Dong Fang Wanrong let out a shrill cry. A hazy, ethereal giant bird shadow formed in the void, hooking onto her shoulders and spreading its wings to soar.

For a Fifth-Rank Consecrator in the shaman system, the first step in mastering spirit summoning was to kill a bird demon. After establishing a karmic connection, they could summon it to achieve flight.

At lower and middle ranks, flight was an almost invincible ability. Whether in war or battle, air superiority was crucial.

Dong Fang Wanrong controlled the giant bird shadow, swiftly flying eastward.

On the crisscrossing streets below, countless pedestrians raised their heads, pointing at Dong Fang Wanrong in the sky with amazement.

Dong Fang Wanqing calmly issued orders: “Split into two groups. One group chased north, the other south. Return immediately after half an hour, regardless of the outcome.”

The subordinates acknowledged the order, some sprinting through the streets, others leaping across rooftops, each giving chase.

Dong Fang Wanqing herself pursued westward.

Half an hour later, Dong Fang Wanrong returned to Pingzhou empty-handed, back to the small courtyard of the inn.

“First Palace Mistress, this is the note Young Master Li left behind,” a guard hurriedly approached, holding a piece of paper.

Left by Young Master Li… Dong Fang Wanrong strode forward, snatching the paper and unfolding it to read:

“Sister Rong, Sister Qing, life is precious, love even more so, but if asked about freedom, both can be cast aside. I once dreamed of accompanying you in the mortal world, living freely, riding horses at full gallop, sharing in worldly splendor.”

“But I bear the mission of the Heavenly Sect’s legacy. Love and hate are not mine to choose. Please forgive my departure. I will seek my path…”

The seductive woman’s eyes reddened as she gritted her teeth: “This heartless, ungrateful man, I’ll kill him.”

…

Dong Fang Wanqing returned to the inn to find her sister sitting on the couch, her face gloomy. She knew her sister hadn’t found Young Master Li either.

Dong Fang Wanrong took out the note from her sleeve, placed it on the table, and said:

“The faithless man left on his own.”

Dong Fang Wanqing unfolded the note. After reading it, her beautiful face frosted over as she squeezed out word by word through gritted teeth:

“Next time we see him, we’ll break his legs. Let him never run away again.”

Suddenly, she frowned and looked down to read it again. She exclaimed, “This isn’t Young Master Li’s handwriting.”

Her elder sister Dong Fang Wanrong made a sound of acknowledgment:

“Though it’s not his handwriting, it was indeed left by him. That cyan-robed man had no reason to do this unnecessarily, right? He was under our noses the whole time, with no chance to leave a message.”

“It seems he entrusted that mysterious person to write it, leaving it in the room after we went out. Hmph, at least he has some conscience.”

Dong Fang Wanqing lowered her head to read the note’s contents once more. Her beautiful eyes rippled with emotion, seemingly moved by the words.

“Yesterday, when he picked a fight with that person for no reason, I found it strange. It wasn’t like his usual style. Thinking about it now, he must have deliberately caused trouble to secretly reach an agreement with that person,” the ice-cold younger sister frowned.

The alluring mature woman sighed lightly: “Forget it. If he wants freedom, let him have it. He truly hasn’t been happy these past six months. We’ll find him again after dealing with that matter.”

…

On a mountain path far from Pingzhou, two horses trotted forward.

“Brother Xu, what did you write in the note you left for me?”

“Brother Xu, your horse is truly magnificent. It carries two people with ease. It must be a warhorse, right?”

Li Lingsu held a wine jug, his appearance handsome and refined, his smile bright as sunshine.

Xu Qi’an glanced at him, unable to deny that this was a very charismatic male. Anyone who appreciated looks would certainly be drawn to him.

And in this world, most people did appreciate looks.

“Who is this person? So talkative, never-ending,” Mu Nanzhi, half-leaning in Xu Qi’an’s embrace, muttered softly.

