Emptying the entire sect to greet them…

Well, the scene was quite grand indeed — grand enough to make Ziqing and Xiong Xiaobao feel a bit embarrassed, though Jun Beiyue felt nothing at all.

At the peace negotiations, Xiliang had paid Great Zhou substantial reparations, all in gleaming silver — silver from the imperial treasury that should have been re-smelted, but Ziqing had privately kept a fair amount of it aside.

Ziqing’s arrogance, combined with that ingot of silver, proved thoroughly convincing!

The sect leader of Flame Stone Mountain personally led a large group of disciples out to greet them, bowing respectfully to Jun Beiyue. “We had no idea Prince Lie’s envoy was visiting — forgive us for failing to welcome you properly, we beg your pardon, esteemed envoy!”

At this, both Jun Beiyue and Ziqing immediately sensed something was off.

Judging by the sect leader’s words, it seemed Wanyan Lie’s people came here regularly!

Could this matter be connected to Wanyan Lie after all?

If that were true, then Situ Haonan and Yelu Qianqian would surely…

Unimaginable! Too terrible to even think about!

A flash of worry crossed Jun Beiyue’s eyes. He quickly produced the large red “double happiness” character and asked coldly, “Does this belong to your sect?”

The moment the sect leader saw it, he was greatly alarmed — of course he recognized the flame mark on the character!

That was the shared emblem of the entire Flame Mountains, appearing on a large red “double happiness” character — one didn’t need to think twice to realize this was almost certainly left behind arrogantly after some act of murder and robbery committed at someone’s wedding!

“No, no, no! This isn’t from our sect!” the sect leader denied immediately. Afraid Jun Beiyue wouldn’t believe him, he hurriedly explained further, “Esteemed envoy, this mark is indeed the emblem of the Flame Mountains, and only the Flame Mountains could produce such a mark — but it truly isn’t from my sect. If there’s a single word of falsehood in what I say, let Crown Prince Lie deal with me as he sees fit!”

Under other circumstances, Jun Beiyue might not have believed the sect leader — after all, with so many disciples within a single sect, even the sect leader himself might not know for certain what his disciples had done!

But this time, Jun Beiyue chose to believe him, because looking at everyone present — including this very sect leader — he could tell at a single glance that none of them were any match for Situ Haonan.

Whoever had left that mark clearly intended to lure them to the Flame Mountains — and having come to search the sect gates themselves, if it truly were this sect, they surely would have boldly admitted it!

Clearly, they still hadn’t found the right sect.

What Jun Beiyue was thinking was exactly what Ziqing was thinking too. She gazed far off toward the last remaining peak, her fine brows knitting tight.

Having searched their way through, only one final peak remained. At this point, it was almost certain that the people they were looking for were there.

The couple, perfectly in sync, took hold of Xiong Xiaobao’s hands and, without another word, turned to leave.

“Envoy… envoy… this silver, please take it back—”

The sect leader chased after them a few steps, but in the blink of an eye, they had vanished.

“Master, this time’s envoy seems even more formidable than Crown Prince Lie himself!” a disciple beside him said timidly.

“Seems that way indeed…” the sect leader glanced at the silver in his hand, then at the direction Ziqing and the others had vanished, sensing faintly that something was amiss. Just from the mark on that “double happiness” character alone, this was surely no good business!

He pondered for a moment, then strode back inside. It wasn’t until later that he learned his Flame Stone Gate had been the sole sect on the entire Flame Mountains to escape the calamity.

The final peak was some distance from the others, yet it was the one closest to Flame Mountain proper.

Jun Beiyue, carrying Xiong Xiaobao, soared through the peaks alongside Ziqing — reaching that final summit would indeed take some effort.

Meanwhile, at the base of the Flame Mountains, Baili Weisheng lay sprawled lazily on the ground, hands pillowed behind his head, gazing up at the sky.

Baili Xiaosheng had wanted to lie down and rest alongside her master, but unfortunately, Lady Jinjiao had put her to work massaging Meng Duo’er’s legs.

