They're Hatching a Grand Conspiracy!

"To tear up my visiting card and sell it in the market—what is the meaning of this?! Looking down on me, looking down on the Palace of Light!" Zhu Lianhua was incensed. When had he ever suffered such an insult? Beside him, Wang Shuang felt rather awkward as well. This Divine Light Sect truly had no idea how to conduct itself. He had known Zhu Lianhua sent a visiting card to Seven Colors Peak, but he never imagined that card would be torn in half and dumped on the market. Carefully choosing his words, Wang Shuang said, "I have long heard that the eldest disciple of Seven Colors Peak is half-crazed and does things in bizarre ways. I'm afraid he was the one who sold it!" Wang Shuang avoided mentioning the Peak Master of Seven Colors Peak, seeking to steer the animosity toward Qi Yuan instead. After all, he feared Zhu Lianhua might act on impulse and clash with that Peak Master of Seven Colors Peak, who was suspected of being in the late Divine Infant stage. Clashing with a mere Qi Refinement disciple, on the other hand, was of no consequence. "Hmph! Without that wench Ruan Yixi's permission, would her disciple dare sell my visiting card?" Zhu Lianhua sent via voice transmission, his expression having calmed down. Had Jiang Lingsu been here to hear Zhu Lianhua's transmission, she would have replied without hesitation: *Eldest Senior Brother would.* "Fellow Daoist Zhu, watch your words! This is the market directly under the Divine Light Sect!" "Hmph, we are only transmitting our voices. What is there to fear!" Zhu Lianhua continued his transmission. Hearing this, Wang Shuang grew even more contemptuous inside. *If you know enough to be afraid and don't dare curse her to her face, why act so arrogant?* "Fellow Daoist, are we still going to the Divine Light Sect?" Wang Shuang asked tentatively. "Should we go demand an explanation from them?" He watched Zhu Lianhua closely, terrified that in a fit of hotheadedness, Zhu Lianhua might storm the Divine Light Sect and make a scene. If that happened, Wang Shuang would definitely make an excuse—claiming his thirteenth concubine was having a difficult labor and he had to rush back—to steer clear of the mess. Zhu Lianhua's expression shifted between dark and stormy before he finally spoke: "Going now would only invite humiliation! "Yet I will remember today's insult. Divine Light Sect... you humiliate me like this today; the day I step into the Divine Infant realm, I will surely make this sect know no peace! "Let us go!" Zhu Lianhua chose to lie low for now. Completing the mission his master had entrusted to him was the top priority. As for the Divine Light Sect, Ruan Yixi, and that Qi Yuan, he had noted them all down! Hearing this, Wang Shuang rejoiced inwardly. "Fellow Daoist's decision is most wise! That Ruan Yixi's cultivation is profound, and we cannot easily provoke her. But her disciple is merely in Qi Refinement. Once he leaves the sect, I will find an excuse to abduct him so Fellow Daoist can vent your anger!" *** Not far away, Qi Yuan had a cloak draped over his head and was scratching his face incessantly, looking anxious. Just moments ago, he had sneaked down the mountain and sold that invitation card. He never expected to run into people from the Palace of Light. Truly, enemies cross paths on a narrow road. He had secretly concealed his information and tailed them, overhearing pieces of intelligence that infuriated him. That Zhu Lianhua wanted to seize a supreme treasure! And who was the supreme treasure of the Divine Light Sect? Wasn't it he, Qi Yuan? Seize him? How could Qi Yuan tolerate that? Furthermore, when the other party bought back the visiting card, that gnashing of teeth and frantic voice transmitting convinced Qi Yuan that they were cooking up some grand conspiracy. *A pity I can't read people's minds, or I would definitely know their plot! Right now, they must be scheming how to overthrow our Divine Light Sect! Wild ambition!* *Unfortunately, I have no evidence. If I report this to the sect, it might end up just like last time when I exposed the Sect Master as a spy—I'll be thrown into confinement instead!* *I can no longer sit idly by. I must take action for the sect!