Miao Yue’s face flushed red then turned completely pale.
He had already thrown down the gauntlet in front of a massive crowd, demanding an explanation from Xue Mu.
If he tucked his tail and ran the moment he heard the surname “Xue,” how could he ever show his face in the martial world again?
Seeing the old man’s face cycle through a literal kaleidoscope of colors, Xue Mu suddenly chuckled.
“Xiaochan, this Xinyi Sect is actually quite amusing.” Yue Xiaochan didn’t catch the joke, but she seamlessly played the straight man.
“Oh?
How so?” “Their philosophy revolves around following their inner intent, right?” “Correct.” “Well, the characters for ‘following intent’ stack together perfectly to spell spineless.
It fits them perfectly.” “Pfft…” Yue Xiaochan bent over laughing, and the girls of the Star-Moon Sect joined in, laughing completely without restraint.
Miao Yue was so enraged that he pointed a trembling, weapon-like finger at him, roaring, “You insolent brat!
How dare you!” Xue Mu merely rolled his eyes.
Like hell I’d be scared of you.
This was the Star-Moon Sect’s home turf; there was absolutely no way this old guy could touch him here.
Even putting any personal relationships aside, Xue Mu had just killed someone for the sake of the Star-Moon Sect.
A massive faction like them cared deeply about their reputation; would they ever let an outsider come onto their property and demand satisfaction?
Sure enough, a cold, detached voice soon echoed from an unidentifiable source.
“What an absolute nuisance.” The voice seemed to descend from the distant heavens, drifting and ethereal, yet it carried a bone-chilling cold that penetrated straight to everyone’s marrow.
Miao Yue’s face instantly twisted in sheer horror.
Along with the words, the sky suddenly lost all color.
A brilliant streak of light, moving like a meteor chasing the moon, tore through space and arrived in a literal blink of an eye.
Miao Yue summoned every ounce of his cultivation and blasted it forward to clash with the incoming light.
Following an earth-shattering explosion, Miao Yue was sent flying backward.
He spat out a mouthful of fresh blood mid-air before crashing heavily onto the floor, clutching his chest and violently vomiting blood.
The supposedly high-and-mighty senior elder of the Righteous Faction had just been casually instantly defeated from an untold distance away by Xue Qingqiu.
Xue Mu couldn’t help but swallow hard, finally understanding exactly where her terrifying reputation came from.
After a long agonizing silence, Miao Yue managed to painfully squeeze out a single sentence: “So…
Sect Master Xue’s eminent presence is here…
cough, cough…
We are leaving.” Several disciples rushed over to support him, slowly guiding him toward the exit.
As they crossed the threshold, Miao Yue suddenly seemed to remember something.
He turned his head to shoot a glare at Xiahou Di.
Xiahou Di remained entirely expressionless.
Miao Yue seemed to reach some sort of realization, his expression twisting into pure, unadulterated resentment.
Xue Mu easily read this silent pantomime.
Miao Yue had no idea Xue Qingqiu was actually in the capital.
He had marched in here expecting to show off his immense authority, only to be beaten like a stray dog.
Yet, instead of blaming his attacker, he was directing his hatred toward Xiahou Di for not warning him.
Xue Mu shook his head in disgust.
If you’re going to hold a grudge, you should be resentful toward Xue Qingqiu for completely humiliating you.
What kind of logic makes you blame Xiahou Di instead?
Is the entire Righteous Faction like this?
Or is it just their spineless little sect?
Whatever, at least I’m safe now.
First things first, let’s swallow a pill.
Xue Mu looked around and noticed that even the sect girls were giving him a massive berth.
Being treated like a walking biohazard really didn’t feel great.
He fished out his medicine bottle, popped a pill, and quietly observed the aftermath.
The situation in the lobby was fascinating.
The group of Righteous disciples, who had marched in with such overwhelming arrogance, were now limping away while supporting their wounded.
A few corpses littered the floor, and several female disciples had been taken alive.
