As Yin Zhu finished speaking, the people in the hall began to whisper among themselves. Liu Tao leaned close to Chen Qingyang and murmured, "Looks like we’re being grouped with Yao Jingzhi. He’s definitely up to no good. You have to be careful."
Chen Qingyang, however, was unconcerned. "It’s fine. We’ll handle whatever comes our way."
Little did Liu Tao know that Chen Qingyang was already plotting how to kill the man. He believed that merely teaching him a lesson would be futile; he would inevitably return for revenge.
Liu Tao was still worried. "I’m concerned that woman will target you, too. I’ll be fine—I have no grudge against them, so the worst they’ll do is rough me up a bit. But you?"
Her words made Chen Qingyang a bit wistful. He hadn’t wanted Liu Tao with him in the first place. ’This isn’t protecting her,’ he thought, ’it’s putting her in harm’s way.’
While they were talking, Yao Jingzhi walked over. "Junior Brother Chen, we go way back. What a stroke of luck that Senior Brother Yin Zhu put us together. You, me, and this lovely junior sister."
’Just as I expected,’ Chen Qingyang thought, then smiled. "And what if I refuse?"
Liu Tao was baffled. She hadn’t expected Chen Qingyang to say that.
Yao Jingzhi sneered. "Junior Brother, surely you’re not trying to defy the Sect’s regulations, are you?"
"It’s not about defying regulations. I intend to find a Foundation Establishment Master and get this straightened out. You’re all from Sun-piercing Peak, so you get to decide the arrangements. It’s hard for me not to suspect there’s something fishy going on."
Yao Jingzhi retorted, "You need to understand, Junior Brother, defying the Sect’s regulations is a serious crime. Not even your master on Cyan Bamboo Peak will be able to protect you."
Chen Qingyang stood his ground, simply staring at him. "If there’s nothing fishy, then how could it be such a coincidence that the two of us were grouped together? I just want to ask a Foundation Establishment Master. My own master is a disciple of Qing Yao True Monarch. Surely Li Qian Master has to show him some respect, right?"
At these words, Yao Jingzhi’s expression grew grave. This was the advantage of having backing.
Perhaps noticing the commotion, the woman walked over. "Junior Brother Yao, Junior Brother Chen’s suspicions aren’t entirely baseless. Why don’t you figure out a way to separate them? Just have... this junior sister swap places with someone from Senior Brother Wu’s group. That should do it!"
This was exactly what Chen Qingyang had been waiting for; he’d caused this trouble on purpose. Bolstered by the confidence Yun Ci had given him, he wasn’t afraid to go with them.
"No way! I want to stay with Junior Brother Chen. We came together," Liu Tao protested.
The woman let out a light laugh. "Oh, my. Is he so important to you that you’d ignore the Sect’s rules?"
Seeing this, Yao Jingzhi, whether out of jealousy or something else, grew even more infuriated with Chen Qingyang. "Junior Brother Chen, we’ve already made a concession for you. If you still refuse to obey the Sect’s regulations, your actions will be inexcusable."
Seeing that his objective was met, Chen Qingyang cupped his fists toward the two of them. "Thank you, Senior Sister, Senior Brother. We’ll do as you say. I’ll speak with this Junior Sister Liu myself. After all, they are the Sect’s regulations, which we all must obey."
Liu Tao started to argue, but he gave her sleeve a gentle tug.
Seeing how cooperative he was, the woman smiled again. "Junior Brother Yao, I’ll trouble you to go make the arrangements. We’ll do it Junior Brother Chen’s way. We can’t give people reason to talk, can we... At least, we still have Junior Brother Chen coming with us."
Clearly, Yao Jingzhi had wanted to keep the two of them together; he had other plans for Liu Tao, and as for Chen Qingyang, he wanted him dead.
Given the circumstances, this was the only way. "Alright, Senior Sister."
Liu Tao didn’t say another word until they had left the grand hall and found a deserted spot. "Chen Qingyang, what on earth are you planning? It’s obvious those two are out to get us, and you’re still going with them alone?"
Chen Qingyang gazed at the horizon, his expression cold. "This way... it’s more convenient for me to kill."
Liu Tao froze, a flicker of fear in her eyes as she stared at him. "You... But how will you deal with that woman? Her Cultivation is much higher than yours!"
