Inside the lodge, Lordi Payne felt like he was suffocating!
Outside, Kinson Wexford was equally anxious. Why wasn't Senior Sister saying anything?
Was she too absorbed in studying the jade slip, or was she simply ignoring him?
At this moment, his hatred for Lordi Payne deepened even further.
After all, in Kinson Wexford's mind, the only recent thing that could have brought Senior Sister displeasure was the fact that he, a proud inner disciple, one of the bloodline lords in the Abyss Pit Sect, had been stolen lead in the hunt for Woods Tinshee.
No doubt, when Lordi Payne had brought the relic to Senior Sister, she had grown even more convinced that I was a useless fool.
Without Fairy Lith's permission, Kinson Wexford didn't dare to leave on his own. But the thought of Lordi Payne not only embarrassing him in front of Senior Sister but also sneaking into his room to cultivate—how could he let such a person escape?
He hesitated, torn between staying and leaving, when suddenly a familiar voice, icy as a winter gale and laced with rare fury, shattered the silence: "FUCK OFF!"
Even though Kinson Wexford had kept his distance from the lodge out of fear of the skull wind chime, that thunderous command sent a jolt through his qi and blood, leaving his dantian churning. Steadying his rattled nerves, he bowed his head and replied, "Aye. I'll return shortly."
Inside the lodge, Lordi Payne stood as stiff as a statue as he watched Fairy Lith slowly sit up from the cloud bed. Her dress had been torn to shreds by the system-controlled Lordi Payne, leaving her completely naked. Now, she sat utterly bare, her flawless skin glistening like polished ice beneath the dim light, her jade-like frame adorned with the faint. The cloud bed beneath her bore telltale stains—scattered droplets of vivid red, stark against the pale sheets. The scene was breathtaking. Her innocent beauty, unyielding arrogance clashed with an almost lustful atmosphere, weaving an aura that was both divine and profane, like a fallen goddess radiating an allure that could steal the breath of immortals.
Yet, Fairy Lith's face was a mask of icy frost, her almond-shaped eyes ablaze with a fury so intense it seemed to ignite the very air. She fixed Lordi Payne with a stare so piercing it could've carved through stone, her wrath a palpable force pressing down on the room.
Lordi Payne met her gaze, his own expression blank as a slate wiped clean.
What else could he do? He had no idea what kind of expression he should even be wearing in this situation. For a heartbeat, Fairy Lith's eyes bore into him. Then, without warning, her hand lashed out, a palm strike slicing through the air with the speed of a thunderbolt! Lordi Payne's every hair stood on end! But just as the wind from her strike grazed his cheek—close enough to feel its deadly chill—it veered sharply aside. With a deafening crack, a delicate side table nearby exploded into a shower of fine dust.
What followed was a tempest of rage. Fairy Lith unleashed a series of palm strikes. The air thrummed with power as the Payne Clan's carefully curated treasures, ornate vases, intricately carved screens, even the cloud bed, shattered under her onslaught. Once-elegant abode room became a battlefield of ruin.
After venting her anger, Fairy Lith seemed to calm down slightly. She rose from the edge of the ravaged bed, but as she took her first step, a flicker of discomfort crossed her face. Her first step faltered, and in the next moment, a surge of spiritual energy lifted her entire body into the air. She turned her head, a piercing gaze sweeping over Lordi Payne.
Just as Lordi Payne thought Fairy Lith might say something, she suddenly turned and walked into the inner room.
Moments later, the faint, rhythmic sound of trickling water drifted out, as if she were bathing.
Lordi Payne stood frozen in place, hardly daring to breathe.
He didn't know why Fairy Lith hadn't killed him, and he didn't dare to ask, or even run. All he could do was stand there, silently pleading to the fates that Fairy Li's beauty might be matched by a shred of mercy, that she'd spare his pitiful life…
It was then that he noticed the system's translucent panel still floating in front of him.
"You still have the nerve to ask for a five-star rating?!" Lordi Payne's rage erupted like a volcano, his mind a storm of curses. "If I could uninstall you, I'd kick you out in a heartbeat! Do you hear me, motherfucker?! Every damn time, you stir up chaos. Can't you cultivate without turning my life into a disaster?! The last two times, Kinson Wexford and Woods Tinshee, I barely clawed my way out alive, and you were disappointed, weren't you? So now you go all out and try to bury me for good?!"
