Qin An County, a small county, an old, dilapidated city already bathed in the morning light. Plumes of smoke ascended into the sky.
At an inn, Niu You Dao was taking a bath in a wooden tub. He reclined opposite the open window, a wine pot in one hand and a sword in the other.
Crimson rays illuminated everything in the room.
"Knock, knock."
Black Peony spoke:
"Lord Dao!"
Niu You Dao: I'm bathing. If it's not urgent, come back later.
"Swish!"
Black Peony opened the door and entered. She closed the door behind her and walked over.
Niu You Dao had no choice but to grab a towel and place it in the tub to cover himself below.
"What are you hiding there?"
Black Peony came up to the tub and looked down, but the towel obstructed her view entirely.
"You're even shyer than a maiden."
Niu You Dao calmly replied:
"I don't like such actions."
Black Peony pulled up a stool, tied up her hair, and rolled up her sleeves. Then she took a terry towel, moistened it, and began to scrub Niu You Dao's shoulders, then his arms.
"And you don't like this either?"
Niu You Dao looked at her and calmly said:
"Perhaps I need to thoroughly explain all the rules to you."
Black Peony asked: Do you know what my actions mean? Acting like this is a bit unlike me. However, a woman wishes to follow the best man. And that's what I consider you. I intend to follow you. I am now your person. Don't you like that? Of course, I hope you'll make me truly yours. And I like that they mistakenly think we're having an affair.
Niu You Dao pondered for a moment and then asked: You've already accomplished all that so quickly?
Black Peony pushed him slightly and began scrubbing his back:
"You underestimate me. Is this a difficult task? I disguised myself, found some idlers, and gave them money. Now they've gone to teach children to sing your songs. These idlers dislike physical labor and love easy money. Of course, afterward, I checked and indeed saw children skipping along the streets, singing the song!"
Niu You Dao gave a low hum.
Black Peony blinked her eyes:
"Tang Yi is so beautiful. She has a shapely bosom, she has a slender waist, and she has a fiery spirit..."
Niu You Dao: But she has no brains.
Black Peony: No brains? That depends on who's comparing. Compared to you, she naturally falls short. But how could a brainless person be a sect head? Few can be as intelligent as you. Of all the people I've encountered, you are the most formidable!
Niu You Dao: What are you trying to say?
Black Peony: So beautiful, how could a man not fall for her? If you truly thought she'd be in danger around Shao Ping Bo, then why didn't you take her with you?
Niu You Dao: You've imagined quite a lot. Whether she's dead or alive, I don't care.
Black Peony: But your words don't align with the feelings in your heart. I noticed you didn't like Shao Ping Bo courting her.
Niu You Dao: Is there any reason to be happy about that? And it means nothing. We're like stray dogs running around and marking territories. It doesn't matter who the territory belongs to; if another dog appears, they'll start barking at each other. It has nothing to do with feelings, but it's a distracting nuisance, yes. I genuinely have no interest in a relationship with her. It would only bring problems.
Hearing this, Black Peony truly understood then that he had no feelings for Tang Yi. She sighed and said:
"People are different. My former lover merely used me; now I can't even bear to look at him. Lord Dao, to be frank, it would be better for you to let it all go. Forget past grievances. Don't torment yourself with unnecessary thoughts!"
Niu You Dao: Frankly speaking... there's some truth to that.
Black Peony: But if you truly consider Shao Ping Bo dangerous, then I think you'll need to find a way to take her away from Shao Ping Bo. I know men well. She's beautiful, and sooner or later, she'll end up a tempting morsel in Shao Ping Bo's mouth. There's no escaping some despicable methods. I myself once fell for such a trick!
Niu You Dao: I'm not worried about that. As long as Shao Ping Bo doesn't provoke me, he won't dare lay a hand on Tang Yi. He won't use dirty tricks against her, otherwise he might infuriate the person behind Tang Yi. And then those guardian-mentors near Shao Ping Bo won't be able to save his pitiful life at all! From a certain perspective, if I'm fine, then Tang Yi will also be fine.
Black Peony immediately blurted out: Zhao Xiong Ge?
"How do you know?" Niu You Dao turned his head and looked at her. When he and Tang Yi spoke in the kitchen, they whispered.
Black Peony: Zhao Xiong Ge was expelled from the Supreme Purity Sect! I heard that when the Liuxiang Sect attacked the Supreme Purity Sect, Zhao Xiong Ge didn't appear, but his beast did, scaring the entire Liuxiang Sect. To the point that the elder of the Liuxiang Sect himself cut off his own hand as punishment. If Zhao Xiong Ge is nearby, what does the Supreme Purity Sect have to fear? Even 1,000 warriors would be no match for him!
