"Don't… don't joke around."
Sensing the genuine killing intent in Xun Er's words, fine beads of sweat appeared on Yun Yun's smooth forehead, and her heart filled with extreme unease.
"I'm not joking." Xun Er gazed calmly at Yun Yun, her tone devoid of any emotion. "You have a copy. If you still intend to oppose Brother Xiao Ting—even if there's only a one-in-ten-thousand chance—I cannot let you live."
"Aren't you afraid of making him suspicious and guessing you have a Journal copy?!" Yun Yun felt Xun Er had gone mad. If she fell in the Xiao family, Xiao Ting would definitely suspect something.
"I'm not afraid." Yun Yun's words did not shake Xun Er in the slightest. "Your visit to the Xiao family today was already outside Brother Xiao Ting's expectations. If I want to spare your life, as long as the reason is appropriate, I believe Brother Xiao Ting won't suspect anything. Even if there's a certain chance of exposure, it's nothing compared to the potential threat you pose as a copy owner."
At this point, Yun Yun knew she had to make her stance clear—and completely convince Xun Er to trust her. But Xiao Ting had written it clearly in the Journal: Yun Shan and Hall of Souls's Protector Wu had already reached an agreement. It was a done deal that could not be changed.
"This matter isn't hard to solve."
Just as Yun Yun was at a loss, Medusa suddenly spoke.
"What method?" Yun Yun immediately looked toward Medusa with pleading eyes.
"Kill Yun Shan." Medusa's voice was icy as she uttered four words. "That day I already said I could help you take action. Now it's killing two birds with one stone. If Misty Cloud Sect is completely under your control, naturally there will be no path to death. I believe Xun Er can trust you then."
"Agreed." Xun Er nodded, giving an affirmative answer. "If Sister Yun Yun can personally deliver the killing blow to Yun Shan, I can trust you."
"But he is my teacher!" Yun Yun shot to her feet in agitation. How could she commit teacher-slaying?
"Look, you're getting anxious again." Medusa's lips curved slightly as she analyzed the situation for Yun Yun with clear logic: "If Yun Shan doesn't die, you die today. Later, whether it's Xiao Ting or Xun Er, neither will spare Misty Cloud Sect. Yun Shan will still die. But if you do it yourself, only Yun Shan dies. Misty Cloud Sect not only survives but can rise to even greater heights in the future. Isn't that the best way to repay your teacher? Besides, Yun Shan now meets the criteria for sacrifice at the Gate of Life and Death. Misty Cloud Sect's ancestor Yun Potian died at the hands of Hall of Souls. This is you cleaning house and setting things right."
Clap, clap, clap!
Applause sounded from the side. The women looked toward Qing Lin, who said sheepishly: "Sister Medusa said it so well and so correctly."
"Qing Lin, you're very good." A smile appeared on Medusa's exquisitely beautiful face.
Yun Yun lowered her head, falling into a state of despair.
"Ahem." The Little Fairy Doctor pushed Xun Er lightly and whispered: "Isn't it a bit much to tease her like this?"
A trace of amusement flashed in Xun Er's eyes. She lowered her voice and replied: "It's not exactly teasing. It's using the topic to give her a lesson."
Of course the matter didn't require such radical methods. Killing both Yun Yun and Yun Shan would only treat the symptoms, not the root. It would be better to directly go kill Hall of Souls's Protector Wu. Yun Yun still didn't understand. Unless Xiao Ting took the initiative to ask for help, Xun Er—who always considered his feelings—would not overstep and act on her own. She would only monitor the situation unless someone truly threatened Xiao Ting's life.
"Can you give me a chance?" Scared out of her wits by Xun Er's words, Yun Yun fell into a mental trap. "I will persuade him. He has always liked quiet cultivation, has no great ambitions, and doesn't like to fight others. And as long as I tell him that Hall of Souls killed Misty Cloud Sect's founding ancestor, he definitely won't work for Hall of Souls and might even turn against them."
"Good." Xun Er gave an affirmative answer.
Yun Yun, who had been preparing a long speech: ?
"Make sure you persuade Yun Shan." Xun Er's fresh and otherworldly, exquisitely beautiful face had already regained its smile. "We'll wait for your good news."
Yun Yun: "..."
Pfft.
The women all burst into laughter.
"You guys…"
Realizing she had been played, Yun Yun felt a bit frantic inside, but mostly relieved. For a moment, she had truly felt that she and Misty Cloud Sect had no future and were just waiting for the day of destruction.
"Yun Yun, did you forget? Copy owners cannot actively harm Xiao Ting in any way." With a light flick of her purple snake tail as she leaned against a pavilion pillar, Medusa spoke with a playful tone.
Yun Yun: I was too nervous and forgot!
"I don't know what will happen to Misty Cloud Sect in the future, but you definitely won't be in mortal danger. After all, you fundamentally cannot harm Brother Xiao Ting, or the Journal copy will erase you." Xun Er shook her head with a smile. "Brother Xiao Ting has already clearly written the reason for the life-and-death enmity between Misty Cloud Sect and the Xiao family. With your foreknowledge, if you can't handle it properly, then Misty Cloud Sect's destruction can only be said to be deserved."
"I understand." After regaining her composure, Yun Yun's intellect retook control. She analyzed seriously: "The root of the life-and-death enmity between Misty Cloud Sect and the Xiao family is Teacher cooperating with Hall of Souls's Protector to break through to Dou Ancestor. It should be that during the three-year agreement when Xiao Yan went to Misty Cloud Sect for the match with Yanran, Teacher noticed him, passed the information to Hall of Souls's Protector, caused some damage and trouble to the Xiao family, and that stimulated Xiao Yan to destroy Misty Cloud Sect. As long as we can stop Teacher from cooperating with Hall of Souls's Protector, the crisis will naturally be resolved. And for me now, that isn't difficult."
At this point, Yun Yun turned to Medusa: "Sister Medusa, I'll have to trouble you to hunt some Hall of Souls soul envoys when you have time. I want to use the altar as proof to tell Teacher that Hall of Souls and Misty Cloud Sect share a blood feud."
Upon careful thought, this matter was actually very easy to solve. As long as she persuaded Yun Shan and ensured no information about the Xiao family leaked from Misty Cloud Sect to Hall of Souls, the crisis would be lifted.
But was it really that simple?
…
"Yun Yun is probably starting to think about how to persuade Yun Shan right now."
Standing up and stretching, Xiao Ting slowly walked toward Xun Er's small courtyard with a faint smile on his face.
The conflict between the Xiao family and Misty Cloud Sect had the three-year agreement as merely the trigger. The real fuse was Xiao Yan killing Mo Cheng, then being recognized by Ge Ye. The sore loser Yun Leng seized the chance to make a fuss, eventually drawing out Yun Shan.
Now that Xiao Yan killing Mo Cheng probably wouldn't happen again, the three-year agreement would definitely be won, and Yun Yun wouldn't be lured away by the Dou Emperor from Sky Serpent Mansion. She would most likely preside over the match herself. As long as the information didn't reach Yun Shan's ears, the conflict between them could be delayed for a while, but the fundamental issues could still not be reconciled.
…
…
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