Chapter 865: After the Geese Have Passed, All the Way Peaceful

In the Hua Cao Pavilion, the Thirteen Jue Se were well-known, and it was usually Bai Ye Zi who handled the affairs of Ban Yue Residence. She was known for her lively and carefree personality.

Whenever issues arose, Bai Ye Zi could typically handle them single-handedly.

However, the truth was that even Bai Ye Zi had to refer to Hei Ye Zi as "older sister" when addressing her.

Consequently, the Thirteen Jue Se understood.

The real power behind Hua Cao Pavilion was actually Hei Ye Zi.

Hei Ye Zi had a cool and indifferent demeanor, and despite the Thirteen Jue Se frequenting the pavilion, they rarely heard a word from this true Pavilion Master.

But now, with Bai Ye Zi's simple words, "Shuo Shu has sent a message,"

Hei Ye Zi, who had been lounging lazily on the hammock, suddenly sat up in alarm.

"Everyone, withdraw," she commanded with a wave of her hand, and all activity ceased at once.

Bai Ye Zi also rose, her gaze sweeping over the group as she gestured with her slender fingers and smiled. "Since my older sister has ordered you to withdraw, you should all leave for now."

The Thirteen Jue Se hesitated briefly, exchanging glances, before bowing and quickly excusing themselves.

They had never encountered a situation like this before.

For the first time in years, the two Pavilion Masters had dismissed them all completely.

Normally, even for the most pressing matters, the two masters would keep at least one or two attendants nearby, which meant the Thirteen Jue Se had overheard countless major pieces of intelligence over the years.

The information stored in their minds could cause a massive uproar if leaked to the outside world.

This had effectively bound the Thirteen Jue Se tightly to Ban Yue Residence.

Without the two Pavilion Masters, relying solely on their own limited cultivation, they wouldn't even survive in Ban Yue Bay, so none of them ever entertained thoughts of betrayal.

But at this moment...

"What could have startled Pavilion Master Hei Ye Zi so much?" the Thirteen Jue Se whispered among themselves as they left.

"This is the first time I've seen Pavilion Master Hei Ye Zi show any expression. She's truly stunning..." Someone's eyes sparkled with admiration; in this place, where they seldom saw men, they had learned to appreciate beauty.

"It's no wonder. If the two Pavilion Masters had included themselves on the Jue Se list, they'd surely rank in the top ten, whether for their faces or figures."

"I agree completely."

"Hey, you're all going off track. Shouldn't we be discussing what Bai Ye Zi said? 'Shuo Shu has sent a message'..." a less experienced girl chimed in.

"Shh!"

The group fell silent in shock, hands over their chests as they gestured for quiet. "Since Pavilion Master Hei Ye Zi told us to leave, this is something we're not supposed to discuss. You're new here, so learn the rules."

The girl who had spoken paled and fell quiet, not daring to say more.

The Thirteen Jue Se silenced themselves and quickened their steps, hurrying away from Hua Cao Pavilion as if escaping, afraid that lingering might let them overhear something forbidden.

Meanwhile, Bai Ye Zi clearly attached great importance to this message.

As soon as everyone left, she activated the protective spiritual array of Hua Cao Pavilion, which hadn't been used in over a decade.

Then, she turned her head slightly, seeking approval as she called out, "Older sister?"

Hei Ye Zi nodded slightly, her expression indifferent. "Let's see it. Shuo Shu wouldn't contact you lightly. This time, it must mean our elder brother is activating us."

At the mention of their elder brother, Bai Ye Zi's expression grew animated. "After all these years, he's finally reaching out. If he didn't, I might have thought he'd forgotten about us entirely."

As she spoke, she slipped the jade bracelet from her wrist and placed it on the table.

Infusing it with spiritual energy and forming a hand seal, a flash of light appeared on the bracelet.

A head materialized above it.

"Dear sisters, it's been so long. How have you been?" Shuo Shu asked, tilting his head with a warm smile.

Bai Ye Zi's cheeks puffed out in annoyance as she placed her hands on her hips and pointed at the image accusingly. "You finally thought to contact us?! Not a single word in all these years—I thought you'd forgotten my older sister and me!"

Shuo Shu chuckled awkwardly. "Well, our elder brother said not to disturb you unless it was something major."

Bai Ye Zi was still fuming and about to retort, but Hei Ye Zi held her back.

"You seem to have forgotten something," Hei Ye Zi said coolly, staring at the man in the image.

Shuo Shu paused, then recalled. "Oh, you're right—I almost forgot. It's been decades since we last spoke. Let me think... what was that phrase again..."

"Three breaths," Hei Ye Zi said, her eyes narrowing with a hint of menace.

Bai Ye Zi calmed down at once, her expression turning serious as she mirrored her sister's stern demeanor.

Shuo Shu pouted. "You two are so unfeeling. At least call me 'older sister' first or say hello..."

"Three," Hei Ye Zi began counting down.

