At this moment, Jian Chou found herself unable to speak.

Actually, if it had been someone else saying these words to her, she would definitely have thought of other things, but the person before her was Fu Chaosheng, who regarded her as a lifelong close friend.

And also a Fu Chaosheng who had just caused a mess at Lanke Tower…

In fact, before he said these words, Jian Chou had a question she very much wanted to ask him, but at this moment, having heard him finish this sincere statement without the slightest falsehood, she felt she really couldn’t bring herself to ask it.

Thus, she inexplicably fell silent.

Fu Chaosheng naturally noticed: “Did the Lanke Tower incident bring trouble to my old friend?”

“Not really.”

According to her master’s meaning, as long as they could “fool” their way through, everything would be fine, not to mention that Fu Chaosheng indeed knew much and also wanted to change the rules of the Extreme Domain’s reincarnation.

In this way, his interests aligned with those of the current Nineteen Continents.

So after being enlightened by Fudao Shanren earlier, Jian Chou was no longer very troubled.

At this moment, she gathered all her thoughts and only smiled: “However, once is enough for this kind of thing. Fellow Daoist Fu better not think of having a next time. Though it’s not very troublesome, it still takes some effort to resolve.”

This was clearly a joking remark meant to lighten the mood, but Fu Chaosheng frowned after hearing it.

His pair of deep green pupils, like dark pool water, rippled with faint waves. His overly pure gaze made one feel that nothing could be hidden from his eyes.

These were eyes bestowed by heaven and earth.

He didn’t frown but spoke very calmly: “Is lying also something you humans often do to friends?”

“…”

Jian Chou’s footsteps stopped abruptly.

At this position, they were already not far from their courtyard. The few peach trees planted along the small path had completely lost their pink hues and grown much new green.

The air carried the fragrance of flowers, wine, and grass.

Faintly came the sound of birds chirping, but suddenly it seemed very distant.

She turned back to meet his seemingly calm gaze. In this instant, she couldn’t help but marvel at his perceptiveness, yet was also troubled by such perceptiveness.

There was a moment of silence.

Then, without a smile on her face, she only asked: “What troubles me is indeed not the Lanke Tower incident, but Pavilion Master Lu’s words. Fellow Daoist Fu should have heard them, right?”

He had heard them.

And knew what Lu Song was referring to.

But he didn’t know that Jian Chou would care about those words and be troubled by them.

At this moment, Fu Chaosheng wanted to say that Lu Song wasn’t wrong.

But he also didn’t think there was anything wrong with himself.

However, he suddenly had a strange premonition: things that seemed insignificant to him, if spoken before Jian Chou, would not make her happy.

After all, who could hear of their own kind being slaughtered by others and remain unmoved?

Just as he felt anger, hatred, and indignation at the fate changes of his mayfly kin, humans would too.

So he too remained silent for a long time.

Finally, he slowly said: “I understand.”

He didn’t explain what he understood, but Jian Chou knew.

When people talked about certain topics they hadn’t yet decided how to handle, they either chose to lie and cover up, or chose to avoid discussing them altogether.

She had done so just now, and he was doing so now.

Between the two of them, a strange silence suddenly fell.

When they reached the courtyard gate, Jian Chou bid him farewell and didn’t say much more before returning to her room. Recalling all the details of her confrontation with Lu Song today, she felt her heart couldn’t calm down.

Thinking again of what Fudao Shanren had said earlier, she simply began to carefully consider the matter of “fooling” others.

On Fu Chaosheng’s side, he stood at his courtyard gate for a long time.

He was originally formed by heaven and earth, originally a mayfly, with the horizon as his body and the four seas as his home, using the sky as his seat and the earth as his bed. Wherever he went made no difference, but now he had to settle down like humans, and the feeling was still somewhat strange.

But even stranger was his current feeling.

“Not very comfortable.”

He spoke thus, seemingly just talking to himself.

But Kun had known him for a long time and knew he was speaking to him. If it were usual, hearing these words, he would always say something, but now he inexplicably couldn’t speak.

“You’re the same.”

Fu Chaosheng noticed that at this moment, Kun seemed reluctant to talk, and remembered the silence during his walk back with Jian Chou.

That uncomfortable feeling intensified.

A certain Kun, transformed into a hairpin on his head, sighed, his voice carrying that familiar, heavy vicissitudes: “Actually, there’s no need to care too much.”

What Fu Chaosheng had done, he knew perfectly well.

But his thoughts were actually no different from Fu Chaosheng’s.

