Chapter 122: Chapter 11: Another Gathering

After Gu Heng left, the people in the attic fell silent for a moment. Elder Wu was the first to speak. "I’m looking to purchase a Profound Turtle. I can trade a Mountain-Suppressing Tower for it."

As he spoke, he glanced at Li Xingwen. Among everyone here, Li Xingwen was the most likely to have a Profound Turtle.

"Oh ho, you old coot want to advance to the Second Realm too? Aren’t you afraid of being devoured by an Earth Spirit?" Li Xingwen immediately shot back sarcastically, seeming to have no intention of selling him a Profound Turtle.

"Daoist, once we enter this attic, personal grievances are left behind!" Yue Ziyu, sitting in his chair like a scholar, gently fanned himself and reminded Li Xingwen with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Li Xingwen cupped his hands in a salute to Yue Ziyu, then looked back at Elder Wu and said, "Give me half a month. Do we trade at the usual spot?"

"Right!"

Hearing the two complete their deal, Yue Ziyu closed his paper fan with a satisfied smile. He then looked at Yu Cheng Taoist and said, "My purpose in coming here this time is simple. The disciple of a very close friend of mine has just completed her entry into cultivation and plans to spend some time training at the Daoist Scripture Hall."

"Coming here?"

"Yes!"

"Coming here at a time like this? Are you sure?" Yu Cheng’s words carried a hint of a warning.

"She’s a member of the Imperial Family!"

When Wang Ping heard this, the image of Xia Yao—calm yet stubborn—surfaced in his mind, and he couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. Yu Lian also thought of her at that moment. Their thoughts seemed to briefly connect, and they exchanged a silent, knowing glance.

After explaining the special nature of this disciple’s identity, Yue Ziyu quickly added, "She is also a Direct Disciple of Lishui Prefecture, and the Dragon Monarch’s youngest son has already married her!"

This revelation made everyone present pause in thought.

"Is this a ploy by the Imperial Family?" Elder Wu asked.

"It’s possible," Yue Ziyu said. "She also cultivates the Divine Dao."

Wang Ping was now fairly certain this person was Xia Yao.

"The Dragon Monarch’s youngest son..." Li Xingwen gently tapped his fingers on the table. "To be making moves this early... it seems she wants to advance to the Third Realm. And she cultivates the Divine Dao, too. Personally, I don’t think it’s a good idea for her to come to the south."

Elder Wu was more blunt. He stated, "The Imperial Family can’t be that stupid, can they? To just reveal their intentions so blatantly?"

Yue Ziyu explained with a smile, "Consider this from another angle. She has the support of Lishui Prefecture. By showing her hand now, isn’t she trying to see what cards the Xiao Shan Lord is holding?"

Hearing Yue Ziyu’s words, Wang Ping couldn’t help but feel a bit of sympathy for the Xiao Shan Lord. His attempt to ascend to the Fifth Realm was already fraught with peril, like a legendary quest where one must overcome one trial after another. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

"Excuse me, Mr. Yue, is the Cultivator you’re speaking of named Xia Yao?" Wang Ping asked directly.

Yue Ziyu looked surprised for a moment. He turned to Wang Ping and asked, "Daoist, you know her?"

Wang Ping exchanged a glance with Guangxuan, then said, "If it really is Fellow Daoist Xia Yao, then I also advise against her coming. If she truly wants to get something done in our territory, she can entrust it to us."

"Why?"

This time, Guangxuan answered, "We’ve had dealings with her before. If she comes here again to take action against the Xiao Shan Lord, we would be forced to stand against her to distance ourselves from her."

Elder Wu added, "Sir, perhaps you’ve been in Shangjing City for too long and have forgotten the dignity and authority a Lord commands!"

Yue Ziyu listened to everyone’s words attentively. A flash of displeasure crossed his face, but it vanished as he cupped his hands and said, "I have indeed oversimplified things. I forgot that the rules of the game here are different from the rules in Shangjing. This matter... please consider it unsaid. When I return, I will also persuade her not to come south."

