Chapter 206

Man Jiangxue remembered that sword competition; not long ago, she and Xie Yijun had both reminisced about it at Lanfeng Pavilion.

At that time, apart from Shen Mandong, no one wanted to go to the sword-fighting arena. When their master saw that his three disciples had no fighting spirit, he gave them a good scolding, especially Xie Yijun, who was scolded the most.

“It’s always the same old things, like how as a senior sister, you should set a good example for your junior sisters, and so on, she keeps nagging,” Xie Yijun put down her teacup, tired of standing, and turned to sit down on the edge of the couch. “If you were weak-willed, you would have to listen to these words and endure them year after year, doing as Master says. Unfortunately, I’m not like that. She’s right. I really didn’t take her words to heart, because I’m a person, not a block of wood. I have my own emotions and thoughts. I don’t have to do what others tell me to do.”

That day, Xie Yijun didn't withdraw from the competition because she was afraid of the battle, nor because she saw Man Jiangxue and Wen Chaoyu go to the stands and followed suit. She genuinely didn't want to go on stage.

One reason is that she can't beat Shen Mandong, but another reason is, why should she even step onto the field?

To be Shen Mandong's foil? Knowing that his master had already chosen Shen Mandong and was wary of him, why would he pretend to be nonchalant and go up to play tricks?

Even if she performed well on the spot and won against Shen Mandong, so what?

The master always finds a way to continue suppressing her.

This is her situation, this is how she is treated.

However, in the end, she still lost, remaining the perennial fourth-place finisher, unable to even defeat Wen Chaoyu. Even though she had given it her all during the competition, using all her skills and desperately trying to advance one more step.

But as expected, she still lost.

There are always people better than you, and there's always something beyond your understanding. Under the suppression of absolute talent and strength, her indomitable spirit seemed so laughable and insignificant.

On the night the sword competition ended, their master took them to Lanfeng Pavilion. Xie Yijun had no appetite for that meal.

"Instead of grasping the bright moon, you will grasp the spring breeze. As your teacher, I hope you will not be overly ambitious and will not covet such unrealistic things."

"The bright moon may be unattainable, but the spring breeze comes every year. The journey through the world is long, so one must be content with one's lot and keep one's feet on the ground."

"I hope that the four of you will be loving and supportive of each other through thick and thin. Only by being loyal and helping each other can you go further. I can then entrust Yunhua Palace to you with peace of mind."

"May you all, even a hundred years from now, remember your original aspirations and walk hand in hand. The future of Yunhua Palace depends on you all."

...

To the other three junior sisters, these words were their master's teachings and expectations. But to Xie Yijun, they sounded like their master subtly hinting at something with ulterior motives.

It was said only to her.

Five days later, Shen Mandong was appointed as the chief disciple, attracting everyone's attention and becoming the center of attention. While Man Jiangxue, Wen Chaoyu, and their master sat in the stands, Xie Yijun was busy running around below, arranging everything.

She watched as Shen Mandong walked down the red carpet she had personally set up, surrounded by admirers. She looked at the dress Shen Mandong was wearing, which she had personally commissioned to be tailor-made for her. She also saw the satisfaction and smile in her master's eyes—an expression her master hadn't shown her in a long time.

“Perhaps there was some, but I always felt that Master was biased and that she didn’t like me,” Xie Yijun looked at Man Jiangxue and leaned back on the armrest of the couch with great ease. “When you have a completely new understanding of someone, then after that, when you look at that person again, you will feel that everything about her is wrong. Good words become bad words to you, and bad words are like knives stabbing you. In short, after I heard Master and Mandong’s conversation, I didn’t want to hate, but I couldn’t help it.”

After the enthronement ceremony, Shen Mandong found Xie Yijun and gave her a gift she had prepared herself. It wasn't anything particularly expensive. Shen Mandong had been pampered since childhood, and she didn't like things that could be bought with money. When she gave gifts, she always made them herself.

She gave Xie Yijun a string of high-quality sandalwood prayer beads.

