Chapter 12

When Xu Manman finally found Li Que and Ao Xiu, they were dismantling the north courtyard.

Holding her throbbing forehead, she sighed and said, “You two have your grudge, but Siyi Sect is innocent.”

A red and a blue light clashed fiercely in the air, causing ripples of energy to spread out, bending countless bamboo stalks and creating waves in the bamboo forest.

Xu Manman’s words did not stop the fighting. She glanced sideways at Li Ying, who stood indifferent and uninvolved, and sternly said, “Third brother, fourth brother, stop at once!”

Li Ying sneered.

The two figures in the air paused and landed on the ground.

Ao Xiu’s handsome face was stern and unfriendly, while Li Que strode over with a frown.

Xu Manman spoke earnestly, “Did you forget what I said yesterday? We are family and should get along peacefully.”

“Heh,” Ao Xiu sneered.

“You were talking to yourself yesterday. When did I ever agree to consider you all my siblings?”

He upheld the dignity and principles of the Sea Emperor, unwilling to serve the same daoist partner alongside others, let alone bow down to someone as disrespectful as the young master of the Di Luan.

Li Que was also dissatisfied and retorted, “You, a mere Golden Core stage cultivator with shallow skills and younger than me, why should I call you sister?”

Unperturbed, Xu Manman smiled gently, “I heard young master Li Que’s reprimand the Sea Emperor yesterday. Every word was like a pearl, truly enlightening. I heard that the males of the Feather Clan are known for their virtue, and yesterday’s display was proof of that.”

Li Que’s expression softened, and he nodded, “Feather Clan males are indeed paragons among males.”

Ao Xiu scoffed coldly.

Li Que glared at him.

Xu Manman continued, “I also heard that the Feather Clan has an ancestral teaching: ‘Male prioritize virtue, and a husband regards his wife as heaven.'”

Li Que was momentarily stunned but nodded, “Indeed, that is the teaching.”

“And I also heard that having multiple husbands is common.”

Xu Manman added.

Li Que felt a foreboding feeling and frowned at Xu Manman.

Smiling slightly, Xu Manman said, ” Young master Li Que is a paragon of male virtue, so naturally, you wouldn’t mind serving alongside others for Daozun. Besides, now that Daozun has perished and her body is missing, shouldn’t we, as her partners, unite rather than fight among ourselves, causing her spirit to be cold and inviting scorn from onlookers?”

Li Que’s face darkened, but he had no rebuttal.

“Although I am younger than both of you, human and spirit lifespans are different, so we can’t generalize. Moreover, in matters of joining the sect, seniority is based on arrival order, not cultivation level or age. Don’t you agree, sister Feather Emperor?” Xu Manman asked with a smile.

Caught off guard, Li Ying’s eyes flashed with amusement. She smirked and nodded.

“Li Que, although you were the young master of Di Luan, your status is nobel, but now that you have entered Daozun’s door, you are Daozun’s person. The Di Luan is a paragon of the Feather Clan, and shouldn’t you uphold the virtues and conduct of the Feather Clan male? If not, it would bring shame not only to Daozun but also to Di Luan. Even the Water Clan would mock behind your back.” Xu Manman sighed sorrowfully.

“Daozun has lost her dignity, and so has Di Luan. How can the Feather Clan not be scorned?”

Xu Manman cast a meaningful glance at Ao Xiu.

Li Que glared coldly at Ao Xiu, straightened his back, and said proudly, “I would never bring shame to Di Luan.”

Xu Manman smiled with satisfaction and said, “Call me sister.”

Li Que glanced at Li Ying for help, but she looked away.

Li Que was unwilling to give in, but he had no way to refute it. Xu Manman had taken all the emotional and logical advantages. He was almost convinced, but he always felt a little aggrieved and had a feeling of being cheated inexplicably…

Li Que bit his lip and reluctantly squeezed out a “sister” from between his teeth.

Xu Manman almost laughed out loud, finding the little crow particularly adorable. Di Luan was indeed an interesting deity.

The Feather Emperor was also intriguing, her expression indicating she understood Xu Manman’s teasing but chose not to intervene, perhaps having her own plans.

Xu Manman turned to look at Ao Xiu, and his alarm bells rang in his heart.

He felt uneasy, like he was being stared at by a fisherman, and subconsciously took a half-step back.

