The Trap

A carriage drove from the city towards the outskirts, slowly coming to a halt near the city gate.

On the carriage, the green cloud patterns painted on its body were lifelike, as if they were about to float out.

Outside the carriage stood only a coachman, a bamboo hat on his head, pulling the reins.

After the carriage stopped, the coachman got down, took out the wooden footstool, and placed it at the side.

The curtain was lifted, and a maidservant first descended.

She reached out her hand to help a woman step down.

This woman was not old, still quite young.

What left the deepest impression were her eyes—beautiful, with a tenderness that stirred pity.

“My Lady, you didn’t need to come in person,” the coachman said.

He was the one truly responsible for her safety and naturally did not wish for her to come here.

“It’s fine.”

“This matter was my miscalculation.”

“I should have been firmer last time and taken them away directly.”

“Then there wouldn’t be so many problems now.”

The Second Manor Lord’s wife let out a sorrowful sigh.

Her delicate appearance evoked sympathy.

“Luo’er, go invite Xiu Niang and Yanyan out.”

“Bring them back to Liantian Manor.”

She faintly instructed the maidservant, but did not move herself.

Instead, she stood by the carriage with the coachman.

The maidservant acknowledged and trotted toward the riverside hut.

Just as the maidservant neared the hut, the coachman seemed to sense something and hastily called out, “Careful!”

Swish!

The sound of drawing a sword rang out.

The maidservant, who had also felt a warning in her heart, threw herself to one side, narrowly avoiding a sword light flying out from the hut.

The sword light passed the maidservant and flew straight toward the Second Manor Lord’s wife.

The Second Manor Lord’s wife did not move.

She stood calmly in place.

As the sword light approached, the coachman snorted, directly shattering the light.

“Three Flowers realm?”

“Quite audacious.”

The coachman’s cold voice carried a peculiar power.

The moment his words arrived, the hut exploded into pieces.

“Just a Condensing Spirit initiate, yet you dare call me audacious?”

The hut was shattered by the coachman’s voice, but the person inside seemed unharmed.

She sat still, her laughter light and mocking.

As the dust cleared, Lu Yuesheng in red robes sat on a chair.

Beside her was an intact small wooden table, upon which lay a sword.

Facing the coachman’s probing attack, Lu Yuesheng was not only unharmed but had also spared the strength to protect the chair and table.

“A Condensing Spirit initiate as a coachman, and a Xiantian Hunyuan maidservant.”

“Should I say ‘as expected of the Second Manor Lord’s wife’?”

“Quite the entourage.”

Even a Condensing Spirit initiate was still Condensing Spirit, a renowned expert in the jianghu.

Yet such an expert was now serving as a coachman for the Second Manor Lord’s wife.

This spoke volumes about the profound strength of Liantian Manor.

“Who are you, sir?”

“Why ambush me?”

The Second Manor Lord’s wife spoke softly, studying Lu Yuesheng, trying to identify her.

Unfortunately, after simple disguise, Lu Yuesheng’s appearance was no longer the same.

How could the Second Manor Lord’s wife recognize her?

“Why so much talk?”

“If you truly want to know my identity, once you fall into my hands, you’ll naturally find out.”

Lu Yuesheng stood up and drew her sword.

“Can you hold back that Hunyuan maidservant?”

“I can hold her back.”

With a helpless sigh, a figure gradually materialized from the air, appearing very close to the maidservant.

It was Liu Yang.

Liu Yang’s sudden appearance startled even the coachman, who had not detected his presence at all.

Only after carefully discerning Liu Yang’s strength did the coachman relax.

‘Just Xiantian One Qi.’

‘He must have some special technique to conceal his aura, making even me, a Condensing Spirit, fail to notice.’

After revealing himself, Liu Yang struck a palm directly at the maidservant.

Because of Liu Yang’s sudden appearance, the maidservant was also startled.

Not confident in Liu Yang’s true strength, she dared not take it head-on, and thus allowed Liu Yang to force her to a distance.

Carefully observing Liu Yang’s attack, the coachman saw nothing hidden—just genuine Xiantian One Qi.

He fully relaxed and turned to face Lu Yuesheng, who was left alone.

“Girl, you intend to face me alone?”

“Of course.”

The coachman, his dark face hidden under the bamboo hat, paused.

Then he burst into laughter as if hearing the biggest joke ever.

“Hahaha!”

“This is the funniest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“A Three Flowers realm girl challenging me, a Condensing Spirit?”

His expression turned cold, his eyes showing killing intent.

“Or is it that my being only at Condensing Spirit early stage gives you the confidence to challenge me?”

“If you were at Condensing Spirit mid or late stage, I would have turned and fled without hesitation.”

“But early stage, I can indeed give it a try.”

Lu Yuesheng smiled, her words full of provocation.

“Fine.”

“You have courage.”

The coachman took a step forward, and the ground seemed to tremble.

“But even Condensing Spirit early stage is still Condensing Spirit.”

“You’ll soon understand why everyone says, ‘Below Condensing Spirit, all are mortals.'”

Lu Yuesheng lifted her sword and stepped forward, not retreating in the slightest.

“I look forward to it.”

Behind the coachman, the Second Manor Lord’s wife retreated a few steps to avoid the battle’s aftermath, yet remained within his protection.

In her heart, doubts arose.

Judging from her brother Zhang Wanguan’s words, the accident involving Xiu Niang seemed to be a trap set for her.

She had felt this way from the start, but Xiu Niang’s daughter was crucial.

She had no choice but to come.

But who set this trap today?

An enemy of Liantian Manor?

Or someone else?

Where were Xiu Niang and her daughter now?

Had they already been moved away?

Thinking this, the Second Manor Lord’s wife grew somewhat irritable.

She instructed the coachman, “Finish it quickly.”

“Keep them alive.”

Some distance from Xiu Niang’s residence, in a private room on the second floor of a tavern, Xiu Niang held Yanyan’s hand—the child’s eyes sparkling with curiosity—and sat somewhat nervously by the table.

Across from her, dressed in a white gown, Wen Qingying sat with a gentle smile.

“No need to be so formal.”

“Don’t worry too much.”

“Whether their plan succeeds or not, you mother and daughter will be safe.”

“I understand.”

Xiu Niang still couldn’t relax.

She nodded lightly and fell silent again.

These past two days had been too eventful.

For an ordinary person like Xiu Niang, it was hard to digest.

All she could do now was pray that she and her daughter would truly be safe.

Bowed in worry, Xiu Niang did not see that the Fairy Wen’s gaze, when it fell upon Yanyan, carried a hint of thoughtful consideration.

‘But if it truly is that kind of constitution, it will be hard to escape the jianghu’s turmoil.’

This sigh was as faint as a mosquito’s buzz, unheard by Xiu Niang and Yanyan.