In front of everyone, Jian Dan raised her delicate hand and reached directly into the torn rift in space, pulling out a scroll.
Tang Shouye's heart dropped. That scroll was none other than the "Desert Sands Map," one of the Tang clan's most prized tools for trapping and ambushing opponents.
As Jian Dan withdrew it from the void, the spatial crack rapidly sealed. Yet even through the closing tear, they could all hear a furious male voice echoing out:
"Who? Who dares steal a Tang clan treasure—"
The voice was cut off as the rift fully closed. Jian Dan weighed the scroll in her palm while Little Silver Armor returned unseen to the hem of her robes, unnoticed by anyone.
"Mo Yue, don't you think you've gone too far? Stealing our Tang clan's immortal artifact right in front of the Palace Master?"
Tang Shouye jumped forward, eager to strike while the iron was hot. With the scroll now exposed, he was hoping to pin this act on her once and for all.
"Oh? You say it's from the Tang clan? Are you sure?"
Jian Dan raised a brow. She had changed her usual approach that day, not immediately destroying the scroll with the Mó Yuè Zhǎn, precisely because she'd sensed a familiar spiritual fluctuation from it. That's why she had sent Little Silver Armor to lie in wait, confirming her suspicion.
Sure enough, at the base of the scroll's core, she had found the sigil of the Jian clan—the "Wheel of Fate." That was why she had taken it back without any attempt to hide it.
Her calm question made Tang Shouye falter. Then he quickly spoke again.
"Don't try to twist things. This belongs to the Tang clan—"
"That's a pity. There's no Tang clan name carved on this, but there is the crest of the hidden family, the Jian clan. And from what I know, no one in the Tang clan has ever been able to claim ownership of this immortal artifact, have they?"
She turned the scroll's base toward Mo Lie and Mo Zhang, and also let Tang Shouye clearly see the dust-covered, thumb-sized mark.
His expression wavered. After a short pause, he tried to change the narrative.
"This was gifted to us by our ancestors from the Jian clan—"
"Gifted? Without even teaching your clan how to recognize it as their own? Sounds to me like they weren't very sincere about giving it to you."
Jian Dan casually placed the scroll on the obsidian table beside her.
The atmosphere in the hall turned subtly tense. Just then, a guard stationed at the entrance stepped forward to report.
"Reporting to the Palace Master, the chief steward of Mo Ying Peak has come urgently to seek an audience with Mo Yue Zhūnzhǔ."
"They've come all the way here? Must be serious. Let him in."
"Yes, understood."
"Ying Luo greets the Palace Master, Mo Zhang Zhūnzhǔ, and Mo Yue Zhūnzhǔ."
He deliberately skipped over Tang Shouye, nearly making the man grind his teeth. But he couldn't afford to argue with a lower-ranked cultivator in public.
"What is it? Couldn't this have waited until I returned to the peak?"
"Zhūnzhǔ, pardon the interruption. A party of ten has arrived claiming to be from the hidden Jian clan. They insist on seeing you, and say they won't leave without doing so."
"What a coincidence."
Jian Dan smiled faintly and glanced at Tang Shouye, whose expression had become rather complicated.
"Respected Tang Zhūnzhǔ, they've already arrived at Mo Ying Peak. I will receive them properly. As for this scroll—how would you prefer I explain its origin?"
"Hmph. You're the one stirring up trouble. Return the scroll, and we can pretend this never happened."
"But I don't want to. It's fine when your Tang clan sets traps for me, but I'm not allowed to expose your dirty laundry?"
She stood up from her seat and stepped closer to Tang Shouye, one deliberate stride at a time.
"You should be grateful I spent time at the Heavenly Sword Sect to calm my temper. Otherwise, I wouldn't let you walk away today. Wipe that contempt off your face before it makes your already unpleasant features even uglier."
Tang Shouye's face turned a deep shade of green. His looks had always been his sore spot. During his Nascent Soul breakthrough, he had planned to reshape his appearance, but the tribulation was too intense. All his energy had gone into repairing his injuries, leaving him stuck with his current face.
