<strong>Chapter 183 Spying</strong>
It was night again.
By midnight, Princess Qianyang had already dressed up. She was sitting at Moon Admiring Pavilion waiting for Yun Shimo.
As expected, the wind was light with only a few clouds in the sky. The moon was bright and the starlight sparse. Yun Shimo arrived once more in the breeze, his inky robes fluttering, his star-like eyes resembling the sea. He drifted over in the moonlight, his manners exceptionally suave and handsome.
Princess Qianyang’s heart was thumping wildly. Her face reddened and she stood up to wee him. She dashed into Yun Shimo’s arms. “Your Highness, Qianyang misses you so much!”
Men and women should not be physically intimate. But Yun Shimo did not push Princess Qianyang away. He simply stretched out his hand and patted coldly on her shoulder. No one saw the strange light shing across his eyes.
The two of them embraced and entered the pavilion. In the dark, a pair of eyes was spying through the leaves and flowers, riveted on them.
It was Hongyi.
Hongyi saw the couple so intimate and her heart began to quicken. Under that moonlight, Yun Shimo’s handsome face and suave demeanor was unforgettable.
Hongyi started. She finally understood why Senior Sister Mo had fallen for Yun Shimo. This man was just too... too charming. And so cold. He made a woman enjoy being subjugated.
A strong, possessive impulse made Hongyi smile a little. She quietly retreated.
—
“You mean Qiyue was missing the whole morning? Then she dashed out from her room?” In the tower of Prince Nan’s mansion, the hare heard Prince Nan’s recollection of what happened. Then, it fell into deep musing.
The hare was the one which made Yun Shimo report Hua Qiyue’s every movement. On this day, Hua Qiyue really did not seem normal at all.
Normally, she would never have disappeared for so long.
“What are you thinking?”
“When I saw Qiyue today, I felt that she had broken into the lower level of Moon Eclipse. And... I believe her disappearance has something to do with Tianpi.”
The hare analyzed seriously.
“But I didn’t see Tianpi, nor did I sense his aura.” Yun Shimo was shaking his head, disapproving of its conjecture.
“Forget it then. Let’s continue spying on her.”
At this very moment.
Hua Qiyue was teaching Tianci Qi Art again. While he was resting, she immediately entered the Mysterious World to cultivate.
Tianpi’s eyes were looking somewhat worried. But when he saw Hua Qiyue cultivate so seriously and calmly, he became reassured.
Hua Qiyue could sense his worry. She felt somewhat troubled. If Tianpi was really a devil, would he be a trustworthy one?
If he wished to harm her, he would have long ago. Why did he feel so much for her? Surely, those weren’t the feelings a devil ought to have?
Hua Qiyue was feeling a little troubled. She inhaled a few breaths and started practicing her Spirit Summoning Art diligently.
She was already at Lvl 4 of her Spirit Summoning Art. For Hua Qiyue, it was a great improvement and achievement. She was so worried over the Gnawing Devils Sect that she was snatching time, trying to cultivate.
If she could hit Lvl 5 in her Spirit Summoning Art, Hua Qiyue’s powers would increase manyfold. In other words, when facing danger, she would have a chance to escape!
Tianpi silently watched this woman cultivating desperately. For some reason, he began to feel depressed again. He gave a light sigh, walking over to the side and pulling out a Ginseng with Nine Souls to chew. He wanted to get rid of that stifling depression in his chest.
Hua Qiyue hardly set feet outside her mansion. She was either teaching Tianci Qi Art, or entering the Mysterious World with her Spiritual Body, madly practicing the Spirit Summoning Art. One month passed. Yun Shimo came to visit her many times, but she stayed indoors and refused to see him.
Yun Shimo no longer did what he once did—sneaking into the mansion and trying wayward ways to take advantage of her and soothe her anger. Their rtionship became more and more distanced. Hua Qiyue had also heard from Caining and Caiqing that Yun Shimo was still secretly meeting the Princess at night. They had met every night in the past month.
Rumors began to circte in the capital that Yun Shimo had fallen for Princess Qianyang and was preparing to be her Prince Consort.
Hua Qiyue heard them and began to snicker. She did not expect the rumors to have spread so fast. Princess Qianyang must be trying to pre-empt her and take the upper hand. Hua Qiyue would never force another man’s feelings.
“Miss, Young Master Ji Feng’s servant is here. He would like you to visit Feng’s Yard.”
Immediately after Hua Qiyue’s breakfast, Youshui entered and gave her this message.
Tianci immediately started to whoop with joy. “Mom, I want to go too!”
