C45 A Seductive Figure Under the Moonlight

"Miss, why not discipline that young rascal?"

Having traveled some distance from the Vault of Wonders, the old woman could no longer contain herself and spoke up, "Such a worthless young master, with only the cultivation of the Spirit Channel, had the audacity to defy your orders, Miss. He's oblivious to his own best interests."

"I've already taught him a lesson," Su Yan said with a smile.

Initially puzzled, the old woman's eyes widened as she noticed a faint luminescence pulsing in her mistress's palm. She burst into knowing laughter, "Hehe, that's precisely how one should handle such individuals."

"Though he may be ignorant of what's good for him, he's not a fool," Su Yan mused.

"He's older than you and has only reached the Spirit Channel Realm. Isn't that foolish?" the old woman huffed. "His talent for cultivation is quite lacking. Without a significant turn of events, he's unlikely to ever reach the Veil Breaking Realm. He's destined for mediocrity."

"No, that's not necessarily the case," Su Yan gently disagreed, shaking her head. "A realm doesn't define everything. Moreover, you haven't been following the Yu family in Asvetaesi, so you're unaware of certain matters."

"The Yu family, along with many other minor clans, curry favor with the Su family. Among them, the Yu family is hardly noticeable," the old woman remarked, somewhat astonished. "Miss, what has drawn your interest to the Yu family?"

"Through someone else," Su Yan replied with a smile. "Lin Zhuyun is a peer of mine, renowned among the empire's younger generation. Naturally, I've heard of her betrothed."

"The one the rumors speak of? That fool?" the old woman asked, astounded.

"Exactly. He is the so-called fool of the Yu family," Su Yan confirmed with a nod.

"Ah!" The old woman was increasingly taken aback. "But that can't be right? The man we just saw was a bit slow, but his spiritual wisdom was intact, wasn't it?"

"You've only heard about that fool and are unaware of the recent events in Asvetaesi," Su Yan explained as they walked. "This 'fool' was victimized by the malicious servants of the Lin family. He died and was reborn, and it's as if he's had an epiphany. He's undergone a complete transformation."

The old woman paused, incredulous. "Is that really true?"

"So the story goes. As for its veracity, only the heavens know." Su Yan arrived at a serene courtyard and, seeing Su Yin at the gate, inquired curiously, "Uncle, have you visited the Yu family?"

Su Yin was waiting for her. He nodded and said, "The elder of the Yu family has healed his broken legs. Moreover, I can see that the realm he lost is gradually being restored."

Su Yan was astonished. "I heard that when he broke his legs, he sought medicine from our Su family?"

"Yes," Su Yin replied with a concealed frown. "The herbalists we support examined his injuries and all agreed it was a difficult case. His cultivation issue was even more problematic, nearly impossible to recover from. It would require a substantial sacrifice from our Su family to have a chance at healing him."

"And the outcome?" inquired Su Yan.

"The family weighed the pros and cons and decided it wasn't worth the significant cost for Yu Cen," Su Yin explained candidly. "So, we informed him that his condition was beyond help. Truthfully, we had written him off at that point."

"But he's recovered now?"

"He has, but he refuses to disclose who treated him. Our Su family is desperate for such talent. The herbalist who healed him is exactly the kind of person we need!"

"I see. Uncle, there was a major disturbance in Asvetaesi recently, with the Huang family being wiped out. Are you privy to what happened?"

"Yuan Lianyao has kept it all very close to her chest, revealing nothing. Lin Hanyu and Lin Zhuyun have been equally secretive since returning to the Lin family. All I know is that both the Lin family and Winter's Bite faced setbacks in Asvetaesi."

"Interesting, this Asvetaesi has some depth to it. Uncle, let's stay a bit longer and see what unfolds."

She chose not to mention her unexpected meeting with Yu Yuan at the Vault of Wonders.

...

As night descended, Yu Yuan was in his room, applying ointment and bandaging his injured hand.

The White Paper Fan lay on the table before him.

He found himself thinking of Ann Ziqing.

If the purple-clad maid were here, she would have deftly applied the ointment and wrapped his hand, all the while expressing her concern.

"Heh, wishful thinking on my part. How could that girl, with her Lunar Spirit, truly be my maid?"

He frowned lightly, gazing out the window, pondering, "Why is she with the Yu family? She's been there for more than a day or two. What is it about the Yu family that keeps her there for such an extended period?"

Ann Ziqing, at the middle period of her Lunar Spirit Stage, likely held a high position within the Colddeath Cult, given her exceptional background. Moreover, she had been by his side for many years, a constant presence.

"She probably chose to be my maid because I was oblivious. That way, she wouldn't have to worry about me noticing the nuances of her actions or interfering with her plans, as I wouldn't be able to see through her," he mused.

"But why is she hiding in the Yu family? Is she after the Yu family itself, or is there another agenda in Asvetaesi?"

"It was her senior brother who set up the blood sacrifice magic circle. She only took action at the end, dealing a heavy blow to Yuan Qiufang after learning about my plans with Yuan Lianyao."

"So, if her brother handled everything else, what has she been up to?"

Questions about Ann Ziqing swirled in Yu Yuan's mind. He couldn't fathom why someone from the upper echelons of the Colddeath Cult would choose to stay within the modest confines of the Yu family in Asvetaesi.

"The Su family girl deceived me once; it won't happen again."

His attention returned to the White Paper Fan. He picked it up again with care, the bloodstains on it reminding him of Su Yan, which in turn evoked memories of someone from his past life. A boundless sorrow emanated from the phrase "To Know All is to Suffer All" on the fan, mingling with his current emotions, causing him to drift into a daze.

The words on the White Paper Fan seemed to enlarge, their emanating sorrow growing more intense. In the dead of night, a dense, inescapable sadness spread from Yu Yuan's pavilion throughout the Yu family's northern compound, yet it did not seep beyond.

The Yu family seemed to encapsulate its own realm, containing the sorrow within, hidden and unreleased.

In the Keep's underground chamber, Yuan Lianyao, who had been cultivating in Subtlety, abruptly awoke from her meditation. Her spiritual sense flowed outward like water.

She quickly let out a soft gasp and rose from her seated position. Like a striking shadow in the night, she silently glided to the pinnacle of the Keep's highest tower. There, standing at the apex of Asvetaesi, she gazed into the distance.

"North of the city, the Yu family."

She whispered, her expression peculiar.

Closing her eyes to tap into her spiritual sense, she could feel a dense sorrow engulfing the Yu family in the city's north, as if shrouded in a thick white mist, elusive and mysterious.

Yet upon opening her eyes, beneath the resplendent starry sky, the Yu family's estate was silent, without a hint of commotion, eerily quiet.

"Something's off."

Simultaneously, another figure clad in a feathered enchanted robe hovered above Asvetaesi, gazing towards the city's north.

The garment, crafted from wings, not only allowed her to soar but also rendered her nearly invisible.

Only those in the Subtlety Realm, with keen spiritual sense, could detect her.

"Celestial Plume Raiment, Su Yan?"

The mayor of Asvetaesi, surrounded by vibrant lotuses, approached swiftly through the void.

The invisible rune circle etched into the snow-white feathers was discreetly deactivated, revealing the green-clad girl from the Su family against the glittering night sky.

"Greetings, Yuanyuan."

Su Yan bowed gracefully in midair, speaking with composure, "Sister, do you also sense something odd about that family to the north?"

"It's the Yu family," Yuan Lianyao clarified.

"I thought as much," Su Yan acknowledged, then extended an invitation, "With the moon so enchantingly clear tonight, why don't we join together and take a closer look?"

"Absolutely."

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