Liu Xing spoke in a very calm voice, as if he were talking about someone completely unrelated to himself. However, from the slight trembling of his hands and the deep sorrow in his eyes, everyone could easily understand how deeply the events of those days had wounded him.
“After returning from Yumu Cliff, I fell seriously ill,” Liu Xing continued. “That time, I lay bedridden for months.”
Everyone fell silent. For a cultivator of Liu Xing’s level, illness was something long conquered—immune to all diseases and free from the three worms of the body. How could he have fallen ill? It must have been that his heart and spirit had suffered too greatly, perhaps even to the point of losing the will to live, allowing cold and negative energies to invade his body and cause a serious illness.
“Luckily, Mei’er stayed by my bedside every day. Seeing her bright smile gradually brought life back into my heart. From then on, I shut myself away and lived quietly in this courtyard. Later, the elders aged and passed away, others left, and besides a few old family retainers and their descendants, the household gradually became much quieter. If it weren’t for a chance encounter when I decided to go out again, meeting an old neighbor at a tea stall and running into you, Mei Qing, none of these old secrets would have surfaced.”
Mei Qing remained silent for a moment before slowly asking, “Then what about Master Bai? From your words, you never mentioned him. Could it be that you met him only later?”
Liu Xing was startled and about to speak when suddenly a voice interrupted, “Master Liu is merely trying to cover for me. Actually, what Old Bai did back then was indeed wrong.”
Everyone lifted their heads and saw Master Bai slowly walking in from outside the hall. Looking at Liu Xing, he said, “Old Liu, why hide me away like this? Although Old Bai might have acted improperly back then, I have no guilt in my heart. Hiding and evading—does that make me seem like a coward? Besides, everyone here cultivates the Dao. How long do you think you could have hidden my identity anyway?”
Liu Xing was momentarily stunned, then replied, “Master Bai is right; I was being too deliberate.” Turning to Mei Qing, he continued, “Actually, I didn’t intentionally hide anything. Old Bai had little involvement in the matter. As for how we met, we’ve known each other for a long time—long before I met my master. Back then, we weren’t very close. Later, when my master arrived, he discovered Old Bai and even gave him some guidance.”
Liu Xing hesitated slightly, and Bai continued, “Since you’re too embarrassed to say it, I’ll finish for you. I wasn’t originally human. Later, I received the guidance of Master Mei Hua, so I played a role in the events of the Five Blossoms. But at the time, the Five Blossoms herself openly agreed to marry your father, which is why I agreed to go along with it.”
Mei Qing merely smiled slightly upon hearing this. Bai laughed and said, “I knew we couldn’t hide anything from you. Looks like you’ve already figured it out, huh? Sigh… you’re just like your mother back then—keeping everything inside, never showing what you’re thinking. I never knew whether it was because you truly didn’t care or because you already knew everything.”
With a sigh, he continued, “Back then, your mother and I were like siblings—nothing improper like this guy here. But listening to you two talk about those days, I’ve learned a lot myself. However, I can be certain that the Daoist Maoyang isn’t one of the first, second, or fourth elders. I would definitely recognize any of those three.”
Liu Xing’s voice was calm, as if he were speaking of someone entirely unrelated to himself. Yet, from his slightly trembling hands and deeply sorrowful eyes, it was not difficult for everyone to understand the magnitude of the impact that past incident had on him.
“After returning from Yumu Cliff, I fell seriously ill,” Liu Xing continued. “That time, I was bedridden for several months.”
Everyone fell silent. Cultivators like Liu Xing, with his level of cultivation, were supposed to be immune to all illnesses and free from the influence of the three worms. How could he have fallen ill? It must have been that Liu Xing’s spirit was severely damaged, to the point where he had lost the will to live, allowing the cold and dark to invade him, resulting in a serious illness.
