“Master, what do we do next?” Hua Cishu sighed.
“Huh?”
Wen Li, who had been imagining all sorts of dramatic, heart-wrenching scenarios while watching Xiao Du’s grief, suddenly snapped back to reality.
“...Wait, let me think too.”
This wouldn't do. Her mind had cooked up way too many “love-hate melodrama” scripts just now, and she couldn't quite sort them out.
Wen Li decided to be lazy and turned to Zongzheng Huangyue instead. “Old Four, what do you think?”
“...”
Zongzheng Huangyue was momentarily stunned by being put on the spot, but she quickly sank into thought for a moment. “Master, since Old Two and the others are in the Dragon lands searching for the Dragon-Slaying Halberd, it’s inevitable that they’ll have to dig it up once they find it. If we can release Xiao Du during the wedding to cause chaos and draw the Dragon clan’s fire, it might buy them the time they need to act.”
“However, we still need to figure out the relationship between Xiao Du and Qi Mei’er first. Looking at him now, it doesn't seem like his memory is gone, but rather that it's been suppressed by something. Perhaps... Old Five can take Xiao Du to see Qi Mei’er in secret. It might stimulate his memories.”
Wen Li nodded. “Old Five, find an opportunity to do as Old Four suggested.” It really was great to have a smart disciple.
Hua Cishu responded helplessly from the other side, “Alright.”
He just wanted a fan, so how did he end up involved in the grievances between the Dragon clan and the Nine-Tailed Fox clan? Now his task was tied to Xie Tinglan’s mission as well.
Beside them, Gu Linshu spoke up, “Master, Old Five has no cultivation. If he gets caught by Qi Mei’er...”
It had to be said that Gu Linshu could no longer be bothered with seniority; in the entire sect, there were no seniorities, only nicknames.
Wen Li frowned slightly. She turned to Zongzheng Huangyue and Gu Linshu. “The two of you stay here and keep an eye on the Phoenix clan for any movement. I’m going to find Old Five.”
“Understood.”
The two of them nodded.
Hearing that Wen Li was coming to find him, Hua Cishu grinned over the communication device. “Since Master is coming, I’ll go book an inn and buy some delicious food to wait for you.”
Wen Li cautioned him, “Don't let Xiao Du out for the time being. Wait until I get there.”
“Okay,” Hua Cishu nodded.
He hung up the communication device and glanced at the fan lying quietly by the edge of the cave. His dark eyes shifted as he reached out and picked it up.
Transforming into his original form, he hopped and skipped away from the cave.
...
In an inn within the Dragon clan’s city, Xie Tinglan disconnected the communication device. His red vertical pupils looked toward Yao Dai and Xin Jiuxian.
“I plan to infiltrate the Dragon lands tonight to investigate.”
Yao Dai raised an eyebrow. “So Old Six and I will be the backup outside?”
Xie Tinglan shook his head. “No need. Once a commotion starts, the perimeter will definitely be placed under martial law. You two only have Foundation Establishment cultivation. If you get caught, you’ll only implicate Master and me.”
These words made the two of them unhappy, even though what he said was the truth.
Yao Dai gave a light snort. “Then you’d better not get caught yourself and drag the two of us down with you.”
Xin Jiuxian nodded in agreement. “If you get caught, remember to send us a transmission so we can leave immediately.”
Xie Tinglan didn't say a word. He stood up with an arrogant and cold posture.
Thud.
He kicked the door open and left, not even bothering to close it behind him.
Seeing this, Yao Dai’s brow twitched. “This guy!”
She remembered that the poison Xie Tinglan had placed on her hadn't been neutralized yet. A dark glint flashed in her eyes as she glanced at Xin Jiuxian.
“Let's go for a stroll around the Dragon lands too.”
Xin Jiuxian was bored anyway. “Alright.”
Night fell.
Dragon City was quiet and peaceful. Most vendors had already packed up their stalls, and only a few restaurants were still lit.
Two figures appeared on the street, one in red and one in white.
Yao Dai was carrying a lot of food, but she was mostly carrying it for Xin Jiuxian. She also had a bunch in her own hands that she was eating.
The two had spent the whole day wandering around and gathering quite a bit of information.
Suddenly.
Yao Dai grabbed Xin Jiuxian’s hand and ducked behind a pillar of a nearby restaurant.
“What’s wrong?” Xin Jiuxian was chewing on a pastry.
Yao Dai narrowed her eyes and peered out at a figure in the distance. She turned back to Xin Jiuxian. “Stop eating, we’ve got work to do.”
“I think I saw Qi Mei’er.” That was the Eldest Miss of the Nine-Tailed Fox clan who was to marry into the Dragon clan.
Reasonably speaking, Master should be at the Nine-Tailed Fox territory right now meeting up with Hua Cishu to take Xiao Du for a secret look at Qi Mei’er to confirm their relationship. But here she was. Was she here to discuss the wedding with the Dragon Young Master, Long Qinyan?
“Her?” Xin Jiuxian quickly swallowed the food in her throat and stuffed all the snacks in her hands into her storage bag.
Using the cover of night, the two slapped on Spirit-Erasing Talismans and followed her.
They trailed her all the way to the bushes outside a pavilion.
They watched as Qi Mei’er entered the pavilion.
Yao Dai frowned slightly and immediately took out her communication device to leave a message for Wen Li. “Master, Qi Mei’er isn't in the Nine-Tailed Fox lands. She’s in the Dragon lands. I’m currently tailing her.”
Just as she finished sending the message, Xin Jiuxian suddenly tugged on her sleeve.
“What is it?” Yao Dai looked at her, confused.
“The vixen is here.”
Xin Jiuxian pointed ahead, her voice calm but with a hint of a tremor.
Yao Dai’s heart sank. She turned to look and saw a woman in a peach-pink gown with a human body and a fox face standing behind them. She held a feather-white fan, fanning herself slowly, a charming smile on her face.
“Oh? It’s been a long time since anyone called this one a vixen. You two little ones... are human cultivators?”
Yao Dai’s eyelid jumped. This was a Golden Core! It was all over. She forced a grin, grabbed Xin Jiuxian’s hand to use her as a shield, and immediately sent a message to Xie Tinglan.
She had talked big earlier, but now the two of them were caught and needed Xie Tinglan to save them. Of course, she couldn't count on that guy’s conscience; it was mostly so he could give Master the news to come bail them out.
“Yes, yes. My junior sister and I have never seen anyone as beautiful as you, Elder Sister, so we followed you just to get a few more looks. We were betting on whether or not you were a real fairy.”
“You have quite the sweet tongue. Now that you’ve seen me, I am indeed a fairy. What are you going to do about it?” Qi Mei’er was amused and let out a laugh. Her fox face transformed into that of an exquisitely beautiful woman. Her eyes curved into crescents as she slowly stepped closer to them.
They had applied Spirit-Erasing Talismans, which indeed prevented her from noticing them at first, but they didn't know she had laid an array within a kilometer of this pavilion. The moment it was triggered, she would know.
“Sister, you really are so beautiful. You’re the prettiest woman I’ve ever seen.” Yeah right, my Master is the prettiest. “We’re not going to do anything. It’s just that I lost the bet, so now I have to wash my junior sister’s clothes for a few extra days.”
Yao Dai curled her lips into a smile and silently pulled Xin Jiuxian along as they took small steps backward.
Rate on N.U.
