Chapter 246: The Unfortunate Twin Dragons

"Talent Increased Tenfold!!!"

"The effect of this He Shi Bi is simply too strong. If I had known it was so potent—" A flicker of greed and regret flashed in Zhu Yuyan's eyes.

She had originally assumed that even if the He Shi Bi could enhance a person's talent, it would only increase it by one or two achievements at most.

After all, she had never seen a treasure that could truly enhance a person's aptitude so much.

Furthermore, she felt she still needed to rely on Ye Xiu's diary to improve her strength and cultivation. That's why she hadn't considered competing with Ye Xiu for the He Shi Bi.

But now, she truly regretted it.

If the He Shi Bi could increase her talent tenfold, she felt she could cultivate with her own hard work and become a celestial being like Pang Ban.

Unfortunately, it was too late now; Ye Xiu had already refined the He Shi Bi.

"Ah—" Zhu Yuyan sighed again, trying hard to suppress the regret in her heart.

"Actually, using the power of the Heshi Bi to cleanse one's body isn't that simple. According to Ye Xiu, to improve one's aptitude, one needs to possess at least seven different types of Qi within one's body, and be able to flexibly switch between them. Otherwise, the desired effect won't be achieved," Zhu Yuyan muttered to herself, trying to reassure herself and ease her regrets.

Taking another deep breath, she blocked out the regrets and decided not to dwell on the Heshi Bi or the altered aptitudes.

She would regret it to death if she continued to dwell on them.

Seeing Ye Xiu comparing her again in his diary, claiming he could easily defeat her, Zhu Yuyan could

n't help but curl her lips, a wave of frustration rising within her once again. "Pang Ban and I truly have no connection! Pang Ban has never helped me, nor have we ever had any contact. Why do you insist on linking us together?"

Seeing Ye Xiu mention Pang Ban again, once again assuming she was his associate, Zhu Yuyan felt so frustrated she felt like vomiting blood.

She had originally thought that withdrawing from the fight for the Heshi Bi would at least clear up some of Ye Xiu's misunderstandings and improve his favorability. However, she hadn't expected that Ye Xiu still considered her Pang Ban's subordinate.

Zhu Yuyan was so depressed she felt like dying. She felt like she had done nothing, so why did Ye Xiu insist that she was Pang Ban's subordinate?

Zhu Yuyan wanted to find Ye Xiu immediately, strangle him, and tell him that she had no connection with Pang Ban and that she hadn't become a Grandmaster with Pang Ban's help!

Unfortunately, Zhu Yuyan couldn't find Ye Xiu at all. She truly regretted not getting any of his contact information after their previous encounter. Otherwise, she wouldn't be in this situation now, unable to find him.

Taking a few deep breaths, Zhu Yuyan tried her best to suppress her frustration.

"Shh! I didn't expect it to be a Celestial Grandmaster!" Zhu Yuyan gasped as she saw the diary mention the person who had attacked Ye Xiu. The person wasn't the Zhixuan Grandmaster she'd imagined, but the Celestial Grandmaster, a higher level.

As someone who had finally achieved the status of Vajra Grandmaster thanks to the diary, she had originally thought her cultivation would allow her to dominate the martial arts world.

But just as she began to rely on her Vajra Grandmaster status to intimidate the Demon Sect and force Cihang Jingzhai, Ning Daoqi suddenly appeared.

Well, Zhu Yuyan didn't think much of Ning Daoqi; after all, he was a long-established Grandmaster, so it was only natural that he was stronger than her.

But now that even a Zhixuan Grandmaster and even a Celestial Grandmaster had appeared, she suddenly felt a bit underwhelmed by her Vajra Grandmaster status.

Furthermore, Zhu Yuyan couldn't help but wonder: why hadn't there been another Grandmaster besides Ning Daoqi in the martial arts world of the Great Sui Dynasty?

Moreover, Ning Daoqi and she were both Grandmasters of the Vajra Realm, the only difference being that Ning Daoqi was a second-level Grandmaster, while she was only a first-level Grandmaster.

So what about those above that? A Grandmaster of the Profound Finger Realm? A Grandmaster of the Vajra Realm? It was as if she had never heard of such a thing before.