“Thanks to Mei’er, who stayed by my bedside every day. Seeing her bright smile gradually brought life back to my heart. From then on, I secluded myself, living quietly in this courtyard. Later, as my family aged and some passed away, the mansion became much quieter, with only a few old servants and their descendants remaining. If it hadn’t been for that day when I happened to feel a stir of emotion, met an old neighbor at a tea stall, and then encountered you, Mei Qing, these past secrets would never have been brought to light.”
Mei Qing remained silent for a moment before slowly asking, “What about Lord Bai? From your words, you haven’t mentioned him at all. Did you meet him later?”
Liu Xing was taken aback and was about to speak when a voice suddenly interjected, “Master Liu was just covering for me. In truth, what Old Bai did back then was indeed wrong.”
Everyone looked up to see Lord Bai slowly walking in from outside the hall, his eyes fixed on Liu Xing. “Old Liu, why did you deliberately leave me out? Although Old Bai made some mistakes back then, in my heart, I feel no guilt. Hiding and covering up—does that mean Old Bai is guilty? Besides, everyone here is a cultivator. How long could you keep my identity hidden?”
Liu Xing was stunned for a moment, then said, “Lord Bai is right. It was indeed my intention.” He then turned to Mei Qing and said, “Actually, it wasn’t that I deliberately concealed it. Old Bai was only slightly involved in the matter. I’ve known Old Bai for a long time, even before I met my master. But back then, we weren’t close. It was only after my master arrived that he discovered Old Bai and bestowed some enlightenment upon him.”
After speaking, Liu Xing seemed hesitant. Lord Bai took over, “If you’re too embarrassed to say it, Old Bai will speak for you. Old Bai was not originally human. Later, I received the grace of enlightenment from Master Plum Blossom, which is why I played a role in the Wuduo incident. But at that time, it was Wuduo herself who agreed to marry your father, and Old Bai only consented after that.”
Mei Qing listened and merely smiled slightly. Lord Bai laughed, “I said it couldn’t be hidden. It seems the boy had already guessed, right? Ah, you’re just like your mother back then. No matter what, it seems everything is stored in your heart. I don’t know if you truly don’t care or if you already knew.”
After a sigh, he continued, “Back then, your mother and I were like siblings, unlike this guy who had all sorts of inappropriate thoughts. But listening to you all talk about the past these past few days, I’ve come to understand many things. However, that Maoyang Master is definitely not one of the eldest, second, or fourth brothers. If it were any of them, I would surely recognize them.”
Mei Qing and Lu Bing exchanged glances, both somewhat surprised. According to the earlier analysis, since this was a trap set by the Plum Blossom Sect, the actors must have been among them. But now, with Lord Bai’s confident assertion, it raised doubts about who Maoyang Master really was.
“Who does Lord Bai think he is?” Mei Qing asked with some surprise. “When Master Plum Blossom arranged this, didn’t he mention it?”
“Why would I think so much?” Lord Bai spread his hands. “I just listened to what Master Plum Blossom said, saw that Wuduo agreed, and then waited for someone to come and drive me away. The name Maoyang Master was something Old Liu found out later. But at the time, it was supposed to be a fake fight. Yet, I felt that guy’s strikes were really vicious. If I hadn’t run fast, he might have shattered me.”
“Are you saying that person had a murderous intent towards you?” Mei Qing quickly asked.
“Not entirely. It seemed more like he was venting his anger or dissatisfaction on me,” Lord Bai pondered. “But Maoyang Master’s cultivation must be extremely high, probably not far from Master Plum Blossom’s level.” This information from Lord Bai truly surprised Mei Qing.
Regarding Lord Bai’s identity, Mei Qing’s guess was not far off. Lord Bai was originally a snake spirit who had cultivated in the mountains. Having lived there for a long time, he had never harmed anyone. Later, when Master Plum Blossom arrived, he happened to see him and taught him some methods, helping him successfully transform. Grateful, Lord Bai, who was also friendly with Wuduo and Liu Xing, stayed at the Liu residence.
Although Lord Bai had once played the villain in that incident to deceive Lu Bing and others, he had no malicious intent, which is why he said there was nothing he couldn’t speak of. Now, seeing him speak so openly in front of Lu Bing, it was clear he was telling the truth.
