The Ode to Elegance Pavilion.

The ethereal sound of a zither floated through the air like the music of the heavens.

Looking from a distance, the lamps of the pavilion’s floor were brightly lit, casting wide shadows.

“Young Lord, Cha Jin is currently playing the zither for an extremely high-status guest. If you recklessly forge ahead, I’m afraid you’ll bring disaster upon yourself.” Madam Fangxiu looked conflicted. She whispered, “How about I go first and announce you?”

Su Yi relaxed the arm he had wrapped around her shoulder. “No need to trouble yourself. I’ll go up on my own.”

With that, he proceeded straight toward the Ode to Elegance Pavilion.

When she escaped his “demonic claws”, Madam Fangxiu sighed in relief, but when she saw what he was doing instead, she was instantly frantic. She chased after him, crying out, “Young Lord, you can’t go in there!”

Madam Fangxiu lowered her voice and said frantically, “I’ll be completely honest with you: even if Young Master Yuan’s father were here, he wouldn’t dare disrupt that honored guest’s good time… Hey…!”

It was as if Su Yi were deaf. Madam Fangxiu was so angry, she gnashed her teeth, and her almond-shaped eyes blazed with fury.

I have to explain myself to that honored guest. If this guy is really so dead-set on seeing Cha Jin, fine! But I simply can’t let him implicate the Sand-Scouring Waves. Madam Fangxiu took a deep breath to steady herself, then chased after Su Yi.

Four imposing figures with powerful auras stood outside the doors to the second floor of the pavilion, all of them imposing.

However, when they saw Su Yi approach, all of them were stunned; they clearly hadn’t expected this.

When Madam Fangxiu caught up and saw this, she hurriedly started to explain, “Your Excellencies, when this young lord heard that Cha Jin was here, he insisted on coming to see her. I couldn’t convince…..”

But before she could finish her explanation, an unbelievable scene played out in front of her.

All four men standing guard outside the door bowed. “Greetings, Young Lord Su.”

Madam Fangxiu’s red lips quivered, and her beautiful eyes widened. “!?”

“So it was you guys!” Su Yi furrowed his brow. “So, does that mean the ‘distinguished guest’ inside is Zhou Zhili?”

These four were none other than Zhou Zhili’s personal attendants, and their leader was Zhang Duo.

“Indeed.” Zhang Duo nodded, but he was a bit befuddled. He found it hard to believe that someone like Su Yi would show up at a place like this. 

Su Yi said no more. He just pushed open the door and walked on in. Zhang Duo and the others naturally dared not stop him.

This was an expert even the sixth prince revered like a deity. How could they possibly stand in his way?

Madam Fangxiu couldn’t help but wonder, Just who is this boy?

She didn’t know whether it was curiosity or some other emotion, but she instinctively followed him in.

The hall was clean, elegant, and spacious. Zhou Zhili wore jade-colored robes and lay sprawled out and languid with his resting against a young woman’s thigh.

Off to the side, the stunning attendants were busy making tea and pouring wine.

And not far away, they saw Cha Jin in her simple but elegant white dress, her long hair flowing like the clouds.

Her slender fingers gently strummed and plucked the zither’s strings. She looked gentle and defined, while the notes of her zither were like pearls falling into a jade plate, the rhythm clear and ethereal.

Zhou Zhili watched the beautiful musician, completely transfixed. He felt loose and relaxed, both body and mind, like he’d reached the pinnacle of sheer bliss.

“Young Lord, please, have some wine.” A servant passed him a cup.

Zhou Zhili accepted it, and was just about to drink it when he saw someone push open the door.

The music came to an abrupt halt, and the idyllic, sensual atmosphere was instantly ruined.

Zhou Zhili’s brow furrowed in anger, but when he saw just who it was who’d barged in, his fingers trembled, spilling his wine. He instinctively sat up and exclaimed, “Su… Young Lord Su?”

The young woman beside him frowned, looking pained. It seemed that, when Zhou Zhili abruptly sat up, he pressed his hand against her thigh. Even so, she endured in silence; she dared not utter a sound.

Su Yi scanned the hall, then said flatly, “You sure know how to enjoy yourself.”

Zhou Zhili hurried to his feet, looking a bit sheepish. “I was just sneaking a little leisure into my busy life. I came here to relax, but I’m afraid I’ve embarrassed myself.”

“Greetings, Young Lord Su.” Cha Jin rose in greeting, but a momentary panic flashed across her face, and she was instantly on guard.

Even she never would have guessed that Su Yi would find her here.

When Madam Fangxiu saw this, her tongue felt dry, and her scalp went numb; she’d already guessed that this blue-robed youth’s origins were extraordinary.

But she never would have guessed that even this lofty noble from the Jade Capital would be so tense and nervous in front of him!

What surprised her even more was that Cha Jin seemed to recognize him too….

“All of you, leave for now. I want to have a nice chat with Miss Cha Jin,” said Su Yi flatly.

Zhou Zhili keenly picked up on the fact that something wasn’t quite right. He waved. “All of you, step outside. You are not to return without my orders.”

There were eight peerlessly beautiful attendants inside the hall. All of them lowered their heads, bowed, and left in a hurry.

Even Madam Fangxiu dared not linger. She turned and left.

“You go too.” Su Yi glanced at Zhou Zhili.

Zhou Zhili was briefly stunned, but then he smiled. “Then I shan’t disturb you and Miss Cha Jin any longer.” With that, he turned and left.

Throughout this exchange, he didn’t so much as glance at Cha Jin.

