Huo Qing just left like that, could it be that he let me go?

Lan Jiwan couldn't help but remember that she had let Ye Liangcheng go yesterday in the same manner, leaving without any explanation, not even saying goodbye.

But at least she asked everything she wanted to know, making Ye Liangcheng speak for hours until his mouth was dry, whereas Huo Qing didn't even interrogate her, barely saying a word!

Has the world gone mad, or is there something wrong with me, is the other party completely uninterested in me?

Looking at Huo Qing, he definitely appears to be a man, could he be bent? But what does being bent have to do with anything, he can't just not ask anything, it was as if he was completely ignoring her.

When she fell to the ground, Lan Jiwan thought of many things, but she absolutely didn't expect it would turn out like this.

If Huo Qing really came to punish the scum of the Magic Sect, then he should have asked more about the situation. She knew a lot about Bitter Tea, things that Ye Liangcheng the fool didn't understand or think about.

Seeing He Kao walk to the edge of the clearing and suddenly stop, turning around. Despite her fear, Lan Jiwan inexplicably held a small expectation—she guessed right, it turned out the other party was playing hard to get.

He Kao's voice came from over ten meters away: "I've never seen someone like you, so harsh even to yourself."

Lan Jiwan: "What do you mean?" Her voice was small, carrying a weak tone, but given the other's cultivation, he could certainly hear clearly.

He Kao: "You don't dare believe anyone, but I never expected you'd go so far as to poison yourself. Should the poison disperse, even with an antidote, it wouldn't be good for you.

If the poison absorbed isn't much, and you clean it up in time, then it can be controlled. But I can tell, you're not very familiar with this poison, and your antidote has some flaws.

Even though you have cultivation on your side, over time, dark poison will seep into your organs, and if it reaches that point, it'll be too late to completely clear it."

Lan Jiwan's heart tightened, she opened her mouth to speak but found she didn't know what to say, ending up saying shamefully: "I do it willingly!"

He Kao shook his head: "It seems you don't enjoy using seduction, yet you still resort to such means. Like this, you only tempt people to do bad, or simply attract bad people."

Lan Jiwan's body was beautiful and enticing, wearing a mask so her face couldn't be seen made it even more intriguing... Seeing her like this, even He Kao couldn't help but feel a surge of desire.

But there are differences in seduction, some are a natural and appropriate attraction leading to mutual delight, others entice crime causing actions one shouldn't take.

For example, in attracting or even seducing the opposite sex, you can display charm, tenderness, shyness, strength, wealth, showcasing all types of attractive qualities, expressing interest to receive a response, seeking mutual affection.

Yet Lan Jiwan is merely exposing her disheveled body, accompanied by vulnerability and panic in her post-assault demeanor and expression, which often only provokes criminal desire.

If someone did something to her under such circumstances, there absolutely wouldn't be consensual mutual pleasure… Such a feeling was indeed deeply felt by He Kao.

After saying this, He Kao turned and vanished into the mountain forest.

Lan Jiwan sat there rather dazed, instinctively crossing her arms over her chest, always feeling that He Kao might appear again after a while. But after waiting and not seeing him for a long time, she finally confirmed he had truly left.

Not only did He Kao leave, but Ye Liangcheng from the guesthouse also left, tidying up all traces before departing.

Lan Jiwan stood before a honeysuckle tree, gold and silver flowers covered the ground unpicked, and it had sprouted buds for the second season this year, with nearby fragrance wafting amid the distant blue sky and white clouds, she found herself somewhat confused, unsure what to do for a moment.

For years she had always been thinking about one thing, how to escape the abyss? Now suddenly someone tells her—the abyss she fears, that seems endless and hopeless, is gone!

Is the world still real? She should be overjoyed, yet she couldn't smile.

She feared Bitter Tea, feared the mysterious organization behind Bitter Tea, and feared Huo Qing suspected to be sent by that organization as well. Huo Qing had found her, defeated her in magical combat, yet hadn't done anything to her.

Are things safe now, is there really nothing wrong, could what Ye Liangcheng said be true?

She started recalling what Huo Qing said carefully, planning to return to her safe house and thoroughly study the materials Ye Liangcheng provided her… She must do something to feel at ease regardless.

He Kao had already returned to Qi Yuan, and on his "world map" he had lit up a new area, which was Minzhou City and the surrounding west suburbs.

This trip had an unexpected gain, discovering that hidden mine, feeling like a resource point that appears on the map while playing a game.

That special mineral was the raw material Bitter Tea used to build the underground Dao Field. Those materials were processed and shaped into standardized forms, able to be dovetailed and pieced together, capable of confusing divine sense detection.

The veins near the surface had been mined out, but the deeper veins in the cave remained, and Ye Liangcheng hadn't recognized them.

It's not surprising, after processing the ore had subtle changes in properties, requiring knowledge of Artifact Identification Skill and the Spiritual Essence philosophy to recognize it.

These two applied techniques, Ye Liangcheng hadn't learned before, although He Kao had taught him now, he was still a bit lacking.

