“Fan Boyu has arrived, and he has brought a saintess from the Yuan Sheng Sect. What is the meaning of this?”
“It should be that the saintess of the original lineage of the Yuan Sheng Sect learned about Yueyao from Fan Boyu,” Shen Ying said. “To have waited a full year before coming is already quite restrained.”
Lu Zheng nodded.
Last year during the New Year, Fan Boyu had accompanied Du Yueyao to Yizhou for a visit, then returned alone to the southern borders.
Lu Zheng had assumed he would soon come back to continue guarding Du Yueyao, but instead he had been gone an entire year, and now returned with a saintess in tow.
“Let us go back and see,” Lu Zheng said.
Shen Ying nodded, and together they rose into the air, heading towards Tonglin County.
Soon the two returned to the Lu residence. They saw Liu Qingyan seated in the host’s position in the main hall. Du Yueyao and Yue Honghai sat to the left, while on the right, in two chairs, sat Fan Boyu and a woman dressed in white.
The woman had gentle features. She appeared to be in her thirties, graceful and poised, with an air of refined elegance.
Seeing Lu Zheng arrive hand in hand with Shen Ying, the five people present rose together.
“My lord husband!”
“Brother Lu!”
“Young master!”
Fan Boyu cupped his hands. “Greetings, Young Master Lu!”
The woman in white curtsied slightly. “Zhilan of the Yuan Sheng Sect greets Young Master Lu!”
Lu Zheng’s eyes shone like stars as he returned the courtesy with cupped hands. “Lu Zheng of the White Cloud Temple greets Fellow Daoist Zhilan.”
Though he could not discern Zhilan’s cultivation level, as someone who had once killed a Yuan Sheng Sect saintess, Lu Zheng would not weaken his own presence by claiming junior status. They would each address the other as equals.
“Shen Ying pays respects to the saintess,” Shen Ying said, following Lu Zheng’s lead with a curtsy.
Liu Qingyan yielded the host seat to Lu Zheng, then sat with Shen Ying to his left as accompaniment.
Saintess Zhilan looked at Lu Zheng, her gaze passing in turn over Shen Ying, Liu Qingyan, and Yue Honghai. She nodded inwardly.
In this small Tonglin County, four great experts were actually hidden. No wonder Fan Boyu had felt safe returning without worry.
Little did she know that Fan Boyu was equally astonished. When he had left, Yue Honghai had not yet arrived, and neither Shen Ying nor Liu Qingyan had broken through.
In just one year, not only had another great demon joined Lu Zheng’s side, but his two beloved women had advanced by leaps and bounds.
Tonglin County could now truly be called a dragon’s pool and tiger’s den. Even if Saintess Xueyi came in person and unharmed, she would never be able to take Du Yueyao away.
Once everyone was seated, Saintess Zhilan grew more pleased the longer she looked at Du Yueyao. She spoke softly. “Many thanks to Young Master Lu and the others for protecting and guiding her. Miss Du’s foundation is now deep and solid, far beyond my expectations.”
Lu Zheng waved a hand. “Yueyao is my little sister. There is no need for the saintess to thank us. May I ask why Saintess Zhilan has come in person? Is there important business?”
Lu Zheng glanced at Fan Boyu.
He and Fan Boyu had agreed to keep the matter secret. As a mere sacrificer, Fan Boyu could travel to the Central Plains without drawing attention, but the personal arrival of a saintess was entirely different. It could easily be noticed by the new sect.
Once Du Yueyao’s cultivation was sufficient, the new sect would no longer treat her as a reincarnated cauldron. She would have the power to protect herself. Only then should her identity be revealed.
Fan Boyu looked a little embarrassed. He cupped his hands. “This past year in the southern borders, I gathered many medicinal herbs for cultivation, intending to help Yueyao…”
The others understood, but Lu Zheng’s eyes narrowed.
Seeing his expression, Saintess Zhilan frowned slightly, then said to Lu Zheng, “Young Master Lu, please remain calm. Sacrificer Fan merely happened to find some herbs that I desired.”
“That had better be the case,” Lu Zheng nodded, though he was still not entirely reassured.
After all, within the Yuan Sheng Sect the reincarnated new sect held greater power than the merit-based original sect. Who knew what other methods they might have.