With a “creak,” he finally pushed the door and entered.

The ancient azure-colored robe swept past the edge of the door frame, picking up a little dust, but it perfectly complemented the worn appearance of the garment, seeming completely natural.

Fu Chaosheng entered the room and looked around.

For cultivators, this was a very common room, and it wasn’t particularly unfamiliar to him either.

After all, when he was on the isolated human island, he had once been the “National Teacher Fu” of Great Xia.

Such places, though he didn’t feel any particular fondness for them, he had stayed in before.

Turning his steps, he casually sat in the chair by the window, pushed open the half-closed window, and looked at the late spring scenery outside and the few sparrows on the branches.

For a very long time, several hours, he didn’t speak.

It wasn’t until the sky darkened and night fell that he asked: “Did I do wrong?”

“You did nothing wrong.”

Kun answered thus.

A thrush flew over from the night, perching on the windowsill. It seemed not to notice there was a person sitting in the darkness, so it began preening its beautiful feathers.

Fu Chaosheng extended his hand toward it.

It seemed somewhat startled, but after turning its little head, it was also somewhat confused. Finally, it jumped onto his palm and gently pecked once.

Kun couldn’t help but make a disdainful sound: “Stupid bird.”

“Flutter!”

The thrush was immediately frightened, as if only now realizing there was another terrifying presence in the darkness. Survival instinct almost instantly made it jump away, then spread its wings and flew off in panic.

Fu Chaosheng remained silent.

He naturally knew why the thrush was scared away. After all, Kun was such a massive creature that even transformed into a hairpin, that intimidating presence was still terrifying to them.

Not to mention, he was Kun, and also Peng.

“Master of Heaven, Lord of the Sea…”

Reciting this once, Fu Chaosheng lowered his eyes in thought again.

“I did nothing wrong, and my old friend would not be wrong either.”

It seemed this way was correct.

But…

Hearing his words, Kun suddenly had a particularly strange premonition. After seeming to ponder for a moment following his words, he immediately realized something was wrong: “Don’t go!”

But it was already too late.

Fu Chaosheng had always been a great demon who, once his mind was set, would definitely act. Just as the rules of heaven and earth couldn’t stop him, what did Kun’s single phrase amount to?

He simply didn’t listen, and even if he had heard, he wouldn’t have cared.

From the window, his form disappeared, instantly transforming into a massive demonic shadow that swept toward the deep night and endless darkness!

Southeast of Suixian City was where Tongling Pavilion stayed.

Several personal disciples who had followed the Pavilion Master to the Star Sea to gain experience hadn’t gone to rest yet, but were gathered in the corridor discussing the day’s events.

Suddenly, a fierce wind swept across the ground, and everyone felt somewhat strange.

But before they could figure out what it meant, from the direction where Lu Song was staying, a shrill scream suddenly rang out, breaking the silence of the entire night…

“Ahhhhhhh——”

…

The next morning.

Before dawn, thin mist flowed throughout the Star Sea basin, and the streets and buildings of Suixian City, large and small, were all wrapped within it, creating a hazy beauty like a half-hidden face behind a lute.

But soon, heavy, urgent footsteps came from deep within the mist, instantly breaking this brief tranquility.

A group of cultivators walked from the distance with iron-gray faces.

Crossing a main street and rounding two corners, they had already arrived at the front of Yashan’s courtyard.

These cultivators all wore Tongling Pavilion’s attire.

Dozens of disciples plus several elders, and Tongling Pavilion’s Pavilion Master Lu Song, whose neck bore a deep black seal and was missing an arm!

An elder walked in front, stopped before the gate, and coldly shouted: “Tongling Pavilion, high and low, comes today to demand an explanation. We request fellow Daoists of Yashan to show yourselves!”

This voice was extremely loud and completely unrestrained.

The moment it was uttered, it already resounded like rolling thunder above this residence and throughout all of Suixian City!

All those sleeping, or those still in drunken stupor, all awakened at this moment!

Tongling Pavilion?

Jian Chou, who was still meditating in her room, naturally heard this voice and immediately frowned, feeling strange: the Lanke Tower matter had already concluded, what explanation did they still want to demand?

Rising from her meditation cushion, she took the Burning Lamp Sword and went out.

Nearby, Zuoliu and Fang Xiaoxie were also alarmed and stood outside.

Seeing Jian Chou come out, both were puzzled.

Zuoliu asked: “Senior Sister, what’s happened?”