The Great Dafeng’s number one beauty was a rare woman, unmoved by handsome men. In her eyes, whether male or female, all were ugly creatures.

Xu Qi’an transmitted his voice: “He’s Li Miaozhen’s senior fellow disciple. As we travel the jianghu, we should keep a low profile. Don’t reveal my true identity.”

Hearing this, Mu Nanzhi suddenly found it interesting. She gave Li Lingsu an ambiguous look.

The latter returned an appropriately polite smile and struck up a conversation:

“Is this your wife?”

Before Xu Qi’an could respond, Mu Nanzhi quickly explained:

“No, we’re just traveling companions in the jianghu.”

With her tsundere personality, she would never admit to having a relationship with Xu Qi’an. If it were just a random person, that would be fine, but this Li whatever, being Li Miaozhen’s senior fellow disciple, barely qualified as someone of note.

Li Lingsu’s heart tightened, cold sweat suddenly breaking out on his back. He thought to himself, my damned charm, I haven’t even gotten familiar with this sister-in-law, and she’s already rushing to distance herself from her man…

The Holy Son of the Heavenly Sect carefully observed Xu Qi’an and sincerely added:

“Sister-in-law has an outstanding temperament, unlike those vulgar seductresses. She and Brother Xu are truly a match made in heaven, very compatible.”

Yes, in terms of appearance, they were a match.

Mu Nanzhi maintained a reserved expression, showing neither satisfaction nor indifference.

She turned her head to scrutinize Li Lingsu, suddenly scoffing:

“This boy is just like you, skilled in sweet talk. Is that how you managed to seduce those sisters into throwing themselves at you?”

Hey hey, you’re breaking my character setting… Xu Qi’an pinched her soft waist, his face expressionless, not responding.

The Holy Son of the Heavenly Sect’s eyes lit up at her words: “So Brother Xu is also a romantic!”

This seemed to touch a sore spot for Mu Nanzhi. She sneered, “The women he’s seduced are no worse than your pair of flower sisters. No, even the worst of them isn’t inferior to your pair of sisters.”

Xu Qi’an said flatly, “She’s just joking with you.”

He pinched her waist again, making Mu Nanzhi’s eyes water with pain. She turned her head away in a huff.

Li Lingsu smiled. This sister-in-law was bragging for her man, no, for herself.

The sister-in-law’s temperament was indeed good; that was a fact. But in terms of looks, it was hard to say anything positive. Forget comparing her to Sister Qing and Sister Rong; even the female attendants in the East Sea Dragon Palace far surpassed her in beauty.

After traveling for a while, Xu Qi’an spotted a stream in the distance and immediately said:

“Let’s rest by the stream for the time it takes an incense stick to burn.”

Without waiting for the Holy Son of the Heavenly Sect to respond, he slapped the mare’s rump, galloping towards the small stream.

Li Lingsu immediately followed. He saw the man surnamed Xu dismount, then lift his plain-looking wife off the horse. Then he took out a pig bristle brush and began scrubbing the horse’s nose.

In Great Dafeng’s horse management practices, one should brush the horse’s nose every thirty li to prevent too much dust from accumulating, which could affect the horse’s breathing and bodily functions.

Li Lingsu did a mental calculation. They had left Pingzhou, taken a mountain path, and galloped for about thirty-some li.

Has he served in the military before? Ordinary jianghu travelers wouldn’t have the awareness to brush a horse’s nose every thirty li… Li Lingsu speculated secretly.

“Brother Xu, may I borrow the brush?” Li Lingsu smiled and approached, saying, “Brother Xu, were you previously with the government?”

Xu Qi’an nodded slightly: “I served in the Imperial Blade Guard in the capital, but later offended a superior and was dismissed.”

“Offended a superior?”

“Yes, he’s called Xu Pingzhi, the inhuman Xu Pingzhi. This title is quite famous in the capital.”

Xu Qi’an remembered Black Second Uncle in this way.

