Zhou Chunfeng sat in his chair and accepted the bow, sighing. "I never would have thought your brothers could be so cruel. It’s clear how difficult your days in the Dingbei Marquis’s Mansion must have been."
Ye Han’s eyes reddened. "If it weren’t for Lord Zhou, I’m afraid I would have died in the cemetery today, never to see the light of day again."
Just then, Li Qingxian’s voice arrived before he did.
"Uncle Zhou, I’m back! I was just at my parents’ graves, singing your praises."
"Nonsense!" Zhou Chunfeng’s resigned voice echoed through the study.
Li Qingxian stepped over the threshold, saw Ye Han was also there, and smiled. "Brother Ye, has it been confirmed? On my way back, I saw a group of men. I wonder if they were from the Dingbei Marquis’s family."
Ye Han bowed deeply. "Senior Brother Qingxian, your timely assistance saved me from peril. I will be sure to repay you handsomely."
Zhou Chunfeng smiled. "If you’re talking about a handsome repayment, last time it was a Jiao Dragon Transformation Pill. This time, I suppose it will have to be a Flying Sword."
Ye Han was stunned.
Li Qingxian was taken aback for a moment, then hastily said, "Who needs a Flying Sword! The Jiao Dragon Transformation Pill is more than enough. What do we need a Flying Sword for! Ye Han, don’t listen to Uncle Zhou. He’s from the old school and takes this whole ’repaying favors’ thing very seriously. We younger folks aren’t into that."
Out of the corner of his eye, Ye Han saw the white figure move slightly. It seemed Jiang Youfei was looking his way.
"For saving my life, how could a single Jiao Dragon Transformation Pill possibly be enough! Even this Divine Pattern Flying Sword isn’t enough! Qingxian, take it! I, Ye Han, am a man of integrity. I can’t let people say I’m spineless!" Ye Han gritted his teeth, took a foot-long, brocade-covered wooden box from his Qiankun Ring, and forcefully shoved it at Li Qingxian.
Li Qingxian tried to refuse, but Ye Han pushed the box firmly back into his hands, his gaze resolute.
"Qingxian, I know you are a man of principle. But if you don’t accept this, how can I possibly have the face to remain in the Night Guard?" Ye Han said.
"Brother Ye, you..."
"Qingxian, if you refuse again, I will resign my post in the Night Guard and leave the Divine Capital! I, Ye Han, have made mistakes in the past, but I have long since turned over a new leaf. How can I continue to make one mistake after another!" Ye Han’s voice was firm and resolute.
Li Qingxian sighed, holding the brocade-covered wooden box, not knowing what to say.
’Could it be that Ye Han really was forced into this? Have I misunderstood him all this time?’
Ye Han smiled. "Qingxian, to thank you and Lord Zhou for saving my life, I’ve decided to host a banquet at the Huahai Building in a few days to express my gratitude. I was wondering if you would honor me with your presence?"
"Well..." Li Qingxian looked toward Zhou Chunfeng.
Zhou Chunfeng smiled. "Since Ye Han is so sincere, we can’t let him down. We should certainly go."
"Alright, Brother Ye, we will definitely attend," Li Qingxian said.
Ye Han was overjoyed. "Good brother."
Then, Ye Han turned his head as if casually, and seeing Jiang Youfei quietly flipping through a book, he slapped his forehead. "What a blockhead I am, I completely forgot a beautiful lady was here. Might I ask, Fairy Qingcheng, if you would grace this humble one’s banquet with your presence?"
Li Qingxian looked at Zhou Chunfeng, and their eyes met.
A dark look flashed in the depths of Zhou Chunfeng’s eyes.
Ye Han beamed at Jiang Youfei.
Ye Han had been preparing for this moment for a long time.
Jiang Youfei’s slender, translucent, jade-like fingers gently turned a page. Without even glancing at Ye Han, she said in an utterly detached voice, "I don’t know you. Please have some self-respect."
Ye Han froze on the spot, feeling as if his world were collapsing.
Jiang Youfei’s words were like a thousand needles stabbing and twisting in his heart.
Li Qingxian quickly turned his head away, just in time to see Zhou Henn turning his head as well. Both of them were biting back laughter.
Zhou Chunfeng remained as calm as ever. The dark look in his eyes vanished, and for some reason, his already handsome face seemed to brighten, becoming as smooth and radiant as jade.
