Even the Ten Complete Great Tonifying Pills Can't Restore It

Tianyan Sect.

Xie Lingyu was currently in the midst of cultivation.

The years she had wasted in Yuzhou City had set her back far too much in her progress.

Now, she could only seize whatever time she had left.

Come to think of it, something felt off lately.

It seemed her master hadn’t bothered her in quite a while…

In the past, she would either knock on her door every few days or stand outside muttering strange things.

Xie Lingyu thought that if her master hadn’t suddenly changed her temperament, then something must be about to go wrong.

But taking the initiative to seek her out felt a bit like walking into a trap.

She would inevitably be bombarded with endless questions.

And truthfully, Xie Lingyu didn’t know how to answer many of them.

Nor did she know what to do.

How could she possibly give any so-called explanations?

Leaving things to time and fate might not be the right approach.

But perhaps it was still the best answer she had?

Xie Lingyu lowered her gaze, the spiritual sword at her side trembling faintly.

"Calm down…"

She murmured softly, though it was unclear whether she was speaking to the sword or herself.

In any case, the sword immediately stilled.

But it hadn’t been quiet for long before urgent shouts came from outside.

"Senior Xie! Senior Xie! Hurry to Tianyan Peak!"

Xie Lingyu opened her eyes and rose to her feet, the longsword at her side floating up on its own and fastening itself to her waist.

She pushed open the door to find a small white-robed girl standing outside, tiny horns protruding from her head.

This was the little flood dragon her master had "fished out" from the Wanli River…

Though "fished" might be a generous term—knowing her master’s temperament, "dragged" or even "kidnapped" would be more accurate.

Despite her youthful appearance, this flood dragon was at least three times Xie Lingyu’s age.

Her master hadn’t liked the flood dragon’s original name and forcibly renamed her—Jiao Yatou ("Little Horn Girl").

The flood dragon had resisted fiercely, declaring she’d rather be boiled into soup than answer to such a name.

Eventually, Xie Lingyu took pity on her and gave her a new one—Qinghe.

Given the choice between the two, it was obvious which name the flood dragon preferred when introducing herself.

Xie Lingyu looked at Qinghe and asked calmly, "No need to panic. What’s happened?"

Qinghe replied urgently, "It’s Grandma Bai! She’s at Tianyan Peak, pinning down the Sect Leader and force-feeding him pill after pill!"

"Grandma Bai? Aren’t you afraid my master will come back and slice off your little horns?"

Qinghe instinctively covered her horns at the remark, her eyes darting around nervously before she whispered,

"Senior Xie is kind to me—you wouldn’t snitch to Grandma Bai, right? I only said it in front of you."

Xie Lingyu sighed. Of all times to try being clever… "If it’s poison, you should go to Lingmiao Peak—"

"It’s not poison!" Qinghe hastily cut in. "It’s some kind of ‘Ultimate Replenishment Pills’ Grandma Bai brought back from outside!"

Ultimate Replenishment Pills?

What kind of nonsense was this?

Force-feeding poison would be inexcusable, but what harm could come from replenishment pills?

And yet…

Xie Lingyu felt an odd sense of nostalgia. This absurd situation felt strangely familiar.

"If it’s not poison, and the sect rules don’t forbid feeding the Sect Leader replenishment pills, then what’s the problem?"

"No, no! Those pills must be tainted! The Sect Leader is rolling around Tianyan Peak right now!" Qinghe exclaimed, her expression a mix of awe and horror. "He’s begging Grandma Bai to spare his life, saying he’ll agree to anything!"

"Rumor has it Grandma Bai is still cackling while shoving more pills into his mouth."

Xie Lingyu froze for a moment before suddenly asking,

"Did my master leave the sect recently?"

Qinghe thought carefully. "She did go out once, but I don’t know where."

Before Qinghe could finish pondering, Xie Lingyu had already transformed into a streak of light, shooting straight toward Tianyan Peak.

Qinghe hurriedly called after her retreating figure,

"Hey! Senior Xie! Wait for me! I want to see the show too!"

Tianyan Peak.

Bai Xuanling’s spiritual sword had split into countless blades, forming an impenetrable sword array that sealed off the entire peak.

An overwhelming pressure radiated from afar, carrying an icy, oppressive aura.

Elders from other peaks stood outside the array, watching the spectacle with amusement as the Sect Leader’s agonized wails echoed from within.

Xie Lingyu arrived in a hurry, hovering mid-air.

After scanning the crowd of onlookers, she quickly locked onto a dignified, immortal-like elder.

She cupped her hands and asked, "Peak Master Mo, why hasn’t anyone broken my master’s sword array?"

Peak Master Mo glanced at her and chuckled.

"Little Lingyu, your master is currently ‘apologizing’ to the Sect Leader by personally feeding him Ultimate Replenishment Pills. This is a great act of unity for the sect—why would we disrupt it?"

His righteous tone drew faint laughter from the surrounding elders.

Behind Xie Lingyu, Qinghe finally caught up and took in the scene. She quickly transmitted her voice:

"Senior Xie! Two years ago, Peak Master Mo blew up two subsidiary peaks while testing his Nine Mystic Reversal Array. The Sect Leader cut off his funding in anger."

"He’s publicly called the Sect Leader a ‘blockhead’ many times, saying someone like him leading Tianyan Sect is proof the ancestors were blind…"

Xie Lingyu cut off Qinghe’s transmission before she could continue. If left unchecked, the flood dragon would keep gossiping for another half-hour.

She clasped her hands again. "Would any of the elders be willing to dismantle the sword array? This concerns the dignity of Tianyan Sect."

After a brief silence, the elder from the Discipline Hall sighed and stepped forward.

"Little Lingyu, don’t you know your master by now? Before she came, she rallied all her allies to ensure no one would interfere."

Xie Lingyu stared at him in disbelief. "You’re here to watch the Sect Leader suffer too?"

"Of course not! I’m here to rescue him," the elder declared sternly.

"It’s just that Grandma Bai has more supporters here at the moment. I’m waiting for reinforcements—once we outnumber them, we’ll save the Sect Leader from his torment."

His righteous speech drew another round of laughter from the elders.

Xie Lingyu was stunned.

Had she really been away from the sect for only a few years?

How had the Sect Leader become the entire sect’s public enemy?

Even the famously impartial Discipline Hall elder had turned into… this?

Peak Master Mo smiled kindly. "Little Lingyu, judging by the timing, it should be over soon. Your master wouldn’t go too far—"

Before he could finish, a bloodcurdling scream erupted from Tianyan Peak:

"JUST KILL ME ALREADY!"

Peak Master Mo and the Discipline Hall elder exchanged alarmed glances.

Was Bai Xuanling… actually serious this time?

Just as the two prepared to intervene, the sword array around Tianyan Peak suddenly retracted.

A figure shot out from the main peak, streaking toward Xie Lingyu.

In the blink of an eye, Bai Xuanling appeared before her, looking utterly pleased.

She beamed. "My dear disciple, what brings you here?"

Xie Lingyu frowned. "Is the Sect Leader alright?!"

"What kind of question is that? How could anything happen from eating Ultimate Replenishment Pills?" Bai Xuanling declared loudly.

"The Sect Leader’s constitution is just too weak. I force-fed him three whole bottles of top-grade replenishment pills, and he still hasn’t recovered his vital energy!"

"Sect Leader of the Tianyan Sect! You! Must! Exercise! Proper! Restraint!"