Chapter 13:

Because of the suspected presence of a demonic spy, the city of Yongxue was immersed in an extremely strange and oppressive atmosphere.

Everyone believed the spy must be among the five elders of the Immortal Alliance and the five sect leaders, excluding Xie Xuechen himself, leaving only nine suspects. Each person had their own suspicions, but all were venerable figures of high status and no one voiced their suspicions openly.

Fu Yuanting, the master of Bi Xiao Palace, and He Xianwo, the master of Ling Ju Island, were having a casual chat after dinner, seemingly offhandedly bringing up the fight at the Justice Hall: “At the time, it seemed as though the master of Jinghua Valley struck first, instigating the conflict. Could it be that she was deliberately testing the Sect Leader’s injuries?”

He Xianwo, holding his ever-present wine gourd, glanced at Fu Yuanting and replied with a half-smile: “Why do you think that, Master Fu? The reason Su Ningzhen acted could be because of my provocation. Why don’t you suspect me?”

Fu Yuanting smiled awkwardly and said, “Master He has always kept to himself, and Ling Ju Island is far overseas, with little entanglement with the demonic race. It’s unlikely you’d be the spy.”

“Hahahahaha…” He Xianwo burst into loud laughter, “Su Ningzhen probably doesn’t see it that way. She suspects Lingju Island of colluding with the demon race, which makes it questionable. On the other hand, Jinghua Valley harbors deep hatred toward demons and the demon race, making any collaboration highly unlikely. That’s why Master Fu doubts her, and I must admit, I’m quite surprised by this.”

“They say Master He and Master Su are like fire and water. It seems the rumors are false,” a slightly sharp female voice came from outside. Fu Yuanting immediately stood up with a forced smile, saying gently, “My dear, why have you come?”

The newcomer was a stunning female cultivator, dressed in a luxurious gown, adorned with jewels. Her expression was difficult to hide her arrogance. Although she was beautiful, her presence was intimidating, and Fu Yuanting clearly showed her great respect.

He Xianwo naturally knew of Duan Xiaorong’s reputation for being domineering, and found her words irritating. However, while Fu Yuanting feared her, He Xianwo did not. He lazily raised his head, took a sip of wine without even lifting his eyelids, and said with a faint smile, “I’m just commenting on the matter itself, not the person. Given Su Ningzhen’s character and intelligence, she wouldn’t stoop to colluding with the demonic race.”

Duan Xiaorong was especially disgusted by He Xianwo’s look of disdain. Her beautiful eyes carried a hint of coldness as she looked down at He Xianwo and said coolly, “Master He, with your intelligence, you must have a suspect in mind.”

He Xianwo remained unfazed and said, “I wouldn’t dare claim to be intelligent. I’m merely a wandering cultivator from overseas, fortunate to have joined the Immortal Alliance. I don’t know its members well, unlike Master Fu and Elder Duan, who are far more insightful. This important matter should be left to you.”

He Xianwo, slightly drunk, staggered to his feet, casually bowed to the two, and swayed out.

Duan Xiaorong glared darkly at He Xianwo’s retreating figure. After his presence faded, she said to Fu Yuanting, “That man is truly detestable.”

Throughout the entire Immortal Alliance, only Xie Xuechen and the Law Mirror Sovereign could earn his respect. To him, everyone else was like grass, not worth mentioning.

“I tested him just now, and I didn’t expect him to trust Su Ningzhen so much,” Fu Yuanting said, somewhat surprised.

“If he had gone along and pointed the finger at Su Ningzhen, the likelihood of him being the spy would have been higher.” Among everyone, Duan Xiaorong most suspected He Xianwo. But she couldn’t directly ask He Xianwo if he was the spy, so she tried to provoke him by suggesting a conspiracy against others. Unexpectedly, He Xianwo didn’t take the bait at all.

Had He Xianwo seen through her, or was he truly not the spy?

Mu Xuanling watched Fu Yuanting and Duan Xiaorong pass by from a distance and turned to Nan Xuyue, saying, “It’s unbelievable. The master of Bi Xiao Palace, a man of such stature, is actually afraid of his wife like a tiger. I heard he only has one son.”

In the cultivation world, this wasn’t exactly rare—it was practically unheard of. Cultivators in the Nascent Soul stage had long lifespans, so having a dozen children over centuries was normal. For example, Xie Xuechen was the eighteenth in his family. Nan Xuyue had heard that he also had many brothers.

Nan Xuyue gently waved his folding fan and smiled, “Fu Yuanting has only one son, but Duan Xiaorong has three. Fu Yuanting is Duan Xiaorong’s second Dao companion.”