Chen Qingyang added, "As the saying goes, ’an open spear is easy to dodge, but a hidden arrow is hard to defend against.’ I have now become their hidden arrow. Don’t worry. With you assigned elsewhere, they can no longer use you to constrain me."
"Sigh!" With a soft sigh, Liu Tao fell silent for a long moment. "You’re right. If I go, I’ll just be a liability. You have so many tricks up your sleeve; it’s easier for you to operate alone. But if..."
Liu Tao looked at him, her beautiful face—as radiant as a peach blossom in her pink dress—etched with worry. "If something were to happen to you... I swear I’ll spend every remaining day of my life avenging you!"
She said this with all her conviction, her expression completely serious.
PFFT!
At such a solemn moment, Chen Qingyang actually laughed. "Senior Sister, don’t assume the death knell is tolling for me. It’s tolling for them."
Enraged, Liu Tao shouted, "Chen Qingyang..."
Her shout drew stares from people nearby, forcing Chen Qingyang to grab her and hurry away.
’Actually, it’s not entirely impossible to deal with someone at the Essence Condensation Ninth Realm,’ he mused. ’For instance, I could first wear down her strength, then poison her, and finally deliver the killing blow.’
’And if members of the Demon Sect truly show up, I can be the fisherman who profits while the snipe and clam fight.’
’The key is to ensure no suspicion falls on me when it’s all done.’
...
In the small courtyard, the two began to meditate.
But Chen Qingyang’s mind wasn’t on it at all. His Conscious Fish had drifted off elsewhere.
He waited in that room for a moment before the pair returned.
"Junior Brother, I don’t understand. Why did you insist on dragging Liu Tao into this? Are you interested in her?" the woman finally asked after a moment’s hesitation.
"Heh." Yao Jingzhi simply chuckled, his face a mask of contempt.
"Why aren’t you saying anything?"
"Senior Sister, I know we’ve reached a point where you’ll assume the worst no matter what I say, so I might as well keep quiet. If explaining myself actually did any good, you wouldn’t think of me like this to begin with."
The woman’s tone softened slightly. "Fine. Then speak. I’m listening."
"It’s simple. I wanted to eliminate them both to prevent any loose ends. I’ve checked the background of that junior sister, Liu Tao. It’s even less impressive than that brat Chen’s."
"The Master in charge here doesn’t really get involved, and Senior Brother Yin Zhu is on our side. If something ’happens’ involving the Demon Sect, who’s going to investigate the details?"
At this, the woman’s voice grew gentle again. "So you only wanted to kill her..."
"Hmph. What kind of person do you take me for?"
Knowing she had misunderstood him, the woman felt a pang of guilt. She walked over, shed her outer robes to reveal a pink bodice, and stood before him, completely bare from the waist down.
Her hands gently came to rest on his shoulders and she began to knead them. "Alright, I misunderstood you. You say that going to all this trouble to kill Chen Qingyang will earn Master Miaoyou’s favor? But from what I’ve seen, that Master is always going on about benevolence and righteousness. Is he truly so narrow-minded?"
"You don’t get it. He’s the very definition of a sanctimonious hypocrite. He cultivates the Great Dao of Taiyi Purity, which makes him unable to tolerate anything—or anyone—that doesn’t go his way..."
As he spoke, Yao Jingzhi reached a hand behind his back.
"Oh, Junior Brother..." The woman’s face immediately flushed.
Yao Jingzhi continued, his tone perfectly serious, "Whether Master Miaoyou likes it or not is hard to say, but when he finds out, I’ll definitely leave a stronger impression on him. That’s how things work in this world. You have to build your position step by step; nothing is achieved overnight."
One had to admit, Yao Jingzhi was full of his own philosophies.
"So, Junior Brother... were you just as calculating with me back in the day...? Nnh..."
"Nonsense!"
He must have squeezed a little.
"Senior Sister, in a moment, you absolutely cannot lose focus. My Meridians are still in pain; my injuries haven’t healed yet!"
"Don’t worry, I won’t this time. I’m also counting on our joint Cultivation to restore my Primordial Energy."
And so, the two of them pressed together.
Their Qi Mechanisms connected once more, and it seemed they entered a state of formless selflessness, a Unity of Heaven and Man.
Chen Qingyang pulled his old trick. He snatched away Immortal Seedling 4317 and vanished in a flash, leaving the pair behind in a state of confusion and mutual suspicion.