**Chapter 349: Qing Luan**
After a brief exchange of greetings, Xia Linglong naturally took the lead, guiding them to meet her friend.
As they walked, with only a flicker of light around them, Xia Linglong leaned toward Yun Zhonghe and whispered, “Your sister has such a powerful vibe. She feels anything but ordinary.”
Xia Linglong had encountered all sorts of characters, yet it was her first time feeling someone could completely overshadow her aura without showing their true colors.
That hidden depth and effortless demeanor made her utterly baffled by Tao Jiu’er.
Not to undermine Yun Zhonghe, but coming from a Third-Rate Aristocratic Family, he shouldn’t have such an intriguing person in his family tree.
Yun Zhonghe chuckled, “Of course, she’s my pride and joy.”
With him saying that, Xia Linglong decided not to pry any further.
As they moved deeper into the territory, a unique landscape began to unfold before their eyes.
Beast Tamer Peak was a scene vastly different from the outside world, looking like a paradise untouched by time.
Streams wound merrily through the valleys, crystal clear, while lush green trees towered overhead, casting thick shadows. Various exotic birds and beasts flitted about, chirping and frolicking, creating a picture of vibrant life.
Occasionally, they even caught glimpses of large spiritual beasts peacefully strolling through the woods.
Yun Zhonghe’s eyes widened as he spotted a beast the size of a house munching grass in the distance. Its massive form glistening in the sunlight was nothing short of spectacular!
After all, this was Beast Tamer Peak; it had to be suited perfectly for the spiritual creatures.
Fortunately, these beasts didn’t bolt or attack upon seeing Yun Zhonghe and his companions—they were already accustomed to humans.
Besides, since they were called spiritual beasts, it meant they possessed a certain level of intelligence.
Yun Zhonghe felt like he was visiting a wildlife park, marveling at the sights.
“This place is gorgeous!” he exclaimed.
Xia Linglong nodded with a smile. “Of course! As a place dedicated to breeding spiritual beasts, the environment here is meticulously crafted. These beasts demand high standards; if the environment isn’t up to par, they’ll feel uncomfortable, affecting their moods and training efficiency.”
Along the way, Yun Zhonghe’s gaze darted around like a puppy distracted by squirrels.
Spiritual herbs and celestial plants grew in abundance, the air thick with a sweet, refreshing fragrance. Strange stones and peculiar trees adorned the area, and various kinds of spiritual beasts roamed around, most of which Yun Zhonghe couldn’t name.
Some beasts seemed fierce, with intimidating looks, but in reality, they were gentle and friendly.
Others lazily sprawled on rocks of different shapes, basking in the tranquility of the afternoon sun.
Basically, any spiritual beast roaming freely had been domesticated, so as long as no one provoked them, these creatures wouldn’t attack the sect’s disciples.
Under Xia Linglong’s guidance, they wove through patches of spiritual herbs and twisted around bizarre stone formations, finally arriving at a tranquil and elegant residence.
A fairy in colorful attire was chatting with a flock of colorful birds. Some hopped around her shoulders, while others playfully tugged at her hair, gently preening it. The scene was so beautiful it didn’t seem of this world, like a flower fairy had descended into reality.
“Oh my, so many visitors!”
As Xia Linglong and Yun Zhonghe approached, the fairy gracefully turned, a warm smile illuminating her face. She lightly bowed to Yun Zhonghe and Tao Jiu’er, her voice sweet like chimes, “Welcome to Beast Tamer Peak! My name is Qing Luan.”
Her demeanor was elegant, radiating warmth, clearly a person easy to get along with.
“Don’t let that fool you; wait until she shows her true self. You’ll see just how difficult she can be,” Xia Linglong warned Yun Zhonghe.
“How rude, Linglong! You shouldn’t speak about your friend behind her back!” Qing Luan playfully propped her chin on her hand, a teasing smile dancing on her lips, void of any irritation.
Xia Linglong stuck her tongue out at Qing Luan.
Qing Luan then turned her attention back to Yun Zhonghe. “Junior Brother Yun, Xia Linglong has briefed me about Chen Leling. Rest assured, I will keep your secrets safe; this place is absolutely secure and free from any interruptions. I’ve set up a barrier—unless I give personal permission, no one can set foot here.”
No wonder she was a Senior Sister in the inner sect; her professionalism was evident.
Yun Zhonghe felt a wave of relief wash over him as he took a deep breath and activated his spiritual energy, gently probing into his spatial ring, ready to release Chen Leling.
With a whoosh, Chen Leling appeared like a mirage before everyone.
Upon finally seeing Chen Leling, Qing Luan’s beautiful eyes sparkled with delight, akin to a child spotting a long-lost treasure.
“It’s… truly real!” Qing Luan’s voice trembled, her excitement palpable.