Jian Chou was also confused and had no idea at the moment, only saying: “I don’t know either, let’s go see.”

She took the lead.

Zuoliu and Fang Xiaoxie followed behind.

When they arrived, the gate area was already quite lively. The Tongling Pavilion people stood in front of the screen wall inside the gate, all with unpleasant expressions, especially Lu Song at the front, whose face was full of coldness and whose eyes held deep anger.

Jian Chou immediately saw his current wretched state, with blood stains still wet on his body, shocking to behold, and his left arm completely gone!

It looked exactly as if something had torn it off!

His face was blue-black, his lips cracked, and where was there any trace of a Tongling Pavilion Master’s authority and dignity?

This was a Void Refining middle-stage great cultivator!

Yesterday at Lanke Tower he had been fine, but today…

Feeling somewhat horrified, Jian Chou turned and saw that Fudao Shanren and Zheng Yao were both standing before the screen wall, their faces uniformly grave.

She silently walked over, lowering her voice to ask: “Master, Sect Leader, what’s happened?”

“What’s happened? Young Friend Jian Chou actually doesn’t know what’s happened?”

Before Fudao Shanren and Zheng Yao could speak, Lu Song, standing not far away on the opposite side, had already heard Jian Chou’s voice and immediately laughed coldly, speaking with complete sarcasm in his tone.

But that voice was as if he had swallowed knives, hoarse and unpleasant to the extreme.

It seemed like…

At this moment, speaking was enduring some heart-piercing agony with great effort.

Jian Chou’s gaze couldn’t help but fall on his neck, at his throat, on that golden seal she had never seen before.

But she really didn’t know how they had come to find Yashan and demand justice, so she turned and asked back: “Why should I know about your Tongling Pavilion’s affairs?”

“Hahahaha…”

Lu Song couldn’t help but laugh loudly, his demeanor somewhat mad, but in the end, those eyes were as cold and sharp as if poisoned!

“Last night something attacked my Tongling Pavilion’s residence, severely injuring me, severing my arm, sealing my throat! How could you Yashan, you Jian Chou, not know of this matter?!”

“Heaven…”

There was such a thing?

Because Tongling Pavilion’s momentum was massive and they had no intention of making this big matter small, nearby cultivators from the Nineteen Continents all gathered over. Hearing these words, they were all shocked and suspicious.

It would be one thing to say a sect’s junior disciples were night-raided, but Lu Song was a dignified sect master, a top-level Void Refining great cultivator.

To place him in such a state, what terrifying strength would that require?

Everyone immediately began whispering to each other.

Yashan’s side was completely silent.

Zheng Yao’s expression was somewhat grave.

Fudao Shanren looked at the wretched Lu Song thoughtfully, then after a moment directly said: “If you have something to say, say it directly, no need for insinuations.”

“Insinuations—next you’ll probably scold me for making false accusations!”

Lu Song was completely beyond anger.

Regarding the Yushan Xing matter, he already knew where his fault lay, but recently he hadn’t found an opportunity to make amends. Yesterday’s Lanke Tower incident ending inconclusively hadn’t bothered him much either, thinking to resolve it during the meeting.

But who could have expected such a terrifying incident last night!

That demon had concealed its traces, but how could he not recognize it?!

Lu Song’s gaze moved from Fudao Shanren to Jian Chou, gritting his teeth grimly: “If your Yashan has a clear conscience about this matter, dare you bring out your ‘Fellow Daoist Fu’ to confront me!”

Fu Chaosheng!

Her heart suddenly sank heavily, like a heavy iron block plummeting.

Jian Chou stared at Lu Song, momentarily feeling breathless, thousands of thoughts spinning countless times in her mind, suddenly finding it difficult to speak.

Lu Song’s voice was hoarse and unpleasant, each word seeming stained with blood: “What, don’t dare?!”

Looking across the current Star Sea, those with cultivation higher than Lu Song could be counted on one hand.

Sword Emperor Qu Zhengfeng was barely at Void Refining middle stage and hadn’t shown his face since everyone arrived at Star Sea; Northern Domain Yin Sect’s Xuanyue Fairy had always cared little for worldly affairs, and if she fought, it would be with Northern Domain Yang Sect; Seven Tribulations Scattered Immortal Cangji Sanren was even more transcendent, his heart probably containing only the two words “ascension.”

Among these people, none had any deep hatred with Lu Song, making the possibility of action extremely slim.

Not to mention their cultivation levels wouldn’t suppress Lu Song to this degree, completely unable to resist, nearly being slaughtered!

