Chapter 187

The two of them regulated their breathing and healed their wounds in the secret chamber.

The people sent by Third Master Liu brought clean clothes and food, saying the outside had temporarily calmed down, but the capital was indeed seething with undercurrents because of last night's commotion.

As for the Qin side, it was heard that with Qin Boyan secretly helping and a few Elders who had not taken sides supporting them, things had temporarily stabilized.

Qin Yueyao had not yet awakened, and some of her close aides had been quietly dealt with in this turmoil.

After two days, Zhang Jun and Lin Xue's injuries, healed up to about seventy or eighty percent with the aid of medicinal pills and their own cultivation adjustments.

Third Master Liu also woke up; although his body was still weak, he was no longer in mortal danger.

"Many thanks for saving our lives," Third Master Liu said, leaning against the head of the bed, his voice hoarse.

"You flatter us, Third Master; it's we who have implicated you," Zhang Jun said.

Just as they were discussing their next steps, preparing to go check out that abandoned ancient altar,

Outside the secret chamber, a faint knocking sound was heard.

"Who is it?" Zhang Jun asked warily.

A timid female voice sounded: "Young Master Zhang, Miss Lin, this servant… this servant is acting on my lady's orders, I have an urgent matter to request an audience."

Zhang Jun and Lin Xue exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of surprise.

"Who is your lady?" Lin Xue asked.

The girl's voice trembled slightly: "This servant… is the personal maid of Miss Qin Yueyao; my lady… she has awakened, and there is a sealed letter that she insists I personally deliver to you two."

Qin Yueyao?

Zhang Jun frowned slightly, wondering what scheming this woman had up her sleeve again—hadn't the previous lesson been enough?

Lin Xue also wore a wary expression; Qin Yueyao was deep‑minded and ruthless in her actions, so they had to be on guard.

"Let her in," the hoarse voice of Third Master Liu sounded from within the secret chamber; though weak, his eyes shone with clarity.

Zhang Jun pulled open the door of the secret chamber; a maiden dressed in light green, with a pretty face but full of panic, stood at the threshold clutching a letter tightly—it was Qin Yueyao's personal maid, Xiao Cui.

Upon seeing Zhang Jun and Lin Xue, Xiao Cui's legs went weak and she fell to her knees with a "plop," her voice choked with tears: "Young Master Zhang, Miss Lin, please, please save my lady and save the Qin family!"

"Did your lady send you just for this?" Zhang Jun said, his face expressionless, giving no hint of pleasure or anger.

Xiao Cui shook her head repeatedly, holding the letter high: "My lady says this letter concerns the future of the Qin family and the Medicine Sect; you two must read it! My lady… she has changed completely since waking, washing her face with tears all day, saying she was previously bewitched by ambition and nearly made a grave mistake. She says she has vitally important information to tell you two, concerning a huge plot of the 'Supreme One'!"

"A plot of the Supreme One?" Lin Xue's eyes flickered, and she exchanged a glance with Zhang Jun.

"This…" Qin Boyan struggled to sit up on the bed, but Third Master Liu pressed him down. He panted: "That child Yueyao… her nature is actually not bad, just blinded by ambition. Perhaps… perhaps she has truly repented. This is suspicious, but if what Xiao Cui says is true—concerning a plot of the Supreme One—we cannot take it lightly."

He looked at Zhang Jun and Lin Xue: "You… had best be careful and go see her."

Zhang Jun took the letter from Xiao Cui's hand and unfolded it to examine. The handwriting was indeed Qin Yueyao's, though the strokes lacked their former sharpness, showing more haste and gravity. The letter earnestly requested a meeting at a Qin family villa, saying there was an extremely urgent matter to discuss.

"What exactly is she up to?" Zhang Jun passed the letter to Lin Xue.

Lin Xue read it quickly, then pondered: "Whether she is sincerely repenting or has another agenda, we must get to the bottom of the Supreme One's plot. This trip, we probably cannot avoid going."

"I agree," Zhang Jun nodded, "it also happens to be a good chance to sound out her true intentions."

Seeing the two agree, Xiao Cui's face lit up with a hint of joy, and she kowtowed repeatedly: "Thank you, Young Master Zhang! Thank you, Miss Lin!"

According to the letter, the meeting place was an extremely secluded villa of the Qin family called the "Quiet Thoughts Pavilion." It was remote, and even ordinary Qin clan members might not know of it.

Night fell again, and Zhang Jun and Lin Xue avoided the staff of the Hundred Herbs Hall, slipping away unnoticed.

The Quiet Thoughts Pavilion was indeed as the letter described, hidden deep in a bamboo grove behind the Qin manor, surrounded by a bewildering formation that would be hard to find without Xiao Cui's guidance. At the villa's gate, guards stood sternly; several Qin family guards with steady auras watched the surroundings vigilantly—clearly confidants of Qin Yueyao.

Seeing Xiao Cui leading Zhang Jun and Lin Xue forward, the guards did not block them, merely giving them a few complex glances before stepping aside.

Stepping into the villa, a faint medicinal fragrance wafted over them, similar to Qin Yueyao's usual aura. The courtyard was tastefully arranged, yet carried a touch of desolation.

In the main hall, candlelight flickered.

Qin Yueyao, dressed in a plain white long robe, sat silently in the seat of honor.

After not seeing her for several days, she looked much more emaciated, her complexion still pallid, but the near‑mad ambition and obstinacy in her eyes had vanished, replaced by deep weariness, remorse, and a subtle gravity not easily noticed.

"You've come," Qin Yueyao said, her voice somewhat hoarse, as she slowly lifted her gaze to fall on Zhang Jun and Lin Xue.

"Miss Qin, you've gone to great trouble to summon us; may I ask what instructions you have?" Zhang Jun got straight to the point, his tone indifferent.

Qin Yueyao gave a bitter laugh, slowly rose, and bowed deeply to the two: "All that happened before was because I was blinded by power, consumed by greed, and nearly caused a cataclysmic disaster, bringing endless trouble to the Medicine Sect and the capital. I… realize my mistake."

Zhang Jun and Lin Xue exchanged a glance, each seeing scrutiny in the other's eyes. This Qin Yueyao, her attitude had changed so dramatically, it was truly unexpected.

"Can a simple admission of guilt make up for the wrongs you've committed?" Lin Xue said in a cold voice.

Qin Yueyao's delicate frame trembled slightly, the color draining further from her face: "I know my sins are grave; I dare not beg for forgiveness. I invited you two today to reveal a shocking secret concerning the safety of the capital."

She paused, her expression turning extremely grave: "The true aim of the 'Supreme One,' or rather the Shadow Organization, is to manipulate several crucial ley‑line nodes in the capital and lay down an evil formation called the Nine Abyssal Soul‑Devouring Grand Formation!"

"The Nine Abyssal Soul‑Devouring Grand Formation?" Zhang Jun's heart jolted.

"Exactly!" Qin Yueyao's eyes flashed with a hint of fear: "Once activated, this formation will take the fate and even the lives of all beings in the entire capital as payment, helping him break through a legendary forbidden realm! And the Shennong Cauldron is precisely the key item needed to activate one of its most vital formation eyes!"

"When I previously forced the Shennong Cauldron to move, it was because I had been secretly beguiled by the Supreme One, hoping to use its power to stir part of the ley lines in advance, paving the way for his later plans." Qin Yueyao's face was full of regret: "Fortunately you stopped me; otherwise the consequences would be unthinkable."

Zhang Jun and Lin Xue were shocked to their cores, never expecting the Supreme One's plot to be so vicious and ruthless!

"Why are you telling us all this?" Lin Xue fixed Qin Yueyao with a sharp stare.