Meeting Wu Yunchong Again

"Mom, Junior Sister Wenxiu's background..."

As soon as they rounded the mountain bend and could no longer see Shen Liancheng and Li Feiying, Ouyang Lan's lively demeanor returned, and she quickly scurried closer.

"Hush, we'll talk about it when we get back to the mountain. I already know about the little princess's identity."

Qin Huaiying shook her head gently.

She interrupted Ouyang Lan's chatter.

Seeing her daughter's face full of confusion, Qin Huaiying sighed, "Such big matters can't be kept secret. I just haven't been down the mountain, I'm not deaf or blind, how could I not know some news from the outside world?

The battle at Tiger Ridge Pass, even your father was injured and retreated. If we don't even understand the reasons for their fighting, then our Celestial Star Sect has no reason to exist."

"Is Dad injured? Is he alright?"

Ouyang Lan's face was full of shock, and her complexion turned even paler.

"You used [Yaoguang Scatter]?" Qin Huaiying grabbed her daughter's hand and took her pulse, her expression changing.

"Your Blood Essence is depleted, why didn't you say so earlier?"

"It's all fine. It's not just me, Junior Sister Wenxiu was also injured.

I took medicine earlier and meditated for a while. As long as I don't continue to fight, it'll be fine. Did Dad return to the mountain?"

"He hasn't returned yet, but according to news from Tiger Ridge, the Reincarnation Sect's Horse Face Soul Hooking Envoy was hit by your father's [Myriad Phenomena Sky Net].

With that top-tier expert in movement techniques gone, it won't be difficult to retreat."

After thinking for a moment, Qin Huaiying added, "The battle at Tiger Ridge Pass wasn't as simple as you think. It wasn't just the Yellow Springs Ghost Mother, a Soul Hooking Envoy, and a Judge from the Reincarnation Sect who appeared. Prince Jinyang Yuwen Ba was also there...

Although this young man isn't old, he has gathered many renowned experts from the Northern Zhou martial arts world under his command.

In this battle, Yuwen Ba attacked along with others. If it weren't for True Martial Sect's Daoist Ruoxu and Violet Sun Sect's Senior Uncle Bi Fenkong rushing to our aid, your father and Guanghan and the others would likely have been in grave danger."

"Senior Uncle Bi also took action?"

Ouyang Lan's face was full of surprise.

"Yes, Senior Brother Bi's abilities displayed this time were truly astounding.

He performed Six Yangs with a single sword, transforming true fire into a violet sun, fighting evenly against the Yellow Springs Ghost Mother and Blood Lotus Master. It was a battle that shocked the world."

Speaking of this, Qin Huaiying should have been happy, but there wasn't a trace of joy on her face. Instead, she looked worried.

Ouyang Lan's voice also carried a hint of suppressed frustration as she forced a smile, "Senior Uncle Bi can manifest Six Yangs, he must have cultivated the Violet Sun Sutra to the middle stage of Innate Realm, taking another step forward."

"Who would have thought?"

At this point, Qin Huaiying felt a mountain-like pressure weighing heavily on her heart.

In the past, the Celestial Star Sect stood out with its three peaks, strong and numerous.

But now, the situation had reversed.

The Violet Sun Sect was rising powerfully.

If it were just this, it wouldn't be so bad...

The Three Divine Peaks were united, advancing and retreating together, discussing matters and cooperating seamlessly when facing major events.

There were only benefits, no drawbacks.

However, after Bi Fenkong took charge of Violet Sun Peak, things had changed significantly.

This person had few grand ambitions, his talent was exceptionally high, and his personality matched his talent.

His personality was extremely overbearing.

Starting ten years ago, he had been pushing for the unification of the three peaks and, in various public forums, constantly suppressed the prestige of the Celestial Star and Bright Moon Sects.

Now that this person had broken through to the middle stage of Innate Realm and shone brightly in the battle at Tiger Ridge Pass, his reputation was soaring.

If he had any plans, neither the Celestial Star Sect nor the Bright Moon Sect would be able to resist him.

They might be dragged by him, step by step, into an abyss without bottom.

If this continued, no one knew what the fate of the Three Divine Peaks would be in the future.

Just thinking about it gave her a splitting headache.

Thinking of her Senior Brother's hair turning white from worry over this matter, Qin Huaiying also felt overwhelmed with frustration.

She shook her head, forcibly suppressing the anxiety in her heart, and saw that Ji Wenxiu still had a bewildered look on her face, her exquisitely carved face inadvertently revealing traces of desolation and helplessness.

