Zhu Xiaoliang of the Heaven Sect

Zhu Xiaoliang raised her head, her distant gaze falling on Qi Tiannian.

This was the third time since her birth that she had seen her biological father.

The first had been when she was born, and the second when she was sent to the Heaven Sect at five years old.

She felt nothing for this so-called father, and even harbored a faint trace of disgust.

"Master told me to join the Divine Maiden Sect."

Zhu Xiaoliang's voice was cool and indifferent, without the slightest ripple.

Qi Tiannian nodded, a hint of a smile appearing on his face. "Though you are a disciple of the Daoist Heaven Sect, the Divine Maiden Sect is different..."

"Not only will they not be wary of you for being a Heaven Sect disciple, they won't force you to leave the Heaven Sect either. On the contrary, they'll value you all the more because you have the Heaven Sect behind you."

"After all, strictly speaking, the Divine Maiden Sect is merely a tool Qi Zhaoyue established to unite various powers in her struggle for the throne. It's unlike ordinary sects."

"She needs to win over various powers for her own use, and as one of the three great Daoist sects, the Heaven Sect is precisely one of the parties she hopes to win over."

Zhu Xiaoliang gave a slight nod. "Master explained that to me on my way here, too."

"Master Yu'er has thought things through."

Qi Tiannian nodded in satisfaction. "You have two main tasks on this trip to the Divine Maiden Sect."

"First, stay undercover at Qi Zhaoyue's side, keep a close watch on her every move, and promptly report all her plans back to me, your father."

"Second, and most importantly, uncover the secret behind Qi Zhaoyue's soaring cultivation."

At this point, Qi Tiannian's tone grew exceedingly grave. "Ten years ago, Qi Zhaoyue was merely a minor Seventh Realm cultivator."

"Yet in just ten short years, she broke through realm after realm and stepped straight into the Eleventh-Realm Celestial Person Realm."

"Even if she is a sword prodigy seen only once in ten thousand years, this still defies all reason!"

"I suspect she must possess some heaven-defying treasure, or have obtained some inheritance from High Antiquity..."

"Once we get to the bottom of this, we can prescribe the right remedy and stop her from making further breakthroughs."

"If she cannot enter Thirteenth Realm Dao Integration within a hundred years, she will never be able to threaten my throne."

Zhu Xiaoliang listened quietly without speaking.

In truth, she was also very curious about the secret behind Qi Zhaoyue's soaring cultivation.

After all, although she and Qi Zhaoyue had never met, their connections ran deep.

Qi Zhaoyue was one of only two disciples of Bai Yuqiong, the current leader of the Daoist Earth Sect. The other disciple was Qi Zhaoyue's younger sister, Qi Lanxing.

And her? She was the sole disciple of Bai Yuer, leader of the Daoist Heaven Sect.

Her teacher, Bai Yuer, was the younger sister of Qi Zhaoyue's teacher, Bai Yuqiong.

Moreover, she and Qi Zhaoyue both cultivated the Sword Dao, and on the Rouge Ranking, one ranked third and the other fourth...

It could be said that everyone had unconsciously compared her with Qi Zhaoyue from the very beginning.

And Zhu Xiaoliang refused to concede anything to this "senior sister" she had never met.

After all, her talent was no worse than Qi Zhaoyue's, so why was Qi Zhaoyue's cultivation so far ahead of hers?

Still...

"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave," Zhu Xiaoliang said indifferently.

She did not want to stay in the same room as Qi Tiannian. Even one second longer made her uncomfortable.

At her words, a trace of apology appeared on Qi Tiannian's face. "Xiao Liang, I've failed you as a father all these years and made you suffer."

"But rest assured, on the day I become the emperor of Great Yu, I will find a way to bring your mother back and posthumously name her empress, making you the legitimate eldest princess of Great Yu."

Zhu Xiaoliang, whose expression had remained unchanged all this while, pressed her lips together slightly at the mention of her mother.

Her long lashes trembled gently, and a trace of sadness flashed in her eyes.

"Understood."

With that, Zhu Xiaoliang turned and left the study without another glance at Qi Tiannian.

Soon, Qi Tiannian was the only one left in the room.

Watching Zhu Xiaoliang's departing figure, the warm smile on Qi Tiannian's face vanished instantly, replaced by icy coldness.

