Troublemaker’s Guide to Immortality

Yun Jin raised her hand lightly. Thunder rumbled and lightning flickered within the cloud overhead.

A look of panic flashed across Ye Cheng's face.

Grinning wickedly, Yun Jin taunted, "Or perhaps I should just summon a thunderbolt and turn these adorable Moonwhisper Grass into charcoal?"

Wait… can Minor Cloud-Rain Art even do that?!

Ye Cheng didn't have time to think. He rushed beneath Yun Jin's summoned cloud, voice trembling in panic. "Strike me instead! Please—don't harm the plants!"

"Oh?" Yun Jin arched a brow. "And if I ignore your plea?"

Ye Cheng clenched his teeth. "What are you trying to do? I've never wronged you. You initiated the duel, and I accepted it. I lost, utterly. I never posed any threat to you."

He truly couldn't understand what reason Yun Jin had to pick on him.

"Simple," she cackled. "I just don't like you! Do I need a reason? Sadly, sect rules forbid me from killing you directly—so I'll have to settle for these poor, defenseless plants. Moonwhisper Grass isn't high-grade anyway. Destroying them might cost me some spirit stones, but seeing you suffer? Priceless."

Ye Cheng's face went deathly pale. "Take it out on me! Leave the plants alone!"

[*+300 Emotional Value.*]

Yun Jin's eyebrow rose.

300 points in one go?

But it wasn't enough.

"The best way to torture someone is to attack what they love most," she mused, her voice dripping with malice. "And you adore these plants, don't you?"

She smiled faintly and pointed upward. The lightning coiled within the cloud, surging downward.

"No, don't!" Ye Cheng darted forward like a madman, trying to intercept the lightning.

But just as he moved, a sharp pain pierced his mind. His limbs weakened. He collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

[+500 Emotional Value.]

Yun Jin raised her eyebrows again, then waved a hand to dispel the lightning before it struck.

"Disciple!" Ma Hongyu's voice rang out as he arrived just in time to see Ye Cheng collapse. His eyes reddened with fury as he rushed to his student's side, glaring at Yun Jin. "HOW DARE YOU?!"

The other disciples, drawn by the commotion, also turned furious gazes on her.

If looks could kill, Yun Jin would've been torn to shreds a hundred times over.

Unfazed, she shrugged. "If Senior Brother Ye is this fragile, how is that my fault? All I did was talk. Who knew he'd faint like a delicate maiden?"

Ma Hongyu trembled with rage, but before he could retort—

Ye Cheng's eyes fluttered open. Weakly, he grasped his master's sleeve. "Master… the Moonwhisper Grass…"

"They're fine, they're unharmed," Ma Hongyu reassured, his voice thick with emotion.

Ye Cheng exhaled in relief. "So… Junior Sister Yun was just scaring me. Good… good…"

Then his eyes rolled back, and he passed out again.

"DISCIPLE!" Ma Hongyu's heart clenched. He turned to Yun Jin, his voice icy. "If anything happens to him, I will make you pay."

Yun Jin chuckled. "I'll be waiting."

With a final cold glance, Ma Hongyu pulled out a healing pill and fed it to Ye Cheng. When the unconscious man couldn't swallow, he channeled spiritual energy to help dissolve the medicine.

Logically, fainting from anger shouldn't be severe—but the moment the pill took effect, Ye Cheng coughed up blood.

"What's happening?!" Ma Hongyu panicked. "This makes no sense!"

Yun Jin hadn't even touched him! How could mere words cause this?

Yun Jin, who had been watching lazily, finally spoke up. "Elder Ma, we really just exchanged a few words. A Golden Core cultivator, fainting from a little taunting? Maybe he was already sick—is this some kind of scam?"

She even feigned indignation. "Don't try to extort me!"

"SILENCE!" Ma Hongyu roared, though doubt crept into his mind.

Ye Cheng's condition was abnormal.

A Golden Core expert, brought down by a verbal spat?

Something was wrong.

"I won't be swindled! Whatever's wrong with him isn't my fault—but fine, I'll compensate you." She tossed a storage bag at Ma Hongyu.

Then she grabbed Gu Jinghong and bolted.

The bag smacked Ma Hongyu square in the face.

"YOU BRAT!" he bellowed, his rage boiling over. He clutched the bag, ready to crush it—

Then his expression flickered.

A moment later, the storage bag crumbled to dust in his grip.

But its contents had already been discreetly transferred to his sleeve.

"Everyone, return to your duties. I'll take your senior brother back to heal," Ma Hongyu ordered.

The disciples obeyed, though their glares followed Yun Jin's retreating figure.

Meanwhile, in Zhao Wuji's Chambers

News of the incident reached Zhao Wuji swiftly.

His lips curled in disdain.

"A few wins, and Yun Jin's arrogance knows no bounds."

Good. Let the sect see her true colors.

Ye Cheng's collapse must have been due to the slow-acting poison he had laced into the jade pendant. The emotional agitation simply accelerated its effects.

But the toxin he used was extremely rare and untraceable.

Ye Cheng would regain consciousness in a day or two.

That would be the perfect window to stir public outrage and expose Yun Jin's so-called arrogance.

"Ma Hongyu must be furious now," Zhao Wuji said in a voice laced with false sympathy. "Send some healing pills his way. Tell him to calm down. This Yun Jin… even I can't do much about her at the moment."

His disciple responded quickly and left.

Only then did Zhao Wuji let out a cold laugh.

Yun Jin, since you're so eager to hand me ammunition, I'll gladly use it.

~

Ma Hongyu hesitated for a moment, then took out a transmission talisman.

Yes.

The only thing in Yun Jin's storage pouch… was this single talisman.

Only he and Yun Jin knew that. Everyone else had seen him crush the pouch in a fury.

What could the message say?

More mockery?

But something about the whole situation felt… off.

After reinforcing his cave's barriers, Ma Hongyu activated the talisman.

Yun Jin's voice, crisp and clear, delivered a single instruction:

"Remove the pendant the Sect Master gave Ye Cheng. Do this, and he'll wake within an hour."

The implication was unmistakable.

The pendant was poisoned.

Ma Hongyu's face drained of color.

If the pendant was the problem…

Did Zhao Wuji want Ye Cheng dead?

What had his disciple even done to deserve this?

Hands trembling, Ma Hongyu stared at the unconscious Ye Cheng.

For years, he'd served Zhao Wuji faithfully, tending the sect's spirit fields. He'd thought his loyalty meant something.

But if he couldn't even protect his own disciple…

What was the point of it all?

With a shaky breath, he reached down and unclasped the jade pendant from Ye Cheng's waist.

He would see if Yun Jin spoke the truth.