“Duan Xiaorong is over a hundred years older than Fu Yuanting. She had a Dao companion and two children when she was at the Core Formation stage, but their talents were poor. Later, her Dao companion was killed by the demonic race, and after she reached the Nascent Soul stage, she succeeded as the master of Bi Xiao Palace. At that time, Fu Yuanting was one of the disciples of Bi Xiao Palace,” Nan Xuyue explained.

Such gossip was naturally not something Sang Qi would elaborate on to Mu Xuanling, so she was hearing the details from Nan Xuyue for the first time, listening with great interest.

“So does that mean Fu Yuanting still has to call Duan Xiaorong ‘Master’?”

Nan Xuyue shook his head and said, “Fu Yuanting has a different master, but Duan Xiaorong did guide Fu Yuanting in cultivation. Fu Yuanting is handsome and charming, with exceptional talent. With Duan Xiaorong’s help, he advanced to the Nascent Soul stage. A few years later, the two became Dao companions, and Duan Xiaorong passed the position of Bi Xiao Palace master to him. Although both are at the Nascent Soul stage, Duan Xiaorong’s cultivation is much stronger than Fu Yuanting’s, and she is one of the five elders of the Immortal Alliance.”

Mu Xuanling suddenly understood and said, “No wonder Fu Yuanting is so respectful to Duan Xiaorong. I wonder how talented their son is?”

Generally, if both parents are at the Nascent Soul stage, their child’s talent is at least above average. When Mu Xuanling asked, Nan Xuyue’s expression became somewhat strange, as if he wanted to laugh but couldn’t.

“He… well, it’s hard to comment,” Nan Xuyue chuckled with a sigh. “But he does have a title as the best in the world.”

Mu Xuanling curiously asked, “The best in the world at what?”

Before Nan Xuyue could answer, a voice full of joy rang out from afar: “Nan Xuyue!”

Following the sound, Mu Xuanling saw a figure adorned with dazzling treasures flying toward them. In the blink of an eye, the figure arrived. Mu Xuanling was momentarily stunned, dazzled by the strong aura of artifacts emanating from the figure, making it hard to see their face clearly. She could only catch a whiff of a unique fragrance.

“Nan Xuyue, I just heard you were in Yongxue City today. Why didn’t you come find me? Don’t tell me you’re afraid I’ll steal your spotlight? But this Yongxue City is really boring, all white everywhere, poor place, not a single beauty in sight, and the most beautiful one is missing… Hey, the beauty beside you is new.”

The person rambled on and only noticed Mu Xuanling sitting next to Nan Xuyue, his gaze instantly fixed on her.

“Xuanling, this is the son of the master of Bi Xiao Palace, Fu Lansheng,” Nan Xuyue introduced the two. “This is my distant cousin, Xuanling.”

Mu Xuanling finally got a clear look at Fu Lansheng’s appearance. He didn’t look like a cultivator at all. He appeared to be in his early twenties, with a handsome face, red lips, white teeth, bright eyes, and a gaze full of tenderness, exuding the aura of a charming young gentleman. But what attracted attention most wasn’t his face—it was his attire. From head to toe, every piece of clothing was a top-grade magical artifact, crafted from rare treasures and filled with spiritual energy, emitting a faint glow that enveloped him. Anyone seeing him on the street would probably want to rob him, though they’d only dare to think about it—those who could dress like that either had great personal power or formidable backing.

The reason Mu Xuanling found it hard to believe he was a cultivator was because cultivators usually had a certain detached aura, especially Xie Xuechen, who was as cold and refined as a deity. But this young man was charming and adorned with treasures, more like a spoiled nobleman who had never known hardship.

As Mu Xuanling was examining Fu Lansheng, Fu Lansheng was also looking at her. He blurted out, “I thought there was a high-level cultivator here just now.”

That sentence immediately lost him points with Mu Xuanling.

“But you’re seven times more beautiful than any high-level cultivator!”

That sentence quickly regained his standing.

“Is this young master Fu also a cultivator?” Mu Xuanling asked with a smile.

Fu Lansheng quickly answered, “Of course! I’ve already reached the Core Formation stage. If you ever run into trouble, Miss Ling’er, feel free to come to me for help. Nan Xuyue and I are sworn brothers, so his cousin is my cousin too.”

Mu Xuanling glanced at Nan Xuyue, who covered his face with his fan and gave a bitter smile.

Fu Lansheng wasn’t satisfied with just talking—he reached into his spatial pouch and pulled out a handful of top-grade magical artifacts, casually offering them to Mu Xuanling: “It’s our first meeting, so I didn’t prepare any gifts. These are some magical artifacts I collected the other day, all suitable for women. See if you like them.”

