The morning sun rose high, and the sea of clouds surged like waves.
A flying boat cleaved through the air, weaving amid drifting clouds and mist.
A white-robed youth stood anxiously at the railing, his black hair tied high into a ponytail with a red band. His fair face was handsome as jade, and he cradled a sword in his arms—a picture of youthful elegance.
Qu Yating approached Zhao Yange. “Little Song.”
Zhao Yange turned. “Elder Qu.”
Seeing the worry on his face, Qu Yating comforted him. “I know you’re concerned about Ning Xia. We’re almost at Mirage Lake. No matter how many worries or questions you have, we’ll get answers soon enough!”
Zhao Yange’s brows remained furrowed. “Joyous Union Sect consorts with the Demonic Sect, their relations ambiguous. The Immaculate Old Mother acts mysteriously and rarely shows herself. No one truly knows what kind of person she is.
“Though—they’ve uniformly pinned the blame on that Deputy Sect Master Qi outwardly. Ning Xia was captured by her, and she secretly contacted the Demonic Sect.
“But I refuse to believe that the one who single-handedly quelled the sect’s internal strife was completely in the dark!
“Ning Xia is in their hands now, his fate unknown. I’m truly worried.”
“You have a point,” Qu Yating said. “But I’ve heard that since taking power, the Immaculate Old Mother has been ambitious and reform-minded, intent on having Joyous Union Palace accepted by the righteous path.
“She even plans to participate in the upcoming Dao Discussion at Spring Terrace.
“Spring Terrace Dao Inquiry?” Zhao Yange was greatly surprised. “She actually wants to participate in the Spring Terrace Dao Inquiry?”
The Spring Terrace Dao Inquiry was a grand event among the righteous sects of the Eastern Florescence Realm that had been held for a long time.
The various righteous sects selected their most outstanding young disciples to compete in martial arts, discuss the Dao, and engage in elegant debates atop the Spring Terrace on Mount Peng.
In the past, those who claimed the top spot at this assembly invariably became candidates for the next Immortal Alliance Leader selection.
The current Immortal Alliance Leader, Qin Xiandu, had been the Spring Champion of the assembly in the second year of the Human Realm’s Chengping era.
And the Spring Champion of the previous assembly had been Mu Daoying.
Which sect did not dream of producing an Alliance Leader? Under such circumstances, everyone flocked to it like ducks to water.
But this grand event was not open to just anyone.
First off, the Demonic Sect was out.
The Joyous Union Sect, being neither righteous nor demonic, was naturally barred from the door as well.
The participating sects first needed the Spring Scrolls issued by the Immortal Alliance.
The Spring Scrolls were limited in number, so some small sects and schools had the will but not the way.
“Where did she get the Spring Scroll from?” Zhao Yange remained shocked for a long time, unable to speak for half a day. “Even if she has one… would the Immortal Alliance agree to let a Joyous Union Palace disciple participate?”
Qu Yating said, “That’s precisely the purpose of her sending out invitations widely today. We’re not afraid of her having demands; we’re afraid of her having none!”
Zhao Yange was speechless. After a good while, he sighed. “It’s a pity A Yin isn’t here. She’s always been clever and attentive. If she were here, she’d surely notice things others miss.”
Qu Yating said, “I remember that girl. You two got along best with Ning Xia. Wasn’t she in the Wandering Sword Pavilion delegation that came to offer congratulations this time?”
Zhao Yange said, “Lately, demonic energy has been flourishing more and more. Several small towns under Wandering Sword Pavilion have had demonic beasts causing trouble. She went with her master to slay demons and exorcise evil; she really couldn’t get away. However, since Ning Xia is at the Joyous Union Sect, he’ll probably make a trip here once things are done.”
As the two spoke of Liu Qiao’e, Liu Qiao’e was just then mentioning this master-disciple pair to Chen Yuro.
Inside the Floating Flower Hall, Chen Yuro flipped through the stack of replies in front of her.
“Supreme Harmony Sect’s Zheng Yongshou, Wandering Sword Pavilion’s Qi Jing…
“Jade Clarity Temple’s Qu Yating… He even brought that junior Zhao Yange, who’s on good terms with Daoist Mu.”
Those Chen Yuro named were all the envoys sent by the major sects to congratulate Liu Qiao’e.
“Cloud Mountain.” At this point, Chen Yuro paused and subtly glanced at Liu Qiao’e.
Liu Qiao’e had her hair loose and feet bare as she sat cross-legged on the couch. The Second Master stood behind her, massaging her Baihui acupoint. Liu Qiao’e’s expression was calm, showing no joy or anger.
Only then did Chen Yuro continue warmly, “The one from the Cloud Mountain Song Clan is Song Miaoling.”
Liu Qiao’e mused, “That Song Miaoling from the branch family? I’ve heard of her.”
“Yes, she’s already the branch family head at such a young age and holds considerable status in the main family.”
“Song Huarong doesn’t dare offend you and fears you, so she found a branch family head to come. Their blood ties to Song Qian are distant, and she’s level-headed. It’s a wise choice for her to come offer congratulations.”
Speaking of which, Bai Mengli had originally borne the Song surname and was a Song Clan disciple as well.
“How is Bai Mengli doing?” Liu Qiao’e asked.
Chen Yuro said, “We’ve had people watching her. She just cries every day.”
Liu Qiao’e merely sneered coldly. “Hmph, I’ve already given her face by not sending her down to accompany Han Yunche!”
“Just right. This time, have Song Miaoling take her back quickly. Don’t leave any Song Clan people here to irritate my eyes.”
Cheng Xun and Chen Yuro exchanged a glance.
