Jiang Jin: “...”
How could that be what he meant?
His brow furrowed. Just as he was about to speak, his mind suddenly went blank for a moment as he met her bright, unblinking gaze.
Song Yao was not particularly patient. “Reluctant to part with it?”
Flustered, Jiang Jin averted his eyes. He took a jade token out of his spatial pouch, placed it in her hand, and cleared his throat. “These are just external possessions. Why would I be reluctant?”
He paused, then continued, “I don’t mean to encourage this bad habit of yours. If you are truly short on money, you can just ask me for it instead of extorting the Third Elder like you did just now.”
“Besides, we are all capable cultivators, and our monthly allowance from the sect is plenty. It’s not right to always take money from other people’s pockets...”
Before he could finish, Song Yao threw the jade token back into his arms. “So little.”
Jiang Jin’s voice cut off abruptly.
Little? There were at least twenty thousand spirit stones in this jade token. Was that still not enough?
Song Yao had always been excellent at infuriating people. As she walked inside with the roster in hand, she didn't forget to toss back a remark: “I don’t rob poor people, so you don’t need to worry.”
Jiang Jin: “?” A poor person? Him?
A wave of dizziness washed over him, and he felt as though he could barely catch his breath.
Turning his head, he watched Song Yao blend in with the inspection cultivators, a look of incomprehension in his eyes.
She clearly got along quite well with others and could strike up a conversation with anyone. Why did she harbor such a bizarre hostility toward him of all people?
Had he provoked her? Or was it because of his previous proposal to marry her? But clearly, she was the one who had been fond of him first.
He pursed his lips, suppressing the irritation in his heart, and caught up with the inspection team.
...
The cultivators of the Beiyao Sect were quite different from ordinary people. Even in such a predicament, they all remained remarkably calm and composed, showing not the slightest hint of panic.
Song Yao searched around but found nothing of interest. Left with no choice, she went to the prison with the strongest seals to torment Moqi for a while before returning to the spirit vessel at the front to rest and sleep.
By the time she woke up this time, they had already arrived outside Jiangshui City.
When Song Yao emerged from the spirit vessel, she saw the Third Elder and Xie Zhou standing side by side at the front, their expressions slightly solemn as they stood ready.
Catching sight of her, the Third Elder transmitted his voice: “Little Wood, go back and stay on the spirit vessel. We've come this time, but the Beiyao Sect might not honestly negotiate the compensation with us. There could be a conspiracy. Besides, we still don't know what's going on with Feng Qing and Feng He. Stay put and don't run around.”
“Okay,” Song Yao agreed obediently. In the next second, her figure appeared on the very top of the lead spirit vessel's roof, sitting cross-legged as if she were preparing to watch a show.
The Third Elder hissed. What was the meaning of running to the most conspicuous spot? Was she that eager to become a target?
He glanced at Xie Zhou beside him, wanting to ask him to persuade her, but in the end, he swallowed his words back down. Forget it. Since they were young, Fourth Junior Brother had been completely obedient to her, respecting her even more than the former Hall Master. If she told him to go east, he would never go west, treating her words like imperial edicts. Asking him to persuade her would be completely useless.
Sure enough, Xie Zhou merely swept a glance over there without saying a single word. He only sent a few talismans flying out of his sleeve to hover protectively around Song Yao.
The Third Elder silently added a protective barrier over hers as well. Seeing that a few cultivators had finished counting the heads, he asked, “Is everyone accounted for?”
“Yes, everything is ready.”
“Then let us enter the city gates.”
The Third Elder instructed Xie Zhou, “We don’t know who is currently in charge of the Beiyao Sect, so it’s best to be cautious. We absolutely cannot settle for less than the compensation we deserve, or else others will think our Nine Saints Hall is weak and easily bullied, and anyone will try to test us.”
Xie Zhou did not respond. Suddenly, he looked toward the city gate. “Wait, someone is coming.”
The heavy city gates, which had previously only left enough space for one person to pass, slowly swung open to both sides, revealing two neat columns of Beiyao Sect cultivators behind them.
