Being ridiculed by Kong Hou like this, how could the gray-robed male cultivator still hold back his temper? He flicked his sleeve to control the surrounding spiritual energy, and countless invisible small blades instantly appeared in the air. If Kong Hou and Gui Lin dared to move recklessly or speak carelessly, these blades could leave countless bloody holes on their bodies.
Gui Lin took a deep breath and climbed up from the ground trembling, his body covered with countless fine bloody marks cut by the invisible sharp blades. He blinked, hiding his fear deep in his heart, and looked at the gray-robed male cultivator: “You’re still a member of Yuanji Sect right now. If something happens to Fairy Kong Hou, aren’t you afraid that Liuguang Sect and Yunhua Sect won’t let Yuanji Sect off? When that time comes, not only Yuanji Sect, but even you won’t be able to escape the fury of the two great sects.”
The gray-robed man sneered upon hearing this: “Young as you are, don’t try to intimidate me with such words. Even if Liuguang Sect and Yunhua Sect jointly attack Yuanji Sect, they wouldn’t make things difficult for servant disciples like us.” A smile appeared on his face, one filled with mockery and disdain. “These great sects are most particular about seeking revenge only from those directly responsible; they won’t vent their anger on innocent people.”
Gui Lin’s expression changed slightly. He knew the gray-robed male cultivator was right. Exterminating entire families was indeed not the style of Liuguang Sect and Yunhua Sect. Someone like this gray-robed male cultivator, an inconspicuous cultivator, might even end up being seen as a helpless and innocent person after revealing some “secrets” out of “righteousness,” such as exposing some wrongdoings committed by Daoist Shuangqing.
“Why are you doing this?” Having figured this out, Gui Lin’s face became even paler. “What benefit is there in this for you?”
“What benefit do I need?” The gray-robed male cultivator laughed loudly. “Just watching you righteous gentlemen suffer in pain is satisfaction enough for me.”
Looking at the gray-robed male cultivator’s crazed and bloodthirsty appearance, Gui Lin was secretly alarmed. This person’s mind seemed to have problems—he took pleasure in others’ fear and pain. How was this different from the “murderous maniacs” recorded in certain books?
Shuangqing wanted Yuanji Sect to become one of the ten great sects, yet kept such a servant disciple around without noticing anything amiss. With this kind of judgment, he shouldn’t harbor such grand ambitions. Thinking too much while accomplishing too little—how embarrassing.
This kind of madman who took pleasure in others’ suffering wouldn’t have much empathy. He bit his lower lip and turned to look at Kong Hou: “Little martial aunt, I’m sorry. I’ve implicated you.”
“Children shouldn’t think too much; it makes you age faster.” Kong Hou patted Gui Lin’s head. As she raised her hand and moved her feet, the invisible blades around them seemed to consciously avoid her, unable to harm her in the slightest.
She shook the magical instrument in her hand that could record a segment of phantom images: “Since Fellow Daoist has such special hobbies, I can only record a segment for all the cultivators in the entire cultivation world to appreciate.”
The gray-robed man sneered coldly: “Fairy’s methods are impressive, but unfortunately you won’t have the chance to show this recording stone to others.”
Kong Hou’s words and actions had already enraged the gray-robed male cultivator. He had disguised himself for many years precisely for this kind of secret hobby. He appreciated how others looked fearful and helpless in his hands, but didn’t like his captives going against his will.
Seeing the gray-robed man attack, Kong Hou neither dodged nor evaded. Instead, she spun the phoenix-headed instrument in her hand and directly met him head-on.
The massive airflow impact made Gui Lin almost unable to stand steady. He raised his hand to use his robe to shield against the constantly flying sand and stones in front of his eyes, squinting as he watched Kong Hou and the gray-robed male cultivator battle in the air. He couldn’t hide the shock in his heart—Martial Aunt Kong Hou was actually fighting a Nascent Soul cultivator to a standstill.
“I thought you were some impressive powerhouse, but you only have this little ability.” Kong Hou’s right hand gently rested on the phoenix head’s strings. The strings that had been humming suddenly stopped. The Startled Swan coiffure hairstyle naturally made women appear more haughty. She even tilted her head to look at the gray-robed male cultivator, as if he were a cockroach in the mud that couldn’t bear the light—disgusting just to look at a few more times. “No wonder you can only sneakily do such things, usually acting as a servile subordinate. If I were such a useless and cowardly man as you, I would have long ago shattered my spiritual platform with one palm strike, dying early for an early rebirth.”