Mu Xuanling stared in astonishment at the dazzling artifacts before her, somewhat confused by the young master’s behavior. Top-grade magical artifacts were treasures that cultivators would fight over, yet he casually pulled out a bunch to give away?

Nan Xuyue chuckled and said, “Bi Xiao Palace is the richest in the world. Young Master Fu here is the wealthiest person under heaven. These are nothing to him. Since he wants to give them to you, you might as well accept.”

Mu Xuanling was still hesitating when her spatial pouch stirred. A fluffy head peeked out, and in a flash, a figure darted out and landed in Fu Lansheng’s palm. It sniffed at the artifacts and, with round black eyes blinking twice, its eyes welled up with tears. Looking up at the stunned Fu Lansheng, it cried out, “Dad!”

Mu Xuanling quickly grabbed A Bao and stuffed it into her sleeve, laughing awkwardly, “This is my spirit beast.”

Fu Lansheng looked at Mu Xuanling’s bulging sleeve, deep in thought. “What kind of spirit beast calls its father ‘Dad’?”

Mu Xuanling didn’t dare to grip too tightly, fearing she might hurt A Bao, but before she knew it, A Bao had slipped out again. It moved nimbly, finally landing on Fu Lansheng’s shoulder. With teary eyes, it looked at Fu Lansheng and asked in a soft, childlike voice, “Are you my dad?”

This time, there was no hiding it anymore…

Mu Xuanling forced a smile and said, “Its dad is lost…”

Fu Lansheng and A Bao stared nose to nose for a while before Fu Lansheng said, “I think… it should be pretty obvious that I’m a human, right?”

Though he was flirtatious, even if he had a child, it should at least be human.

A Bao earnestly said, “My mom said my dad is the richest cultivator in the world.”

Suddenly, Mu Xuanling remembered what Nan Xuyue had left unsaid earlier. Fu Lansheng’s “world’s richest” title was indeed true…

Fu Lansheng also said earnestly, “My money was given to me by my dad and mom. So, the richest cultivator in the world should be my dad.”

A Bao nodded in understanding, then tilted his head and earnestly called out, “Brother?”

Mu Xuanling’s face darkened as she grabbed A Bao again.

So embarrassing…

This child was going crazy!

“Hahahaha!” Fu Lansheng burst into laughter, delighted and rocking back and forth. “Lots of people call me brother, but your voice is the sweetest. Come on, brother will give you some gifts!”

Saying that, he pulled out several more magical treasures.

Mu Xuanling smiled awkwardly, trying to stuff A Bao back into her spatial pouch.

“Please forgive my little spirit beast’s childishness. He’s still young and doesn’t know any better. Please don’t take offense, Young Master.”

“No offense at all. This little creature is really interesting. What’s its dad’s name? I’ll help you look for him when I return to the palace,” Fu Lansheng said with a smile.

“He’s called A Bao. He said his dad’s name is Fu Cangli,” Mu Xuanling replied.

Fu Lansheng thought for a moment and rubbed his chin: “Fu Cangli… That name does sound a bit like someone from our Fu family, but it might also be an alias. Anyway, I’ll keep an eye out for you.”

Nan Xuyue used the excuse of catching up with Fu Lansheng to lead him away, and only then did Mu Xuanling tap her spatial pouch and scold A Bao: “Don’t run out like that again. There are too many powerful people here. If you’re discovered, it’ll be bad. And that Gao Qiumin who captured you before is also here. If she sees you, my identity will be exposed.”

A Bao listened to the scolding from inside the spatial pouch, nodded in shame, and clasped his paws in front of his chest, showing a repentant attitude: “A Bao knows he was wrong.”

The moment Gao Qiumin saw Mu Xuanling, a strong sense of unease surged in her heart. But she quickly comforted herself, thinking that this was just an ordinary person. To cultivators, mortals lived no more than eighty years, like ants. No matter how beautiful she was, her beauty would fade with time, turning into a handful of yellow earth, which couldn’t be compared to her own.

But she couldn’t comfort herself.

Gao Qiumin coldly looked at Mu Xuanling’s figure in the pavilion. Even from several zhang away, she could clearly see the other’s flawless and exquisite appearance. Those peach-blossom eyes seemed to have stars crushed into shimmering waves, full of affection. Her lips were naturally red, full and alluring, evoking imagination. Though her appearance was almost seductive and enchanting, she pretended to be innocent and pitiful, deceiving men but not her.

Gao Qiumin recalled the veiled sarcasm from Mu Xuanling the night before at the Xuehua Pavilion, and her anger only grew hotter.

