“Come in.”

Seraphine stepped back from the door, her face cold as winter frost.

Echo rubbed her cheek with her fingers, carefully stepping over the whip to enter the room.

“Seraphine, should I bathe in your room?” she asked. “When do we need to gather at the venue? Aren’t we going now?”

Seraphine slammed the door shut with a “bang” and turned to stare at Echo.

Echo suddenly looked up at the ceiling beams.

Ah, ceiling beams. Such good…… ceiling beams.

“Crack.” Seraphine’s whip hit the floor lightly, the flames on it dissipating before she flicked it out to wrap around Echo’s neck.

The familiar sensation of suffocation embraced her as she looked up. “Urk.”

“Start talking. Where did you go? What did you do?” Seraphine asked coldly. “Whose blood is on your face?”

She rotated her palm, slowly tightening the whip and drawing Echo closer to her.

Echo’s shoe tips bumped against hers. She lowered her eyes, then quickly looked away.

Warning: Seraphine is very angry.

“Heh.” Seraphine glanced at the ellipsis floating in Echo’s status bubble and said coldly, “No thinking. Tell me where you went first.”

Echo curved her eyes into crescents. “I went to complete a mission!”

Under Seraphine’s icy stare, she immediately added in a small voice, “A Jade Cauldron Sect mission.”

Seraphine’s heart clenched. If Echo weren’t standing right here, she might have had a heart attack.

Her brow furrowed tightly as her fingers anxiously touched Echo’s shoulder, but fearing she might hit an injury, she only lightly brushed the edge of her blue fabric before letting her hand fall.

“Did you go after Nie Xiu or his master?” she asked tensely. “Are you injured?”

Both.

Hahaha!

Echo kept her eyes curved in a smile.

How could Seraphine not know what Echo had done? She immediately grabbed her wrist and sent a stream of spiritual power to examine her spiritual veins.

The golden-red spiritual energy had barely entered her spiritual veins when it was shocked by the countless wounds within. What should have been smooth pathways were covered in injuries—a horrifying sight!

Seraphine was terrified, murmuring, “You suffered such severe injuries and still smiled at me like nothing happened! Echo, oh Echo, you’ve truly mastered the art of feigning compliance while acting independently, not caring about your own life at all!”

Her voice rose uncontrollably, fire blazing in her eyes as fury consumed her.

Echo quickly shook her head. Of course she cared very much!

“I invited Water Dragon’s Hymn to come with me,” she said. “And I didn’t kill the Jade Cauldron Sect Master myself—I just sent them into the Twin Dragon Secret Realm.”

Them.

Seraphine’s dark eyes stared at Echo intensely.

Echo gripped the whip around her neck and seriously explained to Seraphine, “With my current cultivation, I can only open the Twin Dragon Secret Realm three times per year. I used two chances on the Jade Cauldron Sect, which was actually quite wasteful when you think about it.”

But she had executed many missions and understood the principle of not letting tigers return to the mountain. Since Seraphine hadn’t let her deal with the Crimson Thunder Sword Sect back then, that mission was still hanging in her task manual.

“Anyway, the Jade Cauldron Sect’s storyline should be 98% severed. The remaining 2% possibility lies with the Jade Cauldron Sect cultivators who stayed in Sunset Glow City for the Five Continent Competition. After learning of my actions, these cultivators might seek revenge for their sect,” Echo explained. “But they’d have to know I was responsible first.”

“Based on my past mission experience and current logical deduction, even if they knew I destroyed the Jade Cauldron Sect, the probability of them seeking revenge is only 1%. These humans’ character can hardly support their desire for vengeance—they won’t do something so unprofitable and suicidal.”

Echo’s methodical analysis went in one of Seraphine’s ears and out the other. She only stared at the bloodstains on Echo’s face, tightening the whip as she said coldly, “I’m settling accounts with you first!”

“Mmph.” Echo grimaced uncomfortably, a low muffled sound escaping her throat.

Seraphine’s heart trembled. Her fingers holding the whip immediately loosened as she recalled the weapon to her sea of consciousness.

“Seraphine……” Echo wanted to say something more, but Seraphine turned sideways, angrily flicking hersleeves with a low voice. “Shut up!”