“Sharp-tongued!” The gray-robed man’s eyes turned red. He spread both hands, and spiritual energy gathered into a hissing, mouth-gaping venomous snake that lunged toward Kong Hou.
Kong Hou sneered coldly. The phoenix pattern on the phoenix head suddenly transformed into a phoenix phantom in midair, opening its mouth to bite the attacking serpent. The serpent had no resistance before the phoenix and quickly disappeared without a trace.
The gray-robed male cultivator clutched his chest and spat out bright red blood, retreating several steps.
Kong Hou wouldn’t pass up such a good opportunity to press her advantage, nor would she waste words. Her ten fingers plucked the strings, and the musical notes carried a fierce killing intent that pierced through the gray-robed male cultivator’s chest. He staggered several steps and fell from midair to the ground.
“You… you’re not at Heart Movement Stage cultivation!” The gray-robed male cultivator’s eyes showed terror. He looked at Kong Hou as if looking at a monster. “This is impossible, impossible.”
Only eighteen years old—how could she possibly have Nascent Soul Stage cultivation? He thought of what had happened at Liuguang Sect during this time, and suddenly his eyes lit up: “Could it be that you’re the real—”
“Slap!” A palm struck the gray-robed male cultivator from the air. Kong Hou’s eyes showed disgust: “Using others’ lives as a means of entertainment, what difference is there between you and bedbugs and rats in the gutter?”
The phoenix head transformed back into a hairpin and returned to her hair. In its place was the Shuishuang Sword personally crafted by Daoist Qiushuang. Kong Hou formed a hand seal, and the Shuishuang Sword made a turn in the air, directly targeting the gray-robed male cultivator’s spiritual platform. To kill such a person, she didn’t even need to use her phoenix head—she found it disgusting.
Having lived seven or eight hundred years, yet being forced to this state by an eighteen-year-old young girl, the gray-robed male cultivator was both hateful and afraid. He narrowly dodged the Shuishuang Sword’s strike, and seeing the sword chase after him again, he hastily said: “Fairy Kong Hou, please see clearly—I’m not going against Yunhua Sect, but have come to eliminate a traitor from our Yuanji Sect.”
Standing behind Kong Hou, Gui Lin heard these words and his face immediately turned deathly pale. He looked at Kong Hou as she turned to look at him, his lips trembling weakly, unable to speak a single word.
“Whether your Yuanji Sect has traitors is your business. Why come to offend my Yunhua Sect’s disciples?” Kong Hou sneered coldly. “Do you think we Yunhua Sect people are easy to bully?” Her hands didn’t stop, and the Shuishuang Sword pierced through the gray-robed male cultivator’s arm, though he dodged away from his spiritual platform. She wasn’t anxious—after her cultivation entered the Nascent Soul Stage, she hadn’t properly fought with anyone yet. Many spell techniques that used to be somewhat strenuous now felt as simple as eating and drinking.
Seeing the Shuishuang Sword as if it had grown eyes, chasing wherever he fled, the gray-robed male cultivator, enduring the constantly bleeding holes on his body, barely avoided a sword strike: “Because the traitor of our Yuanji Sect is Gui Lin. He is a disciple of our Yuanji Sect who, under the sect master’s orders, infiltrated Yunhua Sect as a spy to probe Yunhua Sect’s secrets.”
The sword that was about to pierce the gray-robed male cultivator’s spiritual platform wavered and instead pierced through his arm.
Kong Hou turned back to look at Gui Lin. Finding his face deathly pale and his eyes not daring to look at her, she knew the gray-robed man wasn’t lying. She withdrew her gaze, saying with a half-smile: “By saying he’s a traitor, you mean he no longer passes information to you?”
The gray-robed male cultivator glanced at the Shuishuang Sword in the air pointing directly at his brow and countered: “Would the fairy still protect such a person with ulterior motives?”
Hearing the gray-robed male cultivator’s words, Gui Lin’s whole body turned cold. He couldn’t help but hug his arms tight. Clearly, he had disliked how those people at Yunhua Sect were noisy and clamorous, disliked how they didn’t properly attend to business, disliked how they acted thoughtlessly. But at this moment, thinking that he was about to lose these things, his heart felt no relief, no liberation—only endless fear.
The fellow disciples’ unhesitating trust, those unguarded smiling faces—these were all things he had only received after coming to Yunhua Sect.
