Mutual affection
When Hanjiang woke up and opened the door, Cang Jingqi was standing right outside with a bowl of hot porridge.
She knew, of course, that this wasn't a reconciliation, so she politely accepted the porridge and said thank you.
She didn't feel anything special about yesterday's kiss at the time, but the more Cang Jingqi left, the more shy she felt. The same thing happened when she held hands with Cang Jingqi at the end of last year; it was all in a daze during the cold winter, and then it was over.
It's such a shame that during the crucial first winter break in this relationship, I was completely out of it.
She buried her head in her porridge, her ears turning bright red.
Cang Jing asked, "What's wrong? You don't look well."
How can this guy be like this? He kissed someone and then acted like nothing happened. Could it be true, as Cang Jingye said, that he's been with many girls and is therefore a seasoned pro?
"It's nothing..." How could a girl like her bring herself to ask about kissing? She had no choice but to change the subject: "Have Master and the others left already?"
"Um."
There shouldn't be any need for Han Jiang to intervene; his leg injury makes it difficult for him to move around. Since everything has been discussed, the Vermilion Bird Pavilion should be able to handle it.
Chicheng and Hantian went to Anzhou together, and with Elder Chaoyu joining them, the stance of the Four States Sect was basically set.
Currently, the Four Continents Sect has not yet elected a new sect leader, and the sect leader's token has also disappeared after Lei Mo's incident. Chi Cheng has been acting as the sect leader. However, Chi Cheng's own strength is not enough to command the respect of the people.
The old sect leader has been traveling the world for a long time and has long since stopped caring about sect affairs.
The next leader cannot be decided by the four sects alone; it requires joint discussion among the three sects.
Unexpectedly, this wait lasted for several months.
The Vermilion Bird Pavilion and the Maple Fire Reflecting Frost Pavilion were both embroiled in unrest.
Thinking about it this way, the rebel storyline can be considered truly over. That leaves only the final battle between immortals and demons.
Currently, humans and demons are on good terms, and there are no signs of war. The imperial court's declaration of war against the demons has also been prevented and will not be launched.
So, how would the two races start a war? Besides, the female lead is a wanderer, while the male lead is focused on politics; how could there be any tragic romance?
Could it be that because so many things have been changed, the original storyline may no longer happen?
You can get almost no useful information from the system; you can't find anything except for checking the progress of the strategy.
Han Jiang had never seen anything like this before. The transmigrator had actually altered the original plot, and the system hadn't even given a warning. Well, what kind of legitimate system could have allowed her to transmigrate like this out of nowhere?
Wait, it's a war between immortals and demons, not between humans and demons! Han Jiang realized a blind spot. She clearly remembered Wen Xu telling her it was between immortals and demons, which meant the war was between the Four Continents Sect and the demon race, and ordinary people wouldn't participate.
That's even more impossible! The Four Continents Sect has clearly sided with the Demon Clan now.
Since Han Jiang can't see the original book, he can only guess. It's better to wait until Wen Xu is resurrected and then ask him.
She had never wished time could pass so quickly, eagerly awaiting news of Guixu's return.
Cang Jingqi, sitting next to him, did the same. He and Han Tian got up at the same time; Han Tian probably hadn't arrived in Anzhou yet.
"Something terrible has happened!" A disciple dressed in yellow robes pushed open the door and entered.
For a moment, the cold wind made me dizzy, as if I could see warmth.
"What's wrong, senior sister?"
"My master sent me to invite His Highness! The people from the Vermilion Bird Pavilion have arrived!"
At the foot of Cold Mountain, Wen Wan stood at the very front of the crowd, facing the disciples of the Vermilion Bird Pavilion.
"Why are there only the Third Elder, Fourth Elder, and Fifth Elder?" Han Jiang asked Wen Shan's disciple.
"The Fourth Elder is stationed in the Hidden Cloud Hall, and the Fifth Elder is in the Library Pavilion."
The Vermilion Bird Pavilion probably calculated that there were only three elders present, and that Shu Yue and Qing Juan were not good at fighting, so they stayed in the rear.
Chi Jin was even more arrogant than yesterday, shouting loudly, "The Vermilion Bird Pavilion is investigating a case: the Four States Sect is harboring remnants of the rebel army. Cooperate immediately!"