After he finished speaking, a brief silence fell over the room. Then, Yu Cheng Taoist changed the subject. "Recently, the people our various sects have placed in the Court have been making some big moves. What are the Emperor’s thoughts on this?"

"Some people were too hasty. With one move, everyone was exposed, including the person you arranged. The Emperor now intends to send them on the northern expedition, to have them and Liu Yue’s army wear each other down."

Yue Ziyu looked at Yu Cheng. "However, the person you arranged is very clever. He pledged his loyalty to the Emperor during a private audience last month. In the near future, he will be moving his entire family to Shangjing City."

Yu Cheng Taoist listened quietly, his expression unchanging. Wang Ping, however, furrowed his brow, though he quickly regained his composure.

"The Emperor has only twenty years, while we have hundreds of years to prepare. Time will make them forget some things," Yu Cheng Taoist said in a very soft voice.

"Haha!" Yue Ziyu let out a hearty laugh. "I knew it! How could a Little Emperor possibly outplay an old fox like you?"

"You should know what I’m asking for, right?" Yu Cheng asked.

"Don’t worry. He will be isolated in a very short time. This isolation might last more than ten years, twenty years, or even until the day he dies... I’m very curious, how do you plan to control this hound that has already sworn allegiance to the Imperial Family?"

Yu Cheng Taoist shook his head and said, "I don’t need to control anyone. A clever person will always make preparations on two fronts. Sometimes, the left hand carries more weight, and other times, it’s the right."

"You... you’ve truly figured it all out..."

After saying this, Yue Ziyu stood up and saluted Yu Cheng Taoist. "As for my payment, how about I collect it all at once when you reap your rewards in the future?"

"Fine!" After receiving Yu Cheng Taoist’s promise, Yue Ziyu saluted the others one more time, then vanished in a flash of white light.

"I’ll be leaving as well. Contact me directly if anything comes up." Elder Wu also stood, saluted, and took his leave.

In the blink of an eye, only Wang Ping, Yu Cheng, Guangxuan, and Li Xingwen remained in the attic. None of the four showed any intention of leaving, because a problem now lay before them that had to be dealt with.

That problem was... Wufeng Temple and the Single Saber Sect!

When faced with a threat that had revealed itself, the proper response was always to deal with it immediately, not to passively wait for them to come knocking.

"What should we do about the trouble with Wufeng Temple?" Guangxuan asked.

"Since they were the first to jump out and cause trouble, we have to make a statement. First, cut off their trade routes. Also, any of their disciples who dare to venture out... find a way to take them out!" Li Xingwen’s reply was blunt.

"Who will do it?" Wang Ping asked.

"You all just focus on blockading their trade routes openly. I’ll handle the rest!" Li Xingwen accepted the task, then added a reminder, "Once this starts, it’s a fight to the death. You all need to restrain your own disciples. It’s best they don’t go out alone. Also, don’t cause trouble in places where mortals gather, or it will be a huge headache if the Daoist Scripture Hall investigates."

"What about the Single Saber Sect?"

"We’ll ignore them for now, but we can’t let them be entirely," said Yu Cheng Taoist. "Send a message to the Loose Cultivators of Fuming Prefecture. They hate traitors who sell out their own."

"Aren’t we going to investigate who’s behind them?" Guangxuan asked.

Li Xingwen chuckled softly. "Sometimes it’s better to be a little ignorant. Even if you go too far, it’s fine. If you investigate too much, you’ll bring trouble on yourself even if you haven’t done anything. Understand?"

Yu Cheng Taoist added, "You all did very well at the exchange assembly. The Daoist Scripture Hall will turn a blind eye to feuds and killings between sects. Now, we have a justification."

"I feel like there’s something wrong with this Hongchen person," Wang Ping voiced his thoughts.

"We can’t touch him unless he disregards his status and comes down to our level to face us," Li Xingwen said, shaking his head.

"Let’s watch him for now!" Guangxuan looked at Wang Ping. "Leave him to me."