on a hot pan, clearly waiting for something.

Before long, another figure entered the alley. A young man in plain clothes, carrying nothing identifiable on his person. His appearance gave no clues about his background.

“Why are you so late today?”

The masked man exhaled in relief but still couldn’t hide his irritation.

“Apologies, Brother Dao! I ran into an evil spirit on the way and got delayed.”

The plain-clothed youth offered a sincere apology.

“Can’t you come a day or two earlier next time?”

The masked man suggested impatiently.

“Brother Dao, you jest. With evil spirits running rampant these days, disciples of immortal sects like us are either exterminating demons or on our way to do so. We’re at the beck and call of our superiors all year round. How could I possibly come earlier?”

The young man chuckled self-deprecatingly.

“Forget it!”

The masked man shook his head helplessly before pulling out a small jade vial, no thicker than a thumb.

“Here’s the cat tears you wanted.”

“Why is it only this little? Brother Dao, your bottles keep getting smaller.”

The young man took the vial and smirked mockingly.

“Be grateful you’re getting any at all. You know how the cultivation world has been plagued by that cat thief lately, stealing Nine Nether Demon Cats from every major sect. Our Donglai Sect is barely scraping by with the few we have left. Where would we get extra tears to spare?”

The masked man complained bitterly.

“Then where did you get these tears, Brother Dao?”

The plain-clothed youth probed.

“What? After years of working together, you still don’t know the rules of this trade? Don’t ask about the source of the goods.”

The masked man’s tone turned icy.

“Brother Dao, you misunderstand. Precisely because we’ve worked together for years, I consider you a friend. That’s why I asked casually. If I’ve offended you, please forgive me.”

The young man hurriedly apologized.

“Don’t ask questions you shouldn’t. You want cat tears, I want silver, we each get what we need. If our deal falls through, I’ll only lose some silver, but you’ll lose your life without those tears.”

The masked man warned coldly.

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“You’re absolutely right, Brother Dao.”

The young man nodded repeatedly.

The two quickly concluded their transaction and went their separate ways.

The masked man darted through the shadows, finding a secluded spot before finally removing his mask and black robes, revealing the standard uniform of the Donglai Sect beneath.

Now restored to his true identity, he swaggered out confidently, completely unaware that his every move had been observed by a certain cat-eared girl.

Just as he was about to return to the sect, a petite figure blocked his path. His eyes widened in infatuation, before him stood an extraordinarily beautiful young girl.

Her delicate face was as fragile as a budding flower, her flawless features carved like jade. Her large, clear eyes shone with an innocence untouched by the world, and her cherry-red lips glistened temptingly. Though her youthful frame was still slender, the tight white waist-length dress she wore accentuated her budding charm, like a flower just waiting to bloom.

This girl was none other than Yaoyao.

Her reason for approaching this man was simple: with cat tears in such short supply across sects, anyone who could still sell them must have close access to the Donglai Sect’s Nine Nether Demon Cats.

“Greetings, Immortal! You’re a disciple of the Donglai Sect, right? This humble girl has a few questions to ask.”

Yaoyao spoke politely, deliberately feigning timidity.

The masked man, now unmasked, coughed awkwardly before replying, “Greetings, young lady. I am Pan Lin, an inner disciple of the Donglai Sect. May I ask your name and what brings you to me?”

“Immortal Pan, my surname is Yao. You see…”

Yaoyao repeated the same story she had told the teahouse owner earlier.

“You want to settle in the Donglai Sect?”

A flicker of delight flashed across Pan Lin’s face, though he quickly suppressed it. He then put on a sympathetic expression.

“Ah, Miss Yao, you must understand. The Donglai Sect is the greatest immortal sect in the Western Radiance Dynasty. Countless people wish to live here every day. If we let everyone in, the place would be overcrowded long ago. That’s why our sect leader established a new rule long ago: to gain residency, one must not only have wealth but also submit an application.”

“What? An application?”

Yaoyao deliberately feigned surprise.

“Yes, and without connections, it’s nearly impossible to get approved.”

Pan Lin continued to intimidate her.

“Then what should I do? I’ve traveled thousands of miles to get here. If I can’t secure residency, where will I go?”

Yaoyao looked distressed, her large eyes reddening, though in truth, she was merely channeling resentment energy.

“Don’t cry! Don’t cry! There is another way for you to enter.”

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Pan Lin quickly “comforted” her.

“What way? If you can help me, Immortal, I’ll do everything in my power to repay your kindness!”

Yaoyao pressed eagerly.

“Well, while residency is difficult for ordinary people, it’s different for inner disciples. Each of us has an additional free residency right, we can bring one family member or servant to live with us. If you agree to become my concubine, not only would you skip the application, but you wouldn’t have to spend a single coin. You could move in immediately.”

Pan Lin revealed his true intentions. Though he tried to hide it, the greed on his face was unmistakable.

