Although the two had temporarily reconciled, their daily interactions were still filled with bickering.
Mu Qingyan was busy planning the attack on the Black Tortoise Hall, the largest and most populous of the four altars. Not wanting to involve herself too deeply in the Demonic Cult’s internal affairs, Cai Zhao wandered around leisurely and noticed Song Yuzhi standing by the window, lost in thought. She asked him what was wrong.
He countered, “There’s something I don’t understand. With just the two of us, we could easily infiltrate the White Tiger Hall through the side gate with the villagers’ guidance and eliminate the Altar Lord and other leaders. Mu Shaojun’s martial skills and courage surpass ours, so why insist on leading the troops in a slow, frontal assault? Take the Azure Dragon Hall, for example—the Altar Lord and others were already dead from the ambush, yet yesterday Mu Shaojun still led a full-scale attack from the front. Why go the long way around and make things more complicated?”
Cai Zhao thought Song Yuzhi’s question was reasonable, so she brought it up to Mu Qingyan during lunch. This earned her a mocking response: “This kind of question isn’t something a lazy person like you would think of—Song Yuzhi asked it, didn’t he? Hmph, isn’t he hailed as the most outstanding rising star among the six sects? If he’s so brilliant, why bother asking me?”
She couldn’t relay that directly, so she tactfully said, “This matter involves the Demonic Cult’s internal secrets. Mu Shaojun can’t say much.”
Song Yuzhi thought for a moment and then remarked, “Mu Shaojun must have mocked me for being high and mighty and told me to figure it out myself.”
Cai Zhao: “…”
When the day came to attack the Black Tortoise Hall, Mu Qingyan agreed to let Cai Zhao accompany him but ordered Song Yuzhi to stay behind to avoid drawing attention.
This time, Song Yuzhi figured it out immediately: “The Heroine Cai has been in seclusion for over a decade. Though her reputation remains, few have seen her skills firsthand, so it’s fine for Zhao Zhao to act. But my techniques are unmistakably from the Azure Tower Sect and Vast Heaven Gate—it’s better for me to stay out of sight.”
Eager to improve their relationship, Cai Zhao excitedly relayed this to Mu Qingyan.
Mu Qingyan: “Overthinking it. I just wanted the man you’re engaged to stay away from you.”
Cai Zhao: “…”
Mockery aside, Mu Qingyan naturally wouldn’t let Cai Zhao face the Black Tortoise Hall’s followers alone, so he assigned You Guanyue to accompany and protect her. If it had been someone straightforward like Lian Shisan, he might have grumbled about missing out on a good fight, but You Guanyue took it in stride, chattering away and nearly making Cai Zhao slip up several times.
You Guanyue eyed the gleaming silver Arm Blade in Cai Zhao’s hand and asked, “I could’ve sworn the treasured blade Miss Feng wielded in the White Tiger Hall that day was gold-red?” When the group had stormed the White Tiger Palace, Mu Qingyan had thrown a tantrum and left almost immediately after seeing Cai Zhao, who then chased after him—so no one had gotten a clear look.
Cai Zhao blinked. “Altar Lord You must be mistaken. This is silver, not gold-red.”
Admittedly, Mu Qingyan was meticulous. The Bright Sun Blade was too famous, and too many had heard of it, so he had prepared a similarly weighted blade for Cai Zhao’s daily use to avoid exposing her identity.
Ever the smooth talker, You Guanyue didn’t press the issue. Instead, he teased Cai Zhao—now saying Mu Qingyan micromanaged her three meals a day, now claiming Mu Qingyan treated her completely differently from others, showering her with warmth and favor… He even joked that Miss Feng Xiaohan should not let Mu Shaojun’s affections go to waste.Cai Zhao smiled cheerfully. "Altar Lord You, do you enjoy reading storybooks?"
You Guanyue looked puzzled.