Li Que had already been conquered by Xu Manman. He endured the humiliation and called her sister.

How could he let Ao Xiu escape this disaster? Before Xu Manman could speak, Li Que grabbed Ao Xiu, who was eager to slip away, and held his wrist tightly.

“Don’t even think about escaping!”

Xu Manman watched with a smile.

Convincing Li Que was the first step. Sharing wealth wasn’t feasible with too many people, but sharing hardship was different. With Ao Xiu involved, there would be someone at the bottom of this ‘family’, making Li Que feel less lonely as the youngest.

“You spoke so passionately in Xianyun Hall and said so much about love and loyalty. Now you want to run?” Li Que pressed, holding tightly to Ao Xiu’s wrist.

Ao Xiu sneered, “I am the Sea Emperor, ruler of the four seas. How can I lower myself and make the world laugh at me?”

“You’ve been Sea Emperor for only a few days, already acting high and mighty,” Li Que scoffed, “I heard your mother was just an ordinary Water Clan member, your divine bloodline impure. Weren’t you lower than shrimp soldiers and crab generals in the Sea God Palace? Humility should be second nature to you.”

“You!” Ao Xiu’s face turned pale with anger.

Xu Manman wasn’t familiar with the details of the Water Clan. Spirits and humans had different paths, and the Endless Sea separated them. According to ancient legends, dragons had nine sons, each different. Yun Jiao inherited the dragon bloodline and, like dragons, was promiscuous, spreading their seed across the four seas, leading to mixed divine bloodlines. Spirit clans valued bloodline purity, especially the gods. If two gods mated, their offspring would have purer divine blood. If a god mated with a lower-bloodline spirit, the divine blood would dilute. Spirit clans ruled by bloodline superiority, with Di Luan valuing bloodline purity, while Yun Jiao’s promiscuity was despised by them.

Ao Xiu, with his mixed blood and humble origins, must be a deeply strategic person to rise in the Sea God Palace. Li Que already hated Yun Jiao’s style of doing things, and after hearing Ao Xiu’s nonsense in Xianyun Hall, he hated him even more. So he hit him in the face first by scolding him, and then he picked the sore spot to rub salt on.

(T/N: This sentence means that Li Que humiliated Ao Xiu first by mentioning that his position as the sea emperor is only a few days old, and then he also added salt to the wound by mentioning Ao Xiu’s low-born origin—Ao Xiu’s sore spot is his humble origin and impure bloodline.)

While Immortal Lang Yin’s harsh words were unintentional truths, Li Que’s were malicious provocations.

Xu Manman was filled with emotion, thinking that she was the more pleasant one and easy to get along with.

Seeing the two fighting again, Xu Manman pulled out a handkerchief from nowhere and began to cry.

“Wuwuwu…Daozun… your body is not yet cold and missing. They aren’t thinking of avenging you, but they started a fire in the backyard, causing unrest in the home of the Siyi sect…”

(T/N: means that they are fighting among themselves.)

Crying and singing, Xu Manman lamented, “The world is going downhill; people are gone and the tea is cold; they didn’t serve you when you were alive, and now they only want to divide the family property after you leave. Shaming both gods and demons!”

Li Que said to Ao Xiu while fighting, “It’s your fault, bringing shame on everyone!”

Ao Xiu’s face darkened, his lips pressed tight, unable to retort.

Xu Manman flipped her left hand, revealing a shimmering silver scale in her palm. Ao Xiu saw it, momentarily stunned, getting hit by Li Que and retreating several meters.

Li Ying squinted, thoughtfully eyeing the dragon scale in Xu Manman’s hand.

Ao Xiu recognized it immediately—it was his scale. The Yun Jiao’s scales were akin to dragon scales, sparkling like gems under the sun yet incredibly hard and everlasting, perfect for crafting. Especially the heart scales, which contain divine blood, even top-tier experts like Immortal Lang Yin couldn’t easily break them. Each Yun Jiao had only two such scales, one born and one regrown after shedding. The one Ao Xiu had given Xu Manman was the latter.

Xu Manman sighed and said, “While organizing Daozun’s belongings, I found this scale. It must belong to Your Majesty, the Sea Emperor. Since the Sea Emperor has decided to sever all ties with Daozun, please take back this token of affection.”