As he raged on, a sudden chill gripped him, a shiver of dread snaking down his spine. Thank the heavens it was a dual cultivation technique and not something like the Sunflower Tomes! (A technique where you have to castrate yourself to learn.)
~ Ding! *System Notification Chime*
Sensed Lordi's age, the system chimed mechanically.
[AllFullOS: Version 1.0.0]
> All-Smart Full-Host Cultivation System is at your service!
> One-click-cultivation, worry-free-ascension!
Lordi Payne's furious tirade exploded forth like a storm tearing through the heavens. "You blasted, brain-dead Awful OS system! You think I'd give you a five-star review?! You absolute piece of trash! You wretched, miserable excuse for a system! I'd rather gouge my own eyes out than give you anything—EVEN A SINGLE STAR IS TOO GOOD FOR YOU!!!"
Despite his outburst, he immediately rate the system However, he mistakenly tap a wrong end. It clearly was a 5 star.
[AllFullOS: Version 1.0.0]
> [★★★★★]
> Submitted. Thanks for your feedback.
Perhaps because of the positive rating, the system, unlike its silence after the previous one-star ratings, chimed again.
~ Ding! *System Notification Chime*
[AllFullOS: Version 1.0.0]
...
> Thank you for your thoughtful feedback.
But then, in the very next heartbeat, that spine-chilling, all-too-familiar scene happened again!
~ Ding! *System Notification Chime*
[AllFullOS: Version 1.0.0]
...
> Review detected: [Five-Star Rating] .
> All-Smart Full-Host Cultivation System™ has decided to be *GRATITUDE* today!
> Spirit Nourishing Pill x1 will be gifted to the host for FREE.
> Processing...
Lordi Payne: "?! What the FFFUUUCK?!"
Before his mind could even fully process what was happening, the system seized control of his body with breathtaking speed. His legs moved of their own accord, striding forward with purpose. Bending down, he rummaged through the tattered remains of Fairy Lith's gown strewn across the ground, retrieved a purse with an ink base and moon color pattern. With a flick of his wrist, he opened it, revealing a delicate jade vial nestled within. Without a moment's hesitation, he tipped out the lone pill inside, its glossy surface glinting faintly as he gripped it tightly in his palm. Then, with a casual toss, he flung the purse aside as if it were nothing more than a discarded trinket.
~ Ding! *System Notification Chime*
[AllFullOS: Version 1.0.0]
> Item: Spirit Nourishing Pill
> Quantity: 1
> Status: Gifted successfully.
> Host control: RESTORED
> Thank you for using the All-Smart Full-Host Cultivation System™ (AllFullOS v1.0.0)
> One-click-cultivation, worry-free-ascension!
Lordi Payne was utterly dumbfounded!
After sleeping with the future Saintess, you're now stealing her belongings to reward me???
What kind of scumbag would do something like this???
Panicking, Lordi Payne quickly picked up the purse from the floor. His plan was simple: return the Spirit-Nurturing Pill and pretend this whole fiasco never happened.
But just as he opened the purse and was about to take the jade bottle, the sound of running water from the inner room abruptly ceased.
Lordi Payne jolted as if struck by lightning, without a second thought, he snapped the pouch shut and shoved it beneath a crumpled pile of torn clothing.
In the next breath, the door to the inner room slid open. Out stepped Fairy Lith, her long hair, slightly damp from her bath, cascaded in dark, silken waves. She's in a new flowing black gauze skirt. Her face, cold and unreadable as a frost-covered blade, didn't so much as glance in Lordi Payne's direction. Instead, her piercing gaze locked onto the heap of shredded garments she'd left behind, and she strode toward it with purpose.
Lordi Payne: "…"
It didn't take long for Fairy Lith to uncover the hidden purse. Opening it, she retrieved the jade vial, tilting it with a faint flick of her wrist. Only to find it empty. A flicker of astonishment rippled across her breathtakingly beautiful face as she stared at the empty vial, lost in thought.
Witnessing all of this, Lordi Payne held his breath, his mind going blank as his thoughts nearly ground to a halt.
The Spirit Nourishing Pill was still clutched tightly in his palm, exactly where the system had left it when it returned control of his body…
Fortunately, at that moment, the wind chime under the eaves began to ring on its own, emitting a few crisp chimes.
Lordi Payne felt a wave of dizziness wash over him. Terrified, he bit his tongue hard, forcing himself to stay conscious.