"In the entire Great Yu Dynasty, apart from my imperial father and Bai Yuer, not a third person knows that Zhu Xiaoliang is my daughter."

"With Xiao Liang's talent, Qi Zhaoyue will certainly devote special attention to nurturing her."

"When the time comes..."

"Uncover the secret behind her soaring cultivation."

"Qi Zhaoyue, oh, Qi Zhaoyue, do you think you've hidden it so well?"

"Just wait. Before long, I'll uncover your trump cards."

"Then let's see what you have left to contend with me!"

"Nothing but a lowly bloodline!"

The northern territory of the Great Yu Dynasty, Like Water Grotto-Heaven.

This was the seat of the Daoist Heaven Sect. Wreathed year-round in clouds and mist, suffused with an immortal air, it resembled a paradise upon the mortal earth.

Deep within the grotto-heaven, two women sat playing Go in the Tide-Listening Pavilion, built at the edge of a cliff.

One of the women wore a long blue-green dress. Her figure was exceedingly voluptuous, her curves exquisite and full in all the right places.

An enchanting smile graced her face, and every shifting glance brimmed with allure.

Her skin was as fair as jade, and her long, straight legs were almost entirely exposed beneath her skirt.

The woman sitting opposite her wore plain white Daoist robes, her bearing cool and otherworldly, like an immortal untouched by the smoke and fire of the mortal world.

Between her brows was a natural mark of three red lotus petals, bewitching and mysterious.

Bai Yuqiong placed a black stone, surrounding a great dragon of white stones, then raised her head and regarded Bai Yuer with a half-smile.

"You let your disciple enter the world?"

"And to help my little Zhaoyue, at that?"

"Would you really be so kind?"

"Besides, if I remember correctly, doesn't your Heaven Sect place the greatest emphasis on aloof seclusion, unsullied by worldly affairs?"

Bai Yuer did not answer, nor did her expression change.

She extended her slender, fair fingers, picked up a white stone, and gently placed it on the board, instantly neutralizing Bai Yuqiong's offensive and forming an encirclement of her own instead.

Seeing this, Bai Yuqiong covered her mouth and chuckled alluringly. "Still putting on that prim and proper act."

"Everyone says Bai Yuer, leader of the Daoist Heaven Sect, is an accomplished adept, cool and unworldly, transcending mortal dust."

"But really, you're just an immature little girl."

"The year after I took Qi Zhaoyue as my disciple, you couldn't wait to take a disciple who also possessed the Sword Heart Dao Physique. Wasn't that just because you wanted to compete with me and beat me once?"

"What a pity~"

"Ever since we were little, whether in cultivation, Daoist arts, or music, Go, calligraphy, and painting, even..."

Here, Bai Yuqiong deliberately paused, raising her hands to gather up her upper body and show off her perfect figure to the fullest.

Then she arched a brow at Bai Yuer and smiled smugly. "Even in figure, when have you ever beaten me?"

Crack-

A crisp sound of shattering rang out.

Bai Yuer, whose expression had not changed at all a moment earlier, crushed a white stone between her fingers.

Powder slowly sifted through the gaps between her fingers.

She raised her head slightly and stared coldly at Bai Yuqiong. "This time, I will beat you!"

"Heehee."

Bai Yuqiong continued chuckling alluringly behind her hand, as though she had anticipated that reaction all along. "Beat me? With what?"

"My Zhaoyue certainly makes me proud. In just ten short years, she advanced from the Seventh Realm to an Eleventh-Realm Celestial Person, becoming the Great Yu Dynasty's youngest Eleventh-Realm sword immortal."

"And your Xiao Liang?"

"Though she's ten years younger than Zhaoyue and has already entered the Ninth Realm."

"For her to set foot in the Eleventh Realm, though..."

"Twenty years?"

"Thirty years?"

"What are you going to beat me with?"

As she spoke, Bai Yuqiong deliberately leaned close to Bai Yuer and lightly licked her earlobe.

"You!"

Watching Bai Yuer react as though struck by lightning, Bai Yuqiong said playfully:

"Actually, your big sister isn't without weaknesses."

"I was born with seductive bones and am incredibly sensitive, so if we competed in stamina in bed, you'd definitely beat your big sister~"

"Heeheehee~!"

With that, Bai Yuqiong left the Tide-Listening Pavilion, her exceedingly voluptuous figure swaying, leaving behind a trail of laughter like silver bells.