At this, Canye Shusheng looked bewildered, also completely confused, having never heard of such a thing.
Could it be that another Holy Sect expert was present?
“Ridiculous. You think saying it makes it true?”
“Confirmed.”
The Cold Chant Sect disciples immediately produced witnesses and evidence, handing them over to the Penghu Island alchemists for examination.
Mister Canghai only probed the spiritual pulse and immediately showed a look of disgust.
“Hehuan Banner allure poison—even Flagmaster Ling doesn’t have it. How could anyone else use it?”
“It’s definitely Euphoria Smoke, no mistake. Hehuan Banner allure poison.”
“So what? Euphoria Smoke is a secret art of my Holy Sect. Even our flagmasters don’t possess it. How could anyone else use it?”
The frail scholar let out a cold laugh, almost like self-exposure.
“You admitted it!”
“I’ll admit your mother! How my Holy Sect conducts its affairs requires no explanation to you!”
Canye Shusheng debated the crowd, inexplicably getting dragged into the mess, and soon they were back to cursing each other out.
To convict someone, one need not lack excuses. Who knew demonic sect fiends would one day taste the weight of those eight words?
Listening to everyone rage at the shamelessness of the demonic sect, Yun Liu and Ji Shiyu at the doorway exchanged a glance and, without a word, both looked down at the floor, barely holding it together.
Do the deed, pin the blame, and have a good laugh—simple as that.
Qin Xiang shot the two of them a glare, suppressing a smile. Who’d have thought the master-disciple pair had quietly pulled off such a stunt?
No lives were taken, but it wasn’t exactly honorable.
Learning bad habits!
By comparison, the losses suffered by Penghu Island and Tianyin Fang seemed trivial.
Madam Yingluo rubbed her brow, already numb. With the three sides’ tempers flaring hotter, even her several hundred Sea Imps could barely keep the scene under control.
She was almost too embarrassed to speak. Fortunately, their spirit boats were docked at Qiongxiao Palace, or they’d have been caught in the crossfire too.
“Mister Canghai, what brings you here specifically?”
The middle-aged scholar clasped his hands and bowed, then said slowly: “Our spirit boat was stolen, along with two batches of precious spiritual medicines from the Sea Market. But all our Penghu Island medicine cases are marked. We seek Madam’s permission to enter the Anchao Liekou to investigate.”
“Oh?”
The implication was clear: an inside job.
The female elder of Tianyin Fang also spoke with righteous indignation: “Our workshop as well—last night, many of our female disciples lost their personal garments. Someone spotted the lecher fleeing toward the southern sea trench. We ask the Master of Boundless Pavilion to see justice done.”
Most of Tianyin Fang’s disciples were women, and all wore aggrieved expressions. Mu Shaohua and Qing Li were equally furious upon hearing this.
Madam Yingluo frowned deeply, silent for a long moment.
The Anchao Liekou was swarming with sea demons, and the most powerful force behind them was, of course, the Tide-Calling Dragon King, newly returned and vowing to drive the human race from the Inner Sea.
To act so brazenly on the eve of the Sea Market was practically a slap in the face.
Was this a show of force against her?
“…”
Yun Liu felt a sharp pinch at his waist—Qin Xiang’s small hand was especially forceful this time.
“I swear, I didn’t secretly keep any of it!”
“That’s not the issue here at all!”
Qin Xiang scolded with a laugh: “You little troublemaker, what do you gain from stirring the pot?”
“Nothing for me, and even less for anyone else. That’s enough.”
Yun Liu smiled. The murkier the water, the easier to fish. Once Jie Lin picked them off one by one in Mirage City, it’d be too late.
“I will investigate this matter to the end. I will give everyone an answer, and I will not wrong a single innocent!”
The various factions had no choice but to disperse in frustration. The grudge was set. Madam Yingluo cracked her red tail, sending waves crashing through the water, finally putting an end to the commotion.
Qiongxiao Palace had Qiongxiao Palace’s rules. Then they’d settle things at Mirage City.
Since Evil Spirit Port wanted to play dirty, they wouldn’t let the demonic sect have the run of things either.
