Ning Sihua looked up, then saw three distant figures approaching from afar. 

The leader held a jade ruler. He wore a high-topped hat characteristic of the intellectual class, and his hair and beard drifted in the wind. He was an elder with a benevolent gaze and the air of a Daoist. 

To his left was a man with twin swords, broad shoulders, and a narrow waist. His eyes were sharp as a hawk’s, and when they opened, they seemed to crackle with electricity.

To his right was a man holding a long spear. He wore dark robes, and his skin was fair and clear. He looked a bit over thirty, and his aura was austere and iron-willed.

When she saw this group, Ning Sihua was instantly a bit stunned. 

She recognized the leader at a glance. The elderly man with the jade ruler and high-topped hat was the palace master of Luyang Academy, Wang Chundu. 

He was a true Anāsrava Realm Xiantian Martial Ancestor!

“Who are the other two?” Ning Sihua whispered under her breath.

“The one with the two swords on his back is the vice palace master of Luyang Academy, Xuan Youlong.” Shen Jiusong hurriedly explained, “The one with the long spear is the Huaiyang Marquis, Le Zheng.”

Ning Sihua was briefly stunned. “The Huaiyang Marquis? Isn’t he one of the five non-Zhou marquis that emerged from the Su Family?”

“He is indeed. They say that in his youth, Le Zheng worked alongside Su Hongli, taking care of various tasks, and that he became a Grandmaster fifteen years ago. Eight years ago, as a fourth-level Grandmaster, he received his title,” said Shen Jiusong. 

“He has a calm, grim disposition, and he’s an unfeeling killer. Over the years, he’s achieved quite a bit of merit on the battlefield, and he’s quite strong, too.” 

Almost as soon as Shen Jiusong said this, the elder with the air of a Daoist, Wang Chundu, called out to them from afar. “Palace Master Ning, long time no see!”

Before he even finished speaking, he and his two companions arrived. 

Their gaze swept across the vast pile of Ghostblood Sparrow Hawk corpses, and they couldn’t help but reveal somewhat strange expressions. 

Ning Sihua said flatly, “I didn’t expect to run into you here, old-timer.”

Despite being called “old-timer”, Wang Chundu didn’t seem to mind. He laughed, “I didn’t expect to encounter the elusive and mysterious Palace Master Ning here in Bloodthistle Yao Mountain either. Don’t tell me…. you’re here for the fortune lurking in the mountain’s depths too?

“You could say that.” Ning Sihua made no effort to hide it. 

Wang Chundu smiled, then introduced his companions. “Palace Master Ning, this is my Luyang Academy’s vice palace master, Xuan Youlong, while this is the Huaiyang marquis, Le Zheng.”

The twin-sword-wielding Xuan Youlong clasped his fist in greeting. “Greetings, Palace Master Ning!

Although Ning Sihua looked as young as a girl in her early teens, Xuan Youlong dared not treat her with disrespect. 

This was a legendary, mysterious figure, someone even State Preceptor Hong Shenshang said was “like a yao” and that you “couldn’t appraise her recklessly.” 

Besides, Ning Sihua’s status was enough to sit alongside Wang Chundu as an equal; Xuan Youlong had no choice but to respect her.

Ning Sihua nodded but said nothing. 

It was then that the Huaiyang Marquis, Le Zheng, clasped his fist as well. His words were concise and to the point.” Le Zheng greets you, Palace Master Ning.”

She merely nodded in acknowledgment once more.

She’d never liked exchanging greetings and small talk with strangers. 

But against all expectations, Le Zheng thought for a moment, then said, “Palace Master Ning, I heard my lord say that you cultivated a profound and inscrutable secret art and that you could age in reverse and maintain eternal youth. Seeing you now, it seems that was no mere rumor.”

“Your lord? You mean Su Hongli?” Ning Sihua’s painted eyebrows shot up. 

When he spoke of Su Hongli, Le Zheng’s expression filled with reverence, and he said solemnly, “That’s right.” 

“Su Hongli actually told you about me?” Despite herself, Ning Sihua was surprised. 

“My lord once said that, throughout the Great Zhou, those worthy of being called true cultivators are rare enough to count on one’s fingers, but that you were one of the few,” said Le Zheng in a low voice. 

