Chapter 186

Liu Yiyi and Su Yan stepped into the herb garden slowly.

The Tiankui grass swayed in the sunlight, and a faint, clear fragrance of medicinal herbs floated in the air.

When that thin and straight figure came into view, ripples of emotion rose in both of their expressions.

Liu Yiyi's cold eyes fell on Jiang Ye, and an even more complex and difficult-to-understand undercurrent surged in the depths of her eyes.

Su Yan, on the other hand, looked at Jiang Ye with a lost gaze; in those bright eyes that were always gentle and smiling, only undisguised awe and reverence remained at this moment.

"Disciple Liu Yiyi, greetings to Elder Jiang."

Liu Yiyi quickly suppressed her chaotic thoughts, bowed slightly to Jiang Ye, her posture respectful but not humble, her voice still cold, yet with a trace of imperceptible tension.

Su Yan also came back to her senses, hurriedly followed to pay her respects, and bowed slightly, her goose-yellow skirt trailing lightly on the ground with the movement:

"Little girl Su Yan, greetings to Elder Jiang."

She tried her best to make her voice sound calm and appropriate.

But seeing this acting Liu Fengzhu, who was famous throughout the prefecture city, standing so casually on the open ground of the herb garden, only a few feet away from her, her breathing still quickened by half a beat involuntarily, and her voice carried a slight tremor.

Jiang Ye looked at the two young girls in front of him with a calm expression.

After not seeing her for a period of time, Liu Yiyi's aura was more refined than before, her force restrained, her breathing long and steady; it was clear she had successfully broken through to Transformation of Force.

It seemed that the Tianxin Ice Seed Lotus she swallowed in the ruins of the previous dynasty had indeed benefited her a lot, and her foundation was more solid than that of ordinary Transformation of Force martial artists.

As for Su Yan, her breathing was steady and her eyes were bright.

Although she couldn't compare to Liu Yiyi's progress, she already had the characteristics of a Hidden Force expert.

For this girl to be able to squeeze out time to polish her martial path while managing the Su family's business...

It was truly commendable.

And at this moment, Su Yan was looking at him with reverence, her bright, pretty face full of awe and restraint.

Jiang Ye saw it in his eyes, and a complex emotion couldn't help but flash in his heart.

Once upon a time, when he was dozing off on that small stool that had been polished to a shine at the entrance of the martial arts academy, he was also looking at the eldest daughter of the Su family coming in and out of the gate in fine clothes and on a spirited horse.

Unexpectedly...

The tides have turned.

Now, the positions between the two had actually reversed.

And the root of all this lay in two words.

Strength.

He sighed in his heart for a moment, but on the surface, he had already restrained all emotions, still with that calm and unruffled appearance, speaking plainly:

"What business do you have coming to find me."

Liu Yiyi looked at Su Yan.

Su Yan took a deep breath, hurriedly took out an exquisite purple sandalwood medicine box from her sleeve, and handed it forward with both hands.

The box was delicately carved, faintly revealing a medicinal fragrance; just this box alone was of great value.

She lowered her head, trying her best to appear calm, but her voice couldn't stop trembling slightly:

"Elder Jiang, thanks to your grace, my Su family can have the situation we have today."

"This fifty-year-old True Yang Ginseng was specifically instructed by my father for me to bring, to express our small token of appreciation. I hope Elder Jiang will not find it meager and will be sure to accept it."

As her voice fell, her heartbeat suddenly accelerated several times, and her fingertips holding the medicine box tightened unconsciously.

She and her father had deliberated on this gift for a long time...

A fifty-year-old True Yang Ginseng had a market price starting at at least one hundred thousand taels of silver; it was long-aged, pure in medicinal properties, and was a top-grade spiritual herb among fire-attribute herbs.

Logically speaking, this gift could be considered presentable in front of any elder at the Embracing the Pill Realm.

But the problem was, the person in front of her was not an elder at the Embracing the Pill Realm, but the acting Liu Fengzhu of Tianyangfeng, a powerhouse at the Divine Qi Realm who held the authority of a peak and even dared to knock out the Liu Fengzhu of Thick Earth Peak at the martial arts arena.

Such an existence...

She truly had no bottom in her heart, fearing that Elder Jiang wouldn't even take a second look.

Jiang Ye's expression moved slightly, and he spoke with a smile that wasn't quite a smile: "No merit, no reward; when did I ever give your Su family any grace?"

Hearing this, Su Yan's heart trembled violently, and a layer of cold, fragrant sweat instantly seeped out on her back.

She hurriedly recounted the incident at Black Wind Stronghold back then.

Her speaking speed was not fast, but it was clear and logical, explaining one by one how the Su family had survived its most difficult starting period because of this, and how they had taken advantage of the situation to rise after the Ding family collapsed.

At the end, she raised her head, her eyes full of sincerity, and her voice, instead, stopped trembling:

"Although Elder Jiang exterminating Black Wind Stronghold was for the sake of justice and done in passing..."