But the next moment, her demeanor flipped dramatically.
Chen Leling: “Huh?”
The elegant fairy suddenly leaped, grinning devilishly, like a starved wolf catching sight of a succulent roast chicken, instantly transforming into a frenzy of excitement at the sight of an absolute beauty.
Yun Zhonghe: “…”
Tao Jiu’er: “…”
The entire vibe crumbled!
Only Xia Linglong seemed unfazed, casually raising her hands, as if to say, “I told you so.”
However, she still felt compelled to remind her dear friend, “Qing Luan, could you please tone it down a bit?”
Yet, Qing Luan appeared completely absorbed in her own world, ignoring Xia Linglong’s warning, excitedly exclaiming, “Tone it down? No way! An existence so unique absolutely needs thorough exploration! Ooh! What a large chest!”
That said, she boldly reached out to peel back Chen Leling’s clothing.
Chen Leling, clearly startled by this sudden move, instinctively made some unintelligible sounds: “Ah… ugh… water?”
More like “Who?” at this point.
At that moment, Qing Luan resembled an explorer keen on unveiling a new continent, her focus and enthusiasm approaching the obsessive.
Meanwhile, Chen Leling shot an anxious look toward Yun Zhonghe.
He quickly stepped in to mediate, “Uh, she’s our friend. Qing Luan is just helping check your condition, so there’s no need to worry. It’s… probably fine.”
He introduced her in an overly casual manner, uncertainty lacing his tone—mostly because he too couldn’t confirm whether Qing Luan posed any real threat.
Qing Luan, oblivious to the rising tension, sparkled her eyes at Chen Leling and said, “So your name is Leling, huh? Hi! I’m Qing Luan. Let’s be friends!”
“Awow…”
“So cute! Nothing like a zombie, way more adorable than the regular ones.”
Chen Leling seemed to sense danger, her instincts possibly picking up on several red flags raised by Qing Luan’s predatory gaze.
The spark in Qing Luan’s eyes never wavered. “This is incredible! What you described is true! A being that has completely transformed into a zombie, yet astonishingly revived. There’s no record of anything like this!”
Xia Linglong couldn’t stop herself, chiming in, “Hey, keep it together, Qing Luan! Don’t get any crazy ideas about dissecting her.”
Qing Luan had a notorious curiosity for peculiar beings.
Yun Zhonghe’s heart sank at those words; he began to regret bringing Chen Leling here.
Qing Luan shot an annoyed glance at Xia Linglong. “I know! I definitely won’t do that! After all, she’s the only ‘widow’ in the world!”
Widow?
What a bizarre title!
Yun Zhonghe inwardly grimaced at the thought; he’d rather not associate such a term with Chen Leling!
Widow.
It was a term Qing Luan had whimsically concocted, absolutely convinced it was fitting.
Even though she had been refined into a zombie, her miraculous revival made her a living contradiction—wasn’t it just a ‘living dead’ person?
Qing Luan was quite proud of her newly coined term.
“She probably took some Dan Pill for restoring yang energy, which is why she regained a bit of her wits.”
Yun Zhonghe shared his earlier discovery from the cave.
Qing Luan rested her chin in thought. “This truly is a peculiar situation… But let’s not dig into that right now. Junior Brother Yun, may I conduct a physical exam? I want to delve deeper into her condition—maybe I’ll find a way for her to fully recover.”
Just a physical examination… Should be no problem, right?
Qing Luan added, “I need detailed understanding of her situation.”
Yun Zhonghe hesitated but reluctantly nodded, “That’s okay, but please don’t harm her.”
Qing Luan burst into laughter, “Don’t worry, Junior Brother Yun! I’m not one of those mad cultivators fallen to the Demon Path—I’m just curious about her condition and want to explore the details!”
Just feels like her curiosity runs a little too deep.
But since she was someone Xia Linglong brought in, maybe he didn’t need to worry much.
With Yun Zhonghe’s permission, Qing Luan’s gaze turned fervent, her eyes locking on Chen Leling as if she wanted to see straight through her: “So, Leling…”
Suddenly called by name, Chen Leling jumped, “Uh, awow?”
Qing Luan: “I’m going to examine you, and you’ll need to take it all off~”
At this moment, Tao Jiu’er could no longer hold back: “W-wait! She’s a woman after all!”
Qing Luan looked utterly perplexed, a massive question mark seemingly floating above her head, “Eh? Yeah, she’s female. So what?”
Tao Jiu’er was exasperated by Qing Luan’s cluelessness. She sighed helplessly and then pushed Qing Luan aside, saying, “In any case, take her where Yun Zhonghe can’t see!”
As Tao Jiu’er nudged Qing Luan, she glanced back at Yun Zhonghe.
That look seemed to say: This woman is trouble; you can’t get involved with her!
Yun Zhonghe: ?
