Chapter Sixty-Five: Pacification

"Brother Mo, I’m so useless," Nalanhin nestled in Mo Bai’s embrace.

"You’ve already done amazingly well. Once you fully integrate the spiritual energy of the Sinless Master, there will be few in this world who can rival you," Mo Bai comforted her.

Looking across, a hint of redness unexpectedly crept onto the face of the woman in white, making her seem more human. The woman in red quickly approached and asked, "Xue, are you alright?"

The woman in white replied coolly, "Don’t worry, Senior Sister. I’m fine."

"Impressive, truly impressive." At that moment, a man strode out from the ruins, clapping his hands. With a wave, a maid handed a stack of silver notes to the bewildered innkeeper. "Perhaps I, Ping, have been away from the Linglong Continent for too many years. I never imagined there would be so many outstanding young talents now, and so many formidable heroines who stand shoulder to shoulder with men. Truly, I am enlightened." The Four-Fingered Zither Emperor stepped forward, eager to smooth things over.

The woman in red also came forward. "My friend," she said, "I believe this has all been a misunderstanding. The Yuntian Sect and the Yihua Sect are both among the five great spiritual sects of the Linglong Continent. We have always been like branches from the same tree. Today’s dispute is no more than a quarrel among the younger generation. I, Lin Hong, don’t believe this will cause a rift between our sects. We have come to Guihai City today to attend the Spirit Ascendance Tournament. The very name of the tournament proclaims the rise of a new spiritual power. I need say no more; I trust you understand my meaning." Lin Hong, the leading disciple of Yihua Sect, fixed her gaze on Mo Bai, on this man whom no woman could seem to dislike.

Mo Bai smiled slightly, "Miss Sai, I’m afraid you misunderstand. I am not of the Yuntian Sect, though perhaps I do have some connection to your Yihua Sect."

Lin Hong was taken aback, clearly not understanding his words. Just then, dozens of men surrounded them from all directions. Clearly, these were all spiritual cultivators, dressed in tight-fitting clothes and well-trained. Soon, one man stepped forward, clad in blue, with a full beard and piercing, round eyes—a master of spiritual cultivation, by the looks of him. "Are you all here to participate in our Spirit Ascendance Tournament?" he inquired, revealing himself as a member of Guihai City's ruling clan.

He pointed at the ruined inn, paused, and continued, "The Spirit Ascendance Tournament begins in three days. If there are any grievances among you, settle them openly and honorably in the arena. What say you all?" Though he posed it as a question, his tone brooked no argument.

Everyone nodded in agreement, led by the innkeeper, who eagerly echoed his assent. Although the Four-Fingered Zither Emperor had compensated him handsomely, who knew if he would ever again encounter such a generous patron?

Lin Hong was naturally pleased with this resolution. She had come with four junior sisters on her master’s orders to discover the true ambitions of the Guihai family. Should the elder of Guihai City seek to establish a new sect, it would spell disaster for the nearby Yihua Sect, threatening its status among the five great spiritual orders. Whether rumor or truth, Master Ancient Dream could not afford to be unprepared. Thus, Lin Hong was determined to focus all her attention on the Guihai clan during the tournament; stirring up further trouble would be unwise, especially when the other party was the Yuntian Sect.

And then there was that unfathomable man, who claimed not to be from Yuntian. Who was he, truly? Was he a member of the Guihai clan, or perhaps another great sect? These were questions Lin Hong, as the leading disciple, could not ignore.

"Chief Steward Li speaks wisely. My sisters and I will take our leave now." With a gesture, she led Xue and two other junior sisters away, escorted by Li Tong’s men, swiftly quitting the scene of conflict.

Mo Bai watched the retreating white-clad figure, feeling a strange ache in his heart. It was not a stabbing pain, but rather a peculiar emotion—the icy waters of the Rain-Cold Pool and that cold gaze from the woman in white were eerily similar.

Wu Luohua took a pill from his jade pouch and gave it to Ganyu, who helped Nalanhin swallow it. Only then did he speak: "I never imagined the Spirit Ascendance Tournament would see such events unfold."

Nalanhin seemed to realize something, and whispered, "Brother Hua, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have spoken out of turn. Now we’ve clashed with the Yihua Sect. When we get to their territory, I doubt we’ll be welcomed with open arms." She looked like a child caught in mischief, nervously twisting the hem of her robe.

Ganyu steadied Nalanhin, then looked to Wu Luohua, who burst out laughing. "Hin, I can’t get used to seeing you like this. Don’t worry—your Brother Hua is favored by fortune, and ever since I met your Sister Ganyu, I’ve found my place in life. Whether or not I achieve spiritual mastery is no longer so important." His expression was nonchalant, almost carefree.

"Brother Hua," Nalanhin’s eyes brimmed with tears.

"Enough now, let’s be off," Wu Luohua said.

"To where?" Ganyu asked.

"Why, to Guihai Pavilion, of course! With two stunning beauties in our company, we must secure the best rooms for you both before those other ladies snatch them up!" Wu Luohua clenched his fists and led the charge.

"Yes, Brother Hua, let’s go!" Nalanhin chimed in.

"Nalanziyan, truly a peerless inheritor of spiritual bloodlines. Ten years ago, I received a word of guidance from Master Yunjin, which benefited me greatly. I never expected to meet the descendant of an old friend today," said the Four-Fingered Zither Emperor suddenly as the group was about to scramble for rooms, his eyes flashing.

With a swish, a beam of spiritual energy shot from his fingertips, hurtling straight toward Mo Bai!

PS: Back to writing~~