“Concubine? Huh?”

Yaoyao’s expression turned troubled, this time, it wasn’t an act. If “subtle infiltration” required sacrificing her dignity, she’d rather just force her way in.

“What? Not willing? You should know that as an inner disciple of the Donglai Sect, countless women throw themselves at me. Marrying me would be a blessing for you.”

Pan Lin boasted shamelessly.

“Excuse me.”

Without hesitation, Yaoyao turned to leave.

“Huh?!”

Pan Lin had never expected such a decisive rejection. His mind blanked for a moment before he finally snapped back to reality.

Watching Yaoyao’s retreating figure and recalling her devastatingly beautiful face, his expression twisted with unwillingness. After a long pause, he couldn’t resist chasing after her.

“Fine, forget being a concubine. You can start as a servant in my household. We happen to need a maid.”

“Deal!”

Yaoyao spun around instantly, even faster than when she had refused him.

‘Did I just go too soft?’

Pan Lin regretted his decision deeply but couldn’t take it back now. He felt like slapping himself.

“Ah well, as the saying goes, ‘the moon is brightest closest to home.’ As long as I keep this girl by my side, how could I fail to get what I want in the end?”

Pan Lin consoled himself before leading Yaoyao toward the Donglai Sect.

He acted the perfect gentleman the entire way, his mind solely focused on how to claim her, completely unaware that he was inviting a wolf, or in this case, a cat, into his home.

“Miss Yao, you should wear a veil.”

As they neared the edge of town, Pan Lin suddenly thought of something and suggested.

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“Why?”

Yaoyao blinked in confusion.

“The world is dangerous, and you’re far too beautiful. If you don’t cover up, you might attract the wrong kind of attention.”

Pan Lin gave a vague excuse.

Yaoyao quickly realized his true motive, he wanted to “hide” her beauty for himself.

“Fine.”

She complied without protest. After all, she didn’t want unnecessary attention either.

And so, Yaoyao smoothly entered the Donglai Sect with Pan Lin’s help.

Truthfully, with her abilities, sneaking in unnoticed would’ve been child’s play. But she hadn’t yet sensed her clansmen’s presence, nor did she know the sect’s internal layout. Acting rashly might alert the enemy, hence her choice against a direct assault.

Now, however, she had a “legitimate” identity and could stay as long as she wanted.

Her next steps were clear:

First, uncover the Donglai Sect’s internal affairs.

Second, locate where her clansmen were imprisoned.

With that knowledge, her eventual strike would have a far higher chance of success.

Yaoyao followed Pan Lin to his home, her mind solely focused on infiltration, completely overlooking one critical detail.

Even veiled, she was still a woman.

And that would inevitably provoke the jealousy of Pan Lin’s wife.

Sure enough, the moment they stepped through the gate, the lady of the house scowled.

“Who is this girl?”

Madam Pan’s tone was frosty.

“My dear, I found this young lady in the town below the mountain. She had nowhere to go, so I brought her back. Our household could use another servant anyway.”

Pan Lin put on his most righteous expression.

“Who said we need more servants? Do you think I can’t handle the household chores?”

Madam Pan’s frown deepened.

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“Of course you can, but you’re a madam of a cultivator of the Donglai Sect. Must you personally attend to every trivial matter? If word got out, my embarrassment would be the least of our worries, but if your jade-like hands grew rough, my heart would shatter.”

Pan Lin poured on the sweet talk.

Madam Pan’s expression softened instantly, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.

“After all these years of marriage, you’re still so sentimental? Then why is she wearing a veil?”

“She has a birthmark. Removing it might scare people.”

Pan Lin lied smoothly.

Now fully reassured, Madam Pan stepped forward kindly.

“Little sister, you can stay with us from now on. I promise you’ll be well taken care of.”

Pan Lin smirked triumphantly, unaware that beneath Yaoyao’s veil, an even more cunning smile had formed.

Meanwhile, far away in Yongning Prefecture’s capital, the Donglai Sect delegation was in no hurry to leave.

Cheng Kang needed time to recover, Lü Er’s punch had shattered several of his ribs. Even for an immortal cultivator, such injuries took time to heal.

But his physical wounds weren’t the worst of it.

As the Western Radiance Dynasty’s top-ranked immortal seedling, being one-punched into defeat had dealt a devastating blow to his psyche. If he failed to overcome this, his Dao heart might shatter entirely.

Not that Qi Huang cared.

She was merely waiting patiently for the fourth round of draws.

Days later, the fourth round commenced.

Only eight sects or individuals remained at this stage, none of them pushovers.

The most feared among them was undoubtedly Lü Er, whose peak Incarnation Realm cultivation all but guaranteed him first place in the Evergreen Conference. The rest could only fight for scraps.

Naturally, no one wanted to face him.

Qi Huang, however, was different.

She couldn’t wait to send this eyesore packing, and secretly hoped she’d draw him this round.