But his claim that Maoyang Master’s cultivation was extremely high made Mei Qing and the others take it seriously. After all, as a transformed snake spirit, although his cultivation wasn’t the highest, spiritual beings are naturally sensitive, especially to powerful auras. If he said Maoyang Master’s cultivation was extremely high, then Maoyang Master must indeed have extraordinary abilities. At least back then, he must have been superior to Shao Yuanjie and Tao Zhongwen.
But in their understanding, when did such a master appear in the Plum Blossom Sect? Mei Qing’s heart stirred, and he turned to ask, “Could that person be Anu?”
Lord Bai hesitated, then shook his head. “It’s hard to say. At that time, both Master Plum Blossom and Anu were in seclusion. It’s hard to say if they never left. But Old Bai feels that Anu is very unlikable, with a deathly, cold aura, like a thousand-year-old corpse. Although Maoyang Master also had a heavy yin aura, his energy was quite lively, and his speech was very different from Anu’s mute-like demeanor.”
Mei Qing listened without comment, but he felt a faint worry. Regardless, having such a master outside their calculations was not a good thing.
Lu Bing then asked Liu Xing, “Earlier, you mentioned that when Shao Yuanjie and Tao Zhongwen were chasing back to the mountain gate, they heard that Anu had returned and said that thing had been taken by him. Do you have any idea what that thing was?”
Liu Xing shook his head. “I don’t know. In fact, my master never kept many possessions. Even we brothers never saw him use any magical tools. However—” He hesitated before continuing, “Once, I heard the fourth brother mention that our master actually had a magical artifact, but he seemed to be probing me. When he saw I didn’t know, he stopped talking. Back then, my mind wasn’t on such matters, so I didn’t think much about it.”
Mei Qing smiled bitterly. “I think I know what it is.”
Liu Xing was startled and quickly asked, “How do you know? What is it?”
“If I’m not mistaken, it’s a cauldron,” Mei Qing sighed. “If Master Plum Blossom was indeed killed by his disciples for coveting this item, it’s truly— Although the cauldron is considered a magical tool, for them, it was utterly useless.”
Liu Xing was both shocked and doubtful. “A cauldron? Now that you mention it, I do recall seeing a small cauldron near Anu. I didn’t pay much attention to it back then. But how do you know, and how can you be sure it’s that cauldron?”
“I can’t be certain,” Mei Qing said. “If my earlier guesses are correct, Master Plum Blossom should have had no other magical tools besides this cauldron. The reason I know about this cauldron is that it was once with me. But now—” Mei Qing shook his head with a bitter smile. “I can no longer see it.”
When Mei Qing said “with me” and “can no longer see it,” he was implying something else, but no one paid much attention. However, hearing him say this added to their concerns.
“In that case, no wonder Tao and Duan are so fixated on you,” Liu Xing said, taking a deep breath. “This time, it’s even less likely to end peacefully.”
In fact, Liu Xing was somewhat mistaken about Tao and Duan. In truth, they had never known Mei Qing’s true identity, so naturally, they wouldn’t have guessed that the cauldron was with him.
But Mei Qing’s experiences in Yongping could not escape the notice of those who were paying attention. Especially after Tao and Duan learned of Mei Qing’s identity, a thorough investigation might reveal this matter. Therefore, everyone realized that unless they were willing to hand over Mei Qing, there was no possibility of a peaceful resolution with Tao and Duan.
Mei Qing was Lu Bing’s son-in-law and Wuduo’s son, so neither Lu Bing, Liu Xing, nor Lord Bai would stand by and watch Mei Qing be taken by Tao and Duan. The only path forward now was conflict.
Liu Xing nodded, his eyes calm, and said with a smile, “In that case, it might as well come to a conclusion, saving us the trouble in the future. But why did the fourth brother only show up once and then disappear? What is my second brother planning? He hasn’t made a move yet.”