Wen Wan stood firm: "Lord Chi Jin, everyone knows that no outsiders are allowed to enter the Four Continents Sect, otherwise they will be detected by the mountain-guarding formation beneath our feet. Are you implying that our disciples are rebels?"
"Maybe he's an elder? Isn't Remer a prime example?"
“Remer is not one of you…” Han Jiang said.
Cang Jingqi held Han Jiang's hand and gently reminded him, "Don't act rashly."
Chi Jin clearly noticed Han Jiang's group and said, "I didn't expect Your Highness to be here as well. Aren't you worried about the Demon Realm?"
"Are you sure you want to target the Demon Realm at this time? It's the Snow Festival right now," Cang Jingqi said with a slight smile.
Chijin's face immediately turned grim; he knew very well what the Heavy Snow Festival meant.
With the Demon Lord emerging from seclusion for the Snow Festival, the Demon Realm is at its most dangerous at this time. How could anyone possibly cause trouble then? Don't even think about trying to disrupt Cang Jingqi's plans.
Cang Jingqi took out a folding fan, looking quite relaxed.
"Lord Crimson Gold, aren't you also from the Four Continents Sect? Why don't you bow to the elders of the Four Continents Sect? What, have you forgotten what you believe in after leaving the Four Continents Sect?" Han Jiang retorted.
"Men, this man has participated in numerous uprisings launched by the rebels and even defected with Gui Xu. Seize him!" Chi Jin didn't answer and directly ordered the capture of Han Jiang.
She wasn't afraid of the cold; those disciples from the Vermilion Bird Pavilion were blasted away by Wen Wan before they were even a hundred paces away from her.
Without Wen Wan, Cang Jingqi would not have allowed those people to approach Han Jiang.
"I originally thought you were sent by the Vermilion Bird Pavilion, which is why I addressed you respectfully as 'Sir.' Since you have attacked the disciples of my Four Continents Sect, don't blame me for being impolite! Suspecting someone requires evidence," Wen Wan said.
Chi Jin was clearly stunned. He never imagined that Wen Wan, a physician who usually treated his disciples, would possess such great power.
Han Jiang already knew this. Wen Xu had said that her master, Wen Wan, was someone who was quite adept at hiding his strength.
"It's a misunderstanding, Third Elder. We were just too hasty." A man wearing a high hat from the imperial court stepped forward from behind Chi Jin. Han Jiang felt that he looked familiar.
Chi Jin stepped aside and bowed: "Lord Xiao."
"My name is Xiao Mo. I greet Elder Wen."
Xiao Mo! Han Jiang and Cang Jingqi exchanged glances. After Cang Jingqi sensed it with his spiritual power, he nodded: "It's the same person. He's the emperor's uncle."
So you're a hero again after the disguise, right? Not only did Xiao Mo not die, but he swaggered back to the Four Continents Sect.
Wen Wan didn't give them a friendly look and immediately told them to leave, "Since it's a misunderstanding, then please go back."
"Don't rush. Elder Wen believes there are no rebels within the sect, and we don't want any rebels in the Four Provinces Sect either. How about we conduct a search together to put each other at ease?" Xiao Mo said.
As a legitimate immortal sect, the Four Continents Sect could not directly clash with the imperial court, so Wen Wan had no choice but to agree.
With permission, Xiao Mo and Chi Jin split into two groups to search the seven mountain gates.
Han Jiang immediately noticed that Xiao Mo was heading towards the back of Leishan Mountain.
"Could it be that he left something behind in Leishan and came back specifically to retrieve it?" Han Jiang wondered.
Wen Wan followed Chi Jin away, giving Han Jiang a look that signaled her to keep an eye on Xiao Mo.
The two concealed their presence and followed behind Xiao Mo.
Xiao Mo dismissed the others and entered the sealed cave alone. He wasn't there to retrieve anything, but to store something!
He casually tossed several forbidden books and equipment used for human-demon transformation into the cave, then shouted that he had found evidence.
He then led the team to the library, saying he wanted to search for banned books.
After a whole day of commotion in Shishu, they managed to find what they considered to be "evidence" from various places.
"Evidence? What can it prove? Where are the rebels?" Wen Wan remained calm. All he needed to do was stall for time. Once Han Tian returned, these people wouldn't be able to act so arrogantly.
Although Cang Jingqi's abilities are no less than Han Tian's, he is, after all, a prince of the Demon Clan, not an elder of the Four Continents Sect.