This was decidedly callous. After all, he’d been intoxicated by her beauty and entranced by her music mere moments ago. Yet the moment he sensed that something was off about the situation, he just upped and left. He didn’t even dare hesitate.

“Young Lord, are you here on a ‘punitive expedition?’” Without any outsiders present, Cha Jin felt no need to hide anything. Her expression was clear and calm, with no trace of her earlier seductive charm.

“This morning, someone ambushed me with a talisman sword. Who was it? I trust you know better than anyone,” said Su Yi with an air of cold indifference. “Make him come out, or tell me where he is, and I won’t make trouble for you. Otherwise, I guarantee you a fate worse than death.”

The expression on Cha Jin’s beautiful face shifted dramatically, and she took a deep breath. “Young Lord, since you’ve been so direct, I won’t beat around the bush either. My senior apprentice brother left today at noon. If I’m not mistaken, he’s already approaching the Imperatorial Provincial Capital.”

“He ran away?” Su Yi’s brow furrowed.

He never would have guessed that someone capable of activating a talisman sword would be such a coward.

Cha Jin was visibly conflicted. She sighed, “He couldn’t harm you even with a treasure on that level. In his shoes, I’m afraid I would have made the same choice.”

“Then why didn’t you run?” asked Su Yi.

Cha Jin’s pink lips pursed, and she said helplessly, “I’ve already organized my luggage and prepared to leave. Who would have guessed that His Sixth Highness would show up just before my departure? If I left with no regard for the consequences, all the work I’ve done thus far would go to waste.

She paused, then laughed bitterly. “Besides, who’d have thought you’d show up this quickly? You underwent a fierce battle just this morning, only to show up here tonight….”

Su Yi pondered out loud, “But from the look of you, it seems you’re not at all afraid I’ll get revenge. Why is that?”

Cha Jin took a deep breath. “It’s simple. My senior apprentice brother has already fled. If I die, he’ll surely avenge me.”

She looked up and stared Su Yi straight in the eye. She’d already regained her clear-headed composure. “I’ll admit that I’m no match for you, but what if I told you that a cultivation faction, one that transcends the mundane world, stands behind me? Would you dare kill me then?”

Then, as if everything were perfectly normal, she took a sip of tea.

Any intelligent person would, upon hearing those words, realize that harming her would result in enormous consequences. This was the source of her confidence and the reason she dared face the enormous threat that was Su Yi head-on.

Her keen senses noticed Su Yi’s brow furrowing slightly, just as she’d expected.

“The Wheel of the Moon Sect?” asked Su Yi.

“That’s right.” Cha Jin nodded. “As the top holy land in the Great Wei, its status is so lofty, only the Great Zhou’s Hidden Dragon Sword Sect is comparable.”

When she said this, a pride coursed through her heart. She was the inheritor of a sect that transcended the mundane. This, more than anything, was her biggest pillar of support.

But against all expectations, Su Yi burst into laughter. “Do you think that’s enough to threaten me?”

As he spoke, he approached Cha Jin.

The pupils of her beautiful eyes constricted. “Young Lord Su, that wasn’t intended as a threat. I just wanted you to weigh the pros and cons; it’s not worth throwing away all pretenses of cordiality over this. At the very least, I’m extremely unwilling to become your enemy.”

Su Yi said calmly, “Nevermind you, not even your Wheel of the Moon Sect is qualified to become my enemy.”

His tone was casual, yet his words were proud and disdainful.

A paltry little faction of cultivators that, despite having their roots firmly embedded in the mundane, dares proclaim themselves above it all? Are they worthy of becoming Su Xuanjun’s enemies?

The very idea is ludicrous!

As she watched Su Yi draw near, Cha Jin’s pretty face was instantly solemn. Her heart sank, but she was stunned, too. Is there really nothing that scares this guy?

Two knives silently appeared, one in each hand, each shaped like crescent moons and glinting with terrifying light.

Su Yi’s eyes flashed with disdain. “A mantis trying to block a chariot.”

Clang!

The humming of his sword reverberated throughout the room as Su Yi drew Guiding Mysteries and stabbed the air.

Cha Jin dodged without hesitation.

During her last visit to Humble Tranquility Cottage, she witnessed Su Yi’s terrifying power firsthand. He’d almost suppressed her, and she was naturally aware that in a head-on clash, she was simply no match for him.

But what really shook Cha Jin was that, although Su Yi’s attack looked simple, it was like an inescapable net, blocking off every possible escape route. There was nowhere to run!

Helpless, all she could do was wave her knives and attempt to block.

Wham!

The sound of metal colliding into metal rang out. Cha Jin’s arms went numb, and both knives flew from her hands.

Before she could react, the sharp tip of a sword struck like lightning, stopping abruptly just an inch from her throat.

Cha Jin was so startled, her breathing stopped, her eyes widened, and her mind went blank.

How could a single attack be this terrifying?

What level of skill is this? What level of cultivation?

Her petite frame quivered. She couldn’t even speak. Her pride, confidence, everything she relied upon seemed to pop and disappear like soap bubbles, replaced with abject terror.

In the face of this level of power, plotting, caution, and threats were all nothing but jokes.

It didn’t matter how thoroughly you planned and plotted. Life and death came down a single swing of a sword!

“During our first meeting after entering the prefectural capital, I told you not to provoke me, yet you refused to listen. Should I call you stupid? Or just ignorant?” Su Yi’s gaze was calm and expressionless, as if Cha Jin were nothing but an ant.