The other three could ua Leader Ouyang's thoughts, but Zhao Wuji also had a point: those not of our race are sure to have different iions.

  Adopting the Demon had the risk of backsh.

  However, Sect Leader Ouyang was not ed about this. She trusted Ning Qingxue and believed that their return without success urely actal. The Green Mountain Demon King was too ing, always having a backup pn.

  She saw Ning Qingxue as a sword, a sword of vengeahat would one day strike the Demon !

  With Sect Leader Ouyang's strong support and the fact that the Demon suffered greater losses this time, people no loargeted Ning Qingxue.

  After further discussions yielded s, and sidering the ret battle had draihem, the sect leaders returo their sects to observe the Demon 's moves.

  Three days ter.

  At Great Bamboo Peak, Lin Hao memorized all the teiques his master taught him.

  Of course, he only grasped their form. To wield them with the power of Feng gyue, he o quickly improve his cultivation and prehend sword i.

  This required personal enlighte!

  "Go and practice diligently. I will assess your progress in half a year."

  "Yes, Master."

  Lin Hao bowed respectfully, but couldn't help notig his master's long, graceful legs, causing his heart to race.

  Naturally, Feng gyue noticed everything. Her eyebrows arched high—where was this brat looking?

  Boom!

  In her anger, she raised her jade-like hand a Lin Hao flying.

  To be ho, Lin Hao quite ehe sensation. After falling five hundred feet, he finally summoned his flying sword and rode it!

  A stick of inse ter, he returo his cave dwelling, which was covered in dust from being unoccupied for so long.

  He used two talismans, one for sing and one for dust removal, to the cave dwelling. Lying on the soft bed, he tossed and turned, uo sleep.

  The main reason was that glimpse of snow-white skin that left him restless.

  No, this 't go on!

  He decided to call Shui Ling'er over.

  Just as he was about to send a message to Shui Ling'er, he sehe restri on his cave dwelling had been triggered.

  Who would visit at this hour?

  With a hint of suspi, Lin Hao opehe door, and the visitor surprised him.

  Han Liyue, what was this beautiful woman doing here?

  Today, she wore a pace dress that couldn't hide her exquisite curves. Her expression was slightly weary, yet her charm remained undiminished.

  "Lin... Lin..." Han Liyue tried several forms of address, unsure which ropriate.

  "Lin Hao, thank you for saving my life and my son's."

  So that's why she came. Lin Hao uood and waved it off.

  "We're all fellow disciples; it was a small favor not worth mentioning."

  Han Liyue felt a mix of emotions. Ohis young man was just a Qi Refining novice, but now he was one of the sect's top talents.

  Their statuses had long since reversed.

  Helping them sy demons might have been a trivial task for him, but she and her son couldn't help but feel grateful.

  So she visited to repay the debt.

  She bit her lip, hesitated for a moment, and finally made up her mind.

  Then she began to undress.

  "Elder Han, what are you doing?" Lin Hao was shocked.

  "I have no way to repay your life-saving grace."

  "My humble appearance, I hope you will cherish it."

  "......"

  Seeing her dress fall, Lin Hao quickly turned around, his back to Han Liyue.

  He did appreciate beauty, but he valued mutual sent or enmity.

  He wouldn't demand repayment for a favor.

  "Please put your clothes ba. There's no need for this. I didn't save you expeg anything iurn..."

  Having already beeed once by Lin Hao, Han Liyue had mustered all her ce to do this.

  She didn't expect to be rejected again, leaving her feeling ashamed and humiliated. She hurriedly dressed.

  After Han Liyue left, her fragrance lingered in the cave dwelling.

  This made it hard for Lin Hao to suppress the fire within him, so he immediately went to Little Bamboo Peak to find Shui Ling'er...

  The day, Lin Hao woke up leisurely as the sun was high in the sky.

  Stretg, he realized that the fatigue he'd been feelily had pletely vanished.

  He leaned down to pnt a gentle kiss on the woman's smooth forehead before leaving the cave dwelling.

  The day of his duel with Ning Qingxue was drawing near, and he o prepare.

  The Fire Lotus Sword Teique taught by his master and the Primordial Body Refining Teique both required diligent practice.

  Especially the body refining teique, which ainstaking process that tested one's patience.

  Besides cultivating teiques, he also o craft a batch of sed-tier top-grade talismans to refill his empty talisman box.

  As his cultivation improved, his uanding of talismans deepened, but he still couldn't grasp the method to draw third-tier talismans.

  Drawing third-tier talismans was the foundation for crafting talisman treasures, which were far more powerful than regur talismans. Lin Hao couldn't easily give up.

  Another failed attempt at drawing them depleted the materials he had collected ien Thousand Great Mountains.

  He o visit the market to purchase materials for third-tier talismans.

  Third-tier materials were not only expe also rare, requiring a trip te market to possibly find them.

  The spirit stones Lin Hao had saved were barely enough for his cultivatio alone for purchasing expehird-tier materials.

  However, during the Demon Hunting Tour, those who attacked him still owed him quite a few spirit stones.

  As the saying goes, speak of the devil and he shall appear.

  "Lin... Lin Hao... I'm here to return the spirit stones."

  Zhao Liaood outside Lin Hao's residence, lookiant.

  Five hundred middle-grade spirit stones, not a huge amount, but he was still unwilling to returo Lin Hao.

  However, this guy had forced him to make a Heavenly Dao oath, and if he didn't repay, he would suffer backsh. He was about to break through and didn't want these spirit stoo cause his breakthrough to fail.

  "Here, these spirit stones are yours."

  Lin Hao pulled the ste bag to him and ted the stones in front of Zhao Liang—exactly five hundred middle-grade spirit stones.

  Zhao Liang was displeased but didn't dare show it. He turned a in a hurry.

  Over the wo days, a few more people returned spirit stoo Lin Hao, but most didn't, hoping to dey as long as possible.

  He only recovered five thousand spirit stones, which made Lin Hao quite angry, but he had er solution.

  He could only hope that in the uping battle, by defeating Ning Qingxue, he could raise his prestige!

  Intimidate these bastards!

  Peerjun