"But this passing act truly saved the lives and livelihoods of dozens of people in my Su family."

"This kindness, no one in the Su family dares to forget."

Jiang Ye listened quietly to her finish, and a complex meaning that only he understood flashed in the depths of his eyes.

When he went to Black Wind Stronghold at that time, it was just to exchange contribution points for the "True Fire Refining Eye Art."

Saving the Su family caravan was truly an accident...

Jiang Ye smiled faintly, then reached out and took the medicine box from Su Yan's hand, "You are quite thoughtful."

Seeing Jiang Ye reach out and take the medicine box, an undisguised ecstasy suddenly burst forth in Su Yan's bright eyes.

For a person of Elder Jiang's status, being willing to accept this gift itself was a kind of statement.

Liu Yiyi, who had been silent on the side, also had a flash of very faint relief in those cold eyes at this moment.

"Elder Jiang, then we won't disturb you anymore."

Su Yan was afraid that she would affect Jiang Ye's cultivation, so she prepared to take her leave immediately.

Liu Yiyi, on the side, had a flash of obscure brilliance in her eyes and said softly: "Old Uncle Jiang... then we will take our leave first."

The moment the words left her mouth, those cold eyes of hers stared tightly at Jiang Ye.

Her gaze was as sharp as a needle, as if she wanted to carve every line on this old face into the depths of her heart, to take it and compare it carefully with another face in her memory.

Hearing this, Jiang Ye's expression didn't change, but a stormy sea was instantly stirred up in his heart.

Old Uncle Jiang?!

This form of address instantly made him recall those years when he was a gatekeeper at the martial arts academy.

He had watched Liu Yiyi grow up since she was small and knew this girl's intelligence.

She definitely didn't make a slip of the tongue.

She was calling him that on purpose!

At this moment, a thousand thoughts crossed Jiang Ye's mind.

Could it be that Liu Yiyi had recognized him?

Not very likely.

If she had really recognized him, she wouldn't use this probing tone.

In an instant, Jiang Ye guessed vaguely.

This girl might have become suspicious and wanted to trick him.

As for why she became suspicious.

It might be because on the night he fled from Anxi County to the prefecture city, his disappearance was too bizarre.

And the time he rose to fame in the Profound Heaven Sect was a bit coincidental.

It was normal to have some suspicions.

He could even feel Liu Yiyi's gaze that seemed to want to see through him.

Unfortunately, to play a battle of wits with him, this girl was still a bit too green.

He had lived for seventy years, and observing words and expressions had long since become an instinct carved into his bones.

Conversely, controlling his own expression was also as easy as turning over his hand.

No matter how sharp Liu Yiyi's gaze was, there was never a ripple on his face.

And Su Yan, on the side, hearing the three words "Old Uncle Jiang" that Liu Yiyi blurted out, a flash of memory immediately crossed her bright, beautiful eyes.

She also thought of that former old gatekeeper.

But he had already...

She hurriedly gave Liu Yiyi a look, signaling that she had said the wrong thing.

Seeing that Jiang Ye's expression was as calm as before, the sharpness in Liu Yiyi's eyes slowly faded, replaced by a trace of imperceptible wavering and self-doubt.

Could it be that she really thought too much...

She quickly put away the sharpness in her eyes, lowered her head slightly, her voice carrying an appropriate apology:

"Sorry, Elder Jiang, I just had a slip of the tongue and called you by the name of an elder in my family."

Jiang Ye said faintly: "Is that so."

Liu Yiyi nodded, not explaining anything further. Su Yan took the opportunity to hurriedly pull her to bow and take her leave, and the two young girls left quickly, one after the other, along the herb garden path.

Watching the two figures go, a deep look flashed in Jiang Ye's eyes, and he murmured softly:

"I will acknowledge you two."

"But not now."

Liu Yiyi and Su Yan walked outward along the herb garden path, and just as they rounded that field of crimson Tiankui grass, they bumped into someone head-on.

Xu Qinghuan clearly hadn't expected to meet Liu Yiyi here, and she was slightly startled.

When she saw clearly who it was, that pretty face, which still had the flushed, satisfied look from last night, suddenly lit up, as if a hunter had discovered prey that had walked right into the trap, and her whole person instantly became energetic.

"Yo! Isn't this Liu Xu Shijie from Profound Water Peak? Why have you come to our Tianyangfeng!"

Her tone was naturally coquettish, and now that she had deliberately raised it by three parts, it sounded particularly crisp and harsh in this quiet herb garden.

Liu Yiyi's footsteps paused, and that cold, snow-like face finally had some ripples, her brows slightly furrowed: "Why are you here!"

This was probably the first time since Xu Qinghuan had known her that she had seen such an obvious change in expression on this iceberg face, and an indescribable sense of satisfaction rushed from the bottom of her heart to her forehead.