“How our Yunhua Sect handles our disciples doesn’t need someone like you to worry about.” Kong Hou’s gaze turned cold. Her hand seal changed, and the Shuishuang Sword suddenly separated into countless swords, carrying an unstoppable momentum, turning the gray-robed male cultivator into a porcupine.
Seeing the Nascent Soul escape from the gray-robed male cultivator’s body, Kong Hou flew forward and seized the Nascent Soul in one grasp. With force in her hand, she crushed this Nascent Soul in her palm.
With the gray-robed male cultivator’s death, the surrounding barrier also disappeared. Kong Hou recalled the Shuishuang Sword and turned to look at Gui Lin.
The handsome, slender youth stood quietly under the moonlight, a long shadow beneath him—cold and lonely. Kong Hou straightened the clothes that had become disheveled from fighting and said indifferently: “Why are you still standing there? Hurry and follow.”
“Martial Aunt…” Gui Lin raised his head, moisture glistening in his eyes. He walked before Kong Hou and knelt down. “Martial Aunt, I was wrong. Please don’t…”
Don’t what?
Don’t drive him away, or don’t despise him?
Gui Lin couldn’t say it, and had no face to say it. He had entered Yunhua Sect with ill intentions. Now that Yunhua Sect had discovered this, even if Yunhua Sect destroyed his spiritual platform and took his life, it was deserved.
Kong Hou looked at the young man’s slightly trembling shoulders. She bent down and reached out to pat his thin back: “Get up. We’ll talk about whatever it is when we return.”
“Martial Aunt, you’re still willing to let me return?” Gui Lin stared at Kong Hou in a daze.
“I promised your master that I would bring you and Rou Rou back completely intact. If I lose you now, what would I use to compensate your master?” Kong Hou smiled. “Or are you unwilling to return with me?”
Gui Lin shook his head. How could he be unwilling? That Martial Aunt Kong Hou was willing to take him back showed she hadn’t completely abandoned him. Once back at Qiyue Peak, even if he had to kneel to death before his master, he wouldn’t leave Yunhua Sect.
Before gaining warmth, one doesn’t realize how wonderful it is. Only after obtaining it and possessing it does one realize they simply cannot bear the pain of losing it.
Wu Chuan, who suddenly sensed Kong Hou and Gui Lin’s auras, rushed over. Jumping onto the wall, he saw Gui Lin kneeling before Kong Hou, with Kong Hou bending down and gently patting his back. Seeing this scene, Wu Chuan couldn’t help but look around. If others saw this, wouldn’t they suspect Kong Hou was keeping two boats afloat, not even sparing her own martial nephew?
“Senior Brother Wu Chuan.” Kong Hou had already sensed Wu Chuan’s approach. Seeing him standing on the wall without coming down, she turned to look at him in confusion. “What are you doing standing there? Admiring the moonlight?”
There was still a corpse in the courtyard, with the smell of blood everywhere. Even the most beautiful moonlight would be discounted.
Wu Chuan glanced at Gui Lin, who was still kneeling on the ground, then walked to the body of the gray-robed male cultivator covered in bloody holes and stopped, his face expressionless: “Dead?”
“Dead evildoers won’t speak carelessly.” Kong Hou extended her hand before Gui Lin. “Get up.”
Gui Lin looked at the fair, delicate palm before him. He wiped his hands on his body twice before extending his trembling hand and placing it in Kong Hou’s. The palm was warm and soft, like the most beautiful sunshine of spring.
Kong Hou firmly grasped Gui Lin’s hand and lifted him up from the ground like picking up a chick.
Wu Chuan quietly watched Kong Hou and Gui Lin. Only after Gui Lin had steadied himself did he say: “This person has wounds caused by musical notes on his body, as well as sword wounds. Being killed by our combined efforts isn’t unfair to him.”
“Senior Brother Wu Chuan is right.” Kong Hou understood Wu Chuan’s intention and smiled at him. “Please rest assured, Senior Brother. I have recorded images of this person’s evil deeds. We should send a flying message talisman to Yuanji Sect, asking them to come claim the corpse.”
“This person is from Yuanji Sect?” Wu Chuan glanced at the male cultivator on the ground whose face had been beaten beyond recognition by Kong Hou. At this moment, even if someone familiar with him were present, they probably wouldn’t recognize him.
“Yes.” Kong Hou nodded and briefly explained what had happened to Wu Chuan.
“I see.” Wu Chuan said. “Then let’s collect this person’s corpse now.” He looked at Kong Hou, and Kong Hou turned to look at Gui Lin.
