Ling Luo didn’t feel there was anything improper about this gesture at the moment, and continued, “You’re not still foolishly believing that Taichu was careless and let the Bone Demon steal the sword, are you?”

Yue Liangze held his sword with both hands and shook his head slightly.

He said softly, “If a demon stole it, they wouldn’t have used the Heavenly Cover Formation.”

This was an immortal sect technique.

The conclusion that a demon was responsible relied solely on that trace of demonic aura left after the formation dissipated.

Previously, someone had sold the forbidden drug Qianzhuan Dan, which required demonic aura to refine, causing the deaths of disciples from many immortal sects. Then during the championship battle, that demon had appeared openly, attempting to snatch the Spirit-Subduing Jade in front of everyone. Pinning the theft on it wouldn’t raise any suspicions.

“Where are you going?” Ling Luo asked as they walked.

Yue Liangze replied, “Accompanying my senior brother for a stroll. He told me not to leave Taichu for now.”

Bai Cang had seen through Taichu’s scheme, knowing that if they left Taichu, they would never find the Spirit-Subduing Jade, even if they searched until death.

Because at this very moment, the Spirit-Subduing Jade was still in Western Sea Taichu.

“Then you’ll have to stay for quite some time,” Ling Luo said with a curved smile.

The demon hiding in Taichu hadn’t left yet.

It was also waiting—waiting for Taichu to lower its guard before truly snatching the Spirit-Subduing Jade.

Ling Luo couldn’t be bothered to inform them of these details. By all rights, she was now an accomplice of the demon, not aligned with these great immortals.

Yue Liangze walked with her toward Western Sea City. “Do you like the Spirit-Subduing Jade?”

“No, Song Yuanyuan asked me to remind you to take good care of your family heirloom and not entrust it to Western Sea Taichu again,” Ling Luo said with a proud expression. “You’re so lofty and disdainful of everything, but have you considered how much money a divine weapon like the Spirit-Subduing Jade could fetch? Didn’t you calculate that before?”

Yue Liangze: “…”

She thought too highly of him.

Buying and selling ordinary divine weapons was one thing, but selling the Spirit-Subduing Jade?

Seeing Ling Luo’s thorough criticism, Yue Liangze humbly nodded and went along with her, saying he had learned his lesson and would remember.

“You’ve changed your sword?” Yue Liangze lowered his gaze to the Changxiu at her waist.

Ling Luo said, “It’s called Changxiu. It was dropped by Eldest Senior Brother when he triggered the Myriad Demons Chaos. I’m using it temporarily, and after the White Bell Lotus matter is resolved, I’ll go seek another sword.”

Yue Liangze asked, “Where will you seek a sword?”

Ling Luo smiled and lowered her voice mysteriously, “In a place mortals cannot reach.”

Yue Liangze raised his eyebrow slightly, but Ling Luo suddenly spun around to face him, walking backward in front of him: “I’m leaving now, going to Pingyao City to help my Second Senior Brother.”

As she walked, she continued, “Now that you’re part of the Sacred Sword Sect, don’t stay silent when people like Cui Huowu slander you. Even if you don’t care, your silence will only make those wastrels more aggressive, thinking you’re afraid, and they’ll become even more noisy.”

Yue Liangze was momentarily transported back to that year at the dock below Tianji Mountain.

It was his first parting with Ling Luo. As the sun set, she told him she was leaving the mountain to gain experience, advising him whom to seek help from if he was bullied, and asking him to remember her name so she could help him take revenge when she returned.

Both believed it was a small promise.

She would return.

He would wait.

They would meet again.

But their reunion had taken far too long.

“I’m leaving,” said Ling Luo.

This time, there was no talk of who would wait for whom or when they would meet again.

The morning breeze brushed his face, feeling ice-cold. Yue Liangze had many words caught in his throat that he wanted to say, but just then, Chu Yi called for her from ahead, and Ling Luo moved farther and farther away from him.

Zi Xiu said to Chu Yi and Ling Luo, “Should I come along too?”

“What use would you be?” Chu Yi said disdainfully. “To help pick up swords?”

Zi Xiu replied indignantly, “How can you say that? I was once a great sword cultivator who swept through the three great mountain gates of Wushan, Qishan, and Yunshan!”

“That was in the past. Now you’re useless. Go be an idle person honestly,” Chu Yi said, taking the bag handed over by the dessert shop. “Let’s go.”

Zi Xiu waved to them, “Take care on your journey!”

Then he immediately turned around to greet Bai Cang, “Brother Bai! Where shall we play today?”