She raised her snow-white swan neck and laughed triumphantly:

"I am now a disciple under Elder Jiang, responsible for guarding the herb garden; if I'm not here, where would I be?"

"As for you, Liu Xu Shijie, aren't you always high and mighty?"

"Tsk tsk, why have you changed your nature today, just like those people who chase power and influence, coming to visit our Elder Jiang?"

Hearing Xu Qinghuan say that she was a disciple under Elder Jiang, Liu Yiyi felt an inexplicable stuffiness in her heart.

However, she didn't respond again, just glared coldly at Xu Qinghuan.

That gaze was still the usual cold and indifferent one, not even bothering to say an extra word, and she walked straight ahead.

Su Yan took in this scene, and as intelligent as she was, she judged almost instantly that the old grudge between this enchanting young girl and Liu Yiyi was not shallow.

She originally wanted to speak up for her friend, but seeing that Liu Yiyi had already passed Xu Qinghuan and walked far away, she just nodded slightly, lifted her skirt, and followed quickly.

"Cut! What high and mighty image! It turns out it was all an act!"

Xu Qinghuan had finally run into her old rival Liu Yiyi and hadn't had her fill of talking yet.

She hurriedly wanted to follow and nag a few more sentences.

As a result, her footsteps couldn't be taken at all.

Once the stride was too large, it was a burning pain...

She could only watch Liu Yiyi's figure go away, biting her silver teeth in hatred.

It was rare for her to have the upper hand once, and she actually let her run away like this.

It was truly a pity!

Huangxin Prefecture, Cold Jade Valley.

This deep valley, surrounded by thousand-fathom cliffs, was shrouded in biting cold air all year round; the ice crystals hanging upside down on the cliff walls were a full fathom long, glowing with a faint, cold light under the moonlight.

On the huge natural stone gate at the valley entrance, the three characters "Cold Sword Sect" were written with iron strokes and silver hooks, every stroke revealing a bone-piercing, sharp sword intent.

This was the absolute ruler of Huangxin Prefecture and the martial arts holy land that all martial artists within a thousand miles looked up to.

However, today, this mountain gate, which had been silent for who knows how many years, welcomed a group of uninvited guests.

More than a dozen figures dressed in black robes appeared silently at the foot of the mountain like ghosts stripped from the night.

They didn't light torches, didn't make any sound, and didn't even disturb a single fallen leaf when their footsteps landed on the frozen ground.

The leader was slightly taller, and the half of his face revealed under the hood was so pale that there wasn't a trace of blood color; his thin, withered fingers reached out from his sleeve and tucked the yellowed animal-skin map into his bosom.

He tilted his head slightly, and a scarlet light flashed and vanished deep in his hood; his hoarse voice sounded like two pieces of rusted iron rubbing against each other:

"Remember... don't waste too much time on those small fry just to nurture your killing intent."

"There are only a few people with the strength to kill Black Star. Our focus is to retrieve the 'Demon-Suppressing Bead.' Do you understand?"

The dozen black-robed figures behind him nodded silently in unison, their movements as neat as one person, with no extra response, no extra sound, only the faint rustling sound made when the night wind rolled up their robe corners.

The next instant, the ten black shadows dispersed silently like branching black water, climbing up along the steep mountain walls of Cold Jade Valley.

Under the moonlight, their figures dragged distorted shadows on the cliff, like a dozen black geckos sliding along the rock wall.

The whole process didn't alert any patrolling disciples; those hidden sentries still stood in place, completely unaware that the robe corners of the god of death had brushed over their heads, and the only reason they were still alive was simply because the assassins felt they weren't qualified enough to waste time on.

The entire Cold Jade Valley was still immersed in the quiet night of the Valley Master's seclusion and the disciples' quiet cultivation, completely unaware that death had already covered the top of this century-old sect like a silently tightening net.

At the same time, in the center of Cold Jade Valley, inside a secret chamber carved from black ice, the cold air was so thick it almost condensed into tangible white mist.

An old man dressed in a deep blue long robe, with white hair and beard, was sitting cross-legged in the center of the black ice platform.

His figure was thin and withered like an old pine, his face cold and stern, and pure white ice divine qi drifted slowly from his body; that divine qi condensed into countless fine ice crystals in the air, swirling slowly around him, refracting dots of cold light.

This person was the Sect Master of the Cold Sword Sect, the Cold Sword Elder, a powerhouse at the peak of the Divine Qi Realm who could shake the ground three times just by stomping his foot in Huangxin Prefecture.

He became famous in his youth, took charge of the Cold Sword Sect at forty, and led the sect to become the hegemon of Huangxin Prefecture at sixty; he had experienced no less than a hundred battles, large and small, in his life, and his "Cold Heaven Freezing Sword Art" had cut the throats of countless opponents.

In this territory of Huangxin Prefecture, he was the sky.