An Unexpected Turn at the Fragrant Cloud Pavilion

Su Mo’s plan involved becoming Lu Yanling’s close friend, building rapport, and orchestrating a match between her and Xu Qingzhu from within. She felt her demands couldn’t be too high. ‘Whether I like it or not is irrelevant,’ Su Mo mused. ‘Xu Qingzhu’s happiness is the only thing that truly matters.’

Even if Lu Yanling’s first impression wasn’t ideal, Su Mo knew she had to grit her teeth and bear it.

After all, this woman was Xu Qingzhu’s true love; Su Mo herself was merely an accident.

‘That man, I don’t know what he was thinking, forcing me to be his wife,’ she grumbled inwardly. ‘Now his one true love has arrived. I can finally step aside with peace of mind, can’t I?’

Su Mo murmured these thoughts, then raised a hand to stop Lu Yanling from picking up her chopsticks.

Already wary of Su Mo, Lu Yanling wasn’t foolish enough to actually taste the dish.

Feigning confusion, she tilted her head and asked:

“What’s wrong?”

“I just remembered a place,” Su Mo began, “where spiritual plants and beasts are served as delicacies. Miss Lu, as a cultivator, might prefer to go there instead?”

Su Mo deliberately guided her, intending to lead her to the Fragrant Cloud Pavilion.

She planned for Xu Qingzhu’s childhood sweetheart to seek him out. Given his current strength and the fervent love he harbored for his ‘childhood plum’ as described in the book, he would surely fight with all his might.

In that moment of crisis, they would face life and death together, enacting a truly moving and unforgettable love story.

‘Then my task will be complete!’ A faint smile touched Su Mo’s lips, and a captivating charm bloomed in her eyes.

Lu Yanling didn’t know what scheme Su Mo was concocting, but that didn’t stop her from feeling a pang of hunger.

Lu Yanling nodded, her eyes curving into crescent moons as she smiled.

“Alright!”

After instructing the shopkeeper to pack their unfinished meal, Su Mo led the group toward the Fragrant Cloud Pavilion in the heart of Dangyang County.

As they neared, a terrifying aura could be sensed from afar, a result of many cultivators gathering.

Feeling the same threat, Lu Yanling’s expression subtly shifted, and she fixed her gaze on Su Mo from behind.

‘As expected, this demoness Su still enjoys causing trouble for others,’ she thought.

Su Mo’s steps halted. From a great distance, she sensed a surge of agony, hearing cries of “My arm is broken!”

****

*Boom!*

A massive explosion rocked the air, and flames erupted from the upper floors of the Fragrant Cloud Pavilion.

A charred figure, wreathed in fire, streaked across a large swathe of the sky before crashing down directly in front of Su Mo and her companions.

Gazing at the unidentifiable, charred object on the ground with a severed arm, Su Mo could barely discern a human shape.

A strange, sickening scent of burnt flesh permeated the air. Su Mo recoiled a few steps, signaling to her disciple Mo Yu to take Jingmeng and retreat further.

“Master, where are we going?” Mo Yu asked one last time.

“Return to the Zhang Estate. You know the way, don’t you?” Su Mo raised her hand, clenching it in the air, and a longbow materialized—the Yin Lightning Bow.

“Understood.” Without heeding Jingmeng’s struggles, Mo Yu scooped her up and disappeared around the corner.

Moments later, the Zhang Estate retainers who had been secretly following Su Mo revealed themselves. Leading them was a mortal martial artist, the strongest among them.

He called out loudly:

“Madam Su, what are your orders?”

“Follow Young Mistress Jingmeng and ensure her safety.” Su Mo didn’t glance back, her gaze fixed intently on the distance.

“Yes!” They executed their footwork and vanished behind her.

Only Su Mo and Lu Yanling remained, vigilantly observing the charred corpse.

With an inadvertent glance back, Su Mo realized Lu Yanling held a sword shimmering with frost, its tip subtly angled towards her.

‘This person… is wary of me?’ Su Mo considered this, then deemed it entirely reasonable.

Among cultivators who had just met, a lack of trust was perfectly normal.

While Su Mo had learned about her from the book, Lu Yanling knew nothing of Su Mo.

‘Indeed, no one is truly foolish; everyone is simply playing a part,’ Su Mo mused. She felt that orchestrating their union would be a long and arduous journey.

“Miss Lu, I didn’t expect such an incident to occur,” Su Mo stated. “If your strength isn’t sufficient, you are welcome to leave this place.”

Su Mo’s words were not mere politeness.

Until she was certain Lu Yanling was truly close to Xu Qingzhu, Su Mo intended to protect her completely.

*Zzzzt.*

The Yin Lightning Bow crackled with arcing electricity. She would give her utmost, relying on the longbow in her hands.

‘This way, I can at least repay Xu Qingzhu for saving my life multiple times,’ she thought. She narrowed her eyes, looking towards the figures descending from the sky.

“I’m not that weak,” Lu Yanling retorted, tightening her grip on her sword and standing her ground.

Perhaps it was because she was in front of Su Mo that she didn’t want to appear weak.

A moment later, a large group of cultivators soared through the air, their powerful presence sending the fleeing common folk into a panic.

Such an incident occurring during the Deity Invitation Festival left everyone with a grim expression.

