Rising Above the Rest

Xue Mu really wanted to say, You got it right. Instead, he asked, "If I say yes, will Sect Master kill me?"

"Now that I've finally found such an interesting man, how could I bear to kill him? To tell you the truth, my cultivation has already matured, so I don't have the same concerns as Xiao Chan..." Xue Qingqiu had been sitting cross-legged, but now she relaxed, leaning languidly against the cushion behind her. She flaunted her perfect, curvaceous figure without restraint as she answered. Her words were utterly provocative—she might as well have asked outright whether he wanted her.

Xue Mu cast a quick glance at the breathtaking view of rolling hills, then promptly lowered his eyes and looked no further.

Seeing him avert his gaze, Xue Qingqiu seemed to do it on purpose. Her eyes brimmed with seduction, and her voice turned soft and sultry. "What's wrong? If you do, why don't you dare look?"

"Your charm is extraordinary, Sect Master. I fear that looking too long would disturb my peace of mind and cloud my judgment. After all, you summoned me here to discuss serious matters, not merely to chatter about romance."

Xue Qingqiu's expression flickered with surprise. The alluring look gradually faded as she studied Xue Mu in earnest, then straightened up.

She suddenly understood why, despite the unconventional upbringing Xiao Chan had received since childhood, this man had still stirred mortal desires in her.

He really was different... Even his composure and clear judgment were rare qualities. If he had started practicing martial arts early, he might already have made a name for himself throughout the martial world.

Xue Mu continued, "Besides, since Sect Master doesn't believe in love, you're only acting this way because you find me interesting and want to amuse yourself. But I didn't come here to be a toy or play games. I have no intention of indulging you. In the end, a man can only speak of anything else with confidence after he's shown his worth."

Xue Qingqiu smiled faintly. "Well said. I hope you can do more than talk... So, what do you make of the situation?"

Xue Mu let out a breath and gathered his thoughts before answering slowly. "The Demon Sect's various branches have gone from operating in secret in the early days to standing openly in the light. On the surface, that's because Sect Master's martial arts are unparalleled, or because the Joyous Union Sect has wide connections and powerful backing... But I don't think that's the real reason. The Demon Sect has gained the Imperial Court's tacit approval and support, so it can be used to keep the Righteous Path in check. Sect Master's seemingly provocative move of tearing down the Six Fan Gates' prison cells and replacing its uniforms didn't actually hurt anyone, nor did it make an irreparable enemy of the Six Fan Gates. That's the tacit understanding and the bottom line. As long as you stay within that line, the Six Fan Gates will give the Star Moon Sect a certain amount of leeway and won't truly hold it against you. In other words, you have a degree of cooperation."

Xue Qingqiu listened intently, her beautiful eyes fixed steadily on Xue Mu without blinking. When he finished, she suddenly beckoned with one hand.

A tea set drifted over as if carried by invisible hands, landing precisely on the table between them. Xue Qingqiu poured tea with her fair hands and filled a cup for Xue Mu. "Thinking back on it now... I was blind to talent when I wanted to hire you as a bookkeeper."

He wasn't merely a bookkeeper. He wasn't just someone to develop a brothel business, either, and his insight went beyond simply rescuing Yin Ye. Xue Mu viewed matters from a far broader perspective.

The Imperial Court's changing attitude toward the Demon Sect reflected a shift in its overall strategy for the martial world. Xue Qingqiu, of course, knew this, which was why she had an understanding with the Six Fan Gates. But she knew the Court's intentions, and what she needed to do, because she had once met the emperor in secret. Even now, countless people on both sides of the conflict had yet to see through it. They thought it was simply that the Righteous Path was declining and the Demon Sect was rising, or they blamed the emperor for being incompetent. Within the Star Moon Sect, most believed it was all thanks to their Sect Master's brilliance. Few had truly grasped the truth...

Xue Qingqiu knew very little about Xue Mu. Yet from merely observing a few clues over the past day or two, and from a little basic conversation with Xiao Chan, he had managed to figure it out—and analyze it without a single mistake. It was deeply shocking.

In every era and every culture, people revered the wise in the same way, regardless of their literary or martial abilities. No one who had trained their martial arts to the pinnacle was truly a fool with nothing but muscles for brains, and more than a few possessed extraordinary talent and ambition.

Xue Mu didn't possess a shred of martial power, yet at this moment, in Xue Qingqiu's eyes, he seemed filled with boundless energy. It was an energy no less important than martial strength. The Demon Sect respected the strong, and Xue Mu's energy belonged to the strong as well. That was why she had personally served him tea: it was a true sign of her respect.