“Oh,” said Ning Sihua. “Su Hongli and I have never met. I’m actually rather surprised he would say that about me.” 

It was then that Shen Jiusong stepped up and greeted Wang Chundu and his companions, one by one. 

Although they had no bond to speak of, they were all prominent figures within the Great Zhou, and their statuses were at least roughly comparable.

Except that Le Zheng suddenly seemed to recall something. He looked at Shen Jiusong and said, “Brother Shen, three days ago, I received word from the Jade Mountain Marquis, Pei Wenshan. He said he saw you in the Imperatorial Provincial Capital, and that you were with Su Yi at the time?”

Shen Jiusong’s eyes narrowed. He recalled his meeting with Su Yi at the house of Waveswept Rocks several days ago, and their encounter with Pei Wenshan. 

He subconsciously looked up at the nearby peak.

This action briefly stunned Wang Chundu, Xuan Youlong, and Le Zheng. All of them followed his gaze, only to see a handsome young man sitting cross-legged, utterly still, indifferent and detached. 

“Palace Master Ning, might I ask who that is?” asked Wang Chundu. 

Before Ning Sihua could respond, Le Zheng said coldly, “That’s Su Yi! The least worthy and least filial of my lord’s children!”

His tone was utterly cold and contemptuous.

Wang Chundu was briefly stunned. He hadn’t expected someone like the mysterious Ning Sihua to travel with the Su Family’s least favored descendant. 

“Le Zheng, mind your tongue!” A hint of anger arose on Shen Jiusong’s face. “Besides, whatever else you might say, Young Lord Su is still your lord’s son. Is it your place to slander him?”

Wang Chundu felt somewhat bewildered. 

Le Zheng, the Huaiyang Marquis, a man who’d emerged from the Su Family, had rebuked and insulted Su Hongli’s unfilial descendant without the slightest politeness. 

In stark contrast, Shen Jiusong, who had no connection to the Su Family whatsoever, didn’t hesitate to speak up in defense of Su Yi’s dignity. 

This was strange. 

“It’s true that he’s my lord’s son, but in the Jade Capital’s Su Family, everyone knows how rebellious and disgraceful our third young master is!” Le Zheng’s gaze frosted over. “Cloudlight Marquis, this is Su Family business. You don’t know the reasons behind this, so I won’t pursue what you said earlier, but you’d best not get involved. Otherwise, even though you’re the lofty marquis of an entire region, I’m afraid you’ll bring calamity upon yourself!”

His words were powerful and resonant, and a stern, austere aura surged around him. 

The atmosphere was instantly tense. 

“Su Family business?” Shen Jiusong laughed coldly. “Is your surname Su? You’re nothing but one of Su Hongli’s retainers. Let me make myself perfectly clear: if you dare treat Young Lord Su with disrespect in front of me again, don’t blame me for my poor manners!”

Le Zheng’s eyes flashed with sharp light, and his cold gaze bore into Shen Jiusong. 

When he sensed the tension in the air, Wang Chundu coughed dryly. “Both of you are marquis of your respective territories? Why argue over such a minor matter? How about you both take a step back?” 

Ning Sihua had been silent throughout this exchange, but now, she spoke up out of nowhere. “On this, we cannot back down.” 

Wang Chundu’s pupils constricted. “Palace Master Ning, what do you mean by that?”

Ning Sihua’s expression remained tranquil. “My meaning is simple. Fellow Daoist Su and I are traveling together. Anyone who insults him is our common enemy.”

They were just a few short sentences, yet they left Wang Chundu utterly dumbstruck.

Someone like Ning Sihua actually saw Su Yi, a mere teenager, as her fellow Daoist?

To the point that she didn’t hesitate to stick up for him and defend his honor?

All of this was completely beyond Wang Chundu’s expectations. It also made him deeply aware that Su Hongli’s so-called “unworthy descendant” wasn’t simple in the least! 

Otherwise, how could both Ning Sihua and Shen Jiusong step in to defend him?

Le Zheng’s brow tightly knit together. He looked at Ning Sihua and said, “Palace Master Ning, my lord respects you as a cultivator. Don’t tell me you’ve chosen to stand against the Su Family?”