Realizing they were about to be stripped of their sacred robes, they looked utterly pitiful, their eyes pleading with Xiahou Di—the only person present who could possibly save them.
However, Xiahou Di hadn’t come here to arbitrate a feud between the Righteous and Demonic factions.
She was forced to avert her eyes from the girls’ desperate gazes.
Letting out a soft sigh, she asked, “Whose twisted idea was it to use other sects’ uniforms anyway?
Yours, Xiaochan?” The entire Star-Moon Sect, from the senior members down to the working girls, subconsciously shifted their gazes to Xue Mu.
Xiahou Di’s eyes followed theirs.
Her mouth twitched slightly.
She truly couldn’t gauge this man’s background, but since everyone else was treating him like Xue Qingqiu’s relative, she addressed him as well.
“The Six Gates has no interest in your petty blood feuds.
Just have your girls strip off The Six Gates uniforms and promise never to use them again, and I will leave immediately.” Xue Mu threw his hands up in a helpless gesture.
He couldn’t make a decision like that even if he wanted to.
Yue Xiaochan stepped in, putting on a pitiful act.
“Since elder sister has commanded it, we really should obey.
However, my Martial Aunt Yinye is suffering so terribly in your prison.
Couldn’t you show a little mercy…” Xiahou Di replied indifferently, “Have your master come out to discuss this.
You don’t have the authority to make this call.” Xue Qingqiu’s voice drifted down languidly from above.
“As long as Yinye remains in the custody of The Six Gates, the girls of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion will continue to offer the capital’s citizens a taste of constable flavor.” Xiahou Di was furious.
“Xue Qingqiu!
Do not push your luck!” Xue Qingqiu’s voice turned ice-cold.
“We are merely bruising your ego.
You, on the other hand, are imprisoning a fundamental pillar of my sect.
Furthermore, Yinye has committed absolutely no crime.
Between the two of us, who exactly is pushing their luck?
Does The Six Gates truly believe my Star-Moon Sect is a soft target to be bullied at whim?” Xiahou Di countered, “I have already told you—Yinye’s ability is far too terrifying.
Her divine technique is on the verge of completion.
If she is allowed to roam the martial world freely, it will inevitably plunge the entire realm into absolute chaos!” Xue Qingqiu let out a mocking laugh.
“What a complete joke.
I could just as easily claim that you wearing clothes is what causes chaos in the world.
Why don’t you strip naked and run a lap around the capital?
I’m sure that will bring absolute peace to the realm.” Xue Mu’s jaw practically hit the floor.
Holy shit, what a savage…
Xiahou Di’s face flushed with pure rage.
“You are the leader of a grand, prominent sect!
Aren’t you ashamed to spew such shameless, vulgar nonsense?!” Xue Qingqiu didn’t even bother to argue further.
“Talk is cheap.
I refuse to believe a crazy woman like you speaks for the entire Divine Constabulary anyway.
Chan’er, show our guest out!” Xue Mu finally understood the root of the problem.
He also realized exactly why Xue Qingqiu kept calling Xiahou Di a “crazy woman.” Imprisoning someone based purely on what they might do in the future…
Well, it was hard to say whether it was a brilliant preemptive strike or absolute madness.
It completely depended on whose side you were on.
“Don’t bother seeing me out, Young Sect Master.” Xiahou Di turned on her heel in fury, preparing to leave.
But catching a glimpse of the captive Righteous Faction girls, she felt that leaving them to their fates entirely would look a bit too unsightly on her part.
Softening her tone slightly, she added, “While I have no desire to interfere in your feuds, I still advise you not to recklessly harm the innocent.
At the very least, let those girls go.” Yue Xiaochan flashed a bright, enchanting smile.
“Oh, that simply won’t do.
I was planning to pick out two of the prettiest ones to serve our Master Xue here.” It was merely a casual excuse to brush Xiahou Di off, but hearing this, Xue Mu unexpectedly spoke up to advise her.
“Actually, it might be better to release them.