Madam Yingluo’s face was grim, a strange unease nagging at her that she couldn’t quite place. From afar, she spotted the white-robed youth watching the commotion and gave a slight nod, but she didn’t suspect a thing.
The trash fish had used the dragon girl’s husband selection to provoke a bloody feud in Mirage City, hoping to wear down both humans and the yao race and cement Qiongxiao Palace’s unshakable position for the next hundred years.
But while the mantis stalks the cicada, the oriole waits behind.
Yun Liu took in everyone at a glance. All the actors were in place. A good show was about to begin.
After the string of nasty incidents last night, Qiongxiao Palace’s guests grew more wary, no longer daring to wander about freely.
The Sea of Clouds tour group, however, was quite at ease. With the dragon girl accompanying them and Sea Imps guarding them, they toured the sights, taking in the wonders of the deep sea before returning to their rooms to rest.
“Rest well tonight. No wandering off.”
Yun Liu shot the troublesome yellow-haired girl a glare, warning the one unstable factor.
Ji Shiyu nodded obediently, wiggling her fingers, and the homeless Ao Tian immediately grinned stupidly and scurried back to its chicken nest.
She dawdled for a while, and only once she saw Qin Senior Sister pulling the young aunt master away did she blush and speak up.
“Teacher, won’t you come sit in my room for a bit? My chicken can do a backflip, you know. I’ll have it perform for you.”
Ao Tian: ?
Yun Liu glanced at Qin Xiang’s retreating figure and shook his head repeatedly.
“No, no. Bad for my health.”
Not long ago, a yellow-haired girl had said something similar and then pushed him right over, nearly turning his sworn father into a stepfather! The little scamp licked her lips, staring blankly at Yun Liu, as if she’d gotten a taste of something sweet.
Mister, hungry, soft rice, tasty.
“Trying to cup me again?”
“Just bear with it! If I hadn’t gone soft-hearted last night, you wouldn’t have—”
Physiological reactions don’t lie. Yun Liu’s words caught in his throat, the tearful confession echoing in his ears.
Now he truly understood what the young martial aunt had gone through. This rebellious disciple was utterly lawless, and his face was practically twisted off.
“Wouldn’t have what?”
“You have the nerve to ask? A girl should be a little reserved. Crying and carrying on—you’re a grown woman, have some shame. What would your mother say if she found out?”
Reserved, my foot! If I stay reserved any longer, my adoptive mothers’ club could form a full mahjong table!
“She won’t find out. It’s our little secret, right, Ao Tian?”
Ji Shiyu let out a silly laugh, dripping with menace. By the time mother finds out, I’ll already be married with a child on the way.
This filial daughter was determined to climb the ladder, eagerly writing the epic saga of Feng Aotian’s rise to mistress. She hadn’t even scored a home run yet, but she was already preparing to overtake on the curve.
As for the three-year promise—when this genius beauty showed up pregnant, the winner would be obvious at a glance.
Shrimp and pig heart!
Of course, Jing Tan’er might have a different opinion on that. The last person who thought that way had already been turned into a cream puff.
“Mess around and there’s no going back. Mess around and there’s no going back.”
Ao Tian buried its head in its feathers, not daring to say a word. If it messed this up, there’d truly be no going back. It often felt it couldn’t quite fit into this family for lack of being weird enough…
“I’ll try my best to hold back. And if you get hungry, no eating pork. If you must eat, eat me.”
Yun Liu said with irritation: “Don’t worry. My teeth are bad. You and the pig alike—I’m not eating either!”
Ji Shiyu squinted with a sly grin. He was still resisting, but the tough talk would only last so long.
“Teacher, I want to—”
“No wanting!”
“Can’t I even give you a little kiss and say goodnight?”
Mwah!
Ji Shiyu rose on her tiptoes, gave him a quick peck, and bounced merrily into her room.
“Hehe. One kiss. Goodnight.”
Yun Liu stood frozen for a moment, touched his face. It tingled.
Damn it. Even the yellow-haired girl’s cheesy lines were starting to sound cute.
The condition was worsening. The healer couldn’t heal himself…