"Senior Sister, you've worked so hard for my enthronement ceremony these past few days, and I've seen it all. I've been wanting to thank you for the past few days, but I couldn't think of anything to give you. Senior Sister Wen reminded me that you often go to the Buddhist hall to light lamps and meditate, so I asked my family to send you a piece of sandalwood. I ground the beads myself, and I also made this braided rope myself. I even engraved your name on it. Senior Sister, do you like it?"

Xie Yijun likes it very much.

She wore that string of Buddhist prayer beads for many years, and she almost never took it off except when bathing.

·

Man Jiangxue had let go of Ning Shuang's hand at some point. She lowered her eyelashes and looked at the string of beads on Xie Yijun's wrist. Her tightly furrowed brows revealed a variety of complex emotions that she could not express.

Xie Yijun fiddled with the beads, remaining silent, and the two fell silent once again.

But not long after, Man Jiangxue gripped Ning Shuang tightly again and said in a deep voice, "You still haven't said why you wanted to kill her."

The unknown blood feud is real, and it is also true that she was guarded against by her master in the palace. But if we really want to find out the cause and effect of all this, what does it have to do with Shen Mandong?

“Even if you wanted revenge, after Zhilan tipped off Nangong Min and helped the Ziwei Sect attack Shangliucang Mountain, you should have killed Sect Leader Shen and those Ruyi Sect disciples,” Man Jiangxue said. “But you killed Meng Wugui’s parents and your senior sister. Why?”

Xie Yijun chuckled and met Man Jiangxue's gaze, saying, "Killing Meng Wugui's parents was just a matter of convenience for me. As for Man Dong, it was because she did it willingly; she didn't resist at all, and in fact, she wanted me to kill her."

Man Jiangxue reacted quickly: "You told her about what happened back then?"

Xie Yijun nodded: "That's right." She lowered her head, played with the Buddhist beads in her hand, and said straightforwardly, "Do you remember Mandong's last birthday? She asked you to make a hairpin for her. Wen Chaoyu gave her a small wooden figure that she had carved randomly. The gift I gave her was the truth about how her parents killed my father and brother back then."

At that time, Shen Mandong was already married to Yin Xuan and was six months pregnant.

Xie Yijun originally thought that her master should have given up, but she really didn't expect that after Shen Mandong insisted on getting married and ran back to Ruyi Sect to become the successor, her master still couldn't forget her.

In fact, Xie Yijun could understand Shen Mandong's actions. As a descendant of the Shen family and so outstanding, even if she wanted to stay in Yunhua Palace, Old Master Shen would not agree. Why would his own daughter go to another sect to become the sect leader? She married Yin Xuan out of necessity. No one was more suitable to marry into the family than Yin Xuan. If she married someone else, Ruyi Sect would no longer be surnamed Shen. How many of those who claimed to admire Shen Mandong truly understood her?

They were all just after her beauty and background.

Furthermore, Meng Wugui was still young at the time. Under the protection of her older sister, Shen Mandong, Meng Wugui neither liked reading nor practicing martial arts. She just wanted to be a pampered young lady who didn't have to worry about food or drink. If Shen Mandong became the head of Yunhua Palace, then Ruyi Sect would face the situation of having no successor. With Shen Mandong around, why force Meng Wugui to do things she didn't want to do? Besides, even if she were forced to practice martial arts, Meng Wugui might not be half as good as Shen Mandong.

Then all that can be done is for Chen Mandong to suffer in silence.

That day, Shen Mandong returned to her sect, heavily pregnant, and gave Man Jiangxue a drawing of a hairpin design, saying she wanted a birthday gift that she could carry with her at all times. She had arrived at the palace early, and Man Jiangxue had spent several days learning needlework from a senior sister who was skilled in needlework, and finally managed to give the hairpin to Shen Mandong on her birthday.

Wen Chaoyu found it troublesome to send food, as she couldn't cook herself, and Shen Mandong, being pregnant, had to abstain from certain foods and alcohol. So Wen Chaoyu cut down half a log in the mountains and carelessly carved a small wooden figure, saying to Shen Mandong, "Don't say anything yet. I know you'll think it's ugly, but I'm going to make it ugly. The uglier this thing is, the uglier your child will be after birth. You can carry it with you every day, and your little niece can play with it when she's born. What do you think? Isn't this thing good?"