Gui Lin… Gui Lin silently bent down to collect the bloody and mangled corpse.
Nearly an hour had passed, and the disciples who had gone out to search for Gui Lin had not yet returned. The tea had long ago lost its flavor. Huan Zong sat with lowered eyes, and others couldn’t read his emotions, but Qiushuang noticed he had glanced out the window several times.
“The moonlight outside is just right. If Zhong Xi doesn’t mind, accompany me to appreciate the moon.” Qiushuang had no hobby of making things difficult for the younger generation. She stood up and pushed open the door, walking to stand by the railing outside.
Huan Zong followed her out. He placed his hand on the railing, his gaze distant. The night wind blew his robes, making him look like an immortal about to step onto the moon and depart.
Kong Hou emerged from the dense forest. What she saw was the beautiful man with an indifferent expression under the moonlight. She jumped on the ground and waved: “Huan Zong.”
The immortal who was about to step onto the moon smiled. He was tempted by the mortal world and abandoned the moon, jumping down from the flying palace.
Watching the two younger generation members separated for just an hour yet happily holding hands together, Qiushuang lazily leaned against the railing, revealing a smile. Even if some romantic relationships didn’t end well, when love was deep and intense, it was still so beautiful.
Getting older, she liked these sweet and beautiful things, even hoping these beautiful moments would never shatter.
“Why were you gone for so long?” Huan Zong saw that Kong Hou’s clothes had some wrinkles and her hairpin was slightly askew. He reached out to help adjust her hairpin. “Did you fight with someone?”
“I encountered a person with mental problems.” Kong Hou said in a low voice. “But it’s already been resolved.”
Huan Zong smelled the scent of blood on her. He glanced sideways at Gui Lin walking behind Wu Chuan, nodded slightly to the two, asked nothing, and turned to Kong Hou, saying gently: “Go back and rest.”
Watching Kong Hou and Daoist Zhong Xi fly away, Gui Lin slowly lowered his head, looking at his shoes covered in dirt.
Wu Chuan walked a few steps and, seeing Gui Lin still standing in place, thought he had been frightened by what just happened. A somewhat awkward smile appeared on his usually stern face: “It’s fine now. Everyone here is from our sect. You don’t need to be afraid anymore.”
Raising his head to look at the Great Sect Leader martial uncle’s smiling face, Gui Lin nodded slightly: “Thank you, Martial Uncle Wu Chuan.”
“Why is a child being so serious?” Wu Chuan patted his shoulder. “Cheer up. After returning to the sect, you can collect your monthly stipend. Then invite a few fellow disciples to go down the mountain for a meal and drinks.”
Gui Lin’s expression stiffened slightly. After returning to the sect, would Qiyue Peak still be willing to take him?
After Kong Hou returned to the flying palace to bathe and change clothes, she lay down on the bed. She fell asleep very quickly, but after falling asleep, she kept dreaming about matters concerning Constellation Gate. She dreamed of constantly competing with the general puppets, winning faster each time, using magical instruments more and more skillfully. She was the phoenix head, and the phoenix head was her.
When she opened her eyes again, she found several people standing by her bed.
“Grand Martial Uncle, Huan Zong, Senior Sister Ling Hui…” Kong Hou got up from the bed and discovered that Senior Brother Wu Chuan and others were also standing in the corner of the room. Perhaps because she was sleeping, they hadn’t come too close. She was somewhat puzzled. “Why are you all in my room?”
Qiushuang reached out to check her life pulse: “Your meridians are robust and powerful, your spiritual platform is clear. It seems you entered cultivation in your dreams. Nothing’s wrong.”
Kong Hou hugged her little blanket tightly and blinked at everyone, appearing extremely innocent.
“You…” Qiushuang glanced at Huan Zong and stood up. “We’ll go out first and let Kong Hou rest properly. In one hour, we’ll arrive at the sect.”
One hour until arriving at the sect? Wasn’t it supposed to take two more days? Had she slept for two days?
Soon everyone else in the room had left cleanly. Huan Zong quietly looked at Kong Hou hugging her blanket, then embraced both person and blanket in his arms, his voice deep: “I’m glad you’re all right.”
Kong Hou knew her sudden unconscious sleep must have worried Huan Zong. She obediently nestled in Huan Zong’s embrace and said in a small voice: “I had a dream. I dreamed I was still in the world behind Constellation Gate, climbing the tower countless times, each time faster and easier than the last.”
