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“Zhao Yue has been troubling Li Tang ever since he met him. According to people close to Zhao Yue, it seems Li Tang comes from Shangning City and has some connection to the Song Family.”

“Shangning City, the Song Family?” The Sect Master hesitated slightly, “Are you sure?”

“Yes. I have already sent people to investigate. The Song Family doesn’t have any disciples who resemble Li Tang, however…”

“However what?”

“The youngest daughter of the Song Family once gave birth out of wedlock, naming the child Song Li. The ages match with Li Tang’s, but according to reports, Song Li died a few years ago.”

“Song Li… Song… Li…” The Sect Master murmured a few times, “What about Chuzheng?”

The respondent bowed their head, “We have only found that she suddenly appeared in Shangning City, spending generously, and then she visited many places, even Baiying Valley.”

“What does Baiying Valley have to say?”

“I did not meet the Valley Master, but a child from the valley conveyed a message, saying…”

“Saying what?”

“Demon Bones have emerged, the Demon Clan will rise.”

The Sect Master paused, looking at the person who replied. The Demon Clan… the sealed Demon Clan?

After a while, the Sect Master asked in a deep voice, “Who?”

“I don’t know.”

The Sect Master’s eyes narrowed slightly, “Go and summon a few Elders.”

“Yes.”

–

Lin Chen had been held in isolation for a year, and Song Fenglan’s health was poor. Chuzheng heard several times that she barely made it through.

But while the outside world was bustling, it was peaceful for Chuzheng.

If only…

it weren’t for the Sect disciples who intermittently came up the mountain to ‘serve’ her.

But for the most part, Chuzheng ignored them, either reading or sleeping, paying them no attention.

Where she got her books from, Li Tang didn’t know.

He just felt that she was also learning, not cultivation, but other things.

Like Formations, Talismans…

Ever since the incident involving Lin Chen, Li Tang had been appearing by Chuzheng’s side more and more frequently, sometimes with a complex look in his eyes when he watched her.

“Master Li Tang.”

Li Tang placed his index finger to his lips, and the disciple respectfully backed away.

Li Tang draped a cloak over Chuzheng, carefully tucking in the corners to shield her from the wind.

He stood guard by her side until night fell, the sky filled with a multitude of stars, and Chuzheng slowly woke.

“You’re awake,” Li Tang said, his voice a bit hoarse.

Chuzheng glanced at him, “Why aren’t you cultivating? What are you doing here?” Was he watching over her in hopes of improving his cultivation? If he didn’t improve, who would he blame when he got bullied, went bad, or worse!

“Chuzheng,” he called her name.

“Hmm?”

Li Tang gazed at the person before him, a subtle greed in his eyes, and he said softly, “I can’t calm my mind.”

Every time he meditated, her image would inexplicably appear in his mind.

The last time, he almost…

Li Tang knew he had different thoughts about her. He had tried to restrain himself, but some thoughts, once rooted, could never be uprooted.

Why he felt this way about her, Li Tang couldn’t quite explain.

Perhaps it was because she had rescued him from the dungeon, giving him a new lease on life.

Perhaps it was the time he spent with her in Baiying Valley.

Or maybe it was because she took revenge on Lin Chen…

Although she never admitted to doing that, in Li Tang’s heart, she was the one behind it.

Chuzheng pulled out a bottle of Elixir Pills, “To focus and calm the mind.”

Li Tang: “…”

The Elixir Pills were useless to him; it was her he was thinking about.

Li Tang and Chuzheng exchanged glances for a few seconds before standing up, “Tomorrow, a Trial Secret Realm of the Sect will open, and I need to go.”

Chuzheng was not familiar with Sect matters. She simply asked, “What do you need?”

“I don’t need anything.” Li Tang looked toward one of the mountain peaks, “I want to enter the Book Pavilion.”

By securing the first place in the secret realm trial, he would have the credentials to enter the Book Pavilion.

And perhaps in the Book Pavilion, he could find the answer to his father’s secret.

“I will be away for some days,” Li Tang said, “You…”

He paused, seeming to have nothing else to say, as his relationship with her didn’t amount to anything.

What did he have to say, anyway…

That thought made Li Tang feel an emptiness at the bottom of his heart, an inexplicable discomfort.

“Go back to your room and sleep, it’s cool at night,” he said and then left.

Chuzheng, somewhat baffled, touched her chin, then lay back down, covering her face with the book she held and continued to sleep—too lazy to move.

Li Tang stood under the eaves looking at her for a long while, sighed, and walked back. He called out to her.

Chuzheng turned over, covering her ears.

The book ‘thud’ fell to the ground.

Li Tang picked up the book and placed it aside, then asked in a low voice, “Shall I carry you inside?”

“You’re annoying,” Chuzheng complained, bothered by the disturbance.

Li Tang bent down and picked her up. Chuzheng looked up at him, her eyes cold and still. Li Tang said, “Sleeping out here will be uncomfortable.”

He carried Chuzheng back to her room, laid her on the bed, and murmured a reminder, “Don’t sleep outside while I’m gone.”

No one will carry you back.

Li Tang stood up to leave, and upon reaching the door, he looked back, “When I return, I’ll tell you something.”

Chuzheng turned over, ignoring him.

Li Tang knew she was somewhat upset and gently closed the room door behind him.

–

The next day.

Chuzheng strolled out of her room lazily; the courtyard was unusually quiet. By this time of day, Li Tang would have already been in the courtyard.

Chuzheng glanced towards Li Tang’s room, then casually withdrew her gaze.

The already quiet North Spirit Peak felt even lonelier without him.

Chuzheng did nothing all day and showed no unusual reaction to Li Tang’s departure.

On the tenth day after Li Tang left, a disciple came to summon her to meet the Sect Master.

It was the same grand hall, the same people, only Wan Luo, who was overseeing the Trial Secret Realm, was absent.

“Miss Chuzheng, please take a seat.”

Chuzheng’s seat was arranged on the right. She walked over, lifted her gown with grace and sat down, her movements like flowing clouds, rather dashing.

Immediately after, a woman’s voice rang out, “Sect Master, are you lacking Spirit Stone?”

Sect Master: “…”

Several Elders: “…”

The Sect Master coughed, “Miss Chuzheng, you have been with the Ziyun Sect for some time now. There’s no other agenda for inviting you here today.”

Several Elders echoed his statement.

“If there’s nothing else, I will take my leave.” If there’s no business, why call me here? What’s the problem?

“…Miss Chuzheng.” The Sect Master promptly called out to restrain her, “We invited you here today to thank you, and secondly, to reminisce. Surely you wouldn’t deny us this small courtesy?”

Why should I extend any courtesy? You’re not even good-looking.

Chuzheng thought this to herself, yet she did not refuse.

Seeing her stay, the Sect Master and the Elders began to speak in turns, first extolling her virtues and then offering toast after toast.

The drinks had no problem; Chuzheng drank impassively.

“[Missy.]” King’s Account popped up a reminder: “[The incense in the hall has been changed.]”

Chuzheng glanced to the side out of the corner of her eye; a disciple was changing the Incense Burner.

The incense smoke curled up, seemingly no different in scent from before.

But changing the incense burner for no reason definitely meant trouble!

These damn people surely had ill intentions.