Ch. 399 - A Letter From The Empress

Dong~ Dong~~

Over the foggy Black Star Sect, the noon bell chimed, and the late spring breeze swept across the eighteen peaks, bringing the dryness of early summer.

On the thousands of steps of the mountain, young boys and girls, regardless of whether they came from aristocratic families or were just the kids of some nameless rogue cultivators, were all walking step by step, advancing toward the mountain gate.

After seven years, the Black Star Sect's disciple selection was finally held again.

Every time the entry selection came, some of the old disciples would come to the road that the new disciples had to pass and set up tents and stalls to earn some extra money.

Some sold pills refined by themselves and talismans, others sold healing herbs or even tips from their skills and experience that could help pass the selection...

To these old disciples, those young masters and young ladies from the big families were all fat fish that could be tricked into paying a lot of spirit stones with just a few words.

"Spirit Gathering Pill~~ Super high-quality Spirit Gathering Pill, essential for cultivation~~"

"Roasted chicken~~ Secret recipe roasted chicken~~"

...

Among the many stalls, there was one stall that particularly stood out.

The stall owner had a head full of rare silver hair and was wearing a light purple uniform that only high-ranked disciples of the Black Star Sect could wear. At her waist was a high-grade spirit sword that looked like it was made by Mr. Liu of the Sword Pavilion...

Feng Yu Die sat on a small bench with her arms folded like a Bodhisattva statue. When the young cultivators who had climbed the mountain to participate in the selection saw her, they immediately cupped their hands and bowed deeply before quickly running away.

However, they only bowed and didn't ask her about those things for sale at her stall...

At this moment, a young lady who looked like she came from an aristocratic family walked to her stall cautiously and cupped her hands.

"Greetings, Senior."

"Hi... do you want to buy magic tools or pills... I..."

Feng Yu Die solicitously asked the customer, but before she could finish her words, she saw the girl running away like the wind.

"What are you doing? I don't eat people. Why are you all running so fast..."

Feng Yu Die sighed and then glanced at the two disciples who had set up their stalls next to her.

She noticed that these two had been sneaking glances toward her from time to time since she had set up her stall, so she asked with a frown, "And you two, why are you staring at me all the time? Just say it if you have something to say."

"Uh..."

The two were shocked. They both were outer sect disciples of the Black Star Sect, and their current cultivation level was only at the Qi Refining Perfection. One should know that the stall owners on this road up the mountain were mostly at the Qi Refining stage, like them.

Still, it was okay for a Core Formation stage cultivator to set up a stall as well.

The main thing was that the stuff she sold was really beyond description.

One of them plucked up the courage to ask. "Young Miss, are you so free? Why are you setting up a stall here..."

Feng Yu Die pouted as she asked back, "Can't I?"

"It's not that you can't... It's just that these things you're selling..."

Feng Yu Die froze and looked at those things on her stall that she had fished out from the storage bag of a demonic cultivator. "I got them from demonic cultivators a while ago, but they are all high-quality magic items."

She pointed to a purple and gold cauldron carved with five poison symbols. "This is a cauldron for raising high-grade toxic parasites..."

Then, she pointed to a long, bloody whip with thorns. "This is a Blood Heart Whip fed with human blood..."

Finally, she pointed to a glass bottle wrapped in paper in the middle of the stall."As for this! Humph~ This is my stall's treasure, the 'bird' of a Deification stage cultivator!"

"??"

Seeing the two men turn livid, Feng Yu Die rolled her eyes and ignored them. Anyway, these two could not afford it, so she continued to look for buyers.

At this time, a tired and sweaty girl came up step by step, propping on her knees. Behind her, came a maid in the late stage of the Foundation Building...

Feng Yu Die took a look and felt that they looked familiar, but she didn't think much of it.

The girl's clothes were made of good fabrics, and she had a maid, so she must be very rich.

Thus, she waved and yelled. "Little sister, do you want to buy a magic item? What do you like? I'll give you a 20% discount..."

After climbing over a thousand stairs, the delicate young lady, who was already panting from exhaustion, didn't feel like looking around. But hearing this voice, she suddenly became energetic again.

She slowly raised her head and looked towards Feng Yu Die, then tilted her head and called out. "Eh? Second auntie?"

?

Feng Yu Die was dumbfounded. She looked around left and right, but there was no one else.

"Huh? What?"

Seeing Feng Yu Die's expression, the maid following the young lady hurried forward and bowed. "Hongyu greets Senior Feng."

"Hongyu..." Feng Yu Die suddenly realized. "Oh! You are Empress... cough cough... Sister Tong's maid?"

"I am honored that Senior Feng remembers me."

Hongyu smiled stiffly, and then spread her hand to the exhausted Liang Ating, explaining, "Elder Tong asked me to send her to participate in the Black Star Sect's selection."