The two looked into each other's eyes and burst into laughter.

But jokes aside, Wen Chaoyu still felt a little guilty. Xie Yijun had come back pregnant to celebrate her birthday with her fellow disciples, while she couldn't even prepare a decent gift. So she pointed at Xie Yijun and said, "My gift has meaning, and Man Jiangxue's hairpin will do. At least we have something to give. But look at Yijun, she came empty-handed!"

Shen Mandong said, "Senior Sister just returned from Hezhou City. She doesn't even know I've come to the palace. How could she have time to prepare any gifts? Don't tease her."

Why did Xie Yijun go to Hezhou City? Because at that time, Nangong Min had only been on the throne for a few years and was still under pressure from the martial arts sects. Her master sent her to Hezhou City to spy on the Ziwei Sect. Xie Yijun returned empty-handed and was scolded in the Mingguang Hall.

"Jiang Xue recaptured Yaoding City, and Chao Yu wiped out the Ziwei Sect's troublemakers. Both of them were capable of completing their missions. You, however, only went to gather information and brought back nothing. It's not that I want to criticize you, but just now several elders came over and said that you've been lazy and negligent lately, and you haven't done a single task assigned to you well. You're also not as diligent as before in serving everyone in the palace. What's wrong with you? Man Dong has returned to Ruyi Sect, and with the position of chief disciple vacant, I will have to choose someone else for the position of young sect leader. If you don't restore your reputation, how can anyone respect you?"

Xie Yijun wasn't very focused during that period; she had no motivation to work diligently anymore. Even her trip to Hezhou City was a waste—she did absolutely nothing, only staying in the city for a few days before returning. Because regardless of her performance, there was always something she could be criticized for. Shen Mandong was gone, but Man Jiangxue and Wen Chaoyu were still there, and they could be compared to her. How many people were watching the senior disciple of the Gongmen sect? If she made even a small mistake, she would be judged and gossiped about.

Xie Yijun was exhausted, and she involuntarily began to give up on herself.

Ye Zhilan had once been in a similar situation, but her heart wasn't in it. She was solely focused on dealing with Man Jiangxue, caring nothing for what others thought. She only cared about secretly causing trouble for Man Jiangxue because she had no genuine feelings for the people in Yunhua Palace and didn't care about competing with Ji Wanshu for the sect leader position. Xie Yijun, however, was different. She had genuine feelings for her master and junior sister, and she also wanted to become the sect leader, not just for revenge, but also because of her unwillingness to accept defeat.

As usual, Xie Yijun remained silent, listening to her master's scolding without offering any explanation or arguing. Finally, her master couldn't hold back any longer and asked her, "Yijun, tell me the truth, do you really want to be the sect leader?"

Xie Yijun remained silent for a long time before finally speaking, "Whether I want to or not depends on your opinion."

“I am now asking for your wishes,” the master said. “If I were to pass the position of sect leader to you, could you guarantee that you would be a good sect leader, and could you guarantee that you would still remain true to your original aspirations after you have assumed a high position?”

Xie Yijun cannot guarantee that.

She might prove herself worthy of being the sect leader, but what is her true intention? The reason she entered Yunhua Palace is so that one day she can become a figure admired by all and then seek revenge on Ruyi Sect—Yunhua Palace will become a tool for her revenge in her hands.

She hadn't sought revenge for a long time because she hadn't found an opportunity in ten years. Alone, facing a powerful martial arts sect like the Ruyi Sect, she was ultimately too weak to succeed. But given the chance, she would give it her all, at any cost.

She dared not tell her master this true feeling.

The master could sense the restlessness hidden beneath her obedient exterior, but he didn't know where this restlessness came from. She couldn't say, and the master couldn't get the answer either. So the master and disciple could only suspect each other and could never speak a word of truth.

This situation can only be resolved if Xie Yijun can let go of her hatred, but she just can't let go.

At that moment, Xie Yijun's hatred transformed into unspeakable sorrow under her master's gaze.

