Chapter 319: The Strategist Enters the Trap

The moment Immortal Yuyao’s divine sense swept over, Zhang Mengchu immediately sensed it.

Before encountering the Sword Pavilion Ancestor, he had been supremely confident in his disguise.

But now, a strange unease crept in—What if his disguise was blown? If Immortal Yuyao found out his real identity, there was no doubt—she could crush him to death with a flick of her finger.

It was mainly because the Sword Pavilion Ancestor had seen through him earlier.

That had shaken his confidence.

His heart might have been in chaos, but on the surface, Zhang Mengchu remained calm as ever, continuing his stroll up the mountain. Even with Immortal Yuyao now behind him, there wasn’t the slightest falter in his movements.

At this moment, he truly appeared to be no more than a Nascent Soul-stage scholar taking a leisurely walk through nature.

“A mere ant is still an ant—can’t even sense me standing behind it,” Immortal Yuyao lifted her chin arrogantly.

With a wave of her hand, the scholar froze mid-step.

Just ahead, the air was filled with celestial melodies and thick immortal mist—like a dream, unreal and ethereal.

Zhang Mengchu inwardly scoffed at Immortal Yuyao’s cheap parlor tricks, but his face showed only astonishment. He turned around with wide eyes as if he'd seen a celestial maiden, his lips trembling, struggling to call out but unable to speak.

Behind Immortal Yuyao appeared a garden-like Small World. Barefoot, she descended gracefully from the sky, walking down a rainbow bridge formed of flowers, birds, and butterflies. A sweet fragrance filled the air, the spiritual energy thickened several-fold—nearly to the point of liquid condensation.

Seeing the shock on the scholar’s face, Immortal Yuyao knew this entrance had already stunned him.

No matter how proud or aloof a cultivator might be, after this display, they’d obediently do as she pleased.

She now stood directly in front of Zhang Mengchu.

They stared at each other in silence.

Seconds passed… minutes. Just as Immortal Yuyao furrowed her brows, beginning to grow impatient, the scholarly-looking cultivator finally spoke.

“Fairy… Fairy, may I ask who you are?”

The moment the words left his mouth, Zhang Mengchu felt as if his mouth was stuffed with ten thousand flies.

He had wanted to wait for Immortal Yuyao to speak first.

But he forgot—this demonic woman loved to keep up appearances.

“This Venerable One is the Palace Master of the Holy Land of Yaochi. I happened to pass by and foresaw that someone of great potential would appear here. So I came to have a look,” Immortal Yuyao said, her gaze fixed on Zhang Mengchu.

In her eyes, he was just a mere Nascent Soul cultivator.

She could capture him on the spot without any resistance.

Maybe it was his handsome scholar-like appearance… or maybe it was the fake propriety of a Mahayana-stage cultivator not wanting to ruin her image. Whatever the reason, she decided to keep acting. She even found it amusing.

Just imagine—

Taking a talented genius who adored and revered her, utterly destroying him, watching despair and disbelief twist his expression…

In her long life, such things could bring a kind of pleasure.

“Y-You’re the Yaochi Palace Master… I-Immortal Yuyao!” Zhang Mengchu wore a look of awe and terror so convincing it didn’t seem the least bit fake—he dropped to his knees on the spot.

Yes, that was the expression she wanted.

Immortal Yuyao’s lips curved slightly. No suspicion.

If the cultivator’s face had shown only joy and surprise, she would’ve been wary. But the added trace of fear? That made it feel real.

When facing a vastly superior cultivator—

Even if the senior was beautiful, juniors would instinctively feel fear.

It was the primal dread of an ant before a mighty tree.

A deep-rooted fear imprinted into the soul.

“No need for such formalities.” Immortal Yuyao’s expression softened slightly, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “The Holy Land of Yaochi greatly values talented cultivators like you. Would you be interested in joining us to cultivate? To be frank, This Venerable One sees great potential in you and is considering accepting you as a core disciple.”

For most cultivators, that offer was simply irresistible.

To become the personal disciple of a Mahayana-stage cultivator—such status alone would put one on par with Void Fusion Realm elders.

Zhang Mengchu put on the perfect show of excitement—then suddenly paused and asked, “Senior… but I’ve heard that Holy Land of Yaochi only accepts female disciples? I also heard that Burning Purification Holy Land only takes male disciples. Perhaps… would Senior be willing to recommend me to Burning Purification instead?”

He said it on purpose.

Just to annoy Immortal Yuyao a little.

A bit of calm wit like this wouldn’t arouse suspicion—in fact, it lowered her guard.

Immortal Yuyao’s face turned cold instantly.

She’d recently had a falling out with Reverend Karma, and now this brat brought him up? She snapped her sleeve angrily: “The rule of only recruiting female disciples at Yaochi was abolished long ago! What do you take this place for, some filthy harem?! You think you can just waltz in here? Or that I’d help recommend you to Burning Purification? Sounds to me like you’ve got a death wish!”

Just a wisp of her Mahayana-stage aura was enough to make the ground quake.

Thankfully, she didn’t actually want to kill the cultivator before her.

Zhang Mengchu quickly begged for forgiveness, expressing willingness to join Yaochi.

Immortal Yuyao let the matter drop, though her face still wore a cold mask. Right then, some Yaochi disciples arrived, flying a Feng Xuan vessel. The two of them stepped onto the rainbow bridge and boarded the vessel—Immortal Yuyao in front, Zhang Mengchu behind.

“Tch. That old hag must not have seen through my disguise,” Zhang Mengchu glanced at the elegant silhouette behind the curtain and finally relaxed a little.

Originally, he’d been resistant to this plan—he was only going through with it for revenge.

But after meeting Immortal Yuyao in person, he realized maybe it wasn’t so bad. If he could infiltrate deeply, chip away at her cultivation…

In his long life, that too could be a rather… satisfying experience.

Around them, curious stares from Yaochi disciples floated his way.

He could clearly sense the greed, delight, and curiosity in those gazes.

If he were just an ordinary cultivator, he might’ve thought he was being welcomed—might even start dreaming all kinds of fantasies.

After all, he was surrounded by beautiful female cultivators.

To a young, promising male genius, it would feel like stumbling into a kingdom of women.

But reality?

Those gazes were only measuring him as a tool—a vessel.

At the same time, he got a chilling taste of Yaochi’s true terror.

Even he—someone who knew the truth, someone who was a Void Fusion Realm elder—was slightly shaken by Immortal Yuyao’s act and those women's eyes. Imagine a real genius caught in this net—how could they resist?

And because they couldn’t resist—

How many prodigies had Holy Land of Yaochi already destroyed through such disguises?

The more Zhang Mengchu thought, the more shocked he felt. He buried his hatred and killing intent deep within his eyes.

Now was not the time to draw blades against Immortal Yuyao.

Not until he had met Dan Yun, mother of Dan Bai.

He needed to first gain Immortal Yuyao’s trust—at least enough to allow free access to the dungeon...

But how could one earn the trust of a Mahayana cultivator?

The pill Dan Bai had given him clearly wasn’t meant for that.

“What should I do…”

Zhang Mengchu stood at the bow of the Feng Xuan, cradling his sword, stroking his chin as he stared into the wind, deep in thought.

Behind him—the cultivators of Yaochi sat in the shadows of the ship’s sail, each with eerie expressions, like vipers lurking in the dark.

Countless sinister stares clung to that figure in white at the bow.

They looked like they wanted to devour him alive.

…