Her heart stirred, and she gently took Ji Wenxiu's hand. "Little Yuan, don't worry, Auntie is here. For now, you'll stay on Celestial Star Peak, and you don't need to worry about anything else."

"Aunt Qin."

Ji Wenxiu threw herself into Qin Huaiying's arms and sobbed, murmuring, "Little Yuan actually doesn't want to come back. I just want to find a place with beautiful mountains and clear waters, and never care about worldly affairs again."

At this moment, she was nothing like the prickly girl she was when they first met.

Lu Wu-bing thought to himself that perhaps this little princess was simply helpless.

The only way she could think of to deal with the sharp winds and icy swords of life was through heartless coldness.

Beneath her fiery exterior lay a fragility that others could hardly reach.

However, the fact that she knew Shimu Qin Huaiying was something she hadn't expected at all.

She hadn't shown any sign of it during their conversation on the road.

Even Senior Sister Xiaolan didn't know.

"You've suffered, child."

Qin Huaiying gently stroked Ji Wenxiu's hair, her voice a little low. "Ever since your mother passed away, things took a sharp turn for the worse. Last year, when I heard Emperor Xuanming had decreed a marriage alliance, I went to Weijing, but was turned back by Ye Lingfeng of the Golden Scale Guard."

"That scoundrel is infamous in Weijing for his 'Howling Moon' persona. He only obeys his father's orders and acts ruthlessly. If I ever find an opportunity, I'll make him pay."

Upon hearing Ye Lingfeng's name, Ji Wenxiu's teeth gritted in hatred.

Clearly, many unpleasant things had happened between them.

Imagine a girl of fourteen or fifteen being used as a tool for a marriage alliance and sent to the Northern Zhou royal court.

Such a thing, let alone for a princess, even an ordinary woman would not gladly go.

Much less an imperial princess.

The Northern Zhou royal family had nomadic blood and, it was rumored, peculiar customs, even bringing some steppe traditions into the imperial household.

According to records, there were instances in the Northern Zhou royal family where several brothers shared concubines.

There were even more outrageous cases, where a son would inherit the emperor's concubines after his death.

Such scandalous affairs were almost unimaginable to the people of the Southern Dynasties.

Just mentioning them would bring peals of laughter, becoming topics of casual conversation.

She was so close.

She had been so close to becoming one of those pitiable women.

How could Ji Wenxiu not hate him?

"Actually, you could have escaped."

Ouyang Lan couldn't help but say.

She had gathered that this Junior Sister Wenxiu's mother might have been close friends with her own mother, and they might have been close since childhood, though she herself hadn't known.

Thinking of her mother's background, Ouyang Lan had a sudden realization.

Her heart filled with even more pity for Ji Wenxiu.

If things had developed normally, without any accidents, she and Ji Wenxiu might also have become close friends.

But life is unpredictable, and human relationships are like water.

Everyone has their own destiny.

"No, since I've reached this point, I don't want to run away anymore."

A sharp glint flashed in Ji Wenxiu's eyes.

Her exquisitely beautiful face held a hint of coldness, along with a touch of authority, as she said softly, "This is a rare opportunity, and some people must pay the price."

Lu Wu-bing had no intention of prying into who "some people" were.

Royal affairs were a bit too distant for him.

He was only concerned about his own ascension to the mountain now, wondering if the senior brothers would be easy to get along with.

It was unexpected that Third Senior Brother Wu Yunchong had returned to the Celestial Star Sect ahead of him and sent word in time for Shimu and the others to come and meet them.

"Junior Sister, Junior Brother Wu-bing, it's truly wonderful that you're alright. It's all my fault as Senior Brother, I was useless. I fled in such a hurry that day and couldn't find you again."

As they reached the foot of Celestial Star Peak, Wu Yunchong rushed down, not even bothering to bow to Shimu.

He took two quick steps, tightly gripping Lu Wu-bing's arms, his eyes filled with lingering fear.

"It's good that Third Senior Brother is alright. That day, after Senior Sister Xiaolan and I escaped, we thought about regrouping. But the Eastern Sea Sword Sect and Tiger's Den Stronghold were pursuing us too fiercely, so we could only flee into the deep mountains."

Lu Wu-bing's face also showed a hint of excitement as he smiled, "Fortunately, good fortune smiled upon us. Third Senior Brother covered our retreat and escaped, unharmed by those villains. This time, I must thank Senior Brother for his foresight in returning to the mountain early to report, otherwise, it would have been difficult to escape."