Cai Zhao continued, "In storybooks, there's a type of man who, when he likes a woman but finds it hard to express, often plays subtle games with names. For example, if his name has something to do with mountains or peaks, he might call the girl something related to water or flowers. If his name is connected to rivers or seas, he might nickname her little fish or shrimp."
"Haha, amusing, truly amusing. But most things written in storybooks aren't reliable..." You Guanyue forced a laugh.
Cai Zhao smiled sweetly. "Is that so? I find them quite reliable." —Seeing how she often got the short end of the stick with Mu Qingyan, he probably thought she was meek and easy to tease. Well, she had no choice but to bare her teeth a little.
You Guanyue immediately understood and shut his mouth, never mentioning anything about Cai Zhao and Mu Qingyan again.
While Mu Qingyan led a noisy assault at the main gate, You Guanyue found a quiet side path leading to the rear of the Black Tortoise Hall, respectfully inviting Miss Cai to sneak in and take advantage. However, their interpretations of "taking advantage" differed slightly.
Naturally, You Guanyue prioritized seizing the treasury, armory, and vaults, with the bonus of pocketing a few rare items. But Cai Zhao, filled with righteous fervor, wanted to first rescue the innocent from the dungeons. When You Guanyue hesitated, she said, "After spending these past few days together, I think Xing Er is a sincere and kind-hearted girl..."
You Guanyue immediately straightened his expression. "Miss Feng speaks wisely. Gold and jewels won't grow legs and run away, but the prisoners might be hanging by a thread. Let's hurry and save them."
After dispatching a few stragglers along the way, the two reached the dungeons—and were shocked.
Unlike the previous three main halls' dungeons, which were filled with rebellious mountain folk and sect members subjected to endless torture and wails of agony, the Black Tortoise Hall's dungeons held only rough-faced, vicious-looking individuals. A quick probe by You Guanyue revealed they were all being punished for violating sect rules and committing atrocities.
Cai Zhao couldn't help but remark, "This Black Tortoise Altar Lord seems like a decent person."
You Guanyue sighed. "I’ve also heard that Chief Shangguan of the Black Tortoise Hall is heroic and strict, rarely harassing the common folk."
"That doesn’t sound like Nie Zhe’s style. We should investigate properly to avoid harming the wrong people."
"Well, um..." You Guanyue hesitated. "Chief Shangguan was only assigned to the Black Tortoise Hall a few years ago. I don’t know his background before that. But I’ve heard he’s Nie Zhe’s trusted confidant. Nie Zhe holds him in high regard, frequently sending rare beasts and materials to the Black Tortoise Hall and summoning him to Paradise Palace for important discussions."
Cai Zhao frowned. "As the saying goes, 'one takes on the color of one's company.' If Chief Shangguan were truly a good man, he wouldn’t get along with Nie Zhe. You’re not jealous of his virtue, worried that Mu Shaojun might favor him in the future, and trying to tarnish his reputation in advance, are you?"
You Guanyue looked offended. "Miss Feng may doubt this humble one’s character, but you cannot doubt my judgment—even if I could deceive you, how could I possibly deceive the Young Master?!"
Cai Zhao: ...That was hardly damaging, but extremely insulting.The two continued deeper into the prison, only to discover a hidden passage. They followed it and saw several richly dressed sect members carrying a large chest out. Cai Zhao and You Guanyue quickly subdued the group and opened the chest, finding an unconscious young man inside, the familiar strange scent wafting from within.
You Guanyue recognized him and exclaimed, "Chief Shangguan?!"
Cai Zhao was equally shocked. "This is the Black Tortoise Altar Lord?!"
One of the fallen sect members struggled to rise. "Who are you?! The sect leader summoned Shangguan Haonan—how dare you interfere! Do you have a death wish?!"
Cai Zhao knocked him out with a palm strike and turned back. "I’ve never heard of a trusted subordinate being summoned by their lord in a chest with Soul Confusion Needles."
You Guanyue was equally baffled.