“Duan Chaoyong is narrow-minded but cowardly and sinister. Previously, when the two of you joined forces to drive him away, he must have harbored deep resentment and would never let it go. But later, when we all arrived at the mansion, he must have been watching from the sidelines, not daring to act rashly. As for Tao Zhongwen—” Lu Bing’s face showed concern. “He has been in the court for a long time, with many followers. Both in the cultivation world and the secular world, he has gathered many people. Moreover, his cunning far surpasses Duan Chaoyong’s. If he doesn’t act, that’s one thing. But once he does, it will be a thunderous strike. Compared to Duan Chaoyong, we need to be even more cautious with him.”
“So, Master Bai, who do you think it was?” Mei Qing asked in surprise. “Didn’t Master Mei Hua tell you at the time?”
“How would I think so much about it?” Bai shrugged. “I just heard what Master Mei Hua said and saw that the Five Blossoms agreed, so I waited for someone to come and chase me away. As for the name Maoyang, I only heard it later from Old Liu. Besides, they said it was just pretend fighting, but I felt that guy really meant business. If I hadn’t run fast enough, he might have shattered me completely.”
“You mean he actually wanted to kill you?” Mei Qing asked quickly.
“Not exactly. It was more like he had some resentment or dissatisfaction toward me,” Bai mused. “But I can tell you this: Maoyang’s cultivation level is extremely high—probably close to that of Master Mei Hua.” This revelation shocked everyone present.
As for Bai’s identity, Mei Qing had guessed it correctly. Bai was actually a serpent spirit who had cultivated in the mountains. He had lived there for a long time without harming anyone. Later, when Master Mei Hua passed by, he noticed Bai and transmitted some cultivation techniques, helping him successfully transform into human form. Grateful, and having become close with the Five Blossoms and Liu Xing, Bai had stayed in the Liu household ever since.
Although Bai had played a villainous role in that staged drama to deceive Lu Bing and others, it wasn’t out of malice, which was why he said he had nothing to hide. Now, seeing him speak so openly in front of Lu Bing, it was clear that his words were sincere.
However, his statement about Maoyang’s high cultivation level made Mei Qing and the others take notice. After all, Bai was a white snake spirit—though his cultivation wasn’t the highest, he was a spirit-being by nature, with a highly sensitive perception, especially to powerful auras. If he said Maoyang was strong, then Maoyang must indeed be formidable—certainly superior to figures like Shao Yuanjie and Tao Zhongwen back then.
Liu Xing’s voice was calm, as if he were speaking of someone entirely unrelated to himself. Yet, from his slightly trembling hands and deeply sorrowful eyes, it was not hard for everyone to understand how devastating the past events had been for him.
“After returning from Yumu Cliff, I fell seriously ill,” Liu Xing continued. “That time, I was bedridden for several months.”
Everyone fell silent. Cultivators like Liu Xing, with his level of cultivation, were supposed to be immune to all diseases and free from the influence of the three worms. How could he have fallen ill? It must have been that Liu Xing’s spirit was severely damaged, to the point where he had lost the will to live, allowing the cold and dark forces to invade him, causing his severe illness.
“Thanks to Mei’er, who stayed by my bedside every day. Seeing her bright smile gradually brought life back into my heart. From then on, I secluded myself, living within this courtyard. Later, as my family aged and some passed away, the mansion became much quieter, with only a few old servants and their descendants remaining. If it hadn’t been for that day when I happened to feel restless, met an old neighbor at a tea stall, and then encountered you, Mei Qing, these past secrets would never have been brought up.”
Mei Qing remained silent for a moment before slowly asking, “What about Master Bai? From your words, you haven’t mentioned him at all. Did you only meet him later?”
Liu Xing was taken aback and was about to speak when a voice suddenly interjected, “Master Liu was just covering for me. In truth, what Old Bai did back then was indeed wrong.”
Everyone looked up to see Master Bai slowly walking into the hall from outside, his eyes fixed on Liu Xing. “Old Liu, why did you deliberately leave me out? Although Old Bai made some mistakes back then, I have no regrets in my heart. Hiding and covering up—does that make Old Bai seem guilty? Besides, everyone here is a cultivator. How long could you possibly hide my identity?”
