Chapter 45: Hey, you are really something

“What’s going on?”

Ruan Huoying’s mouth fell open in shock as she stared toward that area, her pupils reflecting the bursting flames.

“Let’s go check it out.”

Bu Liugu and Lin Ci spoke in unison.

Afterwards, the two exchanged a glance.

Ruan Huoying looked at them with a question mark hovering above her head…

When did you two get so in sync?

The Spirit Boat didn’t pause and headed straight toward the County Office.

In the blink of an eye, the Spirit Boat landed outside the main gate, where many soldiers were shouting, “The water is breaking!” and hurriedly rushing about to put out the fire.

Lin Ci immediately grabbed one of the soldiers and asked:

“This is White Willow County Office? Your county magistrate is Sun Guishou?”

The soldier, seeing the three descending on a magical treasure, didn’t dare delay and quickly replied:

“Reporting to the Immortal, that’s correct. May I ask what brings you Immortals here?”

Lin Ci narrowed his eyes slightly:

“So, what do you know about Sun Guishou poisoning the people and abducting young girls?”

Upon hearing this, the soldier’s face instantly turned pale with fear, his legs going weak as he dropped to his knees:

“Immortal… Immortal, please spare us! We’re all just following orders from Sun Guishou. His methods are ruthless, we dare not disobey!”

“Hmph, so you all knew, then?”

Ruan Huoying snorted coldly beside him.

With a flick of her delicate sleeve, she cast the Settling Spell on all the soldiers, freezing them in place, unable to move.

“Sun Guishou will surely die today. As for you, thousands of commoners will decide your fate.”

The Settling Spell would last until noon tomorrow.

When the people of White Willow Town arrive, they would easily be able to subdue these soldiers.

What happens to the soldiers next is a matter of the mortal world; it’s only right to let mortals handle it. They had no reason to interfere further.

Arriving at the gate,

Bu Liugu pressed her slender hand down, and a chilling spiritual force spread, extinguishing the raging flames inside and outside the County Office. She then gracefully stepped inside.

“You go too. I’ll guard here.”

Lin Ci reminded Ruan Huoying.

“I know, I know, it’s inconvenient for you to make a move…”

Ruan Huoying pouted slightly at him, then followed Bu Liugu and entered the County Office gates.

Inside, the scene was one of scorched destruction.

Buildings had collapsed, the ground was upturned; nothing was intact, as if it had endured total devastation.

The two walked further in.

They soon arrived at the source of the flames…

There stood a beautiful young girl, her entire body wrapped in spiritual fire, eyes filled with fury, gripping the Qingyu Sword in one hand, forcefully plunging it into the chest of a hunched old man before her.

The gaunt old man was breathing more out than in, clearly on the verge of death…

“Phew… Sun Guishou, you wicked man, death is too good for you!”

The girl exhaled deeply, as if releasing years of pent-up hatred, and shouted angrily at the fallen man.

She pulled out the Qingyu Sword, the blade still dripping with blood.

Though this was only her second time killing someone, her heart remained unmoved. Remembering Sun Guishou’s crimes, she actually felt a sense of satisfaction.

She had dirtied the Qingyu Sword that Senior Brother had given her…

The girl flicked her spiritual power, shaking the blood off the blade.

At that moment, she also noticed Bu Liugu and Ruan Huoying not far away.

The three did not know each other and exchanged glances.

Bu Liugu spoke first, looking at the dead man:

“You said he was Sun Guishou?”

“That’s right… who are you?”

Xia Xiaochan eyed them warily. One was cold and striking; the other gentle and lovely. Neither seemed mortal but cultivators.

Friend or foe was unclear.

“I am Bu Liugu of the Great Void Sect, and this is Ruan Huoying, also a fellow disciple.”

Hearing this, Xia Xiaochan’s guard immediately lowered. She breathed a sigh of relief and raised her hand in greeting:

“So you’re my fellow sisters of the Great Void Sect… I’m Xia Xiaochan, also a disciple of the Great Void Sect!”

