Li Yundong's sudden appearance startled Zheng Yuan, and the subsequent arrival of Ziyuan, Su Chan, and Ruan Hongling sent a jolt of alarm through him.

If it were a straight one-on-one confrontation, Zheng Yuan was confident he surpassed Li Yundong, but add Ziyuan to the mix, and he began to have serious second thoughts, especially with a Three-Tailed Demon Fox lurking nearby, and Ruan Hongling from the Orthodox Celestial Sect's Linggong School.

Though Ruan Hongling's cultivation wasn't high, the Scarlet Ribbon artifact in her possession was no trivial matter. Zheng Yuan, experienced as he was, recognized the artifact's fearsome power, and he knew he lacked the pure Yang essence required to nullify it. Facing four opponents, and burdened by Ding Nan, who couldn't cast a single spell, a desire to retreat began to brew.

Seeing himself caught red-handed in the act, Zheng Yuan offered no denial, merely smiling faintly. "So, it's True Man Li. What, have you taken a shine to this century-old Golden Python as well?"

His eyes darted, and he chuckled. "How about this, True Man Li, you take the snake's skin and scales—treasures impervious to blades and fire, perfect for formidable spiritual armor—and I'll just have the flesh? A fair trade, wouldn't you say?"

Li Yundong’s expression darkened, his eyes burning with escalating fury.

Mistaking Li Yundong’s change in expression for recognition of his scheme, Zheng Yuan let out a dry laugh. "What, True Man Li disagrees? Very well, you want the meat? Century-old spirit snake flesh—not only is it an essential catalyst for refining various elixirs, but it's also top-tier tonic material! I'll take the slight loss and claim the hide. You take the flesh, how about that?"

Seeing Li Yundong's face grow even uglier, Zheng Yuan frowned. "True Man Li, are you suggesting you want the inner core as well? How about this: the snake's blood, flesh, skin, and scales are all yours, but the core must be mine. Deal?"

Li Yundong, watching him haggle as if trading vegetables, was filled with uncontrollable rage. He roared, "For you to be a sect master, how can you be so shamelessly depraved, sinister, and utterly merciless! Aren't you afraid of inviting Heavenly Tribulation by slaughtering people?"

Zheng Yuan said impatiently, "True Man Li, I afford you respect by calling you 'True Man.' Don't mistake courtesy for weakness. By age, I am older than your grandfather; it is not your place to lecture me! I haven't killed with artifacts or spells; how would I summon Heavenly Tribulation?"

Li Yundong thundered, "Scoundrel! You have no conscience, living so many years for nothing!"

Zheng Yuan scanned the group with a cold sneer. "Oh? And you are the paragon of virtue? And you, True Man Ziyuan, consorting with the master of the Fox Charm Sect? Hmph. Back when Zou Ping mentioned your collusion with Li Yundong, I didn't believe it. Now it seems true! If this gets out, it won't sound good! Hey, True Man Li, look at yourself—keeping company with a fox spirit, siding with demons, and you dare criticize me! Ha! You are the one utterly shameless!"

Li Yundong’s forehead veins throbbed with anger. He took a deep breath, made a subtle gesture behind his back, and slowly began circulating his true essence, preparing to strike.

Seeing Li Yundong's signal, Ziyuan and the others silently shifted, encircling Zheng Yuan and Ding Nan from the other three directions.

Li Yundong gave Ding Nan a look heavy with meaning. "Ding Nan, I never expected you to associate with such a person! I advise you to come over now, turn back while you can, before you sink any deeper!"

Li Yundong’s words tightened Zheng Yuan's chest. He narrowed his eyes at Ding Nan, thinking inwardly: Ping'er has already taken a new body. How does Li Yundong know her? This situation likely won't end well. If it were just me, I could flee if I couldn't win, but with Ping'er here, how can I escape? It seems I must make a painful sacrifice and abandon her!

Zheng Yuan watched Ding Nan; if she showed even the slightest inclination to flee, he would strike her dead first and then escape himself.

Having spent considerable time with Zhou Qin, and frequently mixing with the powerful figures of officialdom and commerce, Ding Nan possessed exceptional skill in reading faces and discerning intent. In a quick peripheral glance, she saw Zheng Yuan watching her with narrowed eyes, his fingers tightening and relaxing—an expression pregnant with lethal intent.

Ding Nan's heart jolted. Her mind raced, and she instantly made a decision. Without altering her demeanor, she edged slightly closer to Zheng Yuan and whispered, "Master, if you take me hostage to threaten Li Yundong, he won't dare harm us."

Zheng Yuan's heart leaped, and he asked in a low voice, "How do you know?"