* *If the sect faces disaster today and I do not act, who will save me tomorrow when disaster befalls me?* *Besides, he definitely harbors ill intentions toward Master. Someone like this shouldn't be allowed to live in this world!* Qi Yuan also gnashed his teeth, mimicking Zhu Lianhua. He felt Zhu Lianhua was truly narrow-minded. Wiping out entire sects at the drop of a hat! Couldn't there be a little more trust between people? What if that visiting card had simply been stolen by a thief and sold by accident? At worst, what if Qi Yuan had just been too poor, unable to afford a meal, and took a desperate risk to sell the card? Couldn't this Zhu Lianhua show a little empathy? Just then, a fair, delicate hand tapped his shoulder. "Eldest Senior Brother." A woman draped in an identical black cloak sat down across from Qi Yuan. This woman was none other than Jiang Lingsu. Qi Yuan jumped in fright. "I'm not your Eldest Senior Brother. I don't know any Qi Yuan." "Drop the act, Eldest Senior Brother!" Jiang Lingsu leaned in close to his ear and lowered her voice. "Do you have plans for those people from the Palace of Light?" "I went out gathering materials just now and overheard their secret plot. They're plotting to overthrow the Divine Light Sect and even the Great Shang kingdom!" Qi Yuan said excitedly. Jiang Lingsu was taken aback, then left somewhat speechless. She stole a glance at Zhu Lianhua and Wang Shuang, who were twenty meters away. *Conspiring from that far away, through voice transmission no less, and you heard it?* Jiang Lingsu asked, "Could it be that Eldest Senior Brother is thinking of making a move against the two of them?" "I am!" Qi Yuan said with righteous indignation. "I must fight for the sect and slay these villains!" Jiang Lingsu immediately felt fortunate that she had come over to check on him. Otherwise, if her senior brother acted on impulse and charged in, he would be walking straight to his death, ruining her own plans in the process. "Eldest Senior Brother, those two are truly detestable, and I want to slay them too. However, they are powerful; I'm afraid we're no match for them," Jiang Lingsu said, phrasing her words carefully. She naturally had her own plans for killing Zhu Lianhua. Her plans, however, were not something she could easily disclose to her senior brother. "Eldest Senior Brother, follow me in a moment and listen to my arrangements. We will kill them together," Jiang Lingsu said. Qi Yuan showed a hesitant look. "Our strength is too weak. What if we can't beat them?" Jiang Lingsu smiled wryly at his words. *Senior Brother, so you do realize your strength is weak.* Just a moment ago, she had sensed that had she not intervened, he would definitely have gone after them to cause trouble. Her senior brother was unlike ordinary people; his mind worked along eccentric lines, and anything could happen. "Rest assured, I have a treasure that will surely kill them both. Eldest Senior Brother, when we follow them, you must follow my instructions, or unexpected variables might arise." As she spoke, Jiang Lingsu produced three talismans and handed them to Qi Yuan. "These three talismans are a Breath Concealment Talisman, a Bronze Armor Talisman, and a Water Escape Talisman. They serve to conceal your aura, grant protection, and enable escape respectively." Qi Yuan's eyes lit up. "Thank you, Junior Sister!" "Senior Brother, activate the Breath Concealment Talisman and the Bronze Armor Talisman, and we'll follow them." "All right." Though somewhat reluctant to consume them, Qi Yuan still used the talismans. Having activated their talismans, the two walked through the market. The cultivators in the market seemed completely oblivious to their presence. They trailed Zhu Lianhua and Wang Shuang as the pair exited the market. Qi Yuan and Jiang Lingsu followed steadily behind them. "Eldest Senior Brother, stay close to me," Jiang Lingsu whispered. She was worried that if he drifted too far, she wouldn't be able to protect him should a battle erupt. "Okay." Qi Yuan drew nearer to Jiang Lingsu. The distance between them shrank so much that Jiang Lingsu could feel his slightly tense breathing, bringing a faint blush