Chapter 116: I Like Watching the Blood Toras Bloom.

"Master,"

In a humble countryside courtyard in Baihe County, a woman approached her husband.

On the official records of Wu Kingdom, Lady Fang was already sixty years old. Yet she looked no older than thirty.

Although she wasn't a breathtaking beauty, she had a charm that was undeniably captivating. With the passage of time, her elegance had matured, giving her an aura of timeless allure.

"Hmm," Fang Ling responded with a nod, scattering feed for the chickens as he spoke. "Xu Ming has left?"

"Yes, Master. The top scholar left today. Many of Baihe County's townsfolk escorted him out of the city for five miles," Lady Fang said with a smile. "The last time the townspeople sent someone off like this, it was for you."

"The people are simple at heart. Treat them well, and they'll lift you up like no other," Fang Ling chuckled. "That young man left in such a hurry—perhaps he was worried about being scolded by the Emperor? Well, it seems the imperial decree didn't catch up to him after all."

"Not quite," Lady Fang replied, stifling a laugh. "As it turns out, the decree arrived just as he was leaving the city. Fortunately, they say the Emperor merely chastised him a bit and didn't impose any real punishment."

"That's to be expected," Fang Ling said, tossing another handful of millet to the chickens.

"It's mostly because the crimes of those three sect disciples couldn't be proven. Otherwise, this incident might have been seen as Xu Ming earning merit.

Now, with the imperial decree framing it as a conflict among cultivators and unrelated to the court, those three sects will likely pursue Xu Ming for the sake of their reputation.

But Xu Ming has great fortune and resilience—he won't die. Letting him endure a bit of hardship might even do him good."

Fang Ling left unsaid what he suspected: that the Emperor had likely dispatched people to secretly protect Xu Ming.

Handing his bowl to his wife, Fang Ling said, "Xuan'er, I'll go rest for a while. Wake me in half an hour."

"Of course, Master," Lady Fang nodded.

Fang Ling retreated to his room for a nap, while Lady Fang continued feeding the chickens in the courtyard.

Meanwhile, Fang Wan and Fang Qianqian, exhausted from playing with the cats and dogs, had dozed off under the eaves, each clutching a kitten.

Lady Fang smiled fondly and carried her grandson and granddaughter back to their room.

But just as she gently closed the door to the children's room, her expression suddenly tensed.

At the same time, the window in Fang Ling's room flew open with a loud bang.

A shadowy figure in black appeared at Fang Ling's bedside, a dagger thrusting straight for his heart.

In that split second, a fluffy tail coiled tightly around the intruder's wrist.

Mo Zhuer, dressed in a black gown, turned her head curiously toward the source of the tail.

Lady Fang now stood with a pair of white fox ears protruding from her head, her crimson eyes gleaming like translucent rubies. Behind her, three tails swayed elegantly in the air.

With a powerful tug, Lady Fang yanked Mo Zhuer toward her, and another tail shot forward like a sharp blade, aiming straight for Mo Zhuer's heart.

The tail pierced through Mo Zhuer's chest, but a sly smile curled at the corners of Mo Zhuer's lips.

In an instant, Mo Zhuer dissolved into hundreds of black butterflies, scattering in all directions.

Lady Fang's eyes narrowed. She whirled around, her razor-sharp claws slashing toward the space behind her.

Clang!

The sound of claws clashing with a dagger echoed through the air.

Mo Zhuer flipped gracefully, landing steadily on the ground.

"Well, well," she said, her tone laced with amusement as she examined Lady Fang. "Who would've thought that the wife of Wu Kingdom's Prime Minister is actually a white fox demon from the Kingdom of Demons? Truly fascinating."

Lady Fang didn't bother responding. The four tails swaying behind her grew longer and sharper, thrusting toward Mo Zhuer once more.

Unfortunately, her strike missed again. Mo Zhuer vanished from the room in an instant.

Lady Fang flared her nostrils slightly, sensing the surroundings. Once she confirmed that the assassin had left, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Walking over to her husband's bedside, she grasped his hand gently.

Fang Ling was still deep in slumber, as if no commotion could ever wake him.

---

"Honestly, why is everyone so hard to kill these days?"

Outside the quiet courtyard, Mo Zhuer patted down her black dress, shaking off imaginary dust.

"That Xu Ming is already difficult enough to kill," she murmured. "And now this old man has a fox demon by his side? A woman from the Southern Demon Kingdom married to the Prime Minister of Wu Kingdom—how peculiar."

She chuckled lightly, a glint of mischief in her eyes.

"If the world were to learn of this, I wonder how they'd react."

But then she shrugged dismissively. "Not my problem. Whoever wants to kill Fang Ling can deal with him. My target is Xu Ming. Speaking of which, where has my little prey run off to now?"

Mo Zhuer pulled out a compass. The needle spun wildly before settling, pointing northward.

"Heading in that direction means..." Mo Zhuer mused, her lips curling into a smile. "Ah, the Tianxuan Sect."

---

Tianxuan Sect, Deng Tian Mountain.

On the towering mountain, outer disciples were undergoing selection trials for the inner sect.

Passing these trials meant becoming an inner disciple, a position vastly superior to that of an outer disciple. The benefits and status were worlds apart.

This time, the one overseeing the selection was a young woman.

Standing gracefully atop the peak, she wore an elegant azure silk blouse paired with a flowing skirt adorned with floral patterns. A sheer blue shawl draped over her shoulders, accentuating her slender frame and delicate complexion. Her skin was smooth as jade, her fragrance subtle yet enchanting.

With a gentle sway of her hips and light steps, her movements exuded an ethereal beauty. Her almond-shaped eyes shimmered like rippling spring water, while her peach blossom-shaped pupils radiated charm. The slight upward tilt at the corners of her eyes seemed to capture the essence of all earthly splendor.

Her ebony hair cascaded over her shoulders, a single intricate gold hairpin studded with amethyst resting atop her head. A delicate tassel dangled from the pin, brushing lightly against her dark locks. Her rosy lips and fine, jade-like fingers made her beauty almost surreal.

She toyed absentmindedly with her hair, her thoughts seemingly elsewhere.

"Junior Sister Qingwan, would you like a few Tianxun fruits?" a young man approached her, smiling warmly.

This was Xia Donghua, the son of the Tianxuan Sect's leader.

Qin Qingwan glanced at him, her eyes curving into a soft smile. "Thank you, Senior Brother, but I'll have to decline. I've been cultivating my spiritual energy lately, so it's best I avoid such richly infused fruits."

"Ah, I see," Xia Donghua replied, stepping beside her. "By the way, Qingwan, I remember you like the Blood Toras flowers, right? Recently, I discovered a field of them on a plain east of the sect. Would you like to visit?"

"Senior Brother, I'm not particularly fond of Blood Toras," Qin Qingwan said politely, shaking her head with a gentle smile.

"You're not?" Xia Donghua blinked, surprised. "But I heard Elder Wangxuan say you take care of the Blood Toras flowerbed in the Valley of a Thousand Blossoms every day."

"That's true," Qin Qingwan said, her smile deepening.

"I don't especially like Blood Toras flowers... but I do enjoy watching them bloom."

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