2771 Just Spit It Out
Qiong Hao, a grand spiritual cultivator at level 12, commanded the power of grade-five bright and resplendent spiritual energy.

For him, innate water held a significance surpassing that for anyone else.

If only he could attain innate water once more, he could regain that heightened sensitivity. With this, he could potentially attune to an even more elevated form of origin elemental power, thereby replacing the grade-five spiritual water he had previously attuned to with the grandeur of grade-nine spiritual water.

Such an advancement in his cultivation would undoubtedly propel him up by one or even two levels.

Furthermore, the disparity between the prowess of grade-nine and grade-five spiritual waters in combat was akin to night and day.

Though they both possessed a luminous allure, the superiority of grade-five spiritual water would inevitably bow before the might of grade-six spiritual water, not to mention the immense gap between grade-nine and grade-five spiritual water.

Yet, there was an alternative. Even with the acquisition of grade-nine spiritual water, his own constitution rendered him incapable of absorbing or perceiving it. In this scenario, the sole recourse would be to offer up this grade-nine spiritual water in fulfillment of a covert mission.

/Regardless, the rewards from completing this mission would be bountiful./

However, at present, there was no trace of the grade-nine spiritual water in sight. According to her deity-like Shi Yongqian, could it be that the aloof figure before her had clandestinely seized the grade-nine spiritual water?

Unbeknownst to the onlookers, Qiong Hao subtly caught a glimpse of Qiao Mu before directing his attention toward the two young individuals flanking her—both veiled in an aura of indiscernible cultivation.

/These two youths didn’t appear to be easily manageable./

Yet, the allure of grade-nine spiritual water proved overwhelmingly compelling. While Qiong Hao harbored reservations about his capacity to contend with these two young individuals, the call of grade-nine spiritual water remained irresistible. Succumbing to this pull, he forthrightly addressed them, “This… could you be the Crown Prince Consort? You were the one who just retrieved your innate water, correct?”

Qiong Hao’s tone bore a tinge of disregard.

After all, as a level-12 grand spiritual cultivator, there was no need for him to adhere to formalities when conversing with a mere level-three minor spiritual cultivator. He could simply ask directly.

Even in the event that the other party happened to be the Crown Prince Consort of the Divine Province, his cultivation was potent enough to easily overpower her. Therefore, he saw no need to give excessive consideration to his choice of words.

Qiao Mu possessed an innate understanding of Qiong Hao’s inner thoughts.

Thanks to the Aura-repressing Talisman, she currently appeared to others as nothing more than a level-three minor spiritual cultivator.
With the exception of the two enigmatic youths whose strength eluded appraisal, all other members accompanying Qiao Mu boasted spiritual cultivations of level eight and above. Amidst this assemblage, she stood alone as the almost comically underpowered level-three minor spiritual cultivator.

In the estimation of Qiong Hao and his associates, Miss Qiao was merely a “tag-along” in this group…

Undoubtedly, Qiao Mu’s companions were the ones responsible for rescuing them from the belly of the monstrous fish.

Unperturbed by Qiong Hao’s disrespectful demeanor, Qiao Mu cast a fleeting glance in his direction and retorted icily, “Whether I took it or not is inconsequential.”

Qiong Hao hadn’t anticipated that a mere level-three minor spiritual cultivator would dare to address him so audaciously. Caught off guard, he flared up, his words laced with irritation, “If you have it, relinquish it. If not, then demonstrate your lack of possession of the grade-nine spiritual water.”

Qiao Mu responded with a sardonic chuckle.

Qi Xuanxuan and the others couldn’t help but arch their eyebrows in reaction.

Their young mistress might have been somewhat provoked, yet Qiong Hao and his cohort of court disasters remained blissfully unaware that they were inadvertently steering down the path of their own impending disaster.

“Come closer, and I’ll oblige by regurgitating it for you,” Qiao Mu suggested, narrowing her eyes and motioning toward Qiong Hao with a curl of her finger.

Qiong Hao cast a skeptical glance her way, his gaze then shifting to his unresponsive companions positioned behind her.

An involuntary sigh of relief escaped him.

/Seems like his assumption had been accurate after all./

/This young lady with limited cultivation was undoubtedly the team’s “tag-along”./