Chapter 91 - Good Co-operation
“Interestingly, his name also includes ‘Lord.'”
The girl seated across the table remarked.
The previously composed and spirited demeanor, which had no trouble mentioning the term ‘spirit vein,' was now completely withdrawn. As her gaze settled on the name ‘Jun,' it became apparent that her eyes harbored a myriad of complex emotions.
While she swiftly concealed her feelings, such emotions were not easily hidden, especially when thoughts of the person who held her heart came to mind.
Fang Xiang, however, was no naive young girl. A quick glance revealed that the individual Xun Yimu spoke of was unquestionably the one she cherished.
Considering it, only the fervor and unwavering determination to pursue love could drive the young master of the Profound Yin Family to go to such lengths for a single individual. He had even offered the Heavenly Cloud Sword as a bargaining chip.
This sword had been taken from the Sword Pavilion several centuries ago by the Profound Yin Family.
During that time, when the sword's creator and a young master from the Profound Yin Family fell in love, the former was a nameless, ordinary swordsmith. Due to his gender, the Profound Yin Family did not accept him, establishing an unwritten tradition. This especially applied to the young master, who possessed the purest bloodline. Marrying a man was strictly prohibited, as it could compromise both purity and power.
Consequently, numerous obstacles emerged for both parties. The swordsmith relentlessly honed his skills until he eventually became one of the Ten Great Swords in the world, crafting one of the legendary Ten Great Swords. However, the Profound Yin Family, bound by their pride, refused to let their young master's life be marred in such a manner. Allowing this precedent would risk further outflows of the Profound Yin Bloodline, potentially inviting envy and danger.
In brief, following a series of tragic events, the sword remained within the Sword Pavilion. Some lovers succumbed to despair and loneliness, while the incident sparked conflicts between the two factions.
Despite outward displays of respect and courtesy, their interactions were superficial at best. Beyond polite greetings, they seldom engaged with each other on any deeper level.
Returning the Heavenly Cloud Sword could be seen as a gesture of goodwill, even a significant concession, on behalf of the Profound Yin Family represented by Xun Yimu. When coupled with the spirit vein mineral resources, it was almost akin to a giveaway.
It was hard to fathom why Night's Fall Sword City wouldn't readily accept such a generous offer.
In terms of emotions and logic, Fang Xiang believed that an immediate agreement was in order. However, Xun Yimu's remarks sparked a hint of skepticism within the heart of the Night's Fall Sword City Lord.
You intend to employ the Night's Fall Sword Array to ensnare an individual with the name containing ‘Jun'?
It was quite the coincidence that the ‘Jun' she had inscribed represented a character in a certain person's name.
Could it truly be mere happenstance?
Did such serendipity truly exist in this world?
Fang Xiang, a seasoned elder who had traversed the intricacies of life and had governed Night's Fall Sword City for numerous years, stood at the pinnacle of Physical Integration Period high-level Immortal cultivators. She possessed her own interpretations and grasp of destiny and happenstance.
In fact, within a split second, her thoughts raced, birthing a daring conjecture—was the other party testing her?
As for the motive behind this examination, it was the boldest theory taking shape in her mind.
It was inconceivable that the individual with ‘Jun' in her name and the person occupying Fang Xiang's thoughts could be… one and the same.
The City Lord of Night's Fall Sword concealed his emotions and spoke in a hushed tone, “If your aim was to capture just one person, why involve so many others? With the Profound Yin Family's power, couldn't it have been relatively straightforward for the young master to apprehend this individual?”
Xun Yimu raised her head, sitting upright. She replied, “I'm not certain if I can capture him or not. Even the Night's Fall Sword Array may not be able to ensnare him. It seems he possesses a divine ability that enables him to traverse freely, beyond the constraints of time and space. Not even a practitioner at the Tribulation Passing Stage can pin down his location.”
Fang Xiang's expression shifted. “You mean… he can materialize from nowhere, irrespective of when or where. Similarly, when he departs, no matter the method he employs, there's no trace of him left. It's as if he never existed.”
Xun Yimu paused for a moment, then became suspicious. “City Lord Fang… How are you so well-informed about this?”
Fang Xiang suddenly realized she had become too animated and regained her composure. She picked up her teacup, casually toying with it, and smiled, saying, “It's nothing. I encountered a similar situation and it jogged my memory.”