Ding Nan felt a storm of emotions but maintained a calm exterior. "Because the owner of this body was his classmate."

Zheng Yuan was overjoyed. He immediately clamped his five fingers around Ding Nan’s throat like iron hooks and bellowed, "Li Yundong, don't push your luck! Be careful, or I’ll choke your classmate to death!"

Li Yundong was shocked and enraged that Zheng Yuan would use Ding Nan to threaten him. "Zheng Yuan, you wouldn't even spare your own disciple?"

Zheng Yuan roared with laughter. "I would rather betray the world than let the world betray me! Little whelp, have you never read books?"

Li Yundong spat viciously onto the ground. "Pah! I think you read those books straight into the dog's belly!"

Ruan Hongling shouted furiously from behind Zheng Yuan, "Li Yundong, why waste so much breath on this bastard! I don't believe he dares kill his own disciple!"

However, Li Yundong saw the sheer murderous intent in Zheng Yuan’s eyes. His fingers were hooks around a throat that could snap with a slight squeeze. Especially after seeing Zheng Yuan's recent facade—seeming like an immortal sage with flowing white hair and youthful looks, only to turn and kill several people without batting an eye—it was clear he was inherently ruthless and cold-blooded. If pushed too far, he would surely kill Ding Nan and flee.

Li Yundong glared hatefully at Zheng Yuan, gritting his teeth. "Fine, Zheng Yuan, you’re ruthless! But I warn you, this move only works once. Next time, I will show absolutely no mercy!"

With that, he roared and shouted towards Ding Nan, "Ding Nan, he who does much evil invites his own doom, did you hear that! This time, for your sake, I let him go. If I see you mixed with him again, I won't acknowledge you!"

Li Yundong’s powerful shout struck Ding Nan like a peal of massive bronze bells ringing in unison, leaving her seeing stars and her chest heaving with churning blood.

Zheng Yuan sneered, rolled up his sleeve, and swiftly transformed into a streak of black smoke, engulfing Ding Nan as he shot into the air. Yet, halfway aloft, his greed for the Golden Python’s corpse held him back.

Ziyuan uttered a cold cry. "Zheng Yuan, aren't you leaving? Do you wish us to go back on our word?"

Zheng Yuan was jolted, letting out a long, resentful howl of frustration. He spared the Golden Python's corpse no further glance and fled into the distance.

Upon returning to their cave dwelling on Mount Wuhua, he dissolved the black smoke, reverting to human form. The disciples in the cave were overjoyed to see him and Ding Nan return, stepping forward excitedly. "Master, Senior Sister, you’ve returned! I’ve found the properties belonging to our Fox Charm Sect!"

Zheng Yuan still maintained his kindly, benevolent smile, nodding warmly to his disciples. But once he led Ding Nan into his inner chamber, his face drastically contorted; his fair complexion turned utterly monstrous.

Zheng Yuan snatched a nearby teapot and smashed it violently against the ground, roaring, "Audacious whelp! To kill my adopted son and steal my treasures—you truly bully me too much!"

Ding Nan, startled, her eyes darting quickly, smiled and stepped forward to gently stroke Zheng Yuan’s back, murmuring, "Master, don't be angry. As the saying goes, a gentleman's revenge is not too late even after ten years. Moreover, once my cultivation is complete, won't I be perfectly positioned to help you avenge this wrong?"

Zheng Yuan’s rage subsided somewhat. He turned, nodded approvingly at Ding Nan. "Good. You performed well today; it wasn't a waste of my painstaking efforts to cultivate you! From now on, take any spiritual elixirs and medicines I possess. I will help you increase your power rapidly. That Ziyuan, who looks like an immortal but has a heart like a prostitute, will be yours to deal with! Hmph! Li Yundong killed my adopted son, and today he brazenly stole treasure—I must have revenge! When your cultivation reaches fruition, we shall see if they dare to be so arrogant next time! Do they think Mount Wuhua is empty?"

Then, remembering something, he pulled a three-inch golden hairpin from his sleeve and handed it to Ding Nan. He chuckled, "This is the Luo Mu Soul-Separating Pin I snatched from the Fox Charm Sect. Take it for now and carry it with you daily to wear down its spiritual energy. When your cultivation is complete, refine it into your own artifact. Heh heh, Li Yundong will never imagine that you will use a Fox Charm Sect artifact to strike the Fox Charm Sect! Hahaha! His expression then will be priceless!!"

Ding Nan accepted the Luo Mu Soul-Separating Pin, a smile plastered on her face. "Thank you, Master!"

Zheng Yuan waved his hand. "As long as you cultivate diligently, I will give you whatever you desire! I don't wish to swallow this insult for a single day longer!"

