Upheaval in the Fire-Stealing Sect

Damn, this is a life-or-death question!

Ding Songyan cursed inwardly.

He subconsciously wanted to answer, "The Spirit-Communicating Precious Jade is naturally romantic and would choose to have it all," implying that he was the same kind of person and wouldn't be burdened by love, Little Sister, you don't need to worry.

But upon further reflection, he felt that such an answer was too opportunistic and, in the eyes of the Sage-Slaying Path Sect Master, would be an undisguised falsehood.

Although the two were always feigning affection, just like in a play, everyone knows it's acting, but they still enjoy watching. As long as the acting isn't too fake and pulls the audience out of the story, everyone is happy. Conversely, if it's too fake and the sister suddenly breaks free from the charade of their sibling bond, the final outcome might not be so pleasant.

Ding Songyan looked into Ji Hanyi's bright and beautiful eyes, and sighed:

"I haven't decided who to choose yet; the answer will come when I write the relevant plot points."

"If we really had to choose right now, I think the Spirit-Communicating Precious Jade would choose the Jade Pool Crimson Grass."

"Why?" Ji Hanyi's smile became slightly more pronounced.

Ding Songyan said sincerely:

"The two are entangled across three lifetimes, growing up together. Their love is mutual, yet it also includes familial and friendly bonds. They are lovers, family, and friends, making them inseparable."

Ji Hanyi smiled and hummed in agreement.

"Then I'll wait for you to finish writing the rest of the story, Second Brother."

She hugged the blanket and lay down, saying in a light voice:

"Going to sleep!"

Ding Songyan pushed a few stools together to make a makeshift bed, lay down on it, and closed his eyes in the deep darkness of the night.

Suddenly, a voice with a hint of laughter came from the bed:

"Second Brother, I've thought about your descriptions carefully, and it seems to match up with your Senior Sister Zheng as well."

Ding Songyan tensed up, a chill creeping into his heart.

He was about to explain when he inexplicably felt the room become quiet, and the bed seemed to be empty.

"Little Sister's gone? "Ding Songyan's mind raced, and he opened his mouth to say:

"This matches up? I never even thought of that..."

His voice drifted softly through the room, but no one responded for a long time.

Ding Songyan slowly exhaled, rolled off the simple wooden bed, and looked up at the quilt with his eyes lit by Zhuhuo and starlight.

There was indeed no one there anymore.

I really don't know what that vixen was thinking. She wouldn't listen to my explanation, or maybe she didn't care about the answer and was just giving me a casual rebuke? Ding Songyan took off his coat, his mind full of thoughts, and lay back down on the bed.

Although he is immune to both heat and cold, on this early winter night, a warm bed is clearly more comfortable.

The lingering warmth of the blankets and a delicate, slightly sweet scent instantly filled Ding Songyan's nostrils.

After a while, Ding Songyan sighed helplessly.

Even after that vixen left, she still causes us endless trouble!

How can anyone sleep like this?

Even in the deep, peaceful night, some people still can't sleep.

In the evening, Liu Cheng heard that a woman wearing Jade Maiden Mask had killed Huo Minglou, the "Pure Altar Dragon King" of the Returning Ruins Sect. He was both surprised and suspicious, wondering where such a powerful "Jade Maiden" had come from.

That night, news from within the Treading the Sea Gang reached him, saying that his Liu Cheng's adoptive father had been attacked by a man wearing Jade Maiden Mask and had narrowly escaped death.

This left Liu Cheng completely bewildered, as if he were trapped in a maze, unable to figure out what was going on.

He lay in bed, staring at the gauze curtains, and began to doubt his earlier suspicions:

Was the "Golden Boy" who "killed" the Evil Through and Through Sun Feiyang not the Ding brothers?

"He was all alone, except for Twelfth Madam Luo, who ran a Wine Shop. There were no other women around him. And Twelfth Madam Luo who could kill ' Pure Altar Dragon King ' Huo Minglou. She couldn't even handle street thugs in the past. She was shrewish, but she clearly didn't have any real skills..."

"Should I have someone test Twelfth Madam Luo? No, that won't do. If the woman wearing the Jade Maiden Mask isn't Twelfth Madam Luo, that's fine. But if she is, such a test would be asking for trouble. She can kill Huo Minglou, but she can't kill me, Liu Cheng? This would also anger Brother Ding. I heard he goes to that Cheap Wine Shop every day..."

"It's rare to be confused, it's rare to be confused..."

Who is the "Jade Maiden" who attacked my Liu Cheng's adoptive father? Has our Treading the Sea Gang been having some bad luck lately? Apart from the gambling den incident, we haven't offended anyone...

"This affair between the golden boy and jade girl might really have nothing to do with Brother Ding; there's clearly a hidden story, and it seems quite complicated..."

As Liu Cheng pondered the matter, the worries that had been lingering in his heart gradually resurfaced:

"Now, these low-level gangs are like water without a source, a tree without roots; they might collapse any day now..."

"Blood is being spilled on the blade; death could come at any moment..."

Liu Cheng was filled with worry, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.

The following morning.

Ding Songyan yawned as he walked out of the room and lifted the lid of the Food Box next to the stone table.

"Brother Ding, did you not sleep well last night?" Fan Chunlin asked with concern.

Ding Songyan nodded sadly:

"Yes, I didn't fall asleep until the early hours of the morning, and now I'm up again."

After being tormented by the enchantress, he realized that although he was mentally mature, his body was still full of vigor and vitality. He was able to calm down and fall asleep by practicing Holding to the One and contemplation.

Wu Mo, who was standing next to Ding Songyan, glanced at him:

"You got back before midnight, why are you only going to sleep at dawn?"