Liu Xing was stunned for a moment, then said, “Master Bai is right. It was indeed my intention to conceal.” He then turned to Mei Qing and said, “Actually, it wasn’t that I deliberately hid it. Old Bai was only slightly involved in the matter. Old Bai and I have known each other for a long time, even before I met my master. However, we weren’t close back then. It was only after my master arrived that he discovered Old Bai and bestowed some enlightenment upon him.”
After speaking, Liu Xing seemed hesitant. Master Bai took over, “Since you’re embarrassed, Old Bai will speak for you. Old Bai was not originally human. Later, I received the grace of enlightenment from Master Plum Blossom, which is why I played a role in the Five Flowers incident. But at that time, it was Five Flowers herself who agreed to marry your father, and only then did Old Bai consent.”
Mei Qing listened and merely smiled faintly. Master Bai laughed, “I said it couldn’t be hidden. It seems you had already guessed, didn’t you? Ah, you’re just like your mother back then. No matter what, it seems like everything is kept in your heart. I don’t know if you truly don’t care or if you already knew.”
After sighing, he continued, “Back then, your mother and I were like siblings, unlike this guy who had all sorts of improper thoughts. But these past few days, listening to you talk about the past, I’ve come to understand many things. However, that Maoyang Master is definitely not one of the eldest, second, or fourth brothers. If it were any of them, I would surely recognize them.”
Mei Qing and Lu Bing exchanged glances, both somewhat surprised. According to the earlier analysis, since this was a trap set by the Plum Blossom Sect, the actors must have been among them. But now, Master Bai’s statement was quite certain. Who exactly was Maoyang Master? It raised doubts.
“Who do you think Maoyang Master is?” Mei Qing asked with some surprise. “When Master Plum Blossom arranged this, didn’t he mention it?”
“Why would I think so much?” Master Bai spread his hands. “I just listened to what Master Plum Blossom said, and when Five Flowers agreed, I waited for someone to come and drive me away. The name Maoyang Master was only found out later by Old Liu. But at the time, it was supposed to be a fake fight, yet I felt that guy really went all out. If I hadn’t run fast, he would have almost shattered me.”
“Are you saying that person had a killing intent towards you?” Mei Qing quickly asked.
“Not entirely. It seemed like he was either venting his anger on me or had some dissatisfaction with me,” Master Bai pondered. “But Maoyang Master’s cultivation must be extremely high, probably not far from Master Plum Blossom’s level.”
This information from Master Bai truly surprised everyone.
As for Master Bai’s identity, Mei Qing had guessed it mostly correctly. Master Bai was originally a snake spirit who had cultivated in the mountains. However, having lived here for a long time, he had never harmed anyone. Later, when Master Plum Blossom arrived, he happened to see him and taught him some techniques, helping him successfully transform. Master Bai, feeling grateful and getting along well with Five Flowers and Liu Xing, had stayed at the Liu residence ever since.
Although Master Bai had once played the villain in that incident to deceive Lu Bing and others, he had no ill intentions, which is why he said there was nothing he couldn’t speak of. Now, seeing him speak so frankly in front of Lu Bing, it was clear he was telling the truth.
But his statement about Maoyang Master’s high cultivation level made Mei Qing and the others take it seriously. After all, as a transformed white snake, although his cultivation wasn’t extremely high, spiritual beings are naturally sensitive, especially to powerful auras. If he said Maoyang Master’s cultivation was extremely high, then Maoyang Master must indeed have extraordinary abilities. At least back then, he must have been superior to Shao Yuanjie, Tao Zhongwen, and others.
But in their understanding, when did such a master appear in the Plum Blossom Sect? Mei Qing’s heart stirred, and he turned to ask, “Could that person be Anu?”
