Changling’s footsteps halted upon hearing this. Ye Qi had only mentioned it casually, but seeing Changling’s clenched palms, he asked, “You truly know Fu Liujing?”

Changling turned around, “So what if I do, so what if I don’t?”

“Hmm, typically this kind of answer… is basically an admission.”

Changling said carelessly, “There’s nothing to hide about it. But you—I don’t know what Fu Liujing is to you, that you would risk such danger to infiltrate Dazhao Temple alone?”

Every time he asked Changling a question, it would be deflected and pushed back at him. Ye Qi was beginning to get used to it. He tucked his hands into his sleeves and took two steps forward, “Miss, don’t misunderstand. I have no relationship with Fu Liujing whatsoever. Coming to this Dazhao Temple was truly at someone else’s request. It’s just a pity… as you saw, I was completely helpless before those sect leaders in the cave. If not for your guidance, forget helping them remove the Iron Skulls, I’d still be in the dark even now…”

“Why do I feel that compared to rescuing the eight great sect leaders, you’re more concerned about Fu Liujing?”

“I don’t even know that Fu Liujing, so how could I be concerned? When this Great Hero Fu was at the height of his fame, he suddenly disappeared. The rumors about him in the martial world are truly varied and conflicting. Many people want to investigate and learn something from him. I’m just one of those many people. Miss… aren’t you the same?”

“No.”

“Oh?” Ye Qi was surprised for a moment, “Then this is…”

“Since neither of us is willing to answer the other’s questions, there’s no need to waste more breath here…” Changling looked up at Ye Qi, “What’s in that medicine jar is brain-clearing and energy-boosting medicine. Although Xiao Yin is blind, he can surely identify it by smell. Whether it can cure the Bone-Softening Powder, I don’t know. Even if it’s useless, Yang Xuzi’s Supreme Void True Qi can already dissolve it. Otherwise, that group of sect leaders wouldn’t need to obey his every command…”

Ye Qi watched Changling transition effortlessly between taciturn silence and eloquent speech, feeling rather astonished. Before he could figure out why Changling was so familiar with those sect leaders, he heard her say, “Tonight is their last chance. If you truly came to rescue people, you’ll have your hands full. You’ve fed me a few meals, so we’re even now. I won’t interfere in what happens next, and you needn’t come looking for me either.”

“I…”

Even though Ye Qi was usually good at verbal sparring, he couldn’t find words to respond to this.

He watched from afar until her figure disappeared into the darkness. Suddenly, for some reason, he felt a complex mix of emotions.

From mistakenly abducting her to half-coaxing, half-deceiving her into coming along, seven out of ten things he’d said to Changling were lies. With her perceptiveness, how could she not see through him?

Yet she acted as if she hadn’t taken it to heart at all. Not only did she not expose his little tricks, but even when parting ways, she didn’t forget to remind him about rescuing the eight sect leaders… This instead made him seem rather dishonorable.

Ye Qi let out a soft sigh, thinking that next time they met, he should sincerely apologize. Thinking of this, he murmured again, “If there is a next time…”

He stretched lazily, adjusted the blade and long whip tied at his waist, and walked forward unhurriedly.

While Ye Qi’s thoughts made a hundred twists and turns on this end, Changling on that end was completely unaware, already on the road to the Great Vehicle Tower.

Speaking of which, when she recognized that old man as Yang Xuzi in the cave, she hadn’t been without murderous intent. She’d only forcibly suppressed it after hearing news of Fu Liujing—matters have varying degrees of urgency, and grudges too have their order. If she stirred up trouble and delayed finding Fu Liujing’s whereabouts, that would be losing the greater for the lesser.

She deliberately instructed Ye Qi to look after the eight sect leaders’ lives, firstly because she found Ye Qi’s presence at her side inconvenient, and secondly because she worried that if this fellow belonged to the same camp as Fu Liujing, it would actually be troublesome when it came to fighting.

Naturally, remembering past friendships, she didn’t hope Chi Zishan and Lu Tianlan would truly meet their end at the hands of the Yan people. As for the others’ accounts, as long as she remained alive, there would always be a day of reckoning.

Dark clouds covered the moon.

Changling wandered around in the pitch darkness for most of a circuit before finally locating the Great Vehicle Tower.

The Great Vehicle Tower was located on the eastern side of the temple, surrounded by a natural courtyard. When she first snuck in, she worried whether there might be hidden guards within the courtyard. However, upon seeing the Great Vehicle Tower clearly, she actually breathed a sigh of relief.

This tall tower was a stupa-shaped tower. Simply put, it resembled a magnificent and graceful large treasure vase. The entire tower body was about ten-some zhang high, its walls polished so smooth they offered no grip. Only the highest part was a multi-eaved square tower. In other words, to get in, you either had to force your way through, or grow two wings and see if Heaven was willing to blow a wind to send you skyward.

The option of forcing entry was something Changling didn’t dare attempt lightly. If important criminals were truly imprisoned inside, there would inevitably be guards stationed. With her current condition of fainting at the drop of a hat, she probably couldn’t even make it past the first checkpoint.

Therefore, she chose the second option.

Changling suddenly leaped into the air, this one jump reaching two zhang in height. Upon approaching the wall, her toe touched lightly, and she borrowed force to float upward again. The originally smooth tower body had no protruding places at all, yet she seemed to have wind beneath her feet. In just a brief moment, with a flip and spin, she landed atop the eaves of the square tower.