Moreover, aside from the initial scream, there was no disturbance throughout.

From this, one could see how terrifyingly high the night attacker’s strength was, almost reaching heaven!

Such a person, on the surface, couldn’t be found in Star Sea.

But…

Jian Chou could find one, and it happened to be the very person Lu Song suspected, and given his style of conduct, it wasn’t impossible he had done this deed.

In fact, the possibility was quite high.

Gripping the Burning Lamp Sword tightly, Jian Chou still didn’t speak.

Zheng Yao frowned deeply.

Only Fudao Shanren at this moment, for some unknown reason, suddenly looked up toward the horizon. At the edge of that still dim sky that was just beginning to brighten, a figure with immortal bearing faintly appeared.

Others below also noticed, with someone exclaiming: “True Person has arrived!”

The one who came was indeed Kunwu’s True Person Hengxu.

He wore clean, dignified Daoist robes, his face showing gentle warmth, holding a whisk, followed by none other than Xie Buchen.

Azure robes fluttering, features coldly handsome, his eyes holding their own cold detachment, looking even more like a celestial being.

Master and disciple, one in front, one behind.

They clearly looked quite different, but in this instant, Jian Chou saw a strange similarity between them.

Whether it was the feeling in their features or their current lofty bearing, she couldn’t tell.

“Greetings to True Person Hengxu.”

“Greetings to True Person.”

“True Person has finally arrived…”

…

Just like when Fudao Shanren first arrived at Star Sea, all who had seen or not seen him now bowed respectfully, even Lu Song with his angry expression did the same.

Only Jian Chou stood without moving.

Unlike others who focused on the long-awaited True Person Hengxu, her gaze swept over him once before settling on Xie Buchen behind him.

Restrained brilliance, increasingly emotionless, his eyes without sorrow or joy, without grief or anger, still as an ice surface.

Entering the World middle stage.

This was Xie Buchen’s current realm.

Logically, he had neither crossed the most crucial threshold from old monster to great cultivator, nor surpassed her current realm in one go. Though he had directly advanced from Soul Formation to Entering the World, no matter how one looked at it, he didn’t seem threatening to her…

But at this moment, Jian Chou felt very uncomfortable.

That strange tribulation continued to trouble her…

While she looked at Xie Buchen, Xie Buchen also looked at her, but his gaze was calm and revealed no further clues, seeming no different from usual.

A perfect disguise.

Though he could increasingly clearly feel the infinite attraction that something hidden on her body held for him.

“I was delayed by various matters, making everyone wait long. Fearing to delay important business, I rushed here early.”

True Person Hengxu seemed not to notice the undercurrent flowing between Jian Chou and Xie Buchen, only smiled and returned the greeting, then came forward. Seeing Lu Song, he was somewhat surprised, but still first greeted Fudao Shanren.

“Brother Fudao, greetings.”

Fudao Shanren looked him up and down. Others couldn’t see anything unusual, but he and Hengxu were quite familiar, easily seeing his condition wasn’t very good.

Was it because of that tribulation?

Thinking he deserved it, his face showed a smile: “Congratulations, your so-called prodigy disciple of Kunwu has finally broken through to Entering the World. Though still far inferior to our Jian Chou, people can’t be compared, so you needn’t mind particularly.”

“…”

Everyone hearing this collectively broke into cold sweat.

Only True Person Hengxu remained calm, as if he hadn’t heard the mockery in these words at all, even nodding in agreement somewhat, only saying: “Brother Fudao’s excellent disciple naturally cannot be compared by others, but it’s no matter. However, why is everyone gathered here now?”

He surveyed the surroundings.

When he had just arrived, he felt something wasn’t right here, and seeing Lu Song’s condition, he became suspicious, but didn’t ask immediately, waiting until after the pleasantries.

His gaze flickering slightly, he looked toward Lu Song.

Lu Song was worried about having nowhere to seek justice, and immediately replied upon hearing this: “True Person, you’ve come at the perfect time. Today I, Lu Song, have a matter of justice to seek from Yashan! Their Young Friend Jian Chou brought an extremely evil great demon into Star Sea, transformed into human form. Yesterday’s dispute was one thing, but last night it actually attacked my Tongling Pavilion! My current wretched state was all bestowed by this demon! If Yashan, if their Young Friend Jian Chou who harbors unknown malicious intent, doesn’t give an explanation, this grievance cannot be settled, this hatred cannot be dissolved!”

