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Chapter 35 The storm is coming
"It's been a long time, Immortal Master."

Shen Fang started waving and greeting people from a distance.

When he arrived at the village entrance on horseback, Liu Shuyue coldly said, "I remember drawing a line for you, didn't I? If you dare to cross that line, I will show no mercy."

“Wait a minute… times have changed. Immortal Master, you must have heard that when two armies are at war, envoys should not be killed!” Shen Fang hurriedly explained, completely abandoning his former demeanor as a prefect.

"You? An envoy?" Liu Shuyue asked in surprise.

“Indeed, His Majesty attaches great importance to your matter and has specially written a letter instructing me to deliver it to you.” After saying this, he dismounted and took out a roll of paper from his satchel.

She didn't answer. "So you've come to persuade me to surrender?"

"I am only here to convey His Majesty's message, and I have no other intentions."

Liu Shuyue turned to look at Chen Xuan.

Chen Xuan thought for a moment and nodded slightly to her.

She then stepped forward and took the scroll, saying, "Leave the guards outside; you come with us alone."

There weren't many decent buildings in Mala Village; most villagers lived in caves beneath stone pillars, let alone a proper meeting hall or reception room. Even so, Shen Fang was still stunned by the vibrant life here, his eyes never leaving the village.

"What do you think of this village?" Chen Xuan asked jokingly.

"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed it." Shen Fang seemed to have been waiting for this topic as well, and immediately began to speak eloquently. "Everyone says that the Great Wilderness of the Ten Thousand Mountains is a dangerous place where one is certain to die, where monsters roam and corpses are everywhere. I never expected that there would be such pleasant scenery... and abundant resources." He pointed to a drying rack full of dried fish by the lake and sighed, "From not being able to fill one's stomach to having a full granary of meat, what a miracle! I thought that the refugees who fled would have a very hard time, and that perhaps only one in ten would survive. It seems that I underestimated the abilities of the Immortal Master."

After speaking, he looked at Chen Xuan and asked, "May I ask how you are addressed, brother? Are you also a cultivator from the Lotus Cloud Sect?"

"His surname is Chen, his given name is Xuan, and as for his background..."

“He is my fellow practitioner,” Liu Shuyue interjected at this moment, “Although he does not belong to the Lotus Cloud Sect, we share the same goal on the path of cultivation.”

"But as far as I know, apart from its own members, the Lotus Cloud Sect holds a prejudiced attitude towards other cultivators..."

"That only applies to cultivators on this land, while Chen Xuan comes from beyond the Abyss Sea."

Shen Fang looked enlightened. "I see. When I met this young man that day, I knew he was someone important. If there's a chance in the future, I hope to hear Brother Chen tell me about his stories overseas."

Chen Xuan smiled but did not answer, only nodding slightly.

Liu Shuyue was clearly making things up; he just needed to play along.

The reception area was chosen on a lakeside open space near Wanshan Mountain, with nothing but a long table and a few chairs.

"The village is currently under construction, and there is really no better place to entertain you. Please forgive me if I have been impolite." Liu Shuyue said apologetically, but there was no trace of apology on her face.

"No, no, I think this place is just fine." The governor waved his hands repeatedly. "The light is bright, the breeze is gentle, the sky and earth are our rooms, and the mountains and rivers are our mirrors. It's just right."

Liu Shuyue stared at him for a moment before sighing, "I thought you were a stubborn and arrogant person, but I didn't expect you to be quite flexible and adaptable."

Faced with this sarcastic remark, Shen Fang merely gave a wry smile and remained silent.

She didn't bother with any more formalities and directly opened the "secret letter" in her hand.

After scanning just a few lines, Liu Shuyue's delicate brows furrowed. After reading it, she slammed the scroll on the table in anger, exclaiming, "Outrageous!"

"What's written on it?" Chen Xuan asked curiously.

"See for yourself." She simply reached out and pushed it.

Logically, this thing should only be shown to Liu Shuyue, but Shen Fang tacitly looked away, pretending not to have seen the immortal master's actions.

The letter was straightforward. The first half was an accusation and condemnation of Liu Shuyue—the King Qi's anger at her betrayal was palpable between the lines. He had treated her with sincerity for five years, only to be met with her stubbornness. However, even so, he was willing to give Liu Shuyue a chance to redeem herself. If she returned to the capital within two months of receiving this letter, confessed her crimes, and pledged allegiance, he would spare her the crime of exterminating her entire family.