"Alright, alright!"

Shuo Shu waved his hands hurriedly, knowing their years in intelligence work had made them cautious by nature.

His demeanor shifted to seriousness as he declared gravely, "Yan Ci journeys south, gatherings and partings are fleeting, the wild geese pass by, all remains peaceful along the way!"

The pavilion fell silent at these words.

Hei Ye Zi's features softened.

Bai Ye Zi's eyes welled up instantly, tears streaming down as her brows furrowed.

This phrase was the farewell toast from the final banquet of the Sheng Nu Jiu Xi, spoken by the Ba Zun Zhe.

After that, the Sheng Nu Jiu Xi scattered: some went to the Xi Yu, Bei Yu, or Nan Yu; others to the Qi Duan Jin Qu; and some vanished without a trace.

Each carried their burdens, striving forward for that ultimate moment of glory.

But the hardships along this path were incomprehensible to outsiders.

Over decades, aside from brief encounters during missions, most of the Sheng Nu Jiu Xi had never even met face-to-face or exchanged a word.

Hei Ye Zi and Bai Ye Zi were prime examples.

As twins and the youngest two of the Sheng Nu Jiu Xi—the eighth seat—they handled the grueling intelligence work.

The nature of their tasks meant they had little contact with the outside world, let alone with the others in the Sheng Nu Jiu Xi.

Now, hearing Shuo Shu's solemn words, it felt like long-lost wanderers receiving their first letter from home in years.

The warmth was profound...

The weight and comfort of that phrase surpassed all the lively chatter in Hua Cao Pavilion over the decades combined.

"All remains peaceful along the way..." Bai Ye Zi replied, her voice trembling through her tears.

"All remains peaceful along the way," Hei Ye Zi echoed after a long silence, suppressing her surging emotions.

On the other end of the image, Shuo Shu bowed his head quietly. "It's been tough on you two sisters."

With a sob, Bai Ye Zi broke down, crying like a wronged child.

Hei Ye Zi gently grasped her hand, her expression returning to calm as she asked, "Shuo Shu, how can you prove you're not possessed or being controlled?"

Shuo Shu was taken aback, then laughed in exasperation. "Little Hei Zi, you're still as cold as ever. Your sister's crying her eyes out, and you're still questioning me? You've changed—or wait, you haven't changed at all!"

Hei Ye Zi remained unmoved, her face stern as she watched him.

Shuo Shu sighed. "My true body is with our elder brother right now; we just entered Xu Dao Island. This message was sent at great cost to my avatar. Surely, with all the intelligence you've gathered at Ban Yue Residence, you haven't missed the recent stir in Dong Tian Wang Cheng?"

Hei Ye Zi was well aware of the Dong Yu's Dong Tian Wang Cheng situation.

In fact, wherever the Ba Zun Zhe were, that was where Ban Yue Residence focused its efforts.

When Shuo Shu uttered the passphrase, she had already believed him, but asking again was just for extra confirmation.

"Go on. What task does our elder brother have for us? It's been decades since he formally activated Ban Yue Residence."

Shuo Shu's face grew solemn. "Correction—it's not activating Ban Yue Residence; it's activating 'you two'."

"Us?" Hei Ye Zi was startled.

Bai Ye Zi had regained her composure by then, knowing the seriousness of the matter and staying silent.

"Yes, just you two!" Shuo Shu nodded emphatically. "Sheng Nu Xu Xiao Shou—I'm sure you know about him from the intelligence. He's now our elder brother's designated successor, but he's run into some trouble and needs your help."

Hei Ye Zi and Bai Ye Zi exchanged looks, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes.

Despite gathering intelligence for years and knowing their elder brother had tried cultivating many successors, like that eccentric old man, it was hard to find anyone worthy.

Over time, they only knew of one young talent in the Sheng Nu ranks who might carry on: Lei Shuang Xing.

But now, Shuo Shu's news indicated the next flag-bearer wasn't Lei Shuang Xing—it was Xu Xiao Shou!

"That newcomer, Xu Xiao Shou?" Bai Ye Zi exclaimed in surprise. "Isn't he the eccentric old man's disciple? How could they choose the same successor? Didn't they split ways long ago?"

Hei Ye Zi shot her a disapproving glance.

Bai Ye Zi shrank back, realizing her mistake.

Shuo Shu laughed at the scene. "They did split, but even though they went their separate ways, they both ended up picking the same person. You can imagine how outstanding this young man is."

"Young man..." Bai Ye Zi's expression turned odd. "Have you met him?"

Ban Yue Residence had most of the Sheng Nu Jiu Xi's intelligence, but Shuo Shu's movements were a mystery to them.

His avatars were elusive, causing chaos across the five domains, with some actions seeming significant but ultimately pointless.

Gathering intelligence on him often led to frustration, sometimes yielding the same futile results as the Sheng Shen Dian.

So, after a few years of effort, Ban Yue Residence stopped tracking Shuo Shu's whereabouts.

