Chapter 143: Xiao Qiong, I'm Lin Ge

This Shizu appeared to be even more troublesome than the worst-case scenario Li Changshou had previously imagined...

Li Changshou gazed at his master ahead, sighing on the clouds, and at that Shizu Nai Jiang Lin'er, her face icy cold as she clearly suppressed her anger, his thoughts turning lightly in his mind.

When Li Changshou first entered the sect, seeing the prayer tablets in his master's thatched hut, he had subconsciously pictured "Linjiang Sanren" as a kind-faced old Daoist.

Of course, whether male or female didn't really matter.

But...

Shizu Nai Jiang Lin'er had the appearance and figure of a young woman, likely because she had fixed her looks and form early on due to an attachment of the heart.

This could involve emotional tribulations and karma.

She had gone out to train for a breakthrough and now returned with fierce sha protecting her body, covered in wounds that she hadn't fully healed, leaving faint scars as if they were badges of honor.

This suggested that Shizu probably had another "circle" now, which would entangle more karma.

Furthermore, this Shizu's temper was clearly not the best—her eyes fierce, her stature short and flat-chested...

Cough, it seemed something inappropriate had slipped in.

Li Changshou glanced at Shibo Jiu Wu and sent a voice transmission: "Shibo, hurry to Danding Peak and ask Elder Wan Linjun to come to Xianlin Peak."

Jiu Wu was baffled. "Why ask the Poison Elder to go to Xianlin Peak?"

Li Changshou replied via transmission: "To mediate a fight later."

Jiu Wu's short, sturdy brows furrowed for a moment, then he suddenly understood. He pulled his Dao companion closer.

Jiu Wu stood on tiptoe, and Jiu Shi leaned down as they whispered. Then Jiu Wu turned and swiftly rode the clouds toward Danding Peak, while Jiu Shi flew off toward Potian Peak.

On the other side, the old Daoist Qi Yuan had briefly recounted the events of the past to his own master...

Jiang Lin'er clenched her fist slightly and gritted her teeth.

"Old Second, is that how I taught you? You go just because someone invites you?"

Qi Yuan sighed and lowered his head. "This disciple was foolish. Please punish me, Master!"

"Go back to the peak and reflect in seclusion," Jiang Lin'er said coolly. "I'll go see a few old friends, then come back to scold you about this."

"This... yes."

Qi Yuan trembled as he responded, then stood up and turned to see his two disciples.

"Master, this disciple still has two apprentices...

Changshou, Ling'e, don't just stand there—come quickly and pay your respects!"

And so, Li Changshou and Ling'e rode the clouds forward and bowed in unison.

—Cultivators emphasized kneeling to heaven, earth, the dead, and saints; otherwise, they generally performed the Dao salute rather than full kowtows.

"Paying respects to Shizu."

"Old Second, you've taken on disciples too?"

Jiang Lin'er forced a smile, temporarily suppressing her anger.

From her waist pouch, she pulled out two jade rings, wrapped them in immortal power, and handed them to Li Changshou and Ling'e, trying to show the kindness and gentleness of a Shizu.

Up close, Jiang Lin'er's face was quite striking,

but the thick aura of fierce sha on her made Ling'e afraid to look directly.

Jiang Lin'er said:

"It's my first time as a Shizu for people, and I don't know what to say to you both.

It's a hardship for you to have a turbid immortal as your master. These were originally for your master and his fellow, but I'll give them to you now.

We'll talk more later. You two go back to the peak with your master—I've got some things to handle."

With that, Jiang Lin'er glanced at Ling'e and Li Changshou, then stepped forward with her jade foot, displaying an impressive lightness skill as she landed directly at the mountain gate.

The two elders who had welcomed her back had already noticed something was off with Jiang Lin'er and quickly followed.

One elder said: "Jiang Lin'er, our fellow disciple, the sect has already punished those involved..."

Jiang Lin'er didn't respond and strode quickly to the mountain gate.

Behind the gate, the protective array's light wall flickered gently, and the gate-guarding immortals hesitated, unsure whether to let her in.

Jiang Lin'er said coolly:

"Back when I left the mountain, I had the sect's permission.

Now that I've broken through and returned, does the sect disdain me for being stained with blood?"

"This..."

The two old gate-guarding immortals exchanged glances, activated their artifacts, and opened the mountain gate.

Jiang Lin'er cupped her hands in thanks and stepped inside.