In an instant, Fairy Lith's piercing gaze snapped toward the door, a faint gleam of killing intent flickering in her eyes!
Moments later, the sound of hesitant footsteps echoed from outside, followed by Hugo Payne's timid, faltering voice. "Dare I ask, Senior Sister, will you be staying at our humble clan for a few more days? Senior Brother Wexford has chased dozens of miles outside the town, yet still hasn't found any trace…"
Before he could finish, Fairy Lith's icy voice cut through his words like a frigid wind slicing across a frozen plain. "Kinson Wexford!"
"Senior Sister, though Woods Tinshee fled into Mountain in grievously wounded, he was still Elder Leo's disciple. Lordi Payne, a mere third layer Qi Refinement Stage cultivator, managed to find and kill him before anyone else and even took the jade slip. There must be something unusual about him."
"I thought that this person might have some secrets, so I went after him not just to vent my anger but also to investigate…"
Receiving no response from Fairy Lith, Kinson Wexford's tone grew increasingly uneasy. "So, may I ask for three days to track him down and burn him to ashes?"
Lordi Payne didn't dare to make a sound, stealing a glance at Fairy Lith.
Her face remained an impassive mask, betraying nothing. With a sudden flick of her delicate finger, the doors of the lodge shuddered open with a resonant boom. Fairy Lith stepped outside.
Outside, Kinson Wexford was terrifying. He forced Hugo Payne to test the waters, only to have his scheme laid bare by Fairy Lith's sharp perception. When he saw Fairy Lith appeared, he relaxed slightly, thought perhaps she intended to interrogate the details herself. He quickly stepped forward, about to speak, but was shocked to see Lordi Payne standing hesitantly inside the lodge.
"You—Lordi Payne! How dare you intrude upon Senior Sister's presence?!" Kinson Wexford's voice erupted in disbelief as he turned to Fairy Lith. "Senior Sister, has this wretch deceived you with cunning lies…?"
Before Kinson Wexford's words could fully escape his lips, Fairy Lith's hand lashed out. The slap was so fierce, that it sent him hurtling backward through the air. Though Fairy Lith's body still bore the weight of unhealed wounds, that single slap smashing Kinson Wexford helplessly into the courtyard wall afar.
The wall splintered under the impact, cracks spiderwebbing outward as Kinson Wexford slid down to the ground in a crumpled heap. Blood spilled from his mouth, along with two broken teeth, and his cheek swelled grotesquely, turning a deep, angry red. Yet, despite the pain, he didn't dare touch his face. Instead, he stared up at Fairy Lith with wide, terrified eyes, his expression a mix of shock and confusion, as if he couldn't comprehend what had just happened.
Beside him, Hugo Payne had originally been utterly baffled as to why Lordi Payne was even here. But at this moment, how could he dare utter a single word?
From Lordi Payne's vantage point, he could see it clearly, this proud heir of the Payne Clan, the universally acknowledged genius of the younger generation, was trembling like a leaf caught in a storm, his legs quivering so badly it seemed he might fled the scene at any second.
Fairy Lith paid them no heed. With a flick of her wrist, she grasped a tiny, exquisitely crafted ebony jade boat from seemingly nowhere. Her slender fingers deftly formed a hand seal, and the tiny boat responded as if alive, swelling in the wind, expanding in the blink of an eye into a majestic three-story tower ship that hovered inspiring in midair.
The skull chime shimmered faintly on its own, releasing a cascade of pleasant, tinkling notes. Lordi Payne's mind dazzled for a heartbeat, and in that fleeting daze, he saw the chime had already hung itself on the vessel ship.
Fairy Lith stepped aboard first, her movements fluid and commanding. With a sweep of her sleeve, she issued a cold, crisp order: "Back to the sect!"
Lordi Payne let out a quiet sigh of relief, hoping that once everyone had left, he could finally hide the precious Spirit Nourishing Pill he had obtained. Hugo Payne, supporting the limping and bloodied Kinson Wexford, also boarded the ship. To his surprise, the vessel remained motionless, hovering in place as if waiting for something.
Just as Lordi Payne began to wonder what was happening Kinson Wexford froze for a moment too. Then, whipping his head around, he barked at Lordi Payne with unrestrained fury: "You dumb brat! What are you standing there for? Get your pathetic ass on the vessel now!"