If the Righteous Faction keeps coming here day after day to cause scenes, we’ll never get any peace.
If you beat the young ones, the old ones show up next; how are we supposed to run a business like that?
Releasing them gives us a bit of a buffer zone.
We can have them sit down properly to negotiate the terms regarding the uniforms—it’s not entirely off the table.” Lowering his voice, he whispered, “Besides, we still have our second and third steps lined up.
The uniforms are ultimately just a transition phase.” Yue Xiaochan froze for a fraction of a second before smiling cheerfully.
“We’ll do it your way.
Strip them of their robes first, then let them leave.” Xiahou Di had already reached the threshold.
Catching those last few lines, she glanced back at Xue Mu, a profound, calculating look flashing deep within her eyes.
Xue Mu returned the look with a calm smile.
Suddenly, he called out, “Chief Constable Xiahou…” Xiahou Di arched a fine brow.
“Hmm?
Does Young Master Xue have some guidance for me?” Xue Mu pointed toward the main street outside.
“There are a lot of people out on that street who are about to commit acts of illicit lust.
Is The Six Gates going to do anything about them?” Of all the things Xiahou Di expected him to say, she never could have anticipated a line like that.
Dumbfounded, she blurted out, “Where on earth is that logic coming from?” Xue Mu blinked innocently.
“Well, they are all currently carrying the necessary biological equipment for it, aren’t they?
By your logic, shouldn’t you lock them all up immediately just to prevent it from happening?” Xiahou Di finally realized exactly what he was getting at.
The sheer weight of the analogy struck her, leaving her deep in thought and temporarily entirely at a loss for words.
It took her a long while before she finally managed to squeeze out a single line: “The circumstances are different.
They cannot be compared.” With that, she strode out the door with large, sweeping steps.
Over on the side, Yue Xiaochan watched the freed hostages shuffle away.
Beaming with joy, she sidled right up to Xue Mu.
“Oh my, our Master Xue truly possesses remarkable talent!
To think that a lunatic like Xiahou Di could be left entirely speechless by your words.” Xue Mu smiled.
“The truth was on our side from the very beginning.” Hearing him use the word “our” yet again made Yue Xiaochan’s smile grow even brighter.
She pointed a finger toward the tragic line of female heroines who were currently slinking out the door in nothing but their undergarments.
Giggling merrily, she asked, “Are you sure it’s not a pity to just let them walk away like that?
If you truly want a couple of them to play with, I can absolutely make the executive decision to give them to you.” Can you stop keeping that kind of talk on the tip of your tongue all day long when you’re still just a kid?
Xue Mu thought, thoroughly exasperated.
Out loud, he smoothly replied, “With beauties as radiant as rare gems right here by my side, those common, vulgar powders are like mere fireflies compared to the brilliant moon—completely flavorless.” This silver-tongued compliment had the surrounding Star-Moon Sect disciples beaming with absolute delight.
Yue Xiaochan was smiling too, but her expression carried a faint hint of jealousy.
It was hard to tell whether she was miffed because his praise applied to “everyone by his side,” rather than to “Xiaochan alone.” Right at that moment, Xue Qingqiu’s voice drifted down languidly from above.
“Chan’er, bring Xue Mu to see me.
Fill him in on the details along the way.” Xue Mu let out a slow breath.
He knew that starting from his involvement in the killing earlier, all the way down to the fascinating argument he had just thrown at Xiahou Di, he had finally earned a baseline level of trust from Xue Qingqiu.
She had finally decided to summon him for a proper strategic consultation.
Thank you, Liu Bei.
Thank you, Jian Yong…
he thought to himself.
Although the history of his original world couldn’t be applied directly here, history itself was a golden treasury, offering endless wisdom.
Drawing on a random historical anecdote was more than enough to turn the tide.
This upcoming meeting would be an infinitely more critical “interview” than the brief conversation they shared back in the carriage.
It could officially be considered the domain of grand strategy.
Whether he could step into the core inner circle of the Star-Moon Sect from this moment on entirely hinged on this single move.