"You must think I'm biased towards your junior sisters, suppressing and scolding you at every turn, and being too harsh on you," the master said. "But Yijun, you were the first disciple I took in. Before your three junior sisters came, I also put a lot of effort into you, and you didn't disappoint me; you grew very well. But as the days go by, I've noticed that you're becoming less and less like you used to be. You seem like a different person. Over the years, I've tried countless times to have a heart-to-heart talk with you, to find out what you're thinking, but you always remain silent. What is it that you can't tell me? I can say a word of understanding to your three junior sisters, but I don't dare to say anything to you even now. Is it so difficult for you to open your heart and have a proper talk with your master?"

Xie Yijun knelt quietly, still without replying.

Yes, it is that difficult.

She couldn't possibly tell her master what she was thinking, nor could she tell him that after becoming the sect leader she would slowly wipe out the Ruyi Sect. If her master found out, not only would he no longer value her, but he might even banish her from the palace.

Xie Yijun suddenly realized that what her master and Shen Mandong said was not all wrong, and her master's worries and concerns were not entirely without reason.

The conversation ended in Xie Yijun's silence. Afterwards, she left Mingguang Hall and met up with her three junior sisters. She looked at Shen Mandong, who had become bloated due to her pregnancy and had lost her former liveliness. She thought to herself: What does it matter if everyone praises her? What does it matter if everyone admires her? She's still married, and now she can't even wield a sword much!

After Man Jiangxue and Wen Chaoyu returned to their rooms to rest, Xie Yijun found Shen Mandong and told her about what happened back then.

Shen Mandong, leaning on the table, asked through tears, "Then, Senior Sister... are you going to seek revenge on my parents?"

Xie Yijun said, "Whether or not I seek revenge depends on the timing. If the opportunity comes, I certainly won't miss it."

Shen Mandong said, "Then why did you tell me this?"

“For the sake of our relationship, if I were to one day storm the Ruyi Sect, at least you wouldn’t die an innocent death. That would be a small act of mercy on my part,” Xie Yijun said. “I can’t tell my master about this, so I can only tell you. Now I want to hear your opinion: do you think I should avenge this or not?”

This was truly a difficult situation for Shen Mandong. When she first heard about this, her mind was in turmoil, so how could she possibly give Xie Yijun an answer?

How could Shen Mandong possibly bring herself to say whether her parents deserved to die?

"I'm telling you this because I don't want to suffer alone. I want you to suffer with me," Xie Yijun said indifferently. "That way, I'll feel a little better. I know that with your personality, you won't tell anyone about this, nor will you betray me. Besides, if you really revealed this, it would ruin the reputation of your Shen family. So it doesn't matter if you can't answer. I will bear the pain of my father and brothers, and you will bear the sins of your parents. That's fair, isn't it?"

Shen Mandong was speechless.

After a long pause, she finally said in a hoarse voice, "Fine... If that day ever comes, I hope you can kill me to avenge me, but please don't kill everyone in the Ruyi Sect. I'm willing to bear this sin for my parents. But... but Manzhen and the others are innocent. You can take all your anger out on me, Senior Sister... can you promise me that?"

Xie Yijun did not agree. She pushed open the door and left without looking back.

Shen Mandong learned everything about Yin Xuan from Xie Yijun, but she didn't reveal a word of it after returning to Ruyi Gate. That autumn, knowing she was about to give birth, Shen Mandong went to Jingyue Peak hoping that Man Jiangxue could visit her. To avoid suspicion, Man Jiangxue didn't decline her official duties and went south.

Later, Ye Zhilan discovered the truth about how the Yin couple had been murdered. She found a leader of the Nine Immortals Hall, tortured him half to death with Gu poison, obtained the blueprints for the underground mechanism, and then killed him. She anonymously sent the blueprints to Nangong Min, telling her when Shen Mandong would give birth and that Man Jiangxue was not in the palace.

Nangong Min was overjoyed upon hearing this. On the day Yin Qiu was born, he led the Ziwei Sect disciples to break through the traps of Liucang Mountain and stormed into the Ruyi Gate.

