Li Sanshun put away the Urgent Message Talisman, took the Seal of Destiny Mold, and headed for the main peak.
Ji Jingyao wanted to go with him.
"Bai Chongshan has been borrowing this prince's name for decades. I want to see for myself what he's stealing."
"Stay at Guest-Welcoming Peak."
Li Sanshun swung into the saddle.
"He just used you as a hostage. Do you want to hand yourself over to him again?"
Ji Jingyao gripped his sword hilt, but after a long moment, he let go.
The words were harsh, but they were true.
Gu Changyue stayed behind to take the dead soldiers into custody and inventory the delegation's seals. Xiong Baichuan led the Zhen Yue Peak disciples along another mountain path, ready to provide support from the flank.
Gu Qinghe and Li Sanshun headed straight for the main peak.
By the time they reached the mountain gate, the outer array gate had already been opened.
The gatekeeping disciples were nowhere to be seen.
Several pools of blood stained the stone steps. Broken blades and two sets of main peak disciples' robes lay scattered beside them. Farther up, the mountain-guarding array patterns had gone dark one layer after another. Even the area near Scripture Repository Terrace was unguarded.
Gu Qinghe rested a hand on her sword.
"Has Bai Chongshan already gone inside?"
"Something's off."
Li Sanshun crouched and dabbed a finger in the blood.
It was still wet, and it smelled of cinnabar. The notches in the broken blades were also too even, as if they'd been cut in advance.
The people on the main peak were putting on a show.
Qi Shouxuan had deliberately left the way open.
An old servant stood at the end of the stone steps, sweeping. When he saw the two of them, he