Ao Xiu looked at the scale, his expression shifting unpredictably, unable to fathom Xu Manman’s intentions.

Li Que anxiously asked, “Did you find my Primodial True Feather?”

Xu Manman calmly took a long, colorful feather from her bag and gently waved it, creating a rainbow-like shadow in the air.

“Is this the Primodial True Feather?” she asked.

Li Que instantly moved in front of Xu Manman, joyfully exclaiming, “Yes, that’s mine!”

He tried to snatch the feather from her hand, but Xu Manman held it tightly.

Li Que’s face darkened, and he frowned, “What do you mean by this?”

Xu Manman sternly replied, “Third brother, you swore before the Daoist Alliance leaders to remain loyal to Daozun. You also agreed to share our burdens together. This Primodial True Feather is your token of affection with Daozun, and there’s no reason to take it back unless you plan to betray her and take another partner.”

Li Que was momentarily stunned and instinctively let go, saying, “I have no such intentions…”

“Then I’ll keep this Primodial True Feather for Daozun,” Xu Manman said with a slight smile, putting it away while Li Que watched helplessly.

Ao Xiu felt as if he were being roasted. If he took back the dragon scale, it would mean severing ties with Daozun and returning to the Sea God Palace. If he didn’t, he would lose his face and be humiliated.

Xu Manman casually said, “While organizing Daozun’s belongings, I found some important clues that might be related to the Blood Sect. I plan to leave Siyi sect today. Third brother, would you like to accompany me?”

Li Que’s eyes flashed, and he glanced subtly at Li Ying before nodding, “Alright.”

Xu Manman asked Li Ying, “What does Your Majesty, the Feather Emperor, think?”

Li Ying lazily smiled, “I have other matters to attend to, so I won’t join you. But if you encounter any difficulties, you can inform me.”

Xu Manman’s thoughts raced, but she showed no sign of it, turning to Ao Xiu and raising the scale.

“Your Majesty, the Sea Emperor, would you like me to personally return the dragon heart scale to you?”

Xu Manman began walking toward Ao Xiu.

Ao Xiu’s expression shifted, his hands clenched and his veins bulging.

As Xu Manman approached, he finally said, “I am not one to break promises or be ungrateful. Daozun has been kind to me, and I cannot repay her with ingratitude. This dragon heart scale was my gift to her and has no reason to be taken back.”

Xu Manman smiled, “So, the Sea Emperor is willing to cooperate with us and be as close as family, like young master Li Que?”

Gritting his teeth, Ao Xiu nodded and said, “Yes.”

Xu Manman put the dragon heart scale back in her bag, smiling, “Fourth brother is indeed a grateful and loyal person. Daozun truly did not misjudge you.”

Ao Xiu forced a dry laugh, suppressing his anger, when Li Que suddenly shouted, “He hasn’t called you sister yet!”

Ao Xiu nearly broke the fan in his hand.

Under the intense and amused gazes, he hoarsely said, “Sister…”

Xu Manman was about to respond when a cheerful voice called from afar.

“Yanyue, Yanyue, where are you!”

Seeing the suddenly appearing handsome face of Qian Luo Yaozun, both Li Que and Ao Xiu’s faces darkened.

“There’s another brother now?”

“Is he also Daozun’s partner?”

Xu Manman awkwardly smiled, “Misunderstanding, misunderstanding…”

She took some effort to explain her purely close friend relationship with Qian Luo Yaozun, and only then did Li Que and Ao Xiu relax.

This family was already large enough; they didn’t need any more additions.

Li Ying’s phoenix eyes shone brightly, barely able to hide her playful smile.

“Although I seldom leave Radiant Vermillion, I have heard that Lian Yue Daozun is a woman of universal love who treats humans, spirits, and even half-spirits equally. Today I saw that it is indeed true. Lian Yue Daozun is not only universally loving but also a romantic figure throughout the ages. Flower, bird, insect, and fish are all in her bag

Xu Manman felt uncomfortable, not because she was being labeled as promiscuous, but because of the implication of “flowers, birds, insects, and fish”–Immortal Lang Yin is a flower; Li Que is a bird; Ao Xiu is a fish; and who is the insect…

She side-eyed Li Ying, thinking to herself that this Feather Emperor had a way with subtle insults. While outwardly supporting her in deceiving Li Que, she still managed to vent his frustration.