·

"You know pretty much everything that happened after that," Xie Yijun said, leaning against the armrest and tapping a glass bead on it with her fingertips. "Zhilan was an unexpected variable. Who would have thought that an unknown disciple would have such a background? But she really helped me a lot. I always thought that Yin Xuan was forced by Nangong Min to get the blueprints and give them to her, but I never expected it was Zhilan. Such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity was something I couldn't have obtained on my own. After hearing about the incident at Ruyi Sect, my master and I rushed to Liucang Mountain, where a battle had already broken out."

Yin Qiu had already been born when Shen Mandong listened to the sounds of fighting outside from inside her room, feeling a chill in her heart. At first, she thought it was Xie Yijun's doing, but when she went outside, she realized that the person who attacked was Nangong Min. When she turned back, the midwife had been slit in the throat with a sword, and Xie Yijun stood in the corner of the corridor holding the wailing Yin Qiu, looking at her with a mocking expression.

“You saw that? It’s not that I want to destroy the Ruyi Sect, this is a living example of karma,” Xie Yijun said. “I gave you a chance. I told you that Yin Xuan is Nangong Min’s sworn brother, but you did nothing. So you can’t blame me.”

Shen Mandong's legs went weak and she could barely stand. She leaned against the door frame and said in a hoarse voice, "I believe in Brother Xuan. I know it wasn't him who did it." She looked at Xie Yijun almost pleadingly and asked, "Now that you and Master are here, you can stop Nangong Min. So what do I need to do to make you stop too?"

Xie Yijun said, "I once swore an oath that if the Ruyi Sect burned my father and brothers to ashes with a single fire, then I will repay you with an even fiercer and more intense fire. You are right, my master and I have brought people here. We can defeat Nangong Min, and I can spare no one. But the Ruyi Sect, I want to see it reduced to ruins. Are you willing to do that?"

Shen Mandong was reluctant, but Yin Qiu was in Xie Yijun's hands, so she had no choice but to do as she was told.

To protect her family, Shen Mandong was forced to set a fire, but she still fought a fierce battle against the Ziwei Sect despite her weakened state. Xie Yijun sent someone to tell her to meet him in the woods. Just as Shen Mandong was about to leave, Man Jiangxue, having heard the news, rushed over. The two met for the last time in front of Ruyi Hall, separated by the raging fire.

"Senior Sister!" The fire was too big for Man Jiangxue to get through, so she called out to Chen Mandong, "Wait a moment, I'll take you away right away!"

After she finished speaking, she jumped into the pool, soaking herself completely, intending to rush into the fire to save Shen Mandong.

Shen Mandong gazed at her intently, his expression one of desolation and despair.

Without saying a word, she entered the building in front of Man Jiangxue and went to the woods through the broken window.

Man Jiangxue couldn't find her in the building, and she didn't care about anything else. While she was searching desperately inside and outside Ruyi Gate, Shen Mandong had already arrived at the woods.

A downpour began.

“You can leave now,” Xie Yijun said, holding an umbrella. Yin Qiu in her arms had stopped crying. “When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits. My enemies will be killed by Nangong Min. I don’t need to risk showing myself. I can spare your life, but I want you to change your name and go far away. You are never allowed to come back. Otherwise, I will kill this child and wipe out your Shen family line.”

Shen Mandong knelt in the mud pit, looking up at her with bloodshot eyes, and said, "I can agree to your request, but please... cover her up."

Xie Yijun tilted the umbrella to shield Yin Qiu from the rain. She looked at the sword in Shen Mandong's hand and asked, "What is this?"

Shen Mandong shivered in the rain and said sadly, "It's the Holy Sword of the Ziwei Sect."

"The Holy Sword?" Xie Yijun asked in surprise, "Did Yin Xuan give it to you?"

Shen Mandong nodded.

Xie Yijun chuckled, "I didn't realize he was such a romantic. He was willing to betray Nangong Min, his savior, for you, and even stole her holy sword. But he wanted to be with you forever, while you had someone else in your heart. How ridiculous." With that, she stretched out her hand, "Give me the sword."

Shen Mandong presented the holy sword with both hands. Xie Yijun asked her, "If I change my mind and still want to kill you to vent my anger, but I can't beat you, are you still willing to die by my hand right now?"

