"Junior Sister Qin—oh, Young Sect Master is here, too."
Two figures swept through the air from afar. The one in front called out to them from a distance. Qin Qing, Yu Yinqiu, and Du Kui all recognized him: Jiang Ming, Vice Hall Master of the External Affairs Hall.
The person behind Jiang Ming was a stranger. He looked like some household's young attendant, and his cultivation hadn't even reached the Yang Venerable realm.
"What are you here for?"
Du Kui barked coldly, his mood souring further.
He felt that lately, every time he leaned on a house, it collapsed; every time he relied on a mountain, it crumbled. Nothing went his way. Even kidnapping someone had turned into one complication after another.
Jiang Ming clasped his hands in greeting and pointed to the young attendant beside him. "Reporting to Young Sect Master, this is Envoy Liu, sent by Great Elder Wang Qianqiu of the Donghua Immortal Sect's Guardian Sect. He has come especially to pay a visit to Junior Sister Qin and Junior Sister Yu."
"Wang Qianqiu? He's here?"
Du Kui sprang to his feet like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, glancing in every direction.
The murderous fury on his face vanished in an instant, replaced by boundless terror.
Only then did he realize that, deep down, he had developed such an absurd fear of that damned demon.
"Great Elder Wang didn't come. He only sent Envoy Liu," Jiang Ming said respectfully.
Only then did Du Kui's heart settle back into his chest. A sudden flush of shame burned through him. He wanted to slap himself—why couldn't he keep his composure?
He knew perfectly well that everyone had seen his cowardice just now.
He was the dignified Young Sect Master of the Taiqing Upper Sect!
"Jiang Ming,