“Now it’s confirmed that Yun Lan is hiding somewhere in Da Zhou, but what connection does the Zhang family mentioned in the Ji family’s letter have with Yun Lan?”
[According to the Sect Leader’s orders, the Ye family, as expected, has already escorted over two hundred members of the Zhang family to the capital.]
[Currently, only Zhang Qingyao, the youngest son of the Zhang family patriarch, and about a dozen Zhang family slaves remain at large.]
Why did you order the arrest of the Zhang family?
Also, have you already taken control of the Ye family?
Hua Chuyan looked up, puzzled, at the woman in black before her.
“A large family will always have one or two traitors. And the reasons for becoming a family traitor are usually very simple. The Ye family can’t give the traitors what they want, but I can.”
Ji Yexue took Yun Lan’s Flute of Yun Lan from the Box and left the Storage Room for Magical Treasures, with Hua Chuyan following closely behind.
“After confirming Yun Lan was hiding within Da Zhou’s borders, I assigned people from the Ji family to investigate recent unusual occurrences in Da Zhou. The Ye family is currently in a marriage alliance with a small family named Zhong. And because of this alliance, they have fallen out with another cultivation family, the Zhang family. I was somewhat curious, so I sent people to investigate. It turns out the Zhang family is the ancestral home of an inner disciple from the Shenhuang Sect.”
“So you went to that disciple to get information?”
Hua Chuyan asked.
Ji Yexue nodded calmly.
“The information I gathered is that the Zhang family ancestors relocated multiple times, but the reasons for these moves remain unknown.”
“Is that inner disciple male or female? What’s their name?”
“Male. His name is Zhang Qinglin.”
“No wonder. You radiate such a ‘men keep away’ aura that it’s no surprise you couldn’t get much out of him,”
Hua Chuyan teased.
“…Really?”
For the first time, a flicker of hesitation appeared on Ji Yexue’s otherwise calm face.
Sensing the bait was taken, Hua Chuyan’s tone turned sultry and tempting.
“Of course. If it had been a female disciple, she probably would have spilled everything by now. Unfortunately, it’s a male disciple. You’re so stunningly beautiful, yet you always refuse to use your advantages. If you changed your tone a bit, perhaps all the men in the Shenhuang Sect would have already fallen at your feet.”
“But I was born male. Not wanting to get close to other men is perfectly normal, isn’t it?”
Ji Yexue frowned slightly in rebuttal.
“That was a long time ago. Five hundred years have passed. You should stop clinging to your male form.”
As the words fell, a soft, boneless touch slid into Ji Yexue’s arms, floral fragrance filling her senses.
Two breathtaking women embraced each other tightly.
“Ji Ye.”
“Hmm.”
“Ji Ye.”
“I’m here.”
“Ji Ye Ji Ye Ji Ye Ji Ye.”
“I’m here, I’m here, I’m here, I’m here.”
“Even if you were always a woman, as long as we’re together, what does it matter?”
Hua Chuyan’s voice was sultry, making Ji Yexue’s ears tingle.
Ji Yexue said nothing, her gaze seeming to look far away—toward the distant Zhou Kingdom.
After a moment’s embrace, Hua Chuyan spoke.
“Zhang Qinglin… this name feels familiar… I remember now. During the last Sect Tournament, your Shenhuang Sect had a sword disciple who performed quite impressively. His name was Zhang Qinglin, right?”
“That’s him. Now, the only Zhang family member still on the run is his younger brother.”
“Does Zhang Qinglin himself know about this?”
“He’s still completely unaware. He claims the last contact with the Zhang family was two years ago when he wrote to cancel the engagement. The Ji family’s investigation shows that the small Zhong family, allied to the Ye family, started their feud with the Zhang family because of this.”
“You still haven’t explained why you led the Ye family to arrest the Zhang family.”
“I went through the archived records of the Destruction of Hehuan Sect from five hundred years ago and found that a Zhang disciple within the Hehuan Sect went missing. There are no confirmed death records—just disappearance. I suspect this Zhang disciple carried fragments of Yun Lan’s divine soul and fled to hide in the secular world. Combined with Zhang Qinglin’s account and the Zhang family genealogy tracing back roughly five hundred years, it can’t be a coincidence. The Zhang family in Da Zhou today must be descendants of that Zhang Hehuan Sect disciple.”
Ji Yexue patiently explained to Hua Chuyan.
“But the letter from the Ji family also said all of the Zhang family’s assets were confiscated by the Ye family. Ye family traitors dug through the Zhang estate searching everywhere but found no clues about Yun Lan’s whereabouts.”
“Yes, that’s the part that baffles me the most,”
Ji Yexue nodded.
“So what now? We barely caught Yun Lan, and now we’re going to let him slip away again?”
Ji Yexue seemed to think of something and spoke unhurriedly.
“According to the Ye family traitors, the Ye family has been desperately covering up a scandal. A month ago, the only Zhang family heir still at large, Zhang Qingyao, came to the Ye residence and caused a huge commotion.”
“Caused a commotion at the Ye family? Does Zhang Qingyao’s strength match his older brother’s? Which sect is he from?”
“No sect. The Ye family traitors said he’s at the Golden Core stage.”
“Golden Core stage… when was the last time Da Zhou had a Golden Core cultivator?”
Hua Chuyan asked in surprise.
“A century ago there were one or two. Among the current Five Great Families, none have reached Golden Core now.”
“If that’s the case, then this fugitive Zhang Qingyao is very likely connected to Yun Lan.”
“That’s exactly what I think.”
“The letter also mentioned a young prince of Zhou Kingdom has gone missing, suspected dead.
The Da Zhou royal family is left with only the emperor himself.
In two days, the Da Zhou emperor will hold a rain-seeking ceremony, where the Five Great Families and all civil and military officials will gather.
The drought in southern Da Zhou isn’t severe enough to justify such a ceremony.
Yet the Yun family strongly supports it, even recruiting the Feng family and bribing court officials.
Recently, rumors say the Da Zhou empress is pregnant—her first child with the emperor—and she’s from the Yun family.
“Ji Ye, what do you think? What is the Yun family’s real purpose behind all this?”
Ji Yexue shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
“No matter how you look at it, it’s all too suspicious. Yun Lan is after all from the Yun family. Even if the Yun family betrayed Yun Lan to save themselves back then, it’s hard to believe they don’t still hold grudges.”
“The Yun family now truly has no connection with Yun Lan. But if Sect Leader Hua still feels uneasy, I’m more than willing to help her ease those worries and completely eliminate this threat.”
“Why don’t we just settle it once and for all, leaving only the Ji family and Hua family among the Five Great Families?”
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