Master Bai hesitated, then shook his head, “It’s hard to say. At that time, both Master Plum Blossom and Anu were in seclusion, so it’s unclear if they ever left. But Old Bai feels that Anu is very unlikable, with a deathly aura, cold and gloomy, like a thousand-year-old corpse. Although Maoyang Master also had a heavy yin aura, his energy was quite lively, and his speech was very different from Anu’s mute-like demeanor.”
Mei Qing listened without comment, but he felt a vague sense of worry. In any case, the other side having such a master, who was beyond their calculations, was not a good thing.
Lu Bing then asked Liu Xing, “Earlier, you mentioned that when Shao Yuanjie and Tao Zhongwen were chasing back to the mountain gate, they heard that Anu had returned and said that thing had been taken by him. What exactly were they referring to? Do you have any thoughts?”
Liu Xing shook his head, “I don’t know. In fact, my master never kept many possessions. Even among us brothers, we never saw him use any magical tools. However—”
He hesitated, then said, “I once heard the fourth brother mention that my master actually had a magical treasure, but he seemed to be probing me. When he saw I didn’t know, he stopped talking. Back then, my mind wasn’t on such matters, so I didn’t think much about it.”
Mei Qing smiled bitterly, “I think I know what it is.”
Liu Xing was startled and quickly asked, “How do you know? What is it?”
“If I’m not mistaken, it’s a cauldron,” Mei Qing sighed. “If Master Plum Blossom was indeed killed by his disciple for coveting this item, it’s truly— Although the cauldron is said to be a magical tool, for them, it’s a completely useless one.”
Liu Xing was both shocked and doubtful, “A cauldron? Now that you mention it, I do recall seeing a small cauldron near Anu, but I never paid much attention to it back then. But how do you know, and how can you be sure it’s that cauldron?”
“I can’t be certain,” Mei Qing said. “If my earlier guesses are correct, Master Plum Blossom should have had no other magical tools besides this cauldron. The reason I know about this cauldron is that it was once with me. But now—”
Mei Qing shook his head with a bitter smile, “I can no longer see it.”
When Mei Qing said “was once with me” and “can no longer see it,” he was implying something else, but no one paid much attention. However, hearing him say this, they felt even more worried.
“In that case, no wonder Tao and Duan are so obsessed with you,” Liu Xing took a deep breath. “This time, it’s even more impossible to let it go.”
In fact, Liu Xing was somewhat mistaken about Tao and Duan. In truth, they had never known Mei Qing’s true identity, so naturally, they wouldn’t have guessed that the cauldron was with him.
But Mei Qing’s experiences in Yongping could not be completely hidden, especially from those who were determined to find out. Once Tao and Duan learned of Mei Qing’s identity and investigated further, it was not impossible for them to uncover this matter. Therefore, everyone realized that unless they were willing to hand Mei Qing over, there was no possibility of a peaceful resolution with Tao and Duan this time.
Mei Qing was Lu Bing’s son-in-law and Five Flowers’ son, so neither Lu Bing, Liu Xing, nor Master Bai would stand by and watch Mei Qing be captured by Tao and Duan. The only path forward was to prepare for battle.
Liu Xing nodded, his eyes calm, and he smiled, “In that case, it’s better to have a resolution now, saving us from future troubles. But why did the fourth brother only show up once and then disappear? What exactly is my second brother planning? He hasn’t made a move yet.”
“Duan Chaoyong is narrow-minded but cowardly and sinister. Previously, when the two of you forced him to leave, he must have harbored deep resentment and would never let it go. However, after we all arrived at the residence, he must have been watching from the sidelines, not daring to act rashly. As for Tao Zhongwen—”
Lu Bing’s face showed concern, “He has been in the court for a long time and has many followers. Whether in the cultivation world or the secular world, he has gathered many people. Moreover, his scheming is far deeper than Duan Chaoyong’s. If he doesn’t act, that’s one thing, but once he does, it will be a thunderous strike. Compared to Duan Chaoyong, we need to be even more cautious with him.”
