The sword light was intercepted by Ling Luo as she stepped aside. Just as she was about to rebuke whoever was inconsiderate enough to disturb them, she saw Yu Xiu and Chu Yi returning.
Chu Yi: “What are you doing?”
After Yu Xiu realized it was Ling Luo bullying Yue Liangze, he casually touched the jade flute at his waist, pretending nothing had happened.
Ling Luo ignored them and narrowed her eyes, looking behind the two men: “You didn’t bring anyone back?”
“Prince Gan’s Manor refuses to hand anyone over,” Chu Yi snorted. “This Princess is quite formidable. The manor has three Qilin Guards who have crossed the Life and Death Boundary.”
“If forcefully breaking in violates the rules, then we’ll just keep watch outside the manor. We’ll capture Bai Linglong or Senior Sister Tian Rong as soon as they appear,” Yu Xiu said, his furrowed brow still showing his concern. “But this isn’t a solution for the long term.”
Ling Luo mocked, “Wait a few more days, and those two injured people will be fully recovered.”
Xu Shen finally opened the door and came out to fetch medicine from the front hall.
Yue Liangze lowered his head to look at the freckled man pinned to the ground. While the two senior brothers weren’t paying attention, he quietly removed the forbidden spell patterns from the man to prevent Ling Luo from being suspected.
The freckled man glared at him.
I can’t believe that you, a disciple of the Sacred Sword Sect, supposedly a paragon of fairness and justice, would cover for this damned girl!
You must be lusting after her!
Despicable!
As the Tianji people went aside to discuss capturing the traitorous disciple, Yue Liangze stood quietly in the courtyard. Ling Luo came over to check the forbidden spells on the freckled man, discovered they had all been erased, and shot Yue Liangze a fierce glare.
Yue Liangze’s expression remained calm.
The freckled man thought, what’s the use of just glaring at him? Hit him! Take action! Go on!
Ling Luo flicked her finger in the air, knocking the freckled man unconscious, then asked Yue Liangze: “Weren’t you here looking for your sword? Do you have any clues?”
Nearby, Chu Yi’s eye twitched slightly when he heard this.
Would he tell you about such a confidential matter?
But then he heard Yue Liangze answer: “I fought with that demon at Primal Origin, leaving Wusheng’s aura on it. I followed the killing energy to Pingyao City, but the trail has gone cold for now.”
“But as soon as it uses its power, I’ll be able to sense it.”
Chu Yi: “…”
You’re telling her?
Ling Luo: “Wusheng can be quite useful sometimes.”
Wusheng heard this and was pleased: At least you have good taste, hmph.
“We have Bai Linglong’s accomplice in our hands; they might come to rescue him,” Chu Yi said. “Let’s take him to the manor and tie him up for the Bai Linglong inside to see.”
Let’s see who loses patience first.
Both sides began a silent contest of wills.
Yue Liangze didn’t go to the manor but stayed at the medicine shop. The next day, true to his word, he made brown sugar cold jelly for Song Yuanyuan. After it was done, he left the shop to search for traces of the Bone Demon in Pingyao City.
Ling Luo and her two senior brothers kept watch near the manor. After three days, all remained calm.
Chu Yi’s expression grew more difficult by the day.
Countless times he said to Yu Xiu: “Let’s just break in.”
And each time, Yu Xiu would advise: “Senior Brother, this is Prince Gan’s Manor. It would be hard to justify forcing our way in.”
On the fourth day, Chu Yi drew his sword, planning to storm the manor forcefully. While Yu Xiu tried to dissuade him and Ling Luo watched the drama unfold, they suddenly felt a fierce wind approaching, drawing the attention of people both inside and outside the manor.
Three to five sword cultivators in white and gold robes descended elegantly on their swords.
The young man leading them was full of vigor, dressed in noble golden attire. The golden patterns on his waist were complex spell formations capable of dispelling demons, miasma, and other malevolent entities.
“What are the people from Nanshan Snow River doing here?” Chang Fei asked curiously from behind.
Ling Luo narrowed her eyes slightly, her gaze falling on Feng Tianyao.
As Feng Tianyao landed, another figure strolled around the corner.
The last disciple of the Sacred Sword Sect.
Behind him followed the illegitimate son of North Court Moon Palace.
