Do You Think...

In the largest and most luxurious courtyard inside the Ye Sect, where the spiritual qi is so thick it was nearly in a constant misty state, the frail boy in golden robes sat cross-legged beside a cold-looking beauty of no more than sixteen years old.

The cold-looking beauty wore a white robe covered by a gray patterned armor woven from soft volcanic silk and royal-grade vermillion feathers. On her chest and the sleeves, plum blossoms were intricately hand stitched. There lay a gray helmet with a purple plume on the wooden floor beside her cushion.

The two of them were quietly sipping tea inside a room that allowed viewing of the cherry blossom trees in the garden. However, right now it was winter. Although there was no snow accumulated outside because of the special environment inside the Ye Sect, the trees were bare and the leaves dead.

A female voice that was so dull that there was neither an inflection or emotion to it broke the silence.

"What is your opinion on this, royal cousin?"

In neither servile or overbearing tone, the frail boy spoke, "Princess Chuntao is making fun of this little brother."

He paused, as if to enjoy the rich aroma from the hot tea. After wetting his lips with a few more sips, he continued. "How dare I give an opinion on the art of war in front of an experienced veteran like the Purple Plumed General and make a fool of myself? I would like to seek guidance instead on what has happened and what is to be done with the situation right now."

Indeed, as what Li Xiao Yang suspected, the frail little boy in golden robes is not just any young master from an influential family or powerful sect.

He is a direct male descendant of the Qing Imperial Family!

Qing Wu You (1) is the only son of the Second Prince, Qing Zhuang Xiang, the military genius also known as the Blood Commandant.

Because of his lord father's instructions, Qing Wu You had gone out from the imperial capital together with his older cousin, the Purple Plumed General Qing Chuntao (2), as part of his training in the art of war.

Raised in an environment where military might and cultivation strength reigns supreme, the young boy had been educated and tutored from the moment he was able to speak at the age of two. Six years later, his eight-year-old self had practically memorized every military book and war-related scroll inside his lord father's study.

Now, it was Qing Wu You's first time leaving his royal household in order to gain practical experience from outside. These were trying times, as the long-suppressed demonic factions were finally starting to make moves against the righteous paths and the Qing Imperial Family.

It was two, three days ago that the court received a missive about the first-tiered Leaf City experiencing an attack that killed nearly four hundred people in a single night. The Purple Plumed General, known for her intelligence gathering ability, was immediately sent out to be dispatched to investigate.

With his lord father's arrangement, Qing Wu You was also allowed to act as a titular logistics assistant to the eldest granddaughter of the Qing Emperor.

The Purple Plumed General only hmm'ed. "I need to send as a report your part of the analysis. Should I leave it blank?"

Qing Wu You's solemn face cracked.

"No, no, forgive me. I was merely jesting."

Really, his paternal cousin was frighteningly blunt. If his parents were to learn that he was slacking off, he would be punished to kneel in front of the ancestral hall for a day.

"As I see it, we will need to check on the corpses and the sites of killings in the forest to make sure. According to the Ye Patriarch's report, the killers only were less than a dozen in number but were generally in the Foundational Spirit Realm and are skilled enough to cause death to anyone who they chanced upon their way as they escape. Since those from the Ravenrise mercenary group and that Wu family had some of their members killed too, then we need to get their statements as well. "

"Yes, verification is good. I already ordered our men to pay them a visit." The Purple Plumed General sipped more hot tea. "Do you have anything else in mind?"

Qing Wu You drummed his fingers on the tabletop. As each second ticked by, the rhythm went faster.

"I have a fascinating discovery, royal cousin. Remember that only survivor, that Spiritual Body girl? Only five years old, yet she is actually a cultivator in the Nascent Divinity Realm! Her appearance and existence in this place are bizarre! She might be an important key to getting at the bottom of this scheme!"

By this time, fervent enthusiasm could be seen in Qing Wu You's eyes. On contrary, there was no surprise in the Purple Plumed General's face. What Qing Wu You said, she had already been informed of it by the old servant by his side.

Suddenly, a spiritual talisman flew in from outside and floated in front of the Purple Plumed General. She traced the talisman using her forefinger covered with her inner qi. Words were silently transmitted into her brain.

After half a time it takes tea to boil, she crushed the talisman.

"That Little Yin has conveniently appeared at such a time. She is a bait too obvious to be bitten," she said dryly. The nonchalance on her face disappeared. She then clapped her hands. "Yi, Er, San!"

Three shadows suddenly appeared in front of them. Three white-robed men with white masks covering their faces knelt without saying a word, and if one were to look, it seemed like they were ghosts about to disappear into the mists.

"Yi, find out everything about the girl. Test her strength."

"Er, go to Ming Yue Sect. Investigate why they closed their gates and refused to come out."

"San, find intel about outsiders entering Qing Imperial Lands without permission. See which reclusive family recently resurfaced. Find any great power that experienced an incident in the past month."

After her orders were given, the three intelligence officers disappeared like smoke.

"Royal cousin, Zhi Ruo from Ming Yue Sect just visited that tenth elder. She went straight to his manor without giving face to the Ye Patriarch." The Purple Plumed General stared far off into the distance, her brows furrowed. "When you meet that girl tomorrow, you have to bring me. She has too many confusing points. I believe she is a wild card that can throw our plans into disarray."

Qing Wu You nodded. "That is for the best... say, how likely is it that she is from beyond the borders?"

Her cold face did not change as she thought. "About nine-tenths."

"Right? Since she has that cultivation, she must be from a Great Empire. Or even from the Central Region!"

He clenched and unclenched his fists, his voice quivering as he tried to calm himself. He was massively failing.

His royal cousin who knew what he was thinking sighed. She had long known that Qing Wu You was obsessed with martial arts and wasn't exactly scholarly at all. It was because of circumstances that forced him to excel in strategies and schemes in order to survive.

"That is likely," she relented.

All of a sudden, a bitter smile appeared on Qing Wu You's handsome face. His breathing turned ragged, no longer as calm as what he was portraying when he met the little girl outside. In fact, he had long been persevering and pretending, but from the moment she met Yin, his mind and heart had been in chaos.

"D-Do you think she might have a way for my crippled body to cultivate?"

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(1) WuYou 无忧, means "Without worry"

(2) Chuntao 春桃, means "Spring peach"