Along the way, a chilling atmosphere shrouded the entire Imperial City.
The blue cloth carriage moved slowly through the silent streets.
Inside the carriage, the atmosphere was extremely bizarre.
Lu Ning was squeezed between Gu Qinghuan and Ji Linglong.
On the left, although Gu Qinghuan did not say a word, the icy aura emanating from her body almost froze the entire carriage.
Her cold eyes stared at Ji Linglong, who was sitting opposite her and clinging to Lu Ning’s arm.
On the right, Ji Linglong completely ignored Gu Qinghuan’s sharp gaze.
Her mind was currently like that of a child, and all her attention was focused on the “Good Sister” beside her, Lu Ning.
She was like a clingy kitten, almost hanging off Lu Ning’s body.
Her small head rubbed back and forth against Lu Ning’s shoulder, and she let out occasional hums of satisfaction.
【Help me!】
Lu Ning screamed silently in her heart.
She didn’t dare to move or speak now, fearing that one wrong move would ignite this shura field.
“Sister, you smell so good.”
Ji Linglong looked up, her innocent golden phoenix eyes sparkling as she looked at Lu Ning, a child-like, naive smile on her face.
Hearing this, Lu Ning’s body stiffened abruptly.
Beside her, the cold air coming off Gu Qinghuan instantly grew several degrees heavier.
“Master…” Gu Qinghuan’s voice rang out faintly, “Your scent should only belong to me.”
Lu Ning felt like her head was about to explode.
She now incredibly missed the days when she was imprisoned like a canary in the Phoenix Palace by Ji Linglong.
Though it was shameful, at least she didn’t have to face a shura field like this.
“Sister, that bad woman is glaring at me.”
Ji Linglong seemed to have noticed Gu Qinghuan’s unfriendly gaze.
She shrank into Lu Ning’s arms and filed a small complaint.
“She isn’t a bad person.”
Lu Ning could only bite the bullet and explain, “She is Sister’s disciple.”
“Disciple?”
A flash of doubt appeared in Ji Linglong’s eyes.
“What is a disciple? Can it be eaten?”
Lu Ning: “…”
At this point, Gu Qinghuan’s face was so dark it looked like ink could drip from it.
She was the dignified Holy Maiden of the Heaven Demon Sect, a powerhouse at the Great Perfection of the Fusion Stage, and yet she was being treated as food by a fool?
“Master!” Gu Qinghuan could no longer hold back.
“Are you just going to let her act so willfully?”
“Qinghuan, her mind is incomplete right now, you…”
“Does an incomplete mind mean she can lay hands on you, Master?”
Gu Qinghuan’s voice was full of grievance and accusation.
“Even this disciple hasn’t…”
She stopped herself abruptly halfway through, seemingly realizing she had said something she shouldn’t have.
Her cheeks turned slightly red.
Lu Ning looked at her and felt speechless.
【The things you, this rebellious disciple, have done to me are a hundred times worse than what she’s doing!】
Just as the atmosphere in the carriage was becoming more bizarre and was on the verge of exploding.
The carriage slowly came to a halt.
“We have arrived.”
Su Yuexi’s gentle voice came from outside the carriage.
Lu Ning quickly lifted a corner of the curtain and looked out.
Not far ahead was the massive gate of Heaven Capital City.
Below the city gate, rows of city guards in golden armor stood solemnly with long halberds, blocking the entrance so tightly that not even a drop of water could leak through.
Directly above the city gate, an elderly figure sat cross-legged, eyes closed in meditation.
Although the person did not emit any aura, Lu Ning only needed one look to discern the other party’s strength.
Late-stage Mahayana Realm!
At that moment, Lu Ning’s heart sank to the bottom.
She knew that leaving from here would likely not be easy.
“Who goes there!”
A shout rang out from the front.
Two squads of city guards quickly stepped forward, surrounding the carriage.
Su Yuexi jumped down from the driver’s seat and gave a polite, neither humble nor pushy salute to the leading general.
“Su Yuexi, Sect Leader of the Hundred Flowers Valley, greets the General.”
She took a token from her robe.
“This humble woman came to attend the Eldest Princess’s birthday banquet. Now that the banquet is over and chaos has broken out in the palace, I feel fearful and wish to leave the city to return to my sect. I hope the General will make it easy for us.”
The general took the token and inspected it carefully.
After confirming it was genuine, the expression on his face softened slightly.
“So it is Sect Leader Su. My apologies.”
Although the general was polite, he showed no intention of letting them pass.
“Sect Leader Su, it is not that this lowly officer intends to make things difficult. It is just that assassins have infiltrated the city, and Her Majesty the Empress has ordered a total lockdown. No one is allowed to enter or leave at will.”
“I am also acting under orders. I hope Sect Leader Su can understand.”
Hearing this, a look of difficulty appeared on Su Yuexi’s gentle face.
“General, I am but a mere woman and easily frightened. With assassins and searches everywhere in the city, it is truly terrifying. I ask the General to show some flexibility; I would be deeply grateful.”
As she spoke, she quietly handed over a storage bag.
The general glanced at the storage bag, and a flash of greed crossed his eyes, but in the end, he shook his head.
“Sect Leader Su, I appreciate the sentiment. But military orders are like mountains; I truly dare not disobey.”
“Furthermore…” He looked up at the gate tower.
“The Imperial Ancestor is personally overseeing this place. Any suspicious personnel must be thoroughly investigated.”
“I must ask Sect Leader Su to open the carriage for a routine inspection. If no suspicious persons are found, I will inform the Ancestor’s side to see if passage can be granted.”
The general’s attitude was firm, leaving no room for negotiation.
Inside the carriage, a cold killing intent flashed in Gu Qinghuan’s eyes.
The Lunar Power within her body was already beginning to stir.
“Qinghuan, don’t be impulsive.”
Lu Ning quickly pressed down on her hand.
That Mahayana old monster on the gate tower was no pushover.
“Then what do we do?”
Gu Qinghuan’s voice carried a hint of anxiety.
Lu Ning took a deep breath and turned her gaze toward Ji Linglong, who was still curiously examining the interior of the carriage.
Now, the only hope lay with this “Silly Princess.”
“Linglong.”
Lu Ning spoke in as gentle a tone as possible.
“Hmm?”
Ji Linglong turned her head, her golden phoenix eyes blinking with total innocence.
“Those people outside won’t let us out.”
Lu Ning pointed outside the carriage.
“Can you make them let us go?”
Ji Linglong tilted her head, seemingly thinking about something.
“I can.”
A moment later, she nodded, a brilliant smile appearing on her face.
Hearing this, Lu Ning was overjoyed.
However, Ji Linglong’s next words caused the smile on her face to freeze instantly.
“But, Sister has to give me a reward first.”
A reward?
【My dear ancestor, you have the IQ of a three-year-old, yet you still know how to haggle!】
Lu Ning screamed inwardly, but her face showed no change.
She could only go along with this little ancestor for now.
“Fine… alright.”
“What reward does Linglong want? As long as Sister has it, I’ll give it to you.”
“Really?”
Ji Linglong’s eyes brightened instantly, like two brilliant golden stars.
“Yes.”
Lu Ning nodded, biting the bullet.
“Then…” Ji Linglong stretched out a slender, white finger and gently tapped her jade-like cheek.
“I want Sister to kiss me.”