"Oh~~ I see."

Feng Yu Die nodded blankly, and then looked Liang Ating up and down, trying to match her with the Liang Ating she remembered, but they didn't seem to match...

She hadn't seen Liang Ating since the Dragon House incident.

Seven years had passed since then, and the little girl who had been following Sister Pei and Young Master Ye in her memory had now become a graceful young lady.

Liang Ating came over, grabbed Feng Yu Die's hands, and asked excitedly, "Second auntie! Where is Uncle? Is he in charge of my selection?"

"Ah... Uncle... You mean Young Master Ye?" Feng Yu Die thought a little before answering, "He should be at Heavenly Cloud Peak now..."

"Then, second aunt, take me there. Let Uncle give me some pointers, such as the questions for the written test... Ouch!"

Bang---

Before Liang Ating could finish speaking, Hongyu reached out and knocked her on the back of her head.

"...Elder Tong wanted me to follow you here because, other than escorting you, she was afraid that you would pester Young Master Ye to open a back door for you."

Liang Ating pouted unhappily and stuck out her tongue at Hongyu.

"Oh... so fierce..."

Hongyu sighed helplessly, then glanced at the things on Feng Yu Die's stall, blinking. She suddenly felt a little awkward in her heart and didn't want to stay any longer, so she bowed. "Senior Feng, I won't hold you back anymore. I'll take her to register."

"Alright..."

Feng Yu Die nodded and watched the two of them walking up the mountain. It took her a long time to finally react. How did she become the second aunt?

And why did she subconsciously think of Master Ye when Liang Ating asked about her "uncle"?

If Master Ye was Liang Ating's uncle, then she should also be her uncle...

After Feng Yu Die realized this, she quickly waved her hand, shouting, "Ating! I'm not your second aunt! I am your uncle!"

Her voice echoed across the mountain path.

She didn't know if Ating had heard her, but the other people who were setting up stalls and the new disciples who were climbing the mountain certainly did. At this moment, they were all looking at her blankly.

...

Black Star Sect's Thunder Peak, Dancing Moon Lake.

The sunlight shone on the water's surface, creating waves of light.

Whoosh---

With a soft sound of water rippling, a small white foot dipped into the lake.

The five colorful koi that had been sitting still near the shore got scared and fled in all directions.

However, after a while, they took the initiative to swim back to the little feet that entered the water, as if it were bait. They opened their lips and tried to nibble the small round toes that looked like lotus buds.

"Hee hee..."

Si Xuanji, who was tickled, narrowed her eyes and giggled. Seeing that these fish seemed to like her feet, she simply used them as bait and teased the fish to swing left and right.

As she was playing, she suddenly heard footsteps behind her. Slightly startled, she turned to look.

Ye Anping, wearing the Black Star Sect uniform and holding a paper umbrella, walked out from behind a willow tree, came in front of her, and held the umbrella over her head.

"Miss Xuanji, you are so mischievous, coming to such a place. I almost got lost in this willow forest."

Si Xuanji pursed her lips slightly and tilted her head. "Oh? How did you know I was here?"

Jingle-ling-ling~~

Ye Anping didn't reply. He took out the Star Returning Bell from his sleeve and shook it gently. "I followed the sound and came here. I wanted to return it to Sister Qiu, but she said to keep it with me for the time being."

"Well..." Si Xuanji's yin-and-yang eyes revealed a hint of tenderness as she asked, "Then, why are you looking for me?"

"Nothing special. I just want to talk to you for a while or sit together to bask in the sun."

Ye Anping placed the umbrella on the ground, then slowly squatted and sat down. He looked at Si Xuanji and hesitated for a while before resting his head on her thigh.

?!

Si Xuanji froze for a moment and said in alarm, "Mr. Ye, what are you doing?"

"Let me borrow your leg as a pillow to rest for a while."

Ye Anping smiled and closed his eyes to relax.

"After all, the disciple selection is not my business. I have nothing to do, so I might as well spend some time enjoying the sun with a pretty girl."

This brat...

Si Xuanji frowned, slightly dissatisfied. However, when she saw Ye Anping resting on her lap, she didn't want to push him away. She only raised her hand and pinched his nose slightly.

"When did you learn these sweet words?"

Ye Anping caught the hand pinching his nose and opened his eyes. "Don't you like to hear them?"

"Instead of accompanying my sister or your sister, you came to look for me?"

"My sister is in charge of the sword test and Yunluo is overseeing the new disciples' exams with Mr. Qi, so I can only come to you to relieve my boredom. Don't you like being with me?"

Si Xuanji answered immediately. "No."

"Then, why don't you push me away?"

"Do you want me to throw you into the lake?"

"No."

"Then, just lie on my lap like this."

