A thunderclap crashed down, a jagged bolt of fire lightning instantly illuminating the pitch-black expanse.
–
Mu Daoying had not expected to see Shen Chengyin here.
He was briefly surprised for a second before quickly regaining his usual calm.
He nodded lightly to her by way of greeting.
Unexpectedly, a scorching heat rolled over his back, as if two searing lines of energy pierced through flesh and blood, staring intently.
It felt like needles pricking his back, sending chills down his spine. Mu Daoying froze for a moment, then turned to look. At a glance, he spotted Liu Qiao’e, who had arrived late on the deck.
Mu Daoying hesitated briefly before approaching her. “Old Mother.”
Mu Daoying knew his relations with Shen Chengyin were perfectly clear, so he felt no qualms, treating it as an ordinary reunion of old friends.
But Liu Qiao’e did not see it that way.
The timing of Shen Chengyin’s entrance was too perfect, and that shared glance between the two, in her eyes, carried the unspoken rapport of long years together, impenetrable to outsiders.
Shen Chengyin was beautiful, and that sword strike truly stunning, immediately drawing gasps of admiration from the crowd on the deck.
Liu Qiao’e’s heart felt as if a bottle of five flavors had been knocked over, anger surging to her head while waves of jealousy churned within.
Hmph, mere parlor tricks!
Looking again at those disciples who admired it endlessly and prostrated themselves in awe, she felt even greater disappointment that they were not made of sterner stuff.
These people had been so thoroughly bewitched by this little trick. Liu Qiao’e inwardly seethed with jealousy. Today, she would show them what the true Cavern Profound True Lord looked like!
Liu Qiao’e cast a cold glance at Shen Chengyin, then flicked her sleeve. The Blood Rakshasa flew out, instantly transforming into a streak of crimson meteor that darted through the dark clouds several times, chasing down those dozen or so Strange Birds across the sky.
Those Strange Birds had still been circling the cloud layer reluctantly, but as the crimson meteor streaked past, everywhere it went, the Strange Birds burst into clouds of blood mist on the spot with a series of “boom boom boom” explosions, without even a single sound escaping them.
In a single breath, she had scattered the dark clouds filling the sky, allowing sunlight to pour through and reveal the dazzling golden sun.
The crowd had still been marveling at Shen Chengyin’s strike of peerless elegance. They had not expected Liu Qiao’e to wipe out these Strange Birds clean in the blink of an eye.
The gap in realms was too vast, so vast that for a moment, the crowd could not even cry out in shock. All that remained was dead silence, as quiet as cicadas in winter.
To these junior disciples, these Strange Birds were naturally formidable enemies that were extremely difficult to handle.
But to Liu Qiao’e, Song Miaoling, and the others, they were nothing more than a matter of lifting a hand.
Mu Daoying had personally experienced how profound and unfathomable Liu Qiao’e’s cultivation was. Even so, his heart still stirred slightly in awe.
After the awe came a touch of the loneliness and melancholy shared by fellow cultivators.
Mu Daoying said nothing, but in his heart, a faint longing inevitably arose. He wondered when he would reach such a realm himself?
But as soon as the thought surfaced, he quickly set it aside.
Born with Sword Bone, Mu Daoying had his own pride.
In truth, if not for that upheaval dozens of years ago, his cultivation now would likely not be inferior to that of Liu Qiao’e or Song Miaoling.
That time, he had suffered severe injuries, with almost all his meridians shattered. Back then, everyone in his sect had thought he was doomed to be cut off from the immortal path.
Everyone had watched over him carefully, not daring to mention a single word like “practice sword” or “cultivate” in front of him.
Yet Mu Daoying did not slump into despair. After a brief period of dejection, under the sympathetic and worried gazes of the others, he quickly rallied his spirits and calmly resumed practicing the sword and meditating as before.
In this way, he persisted in nurturing himself for more than twenty years before finally recovering to his current state, no different from an ordinary person.
While Liu Qiao’e seethed with jealousy, Shen Chengyin was also paying attention to this mysterious Old Mother before her.
Before coming, Zhao Yange had already sent her a message, so she had some mental preparation for Ning Xia’s current situation today.