“Oh, what a coincidence…”

Ruan Huoying’s eyes lit up as she quickly stepped forward to clasp Xia Xiaochan’s palm, concern evident in her voice: “We came here to exterminate Sun Guishou, but you’ve already killed that fiend. Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Thank you for your concern, sister. I’m fine.”

Xia Xiaochan proudly puffed up her modest chest.

“You’re really impressive, Xiao Chan. You’re still at the Qi Refining stage but managed to take down a Golden Core Rogue Cultivator — excellent skill!”

“It’s all thanks to Senior Brother’s teaching…”

Xia Xiaochan smiled modestly.

Meanwhile, Bu Liugu briefly recalled something: Xia Xiaochan? That name isn’t…

“You’re a new disciple at Wenxuan Peak?”

Xia Xiaochan nodded: “Yes, sister. Do you know me?”

Ruan Huoying smiled: “Yes, this Lady Yueyue here is the Sect’s Chief Disciple and is in charge of managing the disciple roster. There’s hardly anyone in the Sect she doesn’t know.”

“I see. It’s an honor to meet you, Chief Sister!”

Xia Xiaochan quickly bowed again.

“No need for formalities. So… you’re Lin Ci’s junior sister.”

“What?!”

Before Xia Xiaochan could speak, Ruan Huoying’s mouth formed a perfect ‘O’: “That’s right, right. Wenxuan Peak… You really are Lin Chief’s junior sister?”

“Senior Brother is Lin Ci…”

“No wonder, no wonder you’re so powerful!”

With Ruan Huoying’s continuous praise, Xia Xiaochan blushed, shy but pleased.

Of course, she enjoyed the compliments.

Secretly delighted…

She was bringing honor to Senior Brother out there!

Ruan Huoying continued checking Xia Xiaochan’s wounds.

Xia Xiaochan had a good impression of this kind sister.

As for Bu Liugu, perhaps because of her Chief Disciple aura, Xia Xiaochan felt a distinct coldness, an indefinable distance.

She didn’t dislike her but couldn’t bring herself to like her either.

Not long after,

“Did you find Sun Guishou?”

A deep voice with a husky timbre came.

It was Lin Ci. He had waited outside for a while but heard no sounds of fighting and came in to check.

Of course, he wore a bamboo hat and a mask covering half his face, looking mysterious.

But then he saw the petite girl standing between Ruan Huoying and Bu Liugu…

“?”

“???”

Countless question marks filled his mind…

What the hell? Isn’t that Xiao Chan?!

What’s going on?

How is she here?

Hopefully, she can’t recognize me…

He quickly lowered his hat to avoid detection. Despite being confused, he tried to ask normally:

“Where’s Sun Guishou?”

“He’s dead. He has been executed.”

Ruan Huoying turned to Lin Ci, patting Xia Xiaochan’s shoulder:

“This is what happened after we came in…”

She then explained everything in detail.

Meanwhile,

Xia Xiaochan also noticed Lin Ci in disguise…

He should be the sisters’ friend, dressed in black, his face covered, hard to see his figure or features. Yet for some reason, he seemed strangely familiar.

No, wait…

Sniff sniff…

Xia Xiaochan suddenly frowned in confusion. She moved closer, eyes closed, smelling Lin Ci from the left and right.

Then she froze.

No mistake!

This fresh, subtle fragrance was exactly the same as the quilt from that day…

Bu Liugu saw Xia Xiaochan’s strange behavior, her eyes flickering with a subtle change, and she stepped back a pace.

Ruan Huoying also stepped over and said:

“Oh, I forgot to introduce. This is…”

“Senior Brother!”

“Senior Brother, indeed!”

Xia Xiaochan cried out with joy and excitement, but soon realized something was wrong. She hurriedly covered her mouth like a guilty child, looking up at Lin Ci.

This is bad, bad. Senior Brother is disguised like this to hide his identity…

Now she must have caused big trouble!

As for Lin Ci, he felt like he’d just ridden a roller coaster — from anxious suspicion, to being found out and wanting to cry, to speechless when seeing Xia Xiaochan’s panicked face covered by her hands…

Finally, he could only smile and wave his hand twice in front of her—

Hey, kid, you really got me…