This Mo Yue woman always struck where it hurt most. Yet no one in the hall spoke a word to defend him.
"Enough theatrics. You're not the one making decisions anyway. Go consult your ancestors and get their answer."
Jian Dan offered a light bow to Mo Lie before leaving the main hall with Ying Luo by her side.
"Palace Master, I came here in good faith, and you saw her attitude..."
Tang Shouye was furious and immediately began complaining.
Mo Lie didn't even glance at him. Just because they shared the same cultivation level, Tang Shouye thought he could speak as an equal?
Anyone with eyes could see what had happened. Tang Shouye had underestimated Mo Yue, tried to suppress her, failed, and ended up losing an immortal artifact in the process.
"Shouye, go report this to your ancestor at once. I'll stall things on my side as best I can."
Though Tang Shouye still wanted to vent, Mo Lie tone silenced him. He cupped his hands and quickly left the hall.
"Palace Master, Mo Yue's surname is Jian as well..."
"Which is why the Jian clan has come to verify it."
"But I thought the Jian clan only practiced the Dao, not demonic methods?"
"Which is why they are uncertain."
"And the Tang clan's situation?"
"Hmph. Fools without foresight. Leak the news that Mo Yàn Zhēnzūn gifted a defensive immortal artifact to Mo Yue recently. Let the Tang clan chew on that."
"Understood."
Mo Ying Peak
Jian Shangxi and his nine companions were already waiting in the reception hall. The attendants inside were courteous, serving fine tea and rare spiritual fruits in an endless stream.
Ying Fěi stepped forward and saluted.
"Jian Zhēnshèng, I'm afraid the timing today is a little unfortunate. The Peak Lord has been summoned by the Palace Master. Steward Ying Luo has already gone to inform her. Please enjoy some tea and spirit fruits while you wait."
"You are too kind."
Jian Shangxi nodded in return.
"Big Brother, how long are we going to wait?"
A young woman in purple robes asked beside him. Though she was at early Divine Transformation stage, she still had a baby-faced, youthful charm that made her look quite delicate.
"What did you promise me when we left home?"
"To follow your lead and obey your every word."
"Then sit. Drink your tea. Rein in that temper."
"Fine..."
The purple-robed girl sat down reluctantly and waited for this Mo Yue Peak Lord to arrive.
Outside the hall, Jian Dan had overheard their conversation. She stepped directly inside, appearing in the main seat of the hall in a single stride.
"Thank you for waiting."
Her sudden appearance startled the group, all of whom immediately turned toward her.
Jian Shangxi's heart skipped a beat. Her cultivation was even higher than he'd expected.
The purple-robed girl gasped, her mouth forming a perfect circle, while the group stood and saluted in unison.
"Greetings, Mo Yue Zhūnzhǔ."
"Please, be seated."
Once everyone was seated, Jian Dan got straight to the point.
"To what do I owe the honor of this visit?"
"Mo Yue Zhūnzhǔ, I come on behalf of the Jian clan to thank you for saving my younger cousin. You spared her from a terrible fate."
Jian Dan tilted her head, smiling faintly.
"Now that you mention it, I do recall something like that. It was over twenty years ago."
"Please forgive the delay. The incident happened unexpectedly. My cousin was punished with isolation as soon as she returned. By the time I prepared a proper gift and came to visit, I learned you had gone on a journey, so it took this long."
Jian Shangxi explained quickly.
"If you hadn't defeated the Ma clan's Peak Lord recently, we wouldn't have even known you had returned!"
The purple-robed girl chimed in.
Jian Dan remained smiling.
"I merely stood out for a moment. As for rescuing your cousin, it was nothing more than a casual favor. No need to thank me formally."
"We insist."
At Jian Shangxi's gesture, six attendants stepped forward, each carrying a box. They lined up neatly before Jian Dan and opened the boxes all at once.
The scent of top-grade spiritual herbs and treasures filled the hall.
Jian Dan waved a hand to lift the restrictions and examined the contents—each item more precious than the last. Unfortunately, as a demon cultivator, most of them were useless to her.
Ying Luo narrowed his eyes slightly and stepped forward.
"What is the meaning of this?"