Back then, her master had her practice this “Flying Crane in the Heavens” technique by catching birds, walking on vats, leaping on lotus leaves, and traversing snowy paths—she’d tried them all. While ascending to heaven wasn’t achievable, ascending a tower wasn’t much of a challenge.

Changling hung upside down from the beam, used a tree branch to lift the wooden bolt inside the window, and skillfully slipped into the pavilion. Even the small sound of closing the window was covered by the night wind.

She had prepared herself to knock down anyone she encountered, but unexpectedly, upon jumping in, she met no one and nearly collided with a large stack of books piled by the window—this place was actually a floor for storing books.

The light inside the pavilion was dim and visibility poor. Changling alertly surveyed the area in a circle. Only after confirming there were no other living beings in the library did she slowly begin to move. This floor of the library wasn’t large, but there seemed to be quite a few books. Between cabinets, there was only room for one person to pass through. With no lamps or candles, she couldn’t make out what kinds of books were arranged on the shelves, but she could faintly smell the ancient scent of books and ink—most likely they were sutras and such. Changling casually brushed past a few volumes and discovered there was no dust on their surfaces. She felt slightly puzzled and walked toward the door.

Changling reasoned that the library should be locked from the outside. Sure enough, after trying twice without being able to push it open, she peered through the crack in the door to look outside. It was pitch black and she couldn’t see anything clearly, finding herself in a difficult position for the moment.

She turned her head back, thinking to find a handy blade to pry the door open. But this library was also completely dark. Every few steps she had to be careful not to bump into cabinets, let alone search for things.

Changling made a rough half-circuit and felt her way to a candlestick. She suddenly remembered that the money pouch Ye Qi gave her seemed to contain a fire starter, and immediately took it out.

She pulled the fire tube in half, about to blow it alight. Just at this moment, a copper coin struck her hand with perfect accuracy.

Changling’s heart jolted. Instinctively, she threw the fire starter lid in her hand toward the direction of the attacker. The next moment, a barely audible muffled groan came from the corner—a man was seen emerging from the shadows clutching his forehead, wanting to cry out but not daring to make noise, saying in a low voice to Changling, “Ow, your hand is so heavy. If this thing wasn’t made of paper, my head would definitely have been punctured through.”

Changling: “…”

How did this guy also sneak in here? More importantly, she’d been coming and going here for so long and hadn’t noticed at all?

Although in the darkness neither could see the other’s expression clearly, Changling still concealed her inner shock and said, “Young Master Ye truly appears and disappears like a ghost.”

Ye Qi lowered the hand supporting his forehead, squinted to examine his palm, and after confirming there was no blood, finally replied, “Ahem, likewise.”

Changling bent down to pick up the copper coin at her feet. Thinking about how this Young Master Ye had deliberately pulled this stunt while hiding his presence, she couldn’t help but sneer coldly through gritted teeth, “It seems Young Master Ye arrived even earlier. What’s this—a pleasant surprise or a frightful shock?”

“Miss, don’t misunderstand. I only just arrived too. I hadn’t even steadied my footing when I saw you whoosh out from that back window, which really gave me a fright. Naturally I had to hide first to see the situation clearly.” He walked up to Changling and pointed at the fire starter in her hand, “Good thing I was quick. If you’d lit that fire, we’d both be done for tonight.”

Changling’s brow furrowed, “What do you mean?”

“You still don’t understand?” Ye Qi felt uneasy and took the fire starter back from her hand, covering it. “This entire library floor, from the bookcases to the floor, has been coated with a thin layer of fire oil. This thin oil can’t be seen after it dries, but if it catches a spark, it ignites immediately. And this candlestick—look carefully, it’s stuffed with gunpowder.”

As Ye Qi spoke, he removed the candlestick and extended it. Changling took it and sniffed—indeed there was a smell of gunpowder. Changling looked around, puzzled, “If it’s fire oil, why is there no oil smell?”

“This thin oil is mixed with specially prepared light resin. The smell is extremely faint, basically colorless and odorless. It’s normal that you can’t smell it.”

Changling’s brow knitted, “Then how did you smell it?”

“Me?”

Ye Qi’s eyes rolled around, “Well, actually… oh, since I was little my nose has had problems. I couldn’t smell anything at all. Then one day the illness got better, and suddenly I could smell scents. I was so happy that I’d smell things all the time, whether necessary or not. Over time, my sense of smell became more sensitive than ordinary people.”

“Oh, so the problem with your nose moved to your head?” She’d believe him when pigs fly.

“Ahem, Miss jests.” Ye Qi looked up at Changling, “But why did you come here?”

“Didn’t you just say ‘likewise’ a moment ago?”

Ye Qi sighed helplessly, “Miss, this Great Vehicle Tower is personally guarded by the four great elders of Dazhao Temple. Your gold ring can’t bluff them here. While you haven’t been exposed yet, leave first. Although I don’t know what grievances you have with Fu Liujing, you’re still young after all. There will always be other opportunities…”

Changling had been absentmindedly looking around. Hearing such “prudent and mature” words, she managed not to say “when I was roaming the martial world, you little brat hadn’t even grown all your hair yet.” She glanced sideways at the Gouhun Blade. This time Ye Qi reacted quickly—both grabbed the scabbard simultaneously. Ye Qi called out, “What are you trying to do now?”

“Since I dared come, there’s no reason I’d be dissuaded by someone’s advice.” Changling said, “Now that we’re here, we have to at least get through this door, right?”