Chapter 49

As someone who had experienced being stopped for confessions while walking, Qu Panyan, with her exquisite appearance and as a protagonist, had encountered such situations before, but never from a woman…

Especially when her own wife, the renowned Sect Master Su, was ‘invisibly’ present at the scene.

She had seen people who cling to life, but she had never seen someone so eagerly courting death…

While silently offering three sticks of incense to the young girl in front of her in her heart, Qu Panyan withdrew her hand that had been grabbed, took a step back, and sincerely asked, “Isn’t it good to be alive?”

Seeing that she escaped her grasp, the young girl was about to take another step forward to grab her again, but she was stopped by Kang Congshuang, who stepped forward, and the remaining three disciples also spontaneously stood in front of Qu Panyan.

Protecting the Sect Master’s wife and maintaining the Sect Master’s dignity were their duties as disciples of Xianmeng Sect.

Su Lingyu, seeing that Kang Congshuang had intervened, suppressed some of her anger and coldly eyed the young girl. Her main purpose for this trip was to protect Qu Panyan and not disrupt the disciples’ training, so she wouldn’t easily show herself—especially not in front of the disciples.

Kang Congshuang gently brushed away the girl’s hand and calmly said, “Young lady, please restrain yourself.”

This young girl, named Wu Paiyun, had delicate features and a refreshing sense of heroism between her eyebrows, making her eyes even more bright and spirited. She looked at Kang Congshuang up and down and then glanced at the other three disciples, noticing that they were all dressed in identical sky-blue robes with the same style.

Wu Paiyun asked, “Oh, you all are from the same sect, right?”

Kang Congshuang replied, “Yes.”

Wu Paiyun asked again, “Which sect are you from?” While she could tell they were from a sect based on their attire, she had not seen many sects or factions due to her limited exposure, so she couldn’t determine which sect they belonged to.

Kang Congshuang said, “Xianmeng Sect.”

Wu Paiyun’s eyes brightened at first, then she calmed down and looked at her doubtfully. “Really? You’re not pretending, are you?”

The three disciples’ gazes sharpened as they all stared at her. Kang Congshuang remained composed, neither humble nor overbearing, and said, “Absolutely true.”

Wu Paiyun shrugged, not sure if she believed it or not, and instead pointed her finger at Qu Panyan. “Then she surely isn’t, right?” She wasn’t wearing a disciple’s attire.

Qu Panyan, as Su Lingyu’s direct disciple, had been following Su Lingyu on Tailing Peak, except for a few days when she went to Wangchen Peak for integration. Also, she rarely participated in the activities of the sect’s disciples so didn’t need to wear a uniform. She is still dressed in the luxurious Qu family attire prepared for her by Qu Muqiu.

Now that she had become the Sect Master’s wife, there was even less reason for uniformity—if she was to unify, it would match with Su Lingyu in couple outfits.

Wu Paiyun didn’t recognize the disciples’ attire of Xianmeng Sect, nor did she recognize the Qu family emblem. She laughed and praised Qu Panyan for her beauty, expressing her desire to marry her.

Kang Congshuang spoke frankly, “Please be cautious with your words and actions. She is the wife of our Sect Master. If you make any offensive moves, Xianmeng Sect will not ignore it.”

Qu Panyan nodded silently. Yes, perhaps she might even get to enjoy a luxurious thrashing personally prepared by the Sect Master herself.

Wu Paiyun sneered, “Sect Master’s wife? Do you think I don’t know that the Sect Master of Xianmeng is a woman? Wasn’t she going to marry the young master of the An family? How could she like women now? You don’t even have a decent excuse to reject me. If you don’t have a good reason, I’m afraid that your Sect Master will find out and even give you a lesson!”

Qu Panyan spoke, “Young girl, your disbelief doesn’t mean it’s impossible. I advise you to be careful with your words; otherwise, once my Sect Master hears about it, you might find yourself in trouble.”

“Oh?” Wu Paiyun raised an eyebrow. “That would be even better. Can she come find me in person? I also want to meet the rumored legendary number one beauty of the sect and learn from her. Who knows, maybe I will ask her how can I win over a beautiful woman like you?”

She nonchalantly threw out the words, seemingly indifferent and not believing that Su Lingyu, the Sect Master, would appear here.

Qu Panyan grinned and remarked, “It is indeed accurate that newborn calves do not fear tigers. Her realm is as vast as the heavens compared to yours. With just a flick of her finger, she could effortlessly overpower you, rendering you helpless. To triumph over her? You can’t even prevail against me, a humble disciple of the Xianmeng Sect.”

Then she heard Su Lingyu’s voice, deep within her heart, a place where others couldn’t hear.

Su Lingyu said, “You go ahead and complete your tasks first; I’ll handle this person.”

Qu Panyan then said to Kang Congshuang, “Let’s go, no need to waste time here. The mission is more urgent.”

However, Wu Paiyun, upon hearing that they were leaving, was unwilling to let them go and was determined to pester Qu Panyan relentlessly.

With a flick of Qu Panyan’s sleeve, the Fire Bell Silk flew out and swiftly bound Wu Paiyun before she could react. The two Fire Bells on the silk tightened like two hands, preventing her from taking a step forward. She could only watch as the group left until they were out of sight.

Wu Paiyun looked down, gnashing her teeth, and shouted at the snow-white silk on her body, “Let me go! Let go!”

But the Fire Bell Silk didn’t release her; on the contrary, it mischievously tightened around her until a cold voice sounded out of nowhere, “Release her.”