Chen Xuan was not surprised at all. Moreover, the letter had not yet mentioned the slaying of the dragon. When King Qi learned that the dragon, a symbol of royal power, had been killed, skinned, and its precious blood used to nourish the disaster victims, he would probably be furious. However, the latter half of the letter was a bit outrageous.

That was a blatant threat—if Liu Shuyue did not return by the appointed time, the King of Qi would exterminate her entire clan, and even the residents of her birthplace would be executed. And that wasn't all; he would also summon the army and unaffiliated cultivators to raze the refugees' hideouts and grind all who dared to resist to dust!
It's no wonder that such arrogant remarks, which disregard the lives of the people under his rule, enraged Liu Shuyue.

"Where are your family members now?" Chen Xuan asked after reading the document.

"I am a disciple of the Lotus Cloud Sect, I have no family!" she said indignantly. "I have been in the sect's meditation room since I can remember. Not only me, but all the other disciples are the same. I have never heard them talk about their families or worldly lives. Prince Qi is simply threatening me with something that doesn't exist!"

"Huh, was the Immortal Master born in a sect?" Shen Fang asked in surprise. "I thought the Lotus Cloud Sect would secretly search for talented children, adopt them, and then train them into cultivators..."

"This is nothing but a common misconception," Liu Shuyue immediately refuted. "A sect only opens its gates once every hundred years. Where would they get the manpower to collect children from the common people? It's just that some rogue cultivators and evil practitioners use the name of the Lotus Cloud Sect to swindle and deceive, which is why people are mistaken about this!"

A completely secluded sect? They have no desires or wants from the outside world, so why do they interfere in worldly affairs… Chen Xuan asked with some concern, “Then who are the Liu family members mentioned in the letter?”

“I know that. The Liu family of Yunzhou is a powerful clan,” Shen Fang replied immediately. “However… Immortal Master, are you sure you have absolutely no connection with the Liu family?”

"Don't I know my own background?!" Liu Shuyue retorted.

“I don’t doubt you, it’s just…” The prefect hesitated for a moment, “They not only claim to be related to the Imperial Auxiliary Master by blood, but also to have close ties with the Lotus Cloud Sect. Furthermore, they described your background in great detail, such as that you have a younger sister in your clan named Liu Qing—”

"Absurd!" she couldn't help but interrupt. "The Liu family has gone completely mad!"

"They probably wanted to ride the coattails of the immortal disciples' popularity, which is why they made up such a detailed story." Chen Xuan sighed, "Now look what's happened. They've ruined their whole family trying to gain attention."

Liu Shuyue suddenly fell silent.

After a long pause, she spoke again, "I think the governor has already guessed what was written in the letter."

"Probably," Shen Fang said modestly. "This matter has shaken the court, and I could feel the Emperor's murderous aura even in Qingzhou. The fact that he has written to you first instead of immediately sending troops to suppress it shows that he has already exercised considerable restraint."

“Restraint?” Liu Shuyue sneered. “He’s willing to use the lives of ordinary people as bargaining chips at the drop of a hat… He’s not fit to rule this country!”

Shen Fang coughed awkwardly.

"I won't reply; just relay the message for me," she said, enunciating each word clearly. "I will never submit to such a tyrant!"

"Well... I understand what you mean. I will convey it appropriately when the time comes," Shen Fang nodded.

The two escorted the prefect to the village entrance, and as he took his leave, he asked, "Immortal Master, are you still gathering disaster victims to take refuge here?"

"That's right," Liu Shuyue admitted. "What's wrong?"

"Perhaps I can be of some help to the Immortal Master."

"What do you mean?"

"As you can see, Zhangwei is the gateway to the north of Qingzhou, and refugees will inevitably gather there. I can send someone to safely deliver them here, which will save you a lot of trouble."

These words startled Liu Shuyue slightly. "Why? Didn't you say you didn't care about their lives?"

Shen Fang said without changing his expression, "I am the local official of Zhangwei. Whether to protect the people inside the city or those outside the city is not a choice for me. It's just a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils. But if there is an opportunity to save the lives of the disaster victims, why should I become a sinner who is despised by the people of Qingzhou?"

After a moment of eye contact, Liu Shuyue cupped her hands in greeting to him, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Lord Prefect."

She switched back to using honorifics.

Shen Fang also sincerely raised his hand in return, "I hope that when we meet again, this place can become a true haven from the world."

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(End of this chapter)