It had been just over two months since leaving Liuxian Island, and Meng Duo’er’s legs had healed remarkably fast — she could already manage a bit of strength in them and walk a few steps on her own now.

Baili Xiaosheng knelt to the side, sleeves rolled up high, head bowed in earnest concentration.

Meng Duo’er felt quite embarrassed by it all, yet couldn’t very well refuse.

Jue Mingzi sat cross-legged off to the side the whole while, eyes closed, resting quietly. With his fierce, forbidding face, no one generally dared provoke him when Ziqing’s family of three wasn’t around.

Just then, Lady Jinjiao quietly crept over beside Baili Weisheng and lay down flat on her back beside him, just as he was.

“Son…”

“Hm?”

“Still angry at your mother?”

“Do you think I am?”

“Then why won’t you talk to me at all?”

“Do you think I won’t?”

“Aren’t you?”

“If I am, then I am, I suppose?”

“You!”

Lady Jinjiao was exasperated. She took a deep breath, composed herself, and tried a different tack. “Son, you’re already in your thirties this year, aren’t you? For anyone else, their children would already be grown by now!”

“Your son will forever be eighteen!”

“Shameless!”

Finally, Lady Jinjiao lost her patience. Her eyes narrowed, and she leaned in close to Baili Weisheng, whispering right by his ear, “You like Ziqing, don’t you?”

At this, Baili Weisheng shot straight up off the ground — completely and literally bolted upright — and shouted loudly, “Mingtian, lead the way, let’s go around ahead! Who knows when they’ll be back!”

A complicated look flickered through Lady Jinjiao’s eyes. She said nothing more, hurrying to help Meng Duo’er up and follow along.

The whole way, Baili Weisheng remained eerily, dreadfully silent. Even Baili Xiaosheng didn’t dare say a word to him, clearly sensing something was very wrong with her master!

The more Lady Jinjiao thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. She had only been half-joking, testing the waters — she never expected her son to react like this!

Heavens!

Please don’t let her have hit the mark!

Ziqing?!

That woman already had a son with someone else!

Lady Jinjiao bit her lip, tangled in all sorts of conflicted thoughts!

Her having a son wasn’t even the most crucial part — the most crucial part was that her husband was Jun Beiyue!

The peaks of the Flame Mountains were all steep, with no passable roads. To cross the Flame Mountains and reach Flame Mountain proper, they’d have to take a roundabout mountain path.

Mingtian led the way at the front, and everyone seemed lost in their own thoughts, walking briskly.

Meng Duo’er gazed at Baili Weisheng’s back from a distance, and for some reason, realized for the first time just how little she actually knew about this man! An inexplicable sense of unfamiliarity and distance washed over her.

Even the old grudge from the gates of the Great Zhou capital, and the one about him tormenting her father and withholding the antidote, no longer felt quite so deep somehow.

The whole way, silence reigned, until finally, Lady Jinjiao couldn’t hold back any longer!

This matter, surely, was significant!

As his mother, she had to speak with her son clearly about it.

She walked forward to fall into step beside Baili Weisheng and asked very earnestly, “Son, so your mother’s guess was unfortunately correct?”

Baili Weisheng turned to look at her, his expression dark.

Lady Jinjiao grew uneasy at once. “Son, about this matter, you…”

“Shh…” Baili Weisheng immediately signaled her to be quiet, then said very earnestly, “Mother, spare me, please! Anyone can be joked about — but not that woman.”

Hearing this, Lady Jinjiao felt utterly confused — what exactly did her son mean by that?

Just as she was about to ask, Baili Weisheng spoke with heartfelt sincerity, lowering his voice further. “Mother, let me tell you a secret.”

Lady Jinjiao’s heart raced, and she leaned in closer.

Who would have thought — Baili Weisheng spoke, word by careful word, with utmost seriousness, “That fellow Jun Beiyue is extremely, extremely, extremely petty. He can’t take a joke at all!”

A joke?

Was it really just a joke?

Lady Jinjiao was left standing there, utterly dumbfounded, while Baili Weisheng whistled and continued on ahead…