Western Sea Primordial had the world’s largest cherry blossom forest, nourished by mountain spirits. Since the sect’s founding thousands of years ago, the blossoms had never withered.

Most of Primordial’s pavilions and buildings were constructed above the Weak Waters.

The Weak Waters were so insubstantial that even a feather couldn’t float on them. Though vast in area, they were shallow, not even covering the ankles.

They were visibly pale blue, scattered throughout Primordial. Being so shallow and barely flowing, they resembled a soft mirror.

Hall Master Feng, emerging from the cherry forest, spoke to Disciple Zhan Rong who was waiting nearby: “News from Golden Luan Pool says two disciples of Third Breath Immortal have arrived. Go receive them.”

“Yes.”

The rank of Western Sea Primordial disciples could be distinguished by the cherry blossom imprints on their attire.

Ordinary disciples had flower imprints at the lowest part of their robes.

Higher-ranked disciples had flower imprints on their sleeves.

Head disciples or personal disciples had them on their waists and shoulders.

Disciple Zhan Rong, who was sent to receive Ling Luo and Chu Yi, had his flower imprint at the lowest part of his robe.

Ling Luo and Chu Yi stood halfway up the mountain, watching a young man approach from the path above.

“Primordial Second Sect disciple, Zhan Rong.” Zhan Rong lowered his head in greeting. “By order of Hall Master Feng, I am to escort you both to Green Bamboo Residence.”

Chu Yi looked him up and down for a moment, then raised an eyebrow: “A few years without seeing you, and your pleasantries have become even smoother.”

Zhan Rong straightened up and smiled somewhat helplessly.

His gaze paused slightly when it fell on the Yingxi fan hanging at Ling Luo’s waist. Chu Yi walked forward, saying as he went: “My junior sister, Ling Luo. Master gave Yingxi to her.”

Ling Luo stood at the bottom of the steps, looking up at the two figures standing together ahead.

With the light behind them, they appeared dazzlingly bright, making her squint.

Chu Yi was cold and arrogant, Zhan Rong humble. Unlike her Second Senior Brother, this person only had a seemingly gentle exterior.

“Master Zhan Qiong is my master. Yingxi was the last weapon he forged, so seeing it naturally brings some familiarity,” Zhan Rong smiled at Ling Luo.

“Master Zhan’s reputation precedes him,” Ling Luo said politely.

She followed behind the two men toward Green Bamboo Residence, where guests were received.

Along the way, it was Chu Yi and Zhan Rong who conversed and caught up, while Ling Luo casually observed the scenery.

“This year, talented individuals have emerged from various immortal sects, with people from all four major families participating,” Zhan Rong said. “Besides Ling Luo, there’s also Feng Tianyao from South Mountain Snow River and Mu Xujing from Northern Court Moon Palace.”

Chu Yi asked: “I know the former, the son of Sect Leader Feng, but what’s the background of this person from Northern Court Moon Palace?”

“The son of the former palace master,” Zhan Rong said in a low voice. “An illegitimate child, previously unknown, who was brought back to Northern Court Moon Palace this year and personally instructed by the current palace master.”

Chu Yi’s eye twitched slightly upon hearing this. “Who would be crazy enough to bring back the previous palace master’s son and raise him under the current palace master?”

Zhan Rong spoke even more softly: “The current palace master.”

Chu Yi: “…”

If he remembered correctly, the current palace master and the previous palace master were husband and wife, and she was a year younger than him.

Having little interest in others’ family affairs, Chu Yi changed the subject: “How is that person’s cultivation?”

Zhan Rong: “Not bad.”

Chu Yi asked: “Between him and Feng Tianyao, who is stronger?”

After briefly pondering, Zhan Rong replied: “South Mountain Snow River’s swordsmanship is unparalleled in the world, and they possess the righteous path’s divine sword intent. If Feng Tianyao has already learned the divine sword intent, Mu Xujing should be no match for him.”

Chu Yi turned to look at Ling Luo: “Did you hear that?”

Ling Luo lazily raised her eyes, with a mocking expression: “Can he even learn it?”

This disdain and contempt stemming from the bottom of her heart impressed Chu Yi.

