First meeting with Zhu Xiaoliang

The Great Yu Dynasty, the northern outskirts of the Capital.

Mount Qingliang, normally seldom visited except by woodcutters who occasionally went up to gather firewood, had been decorated and given an entirely new look that day.

A red carpet stretched ten li from the foot of the mountain, flanked by flags embroidered with golden divine maidens, fluttering and snapping in the wind.

Cultivators from throughout the Great Yu Dynasty, scions of aristocratic clans, and representatives of sects great and small packed the square at the foot of the mountain, a sea of heads jostling shoulder to shoulder.

Before the crowd, the Divine Maiden Sect's founding ceremony was in full swing.

Presiding over the ceremony was none other than Ye Luoxue.

Today, instead of her usual signature black battle armor, she wore a somewhat less formfitting black-and-red gown.

Her long hair was tied high and secured with a black hairpin.

She had less of the battlefield's murderous bearing and more of a woman's grace and poise. Only her sharp, bright eyes still glinted with cold murderous intent, making people afraid to meet her gaze.

Meanwhile, the Divine Maiden Sect's mistress, Qi Zhaoyue, stood alone atop a nearby peak.

Faint white Spiritual Qi swirled around her, shrouding her figure so that it flickered in and out of sight.

The mountain breeze stirred her red-and-gold court robes, their flowing sleeves fluttering like those of an immortal maiden above the nine heavens, untouched by a speck of mortal dust.

She stood there quietly, calmly looking down upon the bustling founding ceremony below, her gaze unfathomable. No one knew what she was thinking.

Beside her feet stood a little girl.

Her eyes were big and her cheeks round and plump, like a porcelain doll carved from jade and dusted with pink.

She was Qi Zhaoyue's younger sister, the Great Yu Dynasty's ninth princess, Qi Lanxing.

"Big Sister, why aren't you showing yourself? So many of them came for you."

Tugging at Qi Zhaoyue's skirt, Qi Lanxing tilted her little head up and asked curiously.

Qi Zhaoyue lowered her head slightly and looked at her innocent, adorable younger sister, explaining fondly, "You're still young. You don't understand yet."

"With some things, if you show yourself, they'll grow wary and tuck their tails out of sight."

"Only from the shadows can you see clearly."

Qi Lanxing nodded thoughtfully. "Big Sister, do you want to see which of these people are spies sent by other powers?"

"Hmm?"

Qi Zhaoyue looked at her younger sister in surprise. "I didn't expect you to understand that too, little Lanxing."

"You really have grown up!"

"Of course!"

Qi Lanxing patted her little chest proudly and declared, "I haven't been a little kid for ages, all right?"

"Besides, I'm going to be your strategist and adviser someday, Big Sister. I saw through this little matter at a glance!"

"Oh, you..."

Amused by her miniature-adult manner, Qi Zhaoyue reached out and ruffled her hair, saying with a smile, "Yes, yes, our little Lanxing is the cleverest."

"Then when Master comes back in a few days, you must study hard with your teacher. No slacking off, understand?"

"Master?"

At those words, Qi Lanxing's big eyes instantly lit up, and an expression of utter excitement appeared on her face.

"Is Master Sister finally coming back from the Earth Sect?"

"Yes, Master..."

Qi Zhaoyue nodded and was just about to say something.

Just then, a faint black-and-white glow suddenly rippled beside her.

Then an Eight Trigrams formation composed of yin-yang fish appeared out of thin air beside her, rotating slowly.

The next second, the Eight Trigrams formation flashed.

A young woman in white Daoist robes appeared within it.

She looked eighteen or nineteen, with skin fairer than snow and features as lovely as a painting.

Her long black hair was casually tied behind her head with a simple wooden hairpin, without any other adornment. She wore no rouge or powder either, her face bare, yet possessed a naturally unadorned purity and liveliness.

She was like the clearest spring in the mountains, untouched by a speck of worldly dust, so pure that one could not bear to profane her.