Han Jiang truly couldn't understand it. What was the imperial court trying to do? What benefit did they gain from framing the Four Continents Sect? Without the Four Continents Sect, the Vermilion Bird Pavilion would have no way to fight against the Demon Clan! Were they shooting themselves in the foot?
With no one else around, Cang Jingqi stayed in the Hanjiang Villa.
I didn't dare sleep during the cold snap; the Vermilion Bird Pavilion was still being searched.
Cang Jingqi was in the study next door; she could come over with just a shout.
She couldn't stay awake for long and fell asleep. She was woken up by the cold wind in the middle of the night. She lay in Cang Jingqi's arms, sat on the folding fan, and flew in the darkness.
"You're awake? Qingjuan asked me to take you to find Hantian. Xiao Mo, with the sect leader's order, used the power of the mountain-guarding formation to control Wen Wan and Shu Yue. Qingjuan was guarding the Cangyun Palace outside the mountain, so she escaped. She asked me to take you away." Cang Jingqi sorted out the information and told Han Jiang all at once.
Han Jiang said, "They came prepared; their aim is to control the Four Provinces Sect!"
The Vermilion Bird Pavilion needs the power of the Four Continents Sect to fight against the Demon Clan. If the Four Continents Sect does not cooperate with the Vermilion Bird Pavilion, then the Vermilion Bird Pavilion can only gain power by manipulating the Vermilion Bird Pavilion.
With Han Tian and Chi Cheng in charge, plus so many elders, no one in the Four Continents Sect can touch them.
Now only Qingjuan remains. Qingjuan doesn't possess any particularly strong abilities; her main responsibility is managing the disciples' internal affairs.
"The war between immortals and demons..." Han Jiang couldn't help but think of the last plot point.
"What did you say?" Cang Jing asked.
Han Jiang got up from Cang Jingqi's arms and sat down to the side: "It's nothing. If we go back to Master, can we stop the Vermilion Bird Pavilion?"
"Not necessarily. The Four Continents Sect's mountain-guarding formation is built from the source of spiritual energy, making it extremely powerful, and only the sect leader's command can control it."
"Is there only one Sect Master's Token?"
Cang Jingqi: "Originally there was one piece, but Han Tian lost one, so the old sect leader made another one. The problem is that only the sect leader knows how to make the sect leader's token."
Could the lost piece be with Han Qi? Han Jiang remembered that Han Qi once said that she had searched everywhere for Luo Luo's whereabouts with the token.
It was probably because the Vermilion Bird Pavilion noticed Han Jiang's departure that they sent people to follow him.
Cang Jingqi quickened the speed of his folding fan, only to be attacked from both sides as he approached Anzhou.
At the border between the two states, almost everyone there was from the Vermilion Bird Pavilion. Presumably, Han Tian and Gui Xu were trapped in the Maple Fire Reflecting Frost Pavilion.
“These people can’t hold Han Tian back.” Cang Jingqi saw Han Jiang’s worry. “I suspect that the Vermilion Bird Pavilion requested closed-door negotiations, so they are inside and don’t know what’s going on outside.”
Sensing the person chasing after him, Cang Jingqi turned around with extreme impatience: "Aren't you annoying?!"
Han Jiang had never seen Cang Jingqi show such an expression before. He was always calm and composed, and nothing could make him anxious.
Chi Jin said, "You should ask His Highness that question. You don't like my junior sister, yet you've repeatedly provoked her and deceived her feelings. Is that the behavior of a true man?"
Cang Jingqi took out a talisman from his pocket, blew on it, and the talisman shattered into sparks that floated in the air, illuminating the surroundings. He took Han Jiang's hand and said, "Who said I don't like Xiao Man? We are mutually in love. It's you who has tried to sow discord time and time again. Is that the behavior of a true man?"
“You…” Chi Jin gritted his teeth, but did not give the order to attack. He simply surrounded the two of them.
First, he was no match for Cang Jingqi. Second, even if he could, the two people in front of him were the Demon Clan's Crown Prince and Han Tian's beloved disciple. Han Tian and the Demon Lord, who had already emerged from seclusion, would never let him go.
"He's stalling for time," Han Jiang whispered.
"It won't last long." Cang Jingqi gripped the cold blade tightly, and the floating wood chips around him exploded instantly.
When the smoke cleared, Hanjiang and Cangjingqi were nowhere to be seen.
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