Both Hei Ye Zi and Bai Ye Zi had been exasperated by him multiple times.

In the image, Shuo Shu nodded with a smile. "Oh, I've met him. He's quite interesting. You two will probably meet him soon—very soon! He's charging from the Dong Yu to the Nan Yu, so you won't have to wait long. His growth is extraordinarily fast!"

Hei Ye Zi and Bai Ye Zi nodded at each other.

Xu Xiao Shou's rapid growth was indeed notable.

But in the five domains, there were plenty of geniuses with even more terrifying speed and bizarre paths, like the Ba Zun Zhe or Cen Qiao Fu...

Just within the Sheng Nu ranks, nearly everyone had been exceptional in their youth, no less than Xu Xiao Shou.

If Shuo Shu hadn't mentioned it, they wouldn't have thought much of him.

At most, they'd pay extra attention because he was the eccentric old man's disciple.

"So, what's the issue?" Hei Ye Zi steered the conversation back.

Shuo Shu straightened up. "Xu Xiao Shou is currently disguised and has entered the Yun Lun Mountains for the Wang Cheng trial. He's provoked a half-saint, and we need you to handle it."

The words were casual, but they elicited gasps of shock in Hua Cao Pavilion.

"A half-saint?!"

Not just Bai Ye Zi, but even Hei Ye Zi's eyes widened in disbelief.

How could a mere master provoke a half-saint?

What on earth?

"You heard right—it's a half-saint," Shuo Shu confirmed. "That person is in the Nan Yu. Among our available people, you're the closest and most feasible to send. Otherwise, our elder brother wouldn't have thought of you..."

"Hmm?" Bai Ye Zi's eyebrows arched.

"Slip of the tongue, slip of the tongue!" Shuo Shu quickly corrected. "Our elder brother does miss you. Let's get back on track... It's the Hei Xin Guo Clan."

"Zang..." Bai Ye Zi started instinctively but caught herself, covering her lips with an innocent look.

Hei Ye Zi couldn't help but glare at her again.

After years of training, they were seen as major leaders by outsiders, yet around their own, she acted like a carefree girl.

"You have to be careful with your words, Xiao Bai!" Shuo Shu jumped, but didn't dwell on it. "For this task from our elder brother, you two need to go in person... Either bring that person over to our side in the Sheng Nu, or take them out."

"Take them out?" Bai Ye Zi's eyebrows twitched wildly. "Just the two of us? Are you insane?"

"Not at all." Shuo Shu smiled. "Take the 'Ba Zi Ling' I gave you years ago. Use threats, intimidation—any means necessary. You can even pretend there's a saint emperor behind you. The Hei Xin Guo Clan won't dare act recklessly; that half-saint is newly ascended, only a few hundred years in, with shallow foundations. Our elder brother has already tested them—they know better."

"Pretend there's a saint emperor?" Bai Ye Zi was speechless.

How could that possibly work?

Seeing their reactions in the image, Shuo Shu sighed.

"You should have met Xu Xiao Shou first. Once you do, you won't think like this."

"Back when our elder brother and I first learned of his plan, we had the same expression. But now..."

Shuo Shu seemed to recall something odd, exhaling helplessly. "In a few years, who knows? The Bei Yu might suddenly have a new half-saint family, with Xu Xiao Shou as the head."

Hei Ye Zi: "..."

Bai Ye Zi: "..."

Both fell silent, baffled by Shuo Shu's words.

They hadn't paid much attention to the Tian Shi Lou incident, being in the Nan Yu.

As for Xu Xiao Shou...

If Shuo Shu hadn't brought it up, a young junior like him—whose future was uncertain—wouldn't have crossed their minds.

The connection between the two hadn't even been uncovered by someone like Rao Yao Yao.

Ban Yue Residence, not particularly invested, certainly hadn't figured it out.

But hearing Shuo Shu's high praise for Xu Xiao Shou now, they realized it was time to take the young man seriously.

Pretending a saint emperor? Was this ridiculous idea actually Xu Xiao Shou's, and had it succeeded?

Shuo Shu finished briefing them and ended the transmission, leaving Hei Ye Zi and Bai Ye Zi staring at each other with this seemingly impossible task.

"Who's going to pretend to be the saint emperor and intimidate a real half-saint?" Bai Ye Zi pouted, blinking suggestively. "You?"

Hei Ye Zi frowned coldly. "Do you think that's possible?"

Bai Ye Zi covered her mouth and giggled. "It could be—you're so aloof and never show yourself publicly. Maybe it'll work."

"I'll smack you!" Hei Ye Zi raised her hand high but lowered it gently, just giving her sister a sharp look before sighing.

"Get someone to bring up all the intelligence on Xu Xiao Shou. We'll study his successful cases first, then decide how to proceed."

"Pretending to be a saint emperor?"

"This Shuo Shu—surely he hasn't been possessed..."