Chapter 68

Shen Tang stared at him in daze, that same chilling sensation returning once more.

Since the feud with the Incense Tower began, his plan was always to use it to expand the Tianxing Sword Sect's elite strength—who could have foreseen that from the start?

Just like that day, when he pretended to be helping her find a way to purify her sword talismans, he was actually burying the intention to kill Liu Qingcang.

Saying the Yanluo Palace's rapid rise was due solely to the Yan Jun's charisma… Shen Tang no longer believed it for a second.

Lu Xingzhou continued: "The Incense Tower still has to worry about being overthrown by those they hire, but if you merely reveal your identity in secret, who would dare? Once more time passes and you've cultivated loyal, devoted elites of your own, you can absorb those temporary hires if they're worthy—or fire them if not. This is the path to a mighty sect I've prepared for you, paved with the bones of the Incense Tower."

Shen Tang couldn't help asking: "Why are you only telling me this now?"

"I had to first observe whether events unfolded as I imagined—if they didn't, speaking early would've been empty boasting," Lu Xingzhou sighed. "Sister, do you really think I'm some divine being who can see hundreds of steps ahead? Being a strategist isn't easy. Overpromise and you get slapped; underpromise and your boss thinks you're useless…"

Shen Tang glanced sideways at him: "Your so-called 'observing progress'—isn't that just watching how our relationship developed, deciding now that even if you bragged, I wouldn't blame you, so you finally dared to speak?"

Lu Xingzhou rubbed his chin: "To be honest… a bit."

Look at their current situation—he, Lu Xingzhou, was still being carried on Shen Tang's shoulders, limping slowly!

Shen Tang fell silent, annoyed.

Lu Xingzhou smiled apologetically: "Everything's unfolding exactly as I imagined—except for the Incense Tower's own stance… Why is it still so calm? It doesn't make sense…"

Shen Tang grumbled: "There's been a change, but it's different from what we expected."

"How so?"

"The Incense Tower's hallmark is its vast network—at least two or three tenths of the forces within a thousand li are staffed by their cultivated alchemists. I originally thought our external dealings would be extremely difficult—for example, when we wanted to buy Nine-Forged Steel for sword forging, we approached the Dongjiang Gang, expecting them to refuse. But they sold it to us without hesitation."

"Hmm… anything else?"

"If the Dongjiang Gang eased relations because of the ceremony, then why do several other completely unfamiliar factions also greet us with smiles? That's strange. Frankly, even Wanbao Pavilion agreeing to handle our auctions is odd—the Incense Tower is their biggest client."

Lu Xingzhou laughed: "Someone's helping you… wait… no."

His smile vanished instantly; he murmured to himself: "This help is… problematic."

Shen Tang roughly understood his meaning, her expression unreadable.

Though the Incense Tower is stronger than the Tianxing Sword Sect, she wasn't afraid—what she feared was collective isolation. A new force truly struggles under such pressure. That's why, at the ceremony, she'd gone out of her way to curry favor with local Xiazhou powers and maintain face with factions like the Dongjiang Gang—so long as isolation wasn't total, there was still hope. But after all her calculations, this isolation simply didn't exist. There was no other explanation: Gu Zhanting had given orders.

At the ceremony, the Incense Tower openly attempted assassination—directly defying the Emperor's decree of "support." If the Emperor even slightly lost his temper, everyone would scramble to cut ties with the Incense Tower.

On the surface, it looked like clear assistance.

But the Incense Tower's blatant defiance of imperial will had not been directly punished, and their attitude remained ambiguous—open to many interpretations. Was the Emperor letting them linger to hone Shen Tang? Or deep down, did he think it better to let the Incense Tower crush the Tianxing Sword Sect further?

After all, on the surface, the newly formed Tianxing Sword Sect truly couldn't match the Incense Tower—the gap was enormous. So leaving the Incense Tower alive—was it to train her… or to kill her?

Shen Tang sighed wearily: "In any case, the Incense Tower initially didn't expect isolation to fail—but now they've surely realized it, and may even judge that the Emperor secretly wants them to strike. Whether the Emperor truly holds that thought… I don't know, and neither do they."

"They will definitely plan a military strike," Lu Xingzhou declared firmly. "This calm is merely a deception—they've surely sent elite forces in batches into Xiazhou, and when they strike, it will be a thunderous blow!"

Sect conflicts rarely erupted into full-scale war so directly. Lu Xingzhou's original plan had been slow simmering—striking the Incense Tower from every angle, gradually dismantling it. Given that most of their elites were hired mercenaries, Lu Xingzhou had many ways to slowly target them.

But after analysis, the most likely outcome was a thunderous attack—and realizing this shift occurred under the Emperor's tacit approval, Lu Xingzhou nearly cursed: "Your dad really fucking…"

Before he finished speaking, his foot gave way, nearly toppling him.

Shen Tang, also distracted, instantly reacted and caught him; Lu Xingzhou instinctively clung to her in return.

The pose was so suffocating—like a starving tiger pouncing to rape a maiden—utterly terrible.

