The Emperor's Domineering Favor, the Evil Consort's Unparalleled Reign

For ten whole days, Ying Li locked herself in her room, practicing the secret techniques Xuan Ye had taught her, including the method to control the Bone Ring, and her spiritual power improved day by day. Every day, Xuan Ye would come to Ying Li's room to test her progress, which allowed Ying Li to know Xuan Ye's true strength—a level of spiritual power she had never experienced before.

Even Mu Zhen, the patriarch of the Mu Dynasty, would probably be no match for Xuan Ye. He truly deserves to be called the most powerful master of secret arts in both the Spirit and Ghost Realms.

"Very good. With a little more training, you'll be able to master the technique." Xuan Ye withdrew his spiritual power, his eyes showing a rare hint of appreciation as he looked at Ying Li, who was covered in cold sweat. Ying Li was covered in injuries, many of which had not yet healed. Xuan Ye stared at Ying Li's stubborn brows for a long while before turning and leaving.

Ying Li looked at the spiritual herbs Xuan Ye had left on the table, picked them up and weighed them for a long time. Just what kind of person was Xuan Ye?! Thinking this, Ying Li saw Fu Cheng walk in. Fu Cheng's face was full of joy. He turned around and looked at Xuan Ye's departing figure, then looked at Ying Li, and couldn't help but give a thumbs up and say, "Ying Li, you are amazing! Xuan Ye has never been so satisfied with anyone before. He has taken in so many disciples, but only you can make him treat you so calmly."

"Is that so?!" Ying Li said thoughtfully, opened the porcelain bottle of spiritual medicine, poured out the medicine, and his expression slowly changed.

"This is... the inner bead of the Crimson Sparrow Spirit Guide?!" Ying Li asked, holding one of the red spiritual herbs. She was somewhat incredulous, but based on her memories of the Crimson Sparrow Spirit Guide in the Eastern An Kingdom tomb, this was undoubtedly its inner bead.

“That’s right, weren’t you burned by the raging fire?! If you want to heal your wounds, the Crimson Sparrow Spirit Guide Pearl is the best medicine. It seems that Xuan Ye has gone all out, giving you something like this so easily.” Fu Cheng said, his face full of amazement.

"Fu Cheng, do you know about the Four Great Spiritual Guides of the Ghost Realm?"

"Of course I know." Fu Cheng listened to Ying Li suddenly bring this up and continued, "Red Sparrow, Black Serpent, Black Wolf, White Tiger, the four great spirit guides. One of them, the White Tiger spirit guide, is extinct. It was the one on the Winter Prince's Ghost Spirit Mountain. The remaining members are scattered throughout the Ghost Realm, but most of them are extremely ferocious. Even the people of the Ghost Realm are unsure of their fate if they encounter them. What, do you need them for something?!"

"Something's wrong, something very important. Do you know where the Xuanlang Spirit Guide is?!" Ying Li asked nervously. As long as the Xuanlang Spirit Guide is found, Jiang Huai's physique will be completely changed! Thinking of this, Ying Li felt inexplicably excited.

"Don't even think about the Mystic Wolf Spirit Guide. Ordinary people can't outrun it. It's a coincidence, I just heard Xuan Huo say that there seem to be a few Mystic Wolf Spirit Guides in the mountains over Yunshan. It seems they've been staying there for more than half a year." As Fu Cheng was speaking, Ying Li's eyes suddenly lit up. He grabbed the porcelain bottle of spirit medicine and ran towards the door.

"Ying Li, where are you going?!" Fu Cheng shouted after Ying Li, but Ying Li didn't turn around and shot off towards the mountain range that Fu Cheng had just mentioned!

"Ying Li? Is Ying Li here?!" After Ying Li left, Jiang Huai came looking for her. Upon seeing Fu Cheng, his expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure and said, "Brother Fu Cheng, you came first? Is Ying Li here?!"

Fu Cheng looked somewhat embarrassed, thinking about Qing Yu's careless words and wondering if Jiang Huai had heard them. "Ying Li isn't here; she must have gone out on something. What do you need her for?!"

"It's alright. Since she's gone out, I'll come back to find her in a little while," Jiang Huai said.

"Brother Jiang Huai! Would you do me the honor of having a drink with me?" Fu Cheng said, his face full of politeness. Jiang Huai was a fine young man, and no one could match his feelings for Ying Li. He really didn't want to become a stumbling block between the two of them, so it was better to clear things up as soon as possible.

Jiang Huai was about to leave, but after hearing Fu Cheng's invitation, he stopped, and the two drank together at the stone table in Ying Li's courtyard.