Ning Sihua glanced at him coolly. “Are you certain you can represent the entire Su Family?”

Le Zheng fell silent, then shook his head. “I can’t, but….”

His gaze suddenly turned incomparably sharp and firm, and he said coldly, “Three days ago, my lord made his position clear. Unless Su Yi lowers his head and repents, I will not simply stand aside!”

His words were solemn and imposing.

It was then that a calm, indifferent voice emanated from the peak. “The Jade Mountain Marquis didn’t tell you the message I had him deliver Su Hongli?”

They weren’t sure when, but the cross-legged Su Yi had opened his eyes, and he was now staring down at Le Zheng.

It was obvious that he’d heard every word of their conversation.

A stern look flashed across Le Zheng’s face. “Are you referring to what you said about sweeping your mother’s grave on the fifth day of the fifth month?”

Su Yi casually flattened his robes, then rose and placed his hands behind his back. “No. I’m referring to when I said that, the day before I visited her grave, I’d stop by the Su Family and collect offerings.” 

Wang Chundu was the administrator of Luyang Academy. He was a Xiantian Martial Ancestor who wielded vast authority, yet even he couldn’t help but gasp. This boy…. He sure can talk!

But Le Zheng’s eyes flashed like lightning, and he said coldly, “The Jade Mountain Marquis said that you once participated in the battle at the Western Mountain’s Tea Party, and that although your cultivation is only in the Qi Accumulation Realm, you are capable of slaying Grandmasters. He said you weren’t to be underestimated.”

He said this, then shook his head. “But…. I don’t believe it!”

Ning Sihua and Shen Jiusong glanced at each other, their expressions a bit strange. 

As expected; the Huaiyang Marquis didn’t know the details of what transpired at the Western Mountain’s Tea Party!

Had he known that even a fifth-level Grandmaster like Qin Changshan had fallen beneath Su Yi’s sword, he wouldn’t have dared to act like this.

“You don’t believe it?” Su Yi laughed, then shifted and floated down from the mountaintop. He landed on the vast pile of Ghostblood Sparrow Hawk corpses, then leisurely strode towards the others. 

“In that case, would you like to try me?” he asked.

Wang Chundu’s brow knit. He could faintly sense that something wasn’t quite right here, and he couldn’t help but glance at Ning Sihua and Shen Jiusong. 

A moment later, his heart shook. He finally realized what was off about all this. 

Even when they saw that Su Yi and Le Zheng were staring each other down, both Ning Sihua and Shen Jiusong seemed a bit too calm. They didn’t seem the least bit worried or nervous!

When this occurred to him, Wang Chundu warned Le Zheng under his breath, “Huaiyang Marquis, don’t forget the reason we came to Bloodthistle Yao Mountain. Furthermore, with Palace Master Ning and the Cloudlight Marquis here, if we cause an incident, it’ll be hard to smooth things over.” 

Le Zheng’s brow faintly knit. His gaze swept across Ning Sihua and Shen Jiusong before landing back on Su Yi. He said icily, “Assuming the others don’t interfere, I’d indeed like to try you.”

Every word was like a knife, and Le Zheng’s eyes shone with icy killing intent. 

In his youth, he worked for Su Hongli, and he worshiped Su Hongli to the extreme. 

Now, even though he was already a famous marquis with his own territory, he still obeyed Su Hongli’s every word with unswerving loyalty.

As a result, facing Su Yi, the Su Family’s Third Young Master, the one Su Hongli saw as his unworthiest descendant, he naturally felt deep loathing.

Now that they’d bumped into each other, he didn’t mind taking the opportunity to teach Su Yi a lesson about how to conduct himself!

Wang Chundu’s hat probably looks something like the images you’ll see here? The text doesn’t really go into much detail, but the word the author used, 峨冠, is rarely used by itself. It’s more often used in the idiom 峨冠博帶, or “high cap and wide belt” which refers to the attire of official scholars. 

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ALSO I am changing Hong Shenshang's title from "imperial preceptor" to "state preceptor" for reasons I am not at liberty to disclose. Gonna just go back in and change that, as well as matriarch/dowager. Sorry for any confusion!