“Yes, Grandfather!” Silvermoon opened her mouth a few times but ultimately swallowed her words in compliance.
Just as Ao Xiao the Venerable was about to speak further with his granddaughter, his expression shifted slightly. He suddenly turned his head and glanced toward the entrance.
Moments later, footsteps echoed as a young maidservant appeared outside the door and spoke respectfully.
“Reporting to the Venerable, two elders from this island have arrived and request an audience!”
“Oh, they move quite swiftly. Let them in,” Ao Xiao the Venerable said, his expression softening as he nodded in approval.
The maidservant naturally complied and withdrew to carry out the order.
A short while later, the Xu-clan man and the white-haired elder entered. Upon seeing Ao Xiao the Venerable, they immediately stepped forward and bowed.
“Greetings, Senior. May we inquire as to the purpose of your summons?” the fair-faced man asked solemnly.
“No need to rush. Both of you, take a seat first,” Ao Xiao the Venerable replied with a faint smile, gesturing toward the chairs beside him.
The two—one a demon, the other a human, both at the Body Integration stage—naturally dared not disobey. After expressing their gratitude, they obediently sat down on either side.
“Both of you share some connection with me. One is the descendant of an old friend, while the other is a nominal disciple of Fellow Daoist Mo. There is a matter of great importance that requires trustworthy hands, and only by entrusting it to you two can I truly rest easy,” Ao Xiao the Venerable said, glancing at them with a kindly expression.
“Senior, please instruct us freely!”
Faced with a Great Ascension cultivator, the Xu-clan man and the white-haired elder were somewhat overwhelmed by the honor.
“According to Fellow Daoist Mo, in his absence, Fellow Daoist Luo holds authority over Sacred Island. Therefore, I need you to gather certain items for me—some are artifacts, others are materials. Many of these are rare, and while some have already been located, others will require your own efforts to find. The only condition is that this must be done in secret, and the sooner, the better!” Ao Xiao the Venerable stated bluntly after a brief pause.
“Understood! This junior will immediately dispatch trusted individuals to handle this matter. No outsiders will learn of it,” the white-haired elder replied after a momentary hesitation, quickly agreeing.
“Good. Here is a list—keep it safe.” Ao Xiao the Venerable nodded and flicked his sleeve, sending a jade slip flying toward the elder.
The white-haired elder rose to catch the jade slip and, without even glancing at it, tucked it into his sleeve.
His demeanor made it clear that he would spare no effort to fulfill the request, regardless of its contents.
Ao Xiao the Venerable showed a trace of satisfaction before turning to the Xu-clan man.
“Nephew Xu, I need you to journey to the Untamed Wilds and meet with several foreign powerhouses. The purpose of these meetings is detailed in another jade slip, which you may review later. Likewise, ensure no one else on the island learns of this.”
“This junior will proceed with utmost caution,” the Xu-clan man replied respectfully, also rising to his feet.
“Good. These two matters concern the three Demon Ancestors, and Fellow Daoist Mo is aware of them as well. I can grant you no more than five years. Any delay would jeopardize our plans. Do you understand?” Ao Xiao the Venerable’s expression turned grave.
“Senior, rest assured. Even if it costs us our lives, we will complete the tasks on time!”
Upon hearing that this involved countering the Demon Ancestors, the white-haired elder and the Xu-clan man exchanged glances, their faces alight with a mix of shock and excitement, as if ready to swear an oath on the spot.
“I summoned you precisely because I trust you. Now, if there’s nothing else, proceed immediately. Time is of the essence!”
With a wave of his hand, Ao Xiao the Venerable tossed another jade slip to the Xu-clan man and dismissed them.
The two dared not linger. After a deep bow, they left the pavilion.
“Grandfather, are those two truly reliable? Didn’t you say Sacred Island has been infiltrated by demon spies?” Silvermoon frowned as soon as they departed.
“Heh, if even they are untrustworthy, then no one else can be. Fellow Daoist Mo personally recommended them—both have resided on Sacred Island for a millennium without ever leaving. Besides, do you truly believe demon spies could evade your grandfather’s eyes? At the very least, none of the Sacred Island elders we met earlier seem suspicious. That’s some good news,” Ao Xiao the Venerable replied, a faint smile crossing his youthful face.
“If Grandfather is confident, then Linglong is at ease. I shall retire upstairs to rest for a while,” Silvermoon said, visibly relaxing as she curtsied.
“After months of travel, you indeed need proper rest. Go ahead.” Ao Xiao the Venerable nodded, his tone tinged with affection.