After removing the needles, Shangguan Haonan awoke. Cai Zhao studied him closely—
The man was around twenty-three or twenty-four, with a heroic bearing, broad shoulders, and a tan complexion. His jaw bore slight stubble, and though not exceptionally handsome, he exuded a refreshing, vigorous masculinity.
Shangguan Haonan recognized You Guanyue. After learning Mu Qingyan was leading the assault on the Black Tortoise Altar ahead, he straightforwardly asked them to take him there to persuade the sect members to surrender. Despite his youth, he had always led by example and treated his subordinates with kindness, earning great respect within the Black Tortoise Altar. After passionately denouncing Nie Zhe’s despicable actions, the sect members surrendered one after another, abandoning the darkness for the light.
Even You Guanyue began doubting his intel—Shangguan Haonan didn’t seem like Nie Zhe’s trusted subordinate at all.
Of everyone, only Mu Qingyan remained unsurprised.
After instructing Lian Shisan and others to secure the battlefield and screen the surrendered sect members, he took Shangguan Haonan alone into the study. You Guanyue itched to follow but was dragged away by Wang Tianfeng.
Inside the study, Shangguan Haonan briefly explained why he’d been stuffed into the chest.
Turns out, Nie Zhe, hearing of Mu Qingyan’s advance toward the Black Tortoise Altar, had sent his subordinate to order Shangguan Haonan back to Paradise Palace to avoid capture. When Shangguan Haonan refused, the subordinate ambushed him with Soul Confusion Needles.
Mu Qingyan gazed at Shangguan Haonan silently for a long time before speaking. "...So, Nie Zhe never succeeded with you?"
Cai Zhao, resting on the inner couch, nearly choked trying to stifle her laughter.
Shangguan Haonan’s sorrow overwhelmed him, and two streams of manly tears fell. He knelt before Mu Qingyan’s desk. "Young Master, where have you been all this time?! Your subordinate... your subordinate could barely endure it! If not for you killing the previous Black Tortoise Altar Lord two years ago, allowing me to escape Paradise Palace, I’d have fallen into that devil’s clutches long ago... sobs ... But... but over this past year... that bastard Nie Zhe kept finding excuses to get close... it’s been unbearable... sobs ..."
Cai Zhao covered her mouth, struggling not to laugh.
Unlike You Guanyue, an orphan, Shangguan Haonan came from a privileged background.
Years ago, Kaiyang and Yaoguang had pledged to live and die together. In their passion, they decided to elevate their bond by arranging a marriage between their nephew and niece. Though they perished before Shangguan Haonan’s birth, their factions didn’t immediately disband.
Thus, Shangguan Haonan grew up with loving parents above and loyal followers below, living a life far smoother and more comfortable than Mu Qingyan, the Nether Sect’s rightful heir.However, as he grew older, Nie Zhe's gaze toward him became increasingly lecherous. Though Nie Zhe couldn't force himself on him due to the influence left by the two elders, he constantly harassed him with various tricks, much to Shangguan Haonan's annoyance.
Thankfully, four years ago, Mu Qingyan officially appeared in the sect and began opposing Nie Zhe both openly and covertly. Nie Zhe was too busy dealing with him to bother Shangguan Haonan.
But over a year ago, after Mu Qingyan fell off the Sacrificial Immortal Cliff and his fate remained unknown, Shangguan Haonan's days of torment began anew.
"I wondered why I didn't see you during the attack on the Black Tortoise Altar's main gate. Turns out Nie Zhe 'invited' you halfway here," Mu Qingyan chuckled softly. "Actually, Nie Zhe treats you quite well. Even with enemies at his doorstep, he still worries about your safety. He doesn’t even care this much for his own son."
"Nie Zhe is utterly disgusting. Just thinking about him makes me sick," Shangguan Haonan said with a look of revulsion. "After my parents passed, only Yingying, Yanyan, and Honghong stayed by my side. He knew the four of us relied on each other to survive, yet he still tried to give the three of them away. If not for your help back then, Young Master, the four of us would have been separated by life and death long ago! Hmph, if I don’t avenge this, I swear I’m not human!"
