"Not at all. If it weren't for you being here, I wouldn't have the guts or confidence to contract a divine beast." Ye Lanshan showed rare modesty, though it was the truth—without Shangguan Xin present, she wouldn't have faced Ying Huarong so calmly.
"There are no more snakes, but I caught a red hare." Ying Huarong walked over holding one.
The rabbit was skewered on a stick, roasting over the fire, sizzling as hot oil dripped, crackling loudly. It looked incredibly appetizing.
"So fragrant." Ying Huarong sniffed the air, drooling.
"Hey, none of this is for you. You already drank all the snake soup, so I'm not letting you have this rabbit." Ye Lanshan wasn't about to let her devour the rabbit too.
Left with no choice, Ying Huarong could only watch pitifully as Ye Lanshan and Shangguan Xin happily enjoyed the succulent rabbit meat.
"Crispy on the outside, tender inside, with a full spicy kick. Your cooking skills are impressive—no wonder you won her over with just a pot of soup."
Shangguan Xin didn't actually need to eat, but the aroma in the air tempted him to take a bite.
"Of course. I may not match top chefs, but my cooking is far from bad." As Ye Lanshan ate the roasted rabbit, her eyes brimmed with happiness, as if she'd returned to her carefree days of solitude.
"Let's go." After finishing their meal, Ye Lanshan stood up and casually cast a spell. The pot instantly became brand new, not even a trace of grease left.
"Truly a member of the Spirit Clan—so convenient in everything you do." Shangguan Xin's observation of her cleaning spell further confirmed her identity.
Ye Lanshan didn't refute him, nor did she explain that this was merely a cultivation system, not something exclusive to the Spirit Clan.
After all, despite their contract, it was only an equal one. In short, Ye Lanshan still didn't fully trust him.
"Wow, it's so lively here." Ye Lanshan led Ying Huarong and the others into a small city, though she had no idea what it was called.
"You must be travelers, young sir. You probably don't know—today is Baoding City's annual Sacred Festival. Everyone comes out to seek the gods' enlightenment," said a nearby auntie, noticing their attire differed from the locals.
"Oh, is that so? We came from the Sunset Mountains and are just passing through. What kind of festival is this Sacred Festival?" Ye Lanshan sensed it was tied to the Sacred Grounds.
Her intuition proved correct—the Sacred Festival was indeed linked to the Sacred Grounds. It was essentially a gimmick they created to recruit fresh blood.
Anyone found to possess Light Xuan would be taken away to become a disciple of the Sacred Grounds.
Whether they had Light Xuan or not, the city's residents revered the Sacred Grounds, believing them to be messengers of the gods.
"Sigh, this is troublesome." Ye Lanshan shook her head with a sigh. Back in the capital, the major powers weren't keen on the Sacred Grounds, so while she knew many places worshipped them, she hadn't expected such fervor.
"Hmph, a bunch of fools." Shangguan Xin clearly despised the Sacred Grounds too.
"What if I rashly killed a Sacred Ground disciple here? Would it stir up public outrage?" Ye Lanshan joked, though she was seriously considering it.
Her hatred for the Sacred Grounds ran deep. Killing a few of their people to vent seemed harmless enough.
"Why would you want to kill Sacred Ground people? Aren't they good?" Ying Huarong was confused. Though she'd never been to a human city, she'd heard of the Sacred Grounds' deeds.
They were said to be divine messengers, conveying the gods' will and saving people from suffering—pure and radiant beings.
"You haven't seen their dark side." Ye Lanshan curled her lip. The Sacred Grounds' true nature didn't concern her, but they had provoked her repeatedly, even trying to seize her Red Lotus Karma Fire. That was something she couldn't tolerate.
If they wanted her things, they'd pay a heavy price. Ye Lanshan's eyes flickered with killing intent, a smirk curling her lips as she casually asked a passerby where the Sacred Grounds' people were staying.
"Shangguan Xin, I have to kill these people. You said you'd train me to face your enemies, so you wouldn't want me to fall at the hands of the Sacred Grounds, would you?"
Ye Lanshan had rented two superior rooms at an inn, and now they were in one of them, plotting how to eliminate the Sacred Grounds' disciples.
"They're just weaklings. Don't tell me you can't handle that." Shangguan Xin didn't doubt her ability.
"Killing them is easy, but I want to do it without a trace, making the Sacred Grounds swallow a bitter pill."
Killing a few people was simple, but making sure the Sacred Grounds never knew who did it—that was the challenge.
"Go on." Shangguan Xin sat elegantly on a stool, his purple eyes swirling like whirlpools. Add a wine glass, and he'd be the perfect vampire count.
"I don't need much from you. Just when I kill them, blast them into pieces so no one can tell who did it." Ye Lanshan wanted to use Shangguan Xin's power to intimidate the Sacred Grounds, keeping suspicion off her.
She planned to set up a barrier to block all sound from the outside, but if she used a formation, the Sacred Grounds would suspect the Ye family. If Shangguan Xin acted, it would be different.
Who was Shangguan Xin? A being from the upper continent, a monster even humans there feared. If he struck, it would be extraordinary, making the Sacred Grounds wonder if they'd offended some reclusive formation master, not the Ye family.
"You, who are you? How dare you barge into the Sacred Grounds' resting place? Do you have a death wish?" Several Sacred Grounds disciples were drinking together when a frail scholar suddenly appeared among them. Startled, they drew their swords.
"What do you think I am?" The scholar transformed into Ye Lanshan.
"So it's a little beauty." One disciple leered at her celestial face, rubbing his hands together.
"It's Ye Lanshan. Truly, you walk the path to heaven but refuse it, and force your way into hell. Since you've come to us, don't blame me for being rude."
Another disciple smacked the lecherous one on the head, his eyes filled with malice.
"Looks like I'm quite famous. I thought none of you would recognize me, but it turns out someone does."
Ye Lanshan's eyes blazed with killing intent, a bloodthirsty smile curling her lips as she gripped her Devourer blade, looking like a demon straight out of hell.