“My junior sister has excellent swordsmanship and is a good person, just a bit arrogant in her attitude,” Chu Yi turned to Zhan Rong and said. “Just pretend you didn’t see or hear anything.”

Zhan Rong smiled: “Youthful spirit, it’s good to have such confidence.”

Ling Luo folded her hands in her sleeves, her expression indifferent.

Even if Feng Tianyao were given two more lifetimes, even if he were reborn a thousand times, he still couldn’t master the Feng family’s divine sword intent.

“Who is your Primordial’s trump card this year?” Chu Yi asked again.

Zhan Rong led the two through winding corridors, saying as they walked: “The Second Sect Master’s youngest son, Junior Brother Cong Xiu.”

Upon hearing this, Ling Luo glanced at him, but Zhan Rong smiled slightly, showing no unusual reaction.

“I’ve heard of him,” Chu Yi narrowed his eyes. “Western Sea Primordial’s sword prodigy.”

Zhan Rong spoke slowly: “Junior Brother Cong Xiu mastered our sect’s core techniques at thirteen, spent four years in seclusion comprehending the vertical path sword intent, and reached the life-death boundary after three years in the world.”

“Has he broken through the life-death boundary?”

“Not yet.”

Chu Yi turned to look at Ling Luo again, saying: “If he hasn’t broken through the life-death boundary, you might still have a chance.”

“Senior Brother,” Ling Luo raised an eyebrow, “it doesn’t matter even if he has broken through the life-death boundary.”

Chu Yi turned back to Zhan Rong with an expressionless face: “Pretend you didn’t hear that.”

Zhan Rong smiled and nodded.

They rounded a corner and came to an elegant courtyard.

“You’ll be staying here for the next few days. Someone will deliver three meals daily, and if you need anything, feel free to tell me,” Zhan Rong said. “South Mountain Snow River and Northern Court Moon Palace are also staying in this west courtyard, along with Carefree Sect.”

At these words, both of his companions stopped in their tracks.

Zhan Rong looked back, puzzled: “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Chu Yi said flatly as he entered, asking, “Where is Carefree Sect staying?”

“Three courtyards away from you, so you probably won’t see them often,” Zhan Rong, with his keen perception, was very sensitive and quickly reacted to the subtle pause he had detected. “If this location doesn’t suit you, I can arrange another.”

“No need to change,” Ling Luo said. “The location is just right.”

“Thanks, you can go attend to your duties now. I’ll find you later,” Chu Yi told Zhan Rong.

Zhan Rong nodded and left.

Ling Luo entered the courtyard, looked around, and casually pointed to a room: “I’ll sleep here.”

“As you wish,” Chu Yi leaned against the doorframe, frowning. “Tone it down a bit. With your arrogant attitude just now, if word gets out, you’ll be targeted by others.”

Ling Luo said: “I only spoke the truth.”

Those people indeed couldn’t beat her.

“What truth?” Chu Yi laughed coldly. “Do you know what the life-death boundary means? Do you understand what the Feng family’s divine sword intent signifies? And that person from Northern Court Moon Palace—would he be sent to participate in the banquet without some solid skills? You don’t even bring Long Sleeve, carrying just an ordinary sword, yet you dare to be so arrogant?”

Ling Luo looked up at him and asked: “Don’t you have any friends?”

“?” Chu Yi asked, “Why are you asking that?”

“Disciples from all twelve major immortal sects are coming to the Golden Luan Pool Banquet. Senior Brother, don’t you have any friends? It’s rare for everyone to gather. Go drink and chat with them,” Ling Luo said. “As the head disciple of Third Breath Immortal and the senior brother of Eastern Island Tianji, you shouldn’t be without a single friend.”

Chu Yi laughed coldly: “Are you blind? Wasn’t Zhan Rong just now my friend?”

“Then go drink with him and discuss the life-death boundary and the Feng family’s divine sword intent,” Ling Luo turned and left.

Chu Yi: “Where are you going?”

Ling Luo replied without looking back: “To find my friends. Let’s each find our own company and meet again in the evening.”

Chu Yi vowed never to travel alone with his junior sister again.