Huan Zong hadn’t expected the Constellation Gate that Daoist Hongyan had opened to be so powerful, still affecting Kong Hou even now. He gently stroked Kong Hou’s dark hair: “This is a good thing. In the entire cultivation world, those who can spontaneously cultivate while asleep can be counted on one hand.”
Kong Hou thought of the box Daoist Hongyan had her open after emerging from the Constellation Gate. The contents of that box had later attached to the phoenix head. Could it be… the influence of those things?
She summoned the phoenix head and stroked the phoenix pattern on it. Threads of spiritual energy flowed into her fingertips, like a gentle palm softly combing through her meridians.
The small worlds created by successive sect masters of Moon Star Sect were indeed more powerful than Kong Hou had anticipated. She glanced at Huan Zong, a certain guess forming vaguely in her heart: “Huan Zong, in some time, I’d like to visit Moon Star Sect.”
Huan Zong smiled: “I’ll accompany you.”
Kong Hou laughed aloud: “Sect Master Wang Su has already announced he won’t receive outside guests. Aren’t you afraid of being refused at the gate with me and losing face?”
“When two people lose face together, it’s not so embarrassing.” Huan Zong selected a set of ceremonial robes from his storage ring for Kong Hou. “Didn’t you say a few days ago you wanted to return to the sect looking beautiful? If you don’t get up to dress and groom now, there won’t be time.”
Kong Hou quickly threw off the blanket and sat before the vanity mirror: “Fortunately you reminded me.”
Huan Zong stood behind, watching her back with a light, gentle smile, his eyes and heart full of warm smiles.
At Yunhua Sect’s martial arts field, Wang Tong looked up at the flying palace about to land, squinted his eyes—the person standing beside his disciple seemed to be Daoist Zhong Xi?
Didn’t they say he regarded his disciple as a junior martial sister? How did he have the face to follow along again? What kind of problem was this?
He used the voice transmission technique to say to Heng Yan:
Heng Yan thought of the news Wu Chuan had sent back and coughed dryly, feeling too guilty to know how to answer.
Seeing Heng Yan not answering, Wang Tong didn’t mind. During this time, his senior brother had been secretly slipping him spirit stones and magical instruments, being so generous that Wang Tong felt embarrassed to spend spirit stones recklessly outside.
Seeing the flying palace had already landed, Wang Tong had no mind to ask more questions. He quickly walked to the front of the flying palace and, after performing a courtesy to Qiushuang, waved to Kong Hou: “Kong Hou, come here to Master.”
Kong Hou glanced at Huan Zong, lifted her skirt hem and trotted to Wang Tong’s side: “Master.”
“Mm.” In front of the “outsider” Huan Zong, Wang Tong pretended to be stern and nodded, then said to Kong Hou and his two grand-disciples: “Let’s go, return to Qiyue Peak.”
“Wait.” Kong Hou turned and pulled Huan Zong over. “Master, Huan Zong will also live on Qiyue Peak with me. Is that all right?”
Wang Tong stared at Huan Zong for a long while before saying with a straight face: “You arrange it as you see fit.”
He couldn’t let an “outsider” make his disciple unhappy. He didn’t want to be that villain.
Seeing Wang Tong’s expression, Kong Hou secretly sighed in her heart. It seemed getting Master to accept Huan Zong would still require some effort.
She put her hands behind her back and secretly hooked her finger at Huan Zong. Huan Zong reached out to grasp this beckoning finger, the corners of his mouth curving up slightly.
“At the exchange meeting, did anyone deliberately make things difficult for you?” Wang Tong turned to look at his disciple and grand-disciples. Li Rou flashed forward to block between Kong Hou and Huan Zong. Worried her body wasn’t large enough, she even pulled Gui Lin over. “Grand Master, Daoist Zhong Xi took great care of us. No one dared to deliberately make things difficult.”
Wang Tong’s heart ached even more. This Zhong Xi had no faults anywhere from head to toe. How could he make his disciple change her heart and come to like other male cultivators?
Li Rou saw her Grand Master’s expression becoming increasingly ugly. Her heart worried endlessly for Martial Aunt Kong Hou and Daoist Zhong Xi.
Just hearing Daoist Zhong Xi’s name made Grand Master’s expression so ugly. If Grand Master learned that Martial Aunt and Daoist Zhong Xi had pledged their hearts to each other, wouldn’t he immediately engage in spell combat with Daoist Zhong Xi?