to her cheeks. This was the first time she had been in such close contact with a man. Yet, prioritizing her senior brother's safety, she cast aside any coyness and took his hand. "Eldest Senior Brother, if danger arises later, stand behind me." "All right, I'll protect you from behind!" Qi Yuan agreed, gripping Jiang Lingsu's hand as well. The two covertly shadowed Zhu Lianhua and Wang Shuang for about the time it took an incense stick to burn, entering a dense forest. It was a secluded place where few ever set foot. Jiang Lingsu remained calm, but Qi Yuan beside her seemed rather nervous, his breathing somewhat hurried. This stirred unfamiliar ripples in Jiang Lingsu's heart as well. "Senior Brother, when the timing is right, we'll strike—a sudden ambush to kill them." "A cheap-shot sneak attack with zero martial virtue? I get it!" "Yes, but follow my lead," Jiang Lingsu stressed. Among the targets, one was at the perfection of Foundation Establishment, while the other was at middle Foundation Establishment. With Jiang Lingsu's personal strength alone, she was naturally no match for them. However, she was laden with treasures—more than enough to drown two Foundation Establishment cultivators in a sea of artifacts. The two moved forward in silence, quickly reaching the depths of the forest. Right then, Wang Shuang and Zhu Lianhua halted, appearing to discuss something. Seeing this, Qi Yuan suddenly bellowed, "Junior Sister, now is the perfect time! Watch my sneak attack!" Brandishing a kitchen knife, Qi Yuan charged straight forward. Jiang Lingsu was completely stunned. She knew this was a prime opportunity for an ambush, but activating her treasures required preparation time. She had intended to prepare first before signaling him to stay back. Who would have guessed her senior brother could be this reckless?! Those were cultivators at the perfection and middle stages of Foundation Establishment! You're a mere Qi Refinement cultivator, and you just charge in like that? And you call this a sneak attack? Hacking forward with a raised kitchen knife?! Yet Jiang Lingsu had no time to dwell on it. Her senior brother had already made his move, and she couldn't afford to hesitate; if he died here, she would regret it for the rest of her life. She accelerated the activation of her treasures. On the other side, Zhu Lianhua froze, while Wang Shuang was utterly dumbfounded. "He's Qi Yuan, the eldest disciple of Seven Colors Peak!" "What?" Zhu Lianhua felt an ominous premonition rise within his chest. A Qi Refinement cultivator charging two Foundation Establishment cultivators with a kitchen knife? There had to be a conspiracy behind this! "Run!" Without a second thought, the two fled in full retreat. In the distance, Jiang Lingsu realized what the two were thinking and breathed a sigh of relief. She decided against using her treasures. If she forced the two to stay, her senior brother would get hurt without her by his side. Better to let those two escape this calamity for now! Looking at her senior brother, Jiang Lingsu sighed inwardly, feeling a faint trace of exasperation. Meanwhile, seeing the pair try to flee, Qi Yuan let out a thunderous roar: "Where do you think you're running?!" His speed surged explosively in that instant. He swiftly outpaced the two fleeing Foundation Establishment cultivators. "Wanting to wipe out my Divine Light Sect? You're courting death!" He brought the knife down in a cleaving strike. Zhu Lianhua's eyes widened in sheer disbelief as his head fell to the ground. "Aiding an evildoer—you deserve death!" The momentum of the blade did not diminish in the slightest, cleaving Wang Shuang clean in two. In the blink of an eye, Qi Yuan brought his blade down, and two Foundation Establishment cultivators were slain on the spot. Even in death, both believed they had fallen into some terrifying grand conspiracy. Qi Yuan clapped his hands, looked down at the corpses on the ground, and shouted loudly, "Junior Sister, come quick! These two old-timers were completely useless—my dishonorable sneak attack did them in!" In the distance, watching this scene unfold, Jiang Lingsu blinked in disbelief. The way things had developed was a bit bizarre.