Saying this, he chuckled and gently caressed Ding Nan’s soft hand. "When your cultivation is complete, the two of us can restore the prestige of the Yin-Yang Sect of Mount Wuhua!"

Ding Nan felt a wave of nausea, as if she had swallowed a fly, looking at his lewd smile. She forced down her discomfort, offering Zheng Yuan a flattering smile, but the moment she turned away, the smile vanished, replaced by an icy, chilling expression.

Ding Nan tightly gripped the Luo Mu Soul-Separating Pin. She had once witnessed firsthand how Yan Fang used this artifact to utterly annihilate the once arrogant Ye Yu, soul and body. A thought sparked in Ding Nan’s mind: she desperately wanted to plunge the hairpin immediately into the throat of this lustful old ghost.

But she knew this was not the time. With a blank face, she gently traced the body of the hairpin with her finger, thinking inwardly: Li Yundong, sooner or later, I will make you look at me properly!

After Zheng Yuan and Ding Nan fled, Ruan Hongling angrily shouted, "You just let that bastard escape? Inexcusable! It infuriates me! Even calling the police to arrest him would have been better!"

Ziyuan said sternly, "Nonsense! Matters concerning cultivators must be resolved within the cultivation world!"

Li Yundong took a deep breath, suppressing his rage. "Let’s take this Golden Python’s corpse back and bury it with the previous one."

Ruan Hongling let out a cold scoff. "The dead humans lie there uncollected, yet someone rushes to be righteous and collect the corpse of a dead snake demon. What sort of justice is that!"

Li Yundong shot her a glare. "I certainly saw the worst villain among the living ones!"

Seeing the two bickering, Ziyuan intervened smoothly. "Stop arguing. Familiar villagers will naturally come to collect the bodies shortly. If we interfere, it will only bring us endless trouble. Hongling, think before you speak and act; don't rely only on impulse!"

Ruan Hongling huffed and fell silent.

Li Yundong and the others flew back to the original mountaintop with the Golden Python. As the group laid the two snakes side by side, Su Chan suddenly asked Li Yundong, "Their bodies are huge; how will we bury them? How deep a pit do we need to dig? Yundong, why don't we cremate them?"

Ruan Hongling chuckled coldly. "The Golden Python's hide is impervious to water and fire; how can you burn it?"

Su Chan, saddened by seeing the two dead snakes together, surprisingly didn't argue with Ruan Hongling. She asked, "Then use Samadhi True Fire?"

Ziyuan shook his head. "No, if Samadhi True Fire ignites, this entire mountain will be destroyed. I think we should quickly dig a pit before others discover them."

Li Yundong agreed. "Indeed. Are cultivators afraid of digging a few holes?"

They all rolled up their sleeves and used their artifacts to dig a large pit, placing the bodies of the two Golden Pythons inside before covering them with earth. Li Yundong sighed, a deep sense of melancholy in his voice. "I never expected to encounter such an event this time. Let’s return. I hope we never witness such things again."

Ziyuan stared intently at Li Yundong and asked, "This Golden Python's body is entirely treasure. To refine the Earth Origin Spirit Elixir, the inner core is essential, and its skin and scales can craft fine artifacts. Are you not tempted in the slightest?"

Li Yundong countered, "And you? Are you not tempted?"

Ziyuan stated calmly, "In this flashy world, the three thousand sentient beings are merely passing clouds to me. What do I value, what do I covet?"

Li Yundong smiled faintly. "Your state is indeed higher. I merely feel that possessing such things would burn my hands and weigh on my conscience. The most important aspect of cultivation is an unimpeded mind; if I have a guilty conscience, my will wavers, and my cultivation regresses. Therefore, though the Golden Python is full of treasures, compared to my cultivation, it is merely an external object."

Ziyuan couldn't help but nod in admiration. "Not bad. You truly possess the bearing of a cultivator now."

Li Yundong smiled without replying. He beckoned Su Chan over, took her small hand, and then said to Ziyuan and Ruan Hongling, "Let's go back."

Ziyuan nodded, and the group flew towards Mount Tianlong.

It wasn't until noon that Li Yundong returned to the secret cave of the Fox Charm Sect. Zhou Qin, who had been waiting, immediately greeted him. "How was it?"

Li Yundong gave her a slight smile. "It's a long story. I'll tell you slowly later; for now, let’s return to the Fox Charm Sect."

The group flew down from the cliff back to the Taoist temple. Cao Yi, who was clearing clutter in the former Sect Master’s room, heard the noise, stepped out, and his face filled with shock and delight. He hurried forward, shouting, "Sect Master, you’re back? I found the properties belonging to our Fox Charm Sect!"

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