Zhu Yuyan suddenly felt it was utterly unreasonable. On the contrary, the sudden appearance of a Grandmaster of the Profound Finger Realm and a Grandmaster of the Celestial Realm, thanks to the Heshi Bi, seemed quite reasonable to her.

After all, how could a world with celestial beings not even have a Grandmaster of the Profound Finger Realm or a Grandmaster of the Celestial Realm?

Of course, because of this reasonableness, Zhu Yuyan resolved to behave timidly from now on. No, it wasn't quite timid, but rather to be timid when necessary, and not act too arrogantly, lest she attract even more powerful masters who would easily defeat her.

"But, this Child-Fairy of Tianshan, she actually went to battle against a Grandmaster of Celestial Phenomena for Ye Xiu. I wonder how she's doing now." Zhu Yuyan's expression was bewildered when she read the part about the Child-Fairy of Tianshan.

It was hard for Zhu Yuyan to comprehend how someone could go against a Grandmaster of Celestial Phenomena for another.

If it were her, she would never go to such lengths.

If it were for her disciple Wanwan, or to ensure that the Yin Gui Sect would not lose its talented successor, she would fight to the death.

But to lay down her life for Ye Xiu? Zhu Yuyan couldn't do it.

Zhu Yuyan didn't even consider why Ye Xiu's favorability towards her wasn't high, and was even declining. Wasn't it because of her personality?

But it wasn't Zhu Yuyan's fault. After all, she had lived in the treacherous and treacherous Demon Sect since she was a child. In this sect, to protect herself and survive, one truly had to resort to any means necessary, even casting aside all kindness.

From her childhood, Zhu Yuyan had witnessed many fellow disciples who met tragic end because of their kindness.

However, Zhu Yuyan's character, shaped by her upbringing, was only suited to the Demon Sect, not much for anything outside of it.

Zhu Yuyan, aside from sulking for a while, was completely helpless in her current situation.

However, when she saw Ye Xiu's favorability towards her increase by a few points, reaching 15, her frustration only intensified.

This was still not as high as when she first received the diary.

Back then, Ye Xiu's favorability towards her was 20 points, and now, even though she couldn't even give up the Heshi Bi and didn't compete with Ye Xiu for it, her favorability had only increased to 15 points.

"Calculating the time, it's been almost a month since the diary last gave me favorability, and it's only this low. No, I have to find a way to improve his favorability towards me." Zhu Yuyan's eyes flashed with determination, but then turned to bitterness.

"The key is, I can't find him. How can I improve his favorability? And how can I prove that Pang Ban and I have no connection at all?" Zhu Yuyan felt like her head was about to explode.

She felt she had never encountered such a thorny problem before.

Zhu Yuyan was now furious with Ye Xiu.

The last time she had been this angry with someone was with the evil king, Shi Zhixuan. Now there was another person writing a diary.

Despite their mutual rage, there was a significant difference between how they treated Shi Zhixuan and the person writing the diary.

"

The Heshi Bi is so miraculous, capable of increasing a person's aptitude tenfold? It's truly astonishing." Shi Qingxuan couldn't help but sigh as she read the diary.

Even Shi Qingxuan felt a certain amount of envy at Ye Xiu's fortuitous encounter, but that was all.

Compared to someone like Zhu Yuyan, Shi Qingxuan's personality was simply too good to be true. She

harbored no greed, no jealousy, and even held little attachment to most worldly things.

With her personality, she was actually more suited to Buddhist meditation or cultivation, as she could truly sit still.

Sometimes, she could sit on a rock and stare blankly for an entire day.

Even with this personality, she still felt a touch of envy after witnessing the Heshi Bi's effects.

However, Shi Qingxuan was well aware of the efforts Ye Xiu had made to obtain the Heshi Bi, and she understood the dangers he had faced in pursuit of it. Especially since even a Grandmaster of the Celestial Realm had made a move.

So Shi Qingxuan was merely envious, but also believed that what Ye Xiu had received was his due.

Meanwhile, in the territory of the Great Sui Dynasty, a young woman was stuffing a piece of pastry into her mouth, her face filled with a look of enjoyment, so much so that her eyes narrowed, her face brimming with happiness.

For her, being able to enjoy such a delicious treat at any time was already a matter of great happiness.