“As long as you spare my parents and this child,” Shen Mandong said, “I’m willing.”

Xie Yijun looked at her for a while, then lowered her hand holding the sword and said, "You may leave."

Shen Mandong looked at Yin Qiu with teary eyes, unable to move her feet for a long time.

She hadn't even had a proper chance to hold her newborn daughter, and now she was about to be separated from her.

Xie Yijun coldly observed the reluctance and sorrow on Shen Mandong's face. She did not urge her, waiting until Shen Mandong turned away dejectedly—

"I'll just kill her with one sword," Xie Yijun said with a sneer.

·

A cold wind swept in, stirring the half-closed window, and Man Jiangxue's face was tinged with frost in the flickering light.

Xie Yijun moved her arm slightly, revealing the holy sword hidden in her sleeve, and said to her, "It was this sword that killed him."

Man Jiangxue gripped the hilt of her sword so tightly it cracked, and said coldly, "Ruyi Sect has been taken over by Nangong Min, and Sect Master Shen has also died at Nangong Min's hands. Liucang Mountain has become a ruin as you wished, and everything you wanted has come true. Even if you don't kill her, Senior Sister will surely keep her promise after leaving and will not come back. Why are you so ruthless?"

“Because I know very well what the consequences would be if I didn’t nip it in the bud,” Xie Yijun said. “If Yin Xuan hadn’t fallen in love with Man Dong, Ruyi Sect would have been destroyed long ago. I’ve endured for ten years and finally avenged my great enemy. Why should I leave myself a future threat? So after Man Dong died, I threw her body into the fire and threw Yin Qiu into the delivery room, intending to burn her to death as well.”

But she didn't expect that Meng Wugui and Ye Zhilan would see this process, and she also didn't expect that Ye Zhilan would save Yin Qiu in order to torment Man Jiangxue in the long run.

During that period, news of the Ruyi Sect's tragic annihilation spread throughout the streets and alleys. Everyone was cursing the Ziwei Sect and the villain Yin Xuan, and felt indignant on behalf of the Ruyi Sect. Only Nangong Min, Xie Yijun, and Ye Zhilan hid in the shadows and applauded.

Xie Yijun had never been so happy since her father and brother died.

She avenged herself and obtained the coveted Holy Sword, but that wasn't enough; she also wanted to become the sect leader.

"There's something you don't know yet. Of course, no one in the world knows this except myself," Xie Yijun stroked the holy sword, then suddenly looked up at Man Jiangxue and asked, "Do you know why Master died so quickly?"

Man Jiangxue's heart sank.

Xie Yijun said smugly, "People eat grains and other foods, and they will get sick when they get old. Although she has been sick for some time, she is not going to die so soon." She smiled and said, "I tampered with the medicine I gave her, because only when she dies can I quickly become the sect leader."

The moment she finished speaking, Man Jiangxue abruptly stood up, overturned the desk in front of her, and pointed her sword at her, saying, "You—!"

An invisible surge of true energy rippled outwards, ruffling Xie Yijun's hair. She remained unmoved, looking at Man Jiangxue and saying, "I know you are deeply grateful to your master. She rescued you from dire straits, took meticulous care of you, and doted on you in every way. She is like your second parent, and Mandong is like your own sister." She brushed aside the sword in Man Jiangxue's hand, "But even if you want to kill me, this is not the time. There are also Meng Wugui and Yin Qiu; they should see me too. However, they must be stuck in Shangyuan City right now, so please be patient and let me finish speaking."

Man Jiangxue pursed her lips, trying her best to suppress her murderous intent and maintain what little rationality she had left.

Xie Yijun rarely saw Man Jiangxue angry, so she seemed to find it quite novel. She looked at Man Jiangxue for a while before continuing, "I tampered with Master's medicine, which worsened her condition, hoping she would hand over the position of sect leader as soon as possible. As I expected, the first person she thought of was you, then Wen Chaoyu, and finally me."

Man Jiangxue had no interest in becoming the sect leader, and Wen Chaoyu was nowhere to be found. No one in Yunhua Palace was more suitable to be the sect leader than Xie Yijun, but she insisted on feigning humility and directly refusing her master. Every time she refused, she felt a sense of satisfaction.