Bai hesitated, then shook his head. “It’s hard to say. Both Master Mei Hua and Anu were in retreat at that time, so it’s unclear whether they ever left. But personally, I don’t like Anu—he’s filled with a deathly chill, like a thousand-year-old corpse. Maoyang, although also filled with yin energy, has a very lively aura, and his speech is nothing like Anu’s silent, mute-like manner.”
Mei Qing didn’t comment, but a sense of unease stirred in his heart. No matter what, the fact that the enemy had such a powerful figure outside their calculations was definitely not a good sign.
Lu Bing then asked Liu Xing, “Earlier, you mentioned that when Shao Yuanjie and Tao Zhongwen returned to the sect, they heard that Anu had come back and said something about him taking something away. What exactly was that object? Do you have any idea?”
Liu Xing shook his head. “I don’t know either. In fact, Master never had any special treasures. Even among us brothers, we never saw him use any magical artifacts. Although—”
He hesitated slightly before continuing, “Once, I overheard the Fourth Elder mention that Master actually had a magical treasure, but he was only testing my reaction. When he saw that I didn’t know anything, he dropped the subject. At the time, I wasn’t focused on such matters, so I didn’t think much about it.”
Mei Qing smiled bitterly and said, “I think I know what it was.”
Liu Xing was startled and quickly asked, “How do you know? What could it possibly be?”
“If I’m not mistaken, it’s a cauldron,” Mei Qing sighed. “If Master Mei Hua was indeed killed because his disciples coveted this object, then it’s truly tragic. Although this cauldron is a magical artifact, for them, it was completely useless.”
Liu Xing looked uncertain. “A cauldron? Now that you mention it, I do recall seeing a small cauldron near Anu once. I didn’t pay much attention at the time. But how could you know about it and be so sure it’s this cauldron?”
“I can’t be certain either,” Mei Qing replied. “But if my previous guesses are correct, then besides this cauldron, Master Mei Hua should have had no other magical artifacts. The reason I know about this cauldron is because it was once with me. Although now—”
Mei Qing shook his head with a bitter smile. “I can’t see it anymore.”
When Mei Qing said “once with me” and “can’t see it anymore,” he meant something else entirely, but no one noticed. However, hearing Mei Qing speak this way, everyone felt even more worried.
“If that’s the case, no wonder Tao and Duan are so obsessed with you,” Liu Xing gasped. “This time, they won’t stop until they get what they want.”
Actually, Liu Xing was being a bit unfair to Tao and Duan. In fact, they had never known Mei Qing’s true identity and certainly wouldn’t have guessed that the cauldron was with him.
However, Mei Qing’s experiences in Yongping might have been discovered by those who paid attention. Especially after Tao and Duan learned of Mei Qing’s identity, they might eventually uncover the truth through further investigation. Therefore, everyone realized that this time, unless they were willing to hand Mei Qing over, there would be no peaceful resolution with Tao and Duan.
Mei Qing was Lu Bing’s son-in-law and the son of the Five Blossoms, so neither Lu Bing, Liu Xing, nor Master Bai would allow Tao and Duan to take him away. From now on, there was no other path but to face them in battle.
Liu Xing nodded, his eyes calm and peaceful as he smiled. “If that’s the case, then it’s better to settle things once and for all, rather than leaving it to trouble us later. But why did the Fourth Elder only appear briefly and then disappear? As for my Second Senior Brother, what exactly is he planning? He hasn’t shown himself yet.”
“Duanchao is narrow-minded, cowardly, and scheming,” Lu Bing said with concern. “Previously driven away by you two, he must be filled with hatred and won’t let it go so easily. But later, when we all came to the estate, he must have been watching from the shadows, too afraid to act rashly. As for Tao Zhongwen—”
Lu Bing’s face darkened with worry. “This man has long been entrenched in the imperial court, with many allies. He has influence both in the cultivation world and the mundane world. Moreover, his schemes run deeper than Duanchao’s. If he doesn’t act, he won’t act at all—but once he does, it will be a thunderous strike. Compared to Duanchao, we must be even more cautious with him.”
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