Qian Luo Yaozun, unaware of the undercurrents, had come with important news.

“Yanyue, I’ve got some clues on the matter you asked me to investigate. Yesterday, I sent word back to the Myriad Thorn Palace, instructing the disciples to search Youzhou, and they found that many graves were empty, with the bodies missing!”

Upon hearing about the missing bodies, everyone immediately linked it to the theft of Daozun’s corpse.

Li Que asked, “Is this related to the theft of Daozun’s body?”

Ao Xiu, deep in thought, said softly, “It’s puppetry.”

Xu Manman glanced at him and said, “It’s highly likely. The Blood Sect conducts experiments on living people, and those who don’t survive are turned into puppets.”

Li Que suspiciously asked, “How did you know graves were being robbed in Youzhou?”

Xu Manman replied, “I often communicated with Daozun. She mentioned to me that the puppets she fought had certain characteristics: dark skin, short but strong, and exceptionally robust upper limbs.”

Qian Luo Yaozun added, “That’s a feature of those who practice the Six-Armed Mystic Art. This art is an earth-tier technique originating from the Tongshan Tribe in Youzhou. The Tongshan Tribe lives in the humid and poisonous forests of the Youfu Mountains, building treehouses and moving agilely among the trees, resulting in strong limbs. A genius cultivator once created the Six-Armed Mystic Art and even reached the Dharma aspect, but no one else has achieved that level since.”

Xu Manman, having traveled extensively across the Seven Nations and Fourteen regions, might not claim to know every detail, but she understood the continent’s cultures better than most.

The puppets she encountered were from the Burning Heaven division. To ensure their mission’s success, the division sent hundreds of puppet assassins to weaken her before the final attack by a Dharma aspect master.

Xu Manman remembered the puppets’ characteristics well, which the Blood Sect likely didn’t anticipate, thus exposing their traces.

Xu Manman deliberately befriended Qian Luo Yaozun for his assistance. Youzhou was under the Myriad Thorn Palace’s jurisdiction, and even as Lian Yue Daozun, she couldn’t conduct a large-scale search there without raising suspicions of collusion between the Myriad Thorn Palace and the Blood Sect. As a mere Golden Core cultivator, she lacked the power to turn Youzhou upside down. The best strategy was to gain Qian Luo Yaozun’s help. The Myriad Thorn Palace had numerous plant and tree spirits who could search the land effortlessly, unlike humans, who would have to dig inch by inch.

Qian Luo Yaozun’s assistance made it possible to search the land thoroughly and discreetly, using the plant spirits’ natural abilities to move and observe underground.

When it comes to specialized tasks, leave them to the experts. It’s about achieving big results with minimal effort. Leading a team poorly only exhausts oneself. Having served as the sect leader and Daozun for so many years, Xu Manman had learned a thing or two.

Li Que asked, “If Daozun’s body falls into the hands of the Blood Sect, could they turn it into a puppet?”

“That’s a possibility,” Xu Manman replied. However, she was certain that her body was in the hands of Immortal Lang Yin.

“Currently, among the seven sects of the Daoist Alliance, only Siyi Sect wants to retrieve Daozun’s body. The other six sect leaders believe that rescuing Fu Yue Shenzun is the top priority,” Ao Xiu said.

Qian Luo Yaozun frowned, “I don’t think that way.”

Ao Xiu was startled, remembering that the person across from him was the head of Myriad Thorn Palace. He was about to apologize when Qian Luo Yaozun continued, “My priority is finding a compatible partner.”

Ao Xiu was bewildered, “???”

Xu Manman cleared her throat and reassured him, “Don’t worry, I’ll handle it.”

Ao Xiu scrutinized the two, his eyes dark with suspicion: What exactly is a compatible partner?

Qian Luo Yaozun laughed heartily, “That’s good! I have other matters to attend to, so I won’t be returning to Myriad Thorn Palace. I’ll give you a Zijing token. If you encounter any difficulties, you can seek help from Myriad Thorn Palace.”

A dark purple token materialized in Xu Manman’s palm.

She grinned and said, “Thank you, Brother Qian Luo!”

Ao Xiu watched coldly from the side, reluctantly admitting that Xu Yanyue had some skills. In just a few days on the mountain, she had managed to charm some of the most powerful people around, forging bonds of kinship, or rather, siblinghood…