The others did not know of the old grudge between the Old Mother and the Cloud Mountain Song Clan, but both sides knew full well and kept it deeply unspoken.
Before paying obeisance to the Joyous Union Palace, the Old Mother had been the cauldron of the previous Song Clan head, Song Qian.
The reason he was the previous head was because Song Qian had long been killed by Liu Qiao’e’s own hand.
Before she took control of the Joyous Union Palace, a plain, unremarkable mortal girl in the Qi Refining stage had personally killed the head of the renowned Song Clan in the cultivation world.
Over these years, whenever Cloud Mountain Song Clan was mentioned, Liu Qiao’e showed nothing on her face, but Chen Yuro and Cheng Xun pitied her hardships and avoided talking about it in front of her.
Cheng Xun’s fingertips circled lightly, then heavily, kneading her Baihui acupoint. Seeing her as a small, skinny girl, his movements softened involuntarily, and a gentle, brotherly affection toward a little sister welled up in his heart.
Liu Qiao’e sat expressionless, still as a dry well without a ripple, harboring no extra emotional fluctuations in her heart.
She appreciated the care from Chen Yuro and the Second Master.
But she had truly been too young back then, only fifteen. She could no longer remember many things clearly.
She had nearly forgotten what Song Qian even looked like, only vaguely recalling that he looked the part of a man but was no better than a dog. Back then, she had really taken him for an exiled immortal from the heavens.
Until she lay beneath him and a burst of agony tore through her body, as if someone had cleaved her in two with a red-hot knife.
She remembered bleeding a great deal.
There were many girls like her there.
The faces of those girls had also blurred. They had probably long entered the earth, turned to dry bones.
Only she had gritted her teeth and walked out step by step, arriving before Song Qian, then killing him with her own hand.
In moments when she could not hold on, she closed her eyes and always thought of him. She thought of Mu Daoying, thought of that pale, clean moon hanging in the distant sky.
He did not know that he had once been all her girlish longings, the faint light in her filthy, dark life.
If the her from that year at fifteen had met Mu Daoying, she surely would have felt ashamed of her own wretched filth and dared not approach him.
He was the moon in the sky, while she was mud on the ground. She feared the dust on her would soil his pristine Daoist robes.
He should remain cleanly seated there, “straight as a silken cord, clear as ice in a jade pot.” He was a heavenly official and should not descend to the mortal dust.
But now it was different. She darkly relished the pleasure of dragging him down from the clouds.
The more pain he felt, the happier she became.
She delighted to see the crane that was him rolling in the mud, his proud bones shattered inch by inch.
She delighted to see him crawl on his knees before her, enduring humiliation, bending to seek survival.
As for the Cloud Mountain Song Clan—
Bai Mengli was merely an insignificant little figure. For the sake of that bit of sentiment during her heart demon tribulation, she was willing to spare her life.
But Song Qian’s blood relatives had best not cross her path. Otherwise, she would still kill any one that came.
–
Liu Qiao’e held this banquet to show her strength.
In the vast Eastern Florescence Realm, great powers who had reached the Seven Realms were few and far between.
In the current age, the foremost in cultivation was solely Immortal Alliance Leader Qin Xiandu. Three hundred years ago, he had broken through to the Eight Realms, and no one knew to what heights his cultivation had grown since.
Next came Jade Clarity Temple’s Qingxu, Wandering Sword Pavilion’s, and Supreme Harmony Sect’s—the heads of these three great sects.
Liu Qiao’e’s rise was shocking.
At this critical juncture, she extended an olive branch to the righteous path, forcing them to rally their spirits in response.
Otherwise, what if she truly sided with the Demonic Sect?
That day, the weather was clear and bright. Early in the morning, large and small immortal boats from the various sects had already arrived at Xumeng Great Marsh.
The Yang Clan Three Ladies personally went out to greet the guests.
She led the envoys to a large lake within the territory, named Profound Capital Lake for the peach blossoms planted along its banks, stretching for miles.
The flower trees were nurtured by spiritual energy, blooming eternally through the four seasons without fading. From afar, they appeared misty and blended, forming a sea of flower fog and rosy haze.
Water pavilions twisted and dotted the lake surface.
By the lakeside stood a painted boat as large as a dragon whale. Today’s banquet was set aboard this massive vessel.
From the moment Zhao Yange entered the mountain gate, he had been preoccupied with Mu Daoying’s whereabouts.
Unfortunately, he was attending as an envoy of the Joyous Union Sect today and did not dare act rashly.
He looked around and saw a gathering of elegant figures and immortal auras, all famous personages of the Eastern Florescence Realm—mostly the leading elders, each bringing a group of junior disciples to offer congratulations while letting the young ones gain some experience.
Qu Yating also had Zhao Yange and the other juniors come forward to pay respects.
After half a day of chitchat and pleasantries, the crowd finally yielded seats to one another amid polite refusals.
Zhao Yange, being of the lowest seniority, sat at the tail end. After waiting a long while, the hosts of the place finally arrived.
Before that, he had not failed to wonder what the famed Joyous Union Old Mother looked like—how many eyes, mouths, or fangs she had.
But Liu Qiao’e’s entrance surprised him.
Her entrance was not particularly grand.
A woman with frail shoulders and a small, thin frame appeared, accompanied by Chief Steward Chen Yuro and the other elders and attendants, stepping into the painted boat one step at a time.
She wore a lotus-colored long skirt, her cheeks thin, her brows, eyes, nose, and lips delicately petite and refined. Her lips were softly pink, but her eyes were coldly sharp and bold.
Yet from the moment she appeared, the entire venue fell deathly silent.
No one dared ignore this girl-like, frail woman.
When she spoke a single sentence, the most esteemed and arrogant sect heads and elders present all listened intently.