Chapter 129: A Brawl

Jiang Xiaoxiao produced a scroll from her spatial ring and said, "Master, this is the complete record of Ye Que and Dongfang Yanran."

"Hmm, leave it there," Ye Wuya replied, nodding slowly.

Jiang Xiaoxiao placed the book on the table and stood quietly to the side. The atmosphere gradually settled into silence, broken only by the sound of Ye Wuya sipping tea. Noticing that Jiang Xiaoxiao had not yet left, Ye Wuya looked over to see her fidgeting and hesitating, her expression remarkably charming in its uncertainty.

"If you have something to say, just say it. There is no need to act so bashful in front of your master," Ye Wuya remarked.

Jiang Xiaoxiao had already removed her veil, and she looked at him with a pitiful, expectant gaze. "Master, what you said earlier... was it all true?" she asked nervously.

"What did I say?" Ye Wuya was momentarily bewildered, completely confused by her question.

"You know... the thing about..." Jiang Xiaoxiao stammered, looking increasingly anxious.

"What is it? Speak up!" Ye Wuya, feeling an odd sense of urgency on her behalf, urged her to continue.

Seeming to steel her resolve, Jiang Xiaoxiao blurted out, "The part where you said you wanted Nalan Susu to bear your children!"

The moment the words left her lips, she instantly regretted them, watching Ye Wuya with cautious apprehension.

"You heard that?" Ye Wuya asked, disbelieving. He realized that when Jiang Xiaoxiao had gone to investigate the news regarding Ye Que and Dongfang Yanran, she had released those two auras—the same ones he and Nalan Susu had both detected. Had her aura not been so calm and devoid of killing intent, he would have assumed an enemy was attacking and rushed out. He had not expected that she had actually overheard him.

"Yes," Jiang Xiaoxiao replied, lowering her head, her tension palpable.

"And what do you think of it?" Ye Wuya asked, sidestepping a direct answer.

Jiang Xiaoxiao pondered for a moment before looking up, her expression resolute. "If Master desires Nalan Susu, I shall go and capture her for you right now!" She paused, then added, "If you do not want her, then never mind."

Ye Wuya remained silent. What kind of logic was this? Was he getting old, or had his way of thinking fallen behind the times? He had only made that comment on a whim to tease the Sect Leader of the Qingyun Sect. Her words left him utterly confounded.

"Sigh." With a long breath, Ye Wuya stood up and walked over to Jiang Xiaoxiao. Looking down at her, he reached out and gently patted her head. "I was only speaking casually at the time; do not take it to heart," he said.

Hearing this, Jiang Xiaoxiao looked up, pleasantly surprised. "Master, are you telling the truth?"

"Of course. When have I ever lied to you?" Ye Wuya replied with a serious expression.

"Mm-hmm," Jiang Xiaoxiao nodded obediently, her mood brightening instantly.

"Very well, go for a walk. I have had a sudden insight and need to go into seclusion for a few days. Remember, you must not allow anyone to disturb me," Ye Wuya said slowly.

"Understood, Master. I will take my leave then." Jiang Xiaoxiao happily retreated to the door, replaced her veil, and closed the door behind her.

Once behind the veil, her happy smile vanished, replaced by a cold, indifferent expression. Biting her lip, she whispered, "Nalan Susu, hmph!"

With a cold scoff, she soared into the sky. Having spent these past days familiarizing herself with the Qingyun Sect, she flew rapidly toward the Sect Leader's peak, a chill radiating from her.

***

Behind the Qingyun Sect, on a remote peak devoid of human presence, stood a small wooden cabin tucked within a grove of trees.

Nalan Susu stood there, her face dark and icy as she stared at the letter in her hand. "How could my master leave a letter like this? It’s impossible! This must be a forgery. That man’s words cannot be true—I don’t believe it, I refuse to believe it!"

She muttered in disbelief, yet the handwriting on the letter was undeniably her master's, making it impossible to be a fake. "That person must have forced my master to do this. No, I must find him and demand an explanation." She turned to leave, letter in hand, just as Jiang Xiaoxiao descended from the sky.

Jiang Xiaoxiao’s gaze was frigid as she locked eyes with Nalan Susu. Nalan Susu, spotting her, felt her own expression darken; she viewed Jiang Xiaoxiao as an accomplice to Ye Wuya.

Two distinct auras of killing intent rose simultaneously, causing the temperature to plummet. They stared at one another, neither willing to yield. As Nalan Susu moved, Jiang Xiaoxiao mirrored her movements, blocking her path.

"And where exactly does Sect Leader Nalan think she is going?" Jiang Xiaoxiao asked coldly, the pressure between them on the verge of erupting.

"Do I need to report my movements to a little girl like you?" Nalan Susu’s voice was glacial.

"I think you really should," Jiang Xiaoxiao replied, tilting her head. "Otherwise, if you were to disappear without a trace one day, my master might misunderstand me."

"Oh? Is that so? And you think you can stop me, little girl? Are you sure you don’t need to call for a few more helpers?" Nalan Susu sneered, emphasizing the word 'helpers' with heavy sarcasm.

"Do I need help to kill you? Wouldn't that be like using an ox-cleaver to slaughter a pig—a total waste?" Jiang Xiaoxiao retorted.

"Ha! So you're saying you’re just a butcher's knife, then?" Nalan Susu countered.

"If that is how you choose to see it, I cannot help you. A butcher's knife for a pig—isn't that perfect?" Jiang Xiaoxiao’s aura intensified.

"Hmph! I just hope your blade doesn't snap before you manage to kill the pig!" Nalan Susu scoffed.

Neither woman would back down; they were a hair's breadth away from a violent clash. The wooden cabin behind Nalan Susu began to creak under the pressure of their warring auras. A violent wind began to swirl around them, scattering weeds and leaves into the sky until it seemed as though day had turned to night.

"Let’s fight elsewhere; I will not have you disturbing my master's seclusion!" Jiang Xiaoxiao declared.

"Agreed!" Nalan Susu replied. It was the first time the two had reached a consensus. Jiang Xiaoxiao feared the noise of their battle would disturb Ye Wuya, while Nalan Susu worried that fighting within the Qingyun Sect would destroy it.

With their respective agendas in mind, the two women transformed into streaks of light and sped away, one after the other. The peak returned to silence.