The moment she entered the array, she lightly stamped her foot;

Those seemingly small jade feet, no bigger than a palm, stomped cracks into the reinforced stone slabs inside the gate, like a spider's web...

In the next instant, Jiang Lin'er's figure shot forward like an arrow from a string, dragging a sharp blood glow through the air as she sped toward Xianlin Peak!

The two Tianxian-realm elders hurried after her, but their flight speed couldn't match her piercing momentum!

Seeing this, Li Changshou raised an eyebrow, a fleeting smile at the corner of his mouth.

Ling'e whispered: "Senior Brother, Shizu Nai gives off such a powerful vibe."

Just as Li Changshou was about to speak, a voice laced with killing intent echoed through the protective array.

"Xianlin Peak, the master of Kuai Si—come out."

Qi Yuan, who was preparing to return to Xiaoqiong Peak to wait, suddenly realized and shouted hastily: "Changshou! Quick! Go persuade your Shizu!"

"Ling'e, you accompany Master back to Xiaoqiong Peak."

Li Changshou said this, then turned and entered the protective array, riding the clouds leisurely toward Xianlin Peak.

Regardless of other matters...

The fact that Shizu went straight for Kuai Si's master rather than Kuai Si himself made Li Changshou think more highly of her.

Several Tianxian auras rose from Xianlin Peak, while Jiang Lin'er stood quietly in the air, the hem of her battle skirt fluttering slightly, her long hair blown by the spiritual wind.

This Shizu Nai...

The more Li Changshou looked, the more he thought she was quite impressive.

Jiang Lin'er charged onto Xianlin Peak and directly challenged Kuai Si's master;

The peak master of Xianlin Peak stepped forward, as did the sect elders, but Jiang Lin'er ignored them all, simply saying, "I just want an explanation," leaving them unable to say more.

Kuai Si's master, that Tianxian elder whom Li Changshou had been watching closely, soon appeared.

Jiang Lin'er said: "So it's you?"

The other had just nodded and hadn't even spoken when a blood glow bloomed in Jiang Lin'er's hand, stabbing straight toward the elder's left shoulder!

This strike—aside from Li Changshou, none of the Tianxians in the air could see how Jiang Lin'er had attacked.

Kuai Si's master was caught off guard, his left shoulder pierced by the blood glow, blood splattering as his protective immortal light shattered instantly!

If she had aimed for a vital point, this Tianxian elder would have been gravely injured or worse!

Jiang Lin'er pressed forward immediately, her eyes incredibly sharp, a great saber transforming into a blood-patterned white tiger beast behind her, while she gripped two short blades in reverse...

The surrounding Tianxians quickly moved to intervene, but the white tiger beast guarded Jiang Lin'er, whipping up waves of blood wind, turning the scene chaotic.

The Xianlin Peak master was furious and struck at Jiang Lin'er with full force;

But before his palm could land, a figure flashed in from Danding Peak—it was Elder Wan Linjun!

Wan Linjun immediately acted, slapping the Xianlin Peak master flying with a single strike, then raising his hand to temporarily restrain Jiang Lin'er.

He showed no hesitation in taking sides.

"Stop," Elder Wan Linjun said coldly, frowning at Jiang Lin'er.

Jiang Lin'er said nothing, her figure spinning lightly as dozens of blade marks appeared around her, like petals dancing—beautiful yet deadly.

The immortal power restraints from Wan Linjun were instantly shattered by her!

Then, Jiang Lin'er stepped forward, her form ghostly and elusive, creating over a dozen illusions in the air as she easily evaded the other Tianxians and attacked Kuai Si's master from all sides!

Li Changshou thought to himself with admiration:

Shizu Nai truly fought like one who had licked blood from the blade, honing her killing skills through life-and-death trials.

Her strikes were decisive, her control precise, her form ever-changing, her techniques full of deception.

Unfortunately, from the start, Shizu Nai had only intended to wound, not kill—which was a slight misstep...

Kuai Si's master refused to be humiliated and quickly summoned several treasures, but before they could glow with immortal light, a dagger appeared eerily at the elder's back, stabbing directly into his right shoulder!

As blood was about to spill again, a voice with a hint of sigh suddenly rang out:

"Enough."

Jiang Lin'er's movements halted, and she retreated immediately, turning to look toward Potian Peak.

More than a dozen streams of light shot over from there, but the first to arrive was a figure with hands clasped behind his back, two strands of white hair at his temples, his cold face quite handsome—it was the sect's openly strongest Tianxian, Wangqing Shangren.