Otherwise, he feared he might not be able to resist killing her halfway and not even bother burying her.

Song Yuanyuan and the others had arrived in Western Sea City several days before Ling Luo.

During these days, they had become familiar with disciples from various sects nearby, gathering countless pieces of gossip, just waiting for Ling Luo to arrive so they could share with her.

As soon as Ling Luo passed through Primordial’s mountain gate, she used her jade token to contact Song Yuanyuan.

Although outside Eastern Island Tianji there was no Universal Formation to support communication, they could still send text messages, just not voice or images.

Song Yuanyuan replied: “Western Market, Ten Thousand Flowers Tower, Second Pavilion.”

Ling Luo returned to Western Sea City.

It was now noon, and the surrounding restaurants were filled with enticing aromas. Young people came and went, the entire street vibrant and bustling.

Ling Luo found the Ten Thousand Flowers Tower. Upon reaching the second pavilion upstairs, she saw Xu Shen standing at the door.

She raised an eyebrow: “How polite, coming to the door to receive me?”

Xu Shen said: “No, the second pavilion has been taken by others. I’m waiting here to prevent you from going to the wrong door and feeling embarrassed.”

Ling Luo: “…”

“Who took it?” she asked.

Xu Shen led her to the fifth pavilion, saying: “I don’t know, but judging by their clothes and swords, they seem to be from South Mountain Snow River.”

So before entering, Ling Luo formed a water seal at the entrance of the second pavilion.

Inside, Song Yuanyuan was writing furiously to the jade token.

Ling Luo sat down and picked up chopsticks, casually asking: “Where’s Chang Fei?”

“He went to help his employer find someone,” Song Yuanyuan said.

Ling Luo held the chopsticks, confused: “What employer?”

“A big tabby cat, a skin spirit,” Xu Shen said. “The cat opened an inn but didn’t know how to run it. When it met Chang Fei earlier, they schemed together and set up a scam inn.”

Ling Luo: “…”

She had to admit that Chang Fei’s money-making methods were impressive.

Whether legitimate, illegitimate or somewhere in between, he always found a way.

“They scammed quite a few people. Later, as word spread and everyone knew it was a fraudulent inn, no one went anymore,” Song Yuanyuan sighed. “But Chang Fei had already made a large sum of money and was thinking of getting out. Then the cat came to him, saying someone had wrecked the inn and beat it, asking Chang Fei to help find the culprit.”

Ling Luo said “Oh,” eating without changing her expression, and asked: “Didn’t he want to get out? Why did he agree to find the person?”

Xu Shen explained helplessly: “He’s afraid that if the cat becomes dissatisfied, it might expose his identity, and then all the disciples who were scammed would come after him for their money back.”

“What about the money?” Ling Luo asked.

Song Yuanyuan pointed at the lavish feast on the table and grinned sheepishly: “This.”

Ling Luo was already used to it and wasn’t surprised, then asked: “How much did he make?”

Song Yuanyuan indicated a number: “Seven thousand gold.”

Ling Luo: “Then he’s doomed.”

Song Yuanyuan looked at the new message received on the jade token and showed it to Xu Shen: “He wants you to help find the location of the skin spirit’s true form.”

Xu Shen said: “I can try.”

Ling Luo smiled from the side: “Why doesn’t he look for the inn-wrecker?”

Song Yuanyuan: “The inn-wrecker doesn’t matter. Finding the cat’s true form is the only way to permanently eliminate future trouble.”

In the West Market cross street, Chang Fei accompanied a furious big tabby cat walking along the roadside.

The big cat walked upright, its front paws frantically making various gestures.

Chang Fei patiently asked: “What did the woman look like? Any distinguishing features? Was she wearing any particular sect’s uniform?”

The big cat said: “She was tall, thin, with white skin, long hair, wearing white clothes. She was beautiful and spoke nicely, but she was just too rude! How could she attack without warning and accuse me of running a scam inn? I’m not a scam inn! She’s slandering me! Pah, slandering a cat!”

Chang Fei: “…”

Half the women in white on the street fit that description!

The big cat continued: “She was with a man, taller than her, about as tall as my little uncle.”