Li Lingsu clapped his hands and smiled, “What a coincidence, Brother Xu is from the capital. I’m also heading to the capital to find my heartless, ungrateful junior fellow disciple who disregarded her senior brother’s life. Once we reach the capital and I retrieve, um, retrieve my belongings, I’ll pay you your reward.”

“You want to go to the capital?”

“I’ve dreamed of it for a long time. The capital is the most prosperous city in the Central Plains. In terms of splendor, no other city in the world can compare,” Li Lingsu’s expression turned to long.

“Although I was confined by the East sisters for half a year, I could still receive news from the outside world. I heard that my junior sister Miaozhen is thriving in the capital. The fact that she’s stayed there for so long is proof of how wonderful the capital is.”

“Moreover, for me, the capital is an excellent place for cultivation and seeking the Way.”

Xu Qi’an said, “Because the capital’s Courtesans’ House is full of beautiful women?”

“Brother Xu knows me well,” Li Lingsu smiled while brushing the horse’s nose.

“I’ve heard that the capital’s Courtesans’ House has twenty-four flower maidens, each with their own charm and specialized talents. Some of them are even from noble families. Such women are perfect for discussing love and helping me comprehend the subtleties of Supreme Emotionlessness.”

“Plus, romancing them has almost no side effects.”

Not only are there no side effects, but it’s also free… Xu Qi’an nodded, deeply agreeing.

The Holy Son of the Heavenly Sect glanced at Mu Nanzhi in the distance and lowered his voice:

“Brother Xu, have you ever been to the Courtesans’ House for drinks? Have you seen the flower maidens? Have you met the world-famous Fuxiang flower maiden because of Silver Constable Xu? I wonder what the twenty-four flower maidens are like.”

He believed that with Xu Qian’s cultivation and abilities, he should have quite a status in the capital. While sleeping with flower maidens might be difficult, he should at least have seen them.

Fuxiang has a tall figure with perfect proportions, and her long legs are soul-stirring; Mingyan has a soft figure, able to touch her shoulders with her knees while lying down; Xiaoya is the most delicate, often crying “Dear brother, please spare me”; Dongxue has a melodious voice and likes to whisper in ears; Manman is passionate and uninhibited… Of course, they all have one thing in common – they’re very… moist… Xu Qi’an said coldly:

“I’ve never been to the Courtesans’ House.”

Seeing his stern expression, Li Lingsu believed him somewhat and sighed, “What a pity.”

After a pause, he continued:

“The ultimate goal of this trip was to visit the capital, pay respects to the Human Sect, and participate in the Heaven-Human Debate between disciples. If not for the East sisters, I should have been the one to compete in the Heaven-Human Debate.”

“I heard that Miaozhen and Chu Yuanzhen fought to a draw, and in the end, Silver Constable Xu subdued both Heaven and Human with his two hands. If I had been there, the Heavenly Sect would have won.”

At this point, his expression turned serious, “I’ve analyzed the three parties’ combat power based on gathered intelligence. Chu Yuanzhen’s cultivation took an unusual path, practicing the Human Sect’s sword techniques and only touching upon the martial way. His actual combat power is quite limited.”

“As for Silver Constable Xu at that time, his cultivation was still shallow. He only won by luck using Confucian magic books. If I were Miaozhen, I would have had at least three methods to avoid defeat and turn the tables.”

His tone and gaze didn’t seem like he was boasting.

No, even without the East sisters, you still wouldn’t have had a chance to win. The final result would likely have been you pushing Chu Yuanzhen to his limit, and he would have drawn his sword and cut you down… Xu Qi’an thought to himself.

How terrifying was Chu Yuanzhen’s sword intent, honed over ten years of scholarly indignation?

Even the Third-Rank Northern Frontier King suffered greatly against it.

After finishing brushing the horse’s nose, the two continued chatting by the stream. Li Lingsu always liked to steer the conversation towards women. Xu Qi’an maintained a serious facade, but he wasn’t a simple man and didn’t object.

