"This is easy to handle. I can update your information while the others are away! There are nearly ten,000 spirit slaves on Hongluan Peak, so changes to your records won't draw any attention," Qi Hongyue replied.
Ye Ba breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.
Having someone on the inside certainly made things easier.
The problem that had been plaguing him was no problem at all for Qi Hongyue and could be resolved effortlessly.
"Then I'll have to trouble Senior Sister to update my information. I am currently at the Qi Condensation 4th Layer!"
"Qi Condensation 4th Layer? Didn't you just break through to the Qi Condensation 3rd Layer?" Qi Hongyue asked, extremely surprised.
"I suddenly had an epiphany and broke through," Ye Ba answered perfunctorily.
"Alright, give me your identity token. I'll return it to you after I've updated the records."
Qi Hongyue nodded.
Helping Ye Ba meant helping herself.
Ye Ba handed his identity token over to Qi Hongyue.
Just then, Chu Yao pushed the door open and walked in.
Seeing Qi Hongyue's drastically altered appearance, Chu Yao looked completely astonished.
"Junior Sister Qi?"
"Senior Sister, Senior Sister Qi has undergone some changes, but none of that matters now. Senior Sister Qi is one of us now," Ye Ba said, winking at Chu Yao.
Hearing this, Chu Yao also let out a sigh of relief.
She knew Ye Ba had succeeded in poisoning her.
If they hadn't found a way to control Qi Hongyue, things would have become very troublesome—they couldn't kill her, nor could they let her go.
"Heh, it seems Junior Sister Qi has gained quite a lot, hasn't she?" Chu Yao sensed the shift in Qi Hongyue's aura and felt a twinge of jealousy.
When Qi Hongyue had first entered, she was clearly only at the Qi Condensation 3rd Layer, but now she had unexpectedly reached the Qi Condensation 7th Layer, catching up to her!
In just a single day, she had broken through four consecutive layers!
Such a breakthrough speed was simply terrifying!
"Where are those spirit slaves who came with me?" Qi Hongyue didn't directly answer Chu Yao, changing the subject instead. Her tone was less than friendly.
She still held a grudge over Chu Yao knocking her unconscious.
If Ye Ba hadn't talked her down, she would have definitely found a way to have Chu Yao killed once she got back.
Who in the Outer Sect didn't know her mother was an Inner Sect Elder? Absolutely no one dared to bully her.
Chu Yao was the first!
"Heh, Junior Sister, rest assured, they are all doing just fine outside," Chu Yao said with a light, curling smile.
She knew very well why Qi Hongyue's tone was so hostile.
She couldn't be bothered to lower herself to the same level as her, though.
"Hmph!" Qi Hongyue let out a cold snort. She stood up, adjusted her clothes, and walked up to Chu Yao.
"What happened here cannot be allowed to leak out. Those spirit slaves outside cannot leave this place alive!"
"The two of us will drain them dry, and I'll deal with the Spirit Slave Hall later!"
Hiss!
Ye Ba sucked in a cold breath internally.
This was the true nature of these female fiends—treating spirit slaves like ants, killing them on a mere whim!
If he hadn't proven useful, he would have ended up with the exact same fate as the spirit slaves outside.
He remained silent, having no intention of pleading for them.
He was no saint, and since he was still stuck in the quagmire himself, how could he possibly worry about others?
If anyone was to blame, they could only blame their own bad luck.
"Alright!" Chu Yao agreed with a nod.
The two women walked out of the Bamboo House together.
Outside, under Qi Hongyue's orders, all the spirit slaves obediently followed instructions and began assisting the two women in their cultivation.
However, under the combined and methodical draining of Chu Yao and Qi Hongyue, both at the Qi Condensation 7th Layer, these spirit slaves—whose highest cultivation was only at the Qi Condensation 5th Layer—collapsed one after another.
In the end, every single one of them was sucked dry into mummies.
Their deaths were gruesome to behold.
"A bunch of useless trash!" Qi Hongyue frowned, looking thoroughly displeased.
Even after draining all these spirit slaves, the boost to her cultivation was minimal.
The effect didn't even come close to comparing with Ye Ba.
Fortunately, she wouldn't need this kind of trash anymore from now on.
