Back at the Mountain God Temple, she’d actually thought something was going on between Fang Shuwen and Zuo Qingshuang.

However, she and Zuo Qingshuang were close friends of a similar age. Seeing that her sworn sister had gone so many years without a man by her side...

Although Fang Shuwen was a bit young, Zuo Qingshuang’s otherworldly beauty was more than a match for him.

So, in everything she said, she of course had to side with Zuo Qingshuang.

It wasn’t until they were at Qiuyue Nunnery and Fang Shuwen killed Cao Jiuyin with two palm strikes that she realized Fang Shuwen possessed extraordinary skills and was no ordinary person.

But even then, all she could think was, ’My sister has excellent taste...’

’The only problem is, that little disciple of hers seems to have taken a liking to Fang Shuwen, too.’

’I wonder how the three of them manage their day-to-day affairs?’

Who would have known that this was all just her wild imagination, and that the truth actually involved the annihilation of Zhuji Pavilion.

As Lan Yue mulled this over, her mind began to wander.

She didn’t snap out of it until she noticed Zuo Qingshuang’s gaze gradually turning unfriendly.

The corner of Zuo Qingshuang’s mouth twitched. Just by looking at Lan Yue’s dazed expression, she knew what kind of wild thoughts were running through her head.

Throughout their journey, whenever they weren’t around Zhou Qingmei, this friend of hers tended to get a bit mischievous.

She was always teasing her about Fang Shuwen.

She especially loved to repeatedly bring up the incident at Qiuyue Nunnery, where she had been struck by Cao Jiuyin and Fang Shuwen had helped circulate her energy to protect her heart meridian.

It truly annoyed Zuo Qingshuang to no end.

’Now that the truth is out,’ she thought, ’I wonder what other nonsense that head of hers will conjure up.’

How could Fang Shuwen possibly know that these women’s minds were prone to running wild at the drop of a hat?

After Zuo Qingshuang had finished explaining the situation, he chimed in:

"A while ago, I was with a group from the Lu’an Escort Agency, escorting two people to Flying Snow City.

"On our way back, some people suddenly jumped out and tried to ambush us. They were the same people backing the Black Death Sect.

"Their goal at the time was the Seven-String Ancient Chapter, held by Wu Lingxiao of Flying Snow City. Once I learned of this, I couldn’t let them succeed.

"So I went back to Flying Snow City, took the Seven-String Ancient Chapter, and lured that group out.

"After killing all of them, I captured their leader alive. From him, I learned...

"This group comes from a place called the Dragon Emperor Hall on Undying Island.

"More than twelve hundred of them entered the Eastern Domain Martial World. They split into two groups. One followed a so-called Young Venerable of Dragon Emperor Hall to plot for the Seven-String Ancient Chapter.

"The other half was to rendezvous with one of their Vermilion Bird Hall Masters.

"But I’m not clear on the specifics of their plot... I only know that this Vermilion Bird Hall Master is currently hiding in Cyan Blue Valley."

These words made the minds of everyone present buzz.

Lu Guiyan didn’t know about the Seven-String Ancient Chapter due to his limited age and experience.

If one were to ask Lu Guiyan’s father, he would likely have known.

But who were these people before him now?

They were top experts from the Seven Great Sects of the Eastern Domain. The only exception, Zhou Qingmei, was Zuo Qingshuang’s own direct disciple.

They knew exactly what the Seven-String Ancient Chapter was.

Fang Shuwen had described it all so casually—returning to Flying Snow City, taking the Seven-String Ancient Chapter...

He spoke of it so lightly, but in reality, how could it have been so easy?

Yuqing Pavilion, as one of the Seven Great Sects, was naturally aware that the Seven-String Ancient Chapter had changed hands, but they only knew the gist of it and hadn’t paid it special attention.

They never expected it to be connected to Fang Shuwen.

Then Fang Shuwen said he had lured out the Dragon Emperor Hall experts coveting the Seven-String Ancient Chapter, killed them all... and even captured their leader alive?

Since they dared to covet the Seven-String Ancient Chapter, they must have mobilized a large force.

Fang Shuwen had just said it himself: twelve hundred people split into two groups, which meant at least six hundred people were plotting to get their hands on it.

So many people, and he had killed them all, just like that?

The dangers involved were immense. If any one of them had been in his shoes, they feared they would have died without a trace.

Yet Fang Shuwen recounted it so casually, as if it were nothing at all.

If he hadn’t just flattened all those experts from Setting Sun Valley with a single palm strike, Zhai Xing would have likely been the first to disbelieve him.

But at this moment, she didn’t dare disbelieve.

Zhou Qingmei couldn’t help but look toward Fang Shuwen:

"Are... are you injured?"

Fang Shuwen smiled:

"Don’t worry. They aren’t strong enough to hurt me."

Hearing this, Zhou Qingmei let out a sigh of relief:

"As long as you’re all right..."

Zhai Xing suddenly reacted:

"Wait, Young Hero Fang, you said they’re in Cyan Blue Valley? Could it be... that what happened to Junior Sister Wenwan is related to them?"

Fang Shuwen shook his head:

"I can’t be certain, but I can say... it’s a possibility.

"My original purpose for coming here was actually to find this Vermilion Bird Hall Master in Cyan Blue Valley.

"I happened to meet Xu Shuxin on the road. I brought him with me after hearing his tragic story.

"It was only after hearing the latest news about Elder Xu that I put the pieces together."

Upon hearing this, Zhai Xing shot to her feet:

"Excellent. Just excellent. Yuqing Pavilion has stood tall in the Jianghu for many years, yet we didn’t even realize someone had crept right up to our doorstep.

"The sheer audacity!

"Regardless of whether they were involved in what happened to Junior Sister Wenwan, how can we let this group run so rampant in the Eastern Domain Martial World?

"I will issue an order immediately for our disciples to search Cyan Blue Valley!"

Fang Shuwen didn’t try to stop her. Since he had come to Yuqing Pavilion in the first place, he had always intended to make use of its power.