The next day.
Bu Haoyan publicly announced that the Blackstone Monastery had gone too far.
“They have robbed the Soul-Attracting Grass, a heavenly treasure already claimed by my disciples, and even attempted to silence witnesses by killing them!”
He added, “If it were just the treasure being taken, I could perhaps endure it—after all, treasures belong to the strong. But slaughtering my disciples? That’s crossing the line!”
“As the sect master of Heavenly Dragon Cliff, I cannot stand by and do nothing.”
“From today onward, Heavenly Dragon Cliff officially declares war on the Blackstone Monastery!”
“And we shall punish them, no matter how far they are!”
At first, the Blackstone Monastery's sect master, Ge Linfei, was utterly baffled.
“What is this nonsense?”
The two sects were separated by hundreds of thousands of miles. How could they have robbed anything or killed anyone?
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“Making up lies like this, just like that?” Ge Linfei sneered.
What’s more, he thought, “It’s just a few disciples. Dead is dead. Recruit more if needed.”
Ge Linfei dismissed the announcement as a pretext for compensation. But he wasn’t about to let someone extort him.
“Just because you shout a slogan, I’m supposed to hand over treasures? Dream on!”
Besides, if it really came to a fight, Ge Linfei believed Blackstone Monastery had no reason to fear Heavenly Dragon Cliff.
“If you’re so upset, come and try!” he thought smugly.
But little did he know, 2,000 cultivators from Heavenly Dragon Cliff had already boarded spiritual boats and were heading toward Blackstone Monastery. Their momentum was like a raging dragon crossing a river.
Inside one of the spiritual boats, Ye Yu sat in his room, occasionally sighing.
On the other side of the room, Bai Xichu, wearing a veil and dressed as a maid, sat calmly reading a book. Without looking up, she remarked casually, “What’s the matter? Does my presence make you this uncomfortable?”
Ye Yu covered his face with one hand. You really are bold, aren’t you?
“I might as well write ‘I’m uncomfortable’ on my face, and you still have to ask?” he thought.
The day before, just as Heavenly Dragon Cliff’s group was preparing to set out, Bai Xichu had suddenly appeared, disguised as Ye Yu’s maid, and boarded the spiritual boat with him.
Ye Yu was immediately unsettled. He asked why she was doing this.
Bai Xichu had replied that this was Heavenly Dragon Cliff’s first battle in another Demon Lord’s territory, so of course, she had to witness it herself.
Ye Yu was exasperated. “If you want to watch, do it in secret! Why come to the front lines?”
And worse, why disguise yourself as a maid?
“Does this really suit your status as a Demon Lord?” he had asked, but Bai Xichu merely smiled without answering. She then took a seat in his room and started reading, forbidding Ye Yu from leaving.
She explained that if he wandered around outside instead of staying in his room to cultivate, it would arouse suspicion among those with sharp eyes.
So, the two of them had been sitting in the room together ever since.
To be honest, Ye Yu didn’t mind having a maid. But having a Demon Lord as a maid? A maid he couldn’t touch? That was far less appealing.
After some thought, Ye Yu stood up and said softly, “I’ll go discuss the attack strategy on Blackstone Monastery with Bu Haoyan. I’ll be back soon.”
It was the most reasonable excuse he could come up with.
Bai Xichu put down her book and sneered. “Discuss strategy with him? Do you think he’d even understand?”
Ye Yu didn’t turn back as he headed for the door. “If he doesn’t understand, I’ll just make him memorize it. It’ll still be useful.”
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
Ye Yu and Bai Xichu both raised an eyebrow. Speak of the devil.
The name barely left his thoughts before Bu Haoyan himself appeared, blocking the door.
Ye Yu felt his irritation peak. I was just about to leave, and you show up to block the way?
Opening the door, Ye Yu tried to pull Bu Haoyan away, but the man slipped inside the room instead. He scanned the room warily, and when his eyes landed on Bai Xichu in the corner, his expression turned hostile, even slightly resentful.
Ye Yu was alarmed. Brother, have you got a death wish? Showing hostility toward Bai Xichu? Do you really think she won’t replace you as sect master on a whim?
To divert Bu Haoyan’s attention, Ye Yu quickly said, “Sect Master, is there something you need? How about we discuss it outside—”
Before he could finish, Bai Xichu interrupted, “Elder Ye, you and the sect master sit down. I’ll make some spirit tea for you.”
Ye Yu turned to glance at her and was immediately met with a gaze so piercing it seemed to steal his soul.
It was as if her eyes were saying, Don’t you dare leave.
Ye Yu felt deeply frustrated. Inwardly, he vowed that once he gained absolute strength, he would make Bai Xichu kneel and admit defeat.
For now, however, he had no choice but to comply.
Ye Yu sat down reluctantly, while Bu Haoyan, looking somewhat aggrieved, said, “Sir, I haven’t seen you for a full twelve hours. I’ve missed you!”
Ye Yu’s face darkened immediately. Damn it, stop saying such nonsense! There’s someone else here!
Sure enough, Bai Xichu’s expression turned amused, and her tea-making slowed noticeably.
Ye Yu cleared his throat. “Sect Master, we’re both grown men. There’s no need for this kind of drama. It’s only been a day—I need rest too, don’t I?”
Bu Haoyan pouted, glancing behind him. Bai Xichu had turned her back and pretended to be busy, so she didn’t see the resentful look in his eyes. Otherwise, she might have read even more into the situation.
The truth was, Bu Haoyan didn’t like Bai Xichu at all. He thought this mysterious woman was disrupting the brotherly bond he shared with Ye Yu.
Before her arrival, they would meet often. But since this “maid” showed up, Ye Yu had stayed in his room for an entire day without leaving.
Bu Haoyan even began to suspect that she was a succubus draining Ye Yu’s energy.
Leaning closer to Ye Yu, he whispered, “Sir, as a man, you must exercise restraint. Don’t let this woman drain your essence!”