Back then, her master refused to pass the leadership of the sect to her, regarding her as a wolf that could not be ignored. Now that the time has come for her to shoulder the heavy responsibility, why should she accept this second-best charity with the joy of receiving a divine favor?

Xie Yijun did not agree until her master passed away. Only after her master was buried did she relent after being persuaded by the elders and Man Jiangxue.

Over the years, she has truly done what a good sect leader should do. Yunhua Palace did not decline under her leadership and remained the number one sect in the martial arts world. She sat in the highest position, looking down on everyone. She devoted herself to governing Yunhua Palace and dedicated all her youth to this land enclosed by palace walls.

Countless days and nights, she stood before her master's cenotaph and asked her: "Can you see this from heaven? Why can't I become a good sect leader?"

She did it, and she proved it.

She had no regrets, her wish had been fulfilled, and from then on she was free from all worries, accepting the admiration and praise of everyone with a clear conscience.

She believes she deserves the title of "good leader".

·

“But I also know in my heart that Heaven is watching what people do, and perhaps I will also face my own retribution one day,” Xie Yijun looked at Man Jiangxue with neither arrogance nor servility. “So I formed a secret guard to monitor you and prevent you from finding out anything and causing me trouble. When I heard about Yin Qiu’s whereabouts in the Su family in Jinhuai City, I sent my secret guards to kill her, but you beat me to it and brought her back to the palace unharmed.”

Since the attempt failed and the person had already returned, Xie Yijun let it go and never harbored any more ill intentions towards Yin Qiu. That year, Yin Qiu was abducted to the Ziwei Sect by Wen Chaoyu, and a Meng Wugui and a young master Fan appeared out of nowhere. Back then, she had secretly investigated these two people, but only knew that they were the head of the Jiuxian Hall and the master of Fanxin Valley, and did not know their true identities.

Several years passed peacefully. Yin Qiu grew up, and Meng Wugui brought news that Zhu Bing and Shen Mandong were still alive. Xie Yijun concluded that Meng Wugui must be a former member of the Ruyi Sect. Her possession of Zhu Bing meant she might know what happened back then. Fearing that Meng Wugui might expose her, Xie Yijun first moved the Holy Sword hidden at the Star Gazing Platform, then sent her secret guards to Wei City to intercept and kill Yin Qiu, preventing her from meeting Meng Wugui and serving as a warning to Meng Wugui not to cause trouble.

Although all the secret guards died there, and one was captured alive, Xie Yijun had a backup plan. Apart from the eldest brother and the sixth brother, no one else knew that she was the real mastermind. Moreover, she had the relatives of these disciples in her hands, so even if they knew in private, they would not dare to expose her.

Furthermore, Ye Zhilan was secretly causing trouble under the guise of a flute player. She conveniently drew some attention away from Xie Yijun, making Xie Yijun harder to capture. Therefore, Man Jiangxue and the others had to deal with Ye Zhilan first. In fact, Xie Yijun didn't know who the Seventh Young Master was at the time. After Man Jiangxue brought Wen Chaoyu back to the palace, she heard that the spy was actually Lu Huaiwei. So she sent people down the mountain to kill Lu Huaiwei on the way to prevent Lu Huaiwei from exposing her.

Unfortunately, Ji Wanshu was with them. Although the men they sent tried to sneak away from Ji Wanshu using a trick, they were discovered and all were killed. When Lu Huaiwei drew her sword and committed suicide, Xie Yijun felt something was amiss, but decided it was better to kill the innocent than let the guilty go free. However, Meng Jing and the medical disciples guarded the medical pavilion all night, forbidding outsiders from easily disturbing it, so Xie Yijun had no chance to act, thus saving Lu Huaiwei's life.

It wasn't until news of the excavation of the cenotaph spread that Ye Zhilan kidnapped Yin Qiu and attempted to kill her in front of Man Jiangxue at the cliff's edge. Xie Yijun, naturally worried that Ye Zhilan would reveal her name in public, planted someone among the archer disciples to fire a sneak arrow and push Ye Zhilan off the cliff. After that, she sent people to Mingyue Tower, but Fu Xiang was no pushover and couldn't be eliminated so easily. So, the people she sent bribed Fu Xiang's personal maid, causing Luo Shi to miscarry, thus saddled Fu Xiang with a murder charge and costing her the title of young master of the tower.

