Fellow Daoist! That scoundrel has written a new book again.

The children scattered like birds and beasts, running home crying. True to his word, Song Kezi kicked the slowest one, and watched the child fall to the ground and wail. Song Kezi was overjoyed.

Zhu Wuyao couldn't stand seeing Song Kezi so smug.

He immediately appeared behind him and kicked him away. Song Kezi tumbled twice, sat up, looked up and saw Zhu Wuyao, and immediately laughed:

"Zhu Wuyao, you go around casting divinations for people, are you just collecting money for it? What's the point of it?"

"Do you need my help?"

Zhu Wuyao was not surprised when Song Kezi revealed the purpose of her divination.

Song Kezi was good at understanding people's hearts. He had been with her for a long time and had tested her openly and secretly many times. Sooner or later, he would figure out that she was casting a divination for money.

However, judging from this, I guessed wrong.

Song Kezi thought he was collecting copper coins, and probably thought that these "divination coins" had something special about them, such as being used to set up formations, cast spells, or for unique secret techniques or cultivation.

As usual, she didn't give any feedback, but instead asked:

"What's going on with your cultivation level?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he reached out and pulled Song Kezi over, pressing his fingers against his meridians and channeling spiritual energy into him.

Song Kezi didn't move. He smiled and said:

"The sect leader suppressed my cultivation level before because she was afraid that I would achieve great success in my divine skills and take away her throne!"

"They only unlocked it for me after the incident with the Xiaotian Sect."

Zhu Wuyao frowned slightly.

Song Kezi has no spiritual root and no way to cultivate, so it is incredible that he can reach the Foundation Establishment stage. In fact, his Foundation Establishment stage is not even comparable to that of other cultivators at the same level.

He can only show off his power in front of ordinary people; a powerful cultivator at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining might be able to defeat him.

Judging from the way spiritual energy circulates, and the fact that he has never cultivated any mental techniques, Zhu Wuyao has never seen Song Kezi use magic or weapons.

In a sense, he was really weak.

Song Kezi knew what she was thinking, and immediately lowered his eyes and said dejectedly:

"Everyone in the Star-Picking Tower can bully me. In order to protect myself, I can only put up my thorns and make others afraid of me. I've gotten used to this."

"Zhu Wuyao, you're so good to me. You buy me whatever I want to eat. It's actually quite fun to hang out with you."

"Although you always hit me, I know it's because I couldn't control my malice and did the wrong thing first. I—"

Song Kezi's voice stopped abruptly, and she gasped.

He looked down at his broken arm, the bones dislocated and slightly arched beneath his skin.

Song Kezi's gaze was dark and deep, like thick black ink. He stared at the spot where Zhu Wuyao had just pressed for a long time, then chuckled softly:

"You really are stubborn... But what if I'm telling the truth?"

Looking up at Zhu Wuyao, she was surprisingly serious, sincere, and uneasy, as if she was expecting something.

"Although I don't get along with Gu Yiguan, I trust her judgment on certain matters, especially when it comes to interests—if you can really be tamed, it's not my turn."

So, don't act.

After a moment of silence, Song Kezi said very sincerely, "You are different from Gu Yiguan."

Before Zhu Wuyao could reply, he laughed again, reverting to his previous carefree demeanor, and said, "Licheng is very interesting, let's stay a few more days!"

It's like a rare sincerity that goes unanswered, leaving one to force a smile and pretend nothing's wrong.

This actually increased the credibility of what he had just said.

Zhu Wuyao had to admit that Song Kezi was indeed very good at breaking down other people's defenses. During the time they spent together, he had almost figured out her personality.

No wonder only Gu Yiguan and Song Kezi traveled outside.

Anyone else would have been completely fooled by him, but Zhang Zhihan was an exception; he was able to see right through Song Kezi's wicked schemes.

She patted Song Kezi on the shoulder and encouraged her:

“This method works for me. If one day you suddenly risk your life to save someone and I accidentally find out, I will feel guilty for misunderstanding you and feel that I wronged you before.”

"Keep up the good work and keep going down this path."

After saying that, he turned his head to look in the direction of the narrow alley and disappeared again.

She arrived at the narrow alley and saw the cultivator looking somewhat disheveled, waiting beside the Wufeng Sword. However, he seemed to be in good spirits and had clearly made great progress.

The cultivator stepped out of the sword energy and saw that Li City was unharmed. He immediately understood what had happened, which is why he waited around the Wufeng Sword.

Upon seeing Zhu Wuyao approach, he immediately stood up and bowed, saying:

"Thank you for your guidance, senior!"

He tried to break through the sword energy and pressure by using his spiritual power. If he hadn't desperately wanted to break free and was willing to forcefully use his cultivation, Zhu Wuyao wouldn't have been able to help him much.

Sheathing the bladeless sword, Zhu Wuyao reminded him:

"Mortals killing cultivators with whom they have formed enmity to seize cultivation is merely the initial way to enter the Dao, but not a long-term plan for cultivation. You alone cannot protect Licheng."

Even if there is temporary peace, it is nothing more than a dream.

Having said that, he turned to leave, but was stopped by the cultivator behind him—

"Senior! Was the calamity in Licheng really... really the work of the Juque Sect?"

Zhu Wuyao said, "You can entrust your life and the safety of the entire city to the conscience of the Juque Sect. Of course, you can also try to shake the mountain."

She said a few more words because Licheng was a good base.

Located in the heart of the Juque Sect's territory, the city has suffered a great calamity, and the once intricate network of forces within it has become a disorganized mess, awaiting consolidation. Some have even lost faith in the sect above them.

Most importantly, there are occasional monks coming and going from this place.

Due to its geographical location, few outsiders come here; most are cultivators from the Juque Sect.

If handled properly, once the Giant Sword cultivators have gained power and incurred the enmity of mortals, he and others can secretly join forces to capture them. This might allow them to convert a large number of mortals into cultivators, thus increasing their allies.

Mingzhu must have learned of the changes that had occurred in Licheng through the note delivered by Feiduohuan.

Zhu Wuyao arrived in Licheng first and found this cultivator. This person had struggled with the sword energy for a long time and benefited greatly, and was able to recognize the Falling Leaf Sword Technique.

Mingzhu, however, was practicing the Falling Leaf Sword technique.

Her actions were not solely for the purpose of supporting Mingzhu.

Every move he made, every connection he made, was primarily aimed at uniting all the rebels. Even if Mingzhu were to die, there would be successors.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

They left Licheng.

To Song Kezi's surprise, Zhu Wuyao did not continue south, but instead headed north towards the Juque Sect.

This made Song Kezi somewhat uneasy.

"Zhu Wuyao, the Juque Sect is looking for you. If you're going to your death, let me know first, and I'll run far away."

This is not as easy as breaking into the Star-Picking Tower.

The most important reason why Zhu Wuyao was able to break out of the Star-Picking Tower was—

She swaggered in!

No one tried to stop her.

In addition, she was able to easily steal the purple energy because she carried a spirit brush. Furthermore, her special characteristics were exactly what countered the Gua cultivators. When she was escaping, the pursuers behind her were stopped by Elder Bai.