“What are you all doing here?” Feng Tianyao asked, sizing up Chu Yi and Yu Xiu.
Chu Yi replied lazily: “What is Young Master Feng doing here as well?”
Feng Tianyao didn’t seem to mind and pointed at Yue Liangze walking behind him: “Sacred Sword Sect is looking for Zhen Xianyu in Pingyao City. My father asked me to help.”
Ling Luo dismissed Feng Tianyao’s arrival with contempt but widened her eyes slightly when she saw Yue Liangze with Mu Xujing.
When did these two start walking together?!
If Mu Xujing is here, where is Jiang Miao?
“Searching for Zhen Xianyu, how did you end up at Prince Gan’s Manor?” Chu Yi asked, with an ominous feeling.
Yue Liangze and Mu Xujing walked to the manor gate, watched by both groups. One maintained his composure while the other remained gloomy and indifferent.
“I just sensed Wusheng’s killing energy stirring in this direction,” Yue Liangze looked toward Prince Gan’s Manor. “These two were sent by their respective immortal sects to help me find my sword.”
She knew Nanshan Snow River would get involved in this trouble, but she hadn’t expected North Court Moon Palace to come as well.
Feng Tianyao waved his hand dismissively: “It’s just Prince Gan’s Manor. What’s stopping us from entering? Wait here.”
He stepped forward to knock on the door, producing a pass token for the manor: “Feng Tianyao of Nanshan Snow River, tracking demonic energy here. Please open your doors.”
The people behind Feng Tianyao looked at him with complex expressions: this guy is truly arrogant.
When the Qilin Guards inside heard it was someone from Nanshan Snow River, their eyelids twitched, and they immediately went to report to Princess Gan Ting.
Pingyao City was in Nanshan Snow River’s territory. Unlike Tianji or Sacred Sword Sect, the safety of humans, demons, and spirits in this region depended on the Nanshan Snow River.
If Prince Gan’s Manor refused Nanshan Snow River’s request, future relations would be difficult.
When Gan Ting heard that Nanshan Snow River had also come to demand entry, a trace of disgust appeared on her face. She rose from her desk and said: “Don’t receive them. Just say there are no people here that they’re looking for.”
The Qilin Guard went to deliver the response.
After hearing this, Feng Tianyao’s eyes widened: “I can smell the demonic energy from the door, and you’re telling me there’s no one inside?!”
Chu Yi couldn’t help but glance at him. Are you a dog? How come I can’t smell anything?
Yu Xiu said: “We’ve been watching the manor for four days.”
Hearing this, Feng Tianyao felt embarrassed about his confident assertion being flatly rejected. Feeling he had lost face, he declared: “If the Princess is harboring demons, I won’t be polite. I’ll break in directly!”
Ling Luo ignored the foolish young man and went over to pull Yue Liangze aside, pointing at Mu Xujing and asking quietly: “If he’s here, where is Jiang Miao?”
“The Moon Palace Master went to visit Tianji. He’s just helping me search for Zhen Xianyu,” Yue Liangze answered softly.
Ling Luo finally relaxed.
Chu Yi glanced sidelong at the two: “What are you whispering about in front of so many people? Come over here.”
Before Ling Luo could respond, Feng Tianyao had already started fighting with the manor’s Qilin Guards.
Flashes of sword light and spell formations dazzled the steward and others watching.
Ling Luo didn’t join them but looked back at Chu Yi and said: “Bai Linglong and Senior Sister are inside, and the Bone Demon that stole Zhen Xianyu is also inside. Don’t you think something’s not right, Senior Brother?”
Chu Yi said expressionlessly: “The demon that stole Zhen Xianyu is the same one that rescued Senior Sister Tian Rong, and is also the mastermind behind Bai Linglong.”
Then he couldn’t help but mock: “Anyone with a brain could figure that out.”
Ling Luo replied unfazed: “Whoever couldn’t figure it out has no brain.”
Chang Fei, who hadn’t figured it out: “?”
He somehow felt insulted.
The fight didn’t last long before a clear, authoritative female voice rang out: “How dare you! This is Prince Gan’s Manor. How can you behave so recklessly?”
Gan Ting arrived at the entrance escorted by a group of serving girls and manor guards, coldly looking at the immortal sect cultivators at the gate.
