Jade City, within the Yufei Palace.
“Transaction?!” Qiao San was greatly astonished by Yufei’s reaction. He had considered every possibility, but never imagined that a woman would speak to him about a deal in such a tone and with such an expression.
“Yes, a genuine fair transaction!” Yufei’s voice was sincere and resolute. “Let us wipe the slate clean regarding our grudges! I will help you leave the capital safely, and I hope the events of yesterday will never be known to a third party.”
Yufei habitually flicked her sleeve and, with her voluptuous, mature figure, attempted to sit on the cushioned couch by the window. As her knees started to bend, however, the enchanting imperial concubine furrowed her brows and was forced to straighten her waist again.
“Heh, heh…” Although subtle, the woman’s discomfort did not escape San’s sharp eyes. Associating it with the stimulating and lewd reasons, Qiao San couldn’t help but smirk and chuckle.
With a sudden shift of his figure, Qiao San appeared right in front of Yufei. His large hand teasingly pinched the enchantress’s chin and said, “Woman, what gives you the right to negotiate? Don’t forget, your life is still in my hands!”
“Then kill me!” Yufei, no longer as agitated and struggling as she had been the previous night, took a bold step forward instead. She thrust her bosom upward and met the rogue’s gaze fearlessly.
Man and woman silently stared at each other, unmoving for a long while. Though there was no actual clash of force, the space between them began to freeze; the atmosphere grew increasingly oppressive, and the suffocating feeling even made Qiao San feel slightly stifled. Yet Yufei remained calm and expressionless, as if she hadn’t noticed at all.
“Fine! I agree to your terms!”
The man’s response was steady and firm, yet faintly tinged with helplessness. From Yufei, he finally understood a truth: not all women were made of water. The ruthless woman before him was as hard as iron and stone. To achieve her goals, she not only resorted to any means necessary but even used her own life and body as stakes!
Whew… Was there any woman in the world more formidable than Yufei?
Taking a deep breath, Qiao San, his heart in turmoil, looked at the woman before him with fresh eyes. Thinking of how she had cried out and screamed beneath him the previous night, he couldn’t help but wonder: was this really the same woman?
The peerless imperial concubine raised her phoenix eyebrows slightly. Once again, unintentionally, discomfort crept onto her face. Shooting a fierce glare at the culprit, she rapidly withdrew the venomous hatred flashing in her eyes.
“Daring San, you must make Head Eunuch Li disappear. He knows far too much about us!”
“No problem. I’ll take care of it right after I wake up from sleep!” Qiao San shifted his body sideways and fell asleep on the bed lazily and carefree, seemingly treating Yufei genuinely as a reliable ally without the slightest vigilance.
Hatred and resentment swirled in the woman’s heart, but the rational woman would never make futile moves. With a flick of her long sleeve, creating waves of dignified aura, the noble imperial concubine turned and left.
In the Jade Consort’s palace within the esteemed Dragon City.
“Transaction?!” Qiao San was greatly astonished by the Jade Consort’s reaction. He had considered all possibilities but never imagined that a woman would speak to him in such a tone and demeanor about a transaction.
“Yes, a truly fair transaction!” The Jade Consort’s voice was sincere and firm. “Let’s settle our grievances. I will help you leave the capital safely, and I hope that yesterday’s events will never be known by a third party.”
With a habitual flick of her sleeve, the voluptuous and mature Jade Consort intended to sit on the soft couch by the window. As her knees bent slightly, the enchanting consort frowned and had to straighten her posture again.
“Heh, heh…” The subtle anomaly in the woman did not escape the rogue’s sharp eyes. Associating it with the stimulating and lascivious reasons, Qiao San’s lips curled into a smile.
With a swift movement, Qiao San appeared suddenly in front of the Jade Consort, his hand provocatively pinching the chin of the enchanting and venomous woman. “Woman, what makes you think you can negotiate a transaction? Don’t forget, your life is still in my hands!”
“Then kill me!” Unlike the previous night’s agitation and struggle, the Jade Consort stepped forward, her chest thrust out, her eyes fearless as she stared back at the rogue.
