"Quick, help me!"

Facing Dai Xiu's ferocious slashing, Qi Qingshan once again cried out to Su Xuan for help.

The reason he had desperately called himself Su Xuan's father-in-law was, naturally, because of that very meaningful bracelet—the one his deceased wife had left for her future son-in-law.

"I'm coming!"

Considering Dai Xiu was Dai Zhuyue's father and Qi Qingshan's sworn brother, Su Xuan chose not to use the Undying Earth Fire. Instead, he rushed over and unleashed a Cloud Wave Palm.

THWACK!

The seemingly ordinary Cloud Wave Palm struck Dai Xiu squarely.

Dai Xiu's body shuddered, and he was sent flying off Qi Qingshan, crashing into a pile of rubble from the old house.

That simple?

Su Xuan looked at his palm, his expression one of disbelief. He hadn't expected the first palm to land and had a series of follow-up moves prepared, yet a single strike had been enough to send Dai Xiu flying.

Seeing Su Xuan use the sect's most basic martial art, Qi Qingshan was also stunned. My daughter actually taught him the Floating Cloud Sect's techniques? They are definitely not just ordinary friends!

ROAR!

But just then, Dai Xiu burst out from the rubble, letting out a strange, inhuman roar.

Before Su Xuan could figure out what was happening, Qi Qingshan said grimly, "Dai Xiu has clearly been afflicted by the Mind Control Technique and has lost his autonomy. He has no idea what he's doing right now!"

"Mind Control Technique..."

Su Xuan had heard those words before. Back when they captured that witness, the man refused to talk. Qi Li and Lu Dongshan had said there was no hurry; once they returned to the sect and used the Mind Control Technique, he would tell them everything.

"Su, kid!" Qi Qingshan continued. "It must be Elder Liu who's controlling him. Try not to hurt him; just restrict his movements. I have a way to snap him out of it!"

"Alright..."

Gazing at the feral, beast-like Dai Xiu, Su Xuan reluctantly agreed. With a swift leap, he appeared at Dai Xiu's side and wrapped his arms around his neck.

Dai Xiu's eyes were bloodshot. He grabbed Su Xuan's collar, trying to throw him off.

But Su Xuan expertly neutralized the force, remaining rooted to the spot.

"Down!"

Su Xuan bellowed, twisting his waist and using brute strength to slam Dai Xiu to the ground.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

Once on the ground, Dai Xiu struggled wildly, his limbs thrashing and kicking up dust.

Su Xuan, agile and quick, locked his legs tightly around Dai Xiu's torso and secured his arms firmly around Dai Xiu's head. He was using a technique common in the world below the mountains: the guillotine choke.

There was an old story about a master who boasted he could break the hold while singing a song. Everyone knew how that ended for him.

ARRGH!

Immobilized, Dai Xiu continued to writhe, even attempting to bite Su Xuan, but he couldn't reach him.

"Well done!"

Seeing Su Xuan restrain Dai Xiu so quickly and effectively, Qi Qingshan scrambled over. He extended two fingers and pressed them to the center of Dai Xiu's brow.

A surge of qi fluctuated from the spot.

Gradually, Dai Xiu stopped struggling. His eyes drooped, and he looked as if he had fallen asleep.

"Is it done?" Su Xuan asked, still holding him down.

"It's done." Qi Qingshan sat down on the ground. "Just give him a moment. He'll wake up on his own."

"Good."

Su Xuan released Dai Xiu, stood up, and dusted himself off.

"I can't believe it," Qi Qingshan murmured. "Elder Liu used such a despicable method on Dai Xiu, forcing him to come kill me!"

He then looked at Su Xuan with immense gratitude. "It's a good thing you were here. Otherwise, I would have been doomed."

Su Xuan had definitely saved his life. In his injured state, he couldn't possibly have handled the mind-controlled Dai Xiu. His gaze toward Su Xuan grew increasingly fond.

Looks like I can finally give Dai Zhuyue a satisfactory report, Su Xuan thought, glancing in the direction of the Floating Cloud Sect. He's been so worried about his father, suspecting Elder Liu had him under control. His words were unfortunately prophetic.

"Kid Su, there's no time to waste! You must go get Yan Peng!"

Qi Qingshan also looked toward the Floating Cloud Sect and urged, "It looks like it's about to pour. If the Spirit-Taming Sect uses the heavy rain as cover to launch an attack, the consequences will be unimaginable! Don't worry about me. Once Dai Xiu wakes up, he'll protect me."

"Um..."

Su Xuan didn't leave. He spoke up suddenly, "Sect Leader Qi, can you teach me the Mind Control Technique?"

"You want to learn that?" Qi Qingshan was taken aback.

"An extra skill can't hurt," Su Xuan said. "It might even come in handy for tonight's operation."

"It's not that I don't want to teach you," Qi Qingshan said with difficulty, "but learning the Mind Control Technique requires an incredibly strong will. Otherwise, it's easy to go astray and get yourself killed. I haven't even dared to let Li'er learn it! Besides, you can't possibly master it in one night. How could you use it tonight?"

"Don't worry about that."

Su Xuan's will had long been formidably enhanced by the system. He said to Qi Qingshan, "Just tell me the incantation. You don't need to worry about the rest."

"Er..."

Qi Qingshan was still troubled. "To be honest, the Mind Control Technique is a forbidden art in the Floating Cloud Sect. Only the elders and I are permitted to know it. You..."

"Do you want my help or not?" Su Xuan interrupted his rambling. "If you keep dithering, the Floating Cloud Sect will be destroyed, and Qi Li might not survive either."

"Come here!"

Qi Qingshan beckoned to Su Xuan.

He leaned in and whispered the incantation for the Mind Control Technique...

「A few minutes later」

Su Xuan stood up and walked out of the old house, his figure quickly vanishing into the night.

Qi Qingshan watched him go, believing it would take Su Xuan at least three to five years to learn the Mind Control Technique.

The weather in the mountains was fickle.

When Su Xuan had arrived in Luoyue Village, the sky was full of stars.

Now, as he left, thick, heavy clouds pressed down from above, and a cold, piercing dampness seeped into every inch of the air.

Su Xuan moved quickly, heading towards the Spirit-Taming Sect.

「...」

"Ugh, I'm so sleepy..."

At the foot of the Spirit-Taming Sect's mountain, a disciple on night watch duty yawned.

He glanced at the sky and muttered to himself, "It's about to pour. Why hasn't anyone come to relieve me yet? Did they forget about me?"

The post he guarded wasn't particularly important; a scarecrow could have done the job.

"Hm? Who's there?"

The disciple suddenly spotted a figure approaching stealthily and shouted a challenge.

"It's me, it's me!"

The figure waved, carrying no weapon, and quickly ran up to him.

"I don't know you at all!"

The disciple froze when he got a good look at the man, who was dressed like a commoner from the world below.

How did a commoner get up the mountain?

"I'm a tourist," the man, none other than Su Xuan, said with an amiable smile. "I got separated from my group and got lost. I have no idea how I ended up here. Do you know the way back down the mountain?"

"I don't."

The disciple's hand crept to the hilt of his saber.

"But I do know that you're about to die!"

He drew his blade in a flash, slashing at Su Xuan while muttering, "Only a fool would believe you! You must be a spy from the Floating Cloud Sect!"

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