The Princess of Prince Gan’s Manor had been managing all affairs of the manor since she was fourteen. Though young, she possessed an innate nobility. Born a woman of aristocratic lineage, her every movement exuded elegance and an arrogance that placed her above all beings.
Gan Ting looked coldly at Feng Tianyao and said: “Is this how the young master of Nanshan Snow River behaves? Without reason?”
“Princess, I’ve already stated my purpose. Demons are hiding in your manor. We are following the rules, but it’s you who refuses to cooperate,” Feng Tianyao truly dared to say anything.
Only because he had Feng Yunhong backing him.
Gan Ting laughed coldly: “Demons hiding? My manor has Qilin Guards to handle such matters. We don’t need the young master of Snow River to trouble himself.”
“That won’t do. This demon stole our sword, and it must return it!” Feng Tianyao refused to back down.
Gan Ting said indifferently: “Do you know the consequences of forcing your way into Prince Gan’s Manor?”
Feng Tianyao didn’t even blink: “That’s still better than allowing demons to harm people!”
“Harm people?” Gan Ting laughed coldly, looking at Feng Tianyao with contempt and mockery in her eyes. “How noble and righteous is your Nanshan Snow River?”
Feng Tianyao said displeasedly: “Princess, please don’t speak nonsense.”
“My manor has a Qilin Guard named A Chu, a woman who once entered your Nanshan Snow River to cultivate. Her talent surpassed others, yet she was advised to leave because she was female,” Gan Ting said lightly. “Upon further inquiry, I discovered she wasn’t the only one. In your Nanshan Snow River’s trials for recruiting new disciples, most of those eliminated are women, even if their talents far exceed others.”
“A thousand years of heritage, one of the twelve great immortal sects of the cultivation world, yet so discriminatory against women. How dare you stand before me and speak of harming people?”
Feng Tianyao listened quietly. Though there was displeasure in his eyes, he didn’t rush to interrupt Gan Ting.
He might be arrogant, but he wasn’t stupid.
“The rules for the disciple recruitment trials were established by the sect elders. Princess, if you suspect bias, let this woman called A Chu come out and fight me. If she wins, I’ll lead thousands of Snow River disciples to welcome her into our sect.”
Feng Tianyao snorted coldly: “I just didn’t know the Princess held such prejudice against Snow River. Our female sword cultivators are numerous, and over the millennia, we’ve had countless respected female immortals. Even among our current elders, there are women. I truly don’t understand where the Princess’s prejudice comes from.”
Gan Ting slightly raised her head upon hearing this, her expression inscrutable.
Ling Luo’s lips curved slightly, her eyes mocking.
So naive.
“No matter what you say today, I will not allow you to set foot in the manor,” Gan Ting had just finished speaking when an urgent young voice came from behind, “Sister! I heard someone’s causing trouble. Why didn’t you call for me?”
Gan Ting’s temple twitched slightly.
The heir, Gan Mao, rushed over with his friend Jiang Jun, followed by another group of Qilin Guards.
Gan Mao looked at Ling Luo and the others with dissatisfaction, “Who are these suicidal people who dare to make trouble here?”
Jiang Jun casually glanced outside but suddenly froze, his gaze landing on Mu Xujing and not moving away.
“Who asked you to come out? Step back,” Gan Ting frowned.
But Gan Mao strode aggressively toward Feng Tianyao: “You again? Don’t think I won’t dare to beat you just because you’re Snow River’s young master. If you dare bully my sister today, I’ll make sure you suffer the consequences!”
“You’re not even worth one of my punches,” Feng Tianyao said disdainfully.
Both were fired up and after one glance at each other, they started fighting at a speed others barely noticed.
They didn’t use techniques, just their fists.
Looking at these two childish fighters, Ling Luo quietly tugged at Yue Liangze’s sleeve and lowered her voice: “Why don’t we take this chance to sneak into the manor? They’re all guarding the entrance, so there must be no one watching Bai Linglong and the demon.”
Yue Liangze: “Wouldn’t sneaking in be inappropriate?”
“Then you stay and watch. I’ll go with him,” Ling Luo beckoned to Mu Xujing.
Mu Xujing had no objections and followed Ling Luo without even raising an eyelid.
Yue Liangze glanced at the two, then silently followed.