Chapter 53: The Kind Lady Nongli

Seeing the white-robed Immortal standing behind him, Qin Feng suddenly panicked.

He now regretted not having removed the spell on Qingmu earlier. Who would have thought that the Ghost Sword Immortal could actually sense the scent of a fox demon?

Should he praise her as a Grand Cultivator?

“This… the fox demon is inside the Six Flavors Hall, so it’s only natural there’d be a fox demon’s scent on her, right?”

Qin Feng sniffed his own clothes; there was clearly no scent at all.

“The fox demon is not currently inside the Six Flavors Hall?”

The Ghost Sword Immortal crossed her arms, leaning against the door, coldly staring at Qin Feng.

This Immortal, Lin Qiyou, was the sister of Qin Feng’s mother, known in the Spirit Realm as the Ghost Sword Immortal.

The character “You” (幽) in Lin Qiyou’s name carried both praise and blame.

Praise because Lin Qiyou’s swordsmanship was as unfathomable as a ghost.

Blame because she had committed patricide, leaving the Lin family dwindling in numbers, and she herself was like a solitary ghost drifting alone.

“Not inside the Six Flavors Hall? What do you mean, Sect Leader?”

By right, Qin Feng should have called Lin Qiyou “Aunt,” but Qin Shuang forbade him from doing so, so he just called her “Sect Leader.”

“You’re hiding something from me, working together with those disciples under the Elders’ orders.”

Lin Qiyou continued to coldly question Qin Feng.

“Qin Feng, tell your mother what’s going on.”

Beside him, Qin Shuang also coldly interrogated him.

“This… Qin Feng really doesn’t know what Mother and the Sect Leader are talking about. Hiding something? No, not at all!”

Qin Feng shook his head vehemently, denying it, but Lin Qiyou’s gaze didn’t waver.

“I…”

Under such a gaze, Qin Feng broke out in cold sweat, and Qin Shuang sharply ordered, “Kneel!”

Qin Feng immediately knelt down with a thud, his body trembling like a sieve.

“I can’t say.”

Unable to bear the pressure, Qin Feng admitted he was hiding something, but stubbornly insisted he couldn’t speak.

“Hmph, do you think I don’t know things just because you keep silent?”

Lin Qiyou sighed, and suddenly someone walked in from outside.

Qin Feng’s eyes widened in shock.

“Sect Leader, Elder… Senior Brother.”

This was Qin Feng’s junior fellow disciple, who bowed in turn to each of them as he entered.

“Qin Feng, your relationship with your mother and me is no longer a secret behind the scenes.

You and your fellow disciples were tasked to capture the fox demon; on the surface, you were the watcher, but I secretly assigned another disciple within your group.”

Lin Qiyou approached Qin Feng, bowed slightly, her beautiful eyes narrowing.

She reached out and pinched Qin Feng’s chest, pulling out a tuft of silver fox fur.

Seeing this, Qin Feng cursed himself inwardly for being so stupid.

“If I hadn’t seen this fox fur, I definitely wouldn’t have questioned you so bluntly just now.”

Lin Qiyou blew away the fox fur in her hand and continued, “It’s not just the fox demon. Recently, you also made a friend named Qingmu, right?”

“Qingmu?!”

Qin Shuang raised her voice in surprise.

“Yeah, Qingmu.”

Lin Qiyou, who should have reacted strongly to the name, was surprisingly calm.

She went on, “He’s an utterly talentless and sloppy middle-aged man. I don’t understand why you’d befriend him.”

Upon hearing this description, Qin Shuang could roughly guess that this Qingmu was not the Qingmu she’d thought of.

Besides, the idea of reincarnation was false; once dead, that was the end.

Qin Shuang felt her heart pounding wildly.

Looking at Lin Qiyou’s calm demeanor, she was sure the Immortal was even more agitated inside.

She also remembered catching glimpses of Lin Qiyou’s expression of lost melancholy when she awoke.

“It’s just a normal friendship. He’s nothing special.”

“But he disappeared today, which is unusual.”

Lin Qiyou tilted her head, questioning, “And with this tuft of fox fur, am I to understand that Qingmu has a connection with the fox demon? Did they escape together?”

