Azure Cloud Master's True Face

A shapely figure and regular features were used to describe a beautiful woman.

If she only had a good figure but an ugly face, it would lose much of its appeal. The reverse was true as well.

Earlier, Zhang Yang had felt that Wang Mingyue... Situ Mingyue was such a pity. She clearly had such a good figure, yet wore that kind of face.

Only now did he realize that Situ Mingyue had disguised herself.

Zhang Yang had to admit that Situ Mingyue truly was a stunning beauty on the level of those top stars from the past. However, he was not someone who had never seen the world. Though he found Situ Mingyue dazzling, he quickly returned to normal.

He had succeeded in his previous life too and had possessed quite a few women, including models and celebrities.

He had already pursued women.

What he pursued now was cultivating immortality and longevity. Women would only affect the speed of his cultivation.

"Not bad!" Zhang Yang nodded. "What kind of merchant association is the Cloud Soaring Merchant Association? Why did you come all the way to the Cloud Mountain Empire?"

Situ Mingyue had been watching Zhang Yang's expression all along. When she saw that Zhang Yang had been shocked by her beauty, she smiled smugly to herself. She had seen plenty of people like this; almost no one failed to be stunned by her appearance.

But when she saw Zhang Yang recover so quickly, she was somewhat puzzled.

He recovered that quickly? So casually?

She had met many disciples from great sects. Upon seeing her face, they would blush red for ages.

How could this brat possess such strong composure at such a young age?

And all he had said was "not bad"?

She snorted inwardly and said with some dissatisfaction, "You're the acting sect master of the Azure Cloud Sect, yet you're so ignorant? My Cloud Soaring Merchant Association is the largest merchant association in the Cloud Soaring Empire. It can practically be considered a royal merchant association. Our businesses cover the entire Cloud Soaring Empire, and we have holdings elsewhere as well."

Zhang Yang said with a chuckle, "I've basically never left the Azure Cloud Sect, so it's normal for me to have little knowledge. But you—the Cloud Soaring Merchant Association is so powerful, so why didn't you stay home properly?"

Situ Mingyue felt her chest tighten. She drew a deep breath and decided not to bicker with Zhang Yang. She said calmly, "I caused trouble and had no choice but to leave the Cloud Soaring Empire. However, they're after me. As long as I leave, they won't dare offend my family lightly. Now that you know about my trouble, do you still dare cooperate with me?"

Zhang Yang pondered for a moment before asking, "Can you still mobilize the Cloud Soaring Merchant Association's resources? Is it possible for our Azure Cloud Sect to cooperate with the Cloud Soaring Merchant Association?"

He knew very well that the trouble which had forced even Situ Mingyue to flee could not possibly be small.

But the Cloud Soaring Merchant Association was a top state-owned enterprise of a great empire. If they could build ties with it—or even cooperate—then the Azure Cloud Sect's problems would be nothing.

Situ Mingyue frowned. "Didn't you understand what I said? I fled precisely because I don't dare return. If I went back to contact the Cloud Soaring Merchant Association, wouldn't that expose my tracks? There are too many people and too many loose tongues in the Cloud Soaring Merchant Association. If word leaked, it would be a huge problem for me and might even harm the association's interests."

"Just tell me whether you can or can't!" Zhang Yang stared at Situ Mingyue.

Situ Mingyue snorted. "Of course I can."

Zhang Yang smiled. "I have a suggestion. You can join the Azure Cloud Sect. My master and my six martial uncles each have their own unique skills. In particular, Fourth Martial Aunt and Seventh Martial Aunt are both great beauties. It would be perfect for you to take them as your masters."

If he could lure the daughter of a great merchant association into the Azure Cloud Sect, then the sect would have its trade routes.

Besides, that middle-aged man in green was also a great expert. The Azure Cloud Sect would effectively gain a powerful expert in an instant. No matter how he looked at it, it was a bargain.

Situ Mingyue sneered. "You certainly have a good plan. You want to use my Cloud Soaring Merchant Association to develop the Azure Cloud Sect, but what about my trouble?"

Zhang Yang said seriously, "If you join the Azure Cloud Sect, then you are an Azure Cloud Sect disciple. Though the Azure Cloud Sect has declined, if anyone wants to bully one of our disciples, our entire Azure Cloud Sect will not agree. Right, Martial Uncle Ling Yun?"

"Yes!" Ling Yunzi answered.