Niu You Dao: Zhao Xiong Ge, a former member of the Supreme Purity Sect, whose power vastly surpasses the Supreme Purity Sect itself. Perhaps even the sect's founder would not have been his equal. He seems... a bit unhinged, though. Have you heard anything about that?
Black Peony: No. Outsiders would hardly know about that.
Niu You Dao turned his head again: Just now, you said you yourself had fallen into someone's trap?
"Lord Dao, don't rub salt in the wound!" Black Peony sighed and showed him three fingers:
"Three times, I was taken advantage of three times!"
Niu You Dao: One person or three?
Black Peony began to scrub his back harder:
"Three different people. Twice due to carelessness, when something was slipped into my drink. And once, I didn't dare resist myself. I feared death. That person played with me as they pleased. After a few days of toying with me, they let me go."
Niu You Dao: Did you get revenge?
Black Peony: Later, Duan Hu and the others with me found one and cut him down. Another didn't wait for us; someone else killed him. As for the one who cannot be touched, he remains untouched. I figured being alive was good enough. He who falls into a trap grows wiser.
Niu You Dao knitted his brows: Who was that powerful figure? Tell me.
Black Peony: Alright, no need to talk about him. It's useless. We can't reach him.
Niu You Dao: Hmm, when the time is right, then you can tell me. We'll see if revenge is possible!
"I've already forgotten, it's not worth it. It's all in the past." Black Peony shook her head.
Niu You Dao heard the fear in her voice.
"What kind of tastes does that person have, to find you, with your dark complexion, interesting?"
Black Peony widened her eyes and suddenly plunged her hand into the water, right to Niu You Dao's lower region, which he was covering with the towel.
Niu You Dao didn't know what to say. He lowered his head and looked at his unprotected part. Niu You Dao was now utterly helpless.
Black Peony watched him with wide, expressionless eyes. Her cheeks flushed red. Then she pulled her hand out.
Niu You Dao slowly took the towel and covered himself properly once more:
"Are you bored?"
Black Peony: Perhaps I should get into the tub too, and bathe with you? Am I not beautiful? My skin is just a bit dark, but my face and figure are well-proportioned.
Niu You Dao: Are you trying to seduce me?
Black Peony: You can have me anytime.
Niu You Dao gently shook his head:
"It's meaningless. Ever since you chose to follow me, that cannot be."
Black Peony splashed water on him and continued scrubbing:
"Why? I'm not deceiving you. I genuinely want to."
Niu You Dao: Nothing good comes from sleeping with a woman who is constantly by your side. A rabbit doesn't eat the grass near its own burrow. If it eats the grass, its burrow will be exposed.
Black Peony bit her lip:
"What idiot refuses a delectable piece of meat that's right beside him? Young, yet so self-restrained. What's the point? Tang Yi is so beautiful, but you don't want her either. Do you even like women at all? Or are you truly one of *those*? Of the other persuasion?"
Niu You Dao was speechless. And this was the woman who had cried to him at the Yaoyue Inn? ...
Beizhou City.
Shao Ping Bo entered the city with a company of riders. Guards stood lining the streets on either side of them. No one dared obstruct their path.
He immediately made his way to Lingbo Palace. This was Shao Ping Bo's private palace.
House Steward Shao San Sheng was already standing by the doors, greeting him with a feigned smile:
"Elder Young Master, are you tired from your journey?"
Shao Ping Bo looked at him, then strode swiftly towards the main hall.
Along the way, a cultivator received a message from a Bird King. He read the contents of the letter and immediately caught up with Shao Ping Bo.
"Master, a message has come from Zhang Yuan. Zhuge Xiong has no one named Zhang San whatsoever. And there's no such person among the young cultivators. He said we are looking in the wrong place!"
The cultivators accompanying him, Tang Yi and the others, exchanged glances.
Shao Ping Bo and the others entered the hall. He turned and sat in the main seat, then cast a sidelong glance at the house steward:
"Are there any matters?"
The house steward wanted to speak but held his tongue. In the end, he pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to him to examine.
Shao Ping Bo took the sheet and looked at Shao San Sheng's strange expression, then began to read what was written on the sheet:
"Prince of Beizhou, Prince of Beizhou, just one candied treat, one candied treat. The ones above are idle, the ones below are helpless, two more candied treats have been added. False ruler Yong and true ruler Bo..."
He ceased reading there. His eyes narrowed, and the hand resting on his knee clenched into a tight fist. He visibly tensed.