“Grandfather, you should rest early as well. You’ve only recently recovered your vitality—don’t overexert yourself,” the silver-haired woman added with concern.
“Haha, do you truly think your grandfather is old?” Ao Xiao the Venerable grinned dismissively.
“With Grandfather’s appearance, most would mistake you for my elder brother. How could the word ‘old’ possibly apply?” Silvermoon chuckled lightly before ascending the stairs without another glance.
Her steps were noticeably lighter, as if her mood had lifted considerably.
“That girl… I truly hope she won’t have to cultivate the Emotion-Severing Art.”
Once Silvermoon’s figure vanished up the stairs, Ao Xiao the Venerable’s relaxed expression faded, replaced by a soft sigh.
Strangely, after uttering these words, the long-haired man closed his eyes and remained seated, showing no intention of following her upstairs.
After the time it takes to finish a meal, his eyes snapped open, and he spoke coolly:
“Since you’ve arrived, why not show yourself?”
“Your subordinate pays respects to Venerable Ao Xiao!”
Before the words fully faded, the nearby space rippled, and a nearly transparent shadow flickered into existence just a few zhang away.
As the shadow materialized, its form gradually solidified into a slender woman clad in form-fitting black robes.
Her face was concealed behind a bronze wolf mask, and her hands were gloved in dark fabric, leaving not an inch of skin exposed.
“Liao Ying, after all these years, your attire remains unchanged,” Ao Xiao the Venerable remarked, raising an eyebrow with mild interest.
“Your Excellency’s demeanor is as majestic as ever! When word spread of your injury during the tribulation, this subordinate was deeply concerned. Seeing you unharmed brings me great relief,” the masked woman replied deferentially after a respectful bow.
“Pah! A mere heavenly tribulation could never claim this old man’s life. Enough pleasantries. Years ago, I ordered you to infiltrate Sacred Island as a contingency measure. Now, report its current state in detail. I’ll be guarding the island for a time and must understand its true situation.”
Ao Xiao the Venerable’s expression turned solemn.
“Understood. Sacred Island’s current state is… less than ideal, primarily due to the demons’—”
The bronze-masked woman launched into her report without hesitation.
Ao Xiao the Venerable listened intently, occasionally interrupting to clarify points of confusion.
The woman answered what she could and shook her head when uncertain.
Once she finished, she fell silent.
Ao Xiao the Venerable sank into deep contemplation.
“Liao Ying, you’ve done well. It seems your years on Sacred Island were not wasted. However, regarding the matter I tasked you with earlier—have you made progress?”
After a moment, Ao Xiao the Venerable snapped out of his thoughts, his tone shifting abruptly.
“Had Venerable Ao Xiao not commanded it, this subordinate would never have dared neglect the task. However, the individual you instructed me to investigate has never set foot on Sacred Island. While rumors abound, concrete details remain scarce. Moreover, this person appears to be an ascetic, rarely interacting with others beyond cultivation. This might explain how he advanced multiple stages in such a short span. I’ve compiled the available information—does the Venerable wish to review it now? Be warned, most accounts are hearsay and may lack credibility.”
For the first time, a hint of hesitation colored the masked woman’s voice, though she answered truthfully after brief consideration.
“True or false, I’ll judge for myself. Let’s see what merits this man possesses—ascending from the lower realm and, in just over a millennium, making such a name for himself that he’s become Linglong’s greatest emotional obstacle!”
Ao Xiao the Venerable’s face darkened ominously.
“As you command!”
The black-robed woman flicked her hand, sending a sphere of azure light toward him.
Ao Xiao the Venerable snatched it midair, crushed it in his palm, and probed it with his spiritual sense.
“Is this all? And mostly baseless rumors at that! Hmph! A newly advanced early-Body Integration cultivator defeating a late-stage powerhouse—how likely do you think that is?”
After a brief scan, Ao Xiao the Venerable snorted dismissively, clearly dissatisfied.
“This subordinate merely gathered information as ordered. Veracity falls to the Venerable’s judgment. Had you commanded a personal investigation, the results might differ. However, it’s now too late—this man was recently pursued by demons and has since vanished.”
The masked woman spoke with utmost seriousness.
“Vanished? Are you certain? If true, then this human brat got off lightly. Han Li, was it? A mere lower-realm ascendant daring to disrupt Linglong’s mental state, hindering her advancement—death a thousand times over would be too lenient!”
Ao Xiao the Venerable’s eyes gleamed with menace as he spoke slowly.
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