But she had not expected the Immaculate Old Mother’s gaze upon her—it did not seem very friendly?
Shen Chengyin had no time for further thought. She landed from her flying sword and gave a graceful bow to the crowd. “Disciple of Wandering Sword Pavilion, Shen Chengyin, pays respects to the various Elders.”
Lai Yongle was both shocked and delighted. “Little Shen? How did you all get here?”
The Wandering Sword Pavilion disciples behind Shen Chengyin all laughed. “Elders, you went to investigate the whereabouts of the Soul-Returning Lamp—why didn’t you bring us along?”
This “us” carried profound implications. Who did not know that the relationship between Shen Chengyin and Mu Daoying was far from shallow?
With Mu Daoying in trouble, how could Shen Chengyin stand idly by?
A Wandering Sword Pavilion disciple said, “We got the news, and Senior Sister Shen flew her sword all the way here, rushing desperately and barely making it in time! She arrived just in time to run into these Strange Birds causing chaos!”
Shen Chengyin also caught the teasing in her fellow disciples’ words, and her face reddened slightly.
Song Miaoling turned her head to instruct her subordinate disciples to clean up the aftermath. Upon hearing this, she frowned. “The origins of these Strange Birds are unknown; they are indeed strange.”
Shen Chengyin said, “When I came, I saw earthquakes in various places and turbid qi scattering everywhere. I wonder if it has any relation to these ground cracks and anomalies.”
Lai Yongle stroked his beard. “We can’t investigate much right now. We’ll properly look into it once we reach Everpeace City.”
After the chaos caused by those large birds, the deck was a mess.
Shen Chengyin paid respects to these Elders, hesitated slightly, then still walked up to Liu Qiao’e and Mu Daoying.
“Disciple of Wandering Sword Pavilion, Shen Chengyin, pays respects to the Old Mother.”
Liu Qiao’e said nothing, her eyes flickering with cold glints.
Shen Chengyin hesitated and remained stiffly in place.
Liu Qiao’e’s seniority was too high, and this operation was implicitly led by her. How could a junior rise without the senior’s word?
Liu Qiao’e was jealous of Shen Chengyin.
For a very, very long time, she had envied this woman who could always appear by Mu Daoying’s side and interact with him as an equal.
The moment she laid eyes on Shen Chengyin, that intense jealousy shocked even her.
This woman before her possessed gentle virtue and restrained brilliance, innate elegance, and noble birth. Every gesture and movement was appropriate, she was extremely eloquent and adept at handling affairs, naturally drawing the admiration and pursuit of countless people. She was almost exactly the image Liu Qiao’e dreamed of but could never attain.
The prolonged standoff and silence made even the onlooking crowd sense that something was off.
Shen Chengyin was the steward of Listening Sword Hall in Wandering Sword Pavilion, and the small team of disciples under her had always been on good terms with the Jade Clarity Temple disciples.
The two groups, reuniting after a long separation, had been busy exchanging greetings warmly. But Liu Qiao’e’s action suddenly chilled the atmosphere on the deck.
Mu Daoying lightly reminded from the side, “Old Mother.”
Lai Yongle was stunned for a moment, then hurried over to smooth things over. “You child, what are you standing there stunned for? Do you really expect the Old Mother to help you up herself?”
They naturally could not imagine the struggle in Liu Qiao’e’s heart and simply thought she was acting aloof and distracted as usual.
Shen Chengyin’s heart sank as she slowly rose.
She finally confirmed that this Old Mother truly harbored hostility toward her.
…But when had she ever offended her? Could it be because of Ning Xia?
At this thought, she composed herself and looked toward the familiar figure beside Liu Qiao’e.
Mu Daoying stood half a step behind, quietly at Liu Qiao’e’s side. The wind lifted his Daoist robes, his posture straight and unyielding, his brows and eyes calm and verdant. Even in dire straits, he exuded an air of upright integrity.
Complex emotions stirred in Shen Chengyin’s heart, and she softened her tone. “Ning Xia…”
Mu Daoying’s attitude toward her was no different from that toward old friends like Zhao Yange, restrained to avoid implicating them. He gave a slight nod in return. “Long time no see.”