Shen Tang's face flushed crimson; she simply hoisted him onto her shoulder and carried him back to his wheelchair. They stared at each other, both smiling wearily.

Now, even hugging like this barely felt strange… tsk.

Only now, upon reflection, did they realize they'd walked for a long time—Lu Xingzhou's legs, just beginning rehabilitation, had come this far already was remarkable, far surpassing Shen Tang's own early progress.

"You're strong because of the two immortal bones, right?" Shen Tang smiled. "Once you're fully healed in a few days, no one will guess your strongest treasure is these legs that look like they need a wheelchair."

"A few days… I don't know if there's time," Lu Xingzhou sighed. "I need to end my seclusion and go out early."

Shen Tang blinked: "Where to?"

"To meet our city master. Foreign sect members infiltrating Xiazhou to launch attacks on local forces—that's squarely within her jurisdiction. I'm not setting her up, am I?"

…………

"Oh? What wind blew you two esteemed guests to my humble office?" Sheng Yuanyao sat in the Commandant's chamber, sneering as An Nuo pushed Lu Xingzhou in.

At the threshold, An Nuo lifted both hands, hoisting her master and chair together, thudding into the room.

Sheng Yuanyao, who'd been sneering, nearly lost her icy expression—she desperately wanted to laugh but forced herself to hold it: "Don't waste your time trying to be cute in front of me. I don't recognize stingy misers who throw grand ceremonies but won't even offer a single meal."

Lu Xingzhou chuckled: "My lord, how can you say that? We gave you the Snow-Melting Soul-Replenishing Pill—it's a sixth-rank pill, isn't that worth more than a meal?"

Sheng Yuanyao sneered: "That was for your own promotion—do you really think you were being generous?"

"Fine, fine." Lu Xingzhou pulled out a small box and handed it to An Nuo. "Go give your pretty sister a gift."

An Nuo grinned and scampered over; Sheng Yuanyao immediately clamped a hand on her head: "Don't try that. That's bribery—I won't accept it."

An Nuo whispered carefully: "Then... does the older sister accept face rubs?"

Sheng Yuanyao was thoroughly pleased; she pulled An Nuo close and began squeezing her cheeks.

An Nuo: "…"

"Speak up—what are you here for today?" Sheng Yuanyao studied Lu Xingzhou, surprised: "Why so pale? Did you get injured?"

It wasn't an injury—it was simply prolonged exposure to underground darkness. Lu Xingzhou didn't explain, only smiled: "Why isn't the city master in her own office? We had a hard time finding you."

Sheng Yuanyao's role as city master was unusual—she'd never once sat in the city hall, spending every day at the Town Demon Office, since she also held the post of Commandant. The burned-out city mansion? She'd never lived there—she stayed in the quarters assigned by the Town Demon Office.

She simply didn't see herself as a city master at all.

Sheng Yuanyao grumbled: "You know full well I was forced into this role—just a side effect of Xu Bingkun's demon case. No one wanted this hot potato, so they dumped it on me. I already said I'm useless at governance—do whatever you want."

Lu Xingzhou asked: "So, any developments in the demon case?"

"None," Sheng Yuanyao sighed, propping her head in her hand. "I've exhausted every lead—I can't trace where that demon came from. Now it feels like a volcano buried beneath me, keeping me awake and eating poorly."

"Have you considered that being city master might actually give you better chances to find clues than staying in the Town Demon Office?"

Sheng Yuanyao snapped her head up: "What do you mean?"

"Making you city master was a ridiculous appointment—your father surely knew that. But why did he agree? He spent his whole life in the Town Demon Office—he must have had vague suspicions… If I'm not wrong, your father's letters to you hinted at something."

Sheng Yuanyao thought for a long while, frowned, and said, "No, he only told me to visit other city lords more often, especially the prefects. Isn't that just official protocol? What's so special about it... Anyway, even if he told me, I wouldn't do it. Who has the patience to socialize with those bureaucrats? They all look righteous on the surface, but their eyes dart around lecherously. You're far better than them; at least you look openly."

Lu Xingzhou: "?"

A Nuo: "..."

Her uniform seduction was indeed good-looking, and the girl's attire she changed into when running off to gossip that day had a contrasting beauty; Lu Xingzhou had indeed been looking openly all along.

Lu Xingzhou certainly wouldn't argue that point with her. He sighed and said, "If you want to solve this case, my lord, you really should meet those colleagues... but I would advise my lord not to continue investigating."

Sheng Yuanyao widened her eyes and said, "Why not investigate if there are demons? They are out to harm people!"

"That would put you in great danger."

"I can request support. I have the backing of a kingdom, unlike your sect fighting alone."

Lu Xingzhou remained silent. He wondered if the meaning behind Sheng Qingfeng sending his daughter out was similar to the meaning behind the Imperial Preceptor sending Bai Mao to gain experience: wanting a daughter with a pure heart to recognize the ways of the world. Recently, he had already taught her to be smooth in the face of facts; next, he did not know if he would have to teach her to compromise in the face of evil.

Slowly forging her into someone who looked just like him.

But that was actually a... very regrettable thing.

(End of this chapter)