The Demon-slaying Bureau would naturally see to its own revenge.
And within the pass, the Yu Family held the line.
The Mountain Gods watched over the Border Region, with Immortal Qiheng himself presiding over the area, Mountain God Mirror in hand.
What demon evil was there to fear?
If the sky fell, there were taller people to hold it up.
The one thing that kept everyone talking, however, was still Yu Duchuan.
After making such a colossal mistake, he had somehow managed to keep his position as City Lord!
Not only that, but Immortal Qiheng hadn’t even taken back the Mountain God’s Token.
It was a clear sign of his unwavering support!
"It just goes to show, you need a powerful backer."
As they sighed with endless emotion, they would occasionally cast speculative glances toward Shihu City.
Not long ago, everyone thought Yu Duchuan was finished.
But in the end, his position remained secure. He had just become much more low-key than before.
Everyone had thought Yu Sheng was about to take his place. But as time went on, it became clear she had no power to challenge Yu Duchuan’s position and was still stuck in little Shihu City.
They were both adult Immortal Descendants, so what was the real difference between them?
In terms of power, there was still a considerable gap, of course. But they were both at the Core Formation realm; to catch up, all one needed was resources.
And in terms of competence... Yu Duchuan had just royally screwed up a major affair.
Meanwhile, Yu Sheng’s Shihu City was the most stable of the hundred-odd Earth Cities. Not a single problem had occurred since she took over.
The contrast was stark.
After much thought, people concluded there was only one reason for this outcome:
Her parents’ line had died out. She was an orphan with no power in the family, which was why she couldn’t compete with her brother.
Once people pieced this all together, the woman’s previous arrogance suddenly seemed ridiculous.
She thought she could replace Yu Duchuan, but she didn’t realize the Yu Family Elders were just using her to light a fire under her brother.
Now that Mountain God Duchuan had learned his lesson, his temperament had matured. Once he recovered from this setback, a counterattack to settle scores was sure to follow.
"Looks like someone’s in for a rough time."
These discussions turned into whispers and rumors.
They even drifted into the Shihu Inn, a constant, grating hum.
Meanwhile, inside a cave estate nestled in the mountains,
two figures sat across a table, chatting leisurely.
"Tomorrow is when the array is at its weakest. Heng always used to help me watch it. Now that he’s suddenly gone, I’m still not quite used to it."
Yu Qiheng took a sip of sake, a nostalgic look on his face. "He was the most obedient child I’ve ever known. He was barely ten when I was still training at Yongzhou Pass, but he was always by my side. He stayed with me for over two hundred years."
He sighed. "From Qi Cultivation all the way to Golden Core, Heng always observed the proper decorum of a disciple. He never once defied me. Not like the disciples these juniors take on nowadays. Not a single one of them is pleasing to the eye."
Yu Xin arched an eyebrow, a teasing smile playing on her still-beautiful face. "Was he tasty?"
Yu Qiheng froze for a second at her words, then let out a low chuckle.
He exhaled slowly, a look of satisfaction on his face. "A child I raised myself... of course he was exquisite. The memory alone is still unforgettable."
"Tch."
"Don’t you have another disciple at the Golden Core Realm? If you miss the taste so much, just eat him, too." Yu Xin couldn’t stand it when the old man put on his sentimental act. Besides, they’d been married for ages; there was no need for formalities.
"Nonsense. A pill is a pill, and a sword is a sword. How can you lump them together?"
Yu Qiheng knew she was only teasing and replied with a sigh, "Yiru is a Mountain Master. My status in the family depends on him. Besides, if we actually fought, I, his own Master, might not even be a match for him."
"Speaking of Mountain Master Disciples, how’s that one of yours doing?" he asked, suddenly remembering Miss Yun.
"Tsk, tsk." A pleased expression appeared on Yu Xin’s face, and she didn’t hold back her praise. "An Innate Sword Heart. Her talent is terrifying—head and shoulders above even Yutang. The Yu Family Elders say that if we pour all our resources into training her, she’ll be able to catch up to your Qian Yiru in less than fifty years."
"I’ve already secured more resources for her, but a few of those bitches in the family are still trying to snatch her away. You’d better help me put them in their place!"
"That goes without saying." A hint of envy flickered in Yu Qiheng’s eyes. He was clearly tempted.
But seeing how excited Yu Xin was, he knew it wasn’t a good time to ask for the girl, so he suppressed the thought.
He shook his head. "Keep a better eye on her. Don’t let her escape like the last one."
"..."
At his words, Yu Xin’s expression turned frigid, as if she’d recalled an unpleasant memory.
A Mountain Master fleeing their master was an extremely rare occurrence in all of Yongzhou.
If word got out, people would think she was too poor to even support her own disciple.
"She had a brilliant immortal path ahead of her, but she threw it all away just because she saw me consume a few Human Pills. A stupid wench like that is better off gone!"
"But you’ve reminded me. That’s actually the very reason I came this time."
Miss Yun was *her* Mountain Master Disciple, yet her heart was set on someone else—a major taboo.
Unfortunately, the girl’s talent was simply too great, so Yu Xin had been more tolerant. "I originally wanted nothing to do with those half-dead, unlucky bastards from the Qi Family. But to make Yun settle down, I can’t afford to be picky anymore."
"Suit yourself."
Yu Qiheng looked up, his tone serious. "I won’t interfere with your disciple’s business, but Yu Sheng must join my branch of the family. There can be no mistakes. I’ve already set the stage. By now, she should understand the importance of having a powerful backer."
"Go quickly and take her under your wing."
"After you’re done, help me watch the array for a bit. Go back after these next few days have passed."
"Fine."
Seeing how serious her husband was, Yu Xin gave a slight nod. "But the younger generation is always concerned with saving face, and orphans like her are especially stubborn. I think... I’d better wait until nightfall, when no one’s around."
With that, she flicked a finger to set up an array, then took a sip from her wine cup and shot him a flirtatious glance.
Then, she slowly reached out and pulled the old man toward her.

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