Liu Qiao’e’s expression instantly turned extremely unpleasant.
Witnessing the interaction between Mu Daoying and Shen Chengyin up close was even harder to bear than she had imagined.
She watched them gaze at each other wordlessly, everything understood without words.
Mu Daoying. She spoke abruptly.
Strangely, Liu Qiao’e seemed to possess this kind of charisma, or perhaps it was the aura of the Seven Realms.
As soon as she spoke, everyone present turned to look, falling silent as they awaited her words.
Under the crowd’s attention, Liu Qiao’e spoke word by word, coldly. “I forgot to put on my shoes. Serve me and put them on.”
The words shocked everyone present!
Shen Chengyin and the Jade Clarity Temple disciples all froze in place.
Zhao Yange furrowed his brows tightly.
Mu Daoying, upon hearing this, remained unperturbed. He first lowered his head to glance at her skirt hem. Today, she wore a dress that revealed a pair of delicate, snow-white bare feet, with dainty soles and neatly aligned toes.
She must have rushed here in haste and forgotten her shoes.
At the sudden sight of the woman’s bare feet, the startling whiteness caught his eye, and he instinctively wanted to look away. After a brief pause, he realized it was her command.
Everyone’s gazes fell upon the two of them.
Shen Chengyin watched him in shock.
Although Zhao Yange had told her earlier that Mu Daoying had endured much grievance, hearing was one thing, seeing was another. She could not imagine that the Immaculate Old Mother would humiliate him like this!
Even less could she imagine how Mu Daoying endured such humiliation.
Sure enough, Mu Daoying’s brows furrowed slightly, but in the end, he said nothing. He only took a pair of upturned cloud-toe shoes from a nearby Joyous Union Sect disciple.
Mu Daoying squatted down, murmured “Pardon my offense,” cradled her foot in his arms, and put on the left and right shoes for her. As he retreated, he did not forget to straighten her skirt hem.
Throughout this, Mu Daoying’s expression remained extremely calm, as if he were not putting shoes on someone but rather playing the qin, wielding a brush in calligraphy, or painting.
He had grown accustomed to her penchant for antics in public, treating it as another of her whimsical ways to toy with him. Thus, his mind was free of stray thoughts, utterly serene.
Shen Chengyin’s face instantly paled.
Liu Qiao’e felt no satisfaction; instead, an inexplicable irritability surged within her.
Perhaps Mu Daoying’s emotions were too stable, so stable that it faintly conveyed a message: serving her was, to him, merely a job.
With her feet now in cloud-toe shoes, she turned back with a glance. “Follow me back!”
Mu Daoying paused, then followed her steps.
In the span of that turn, Liu Qiao’e entered the side hall inner chamber prepared for her early that morning.
“Seeing the Fragrant Embrace Immortal, what are your feelings?”
Mu Daoying thought for a moment, then decided to tell the truth. “Reuniting with an old friend fills me with joy.”
Mu Daoying!! Liu Qiao’e’s nose twisted in anger.
Mu Daoying did not understand. Shen Chengyin was his friend, and he was happy to see her—what was wrong with that? He could have claimed no feelings, but given her personality, would she not then accuse him of deception?
These days, though he tried his best to cater to her preferences, he still found Liu Qiao’e’s moods unpredictable.
As Mu Daoying furrowed his brows in confusion, Liu Qiao’e suddenly pushed him onto the couch in the inner chamber!
Even he sensed something amiss and struggled to rise. “Old Mother.”
Liu Qiao’e loomed over him, pressing him back onto the couch.
Mu Daoying. Her eyes held mockery. “You surely don’t naively think that being This Seat’s male pet only requires wielding a brush and serving tea, do you?”
Mu Daoying struggled twice, but upon hearing this, he suddenly stilled.
These words struck at the hidden worry he had harbored these days.
After a moment, the youth calmly raised his gaze. “Then what does the Old Mother desire?”
Liu Qiao’e’s eyes were like knives peeling flesh as she scrutinized him from head to toe, then uttered the shocking words. “Strip.”