"The Heshi Bi is truly amazing! It can actually elevate a person's aptitude so much. But it feels fake. If it were truly that powerful, how could it have survived until now?" Shang Xiuxun muttered to herself as she ate her pastry.

"Still, in this world, there are even diaries that generate their own text. It seems quite normal for the Heshi Bi to have such an effect," Shang Xiuxun thought to herself.

Shang Xiuxun had possessed the diary for some time.

However, after obtaining it, Shang Xiuxun had never considered searching for the person who wrote it, other than reading it.

At most, through the diary, she learned a few things that concerned her.

For example, her father, Lu Miaozi, who was hiding in Anlewo and in a rather precarious situation, and the fact that her Pegasus Ranch was being targeted by the Four Bandits.

These two things in the diary were the only things that concerned Shang Xiuxun deeply.

However, Shang Xiuxun felt somewhat powerless to deal with them.

Lu Miaozi, her adopted father. But because of her mother's death, Shang Xiuxun had always been resentful of Lu Miaozi.

But now, knowing that Lu Miaozi was in danger, Shang Xiuxun felt deeply uneasy.

However, if what was mentioned in the diary was true, then the person who wrote it would sooner or later come to Lu Miaozi for the Evil Emperor's relic or the Yang Gong treasure house. At that time, Lu Miaozi would naturally receive treatment and would not die.

As long as Lu Miaozi survived, the Four Bandits who were spying on Pegasus Ranch seemed to be less of a threat.

Thinking of this, Shang Xiuxun's anxious heart calmed down.

However, Shang Xiuxun felt a pang of discontent at the thought of relying on Lu Miaozi for her Pegasus Ranch's protection.

Ultimately, she decided to give Lu Miaozi a chance to prove himself. If she could protect the Pegasus Ranch, she would grudgingly acknowledge him as her father.

After a moment's inner struggle, Shang Xiuxun finally made her decision.

So, Shang Xiuxun was still looking forward to the diary writer's arrival.

This was also the driving force behind her daily reading of Ye Xiu's diary.

Of course, Shang Xiuxun also worried about whether the diary writer would come to find Lu Miaozi. After all, if he didn't, Lu Miaozi might actually die. Her Pegasus Ranch might also be in danger.

But what reassured Shang Xiuxun was that the diary writer hadn't written about not coming to find Lu Miaozi.

Especially since the diary writer had also encountered the Grand Master of Astronomy. The other party must be extremely eager to improve their strength. Since they're so eager to increase their power, the Evil Emperor's Relic in Yang Gong's treasury is an inevitable obstacle, and they'll definitely come to Lu Miaozi.

Understanding this, Shang Xiuxun could finally enjoy her snacks in peace.

As for the other diary holders, most were happy that Ye Xiu had obtained the He Shi Bi and had significantly improved his aptitude.

While some of them felt a touch of envy and even jealousy at the He Shi Bi's effects

, most of them were happy for Ye Xiu.

Of course, people like Ah Zi were truly envious and jealous, wishing they could take his place.

But none of this mattered to Ye Xiu. What mattered now was that his strength had increased significantly with his improved aptitude. The pressure from Pang Ban had been greatly reduced.

"I've got the He Shi Bi, and my aptitude has improved. Next, it's the Evil Emperor's Relic." Ye Xiu couldn't help but covet the Evil Emperor's Relic again.

It was primarily a desire for power.

If there were no threat from Pang Ban, Ye Xiu wouldn't have had too many concerns. He would have just kept his diary daily, and his strength would have improved sooner or later. He would have become a terrestrial immortal and roamed the world freely.

But Pang Ban, this celestial being, coveted his body and everything he had.

Ye Xiu had no choice but to find a way to improve his strength.

Even though Ye Xiu's aptitude had improved greatly due to the Heshi Bi, and the speed of his strength growth would have increased significantly,

Ye Xiu still hoped to improve his strength at a faster rate.

And in the Sui Dynasty, the only thing that could quickly improve a person's strength was naturally the Evil Emperor's Relic.

"It's just that, when we went to steal the Heshi Bi before, we attracted a Grandmaster of Astronomy. So what about the Evil Emperor's Relic? Will it attract another Grandmaster of Astronomy as well?" Ye Xiu couldn't help but frown, feeling a little more worried.