At this point, Saintess Zhilan looked at Lu Zheng, then at Du Yueyao. She lightly turned her right hand, and six small porcelain bottles appeared on the low table beside her. With a wave, the six bottles moved to the table next to Du Yueyao.
“Little Lingxi Pills, Five Immortals True Jade Pills, and Xuansu Clarity Pills. Two bottles of each. They will aid you in refining qi and spirit,” Saintess Zhilan said.
Du Yueyao was stunned and instinctively looked towards Lu Zheng.
Saintess Zhilan’s eyes narrowed. She turned and regarded Lu Zheng coolly.
Lu Zheng ignored her look and simply nodded to Du Yueyao. “This is the saintess’s kindness. Accept it.”
“Thank you, saintess!”
Only then did Du Yueyao rise, perform a respectful curtsey, and finally store the six bottles in her bracelet with a flick of her hand.
Saintess Zhilan suppressed her displeasure at how obediently Du Yueyao followed Lu Zheng’s every word. Her mood improved a little when she noticed Du Yueyao’s bracelet.
After all, Lu Zheng had treated Du Yueyao well and had never coveted anything from the Yuan Sheng Sect.
“You are welcome. The faster you cultivate, the better it is for the Yuan Sheng Sect,” Saintess Zhilan said.
Du Yueyao thought for a moment, then said, “Since the saintess has travelled far, please stay at my home these few days. I have recently been cultivating the Pure Maiden Blessing Divine Method and have some parts I do not fully understand. It would be perfect to seek the saintess’s guidance.”
Saintess Zhilan nodded calmly and smiled. “That would be best. It was precisely my intention.”
“Hm?”
Seeing that Saintess Zhilan’s expression remained unchanged, Lu Zheng raised an eyebrow and looked at Fan Boyu.
He had not expected Fan Boyu to withhold the fact that Du Yueyao had received the Pure Maiden’s transmission and perfected the Pure Maiden Blessing Divine Method.
Fan Boyu shook his head. He trusted both Saintess Zhilan and Du Yueyao. By not mentioning it, Zhilan’s sincerity would shine through, and the favour of revealing it should come from Du Yueyao herself.
Their exchange of glances did not escape Saintess Zhilan. Her eyes flickered. She turned to Fan Boyu, a question in her gaze.
Fan Boyu did not answer, but looked towards Du Yueyao.
Du Yueyao blinked, finally understanding Fan Boyu’s meaning. She could not help glancing at Lu Zheng.
Saintess Zhilan’s gaze followed.
Lu Zheng did not mind. Since the saintess was already here, a single session of guidance would reveal the truth anyway. He nodded. “Tell her.”
Saintess Zhilan looked back at Du Yueyao, puzzled by their silent exchange.
Du Yueyao smiled sheepishly, then said to Saintess Zhilan, “I am untalented, but in a dream I received instruction from the Pure Maiden Ancestor and further perfected the Pure Maiden Blessing Divine Method.”
“What!?”
Saintess Zhilan felt her mind go blank. It took two breaths before she reacted.
But once she did, she was even more shocked. Her beautiful eyes widened, her willow brows shot up, and she stood abruptly. Unable to control her aura, a gentle breeze suddenly stirred in the hall.
Lu Zheng waved a hand. Faint white clouds enveloped the courtyard, quietly dissipating the aura Saintess Zhilan had released.
The two had effectively tested each other with a light exchange.
Saintess Zhilan glanced at Lu Zheng, then turned seriously to Du Yueyao. “Please explain in detail, Miss Du.”
Du Yueyao nodded and recounted everything: how she had been captured by Saintess Xueyi, who attempted to seize her body; how Lu Zheng had saved her; how, while unconscious, she had repeatedly performed the divine blessing technique; and how her spirit had crossed the void to commune with the Pure Maiden, receiving her gift.
Yue Honghai, hearing this for the first time, was dumbfounded.
He had thought his two mistresses were already heaven-gifted geniuses, yet the usually unassuming Du Yueyao had actually received dream instruction from an upper-realm immortal.
In that case, was his young master not even more extraordinary?
Saintess Zhilan was far more shocked.
Since the founding ancestor of the Yuan Sheng Sect had passed away, no one in the sect had been able to commune with the Pure Maiden for thousands of years. Yet Du Yueyao had received the Pure Maiden in a dream and perfected the method.
The Yuan Sheng Sect was on the verge of revival!
Saintess Zhilan rose and performed a deep bow to Du Yueyao.