The mineral deposit is actually a resource point controlled by the Huiming Shi Family, but for various reasons, the Ancestral Hall has not uncovered it.

The Ancestral Hall surely has ways to investigate the various visible assets and reserves of the Shi Family, but the hidden resource clues scattered in different places are another story. It's possible that some in the Huiming Shi Family know about it but have not spoken, or it has once again become a secret.

For instance, Ye Liangcheng once carried out a mission to find certain plants and minerals in the Southeast Deep Mountains, areas that are rarely visited by people. He created a detailed map of his findings.

These are essentially clues about Spirit Medicines and Treasures of Heaven and Earth.

The most important thing upon arriving in Minzhou is to lure out the Blue Magpie. He Kao let her go and hasn't yet decided how to deal with her.

Because the Blue Magpie also spared Ye Liangcheng, showing that she is not a person who kills indiscriminately.

Moreover, the Blue Magpie and Bitter Tea are clearly not on the same side. She seems to be trying to escape the control of Bitter Tea while also hating what Gao Chenshu and his ilk have done.

But now she doesn't dare to trust anyone easily. Ye Liangcheng has already told her everything that needs to be said; the rest, she must investigate herself.

There was a brief Magical Combat between them, lasting less than a second, and He Kao won seamlessly.

But He Kao knows in his heart that he is not much stronger than the Blue Magpie; perhaps his Divine Sense is a bit stronger, but he mainly relies on his proficiency in Techniques and the power of his Magical Treasures to bully others.

He Kao does not lack Magical Treasures, nor can he always use Xue Guanghan as a blunt tool to do anything drastic. Now he carries three chess pieces with him, which Old Man Jiang left for him.

The chessboard and pieces that Old Man Jiang displayed at his stall form a complete Array Artifact. With He Kao's current level of Cultivation, he hasn't figured them out yet, but these three chess pieces themselves are Magical Artifacts, and He Kao can already grasp some simple uses.

Carrying them with him is convenient. He has been practicing deep within Gu Mountain for some time, and the first time he made a move, he "kicked" the Blue Magpie over.

Blue Magpie had further plans; she even poisoned herself in advance, which was also very dangerous for her.

The material of her undergarment is specially made, with poison applied to the outer surface, not in contact with the body. However, upon even slightly excessive external force, the poison would volatilize.

This is an inhalation toxin with a very rapid onset. Blue Magpie can avoid poisoning herself by holding her breath at the right time and taking an antidote in advance, and she must cleanse any toxins possibly adhering to her body afterward.

Even with the antidote, prolonged exposure to the toxin is still harmful to her. He Kao can hardly imagine what Blue Magpie has gone through to develop such a strong sense of vigilance.

He Kao, proficient in the Poison Detection Skill, found this out in time, so he didn't come within five steps of her. Even if he hadn't discovered it, he really wouldn't have done anything to the Blue Magpie.

"Do you think I've changed recently?" This is what He Kao asked Gao Xue'e during a break between their rounds of intense entanglement.

The temporarily defeated Gao Xue'e poked his chest with her finger and said, "Of course, you've changed, become more handsome and capable."

He Kao: "I meant, does it feel like I, as a person, have changed at all?"

Gao Xue'e: "You mean seriously?"

He Kao: "Seriously."

Gao Xue'e turned sideways, propping her cheek with one hand and looked at him, "Let me think carefully. I don't think you've changed, but rather improved... Hmm, you should say you've evolved."

He Kao was amused: "What kind of statement is that? Like evolving from a monkey to a human?"

Gao Xue'e: "When you first came to the unit, I thought you were cautious and very good at reading people, like you didn't dare to offend anyone. I didn't know you had such capabilities, only having seen your file. I thought you just wanted to protect yourself.

But now, you're still cautious, yet the feeling is different. It's like you're not afraid of getting hurt yourself, but rather you don't want anyone to get hurt because of you and wish to protect and help them."

Gao Xue'e was speaking from her own experience and interactions with He Kao.

Why did He Kao suddenly have such a question? It was because he recently approached Ye Liangcheng under the identity of "Huo Qing," and especially after encountering the Blue Magpie, he wanted to know what kind of impression he now leaves on others.

Since childhood, his thoughts were many, and his character seemed somewhat delicate, very good at reading the room. This was merely a form of self-protection, trying to avoid harm when he could not yet live independently.

In the eyes of others, this might be seen as a people-pleasing personality. But based on He Kao's experience, it's not that he didn't understand resistance; he just carefully hid himself.

Over the past year, he became the Hidden Moth, mastered Secret Techniques, and did many things in secret. However, the underlying color of his character has never changed; he is still cautious and still needs to hide himself, caring greatly about the reactions of those around him.

But on the other hand, personal independent survival is no longer an issue. Not only can he live well, but he is already strong enough. With his current level of Cultivation, he can practically crush ordinary people, rendering them incapable of any retaliation.

Many things he has done recently are no longer for simple self-protection but to avoid harming those who shouldn't be harmed. After witnessing the complex situation of the Bitter Tea gang, he seems to always have this concern, yet he can't quite describe the feeling.

**

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