Dual Cultivation System: The Villainous Servant’s Rise

Chapter 244: The Demoness is Quite Cute! The Post-Mortem

“The semi-periphery,” Ye Qingxuan answered. “In that tier, our Sect stands among the elite. As for the outermost peripheral forces? Their strongest champions usually peak at the Golden Core Stage.”

“I see. That clarifies the hierarchy,” Han Lie mused, nodding. It all came down to raw power and the depth of a Sect’s heritage. It made perfect sense—the titans dwelling in the continent’s Core wouldn’t deign to acknowledge the gnats buzzing on the fringes. In this world, you only looked at those who stood on your level.

“Rather than obsessing over how to join a Core-tier superpower, why not forge our own path?” Ye Qingxuan’s voice was steady, but her frost-bound eyes burned with a sudden, sharp ambition. “We will grow until we force our way into the Core. We will be the protagonists of our own story, Han Lie. We weren’t born to be background noise for others.”

“The Sect Leader’s wisdom is unmatched!” Han Lie grinned, rubbing his palms together. “With your brilliance, your peerless martial prowess, and that heaven-toppling cultivation of yours, turning the Heavenly Void Sect into a continental hegemon is just a matter of time. And I suspect that day is coming sooner than anyone thinks!”

“Pfft—!”

Ye Qingxuan actually snorted. The sudden, unscripted wave of Han Lie’s shameless flattery had completely shattered her icy facade.

“You really are beautiful when you smile, Sect Leader.”

Ye Qingxuan froze. The simple, earnest compliment struck a chord she hadn’t known existed. A strange, honeyed warmth flooded her chest.

“You speak as if This Palace is some joyless hag who never smiles,” she retorted, though her voice lacked its usual bite. She turned her head away, her chin tilted at a proud, defensive angle.

“This was different,” Han Lie insisted.

Ye Qingxuan raised a perfectly arched brow. “Oh? Enlighten me. How was it different?”

“Before, your smiles were always… well, mocking. They were weapons. But this one? This was genuine. It came from the heart.” Han Lie spoke with the gravity of a scholar presenting a thesis. “The difference, Sect Leader, is monumental.”

“Enough of your glib tongue. This Palace is leaving. Go attend your council meeting—and come find me if you have need of anything.”

She vanished in a blur of motion, making a hasty retreat.

It was only a flicker, gone in an instant, but Han Lie’s sharp eyes caught it. Was she… blushing?

“The female demon lord is actually quite cute,” Han Lie chuckled to himself. He hadn’t expected the imperious Ice Queen to be capable of such a human reaction. But then again, at the top of the Heavenly Void Sect, she was isolated. Most treated her with terror or groveling worship; no one dared to speak to her as an equal, let alone tease her.

He was the warm spring sun hitting the permafrost. No matter how thick the ice, it had to melt eventually. Especially when that sun was a man who shared a bond as intimate as theirs.

Shaking off the distraction, Han Lie made his way to the Elder Council’s chambers.

Inside, the atmosphere was a stark contrast to his private chat. Chi Lian, Sha Zui, and the rest of the inner circle were already assembled around the heavy stone table.

“Take your seat, Elder Han Lie,” Chi Lian said, waving him toward his chair before he could even offer a greeting.

“Everyone is present. Let us begin,” Chi Lian announced, assuming her role as chair. “Today’s session is a post-mortem on our recent clash with the Sun Moon Sect. While we are still tallying the damage, our counter-offensive ensured they bled just as heavily as we did.”

She leaned forward, her eyes sharp. “As long as our net losses remain within 100 million Spirit Stones, I consider this a victory. Regardless of the material cost, the Sun Moon Sect lost Liu Tianxing—a Nascent Soul Perfection powerhouse. That is an irreplaceable blow.”

Chi Lian surveyed the room. “If 100 million stones can buy the life of a Nascent Soul Perfection Elder, I will make that trade every single time. How many more do they have left to lose?”

The Elders nodded in grim agreement. To someone like Han Lie, who had reached the mid-Nascent Soul Stage with relative ease thanks to his Pure Yang Sacred Body and the Yin Yang Demonic Art, the cost seemed abstract. But for a normal genius like Bai Ling or Zhao Batian, reaching that peak required centuries of time, mountains of pills, and a string of Fated Chances. 100 million Spirit Stones for the head of such a master was, indeed, a bargain.

“Moving on…” Chi Lian’s gaze shifted to Elder Zhu Xuan, seated across from Han Lie. “Elder Zhu Xuan, give us your report on the events in Qingzhou City.”

“Yes, Grand Elder.” Zhu Xuan stood, his expression troubled. “Something was… wrong. My presence in Qingzhou City was a state secret, yet the Sun Moon Sect knew exactly where to find me. They sent Liu Tianxing specifically to pin me down. He didn’t look surprised to see me; he looked like he was following a script.”

He sighed, his shoulders sagging. “To make matters worse, Gui Zhan Zi was lurking in the shadows. Against a Soul Formation Stage monster, I was powerless. Elder Han Lie, I must offer my humblest apologies. I failed in my duty to protect your kin.”

Han Lie waved him off instantly. “Senior Zhu Xuan, please. Do not blame yourself. The fact that Gui Zhan Zi didn’t erase you where you stood is a blessing. My parents are safe; that is all that matters.”

“Elder Han Lie truly possesses a temperament worthy of the Grand Elder’s favor,” Elder Black Hawk remarked from the third seat. “A lesser man would be screaming for blood and looking for a scapegoat. Your reasonableness is rare in these halls.”

Han Lie noticed the fourth and fifth-seat Elders’ faces darken at the praise. The internal politics of the Sect were clearly more fractured than they appeared on the surface. He offered Black Hawk a polite smile but remained silent. He had no intention of becoming a pawn in their petty squabbles.

Chi Lian sensed the shift in the room and tightened her grip on the meeting. “Elder Han Lie is correct. The fault lies not with Zhu Xuan, but with the intelligence failure. Elder Zhu Xuan, you’re suggesting that we have a mole? That someone fed your coordinates to the enemy?”