Seeing that familiar manner of arrival, Qi Zhaoyue's lips curved into a faint smile, and she asked:

"Junior Sister Xiao Liang of the Heaven Sect?"

Zhu Xiaoliang raised her head and looked Qi Zhaoyue up and down, then bowed slightly, offering a proper Daoist salute, her voice as clear as a tinkling mountain spring.

"Zhu Xiaoliang of the Heaven Sect greets Senior Sister Zhaoyue."

Then she turned to Qi Lanxing. "Greetings, Junior Sister Lanxing."

Qi Lanxing obediently returned the salute.

Qi Zhaoyue also studied Zhu Xiaoliang curiously. What a budding beauty...

Only eighteen, and she hasn't fully blossomed yet, but she's already so captivating. No wonder she ranks third on the Rouge Peerless Beauties Ranking.

Really...

Xu Changsheng is going to reap the benefits again.

With that thought, Qi Zhaoyue exchanged a few pleasantries with Zhu Xiaoliang, a meaningful look in her eyes. "Hello, Junior Sister Xiao Liang. This is our first time meeting, isn't it?"

"Yes, Senior Sister Zhaoyue."

On the surface, the two were very close, calling each other senior sister and junior sister, but Qi Zhaoyue actually harbored a little wariness, while Zhu Xiaoliang wore her refusal to concede to Qi Zhaoyue's cultivation openly on her face.

Even Qi Lanxing could sense the awkward atmosphere between them.

She stuck out her tongue, not daring to interrupt.

After all, she also knew about the awkward relationship between her teacher and Zhu Xiaoliang's teacher, who were sisters.

After their brief exchange of pleasantries, the two fell into a short silence.

A good while passed.

In the end, Qi Zhaoyue spoke again.

Looking at Zhu Xiaoliang, she curved her lips into a "friendly," gentle smile and said softly, "Junior Sister Xiao Liang, your Heaven Sect places the greatest emphasis on secluded cultivation away from the world and has always stayed out of worldly affairs."

"Yet as the current Heaven Sect leader's sole disciple, you've come into this mortal world instead, intending to join my little Divine Maiden Sect."

"I wonder, Junior Sister, have you come sincerely to help your senior sister?"

"Or were you ordered by Martial Aunt to probe the secrets of my cultivation?"

?

Zhu Xiaoliang froze at those words, the expression on her face stiffening.

Her eyes widened as she stared at Qi Zhaoyue, a trace of panic flashing through them.

She had never imagined that Qi Zhaoyue would be so direct, laying everything bare so mercilessly.

Uh, uh, uh...

How am I supposed to answer that?

Couldn't we just leave it as an unspoken understanding? Why did you have to say it outright?

I'm done for, done for! Master never taught me what to do in a situation like this!

Zhu Xiaoliang unconsciously kneaded the hem of her Daoist robes with both hands, her gaze darting about as she avoided Qi Zhaoyue's eyes and racked her brains for an answer...

"Heh!"

Seeing Zhu Xiaoliang's innocent manner, with every thought written on her face, Qi Zhaoyue could not help chuckling inwardly.

She really was an innocent little Daoist nun who had stayed on the Heaven Sect's mountain since birth and had never encountered the mortal world.

Oh, Martial Aunt, you sent her to gather information about me because you were certain I wouldn't do anything to her out of regard for you and Master, didn't you?

And along the way, you could have me "help" give Junior Sister some experience.

Thinking this, Qi Zhaoyue shook her head with a playful expression. Indeed...

For your sake and Master's, your martial niece won't do anything bad to Junior Sister Xiao Liang.

But...

What if your martial niece merely wants to help Junior Sister Xiao Liang improve her cultivation?

Surely even you couldn't interfere with that, Martial Aunt?

As for how I'll improve it...

You needn't concern yourself with that, Martial Aunt!

Who knows? Junior Sister Xiao Liang might even have to thank me when the time comes~!