Gao Qiumin slowly approached the pavilion. Hearing footsteps, Mu Xuanling turned her head and smiled brightly: “Sister Gao, what a coincidence to meet you here.”

Gao Qiumin was as cold as ice, her gaze sweeping around before finally settling on Mu Xuanling.

“Just now, I sensed a demonic aura flash by, so I came to check,” Gao Qiumin stared tightly at Mu Xuanling. “You’ve been here all along. Did you notice anything unusual?”

Mu Xuanling tilted her head, showing a puzzled expression: “What demonic aura? I can’t feel anything.”

“You’re just an ordinary person, so naturally you can’t sense it,” Gao Qiumin’s eyes revealed a hint of arrogance.

“But the other Sovereigns didn’t sense anything either, did they? If they had, wouldn’t they have come over to check it out?” Murmured Mur Xuanling in confusion.

Gao Qiumin hesitated briefly before replying, “That trace of demonic aura was extremely faint and fleeting. The Sovereigns had other important matters to attend to and likely wouldn’t have noticed such a minor detail.”

“It seems, Sister Gao, that you’re more observant than the Sovereigns,” Mur Xuanling remarked with a half-smile. She cast Gao Qiumin a fleeting glance before rising from the stone bench. “But I’m just an ordinary person with no cultivation, so I really didn’t see anything unusual. Why don’t you come over and take a closer look yourself, Sister Gao?”

As Mur Xuanling spoke, she attempted to pass Gao Qiumin, but Gao suddenly reached out and grabbed her arm.

“Wait, you can’t leave,” Gao Qiumin turned her face sideways, scrutinizing Mur Xuanling. “If you didn’t notice any anomaly, perhaps the anomaly is within you?”

Mur Xuanling slightly furrowed her brow and softly, with a hint of grievance, said, “Sister Gao, you’re hurting me.”

Gao Qiumin didn’t loosen her grip. The more Mur Xuanling feigned innocence, the more suspicious Gao found her. At such close proximity, she indeed couldn’t sense any demonic or evil aura from her, yet she was unwilling to let her go easily.

“Let me check your interdimensional pouch,” Gao Qiumin insisted. “I’m doing this for your safety. If some demonic creature were hiding inside you, it could be perilous.”

Mur Xuanling lowered her gaze, remaining silent for a long time before lifting her tear-filled eyes, looking on the verge of crying. “Sister Gao, I know you dislike me.”

“What?” Gao Qiumin was taken aback.

“I know you have feelings for Sect Leader Xie and wish to grow closer to him. Yesterday, I interfered, and I’m truly sorry,” Mur Xuanling sighed softly.

Gao Qiumin kept a stern expression, coldly asking, “What exactly are you trying to say?”

Mur Xuanling went on, “You just don’t like me, so you’re making excuses to humiliate me. A girl’s interspatial pouch holds all kinds of personal belongings. How could I possibly let you inspect it casually?”

“What nonsense are you spouting!” Gao Qiumin indeed harbored some ill intentions toward Mur Xuanling, but she hadn’t expected Mur to expose this directly, making her even more furious. “You’re acting so evasive—could it be that there’s truly something suspicious inside your pouch?”

Mur Xuanling countered, “With so many Sovereigns in Yongxue City, why is it only you who claims to sense demonic energy here? Right from the start, you wanted to search me—aren’t you just taking this opportunity to settle a personal vendetta?”

Gao Qiumin angrily retorted, “What vendetta could I possibly have with you?”

Mur Xuanling’s eyes flickered slightly as she said, “You’re jealous that Sect Leader Xie favors me.”

“You!”

Mur Xuanling smiled faintly. “But there’s nothing I can do about it. Sect Leader Xie doesn’t love you. Even if you kill me, you won’t win his heart.”

Gao Qiumin was so furious that she lost control and pushed Mur Xuanling away. “You’re talking nonsense!”

Mur Xuanling staggered from the shove, stepping backward. Her foot missed a step on the staircase, and she tumbled outside the pavilion, landing hard on the floor with a pained cry.

“Ahh!” Mur Xuanling tearfully lifted her head, gazing at Gao Qiumin with deep resentment. “Sister Gao, why are you treating me like this?”

“I…” Gao Qiumin’s eyes widened. She hadn’t pushed very hard, yet she couldn’t understand how Mur had flown so far and fallen so heavily.

Suddenly, a tall figure appeared beside Mur Xuanling. The imposing presence radiated an overwhelming pressure, making people instinctively feel fear and dare not look directly.