Wu Paiyun was startled and abruptly looked up, only to see a tall, stunning, otherworldly, blue-clad woman with a temperament as cold as a lotus on a snow-capped mountain appearing in front of her out of thin air. The feeling of restraint on Wu Paiyun’s body was instantly lifted.

The Fire Bell Silk flew back to Su Lingyu’s side, and the round bells rubbed against Su Lingyu’s hand, instantly becoming well-behaved and harmless—just like their owner.

Su Lingyu gently flicked her long fingers, saying “Go back to Yan’er’s side.”

The Fire Bell Silk shot out like an arrow and rushed back towards its owner, jingling all the way.

Her gaze was as cold as frost, and her aura was overpowering. With just a glance, Wu Paiyun felt as if her throat was being squeezed and she could hardly breathe. Cold sweat dripped down her forehead incessantly.

Su Lingyu coldly said, “You want to win over my wife?”

Wu Paiyun frowned and involuntarily took a step back, “What wife? Who are you!”

“Su Lingyu from the Xianmeng Sect,” Su Lingyu slowly extended a finger, cold stars shimmering in her eyes, “I’ve come so that you can learn from me.”

On that day, Wu Paiyun finally understood what it meant to be “pressed to the ground and unable to get up with just a flick of a finger.”

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Guided by the locals, Qu Panyan and her group quickly found the home of the victim, the Zhuang family. The deceased was their only daughter, Zhuang Wenniang.

After hearing the purpose of their visit, the Zhuang parents welcomed them into their home, believing without a doubt that they were disciples of the Xianmeng Sect. They eagerly served tea and water, and with tears in their eyes, they begged them to catch the murderer. The group reassured them, “We will do our best, rest assured.”

According to the Zhuang parents, their daughter Zhuang Wenniang had inexplicably disappeared seven days ago, and it was not until the third day that she was found on the mountain. By that time, she was already lifeless, her mouth had been severed, and her once beautiful face was covered in a mixture of blood and mud, a horrifying sight. Other parts of her body were intact, and there was no sign of violation.

Thinking of their daughter’s tragic state, the parents couldn’t help but sob, calling out her name amidst their cries, their mournful voices deeply touching everyone’s heart. Qu Panyan and the others spent a long time consoling them until they finally calmed down.

Kang Congshuang asked, “Have you noticed any suspicious individuals around your daughter?”

The elderly couple shook their heads simultaneously. They had pondered this question a thousand times over, going through their memories again and again, but they had never seen anyone suspicious. This only deepened their despair, and their faces were covered with a layer of sorrow.

Qu Panyan asked, “What was Miss Zhang’s personality like? Did she have any enemies?”

Zhuang Mother replied, “No, absolutely not! Our Wenniang was a gentle, considerate, and sensible person. She never held grudges against anyone, and everyone in this town knows that.”

She suddenly became more emotional, “My Wenniang—she died so wrongfully! Who on earth did this, and why would they harm an innocent person!”

An innocent person, killed for no reason.

Could it have been a spur-of-the-moment decision to kill?

Kang Congshuang’s expression became serious. Born into the Kang family, she had suffered from the torment of the Inner Fire Disease since childhood, making her understand the value of life as the most precious thing in the world. She respected and cherished it, both for herself and for others.

But there were those who looked down on life, disregarding its preciousness, callously and remorselessly harming innocent people—even taking pleasure in it without remorse!

They deserved nothing but death!

Qu Panyan nodded and offered some comfort, soothing the agitated mother. At the same time, she noticed Kang Congshuang’s face turning cold, and her usually calm and placid eyes were now filled with a hint of killing intent.

Qu Panyan held her hand, the warmth of her palm enveloping Kang Congshuang’s, “We must believe that evil will be repaid with evil.”

Once they caught this asshole, she’d offer a free cremation service.

Qu Panyan stood up and pulled her up as well, “Come on, let’s go to other places and inquire further.”

As their gazes met, Kang Congshuang clearly felt her concern, so the killing intent in her eyes gradually subsided. She responded, “Alright, let’s split up and gather more information.”

The five of them chose different directions to inquire, agreeing to meet at the Zhuang family’s doorstep after an hour to plan their next move.

Qu Panyan searched around and finally settled on a bookstore named “Yan Ruyu.”

The bookstore was not large, just an ordinary-sized shop, but it stood out from the bustling market, maintaining a serene silence. As soon as Qu Panyan stepped inside, a refreshing and elegant fragrance greeted her, akin to the scent of a young woman—it smelled delightful.

However, it still couldn’t compare to the unique and unparalleled fragrance of Su Lingyu; that was truly the world’s most alluring scent.

The store owner was a young lady with a tender and adorable appearance. When she saw Qu Panyan enter, she exclaimed and said, “Guest, please take your time to browse! I’ll call someone and be right back! Please wait!” She then hurriedly disappeared into the backyard after drawing back the curtain.

Qu Panyan was perplexed, her gaze wandering around the bookstore until it landed on a book titled《Double Flowers Chronicle》. She picked it up and casually flipped through it. But as she read, her whole body froze—

“Qu Yan was pinned beneath her, instantly turning into a pool of enticing spring water. Only the translucent and soft thin veil covered her, revealing the glimpse of her slender arms hidden underneath. With a gentle lift, she tenderly encircled the Sect Master’s neck like boneless vines. Her twin pupils held a hint of autumn water, and her pink, cherry-like lips slightly parted, seemingly alluring yet pleading as she spoke in a tender voice, ‘Good Sister, please take Yan’er…'”

Qu Panyan abruptly closed the book “…”

What the…heck?!

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Translator: Glariosa
Editor: iToon

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