Echo raised her hand to cover her mouth.

Standing sideways, Seraphine closed her eyes, her chest rising and falling. After several deep breaths, her throat moved as she silently took out a medicine bottle from her storage ring.

This medicine was extra she’d asked Yu Xuefei to refine during the Twin Dragon Secret Realm, prepared for emergencies. She never expected to need it so soon.

Less than a year after the second trial, Echo was seriously injured twice—both times from trouble she brought on herself!

Seraphine said quietly, “What exactly do you think you are……”

“Hm?” Echo didn’t hear clearly and curiously lowered her head, saying gently, “Seraphine, I didn’t catch that.”

But Seraphine shut her mouth and tossed the medicine bottle to Echo.

“Take the medicine. After you rest and clean yourself up, we still have two hours before gathering. I’ll have Yu Xuefei examine you when we see her.” Seraphine’s expression was serious, her tone cold as she spoke to Echo. “I’m going out. When I return, I’ll deal with you properly.”

With that, she pushed open the door and left without looking back.

Staring at her swirling skirts, Echo slowly responded, “Oh!”

“Your holder is very angry.” A clear voice came from outside. Water Dragon’s Hymn transformed into her dragon form, pushing the door open with her head to speak to Echo.

Echo tilted her head and recognized this fact. “Extremely angry.”

She’d solved a major problem for Seraphine, but she’d also gotten injured, which made Seraphine very angry. Echo thought, Looking at the optimal solution, having her handle this matter was the perfect approach.

Was it because she was worried about her?

Ellipses appeared in Echo’s status bubble.

⁂

Seraphine strolled through the garden, calmly nodding to passing disciples as she walked forward expressionlessly.

After she passed, the disciples who’d bowed straightened up. One scratched his head and said to a companion, “Did you feel like the Palace Lord’s aura was different today?”

“Yeah, it felt like the Palace Lord was in a bad mood. Who would be bold enough to provoke our Palace Lord?”

The two disciples scratched their heads in confusion.

Seraphine walked into Siyi’s courtyard.

Siyi was instructing Xue Mengtao in sword practice. Seeing Seraphine arrive personally, they immediately bowed.

“Come with me.” Seraphine entered the room, and after Siyi and Xue Mengtao followed, she set up a barrier.

There was a pot of freshly brewed tea on the table. Seraphine poured herself a cup and said with lowered eyes, “The Jade Cauldron Sect has been destroyed.”

Remembering there were still Jade Cauldron Sect disciples in the city who hadn’t made it back, Seraphine added two words: “More or less.”

Siyi sat down without showing surprise on her face. Instead, she smiled. “The Palace Lord heard about it too? Yesterday little Tao went shopping in the city with Mu Rong and heard people talking about it.”

“Apparently, the life tokens connecting the Jade Cauldron Sect disciples in the city to their sect shattered, indicating something happened at the sect.”

Seraphine sipped her tea.

The tea was slightly bitter at first, but the bitterness quickly turned to sweetness with a lingering aftertaste. Seraphine held her teacup, looking at the unfurled leaves floating within, remaining silent.

Siyi glanced at her expression and said gently, “You were in seclusion, so I was afraid to disturb your rest. I planned to report this tonight.”

Xue Mengtao quickly added, “Earlier, outside the Chongshan Secret Realm, a Jade Cauldron Sect cultivator named Nie Xiu brought disciples to block our spirit boat. I thought that was extremely rude, but after inquiring, I learned that the Jade Cauldron Sect not only habitually bullies others externally but also oppresses internally, trampling on the weak while fawning over the strong.”

“Their reputation is even worse than what Senior Sister Wei from Autumn Water Pavilion described—they’re so detestable that others refuse to associate with them. Though sect destruction is normally tragic, when it comes to the Jade Cauldron Sect, cultivators who know their conduct all applaud.”

Seraphine snorted coldly and continued sipping her tea.

Siyi smiled at Xue Mengtao, signaling her to continue.

Xue Mengtao said, “I heard that anything the Jade Cauldron Sect took a fancy to would disappear if it belongs to major sects, but smaller sects would vanish entirely along with their treasures. Who dares truly question the Jade Cauldron Sect? They’d probably be accused of slander instead.”