These words were spoken with righteous indignation.

True Person Hengxu knew about yesterday’s Lanke Tower incident and almost instantly understood what Lu Song was talking about, but hadn’t expected there would be a sequel.

If it were usual times, handling it would be fine, but now…

He frowned slightly, looking at Jian Chou, then at Fudao Shanren, temporarily not speaking.

But Jian Chou laughed.

She had thought the dispute centered on Fu Chaosheng and was considering that this matter couldn’t be delayed, that Fu Chaosheng should come out for direct confrontation to seek a solution.

Who could have expected Lu Song to say such things!

“Harboring malicious intent?”

In all her years at Yashan, this was the first time she’d heard someone use this phrase to describe her. For a moment, she felt an indescribable sense of absurdity, almost doubting she had misheard.

“I never knew Pavilion Master Lu had also learned to talk nonsense and make false accusations!”

“False accusations?”

Though Lu Song’s words were excessive, he didn’t feel he was making any “false accusations,” fearing only that his suspicions weren’t enough, his thoughts not deep enough!

He laughed coldly, his gaze toward other Yashan members unchanged, but his look toward Jian Chou had lost all warmth, only sternly questioning: “You say I’m making false accusations, then I, Lu Song, will thoroughly ask today!”

“Since you entered Yashan, you’ve indeed been the foremost among new generation cultivators in the Central Domain, but first there was the disaster of Qingfeng Nunnery’s hidden realm exploration, then the chaos of Western Territory Sacred Temple’s night attack!”

“What enmity does Young Friend Xie of Kunwu have with you that you would strike so ruthlessly?!”

“Harming fellow Daoists, where is there any benevolence?!”

Angry accusations, one after another, each like a heavy hammer pounding in everyone’s ears. They seemed to want to hammer open certain secrets buried deep underground, exposing them under broad daylight!

Lu Song remembered last night, remembered that terrifyingly frightening existence!

Such a monster, how could it be allowed to remain in this world!

Feeling his entire throat soaked in blood, he spoke word by word, finally getting out the last passage.

“Now, you consort with demons and evil, completely lacking the righteous spirit of our world’s orthodox path!”

“Yesterday at Lanke Tower, you wholeheartedly protected it. I, Lu Song, thought you didn’t know its grave sins and wanted to persuade you to turn back. Who expected that very night to suffer such vicious treatment!”

“With your actions, do you dare say you have a clear conscience?”

“With your actions, do you dare call yourself a disciple of Yashan?!”

Sharp, harsh, leaving no face whatsoever!

Everyone was shocked by Lu Song’s words. Shen Jiu and others frowned deeply, immediately wanting to rush forward and give Lu Song a beating to let this old fool know the price of speaking recklessly.

But unexpectedly, just as they moved, a hand lightly blocked them, actually stopping them.

Moon-white sleeves, carrying an indescribable cold arc.

On the pale back of the hand, winding blue bloodlines could faintly be seen, translucent and slender, but without the usual fragile feeling of female cultivators.

On the contrary, this hand looked too clean, too decisive.

Shen Jiu, Zuoliu and others were all stunned.

Looking up, they saw it was Jian Chou beside them who had extended her hand to stop them, and for a moment stood dazed, calling out hesitantly: “Senior Sister…”

Jian Chou didn’t turn to look at them.

Holding the Burning Lamp Sword, she showed not the slightest anger at being questioned and interrogated, but instead had a deep mockery, her cold and calm gaze looking at Lu Song with some pity.

Then, she shifted her gaze to True Person Hengxu standing in the center, and Xie Buchen behind him.

One was a famous orthodox sect’s leader and pillar, the foremost orthodox cultivator, Kunwu’s head;

One was a genius on the cultivation path, outstanding among the new generation, the Dao heir who would one day save Kunwu from great tribulation.

Thus, she actually smiled slightly.

In front of countless watching cultivators inside and outside, and in front of this hypocritical Kunwu master-disciple pair, Jian Chou’s deeply hidden sharp sarcasm slowly rose from her heart.

At this moment, her voice seemed relaxed but was actually grim—

“I walk uprightly and act righteously, calling myself a disciple of Yashan with a clear conscience!”

“Whether certain others at this moment can say the same is uncertain.”

“I harm fellow Daoists and lack benevolence? I have enmity with Fellow Daoist Xie of Kunwu? Hahahaha, Pavilion Master Lu, regarding the origin of this grievance, I have the courage to speak, but I fear you lack the courage to listen!”