The Ancestral Ceremony of Tianji on the Eastern Island was an important annual festival celebrating the birth of the Founding Master. Both the inner and outer gates had to participate.

On the day before the ceremony, Yun Shouxi also became busy, and Ling Luo finally had a chance to use her jade listener to see what the disciples were saying.

After learning she had finished her punishment, Song Yuanyuan and the others, unable to enter Qingshi Manor, sent her messages through the jade listener. The gist was for her to rest well and ignore the idle gossip from the Disciple Hall, saying “We all know you didn’t kill anyone.”

The Disciple Hall was now discussing the Ancestral Ceremony, but the previous records were still there. Ling Luo browsed through them and found they were similar to her previous life.

Some supported and defended her, while others mocked and ridiculed her.

The interrogation at the Discipline Hall that day, out of respect for Yun Shouxi, shouldn’t have been leaked outside.

But as Mu Ya left, she “casually” mentioned it to someone, and then one told ten, ten told a hundred.

Ling Luo found it boring after a few glances and went to look at content related to the Ancestral Ceremony instead.

In her previous life, she had also missed the ceremony due to punishment and recovery.

People were so busy because Tianji’s Ancestral Ceremony had too many rules. For this annual grand occasion, even ceremonial garments were newly made each year, with different styles for ordinary disciples and those participating in the ritual.

Not to mention the three days of incense burning, seven days of purification, and so on.

Ling Luo had participated in the ceremony in the later years, so she knew how troublesome it was. Now she truly understood why her master and senior brothers were so busy.

In the jade listener’s Disciple Hall, Song Yuanyuan, Chang Fei, and others were complaining about being dizzy from busyness. As direct disciples, they had to participate in many rituals with their masters.

With her internal injuries not yet healed, Ling Luo couldn’t use much spiritual power. She spent her days drinking medicine, reading books, and appreciating flowers.

On the day of the Ancestral Ceremony, almost everyone went to the Ceremonial Platform, leaving only the Mountain Watch Hall members on duty to patrol and guard various areas of Tianji.

The ceremony would last an entire day.

Which meant Yun Shouxi wouldn’t return until late at night.

Ling Luo was delighted and ran around the Mirage Tower, entertaining herself, but soon grew bored.

She went to the library in the Mirage Tower and selected several ancient texts on spells and rules to read.

Even with talent, she had always worked very hard.

The Dragon Ancestor Music, played by hundreds of instruments, spread throughout Tianji. The prelude was sorrowful, mysterious, and ethereal; the middle section became passionate; and the finale returned to calm and melodious, like dust settling beautifully.

Ling Luo sat by the window, listening attentively. After a while, she left the Mirage Tower and went out of Qingshi Manor.

As soon as she left Qingshi Manor, she saw two sacred spirit birds that were close to her flying down from the branches and circling around her.

Ling Luo extended her hand, letting one of them land on her finger, and said, “Come, let’s go see the ceremony.”

The Ceremonial Platform was in the inner gate, but one bird flew toward the outer gate.

Ling Luo sent that bird to check if Yue Liangze was still in his small courtyard.

The Ancestral Ceremony required eating many dishes. With his peculiar temperament, she feared he wouldn’t attend.

Sure enough, the sacred spirit bird landed on a begonia tree outside the courtyard and saw the young man washing wild fruits in a basin at the stone table.

Ling Luo severed the symbiotic spirit connection and turned from the path to the Ancestral Ceremony, heading toward the outer gate instead.

After Yue Liangze became a disciple of the Sacred Sword Sect, whenever he attended grand banquets of various immortal sects, people never saw him pick up chopsticks or take any food. Some privately cursed him for being arrogant and disrespectful, but no one dared confront him directly.

He wouldn’t even drink alcohol; his senior brothers always drank on his behalf.

Unless the wine was brewed by Yue Liangze himself.

Thinking of this, Ling Luo couldn’t help but wonder when Yue Liangze would leave Tianji on the Eastern Island, and how he became the disciple of the eccentric Merciful Immortal of the Sacred Sword Sect.

The sacred spirit bird perched on the flowering branch without leaving, tilting its head to observe the young man’s actions in the courtyard, only flying away when Ling Luo arrived.

Hearing footsteps, Yue Liangze turned to look and was stunned to see Ling Luo.

“Today is the Ancestral Ceremony. As a Tianji disciple, why aren’t you attending?” Ling Luo asked naturally as she strolled into the courtyard.

“As a menial disciple, it’s optional for me,” he said, his gaze not leaving Ling Luo, his brows slightly furrowed as he asked, “Why aren’t you there either?”

Ling Luo snorted, “I’ve been ordered to recover from my injuries, so I can’t go.”

“Then why did you come here?” Yue Liangze turned back, reaching into the basin to continue washing the small red wild fruits.

“I’m not allowed to attend the Ancestral Ceremony, but that doesn’t mean I can’t come to the outer gate,” Ling Luo moved a small stool next to him and sat down lazily, saying, “They’ve all gone to the ceremony. Where am I supposed to eat? I’ve come to my culinary master Senior Brother Yue for a meal.”