The man and woman stared at each other in silence for a long time without any movement. Although there was no physical clash, the space between them began to stagnate; the atmosphere grew increasingly tense, and even Qiao San felt a bit stifled, yet the Jade Consort remained composed, seemingly unaffected.
“Fine! I agree to your terms!”
The man’s response was steady and firm, yet tinged with a hint of helplessness. From the Jade Consort, he finally understood a truth: not all women in the world are made of water. This ruthless woman before him was harder than iron and stone. To achieve her goals, she would stop at nothing, even wagering her own life and body!
Sigh… Is there a woman in the world with a heart more formidable than the Jade Consort’s?!
Taking a deep breath, Qiao San, with fluctuating emotions, looked at the woman before him with new eyes. Recalling how she had moaned and screamed beneath him the previous night, he couldn’t help but wonder inwardly, is this the same woman?!
The stunning consort’s phoenix-like eyebrows arched slightly as an inadvertent discomfort crept onto her cheeks. She shot a fierce glance at the culprit and swiftly retracted the venomous light that had flashed in her eyes.
“Bold Three, you must make Chief Li disappear. He knows too much about our affairs!”
“No problem, I’ll take care of it as soon as I wake up!” Qiao San turned over and fell asleep on the bed, his relaxed demeanor seemingly treating the Jade Consort as a reliable ally, without any precautions.
Venomous hatred swirled in the woman’s heart, but a rational woman would not make unnecessary moves. With a flick of her long sleeve, she exuded an air of majesty, and the noble consort turned and left.
“Heh, heh… how interesting!” The rogue’s eyes opened slightly, and through the bronze mirror by the bed, he watched the woman’s awkwardly swaying hips, smiling smugly before closing his eyes and entering a deep meditative state.
※※※※※※※※
At the National Preceptor’s residence, the once bustling scene had turned into desolation. The Thunderfire Master, accustomed to worldly riches, was deeply troubled, his white brows furrowed as he paced back and forth in the alchemy room, unable to find a solution.
“Senior Brother, the demon is most likely in the Jade Consort’s palace. Why don’t we report to the Emperor and storm in?”
“Sigh…”
The National Preceptor sat back on the meditation cushion, so disheartened that he even tossed aside the ceremonial whisk. “Junior Brother, even if we kill the demon, it won’t benefit us at all! The Jade Consort is now our only ally. If it’s discovered that she’s harboring a demon, regardless of the reason, she will immediately fall out of favor!”
The death of the Left Minister was an unexpected blow to many, and the Thunderfire Sect, which had gradually strayed from the essence of Taoism, was in complete disarray.
The faces of the Taoists were extremely gloomy, but no one could think of a good plan to turn the tide. An old Taoist in charge of intelligence added to the gloom, “Reporting to the Master, it is said that the Dust Fate Sect has sent out several experts, even the Wind and Rain Hermits, who have reached the realm of loose immortals, have descended the mountain!”
“Thud!” The Thunderfire Master’s heart sank into an ice cellar. He opened his pale lips but could not speak, only weakly waving his hand to dismiss the Taoists from the alchemy room.
“Sigh… what to do? Must we really return to the cold and lifeless mountains to cultivate?”
The old Taoist’s eyes, greedy for the mortal world, were filled with reluctance. Before his troubled mutterings could fade, a mocking laugh suddenly sounded behind him.
“Giggle… it’s not hard to enjoy wealth and honor. I’m in a good mood today, so I’ll help you!”
※※※※※※※※
The winds of change in the capital surged and churned, the turbulent aura enveloping the solemn plaque of the Northern Palace family. A feather, aggrieved, was swept up by a gust of wind, only to suddenly… float motionless in mid-air.
“The Mystic Maiden of the Purple Mansion pays her respects. Please, Marquis Northern Palace, come out to meet!”
The vast space was eerily quiet as the ethereal figure of the immortal slowly emerged from the void.
“The Holy Maiden’s arrival is a great honor for Northern Palace Ping!” Before the immortal’s voice had even faded on the steps, a group of figures hurried out to greet her.
Northern Palace Ping stepped forward to the Mystic Maiden. Without needing to closely examine the token representing the Purple Mansion that floated before him, just by the unique aura of the Mystic Maiden, he had already assumed another identity and bowed deeply, “Disciple of the Dust Fate Mountain, Northern Palace Ping, pays respects to the Immortal of the Purple Mansion!”