At this point, Xie Yijun thought that Meng Wugui would never recover after this incident, and all she needed to do was continue to deal with Nangong Min and secretly devise a way to get rid of Meng Wugui. Who would have thought that the fool Fu Cen wouldn't even be used and would be killed by Meng Wugui, but instead, Meng Wugui would gain control of Mingyue Tower, giving him the strength to attack Yunhua Palace.

"At this point, Meng Wugui will inevitably attack sooner or later. She's pinning her hopes on you, hoping you can protect Yin Qiu," Xie Yijun said indifferently, ignoring the growing killing intent emanating from Man Jiangxue. "But you probably didn't expect that on the day at Lanfeng Pavilion, I immediately sensed you might be testing me. Later, after going to the Punishment Hall and hearing that the only secret guard disciple had been killed by Meng Jing, I became even more certain that you had become suspicious of me. But in this palace, how easy would it be for me to separate you and Yin Qiu? She was tricked into going down the mountain, so naturally you would go looking for her. I've already discovered the perfume shop on Lotus Street, and I have a firm grasp on your every move. If my men can capture Yin Qiu, then Meng Wugui still won't dare to act rashly. If they can't capture her, I can escape quickly after receiving the news. But I really didn't expect that you didn't go down the mountain at all. You're really patient, actually leaving Yin Qiu alone and waiting for me in the palace."

“That’s because I trust her completely,” Man Jiangxue said coldly, her eyes like ice, “but I don’t trust you.”

Xie Yijun said calmly, "I've said everything I needed to say. So now, are you going to kill me?"

Man Jiangxue's lips curled into a disdainful smile as she said, "You killed my senior sister. She is Xiao Qiu's birth mother and Meng Wugui's cousin. I have no right to take your life over their sake. It's not too late for you to die after they've seen you."

Xie Yijun said, "Is that so?" She brandished the holy sword in her hand and laughed, "Did you really think I didn't leave myself a way out?"

Man Jiangxue said coldly, "So what if you have the Holy Sword in your hand? You are still no match for me."

“That’s right, even with the Holy Sword in my hand, I might not be able to beat you,” Xie Yijun said, looking down at the crystal-clear glass bead on the armrest. “But I can beat Meng Wugui, and I can beat Nangong Min. Do you believe me?”

A letter from Manjiangxue.

She wasn't exactly a bad fighter to begin with. With the aid of a divine weapon like the Holy Sword, she was practically a tiger with wings. She might still not be a match for Man Jiangxue, but she could certainly put up a fight against Meng Wugui or Nangong Min.

Seeing the confidence and composure Xie Yijun exuded, Man Jiangxue secretly gathered her true energy behind her back. Just as she was about to knock the holy sword from Xie Yijun's hand with a palm strike, she saw Xie Yijun suddenly press the glass bead embedded in the armrest.

The next moment, the entire bed flipped rapidly, and Xie Yijun fell into the black hole below. Man Jiangxue's decisive hand, which was reaching out to grab her, missed. In an instant, the bed quickly blocked the black hole, immediately isolating Xie Yijun underground.

Everything happened extremely fast, almost in the blink of an eye.

Looking at the protruding, heavy piece of black iron, Man Jiangxue didn't waste time trying to break it with her bare hands. She immediately shouted towards the outside of the hall, "Someone come here!"

Meng Jing and his disciples had been guarding outside for a long time, but they dared not rush in because they had no concrete evidence. When they heard the call, they were surprised to find that Man Jiangxue was actually in the Mingguang Hall, so they all rushed in.

"Uncle-Master? Aren't you... Ah! Where's the bed? Where's the Sect Leader?"

Man Jiangxue clenched her fists, pinching her palms until they were red, and said coldly, "Immediately send people to check any possible exits from the residence to the outside world."

"Get the explosives! Quickly!"