Qing Xu's secret

Meanwhile, Chi Chen, a squad captain of the Azure Feather Guard, had entered White Cloud City.

"Huh? How strange. Public order in the city seems quite good."

As soon as Chi Chen entered the city, he noticed the atmosphere of ease that pervaded it.

Under ordinary circumstances, Chi Chen would not have found it strange.

But the White Cloud City lord's manor had been wiped out only recently.

Generally speaking, once the city lord's manor was gone, a city would lose its old discipline and descend into lawless chaos. Yet, as Chi Chen saw it, White Cloud City showed no sign of being undisciplined. On the contrary, everything was in good order.

"Looks like I'd better visit the city lord's manor first."

Chi Chen looked around for a moment, then hurried toward the city lord's manor. Before long, he arrived.

A middle-aged man in gray robes stood before the gates of the manor.

At Chi Chen's arrival, a smile appeared on the middle-aged man's slightly weary face. "You're from the Azure Feather Dynasty, aren't you? I've been waiting here for quite some time."

Chi Chen's pupils contracted slightly. He eyed the middle-aged man warily and said in a low voice, "Who are you, and how do you know where I come from?"

He had only just arrived, yet this stranger had seen through his identity. He was shocked. Could this man be the culprit who had wiped out the White Cloud City lord's manor?

At the thought, Chi Chen unconsciously began to back away. At the first sign of trouble, he would retreat at once and hurry to inform the Ninth Prince and Tenth Princess.

Seeing how cautious Chi Chen was, the middle-aged man's smile grew brighter. "I change neither my given name when I walk nor my surname when I sit. I am Lu Guangyao, the first elder of the Lu Clan of White Cloud City."

"The Lu Clan? Never heard of it."

Chi Chen shook his head.

Lu Guangyao was at a loss for words. The Lu Clan's influence was still far too limited.

After a moment's silence, however, Lu Guangyao told Chi Chen what had happened in White Cloud City, including how the city lord's manor had joined forces with the Azure Dragon Gang and the Balance Sect in an attempt to wipe out the Lu Clan.

To protect itself, the Lu Clan had struck and wiped out all three factions.

Hearing this, Chi Chen sneered. "You don't think the Azure Feather Dynasty will forgive you just because you say that, do you?"

Lu Guangyao shook his head. "You've misunderstood. The Lu Clan has never cared what others think of what we do."

"Oh? Then why explain yourself?"

Chi Chen looked at Lu Guangyao with interest. In his mind, Lu Guangyao was only trying to clear the clan of its crimes and win the Azure Feather Dynasty's forgiveness.

Chi Chen held him in utter contempt for it.

But Lu Guangyao's next words shocked Chi Chen once again.

"I told you this only to maintain the alliance between our two factions," Lu Guangyao said calmly.

"An alliance?"

Chi Chen was momentarily taken aback. "An alliance between which two sides?"

"The Lu Clan and the Azure Feather Dynasty."

"Pfft~"

"Hahahahaha!"

Chi Chen laughed. Standing before the city lord's manor, he laughed so hard he could barely close his mouth, and tears nearly streamed from his eyes.

The Azure Feather Dynasty, the sole hegemon of Qingzhou, was supposedly allied with a shabby little clan from this backwater.

If word got out, everyone would probably laugh their teeth out.

The man before him really dared to make things up.

Watching Chi Chen laugh at him without a shred of decorum, Lu Guangyao rubbed his nose and unconsciously began to smile as well.

The clan leader had already told him everything. Although the Azure Feather Dynasty was nothing special, with only a Saint Realm expert holding the fort, it could still be of use to the Lu Clan for the time being.

So the Lu Clan was willing to give the Azure Feather Dynasty a chance to climb a high branch.

For now, though, it seemed the news had not yet spread throughout the Azure Feather Dynasty.

After laughing for a long while, Chi Chen finally managed to stop. He drew several deep breaths, then looked at Lu Guangyao. "I see it now. Your so-called Lu Clan must have been scared out of its wits."

"I can understand. After all, what faction that offends the Azure Feather Dynasty can escape calamity?"

"Lucky for you, the Ninth Prince is kindhearted and willing to give you a chance."

"Go back and tell your Lu Clan at once. If you all kneel and wait at the city gates before the Ninth Prince enters White Cloud City, he can give you a chance to redeem your crimes through meritorious service."

Lu Guangyao: ...

Why did nobody believe the truth these days?

Just then, a powerful fluctuation of presence suddenly came from somewhere within White Cloud City.

The presence of the Spirit Concentration Realm!

Sensing it, Lu Guangyao was slightly taken aback.

It was the clan leader's presence.

Within the Lu Clan.

Lu Qingshan sat calmly in a courtyard, while his spiritual sense clearly perceived the encounter between Lu Guangyao and Chi Chen.

"The Azure Feather Dynasty moved pretty quickly. Although this is a misunderstanding, if I make good use of it, perhaps there'll be an unexpected gain."

He had spent many years adventuring outside and knew how cruel the world was.

Had the ancestor not emerged, the Lu Clan would probably have been devoured entirely by now.

So, even though the Lu Clan had already formed an alliance with the Azure Feather Dynasty, as clan leader, he still needed to secure as many opportunities for the clan as he could.