"I knew you wouldn't chase me away..."

Si Xuanji puffed up her cheeks and pinched his face, but in the end, she seemed to reluctantly accept it. She propped herself on the ground with both hands, relaxed her shoulders, and squinted, looking up at the sun in the sky.

"Sigh... Young Master Ye, I told you, I can't be your cultivation partner. You don't have to chase after me like this."

"I know."

"Then, why do you still..."

"Can't two friends bask in the sun together?"

"...Whatever, do what you want."

Si Xuanji sighed slightly, shook her head, and gently smoothed Ye Anping's bangs.

At this moment, a flying sword suddenly streaked across the sky, causing Si Xuanji to look up in confusion, only to see a young girl in a silk dress, spinning around with the flying sword.

Shortly, there was a shout of "Ouch!", and with a wail, the girl directly crashed into the spiritual shield on the Thunder Peak hillside and fell off the flying sword.

Splash---

Like a depth bomb, she directly splashed into the lake where Xuanji and Ye Anping were relaxing.

Ye Anping was also startled and he sat up, turning to look. The lake was rippling with a series of bubbles, and Liang Ating poked her head out and spat out a mouthful of water.

"Pfft-- Ouch... where is this? Why is there a wall in the sky of the Black Star Sect..."

"..."

Ye Anping stared at Liang Ating in shock. Why did this girl come to the Black Star Sect?

Where was Brother Liang?

Oh, Brother Liang should still be in seclusion and it wasn't time to come out yet...

At this time, Liang Ating also noticed Ye Anping on the shore. For a moment, she was stunned in the center of the lake, then she paddled over, climbed onto the shore, opened her arms, and pounced on Ye Anping. "Uncle!"

Still a little confused, Ye Anping quickly reached out to hold her face to prevent his clothes from getting wet. Si Xuanji, who was beside him, also had a curious expression and asked, "Mr. Ye, who is this?"

"Well..." Ye Anping hesitated for a moment, then leaned close to Si Xuanji's ear and whispered, "Nangong's treasure."

"..."

Hearing this name, Si Xuanji looked at Liang Atting again and immediately understood that this girl was the only remaining descendant of the Nangong family.

Liang Ating looked with a dumbfounded expression as Ye Anping and Si Xuanji whispered. She shyly shrank her neck, shifted her gaze, and, as if she suddenly understood something, she cupped her hands in salute. "Liang Ating greets the Third Aunt!"

?

Si Xuanji was stunned for a moment, then turned to look at Ye Anping, as if asking: Did you teach her that?

Ye Anping was puzzled and asked back, "What third aunt?"

Liang Ating tilted her head. "Is it my fourth aunt?"

Ye Anping's face darkened, but he said jokingly, "Just call her auntie... hiss---"

Si Xuanji frowned and pinched his waist, then glared at Ye Anping. "Just call me Sister Xuanji."

"...Okay!" With an innocent look, Liang Ating quickly cupped her hands and bowed again. "Ating greets Sister Xuanji!"

"Good."

Ye Anping rubbed his waist before becoming serious. "Ating, why did you come to the Black Star Sect?"

"Elder Tong asked me to participate in the Black Star Sect selection and also asked me to give a letter to you, uncle."

"Well..."

Liang Ating cocked her head. "Well?"

Ye Anping blinked and sighed speechlessly. "Well... where's the letter?"

"Oh!"

Liang Ating nodded. She quickly reached into her storage bag, took out a crumpled envelope, and handed it over with both hands:

"Uncle, here."

"Huh..."

Ye Anping tore open the envelope, opened the letter, and read.

"Young Master Ye, Ating reached Foundation Building a while ago, so I want her to continue cultivating in the Black Star Sect. If possible, I hope you can help me watch over this girl occasionally."

These words were written at the top of the letter, but there was a lot of blank space below, as if hinting at something.

Although Ye Anping was not sure, he condensed his spiritual energy on his fingertips and swept across the letter paper.

Just as he expected, after the sword finger swept across, more lines of words suddenly appeared in the space below.

"Some time ago, I received a jade slip from Yue Xuanming, the commander of the Justice Division. It said that after the Imperial Sect was destroyed, the Justice Division was driven to the eastern border of the Central Region and stationed at the Eastern Great Wall.

---Recently, I heard that demonic cultivators seem to be frequently approaching the eastern border of the Central Region. I'm afraid they're planning something big.

---I know that I am no longer the Empress of the Imperial Sect. The Imperial Sect no longer exists, but there are still many upright people in what remained of the Justice Division.

---Therefore, I have a presumptuous request. I wonder if you could ask Young Miss Xiao to ask the Immortal Matriarch to take in the remnants of the Justice Division. This should also be a good thing for the Black Star Sect.

--Tong Zilan."

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