Yue Liangze was helpless with her and said softly, “There’s no rice today.”

Without thinking, Ling Luo said, “Then I’ll go steal some from the Evening Refectory?”

Yue Liangze said, “Today all the refectories are preparing food for the Ancestral Ceremony. There will be people watching, making it difficult to steal.”

Ling Luo snorted lightly, “That’s no challenge for me. Just wait.”

She had just stood up and taken a few steps before returning to sit down, pondering, “My internal injuries aren’t healed. I shouldn’t use spiritual power.”

Yue Liangze’s lips curved slightly.

Ling Luo saw it and complained, “What are you smiling at? Look at you, with such weak spiritual power, you can’t even steal a bowl of rice from the Evening Refectory!”

“I don’t need to steal,” Yue Liangze said. “I can buy it.”

“Where would you buy it? East Sea City? Today the mountain is closed; you can’t leave,” Ling Luo leaned on the dry stone table and snorted, “It’s fine without rice. We can eat something else to get full.”

Yue Liangze then said, “Today I’m making teriyaki chicken rice.”

Ling Luo raised her head and glared at him, “You’re doing this on purpose!”

How could they have teriyaki chicken rice without rice?

“There are townspeople at the foot of the mountain who supply vegetables to Tianji monthly. I know someone there and can buy some,” Yue Liangze wiped the water from his hands, “It will just take some time to go there and back.”

Ling Luo said, “I’ll take you on my flying sword.”

Yue Liangze shook his head, refusing, “Your injuries aren’t healed. Use less spiritual power.”

Ling Luo pouted, stood up, and came to the water basin to help him continue washing the wild fruits, then said, “Then go quickly and come back quickly.”

Yue Liangze set off for the mountain village, while Ling Luo washed the wild fruits thoroughly, guessing he wanted to make them into jam. She placed them in a basket to dry, waiting for his return.

Meanwhile, the Dragon Ancestor Music played repeatedly throughout Tianji, which didn’t seem boring to listen to.

Ling Luo squinted her eyes at the sky for a while, estimating that various rituals had already begun at the Ceremonial Platform. She took out her jade listener and asked the other three in the Disciple Hall, “Has the procession started yet?”

During the procession, the Sect Leader would hold the Founding Master’s tablet and lead all Tianji members around the mountain.

There were two circuits, one during the day and one at night. After circling the mountain, they would return to the Ceremonial Platform.

Colorful ribbons fluttered during the day, while a dragon of lanterns illuminated the night—both spectacles were extraordinarily lively and magnificent.

She received a response after a while.

Song Yuanyuan: “Not yet. The Second Hall Master hasn’t arrived for some reason. Chang Fei and I are going to look for him.”

Xu Shen asked: “Why don’t I see you, Ling Luo?”

Ling Luo replied: “Master confined me to rest and heal. I’m taking advantage of everyone being busy with the Ancestral Ceremony to get a meal from Senior Brother Yue.”

Song Yuanyuan: “What delicious food is Little Dad making today? Ask him to save me a portion for tonight!”

Chang Fei: “Me too!”

“He doesn’t even have rice!” Ling Luo angrily wrote in her message. “If you want free food, bring some rice!”

“I’m on my way to find the Second Hall Master and can’t leave!” Chang Fei said. “Xu Shen, you go!”

Xu Shen, who happened to be passing by the Evening Refectory, put away his jade listener without changing his expression, grabbed a tray, and pretended to be from the Second Hall to enter the kitchen.

At the Ceremonial Platform, there were thousands of people in a grand scene. Currently, they were listening to Hall Master Fan recite the Ancestral Collection. Though only four or five pages remained, it had already delayed the proceedings considerably. He would recite one or two sentences and then explain the historical background, making the disciples below wonder if they were in the Discipline Hall listening to a lecture.

Mu Hengtian sat in the seat of honor, with the Sect Leader’s wife also present.

The position to his left was empty, meant for the Second Sect Leader who was in seclusion.

Yun Shouxi was on the right, with his two direct disciples seated behind him.

His second disciple, Yu Xiu, sat upright, maintaining a solemn demeanor for the Ancestral Ceremony.

His eldest disciple, Chu Yi, resembled his master in appearance—extraordinarily handsome—but hadn’t inherited his master’s gentle and dignified temperament. His posture was relaxed, his eyes half-curved, displaying a hint of mischief.

Most Tianji disciples knew this Senior Brother had an odd temperament: he was blunt when criticizing others, domineering, and somewhat roguish. The Sect Leader often reprimanded him for his lack of propriety, but he continued to do as he pleased. In all of Tianji, only Yun Shouxi could keep him in check.

Chu Yi narrowed his eyes. Seeing Hall Master Fan explain another historical reference, he lowered his head, peeled a grape, and passed it to Yu Xiu.

Yu Xiu took it, somewhat moved: “Thank you, Senior Brother.”

“You’re welcome, but this one isn’t for you. It’s for my little junior sister who’s recovering in the Mirage Tower and whom I haven’t met yet,” Chu Yi said lazily. “At Hall Master Fan’s current pace, you could go give it to her and come back in time.”