Meanwhile, Chi Chen's smile froze. "The Spirit Concentration Realm?"

"There's actually a Spirit Concentration Realm expert in White Cloud City!"

Chi Chen was shocked, but he kept his composure. Fortunately, the Tenth Princess had come along this time.

The Tenth Princess, Qing Xu, was also a Spirit Concentration Realm expert, and no ordinary one at that.

Even so, Chi Chen was still shaken, because he could not be sure there was only one Spirit Concentration Realm expert in the city.

Damn it, no wonder the Lu Clan is so fearless. They have a Spirit Concentration Realm expert holding the fort.

That would make it difficult for them to resolve the problem in White Cloud City this time. They might even return empty-handed.

No, I have to report to Their Highnesses at once.

Chi Chen hesitated no longer. He hurriedly used a technique to flee White Cloud City.

Lu Guangyao stood where he was, watching Chi Chen vanish as swiftly as a ghost. In the end, he sighed.

He was only at the Spirit Master Realm, after all.

If he had not possessed the ancestor's means to keep the other man from seeing through his cultivation, the man probably would not even have given him a proper look.

Afterward, Lu Guangyao returned to the Lu Clan.

The clan leader, Lu Qingshan, was busy with clan affairs. When he saw the first elder return, he smiled and asked, "Well, how did it go?"

Lu Guangyao spread his hands. "He didn't believe me at all."

Lu Qingshan nodded slightly. "As expected."

"Let them be. As long as they don't go too far, there's no need to pay them any mind."

Lu Guangyao asked worriedly, "What if they don't receive the news in time and attack outright?"

If that happened, things would end badly for both sides.

Lu Guangyao, however, said confidently, "Don't worry, they won't dare attack. At least, not for now."

"Still, it would be best to have someone keep an eye on them. I have my own plans for this group."

Hearing the clan leader say so, Lu Guangyao nodded. "I understand. I'll do as you say, clan leader."

Meanwhile, not far outside White Cloud City.

Chi Chen swiftly returned to the convoy and reported the news from White Cloud City to the Ninth Prince, Qing Zhe.

"The Spirit Concentration Realm? Really? How could a shabby little place like this have someone at the Spirit Concentration Realm?"

Qing Zhe was somewhat skeptical and looked suspiciously at Chi Chen. "You didn't get fooled, did you?"

Chi Chen hurriedly replied, "It's absolutely true, Your Highness! Although I'm only at the peak of the Void Shattering Realm, I would never mistake the presence of someone at the Spirit Concentration Realm!"

Qing Xu, who was beside Qing Zhe, opened her eyes and said calmly, "He probably isn't lying. There is indeed something extraordinary about this city."

More precisely, there was something extraordinary within the city.

Qing Xu did not say that aloud.

There was a secret she had never told anyone in her life: she had a special physique that allowed her to keenly sense people or things that would benefit her.

Relying on this trait, she had cultivated like a fish in water, firmly seizing every opportunity around her and reaching the Spirit Concentration Realm at the age of sixteen.

Some days ago, she had suddenly sensed that Qing Zhe had an opportunity for her, which had surprised her.

What could this imperial brother of hers, who loafed around every day, possibly have that would benefit her?

Then news came that the White Cloud City lord's manor had been wiped out, and Qing Zhe asked the Feather Emperor for permission to personally go and quell the rebellion.

Thus, under the pretext of protecting Qing Zhe, Qing Xu had accompanied him to White Cloud City.

Now it seemed her senses had not been wrong.

The appearance of a Spirit Concentration Realm expert in a small city like White Cloud City was the best proof.

"Then how about we retreat?"

Seeing a grave expression appear even on the face of his competitive younger imperial sister, Qing Zhe grew a little afraid and began to think of backing out.

Chi Chen pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly. "The best solution now is to explain the situation to His Majesty the Feather Emperor and have him send stronger Azure Feather Guards."

Hearing them, Qing Xu knitted her brows. "It's only the Spirit Concentration Realm. Is it that strong?"

Qing Zhe's expression darkened. "You're at the Spirit Concentration Realm, so of course you're not afraid! What if you can't protect me in time and I die? Imperial Father won't let you off then!"

Qing Xu clenched her fists and said through gritted teeth, "If you're afraid, stay here. I'll go myself!"

"Heh, go on, then. If you run into danger, don't blame me for not warning you."

"You! Hmph!!"

Her face full of resentment, Qing Xu stormed off alone toward White Cloud City.

Qing Zhe paid no mind as he watched Qing Xu leave in a huff, but Chi Chen was worried. "Your Highness, are you really going to leave the Tenth Princess alone? If something truly happens to her, it would be a loss for the Azure Feather Dynasty."

Chi Chen had a discerning eye and understood Qing Xu's value.

A genius who had reached the Spirit Concentration Realm at sixteen would stand out even in Central Province.

With proper nurturing, she would undoubtedly become one of the Azure Feather Dynasty's most formidable fighters in the future.

But Qing Zhe acted as if he had not heard. He stretched, then yawned as he returned to the little palace.

"Stop bothering me. Just send the news back to Imperial Father."

"Uh, yes, Your Highness."