And at the very front of them was none other than Chen Qingqiu.
She wore a long robe embroidered with gold thread, a silver sash tied around her waist, and her long hair was bound high in a jade crown, exposing her sharp jawline and slender neck.
Though the warm sunlight fell upon her, it did not make her look the slightest bit gentle. Instead, it seemed to add a touch of coldness to her demeanor.
Everyone from the Nine Saints Hall was stunned, and even the Beiyao Sect prisoners showed a rare flash of surprise in their eyes.
After she fled her wedding back then, there had been no news of her. How could she now...
The Third Elder asked warily, “Saintess? Are you the one in charge of the Beiyao Sect now?”
Chen Qingqiu tilted her head slightly, sweeping a glance at the cultivator beside her.
The cultivator's spine stiffened. He took half a step forward and spoke up, “The former Sect Master colluded with evil, slandered the Nine Saints Hall, plundered resources, and slaughtered the innocent, bringing catastrophe upon both the Nine Saints Hall and the Beiyao Sect. He has now been brought to justice and is imprisoned on the back mountain.”
He paused, his tone respectful. “The current Sect Master of the Beiyao Sect is the Saintess.”
The city gate fell silent for a moment. The expressions of the Beiyao Sect cultivators grew somewhat complex, clearly shaken by the drastic upheaval within their sect.
The cultivator beside Chen Qingqiu bowed with clasped hands again. “Our Sect Master knew that you all were coming and has already prepared accommodations and a banquet to welcome you. Please follow us into the Beiyao Sect first. Whatever you require, we will do our utmost to satisfy.”
The Third Elder and Xie Zhou exchanged a glance. The wariness in their eyes did not fade, though their tone softened slightly. “Sect Master Chen is indeed a straightforward person. In that case, we shall accept your hospitality.”
Reasonably speaking, they should have negotiated first before handing over the prisoners. However, given the circumstances and with Fusheng exerting pressure from above, it was highly unlikely that the Beiyao Sect would have the courage or the ability to go back on their word.
Furthermore, given the Beiyao Sect's traditionally cold-blooded nature, if they truly wanted to plot something, they wouldn't care at all whether their prisoners were in the other party's hands.
Chen Qingqiu raised her sleeve, and several cultivators stepped forward. They clasped their hands toward the Nine Saints Hall disciples responsible for guarding and counting the prisoners, taking the rosters from them to begin the handover.
She then nodded to the Third Elder and Xie Zhou, stepping aside to make way. Her words were as sparse as gold: “Please.”
The two of them instinctively looked up toward the top of the spirit vessel to check on Song Yao first.
Mhm. Very good. She was already gone.
Fortunately, the talismans and protective barrier attached to her could still be sensed. Checking the distance, she was already inside the city.
She had likely slipped inside to play while they were talking just now.
As the Third Elder walked, he softly instructed Jiang Jin, who was following behind: “Go find your Seventh Junior Sister and bring her back. Tell her not to wander off.”
Before Jiang Jin could respond, Xie Zhou calmly interrupted, “I will go look for her. You all enter the Beiyao Sect first.”
Jiang Jin quickly said, “Fourth Senior Brother, you still have official business to handle. It's better if I take care of such a trivial matter.”
Xie Zhou did not spare him even half a glance as he quickly strode toward the city.
The Third Elder listened from the side and shook his head helplessly.
That Xie Zhou was truly something else.
That little girl had bullied him so severely before, pushing him to the point of qi deviation, and his condition had been extremely bad. It had taken a long time for him to barely recover, so one would think he would harbor at least some resentment.
But looking at him now, he was still incredibly clingy with her, even unwilling to let anyone else play with her.
They really had a close relationship. It was almost as if they were blood-related siblings.
He looked at the somewhat dejected Jiang Jin and said, “Alright, alright, they've always been on good terms. You don't need to worry about it. Just follow this old man into the Beiyao Sect first.”
Rate on N.U.