Situ Mingyue fell silent. Yet her eyes darted around, revealing that her heart was far from as calm as she appeared.

At that moment, Situ Mingyue was secretly weighing things up.

She was wondering whether the Azure Cloud Sect was truly a reliable backer, and whether it was appropriate for her to rashly join it.

After considering it for a long time, she looked at Ling Yunzi and slowly asked, "Senior, allow this little woman to ask: can the Azure Cloud Sect protect me?"

Ling Yunzi said calmly, "Though the Azure Cloud Sect has only a few people, we have not fallen from Azure Cloud's aspirations. We dare face any enemy who comes to invade."

"What if it is a force like the Langya Sacred Land?" Situ Mingyue asked slowly. "Would the Azure Cloud Sect dare face it?"

Ling Yunzi turned to Zhang Yang and said calmly, "Of the two people I told you about earlier, one of them entered the Langya Sacred Land."

"Oh!" Zhang Yang understood that he meant one of the two senior brothers who had been abducted. "I'll remember that!"

Ling Yunzi then said to Situ Mingyue, "Fifty years ago, the Azure Cloud Sect fought a battle. On one side was my eldest senior brother, Azure Cloud Master; on the other was Tan Qiushui of the Langya Sacred Land."

"Elder Tan!" Situ Mingyue cried out strangely.

The middle-aged man in green could not help speaking either. He asked, "Brother Ling Yun, what was the outcome of that battle?"

Ling Yunzi said proudly, "The battle ended within ten moves. Tan Qiushui was forbidden from setting foot within ten thousand li of the Azure Cloud Sect for the rest of his life. Oh, that ten-thousand-li territory was Azure Cloud's domain a thousand years ago. All those great sects know it."

Situ Mingyue and the other two were dumbfounded.

Tan Qiushui possessed a fearsome reputation in the Langya Sacred Land, one known even throughout the world.

Yet he had silently suffered such a crushing defeat at Azure Cloud?

Zhang Yang, on the other hand, knew nothing of Tan Qiushui's background and was not surprised at all.

"The Azure Cloud Sect Master is far too terrifying!" The middle-aged man in green shook his head repeatedly. "Brother Ling Yun, it isn't that I look down on you, but you are only in the Nascent Soul Realm..."

The implication was clear: even if Azure Cloud Master's realm was higher than his, how much higher could it possibly be?

Ling Yunzi gave a bitter smile. "On the surface, he is our eldest senior brother, but in truth, he taught us all our abilities. Master did not handle affairs back then, so Eldest Senior Brother taught us in his stead. But for certain reasons, Eldest Senior Brother cannot leave the Azure Cloud Sect. Otherwise, the Azure Cloud Sect would not be in its present state."

"I've decided! I'll take the sect master as my master!" Situ Mingyue immediately jumped up. "I've decided to join the Azure Cloud Sect!"

With such a powerful master, she wanted to see whether the Langya Sacred Land would still dare trouble her.

Ling Yunzi shook his head. "Eldest Senior Brother no longer accepts disciples... Ten years ago, if Zhang Yang's talent had not been so exceptional, Eldest Senior Brother would not have made an exception. If you truly want to join the Azure Cloud Sect, Fourth Junior Sister and Seventh Junior Sister can both teach you. Don't worry, everyone in our Azure Cloud Sect is very united."

Situ Mingyue looked utterly dejected. Why had he stopped accepting disciples by the time it came to her?

Zhang Yang said with a chuckle, "Your Cloud Soaring Merchant Association has vast wealth, while our Azure Cloud Sect is very poor right now. Donate more money, and I guarantee Master can accept you as his disciple."

Without the slightest hesitation, he sold out his master.

Situ Mingyue sneered. "Why aren't you saying the Azure Cloud Sect has tremendous potential now? Why aren't you saying how powerful the Azure Cloud Sect is? Earlier, you tricked me into coming to the Azure Cloud Market. You've been deceiving me all along—did you really think I didn't know? Once I meet Master, I'll make sure to report you properly!"

After pausing, she immediately changed her expression and said with soaring boldness, "Eldest Senior Brother, I am willing to donate one million spirit stones. Do you think that is enough for Master to accept me as his disciple?"

"Hand it over!" Zhang Yang said without the slightest politeness. "Don't worry, leave the matter of taking you as a disciple to me."

He absolutely could not let a rich woman like this slip away!