Having Ye Ba alone was enough to sustain her cultivation requirements!
She couldn't even drain him fully, truth be told.
Both in terms of quality and quantity, he far surpassed any other spirit slave.
Shortly after, she flicked her sleeve, swept all the corpses on the ground into her Storage Bag, and left the bamboo grove.
Inside the house, Ye Ba was gazing at the virtual interface before him.
[Nine Yin Meridians experience +100!]
[Nine Yin Meridians (100/1000) (Wonderful Quality)]
[Talent for Talisman-Making experience +100!]
[First-Rank Low-Grade Talisman Master (100/10) ready for breakthrough!]
[Water Spiritual Root aptitude +100!]
[Low-Grade Water Spiritual Root (100/10) ready for breakthrough!]
[Primary subordinate relationship established!]
Tsk, tsk!
Ye Ba clicked his tongue in wonder.
A full hundred times, a whole hundred times!
Even an ox plowing the fields wouldn't have it as miserable as him, right?
Yet his harvest was immense as well.
His lagging water spiritual root could finally break through.
"Breakthrough!"
With a single thought in Ye Ba's mind.
Crack.
It felt as though a shackle in his mind had been shattered.
His entire head instantly felt light and clear.
At the same time, his perception of the external water spiritual Qi became far sharper and clearer.
Previously, his perception of water spiritual Qi had been practically nonexistent.
Now, everything had completely changed.
Looking at his water spiritual root aptitude again, it had actually upgraded directly to Medium-Grade!
Afterward, he casually triggered a breakthrough in talisman-making as well.
During the breakthrough process, a massive flood of foundational talisman-making experience surged into his mind, making him feel dizzy and lightheaded.
This sensation lasted for a full several minutes before finally subsiding.
Ye Ba checked his personal status panel.
[Name: Ye Ba]
[Constitution: Supreme Yang Immortal Body (Immortal Grade), Sword Spirit Physique (Miraculous Grade), Nine Yin Meridians (100/1000) (Wonderful Quality)]
[Realm: Qi Condensation 4th Layer]
[Aptitude: Medium-Grade Water Spiritual Root (90/100), Superior-Grade Fire Spiritual Root, Superior-Grade Metal Spiritual Root, Medium-Grade Wood Spiritual Root, Low-Grade Earth Spiritual Root]
[Talent: None]
[Alchemy: First-Rank Superior]
[Talisman-Making: First-Rank Medium (90/100)]
[Cultivation Technique: Great Bliss Scripture]
[Spells: None]
His talisman-making skill had also advanced to First-Rank Medium.
First-Rank Medium talismans were already capable of inflicting damage on cultivators below the Qi Condensation 6th Layer.
"I can find a way to draw some talismans to use as self-protection in critical moments!" Ye Ba muttered to himself.
Drawing talismans required a spirit brush, cinnabar, spirit paper, and other materials.
None of these items were cheap.
With his current net worth, he simply couldn't afford them.
Of course, he had no intention of going out to the marketplace to purchase them either.
As a Qi Condensation Stage spirit slave, buying such items would draw far too much attention.
"Qi Hongyue is also a talisman master; she should have similar items on hand. Perhaps I can ask her."
Ye Ba thought to himself.
This was the much safer route.
He could find an opportunity to bring it up the next time Qi Hongyue came over.
Just as Ye Ba was pondering his subsequent cultivation plan, the door to the Bamboo House was pushed open, and Chu Yao walked in, swaying her slender, fair waist.
She arched an eyebrow at Ye Ba and asked, "Junior Brother, did you give Qi Hongyue special treatment?"
"Otherwise, how could she have broken through so fast?"
Ye Ba: "..."
Listening to Chu Yao's dissatisfied tone, how could Ye Ba not realize that she was likely feeling jealous?
She felt he had given Qi Hongyue too much.
Could he be blamed for that?
Qi Hongyue was simply driven and put in the effort herself.
Ye Ba shook his head in denial, "Senior Sister, your junior brother hasn't shown the slightest bit of favoritism or special care. I've been showering both of you with equal grace and dew."
Inwardly, however, he silently added: "It all depends on your own capability."
"Is that so?"
"Of course!"
"I don't believe it, unless you let me break through four realms in a row too."
"This junior brother will do his utmost!"