“Although the Heavenly Sect and Human Sect don’t get along, I’ve heard that the Human Sect’s leader, Luo Yuheng, is one of the world’s rare beauties. Not only that, but the Human Sect’s cultivation method also means that when they reach high ranks, they’ll be afflicted by the seven emotions and six desires, also called the Karmic Fire.”

“The Karmic Fire not only burns the individual but also affects those around them, stirring up various thoughts, especially desires.”

I understand this. I once saw in Luo Yuheng the kind aunt, mom’s friend, friend’s mom, and the big sister next door… Xu Qi’an maintained his cold demeanor and nodded:

“I know some of it. That’s why the Human Sect likes to cultivate using fortune.”

Li Lingsu seemed surprised and scrutinized Xu Qian: “Brother Xu knows quite a lot.”

Xu Qi’an remained silent.

After a moment of silence, Xu Qi’an suddenly noticed the mare turn around, her movements graceful, her posture charming, her body curves alluring…

“Slap!”

He slapped himself.

Li Lingsu was startled, “Brother Xu?”

Damn, the side effect of using the Heart Insect to control animals is kicking in… Xu Qi’an said coldly, “It’s nothing to do with you.”

To break the awkward atmosphere, Li Lingsu said:

“The person I most want to see is the Northern Frontier King’s consort, the number one beauty of Great Dafeng. Since my junior sister and I have been traveling the jianghu, whenever men talk about women, they always mention the Princess Consort.”

“They say she’s the number one beauty of Great Dafeng, unique in the world, more beautiful than a celestial maiden. When I ask them what kind of beauty she is, they can’t describe it because no one has seen her. It’s all hearsay.”

Xu Qi’an was momentarily dazed, recalling that night when he first saw Mu Nanzhi’s true face, the heart-stirring, stunning feeling that was still fresh in his memory.

It’s not a question of whether she’s beautiful or not. She’s the kind of woman you rarely see. It’s a pity that the night was too dark, I couldn’t see her chest…

Li Lingsu smiled, “This time in the capital, I’ll go see the face of Great Dafeng’s number one beauty for myself. If Brother Xu wants to know what she looks like, I’ll tell you after I’ve seen her.”

After a pause, he put away his frivolous smile and said seriously:

“I heard that Great Dafeng’s emperor was killed by Silver Constable Xu. The court announcement said that Yuan Jing was manipulated by the Shaman God Cult, which is impossible. Brother Xu is from the capital, do you know what happened?”

Is he probing my identity? Or does he want to exchange information?

Xu Qi’an pondered for a moment before saying, “Yuan Jing was a Second-Rank cultivator of the Dao School who sought immortality. He intended to sacrifice the nation’s fortune to the Shaman God Cult and was killed by Silver Constable Xu.”

His explanation was concise, but to Li Lingsu, it was like a bolt from the blue, exploding all his emotions and leaving him speechless and wide-eyed for a long time.

He never imagined there would be such inside information. No, there must be even more to it. For example, Yuan Jing was Second-Rank. How was he going to sacrifice the nation’s fortune? And how did Silver Constable Xu manage to kill him?

“This matter is shrouded in mystery. Just from this short sentence, I can sense the turbulent undercurrents that must have existed in the capital not long ago…”

Li Lingsu couldn’t help but glance at Xu Qian, thinking to himself that this man’s status must be extraordinary.

At this moment, he heard Xu Qi’an say:

“I’ve heard that there’s more to the Heaven-Human Debate than meets the eye. If the Human Sect leader defeats the Heavenly Sect leader, she can use this to break through to First-Rank.”

“The Heavenly Sect leader, regardless of victory or defeat, won’t be affected. But if they give up the Heaven-Human Debate, they’ll mysteriously disappear. Do you know the inside story?”

Thump, thump, thump…

The Holy Son of the Heavenly Sect retreated several steps, his face changing dramatically. He stared fixedly at Xu Qian, his voice slightly shrill:

“You, who exactly are you?”