Pingyao City was far from Taichu, falling under the jurisdiction of Nanshan Xuehe.

Even flying on her sword, took Ling Luo more than a day. When they approached Pingyao City, their sword flight was blocked by a barrier, forcing them to land outside the city.

Chu Yi calmly sheathed his sword and explained unhurriedly, “In the city districts governed by Nanshan Xuehe, non-Xuehe cultivators’ sword flights will be blocked by this barrier unless they have a pass.”

Ling Luo listened with an expressionless face.

How domineering.

“This is your first time in Nanshan Xuehe’s territory. Without a pass, you can only walk in, or—” Before Chu Yi could finish, he saw his junior sister lead out a horse from a nearby inn’s stable, still chewing on grass.

Ling Luo: “Senior Brother, I want this one!”

Chu Yi: “…”

The stable boy looked at them and slowly extended his hand.

Chu Yi expressionlessly stepped forward to pay.

Just as he handed over the silver, a nearby carriage started moving. It was exquisitely carved with beautiful curtains—belonging to some noble family’s young lady.

But there was a scent of blood inside this carriage.

Both Chu Yi and Ling Luo looked toward the carriage. The driver seemed very anxious, leaving quickly.

Ling Luo led the horse, walking leisurely.

Chu Yi asked, “Why aren’t you using it after buying it?”

“Waiting for them to get further away,” Ling Luo raised her chin to indicate the carriage ahead on the road. “Don’t want to cause trouble.”

There were three people in that carriage, with at least one severely injured. The carriage had sachets hanging on it to mask the smell of blood.

Hearing this, Chu Yi mounted a horse and rode ahead to catch up.

Ling Luo: “…”

They weren’t too far from Pingyao City, but the carriage was moving at a desperate pace as if fleeing for their lives. Seeing Chu Yi catching up, they hastened their speed even more.

The people inside the carriage watched vigilantly, gritting their teeth. If Chu Yi made any threatening moves, they would strike immediately.

A silent contest ensued, with the carriage always staying slightly ahead, just barely avoiding being caught by Chu Yi.

Ling Luo thought her eldest senior brother was quite malicious, deliberately putting pressure on them to make them run faster.

The atmosphere along the way into the city was strangely tense and exciting, with the possibility of a fierce sword battle erupting at any moment.

The city gate was just ahead. Chu Yi whistled and suddenly overtook the carriage, heading straight for the gate.

The carriage owner: “…”

Are you sick?!

At the city entrance, there was a separate lane for carriages, and the two parties separated.

Ling Luo walked slowly behind, leading the horse.

Chu Yi looked back and laughed, “You bought it but you’re not riding it, just walking?”

Ling Luo answered righteously, “I never said I was going to ride it into the city.”

Chu Yi felt like strangling her after hearing this.

Cultivators and ordinary people were treated differently when registering to enter the city. Cultivator identities would be verified, though some concealed their status, which wasn’t strictly enforced.

Pingyao City was a large city with many merchant companies and escort agencies. Its economy was prosperous, with numerous noble families. As one of the major cities closest to the royal capital, it could rival the royal city in many aspects.

Upon entering, they found themselves on a bustling main road. Chu Yi led the horse and said, “Ask where your Second Senior Brother is.”

Ling Luo looked down at her jade communicator, checking messages. “Second Senior Brother hasn’t returned yet, but Chang Fei says they’re watching a cultivator’s medicine shop in Tinghua Quarter.”

Cultivators could also fall ill, and some ailments affected only cultivators. Sometimes injuries also require medicinal treatment. Independent cultivators mostly bought their elixirs from medicine shops.

Tian Rong had rescued an injured member of the White Bell Lotus. Since White Bell Lotus members were cultivators, if they needed treatment, they would likely get medicine from a shop. Tian Rong herself had also been injured by Yun Shouxi, so targeting medicine shops was a logical approach.

In her previous life, Ling Luo hadn’t participated in the Pingyao City capture. By then, she had already gone seeking a sword.

Now she was only here to prevent Chu Yi from deepening his relationship with Jiang Miao at Tianji. After all, his feelings were one-sided; better to spare himself and live freely as a cultivator.

Emotional entanglements were the greatest obstacle to cultivation and ascension.

In this life, he shouldn’t suffer for love again.

“Currently, Tianji people are watching all the cultivator medicine shops in Pingyao City, large and small. Finding those people is just a matter of time—” Ling Luo was looking at the messages on her jade communicator when the previously obedient horse beside her suddenly ran forward as if mad.

Chu Yi raised an eyebrow, but before he could mock her, the horse he was holding also bolted forward without restraint.