Upon hearing this, Fan Chunlin fell silent.

It goes without saying where Brother Ding was before midnight.

"Something's on my mind," Ding Songyan replied sincerely.

He picked up a bowl of lean meat porridge and ate it while exhaling.

"What's on your mind?" Although Fan Chunlin was in low spirits, he still asked Brother Ding if he could help him solve his problem.

Ding Songyan looked up at them and said in a serious tone:

"Last night I was thinking, if I had to marry Rivers and Lakes Beauty Register, who would I choose? I thought about it for a long time but still couldn't make a decision. They each have their own beauty, which is why I couldn't sleep."

Wu Mo and Fan Chunlin were speechless.

We shouldn't care about this guy!

After the two returned to their room to rest, Li Baima walked back from outside the Side Courtyard.

"Where did you go?" Ding Songyan originally wanted to tease the other party about where he had a good time last night, but seeing that Li Baima's expression was not quite right, he quickly changed his question.

Li Baima sat down at the stone table, his expression solemn, and said in a low voice:

Our sect leader has passed away.

The sect leader has passed away? It seems the Fire-Stealing Sect only had one Martial Grandmaster... Ding Songyan asked, slightly taken aback.

How could this happen so suddenly?

In their previous casual conversations, Li Baima never mentioned that their Fire-Stealing Sect's leader was old or had suffered serious injuries that damaged his Origin Source.

"He died from injuries sustained while working for the prince." Li Baima was both grief-stricken and heavy-hearted.

"What is it?" Ding Songyan pressed.

"I don't know." Li Baima shook his head blankly.

"I don't know... why would they send your sect leader on such a secret mission?" Ding Songyan was even more puzzled.

He had previously communicated with Li Baima and others. The most trusted people in the Prince's Residence were the experts they had trained themselves, followed by those who had served the Prince's Residence's Mansion for many years, then those who had come from outside to serve, and finally the small sects that were attached to the Prince's Residence's Mansion. As for the Xiaoming Sect, they were collaborators, and could only be considered one of their own because of their relationship with Tao Wenshu.

Therefore, he and Li Baima and others were never assigned important tasks, only guarding the side gates and patrolling unimportant places. They were only sent out to do things when special Martial Arts such as "Candle Eyes and Star Pupils" and "The Art of Lying Low" were needed.

What is it that absolutely requires the Fire-Stealing Sect leader to do?

It still sounds like a confidential matter...

Do you want to use "Stealing Flint Fire" or "Controlling a Hundred Flames"?

Li Baima, both bewildered and apprehensive, replied:

"I don't know."

The Fire-Stealing Sect Faction was thriving, so why has it suddenly turned into this?

In a few years, a second Martial Grandmaster should emerge within the sect. At that time, the status and power of the Fire-Stealing Sect will be stabilized. But how did it suddenly regress to a state without Martial Grandmaster...?

In this way...

Li Baima dared not think any further.

Ding Songyan suppressed his doubts and asked:

"Elder Brother Li, please accept my condolences. Do you need to take some time off to return to your sect?"

He had often gleaned from Li Baima's snippets of conversation that although the leader of the Fire-Stealing Sect was not his colleague's Master, he was the pillar that supported the entire sect, and the disciples within the sect all held him in high esteem and admiration.

Li Baima paused for a moment and then said:

"No, it can't affect the affairs of the Prince's Residence's residence."

"The Prince's Residence has already been given, along with substantial compensation."

At present, the Fire-Stealing Sect can only avoid slipping and losing the benefits it has gained by firmly attaching itself to the Prince's Residence. If it can use this name to get through three years, then things will turn around!

Before that, we must not be disliked by the Prince's Residence, and we must do our best to get things done!

Ding Songyan understood Li Baima's thoughts very well, and patted him on the shoulder, saying:

"That's only natural."

"However, since you seem unsettled, you don't need to guard the side gate today. The three of us will cover for you. If any eunuch or Steward asks, just say that you are too grief-stricken and need to rest for a couple of days."

"We're all human. Put yourself in their shoes. Would you agree with a cold-hearted person? As long as it doesn't affect your duties, the eunuchs and Steward will only think that you, Li Baima, are loyal and trustworthy."

Li Baima's expression shifted several times, and he exhaled a breath of stale air, saying:

"Thank you, Brother Ding."

He seemed to understand a lot all at once.

Watching Li Baima walk hesitantly back to his room, Ding Songyan sighed silently.

He hadn't thought Li Baima had much of a chance of becoming Martial Grandmaster, but today's events showed him a change in the other man.

If Li Baima could stand up, shoulder the responsibility, and not be crushed by it, then he too might be able to glimpse the Law Realm.

Only through trials and tribulations can one transform... Ding Songyan pulled himself out of his thoughts and tried to guess what the leader of the Fire-Stealing Sect the Prince Kang's Residence's Mansion was doing.

Lacking sufficient information, he was momentarily at a loss.

While on duty at the side gate, Ding Songyan was still thinking about this matter, trying to glean some clues from the faces of the servants, Guard, soldiers, old women, and Maid coming and going.

He had just returned to the Side Courtyard for lunch when he saw the Steward Peng Jushan, with a ruddy complexion and the Rooster Aspect, personally come to his door.

Wu Mo, Fan Chunlin, and Li Baima hurriedly stood up and bowed.

Peng Jushan nodded, signaling the others to return to their rooms first, leaving only Ding Songyan in the courtyard.

"Second Brother Ding, I've heard..." Steward Peng looked around and said in a low voice, "I've heard you Yin Eye for the dead, and can Spirit Walking Through the Netherworld?"

"Yes." Ding Songyan nodded frankly.

Peng Jushan smiled:

"There's something I need you to do."