Had I encountered this phenomenon before? Such a formidable divine ability transcending the laws of nature had stumped even the family's ancestors. Now, to stumble upon a second one?
Was it truly a coincidence of such magnitude?
Could such a thing occur by mere chance in this world?
Xun Yimu, in the throes of a passionate love affair and being the young master of the Profound Yin Family, a gifted Immortal cultivator who reached the Void Refining Stage in her twenties, held her own beliefs and perceptions regarding fate and happenstance.
The term ‘fate' couldn't serve as conclusive evidence, but what about the shared ability?
Xun Yimu regarded the City Lord of Night's Fall Sword with a composed and unassuming demeanor, as if she wasn't probing or boasting.
Profound Yin Young Lord offered a slight smile and explained, “Our City Lord had encountered a similar ability before. I truly didn't anticipate this. She had no knowledge of your whereabouts or the circumstances surrounding this situation. I instructed the elders in my family to search for his whereabouts for a year, but they couldn't locate any signs of him. It was only recently that I managed to employ a spell to track him again, fearing he might vanish once more… Perhaps you could provide some leads?”
Astonishingly, it was a similar situation. The presence of the word ‘Jun' appeared to be a mere coincidence. Fang Xiang had deduced that this individual was also in Night's Fall Sword City by chance. But was it another coincidence that he came and went unnoticed?
This couldn't merely be attributed to chance!
Fang Xiang became instantly convinced that the person Xun Yimu sought was Guo Xiaobo!
The Profound Yin Family had limited interaction with the outside world over the years. Matters regarding aristocratic families were typically handled by individuals like Xuegang, who had been recruited and nurtured from a young age. Since the incident at the Sword Pavilion, the younger generation of aristocratic families had seldom encountered a man with ulterior motives.
Unless this man possessed the ability to bypass the Profound Yin Family's defenses.
Strangely enough, a man named Jun possessed the power to materialize and vanish unpredictably.
Otherwise, Fang Xiang, the former mistress of the Sword Pavilion, would not casually meet a stranger within the heavily fortified Night's Fall Sword City, leading to a series of inexplicable events.
Furthermore, whenever Fang Xiang attempted to investigate someone, her efforts were invariably fruitless. It was as if this individual had left no trace in the world.
Yet, the most crucial aspect was that within this realm, there existed someone audacious enough to challenge the Profound Yin Family. Such an individual must possess the courage to confront several Tribulation Passing Stage ancestors. Such a person… There were perhaps only a handful of them in the Upper Central Realm, all of whom were renowned ancient entities.
For someone to provoke her, the former wife of the Sword Pavilion's Pavilion Master, demonstrated an audacity beyond measure. Under normal circumstances, there would be little that could deter such a person from their pursuits. Hence, it seemed reasonable that they would provoke Profound Yin Young Lord.
“The enemy is exposed, and I'm lurking in the shadows, giving me a significant advantage… She intended to locate someone to capture him, so it's my duty, Fang Xiang, to shield him and make him realize who truly cares for him.
Finally, this day has arrived. Fang Xiang has understood for a long time that she isn't alone, so she has always maintained humility. She couldn't offer certain things to the other party, but at the same time… Her expectations for someone were also more modest.
There may be people who fall in love with him, but these young women, overly obsessed with love, would never comprehend the significance of a peaceful and caring environment.
Fang Xiang's demeanor remained unchanged, and she felt that the overall situation had been settled. She took a sip of tea and remarked, “I've seen it in the possession of a senior who has since passed away. I'm not in a position to reveal their name. I'm sorry, but I can't provide any clues. However, I can grant you temporary use of the Night's Fall Sword Array, under our supervision.”
When you back him into a corner, that's when I'll make my presence known…
Xun Yimu still harbored some doubts, but since Fang Xiang had consented, there was no point in pressing further. After all, once they ensnare their targets, the people she had brought along this time would undoubtedly trace them back to Xuan Yin.
Regardless of whether Fang Xiang had any connection to Xiaobo or not, she aimed to leverage the other party's territory this time and snatch him away.
“In that case, the next visit I make will coincide with the opening of the Night's Fall Sword Array. Ownership of the spirit vein can be transferred to Xuegang.”
Xun Yimu raised her head and gazed at Fang Xiang. “A fruitful collaboration.”
“Good Co-operation…”
Inside the room, the Lord of Night's Fall Sword City and the Young Lord of Profound Yin exchanged glances and smiled. They were highly content with the outcome.
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