The two stood woodenly, watching their horses gallop away: “…”

“Ah San! Ah Si! Father has finally found you two!” A white-clad young man emerging from a nearby tavern tearfully greeted the two fine horses. Man and horses embraced, weeping profusely. “Father will never let those thieves take you away again! It was all Father’s fault!”

Jiang Jun, who had come out with the white-clad youth, immediately retreated upon seeing this, covering his face as if unable to bear the sight.

The two horses affectionately nuzzled the young man’s face, clearly familiar with him.

Ling Luo put away her jade communicator, looking dejected.

“The horse I chose ran off with another man,” she said.

Chu Yi: “It seems they were his horses to begin with.”

Ling Luo: “I paid for it!”

“My money,” Chu Yi said, not wanting to cause more trouble. Since they didn’t need the horses in the city anyway, he pulled away Ling Luo who was trying to reclaim the horse. “Let’s find Yu Xiu first. Forget about the horse.”

Ling Luo formed hand seals, planning to cast a minor incantation to vent her frustration, but she glimpsed Jiang Jun behind the white-clad youth and paused in surprise, her incantation dissipating.

Why was Jiang Jun here?

“Junju! Come quickly, these are the Tianshan steeds I told you about yesterday, Ah San and Ah Si, stolen by thieves!” The small heir of the Gan family in Pingyao City, Gan Mao, happily led the two horses toward Jiang Jun, enthusiastically introducing them.

Jiang Jun covered his nose and backed away, “No, no, no, Young Master, stop! I’m allergic to Tianshan horses. Keep them away!”

Gan Mao was shocked, “There are people allergic to Tianshan horses?!”

Jiang Jun: “I am one such person!”

Gan Mao handed the horses to his servants and wiped his hands with a handkerchief before walking toward Jiang Jun, puzzled.

“That’s too bad. These Tianshan horses of mine are—” Before Gan Mao could finish, a spirit bird messenger flew down from above, landing in front of him.

He took it and looked, then pouted, “Sister is calling me back again. I’ve only been out for a moment, just the time it takes to have a meal! She wants me back! How old am I?”

Jiang Jun stepped forward, “Pingyao City has been unsettled lately, with many cultivators entering the city. It’s not a good sign. The princess is just worried about your safety outside.”

“I didn’t come out without the Qilin Guards. Even if cultivators tried to harm me, I wouldn’t be afraid. Sister is making too much of a fuss,” Gan Mao waved away the spirit bird messenger and pulled Jiang Jun along, saying, “Come on, Sister has kept me locked up for so many days. Today we must have a great time before returning!”

Jiang Jun didn’t try to stop him, allowing himself to be pulled into the crowd. After all, only the young heir would be punished in the end.

Ling Luo watched Jiang Jun and Gan Mao disappear into the distant crowd, narrowing her eyes.

Chu Yi asked, “Why are you staring at those people for so long? What are you thinking?”

Ling Luo snorted, “He looks familiar.”

He looked identical to one of the Twenty-Six Demons who would later join her in killing and arson.

So he had previously known the Gan family’s heir.

That year, Demon Changyue came to her Tianzhaon Mountain seeking an item and immediately got into a fight with Yue Liangze upon entering the mountain.

One thought a cultivator from an immortal sect had infiltrated her Tianzhaon Mountain for assassination, while the other was merely out collecting mountain fruits. Though completely on the defensive, Yue Liangze neither backed down nor feared, and nearly injured Demon Changye.

Ling Luo appeared just in time to stop them, asking Demon Changye, “Why are you fighting him?”

Demon Changye was confused by her question, “Shouldn’t I fight someone from the Sacred Sword Sect?”

Ling Luo then asked Yue Liangze, “You didn’t fight when Qingshun came last time. Why did you attack him?”

Yue Liangze calmly replied, “He attacked first.”

After speaking, he ignored them both and earnestly resumed picking mountain fruits.

Demon Changye sensed something strange in the atmosphere between the two but was ordered by Ling Luo to keep quiet and not ask questions, or she would send him down the mountain.

So he didn’t inquire further but rather asked Ling Luo for an item.

“What do you want with the Qiankun Incense Burner to suppress vengeful spirits?” Ling Luo asked, playing with a small golden burner in her hand.

Demon Changye answered, “To purify the soul of an old friend, so he can rest more peacefully below.”

Ling Luo gave him the Qiankun Burner and casually asked, “What old friend of yours became a vengeful spirit?”

Demon Changye was silent for a moment before turning to leave: “A childhood friend.”