Ever since entering this world, Xue Mu had constantly observed and thought things through. At last, his efforts had begun to bear fruit. Like an awl hidden in a sack, sooner or later he would stand out.

Xue Mu took the tea and sipped it. The leaves were unroasted green tea, boiled in water, and by now the tea had gone cold. Yet it didn't taste bland. Instead, a distinctive fragrance lingered on his lips and tongue, refreshing his mind and spirit. Even more remarkably, the thirst he'd developed during their long conversation vanished in an instant, his mouth filling with saliva.

"Excellent tea," Xue Mu praised, though inwardly he felt a little regretful. The art of tea didn't seem to have developed in this world. The fact that they were still using natural, unroasted green tea said it all. But in this unscientific world, the tea leaves seemed to possess fantastical effects of their own. Their distinctive fragrance could easily outclass ordinary roasted tea. Even if he "invented" roasting tea himself, it probably wouldn't be worth a damn. What a pity to lose a potential source of income.

Wait... Maybe not. At the very least, the elaborate ritual of gongfu tea looked impressive. It might catch on among the upper-class crowd who liked to show off... Besides, perhaps roasting the special tea leaves in this world would make them even more effective. He could try it when he got the chance...

Seeing Xue Mu lost in thought, Xue Qingqiu prompted him. "About Yin Ye..."

Xue Mu set down his teacup and considered the matter. "I had a vague idea. Xiahou Di arrested Yin Ye to make an example of her, which runs counter to your secret cooperation. She was in the wrong. When you flew into a rage and confronted her head-on, I suspect you were trying to pressure someone higher up. Someone close to the emperor, perhaps?"

Xue Qingqiu narrowed her eyes. After a long pause, she asked, "Why do you think we have someone close to the emperor?"

"Since you learned that the emperor was impotent, you must have someone inside the palace at the very least. Besides, if the emperor is colluding with the Demon Sect, there should be an intermediary with some standing."

At that moment, Xue Qingqiu thought it was fortunate that the other side had no one like him. Otherwise, many things might have gone terribly wrong... For some reason, she felt a little weary and sighed almost inaudibly. "Your guess is right. Please continue."

"Sect Master still wants my advice because, for certain reasons, you don't want too much contact with that person—or you don't want the emperor's apparent sympathy for the Demon Sect to become too obvious. So you're hoping I can come up with another way to break the deadlock."

Xue Qingqiu simply said nothing and refilled Xue Mu's teacup.

Xue Mu thought for a moment. "Actually, we can break through by dealing directly with Xiahou Di."

Xue Qingqiu had finally found a chance to disagree. "Xiahou Di's will is like iron. Once she's made up her mind, it's hard to change it."

"Xiahou Di has clear desires. Where there's desire, there's room for an exchange."

"What does she want?"

"To raise the authority of the Six Fan Gates. That's why she arrested Yin Ye in the first place. But she should know it isn't a good plan—in fact, it's downright rotten. Even she doesn't want to fall out with the Star Moon Sect. That's why, despite the humiliation you dealt her today, she swallowed her anger. If we can offer her a better way, I believe she'll be willing to let Yin Ye go."

Xue Qingqiu nodded in agreement. To be honest, she hadn't even dared to imagine that the Six Fan Gates might refuse to release Yin Ye. Falling out with the Star Moon Sect would do the Six Fan Gates no good at all. She had no idea what had gotten into Xiahou Di.

"What solution do you have?"

Xue Mu shook his head. "It'd be best if I could speak with Xiahou Di and learn a few more details before making a suggestion. Otherwise, it would just be empty speculation."

Xue Qingqiu gazed into his eyes for a long moment. "You should know that raising the authority of the Six Fan Gates means increasing the Imperial Court's control. It's something the Court has tried and failed to do for over a thousand years."

Xue Mu replied calmly, "Even the Demon Sect is secretly working with the Six Fan Gates. Something that couldn't be done for a thousand years is now beginning to change. There's no reason another thing can't change as well."

"Then we'll meet Xiahou Di again tonight. I hope we can truly find a way to break the deadlock." Xue Qingqiu made her decision without hesitation, then smiled brightly, her charms blooming in full. "If this works out, there'll be a reward."

In that instant, she once again revealed the bearing of a demoness, captivating enough to steal a man's soul. Xue Mu smiled ruefully to himself. The prize certainly wouldn't be her, so why keep throwing those seductive glances his way... She was always testing his self-control. Couldn't she give a man's dick a break?