"Probably not. The Evil Emperor's relic can certainly store vital energy for cultivation, but it's just a tool, at most only useful for Grandmasters like Shi Zhixuan. The He Clan Jade, on the other hand, concerns the entire empire, which is why it's sought after by countless factions." "

Ultimately, the Evil Emperor's relic is for an individual, while the He Clan Jade is for a faction, even the empire itself. So it's normal for Grandmasters of Celestial Phenomena to appear when pursuing the He Clan Jade. The Evil Emperor's relic might not attract a Grandmaster of Celestial Phenomena," Ye Xiu thought to himself.

"However, obtaining the Evil Emperor's relic still carries the potential for danger—" Ye Xiu couldn't help but frown.

If there were no other choice, he truly didn't want to take the risk, not at all.

"Forget it, let's go find Lu Miaozi first. First, find out the situation at Yang Gong's treasury, then ask Lu Miaozi's opinion and see if he thinks there's any danger. If Lu Miaozi thinks there's no danger, then I'll find a way to obtain the Evil Emperor's relic. If he doesn't, then I'll just give up." Ye Xiu made this decision and headed for Pegasus Ranch.

By the time Ye Xiu arrived at Pegasus Ranch, the situation at Jingnian Monastery had come to a close.

After all, with the Heshi Bi gone, naturally, there were fewer people watching Jingnian Monastery.

Especially after everyone discovered that the four Dharma protectors of Jingnian Monastery had been killed, along with even the abbot, Monk Lekong, they realized that the Heshi Bi had indeed been taken.

However, with so many powerful forces watching, not only had Monk Lekong and his men been killed, but the Heshi Bi had also been taken away, they were unsure where to find it.

"Tell me, are you involved in the deaths of Abbot Lekong and his men? Do you have the Heshi Bi?" the monks at Jingnian Monastery interrogated the two men with a stern face.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were pale, devoid of any color, and their bodies exuded a sense of weakness.

Bitterness washed over them as they heard the monks' words.

Xu Ziling and Kou Zhong were truly unlucky.

They had previously coveted the Heshi Bi on Ye Xiu's person and attempted to wrest it from him. However, Ye Xiu's strength far exceeded their expectations, and with a single blow, he severely wounded and nearly killed them.

If it weren't for the fact that the immortality techniques they cultivated were inherently effective at healing, and their own, yin and yang properties, their combined cultivation and healing abilities would have been significantly enhanced. They would have been a perfect match for a duo cultivation.

After Ye Xiu injured them, he was in a hurry to leave and didn't finish them off, allowing them to escape. However,

while they were healing together, they were discovered by monks from Jingnian Monastery searching for Monk Kong's killer.

The monks discovered that the immortality qi emanating from Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling was identical to the qi remaining on Kong's corpses,

leading to their capture.

Then, the deaths of Monk Liaokong and the four Dharma protectors of Jingnian Monastery were blamed on these two men.

As for why they didn't have the Heshi Bi on them?

Perhaps they had hidden it, or perhaps someone had taken it from them.

But this wasn't important to the monks of Jingnian Monastery. What mattered most was revenge for Monk Liaokong and his men.

"Monk, I'm telling you, how could we possibly kill your abbot when we're so weak?" Kou Zhong said with a bitter face.

"That's right. Look at us two, we're not even Grandmasters, and we're so badly injured. How could we possibly kill your abbot, let alone the four Dharma protectors?" Xu Ziling echoed.

"Who knows if you used some ruthless means?" the monks of Jingnian Monastery said stubbornly.

"No matter how ruthless we are, we can't possibly take on five of them at once? And they're all stronger than us?" Kou Zhong quickly argued.

"Yes, yes, even a grandmaster can chase us to the ends of the earth. There is no way we can beat five people." Xu Ziling also nodded quickly.

"Okay, you said it wasn't you, then what kind of martial arts did you practice? Besides you, who else practices this kind of martial arts?" The monk from Jingnian Zen Temple asked.

"This - the martial arts we practice -"

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling almost cried. According to their understanding, it seems that no one has successfully practiced the Changsheng Jue for hundreds of years, except for the two of them.

So, apart from them, who else could have killed Monk Kong and the others?

The two of them wanted to put the blame on the person who injured them.

However, the monks from Jingnian Zen Sect didn't believe it at all! They couldn't produce any evidence.