"Nie Zhe is just consumed by jealousy," Mu Qingyan said, struggling to suppress his laughter.
He knew Yingying, Yanyan, and Honghong were three maids personally chosen by Shangguan Haonan’s parents for their son. Not only were they exceptionally beautiful, but they were also gentle and caring. The four had grown up together, sharing a deep bond.
"Nie Zhe is nothing but a vile, poisonous old hag!" Shangguan Haonan fumed.
He clasped his fists and said, "Young Master, ask whatever you need to know. Secret passages, hidden chambers, manpower distribution... I’ll hold nothing back. This time, we must wipe Nie Zhe out completely—I can’t spend my whole life living in fear!"
"Excellent. Chief Shangguan, please rise," Mu Qingyan gestured with one hand to help him up. "The first thing I want to ask is..."
"Has Nie Zhe truly mastered the Five Venoms Palm?"
...
In the inner hall of the Paradise Palace, a middle-aged woman with a scarred face strode in briskly and bowed with clasped fists. "Greetings, Sect Leader."
Nie Zhe hurried forward to help her up. "Feng Ge, you’ve finally arrived. What should we do? That little brat surnamed Mu has already cleared the area around the Paradise Palace and is about to attack!"
The scarred woman was actually quite beautiful, but her overwhelming aura of hostility made her intimidating.
She gave a sinister smile. "Sect Leader, there’s no need to worry. Over a year ago, you forced that little bastard to fake his death and flee, proving he’s nothing special. Now, he’s just bluffing by rallying a mob to besiege us. Those external losses are nothing to regret—the four main altars can be rebuilt later. What matters is protecting our core stronghold."
"The Paradise Palace is easy to defend and hard to attack. Large forces can’t even enter, and you’ve already gathered all the elites of the Celestial Fiend Camp inside. By conserving our strength and setting up hidden traps, we’ll surely wipe out the remnants of the Mu faction in one fell swoop!"
"Excellent!" Nie Zhe clapped his hands and praised loudly. "With Feng Ge by my side, I’m like a tiger with wings—victory is assured! You must be tired from the long journey, Feng Ge. Go rest first. We must conserve our energy for the battle ahead."
Hu Fengge clasped her fists and withdrew.
Nie Zhe dismissed his attendants and turned to enter a hidden chamber. Holding a dim lantern, he slowly descended layer after layer of stone steps. After winding through several turns, he arrived at an iron door and carefully knocked a few times. "...Are you feeling better today?"A hoarse voice came from inside: "Same as always, just barely hanging on."
"Mu Qingyan is coming with full force this time. He'll probably attack in a few days," Nie Zhe said with great deference.
The low, rough voice replied, "You're more than twenty years his senior and have led the Divine Sect for over a decade, yet now you're being beaten back at every turn. Truly useless!"
"Please guide me, Third Brother. Otherwise, the efforts of Uncle's generation will be completely destroyed!"
The person inside let out a grating laugh, more unpleasant than a cry: "Hahahaha, destroyed! It's already destroyed! Is the Divine Sect today the same as it was back then? I've long lost the will to live. Letting the sect return to the Mu family might be for the best. That young whelp of the Mu family has managed to make a comeback time and again—he must be someone remarkable, far surpassing a useless fool like you!"
Nie Zhe's expression darkened, and he gritted his teeth. "Whether I remain sect leader or not doesn't matter, but there's one thing you must know, Third Brother."
...
After Shangguan Haonan left, Cai Zhao emerged from the inner chamber, looking puzzled. "What did he mean? Nie Zhe never mastered the Five Venoms Palm? Then where did the poison on you come from?"
Mu Qingyan's expression was inscrutable. "Yes, where did it come from?"
—"If it exists, then why?"
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