“No.”

Qin Feng’s voice trembled as he denied it, though it was obviously the answer they expected.

Qin Shuang and Lin Qiyou exchanged a glance.

As his mother, Qin Shuang pinched Qin Feng’s ear, puzzled, “Aren’t you usually obedient to the Sect Leader? How come at such a critical moment you let them go, and even deliberately protect them?”

“I—Mother! The fox demon is not the beast the Sect Leader claims. She has feelings and loyalty. I saw it—”

“Bang!”

Before Qin Feng could finish, a strong gust of spiritual energy slammed him against the wall.

His unlucky junior fellow disciple was also knocked to the ground.

“Lin Qiyou!”

Qin Shuang covered her eyes to shield herself from the spiritual energy blast, then angrily scolded Lin Qiyou.

“…”

Lin Qiyou frowned, eyes blazing with anger.

Qin Shuang understood this was an involuntary reaction and turned to her son with a warning, “Don’t talk nonsense!”

“Really, I’m not lying to you.”

Qin Feng evidently didn’t grasp the seriousness of the situation.

In the next moment, Lin Qiyou flashed before him and grabbed his arm fiercely.

“What did you say? That the fox demon has feelings and loyalty? If she really did, why did she feed on her benefactor’s flesh and blood?

I think you’re blinded by the fox demon and your brain’s not working right!”

With that, a surge of spiritual power roared around Lin Qiyou, and she immediately sensed an active tracking spell inside Qin Feng’s body.

“Stop!”

Seeing the subtle change in Lin Qiyou’s expression, Qin Feng hurriedly pulled his arm free, but it was too late.

“Who is this person? Qingmu?”

“No… no one.”

“You really can’t lie, huh.”

Lin Qiyou shook her hand off and said to Qin Shuang, “I’m about to leave now. I’m leaving these matters in your hands.”

But just as she was about to go, Qin Shuang immediately stopped her.

“Are you sure you want to leave at such a critical moment? You just got information from those brats, and the Elders are waiting for you to leave.

With Qin Feng’s spells, no matter where the fox demon is, isn’t she still under your control?”

Qin Shuang’s persuasion finally made Lin Qiyou nod; indeed, the situation was urgent.

“Brother Qingmu, I’m sorry…”

Qin Feng slumped against the wall, filled with guilt.

Lin Qiyou would soon come looking for you and the fox demon…

“That’s good. The fox demon is in the open, I’m in the shadows.

I will slowly torment this stinky fox to death…”

Lin Qiyou’s exquisitely beautiful face was filled with the cruelty of a butcher, making Qin Shuang’s heart jump.

Qin Shuang quietly turned away, murmuring in her heart:

“Are you really like what the Elders say?”

Elsewhere, in a refined mansion, a tall noblewoman was watering flowers in the garden, chatting happily with her maids.

The pavilion in the courtyard was full of orphans from the orphanage, singing joyfully.

Everything here was filled with love and warmth.

All thanks to the noblewoman’s kindness.

“Lady Nongli! News from the Rose Kingdom has arrived!”

A breathless messenger hurried up to the noblewoman.

“Hm? The Rose Kingdom?”

Nongli’s silver hair fell to her shoulders, with a pair of golden fox ears atop her head.

Her two small silver eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and her crimson eyes gleamed with joy.

She stood two meters tall, dressed in a black gauze gown that accentuated her perfect figure.

Her every movement was elegant but never haughty, and behind her, her nine white fluffy tails swayed gently, adding to her warmth.

Nongli took the letter from the messenger and opened it.

Her excited expression faded, replaced by a shadow of gloom, then twisted into a strange smile.

“Ah~ ah~~~ Lin Qiyou… hehe, you’ve come too, you beastly thing~

Alright, alright~ Ghost Sword Immortal in the open, me in the shadows…

I will slowly toy with this stinky dog to death…”

Nongli grinned, showing sharp teeth as she muttered to herself.

Suddenly realizing something, she glanced around to find everyone staring at her in surprise.

What is the kind Lady Nongli saying?