“But who can speak for those massacred small sects? Who in the world cares about such matters? Even if someone had a sense of justice, what could they do against a major sect with a late Soul Transformation cultivator?”

“You have quite a sense of justice.” Seraphine said calmly.

Xue Mengtao lowered her head. “I only dares speak such words.”

Siyi held her teacup, looking at Seraphine with meaningful eyes as she said softly, “It’s just a pity that the righteous path currently lacks leadership. The Insight Academy Palace doesn’t interfere in worldly matters unless necessary. If we were cultivators from those small sects today, facing people like the Jade Cauldron Sect, what could we do?”

“Heh.” Seraphine clenched her fist inside her sleeve. Thinking of the Crimson Thunder Sword Sect and Jade Cauldron Sect, she said coldly, “There are quite a few of these types nowadays. I can’t help wondering if the Nine Heavens Sect remnants weren’t completely eliminated back then, allowing them to scatter and now grow bold enough to cause trouble again.”

Siyi’s expression changed as she said quietly, “Palace Lord, such words shouldn’t be spoken.”

“But why does the Palace Lord bring up the Jade Cauldron Sect’s destruction? Could this matter be related to Luanyang Palace?” Siyi asked with a smile.

Seraphine thought: It’s not related to Luanyang Palace, but it’s related to Luanyang Palace’s Lord.

The two women looked at each other. Siyi thought of the person who’d been missing these past two days and drew in a breath. “Could it be……”

“Exactly.” Seraphine said expressionlessly.

What you’re thinking is absolutely correct.

Siyi couldn’t believe it, saying in shock, “The journey from Sunset Glow City to the Jade Cauldron Sect is one thing, but the Jade Cauldron Sect Master has late Soul Transformation cultivation. Fellow Daoist Xi, she—”

“Why do you think I came to find you? Just for this cup of tea?” Seraphine held the teacup to her lips, hereyes icy. “She hid it from me when she went, and now she returns covered in injuries. If I don’t distance myself from her, I’m afraid I’ll add injury to injury!”

Siyi understood, and beyond her shock, she murmured, “But Fellow Daoist Xi still did a good deed.”

A good deed?

Seraphine frowned. Thinking of the person she’d left alone in the room, she felt uneasy and set down her teacup to stand. “I’m going back.”

“Palace Lord, take care.” Siyi rose to see her off, smiling. “When we reach the Academy, I’ll brew cool tea for the Palace Lord.”

To calm your fire.

Seraphine waved dismissively.

Xue Mengtao watched Seraphine’s retreating figure and said quietly, “Does the Palace Lord think Senior Sister Xi acted too decisively?”

Siyi turned back in surprise, smiling as she asked Xue Mengtao, “What kind of person do you think Fellow Daoist Xi is? In your eyes, is she someone who kills innocents indiscriminately?”

Xue Mengtao hesitantly shook her head and shared her assessment of Echo.

“Carefree and natural, with nothing weighing on her heart.” Siyi repeated Xue Mengtao’s words quietly, then smiled. “So this is where being troubled by emotions leads—the more you care, the more you mind the other person’s lack of care.”

Ah…… Xue Mengtao’s eyes went slightly unfocused, but then she saw Siyi turn her head and say teasingly, “Speaking of which, don’t you understand this feeling quite well?”

Waaaaah.

Xue Mengtao’s eyes widened suddenly, the little person in her heart crying out in embarrassment. Her expression became speechless as her smile disappeared. With a stern face, she bowed to Siyi. “Master, I will go bathe and change clothes, then prepare to meet Senior Brother Wen.”

“Good.” Siyi leisurely sat back down, holding her teacup and “talking to herself.” “Speaking of which, Young Master Xue also achieved excellent results in the competition and will be a fellow Insight Academy Palace disciple……”

Ahhh—

Xue Mengtao quickened her pace, rushing out the door.

Siyi watched her run all the way out, passing under the corridor where yellow leaves drifted down, swaying as they saw off the pink figure. Siyi drank her tea and chuckled softly.