“Sect Leader Xie…” Gao Qiumin murmured, but the newcomer didn’t spare her a glance. His gaze was fixed on Mur Xuanling. He knelt beside her, gently lifting and readjusting her slipped hood to shield her from the harsh noon sunlight.

Gao Qiumin was deeply shaken, unable to believe her eyes. It felt as if an ice pick had pierced her heart, causing pain and a chill.

She had always known he was a cold person and had never imagined he could be so considerate toward anyone.

With tears in her eyes, Mur Xuanling appeared delicate and pitiable, her voice trembling as she said, “Sect Leader Xie, please don’t blame Sister Gao. She didn’t mean to. She simply forgot I’m not a cultivator and that my body is frail, so she pushed a bit too hard.”

Xie Xuechen lowered his head, examining Mur Xuanling with some confusion.

Gao Qiumin hastily defended herself, “No, I didn’t push her hard at all!”

Mur Xuanling bit her lower lip, her eyes red-rimmed, saying, “It’s all my fault…”

Xie Xuechen slowly stood up. He couldn’t quite figure out what Mur Xuanling was playing at.

Mur Xuanling suddenly grabbed his sleeve, gazing at Xie Xuechen with a pitiful expression. “I twisted my ankle.”

This time, Xie Xuechen understood her meaning. She silently mouthed the words: Carry me!

Xie Xuechen silently observed her for a moment before bending down again. His left arm slid beneath Mur Xuanling’s knees, and he effortlessly lifted her into his arms.

Mur Xuanling wrapped her arms around Xie Xuechen’s shoulders, flashing a triumphant smile toward Gao Qiumin before burying her face into Xie Xuechen’s chest.

“The sun was a bit strong today. My face feels a little sore from the exposure…”

Xie Xuechen carried Mur Xuanling through the garden corridors as if no one else existed, returning her to her quarters before gently setting her down.

“What was that all about?” Xie Xuechen asked, watching Mur Xuanling, who now looked carefree and was hopping about.

“Just now, A Bao ran out and nearly got discovered by Gao Qiumin. She insisted on inspecting my interspatial pouch, so I had no choice but to resort to this tactic to divert her attention,” Mur Xuanling explained with a helpless expression. “I sacrificed myself to protect A Bao. Oh, and to protect you too. Think about it—if she had discovered A Bao’s existence, she would quickly connect it to the person we encountered that day, which would remind her of how you, at your weakest, were beneath me, powerless while I took liberties with you… How would that look for the great Sect Leader Xie? Your reputation would be ruined!”

The Perception Sovereigns possessed highly sensitive ten senses, capable of detecting things even a hundred zhang away. However, they could also sense when someone was observing them, leading to an unspoken rule among high-level cultivators: when multiple Perception Sovereigns were present, they would mutually block their senses out of courtesy. If someone deliberately observed another, it would be considered a hostile act. Therefore, despite the gathering of Perception Sovereigns in Yongxue City, they all voluntarily closed off their senses to avoid misunderstandings. Anyone attempting to observe another would immediately raise suspicion of being a spy.

Gao Qiumin was merely a Golden Core cultivator and unaware of the unspoken rules between the Perception Sovereigns. The only ones who could have detected A Bao’s demonic aura, aside from Fu Lansheng who was right beside her, were Gao Qiumin, who was relatively close by.

Mur Xuanling hadn’t expected such bad luck, but fortunately, she quickly sealed A Bao inside her interspatial pouch, cutting off his aura. Although Gao Qiumin was suspicious of her, she never would have guessed it was a Treasure-sniffing rat.

Xie Xuechen only half-believed Mur Xuanling’s explanation. He accepted that she had indeed been protecting the Treasure-sniffing rat, but the theatrics afterward seemed excessive.

“Gao Qiumin’s cultivation level is below yours. You fell down the stairs yourself,” Xie Xuechen coldly pointed out the truth.

Mur Xuanling replied innocently, “My current identity is that of a weak, ordinary person who can’t cultivate. If she pushed me, I couldn’t possibly resist, or else I’d give myself away.”

Xie Xuechen asked, “Then why pretend to have twisted your ankle?”

Mur Xuanling grinned playfully. “What other reason could there be? I just wanted you to carry me.”

Xie Xuechen: “…”

Strangely enough, he actually believed her this time.

“And to annoy her a little,” Mur Xuanling added with a mischievous grin.

Xie Xuechen maintained a stern expression as he said, “Next time…”

Mur Xuanling waved her hand, interrupting him. “No next time, I know!”

Looking at Mur Xuanling’s pale face, slightly burned from the sun exposure, Xie Xuechen thought to himself, Next time, stay out of the direct sunlight.