After a few rounds of drinks, Fu Cheng said bluntly, "Brother Jiang Huai, did you hear what Qingyu said?! Ying Li and I are completely innocent, there's nothing between us. That day, Ying Li came to me and asked me to break the illusion. I was just teasing her. Ying Li has a fiery temper, but I didn't expect her to be that fiery. If this has caused any trouble between you two, I apologize to you both."

Jiang Huai swirled his wine glass; the clear liquid reflected starlight in the sunlight. His face was serene. After listening to Fu Cheng finish speaking, he slowly raised his head and said, "I know, I know all that you're saying."

"But why do you have such an expression? Shouldn't you be angry?!" Fu Cheng asked in confusion. He really couldn't understand why Jiang Huai, who was so deeply in love with Ying Li, could still remain so calm and composed after hearing about Ying Li's sacrifice.

Jiang Huai smiled, placed the wine cup on the stone table, and said, "There's nothing wrong with this, Brother Fucheng. I think you're very good. If you also like Ali, I think that's great."

"Clang!" Fu Cheng dropped his wine cup on the stone table, spilling wine all over the surface. Jiang Huai smiled, shook the wine off his hand, and slowly wiped it with a handkerchief. His eyes were gentle, but his face was frosty.

"Brother Jiang Huai, what do you mean by this?! Do you despise Ying Li?! She is an innocent woman, and she is devoted to you. Even if I am interested in her, she has no feelings for me at all. How can you think like this, Brother Jiang Huai?! If Ying Li knew, she would be heartbroken! Please don't say such things again. I'll pretend I didn't hear it! I only made things clear because I was afraid you would misunderstand. If this backfires, I will apologize to you. I only hope that you will not let Ying Li down!" Fu Cheng said angrily. He didn't expect that someone as elegant and refined as Jiang Huai would say such things like an ordinary person. He couldn't help but feel angry for Ying Li!

“Brother Fucheng, I know you’re upset for Yingli, but I hope you understand that I would do anything for her, except stay by her side. I will stay with her for the rest of my life, but I am a Pupil Master and won’t live past thirty. Yingli is so good and so outstanding, how could anyone bear to abandon her?! It’s just that I can’t do it.” Jiang Huai finished his drink in one gulp.

Fu Cheng looked at Jiang Huai, and his blaming thoughts suddenly became heavy. He had seen Jiang Huai in Ying Li's illusionary realm, but he hadn't seen him completely. Jiang Huai's pupil power master physique was like a sharp blade, pinning Jiang Huai to the mountain wall. He bled to death and died. The person who was looking after him also died.

"Brother Jiang Huai..."

"Drink up..." Jiang Huai poured Fu Cheng a glass of wine, the two clinked glasses, and drank the wine in one gulp.

Finally, Jiang Huai asked, "Brother Fu Cheng, have you ever heard of a way to reverse the Pupil Power Master physique?!"

Fu Cheng, feeling dizzy from drinking, readily accepted Jiang Huai's words without hesitation, "There's no such thing as a way to reverse it; it's all just bluffing. Even the strongest pupil master has a suicidal constitution. Whoever is a pupil master is incredibly unlucky in this life, and must have committed a terrible sin in their past life!"

Jiang Huai gave a dry laugh, his expression filled with indescribable sorrow.

The sun was high in the sky, and the sun was setting in the west. Ying Li had not yet returned. Jiang Huai looked at the darkening sky and couldn't help but worry.

"Brother Fucheng, wake up! Did you see Yingli when he went out?! It's been so long and he still hasn't come back. Could something have happened?!" Jiang Huai said worriedly.

Fu Cheng shook his dizzy head, glanced at the sky, and immediately sobered up. He said, "When Ying Li went out this morning, she asked me about the Xuanlang Spirit Guide. I heard from Xuan Huo that it was nearby, so she left without saying a word. I don't know what she needs the Xuanlang Spirit Guide for. If I had known, I would have let her enter the Illusion Realm again, so I could see what she was up to and save you and me from worrying."

"Oh no!" Jiang Huai's expression changed drastically, and his spiritual power surged. Ying Li had gone to retrieve the inner pearl from the Xuanlang Spirit Guide! The Xuanlang Spirit Guide was extremely ferocious, unpredictable, and incredibly fast. What if something happened to Ying Li and there was no one to look after her?!

"Jiang Huai, you're here?!" Ying Li's weak voice came over. Jiang Huai watched Ying Li slowly walk over from a distance, his face covered in sweat and blood. Thinking of the harm he had done to Ying Li when he was controlled by the Gu poison, Jiang Huai's expression changed instantly.

Ying Li smiled and stepped forward, handing the two inner beads to Jiang Huai, saying, "I'm fine, you eat them quickly. I'll be relieved once you've eaten them."

Jiang Huai looked at Ying Li's pale lips, his right hand clenched tightly. After a long while, Jiang Huai smiled helplessly and put the two inner beads into his mouth one by one.

It's so painful... Ying Li.