Pausing slightly, Northern Palace Ping lowered his voice, “Yesterday, my son acted rashly and made a grave mistake. I beg the Immortal to forgive his ignorance!”
“Marquis, you misunderstand!” The Mystic Maiden’s bare feet lightly moved in the void, her dark robes fluttering as she softly explained, “I have not come to demand retribution, but to ask for the Marquis’s assistance in aiding the Purple Mansion!”
Her lingering voice echoed as the immortal figure drifted into the Northern Palace family. Only after Northern Palace Ping and his entourage had respectfully welcomed the Mystic Maiden inside did the “stunned” feather finally move with the wind, drifting and swaying into the distance.
※※※※※※※※
In the National Preceptor’s Mansion, the once bustling and busy scene had now become deserted. Accustomed to worldly wealth and luxury, Master Leihuo wore a face full of worries, his white eyebrows deeply furrowed, pacing back and forth in the alchemy room, yet unable to find a good solution.
“Senior Brother, that demon is most likely in Yufei’s palace. Why don’t we report to the Emperor and forcefully break in?”
“Sigh…”
The National Preceptor sat back on his meditation cushion, throwing aside even the whisk he usually held to maintain appearances, deeply discouraged. “Brother, even if we killed the demon that way, it would bring us no benefit at all! Yufei is now our only ally. If it turns out she is hiding the demon, for whatever reason, she would immediately fall out of the Emperor’s favor!”
The death of the Left Chancellor had been a shocking blow to many, and the Leihuo Sect, gradually straying from its original Daoist purpose, was thrown into chaos and confusion.
The faces of the Taoist priests were extremely gloomy, yet none could think of a good idea to turn the situation around. An elder Taoist responsible for intelligence made things worse by reporting, “Reverend, it is reported that the Chenyuan Sect has already dispatched many experts, and even the two recluses Feng and Yu, who have reached the level of Immortal Refiners, have come down from the mountains!”
“Thud!” Master Leihuo’s heart sank into icy coldness. His pale lips quivered, but he could not utter a word. Finally, he just weakly waved his hand, signaling the Taoist priests to leave the alchemy room.
“Sigh… What should we do? Do we really have to return to the cold, desolate mountains for cultivation again?”
The old Taoist’s eyes, greedy for the pleasures of the mundane world, were filled with reluctance. Before his troubled murmurs had faded, a mocking laughter suddenly rose behind him.
“Ha, ha… If you want wealth and honor, it’s not difficult. Her Majesty is in a good mood today and will help you out!”
※※※※※※※※
The capital city’s turbulent winds and shifting clouds enveloped the solemn plaque of the Beigong Clan, while a lonely feather was tossed into the air by a sudden gust. Suddenly… the floating feather magically froze mid-air.
“Greetings from Xuan Nu of Purple Mansion Mountain. Please have Lord Beigong come out for a moment!”
The vast space fell silent, and an ethereal fairy figure slowly emerged from the void.
“Her arrival honors us greatly. Lord Beigong Ping is most honored!” Before the immortal’s voice had even faded from the steps, a group of figures had already hurriedly come out to greet her.
Beigong Ping led the way to approach Xuan Nu. Without even glancing at the token representing Purple Mansion Mountain floating toward him, he immediately adopted another persona and bowed deeply, recognizing Xuan Nu’s unique aura alone. “Beigong Ping of Chenyuan Mountain respectfully greets the Immortal from Purple Mansion!”
Pausing slightly, Beigong Ping lowered his voice again and said, “Yesterday, my son acted rashly and committed a grave mistake. I humbly beg the Immortal not to hold it against a lesser person!”
“Lord Marquis, you misunderstood!” Xuan Nu gently moved her bare feet in the air, her dark robes lightly fluttering as she softly explained, “Xuan Nu has not come here to accuse anyone. Rather, I request Lord Marquis to lend Purple Mansion Mountain a helping hand!”
Her voice still echoing, the fairy figure floated into the Beigong Clan’s premises. It was only after Beigong Ping and others had respectfully led Xuan Nu inside that the “bewildered” feather resumed its drifting, gently swaying far away into the distance.
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