Zhou Chunfeng cleared his throat. "Youfei has been very busy these days. She probably can’t make it, so she declined politely."
Li Qingxian and Zhou Henn started to turn back, then stopped themselves abruptly. ’That’s what he calls a polite refusal?’
Ye Han was baffled. ’Jiang Youfei has been sitting here all day. That’s what "very busy" means?’
"Oh... I have other matters to attend to. I’ll take my leave." Ye Han couldn’t stay a second longer. Forgetting all etiquette, he departed in a hurry.
Watching Ye Han flee in disarray, Li Qingxian gave Jiang Youfei a thumbs-up. "Sister, you’re amazing!"
Jiang Youfei kept her eyes fixed on her book, saying nonchalantly, "If I didn’t need something from you, I would’ve torn that mouth of yours to shreds long ago."
Li Qingxian grinned; her tone was a world of difference from the icy one she had used moments ago.
Zhou Chunfeng looked at Li Qingxian and chuckled. "You’re a lucky one. So, have you gotten a taste of Youfei’s temperament now?"
"My sister is perfect in every way," Li Qingxian said with a nonchalant look.
Zhou Chunfeng shook his head.
Li Qingxian felt the brocade on the wooden box and looked at Zhou Chunfeng.
"Uncle Zhou," Li Qingxian asked, "when you said that... were you just making a casual remark, or were you hinting at something?"
"If you get a Flying Sword, take it," Zhou Chunfeng said.
Li Qingxian started laughing. "I never would have thought of that. Tsk, tsk, the older the wiser, I see. Why do I feel like the three of us just set up a honey trap for Ye Han?"
"If it was a scheme, it was one to warn against greed," Zhou Chunfeng said.
Li Qingxian chuckled. "You’re right, Uncle Zhou. Now that that’s settled, let’s talk about how we’re going to lure the snake out of its hole."
Zhou Chunfeng said, "Everything else has been planned. What you need to do is go to Qingxiao Temple, disguise yourself as Lü Ren, get into the carriage, and lie down. When the time comes, Zhou Henn will be inside the carriage to protect you. If all goes smoothly, you can return with the Celestial Venerable Order. If Youfei is overpowered, Zhou Henn will get you away. They won’t dare to make a move against the Night Guard on the outskirts of the Capital City."
"If something really goes wrong, what about Sister Youfei?" Li Qingxian asked, looking at the girl in white.
"I can get away," Jiang Youfei said.
But Li Qingxian sighed. "Uncle Zhou, Sister Youfei may look delicate, but she’s as stubborn as a mule. Can’t you send more people?"
Li Qingxian felt a chill emanating from a certain girl in white.
"This matter has deep implications. Sending Zhou Henn is the most I can do. Don’t worry, Youfei knows her limits. Youfei, you must not be reckless. It’s better to live to fight another day." Zhou Chunfeng’s expression was grave.
"Youfei understands," Jiang Youfei said, her gaze lowered and her voice gentle.
"Good," Zhou Chunfeng said with a nod and a smile.
Li Qingxian couldn’t help but say, "You believe everything she says, but you never believe a word I say. Uncle Zhou, your judgment of character is seriously lacking."
He felt that same chill once again.
Li Qingxian quickly changed the subject. "Back to business, when do I go to Qingxiao Temple? Tonight or tomorrow?"
Zhou Chunfeng said, "Youfei, don’t mind this little scoundrel. He has no filter. Let’s focus on the mission."
Jiang Youfei raised her eyes to glance at Li Qingxian, her expression serene. "To avoid being discovered by the Demon Sect, you’ll have to endure a little hardship."
As Jiang Youfei spoke, she raised her right hand. A large, red paper sedan chair appeared in her slender, jade-like hand. On top of the sedan were clustered white flowers, and it was carried by eight paper-cut figures wearing red sashes.
The paper figures’ eyes were bright red, and their gaping mouths were a dripping, blood-red color.
"A Puppet Cultivation Artifact?" Li Qingxian asked.
Jiang Youfei nodded. With a toss of her right hand, the white-flowered, red sedan landed on the ground and instantly grew to become identical to a real sedan chair.
The eight paper figures transformed into eight sturdy men in mourning clothes, red light flickering in their eyes.
"Do you have a more auspicious Magical Artifact?" Li Qingxian asked. "I’m still an innocent young bachelor. Riding in a funeral sedan is bad luck."
Zhou Henn and Zhou Chunfeng exchanged a look of shared exasperation.
.