Leading them was Mo Lian, a Core Formation cultivator from the Demon Suppression Bureau. Her tall figure was cloaked in black and white robes, and a ferocious, ghostly grin was carved into her iron-blooded bronze mask, exuding an oppressive aura that weighed down on everyone.

A cultivator wielding a fiery sword immediately rushed to the charred corpse and confirmed:

“The demonic cultivator has been eliminated! You may all rest assured!”

“True Master Fire Sword truly lives up to their reputation!”

“As expected of an elder from the Fire Saint Sect, they possess quite the skill!”

…The crowd offered their congratulations, yet their smiles didn’t reach their eyes, each harboring their own calculations.

Among the cultivators, hidden demonic practitioners noticed the two women, Su Mo with her innate allure and Lu Yanling with her innocent charm, and their eyes lit up.

‘The path of dual cultivation lies right here!’

Some secretly licked their lips, feeling that this trip had not been in vain.

Feeling the gazes of the cultivators, Su Mo’s eyes grew slightly cold. Yet, when she inadvertently caught sight of Xu Qingzhu, her gaze softened like melting ice.

He stood among the cultivators, utterly unremarkable, yet without a word or action, he imbued her with an immense sense of security.

Just as she thought to call out to him, she saw his gaze shift, staring with disbelief at the person beside her, Lu Yanling.

Those dark eyes held a mixture of recollection, nostalgia, and profound affection.

Turning her head, she watched the childhood sweethearts exchange glances across the distance, oblivious to time itself.

Su Mo pressed her lips together, feeling a vast distance separating her from them, as if they were now strangers.

‘Perhaps this is for the best,’ she thought. ‘It’s all part of the plan.’ She forced herself to rally, knowing she still had to contend with the other cultivators.

“Esteemed cultivators, it was unexpected for a demonic cultivator to openly provoke us during the Deity Invitation Festival, brazenly overestimating their own capabilities,” Mo Lian announced, her Core Formation aura subtly pressing down, her voice gender-neutral and commanding. “Let us consider this matter resolved, and I hope it hasn’t dampened anyone’s enjoyment.”

“No matter.”

“It’s no trouble.”

…After the Demon Suppression Bureau’s declaration, Su Mo had initially believed the incident was over and that she could withdraw.

However, seeing the cultivators’ expressions, and hearing them speak of “invitations,” she realized her naivety.

She wasn’t sure what Xu Qingzhu and Lu Yanling had communicated, but with a single gesture, Lu Yanling cheerfully darted over, leaping to his side in an instant.

Watching the two figures, Su Mo found herself utterly unwilling to approach.

‘I simply don’t wish to disturb them,’ she admonished herself. ‘Escaping is paramount.’

She retreated a few steps, her movements conveying a clear intention to refuse and depart.

This subtle movement did not escape the eyes of the cultivators, particularly the hidden demonic practitioners, who immediately began to scheme.

If Su Mo were to leave, they would use it as an excuse to slip away from the gathering and eagerly pursue her.

Setting aside the thought of abduction, even the longbow in her hands was exquisitely tempting.

‘A high-grade spiritual artifact in the hands of a Qi Condensation cultivator? She’s practically a fat lamb ripe for the slaughter!’

‘What? She has someone backing her?’

Demonic cultivators thrived on the thrill of such acts—snatching treasures and making a swift escape.

Just then, Mo Lian spoke, effectively quashing everyone’s intentions:

“You must be Miss Su, correct? Why not join us for a moment at the Fragrant Cloud Pavilion?”

Mo Lian understood that demonic cultivators were still hidden among the surrounding cultivators, their intentions utterly malicious.

Su Mo leaving alone would likely lead to trouble.

‘Moreover… her husband just openly “abducted” another woman right in front of her. She must be feeling awful, mustn’t she?’

‘Yesterday they were a loving couple, and today their relationship is on the brink of collapse,’ Mo Lian mused, sighing inwardly. ‘Matters of the heart are truly troublesome.’

She stepped forward, taking the initiative to invite Su Mo.

…Su Mo found it difficult to refuse the face of a Core Formation cultivator.

An invitation delivered directly, before everyone, carried far more weight than merely sending a subordinate, as had happened before.

Glancing sideways, Su Mo cast one last look at Xu Qingzhu and Lu Yanling, then walked alongside the Core Formation cultivator.

‘The murderous intent at Fragrant Cloud Pavilion? Even without you, Xu Qingzhu, I’ll still brave it,’ a surge of defiance flared within her. Her beautiful eyes gazed forward with unwavering resolve.

Following behind, Xu Qingzhu, still holding the cheerfully smiling Lu Yanling, couldn’t help but glance at Su Mo’s alluring figure.

Her pink skirt swayed gently, subtly revealing her graceful form. Yet, her steps were measured and elegant, giving her an air of effortless composure.

Compared to the malice surrounding her, she appeared, in that instant, like an immortal traversing purgatory, alone yet utterly resolute.

His gaze slightly deepened as Xu Qingzhu heard his childhood sweetheart whisper:

“Brother Xiaozhu, they don’t seem like good people.”

“Mm, be careful.”

“Mm-hmm!” Lu Yanling nodded emphatically.