Chapter 527: Sowing a Rift

"What do you mean?" Qian Yunzhou's mouth curved in a half‑smile, but his eyes were sharp as an eagle.

Lu Xiangxiang saw that his guard remained heavy, and without beating around the bush spoke directly, her voice carrying a strange ethereality: "Daoist friend Qian, lately fragments of memory have inexplicably appeared in my mind. These memories are so clear as if… they belong to a previous life."

"Oh? A previous life?" Qian Yunzhou raised an eyebrow, his tone tinged with amusement, as if genuinely intrigued, his body leaning forward slightly, awaiting her continuation.

Lu Xiangxiang's tone was unusually calm, as if recounting a matter unrelated to herself: "In the previous life, it was you who set the trap and personally killed the Thousand Mountain Immortal Lord."

Qian Yunzhou heard this, and the smile on his face froze instantly, his expression briefly halted, as if he had heard something unbelievable.

Immediately, as if he had heard a cosmic joke, he couldn't help letting out a 'pfft' laugh: "Daoist friend Lu, those memory fragments are probably the work of a heart demon, confusing you, right? With my modest cultivation, how could I possibly set a trap for someone like the Thousand Mountain Immortal Lord? That's far too flattering to me.

Lu Xiangxiang shook her head, her gaze resolute: "You may not have it now, but you certainly will in the future."

Qian Yunzhou reined in his smile, his eyes deepening: "Daoist friend Lu seems to know me like the back of his hand? Then tell me, why would I go to such lengths to eliminate the Thousand Mountain Immortal Lord? I have no deep grudge against him."

Lu Xiangxiang did not answer but counter‑questioned: "Daoist friend Qian, haven't you noticed that Ying Wuji and their group… seem especially hostile toward you, even… hinting at a desire to see you eliminated?"

"I truly don't feel that," Qian Yunzhou spread his hands, a look of innocence and helplessness on his face, and let out a soft sigh.

Lu Xiangxiang merely smiled, said no more, but a flash of all‑knowing clarity flickered in her beautiful eyes.

The two locked eyes, and for a moment they reached a stalemate.

"I can recall the events of the previous life," Lu Xiangxiang was the first to break the silence; a hint of coldness spread across her beautiful face as she stared intently at Qian Yunzhou, speaking word by word, clearly: "They may not be incapable. Precisely because of that, they target you without reason, opposing you at every turn!"

Her tone suddenly shifted, her voice taking on a cold sharpness: "It was us! In the previous life, we conspired together, jointly annihilating everyone of the Carefree Sect! We together schemed and plotted to kill the Thousand Mountain Immortal Lord! It was us—"

She paused, her gaze suddenly turning as cutting as a blade, each word enunciated with a pause.

"Killed Yuan Yao!"

Boom!

Those five words struck like sudden thunder, hammering into Qian Yunzhou's heart.

All the expressions on his face froze instantly; the world‑weary smile vanished without a trace, his eyes suddenly turned ice‑cold and biting, and the aura around him sank into a chilling stillness in an instant, as if the surrounding air were about to freeze.

"Lu Xiangxiang, what exactly are you trying to say?"

Lu Xiangxiang saw his changed expression, felt a twinge of displeasure, and thought to herself: He really does care about Yuan Yao!

She said with a hint of sarcasm: "Yunzhou, in the previous life you were their enemy; they will not let you go. Even if they now smile at you, privately they may wish to see you die a thousand times. I arranged this meeting because of the bond from our previous life, to remind you: don't be fooled by them."

"Such a colossal hatred cannot be dispelled by just a few words."

"Yunzhou, you are so clever, you must know how the road ahead should be walked," Lu Xiangxiang, ever since the contest with him at the Grand Sect Competition, had become completely disillusioned with him.

Qian Yunzhou is an extremely callous and selfish person!

Therefore, a person like him certainly knows how to seek profit and avoid harm, even to strike first.

Lu Xiangxiang fed him half‑truths and half‑lies, hoping to sow discord between Qian Yunzhou and Yuan Yao's party.

Lu Xiangxiang stood up, glanced toward Qian Yunzhou, and said, "Believe it or not, it's up to you."

Having said that, she left the private room.

Meanwhile, Qian Yunzhou, still in the room, had a dim, unreadable gaze.

Things were becoming more and more interesting.

How many people actually possess memories of a previous life?

... Does Yuan Yao have any?

The next day.

All the young prodigies bearing the Heavenly Pride Token were transported into Tian Jiaocheng.

On this day, Qian Yunzhou also planned to set out for Xianling Capital.

Meanwhile, Yuan Yao's party had already found an inn to stay in.

In the inn, within a deluxe guest room.

Yuan Yao sat cross‑legged, cultivating.

As time passed bit by bit, more and more spiritual energy around her was absorbed by Yuan Yao.

When she ceased her cultivation, it was already evening.

She first used her divine sense to enter Yaoguang Space; after seeing that phoenix egg showed no abnormality, she returned.

She stood, poured herself a cup of tea, and drank it in one gulp.

She mentally addressed the 250 System: "I want to know what the male and female protagonists are doing now?"

The 250 System responded mechanically: 【Host, if you wish to obtain a piece of information about the original novel's protagonists from this system, you must pay two thousand days of lifespan as exchange. Moreover, the information is unlocked via a Q&A format.】

"Okay."

【Ding! Two thousand days of lifespan have been deducted from the host. The host may ask two questions.】

"Female lead Lu Xiangxiang is..." Yuan Yao's words hadn't finished when she immediately thought that Lu Xiangxiang should be inside Tian Jiaocheng right now.

She remained silent for two seconds.

"Has the female lead Lu Xiangxiang ever sought... Qian Yunzhou?"

【Yes.】

"On the second day after the Grand Sect Competition ended, did the male lead Xu Yanzhi ever seek the Buddha Venerable?"

【Yes.】

"I have a few more questions."

【Alright, host. One question will cost one thousand days of lifespan.】

"What did Lu Xiangxiang tell Qian Yunzhou?"

【Sorry, the system cannot detect their conversation.】

Can't detect it?

Yuan Yao frowned slightly and rephrased: "Did Lu Xiangxiang ever reveal anything about the previous life to Qian Yunzhou?"

Yes.

Yuan Yao's eyes narrowed slightly; she lifted her hand and pinched her chin, looking thoughtful.

She guessed that Lu Xiangxiang would inevitably look for Qian Yunzhou, just as she had previously sought Shiziwen. What she hadn't expected was that she actually told Qian Yunzhou about the rebirth.

A few degrees of heaviness settled in her heart.

She learned from her own Youngest Senior Brother about what Qian Yunzhou had done in his previous life, that is, the deeds he performed in the original story.

He was the chief culprit who caused the death of her own master; naturally, she could not develop any goodwill toward him, and after hearing it, she even wanted to kill him with her own hands.

And Lu Xiangxiang was also certain to have guessed that they would not sincerely accept Qian Yunzhou.

Lu Xiangxiang's current action was to plant an invisible barrier between them and Qian Yunzhou, making it impossible for either side to trust the other.