The fake had always been by Yun Liu’s side, even swaggering back to return in person—how could anyone not be furious?
How could there be such a coincidence in the world? Just after a crash, you run into the little princess of an air disaster.
It wasn’t until Yun Liu obtained the “Blacklist” within the Hall Master’s authority from Madam Jing Rui, with Nini’s name boldly written on it, that he realized she was the hidden line planted at Jing Tan’er’s side.
No wonder the doppelganger knew the Princess so well and easily obtained a strand of vital blood.
This Kingdom-Usurping Plot had been brewing for decades, meaning Jing Tan’er had lived in the shadows since birth, doomed to misfortune.
“You’re too kind. To deceive Mister even once after racking my brains was worth it—this game was fun!”
“Jing Tan’er” lifted her smile, the same face, but with more charm than the proud Princess.
“You had so many chances to make a move. You could have openly kicked the real Princess out of the game and pinned all the blame on her. Why insist on sticking with me?”
This was also the most puzzling thing to Yun Liu.
Since the doppelganger infiltrated, she did nothing but irritate him, seemingly uninterested in Jing Rui’s plans, acting on her own.
“Of course, it’s out of curiosity. I really wanted to know what kind of person the Yu Steward’s chosen inheritor was. The best way was to play the lovesick maiden and get close to you. Mister didn’t really think I cared about worldly power, did you?”
The fake Princess pulled down her eyelid and made a face, her intentions simple.
Yun Liu rubbed his brow.
As expected, this was the most terrifying enemy—a pure troublemaker, impossible to predict.
The consequences of excessive force were still fermenting, the Yu Steward’s wild gamble had disrupted his plan to lie low, and now even people of the Holy Sect were paying attention, drawing in a lunatic like this.
“Approach me, and then what? What did you learn?”
“A little, that’s all. But you didn’t even give me a chance to get close, and instead broke my heart first. Bad guy!”
The fake Princess clutched her chest, pouting, seemingly regretting that the play didn’t turn real, then her tone suddenly turned cold.
“But I have to admit, you’re really bold. Even without the Yu Steward, you dared face me alone. Do you really think, with the Shanhai Pavilion backing you, that no one in this world would dare touch you, mere Foundation Establishment cultivator!?”
Yun Liu pointed to his temple and smiled.
“Not letting her join the game is because what I’m about to say can’t be heard by anyone else. Only Heaven, Earth, you, and I will know.”
The fake Princess paused, then burst into a delicate laugh.
“Puhaha, last words that no one else can hear? I like you more and more. It’d be a pity to kill a Heavenly Dao Alchemy Master like this!”
Despite her words, “Jing Tan’er” slowly approached, icy spiritual aura enveloping Yun Liu.
“Too bad. You could have continued to play deaf and dumb, and before the Shengyu Festival arrived, we might have shared some good times. You know, curiosity is deadly for a woman.”
“Who knows, maybe I’d have really replaced Jing Tan’er and become your Dao Companion? But now, with my identity exposed, no one gets to play anymore. Not only will you die, but all those foolish girls outside will too!”
The fake Princess licked her lips, a playful smile hiding a lethal intent, as if she was confident she could subdue everyone in the Wang Palace, not even regarding Qin Yao or Geng Zhi.
“If you kill me, will you really get the Vermilion Bird?”
Such a casual sentence made “Jing Tan’er” freeze, heart pounding.
That was her true goal—to steal the Golden Crow. It was a secret no one should know!
“You even guessed that… Now I’m truly impressed. Maybe even a little scared. Are you really just a sixteen-year-old kid?”
“I know more than that. If you want to hear, there’s more.”
The white-robed youth sat steady as a mountain, unafraid, making the fake Princess even more unsettled.
“Now I really have no choice but to kill you. Though targeting the Shanhai Pavilion is a grave taboo in the Nine Provinces, for the cause of the Holy Sect, I’ll have to inconvenience Mister!”
“Jing Tan’er” bit her finger, ready to break the Blood Technique and reveal her true form.
Yun Liu closed his eyes, as if oblivious, and muttered in a twisted foreign tongue.
“Divine fire blazes, wild heart burns…”
Unexpectedly, the fake Princess shuddered, hair standing on end, and all killing intent vanished.
She lunged forward, jumped into the youth’s arms, and clamped his mouth shut.
“Stop, stop, stop! That’s the Archaic Fire Holy Command of my Holy Sect! How do you—a Sword Sect outcast—even know this!?”
This time, “Jing Tan’er’s” expression was almost horrific.
This was a secret of the Holy Sect; all Eight Banners obeyed its order.
Even a Hehuan Banner Hall Master like Jing Rui wasn’t qualified to know.
Goodness, did a flood wash over the Dragon King Temple?
“Are you ready to talk, or shall I continue?”
Yun Liu curled his lips, his words muffled.
Exchanging the secret phrase meant the fish had bitten the hook.
He didn’t know much about the Painting Skin Blood Technique, but he could recite the Holy Sect’s Archaic Fire Holy Command backward and forward.
As expected, this doppelganger who had stirred up the East Pole Province knew the Holy Command—their identity was anything but ordinary.
Could she be that genderless Hehuan Banner Master?
The fake Princess’s chest heaved; she took a deep breath, calmed herself, puffed her cheeks, and wrapped her arms around Yun Liu’s neck, sitting on his lap with bare legs.
“No need! Since we’re on the same side, why didn’t you reveal yourself earlier?”
The girl’s gaze was wild, full of disbelief.
Even if the other party bore the Holy Command, she still half-doubted.
But thinking of this Little Yun Master’s background—third-rank Heavenly Dao Alchemy Master, newly promoted East Pole Pavilion Lord, Radiant Heaven Tower Alchemist, once Chief of Tianxiang Peak before leaving the sect, with deep ties to the Shenhua Sect…
Could such an upstanding Sword Sect descendant also be a Holy Sect disciple, and of high rank too?
Was there anything more absurd than this?
Yet the fluent Archaic Fire Holy Command could not be doubted.
Yun Liu retorted, rolling his eyes.
“You have the nerve to say that? The one who nearly ruined my grand plan was clearly you! Everything was under my control until you interfered and stirred up a storm. If not for desperate circumstances, I wouldn’t have exposed myself to you!”
The fake Princess’s eyes flashed.
She had indeed ignored the Holy Sect’s communication and, without notice, mobilized the East Pole hidden lines on her own.
Why should she report her actions to a Hall Master like Jing Rui?
“Hehe, so it’s my fault after all. I didn’t expect someone else would be eyeing the Vermilion Bird too. By the way, which esteemed member of the Eight Banners are you under? For a disciple like you to exist in the East Pole, I should have heard of you sooner.”
Yun Liu lightly brushed his sleeve, pushing “Jing Tan’er” away, his eyes full of disdain, playing his role to the end.
“And what are you that you think you’re worthy of knowing my existence?”
“Oh? So young, yet so arrogant. I hope Mister will graciously enlighten me!”
“Jing Tan’er” squinted with a sly smile, dangerous light flickering.