Chang Fei asked curiously: “You have an uncle?”

“My master and little uncle just arrived today! But I can’t tell my master about this, I can only ask little uncle for help!” The big cat clenched its paws into fists and waved them. “That bad woman is finished. She dared to hit me, my little uncle will never let her off!”

Chang Fei thought for a moment and asked, “Is your little uncle powerful?”

“Of course!” The big cat proudly raised its head, its tail swishing back and forth. “My little uncle is the most powerful person besides my master!”

So he’s not as powerful as your master… Chang Fei thought to himself, while outwardly responding with “mm-hmm” and “ah,” sending a message to Song Yuanyuan about the situation.

Learning that the big cat had a master and a little uncle, Ling Luo became interested.

She pointed at Xu Shen and said: “Have you found it? I want to see just how powerful this little uncle is.”

“It will take some time,” Xu Shen said.

Meanwhile, the big cat was also working hard to find the culprits.

After a little while, it told Chang Fei: “My little uncle says he’s found them! They passed through Primordial’s mountain gate. If I wait there, I’ll find her!”

Before Chang Fei could say anything, the skin spirit had already dissipated.

Song Yuanyuan received the message and was somewhat surprised.

“Their divination is faster than ours in finding clues.”

Not only faster, but accurate.

Interesting.

Ling Luo narrowed her eyes, stood up, and said: “I’ll go meet them.”

Song Yuanyuan was startled, quickly following: “Wait, don’t be rash! This is Western Sea Primordial, their territory!”

Xu Shen finished his serious divination and concluded: that the big cat’s true form was inside Western Sea Primordial’s mountain gate.

At dusk, a large patch of fiery clouds spread across the sky, the light brilliantly colorful.

At Western Sea Primordial’s main mountain gate, in a corner, stood a man and a tabby cat.

The little uncle standing beside the big cat wore blue clothes and carried a long sword. With a jade crown in his ink-black hair, his profound eyes were clean and bright. That calm and clear demeanor made people feel ashamed of themselves when they met his gaze.

When he was silent, he gave off an impression of tranquility and stillness, presenting a pleasing picture.

Looking at him a few more times, one would be drawn into his aura, becoming mere background.

Chu Yi, returning from enjoying himself with friends in Western Sea City, inadvertently glimpsed the big cat as he entered the mountain gate, causing him to stop and turn to look.

This time, however, his attention was not on the cat but on the man beside it.

“Chu Yi!” a friend called from ahead. “What are you looking at? Didn’t we agree to go to the cherry forest to view the night blossoms?”

Chu Yi said: “Wait a moment, you go first.”

The big cat, hearing the voice, clung to its little uncle’s leg in shock, extending a paw and shouting: “Little Uncle! That’s the accomplice of that woman!”

Yue Liangze looked up.

The two gazed at each other across a distance. After a moment, Yue Liangze asked: “Are you sure?”

The big cat cried pitifully: “I’m sure! Sure it’s him and his accomplice!”

Yue Liangze: “Then forget it.”

The big cat’s expression froze completely.

What does “forget it” mean?

He’s just going to let it go?

How could he just let it go?

“Little Uncle! Why are you letting it go? He was with that woman who wrecked my inn, grabbed my tail, and slammed me to the ground! How can you just let it go!” The big cat wailed loudly, but Chu Yi had already walked over.

“What a coincidence,” he said, looking at Yue Liangze. “Is this cat yours?”

Yue Liangze said quietly: “Nephew.”

Chu Yi narrowed his eyes and asked: “Haven’t we met before?”

Yue Liangze held his sword with both hands, the fine hair on his forehead swaying gently in the night breeze. His expression was as calm as water. He didn’t answer, just slightly lowered his head and turned to leave.

The big cat behind him cried heartbrokenly.

“Senior Brother!”

This neither loud nor soft call of “Senior Brother” cut through the cat’s wailing and reached his ears, causing him to suddenly stop in his tracks.

The big cat looked at the woman walking through the mountain gate and cried even more sorrowfully: “Little Uncle! That’s the woman!”

But Yue Liangze resumed walking away, only saying softly: “Can’t beat her.”