Yu Xiu: “…”

Chu Yi peeled another grape while speaking and handed it to him, saying, “This one is for you.”

Yu Xiu took it but then heard him say, “Good junior brother when you come back, remember to bring the cloud fan from under my pillow. It’s a bit hot this noon.”

“Senior Brother,” Yu Xiu said helplessly, “The Second Hall Master hasn’t arrived yet. Hall Master Fan is just helping to buy time. Disciples have been sent to look for him.”

Chu Yi chuckled softly, putting a grape in his mouth, “The most punctual person happens to be late for such an occasion.”

“Unexpected things happen,” Yu Xiu said. “Let’s wait a bit longer.”

“Wait, indeed,” Chu Yi raised an eyebrow, gesturing with his eyes at the grape in Yu Xiu’s hand. “While waiting, you can still deliver a grape to Junior Sister. I guarantee Hall Master Fan won’t have finished reciting by the time you return.”

After a while, the helpless Yu Xiu ate it himself.

Chu Yi laughed, “You’re done for. You ate Junior Sister’s grape. You, a grown man, snatching food from a young girl.”

Yu Xiu felt he truly couldn’t win an argument with him.

Yun Shouxi remained focused, not bothering with the antics of his two disciples behind him.

Noon had arrived, but there was still no sign of the Second Hall Master.

Xu Shen, learning that there was still no movement at the Ceremonial Platform, carried rice to Yue Liangze’s courtyard first, finding only Ling Luo there.

Ling Luo stood by the stone table pouring water to wash her hands, her brows slightly furrowed.

After exchanging greetings, Xu Shen put the rice in the kitchen and asked when he came out, “Where is Senior Brother Yue?”

“He went down the mountain to buy rice and hasn’t returned yet,” Ling Luo said, looking in the direction Yue Liangze had gone.

He had been gone too long, so long that Ling Luo was considering sending a sacred spirit bird to check on him.

Xu Shen stretched his neck, also came over to wash his hands, and curiously looked at the wild fruits drying nearby, “What is Senior Brother Yue making this time?”

“He said we’re having teriyaki chicken rice today. These should be for making jam,” Ling Luo said, then asked, “Why is there still no movement at the Ceremonial Platform?”

By this time, the procession should have started long ago.

“The Second Hall Master hasn’t arrived yet,” Xu Shen said. “I didn’t see him when I was at the Ceremonial Platform.”

Second Hall Master…

Ling Luo frowned again.

Her memory of her previous time at Tianji had become somewhat blurred.

Over a thousand days and nights, it was impossible to remember everything that happened every day.

What she could remember now was mostly related to Yun Shouxi and her two senior brothers. In her previous life, she had no connection whatsoever with Xu Shen and the others, not even knowing whether they lived or died later.

She hadn’t participated in this Ancestral Ceremony either. She had spent those days in the Mirage Tower without leaving Qingshi Manor at all.

After she left, the Second Hall Master seemed to have—died.

Whatever.

The Hall Masters of Tianji could die if they wanted.

If he didn’t die now, it was hard to say whether he might die by her sword in the future.

Ling Luo looked indifferent, not concerned about this matter.

Xu Shen chatted with her for a while before preparing to return to the Ceremonial Platform. Just as he reached the courtyard gate, he saw Yue Liangze coming from a diagonal path, his clothes stained with blood, carrying Chang Fei on his back, who appeared to be in agony.

Ling Luo’s eyelids twitched at the sight, and Xu Shen had already hurried forward to help: “Senior Brother Yue, what happened?”

Before Yue Liangze could answer, Chang Fei let out a painful groan. He was clutching his neck, which already had several scratch marks, and some broken skin with blood seeping out.

“On my way back, I saw him and Song Yuanyuan being chased and attacked. Chang Fei was injured, so I brought him away first. Song Yuanyuan is still behind,” Yue Liangze answered concisely. Just as they entered the courtyard, the frenzied Chang Fei grabbed his neck and collapsed to the ground.

Ling Luo stepped forward and kicked Chang Fei away. Yue Liangze turned to pin him down and half-dragged him toward the house: “Something’s wrong with him. Song Yuanyuan can’t defeat that person.”

“I’ll go find him,” Xu Shen immediately left to provide support.

But Ling Luo looked down at Chang Fei.

His fingernails had turned black, and his expression was tortured as if someone was choking him. His limbs were struggling, his eyes rolling back, presenting a terrifying appearance.

As Yue Liangze bent down to pull him up, Chang Fei’s eyeballs rolled, leaving only the white of his eyes, which reflected his current state.

In Ling Luo’s eyes, Chang Fei’s hair suddenly turned white.

Chang Fei stopped struggling but opened his mouth. Both of them could see that half of his tongue was cut off, yet a clear syllable emerged from his throat, forming a complete word: “You—”

White hair, snow-white eyes, the sound of a severed tongue.

Both were shocked by what they saw.

“Today—”

As Chang Fei uttered the second word, Yue Liangze covered his mouth, but Ling Luo had already drawn Yingxi and slashed across his throat.