Chapter 148

Despite sensing the invisible pressure radiating from the two visitors, Tantai Yuruo showed no fear or tension. Instead, she wore a gentle, welcoming smile.

“You must be the honored guests from beyond our domain. Our sect leader informed us of your arrival. Sensing the formation’s disturbance, I came to welcome you.”

Disturbance?

What disturbance?!

Ji Qianyue nearly rolled her eyes but held back—it was rude to strike a smiling face. She simply snorted and clasped her hands behind her back, maintaining her aloof expert demeanor.

“Oh! So Eldest Sister already sent word?” Ji Yunjing clapped her hands cheerfully. “That makes things easier!”

No need for lengthy explanations.

Patting her chest (which jiggled noticeably), she grinned.

“We’re here to help you all improve your strength for the Hundred Dynasties War!”

For some reason, she felt an inexplicable fondness for this beautiful woman in front of her.

Ji Qianyue’s eyelid twitched as she watched her young mistress’s friendly demeanor.

What happened to the pride of outsiders?!

Shouldn’t the Third Miss be looking down on these people like trash, acting aloof and domineering?

Were her earlier criticisms just… honest observations without any malice?

She’s too soft!

Ji Yunjing had always been quirky but surprisingly easygoing within the clan, but Ji Qianyue assumed that was just how she acted around family. Who knew she’d be the same outside?

No!

Ji Qianyue’s expression turned stern. She couldn’t let the Third Miss—or the Ji Clan—be looked down upon by these country bumpkins.

She immediately adopted a cold tone.

“Knowing my young mistress is here, your sect leader couldn’t even greet us in person? The Qinglian Sect has quite the attitude!”

Tantai Yuruo’s smile didn’t waver in the slightest.

“We wouldn’t dare. Our sect leader has been awaiting your arrival for days. Please, honored guests, follow me.”

Ji Qianyue wanted to press further, but her ally was utterly unreliable.

“Great! Let’s go!” Ji Yunjing agreed immediately, already eager to proceed.

Ji Qianyue: “…”

This is hopeless.

……

Following Tantai Yuruo, the two women flew toward the main hall.

As a young mistress of the Ji Clan, Ji Yunjing looked around excitedly, fascinated by everything—ironically making her seem like the country bumpkin.

So embarrassing!

Ji Qianyue’s expression was pained, but she couldn’t scold her mistress in front of outsiders.

Sigh. I should’ve been assigned to the Second Miss instead.

Soon, Ji Yunjing’s attention was completely captured by a distant tower.

“What’s that place?” she blurted out.

Tantai Yuruo followed her gaze. Remembering the sect’s prearranged response, she didn’t hide it and smiled.

“That is our Qinglian Sect’s holy land—the Locked Demon Tower.”

“Pfft.” Ji Qianyue scoffed. “What kind of shabby place is that?”

“Where we’re from, any place without a Mahayana cultivator guarding it doesn’t even qualify as a holy land!”

Tantai Yuruo nodded politely.

“The honored guest is truly knowledgeable. The Southern Domain indeed cannot compare to the outside world’s prosperity. After all, we only have Nascent Souls here.”

As she spoke, her gaze briefly swept over the two women—one tall, one short—before she turned away, a faint smirk playing on her lips for a fleeting moment.

Ji Qianyue: “…”

Did… did she just mock me?

She glanced at her oblivious young mistress.

I’m so tired.

All three of them were at the Nascent Soul realm, and even though they were flying at a leisurely pace, they arrived in front of the Sect Master’s Hall in just a few breaths.

“Honored guests, please enter.”

After guiding them inside, Tantai Yuruo did not follow further. Instead, she turned and headed straight for the back mountains.

The two Ji women stepped in one after the other.

Ji Qianyue maintained her cold, arrogant demeanor.

Ji Yunjing, on the other hand, found everything fascinating. Despite being the young mistress of a first-rate clan, she had rarely been allowed to leave home in her life.

Her elder sisters had never faced such restrictions—only her.

This time, it was only because of the Second Sister’s strong recommendation, along with the fact that all three sisters were traveling together with protectors, that their father had reluctantly agreed to let her come.

In terms of worldly experience, aside from what she had seen within the clan, Ji Yunjing was practically a sheltered innocent.

As they reached the main hall, Liu Ruyan, dressed in an elegant black palace robe, had been waiting for some time.

“You must be the honored guests from beyond our domain. My apologies for not greeting you sooner. Please, take the seats of honor.”

Her expression was cool, and even when she smiled, there was an air of detachment about her.

Ji Yunjing didn’t think much of it, but to Ji Qianyue, this woman was being far too presumptuous.

She’s not taking us seriously at all.

Just as she was about to make a cutting remark, Liu Ruyan spoke first.

“Due to certain physical conditions, my demeanor and actions may seem distant, but my intentions are not. I hope you won’t take offense.”

“No worries! Everyone has their own temperament—it’s not like we can expect everyone to act the same.” Ji Yunjing was remarkably understanding.

Bad temper?

Could it be worse than Second Sister’s?

Ji Qianyue watched coldly. Since the young mistress had already spoken, any further criticism from her would be overstepping.

But… physical conditions affecting personality?

A thought suddenly struck her, and she scoffed internally.

Sure, you share the same surname, but do you think you’re the Holy Maiden of the Profound Unity Holy Land, with the Heavenly Ice Soul Saint Body of the Liu Clan?

That one truly was ice-cold and aloof.

Liu Ruyan, observing Ji Yunjing’s reaction, shifted her focus to the girl, slightly surprised.

So this little one is the leader?

…Wait, that big?

What did she eat to grow like that?

Only when she sensed the faint Nascent Soul aura emanating from the girl did she realize—

Ah, she must be like A’Yao, the kind whose height never catches up with her age. Her real age is probably much older.

Liu Ruyan guided the two women to the seats of honor. Instead of taking her usual place at the head of the hall, she sat opposite them, slightly lower in position.

“Might I ask the purpose of your visit, honored guests?”

Even though she already knew they were here to meddle, she asked the question formally.

Ji Yunjing got straight to the point.

“We’re here to help the Qinglian Sect improve its strength for the Hundred Dynasties War in a few years.”

“I see.” Liu Ruyan nodded. “Then we thank you both for your generosity.”

“Whether your disciples can comprehend our extraterrestrial techniques will depend entirely on their own aptitude.” Ji Qianyue interjected, her tone dripping with condescension.

In the past, Liu Ruyan would have frozen such a pretentious person into an ice sculpture without hesitation. But things were different now.

The aura emanating from this woman was so dense it didn’t even feel like Nascent Soul level—clearly suppressed by the world’s laws.

Even though they were technically at the same cultivation stage, Liu Ruyan wasn’t confident she could subdue her.

Liu Ruyan smiled faintly.

“To witness the profound techniques of the outside world would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our sect’s disciples.”

“What I teach can only be passed on to those at the Golden Core realm and above. No unauthorized dissemination!” Ji Qianyue warned.

“Naturally.”

Seeing that the Qinglian Sect’s leader, though cold in demeanor, was surprisingly docile, Ji Qianyue snorted and decided not to push further.

With a flick of her wrist, a jade slip floated down onto the table before Liu Ruyan.

“This is a cultivation manual that can take you all the way to the Void Refinement stage. Take a look.”

“Even if you’ll never reach Void Refinement in this backwater, the quality of this technique alone will benefit you immensely.”