Wangqing Shangren said: "Jiang Lin'er, don't let this escalate beyond control."

Li Changshou had thought that, given Shizu Nai's temper, she might just scoff and dismiss Wangqing Shangren.

But to his surprise...

"Oh," Jiang Lin'er nodded, putting away her short blades.

She quickly formed seals with her hands, and the white tiger beast around her turned into streams of blood light, condensing back into the great saber on her back.

By the time Li Changshou arrived in the air above Xianlin Peak, he caught a whiff of something unusual...

Jiang Lin'er gazed at Wangqing Shangren, her eyes flickering.

Wangqing Shangren didn't say more. Seeing that the matter was settled, he added:

"This ends here. Neither Xianlin Peak nor Xiaoqiong Peak may seek retaliation, or the sect rules will punish severely."

"It can't end just like this," Jiang Lin'er said. "We can settle with Xianlin Peak only after we confirm the fate of my eldest disciple."

An elder nearby said: "Fellow disciple Kuai Si was killed at the border of Beijulu Continent not long ago—it's his due punishment!"

Jiang Lin'er replied: "It doesn't count as settling the karma unless it's my Old Second who does it himself."

Just then, a voice transmission reached her ear, and Jiang Lin'er's brows furrowed slightly.

"Shizu, this is your disciple Changshou. We must plan this carefully and act in secret—making a big scene like this isn't the way of revenge.

Besides, Wangqing Shangren is watching."

Jiang Lin'er turned her head to glance at Li Changshou, then looked back at Wangqing Shangren, pursed her lips, and with that, she slung her great saber on her back and decisively turned toward Xiaoqiong Peak.

At this point, Li Changshou was certain that his Shizu Nai and Wangqing Shangren...

Definitely had a story.

Li Changshou bowed to Elder Wan Linjun, who responded with his signature "cold" smile and a slight nod.

Then, without drawing the attention of the other elders, Li Changshou quickly rode the clouds to follow Jiang Lin'er, remaining unnoticed from start to finish.

After the brief chaos, everyone returned to Xiaoqiong Peak.

Jiang Lin'er sat in Qi Yuan's thatched hut, with Qi Yuan standing respectfully beside her, recounting how he had become a turbid immortal;

Li Changshou and Lan Ling'e waited outside the hut, while Jiu Jiu, Jiu Wu, Youqin Xuanya, and Jiu Shi stood a bit farther away, observing the situation.

They had all witnessed Jiang Lin'er's assault on Xianlin Peak earlier, so this sudden returnee—whether as their Shishu or Shishuzu—they all felt a bit wary.

She was the type to strike without warning, and even several Tianxians couldn't stop her!

Yet, the way she fought was so effortless and bold...

Soon, Li Changshou and Ling'e were called into the hut, but not long after, only Qi Yuan and Ling'e were sent out;

The wooden door of the hut closed, and two layers of arrays to block detection formed around it.

Li Changshou was left alone inside...

Jiu Wu hurried forward, with Youqin Xuanya and Jiu Jiu growing tense, and Ling'e's brows furrowing deeply, her eyes full of worry.

Jiu Wu said: "Qi Yuan Shidi, why was Changshou left behind?"

Qi Yuan pondered for a moment. "My master wants to speak with Changshou privately. Don't worry—it should be fine."

"How can we not worry?" Jiu Jiu muttered. "This Shishu is so volatile—she just made a Tianxian elder bleed on her return."

"Watch your words," Jiu Wu quickly cut in to stop her.

Inside the hut, Jiang Lin'er sat in the armchair, her great saber standing beside her, making her seem even smaller.

Through the wooden door and arrays, Jiang Lin'er glanced at Jiu Jiu, then looked down at the armor on her own body.

"After a millennium apart, how has that little girl grown again..."

Li Changshou pretended not to hear anything and stood quietly to the side.

"Changshou, right," Jiang Lin'er said. "I'm only back for a short visit—I won't stay in the sect long. There's still business outside, and I need to search for your Shibo's whereabouts later.

You'll have to take good care of your master from now on."

Li Changshou's heart stirred. Had Shizu Nai seen through his Gui Jue?

That shouldn't be possible—Gui Jue had been slightly modified, so it shouldn't be...

Fortunately, Jiang Lin'er rubbed her brow and continued:

"Your master is a bit stubborn and has no guard against others. I see you're more steady, so I'm entrusting him to you."