It had been a month. Tianci, like Hua Qiyue, had not gone outdoors too. He was always in the yard, busy training. Even Caiqing and Caining had felt quite touched. The little fellow wasn’t old but was still extremely filial.
“Alright. Let’s go right now.”
Hua Qiyue nodded. If it wasn’t an emergency, Ji Feng would not have made her go.
Hua Qiyue brought Tianci along and hurried to Feng’s Yard. At the gate, they met Yun Shimo, whom they haven’t met for a month.
Yun Shimo’s eyes lit up. But Hua Qiyue only nodded lightly. She said nothing, taking Tianci in by his hand.
Yun Shimo started to frown and strode to keep up with her. “Qiyue... ”
“Anything the matter, Your Highness?” Hua Qiyue quietly raised her watery eyes. Her expression was totally indifferent. Yet her heart was so pained that she almost could not breath. For the past month, she had been cultivating madly, simply to forget this man.
Yet the moment they met again, she felt waves upon waves of heartache. She suddenly hated herself for being so sentimental.
Tianci was pulling Hua Qiyue’s robe sleeve. “Mom, don’t be angry with him. Dad must have his reasons.”
Hua Qiyue waspletely speechless. This little fellow was trying to convince her to believe another?
“Tianci’s right. Qiyue, in the future... you will understand.”
Yun Shimo’s eyes began to dim. He had obviously seen Hua Qiyue’s cold eyes.
“Your Highness, now’s not the time to discuss such matters. We’d better go in,” Hua Qiyue said quietly. Then, she strode into Feng’s Yard.
She saw several dozen more men and women in Feng’s Yard. Most were men. They were all new recruits. Although everyone had wanted to be friends with this elite n, the moment they heard rumors about the Gnawing Devils Sect, only 15 out of 200 were willing to be the Ji family’s disciples.
“Qiyue, Brother Yun, you’re here!” Ji Feng and Ji Jing advanced to wee them, their faces extremely anxious.
“What happened?” Hua Qiyue’s heart sank. Ji Feng invited her into an inner chamber. Ouyang Youche was also there.
Other than him, Huangfu Xuan and a few other imperial Qi Artists were also there.
These Qi Artists had joined the team on the Emperor’s orders. After all, the Gnawing Devils Sect affair was too serious.
If the worst happened and the Emperor lost his power, the whole world would end up as puppets of the Gnawing Devils Sect. It was too serious a matter. If the Gnawing Devils Sect triumphed, the imperial family would surely be exterminated.
“There are 10 Heaven and Earth Revitalizing Pills here. Let’s each take one. But you can only take it at the throes of death. Otherwise, its medicinal effects will be too strong. Our bodies will not be able to take it and will explode.”
Yun Shimo was looking quite haggard. But he still quietly allowed Qingtong by his side to take out 20 bottles and apportion the pills. Each Qi Artist would take one.
These 20 people were the chief Qi Artists. For the rest, Yun Shimo could only snatch time to refine more.
Everyone heard his words and was delighted. It was usually quite difficult for anyone to have one of Yun Shimo’s pills. Some people would never have the chance to even see one.
Hua Qiyue was secretly astounded. 20 pills? She realized that Yun Shimo was not idle for the past month. These top-grade Heaven and Earth Revitalizing Pills were sixth-grade pills. They would take several days to refine.
Only now did she look directly at Yun Shimo’s face. She found his countenance quite haggard, his expression nonchnt. Well... if you don’t rest and keep meeting your girl at midnight, you will surely be tired, right?
When she thought about this, Hua Qiyue once again suppressed the pity and love arising in her heart. She felt cold all over.
“Qiyue, I asked you toe so quickly because we’ve received a secret report. The Gnawing Devils Sect’s already sent a vast number of Soul Puppets into their Devil Refining Cave in their backhills. The Devil Refining Cave’s the ce where their Sect Leader’s cultivating in retreat. He will be out in a month or so. Once these Soul Puppets have been sent in, they may be refined by their leader and also reach his realm. Even if they are not as strong, they will only be a bit weaker!” Ji Feng said in a quiet, solemn voice. For a brief moment, everyone was silent.
The Gnawing Devils Sect was indeed smart. They kept a low profile, not leaving their habitations to draw less attention to the sect.
But their immediate action was so brutal.
“Do you mean we ought to eliminate the Gnawing Devils Sect before their leader’s out? Then wait for him?” Hua Qiyue was frowning. The Venerated Supreme Devil was in a retreat. They could not deal with him first.
“Yes. It’s the only way... the Gnawing Devils Sect’s already starting to act. They are out killing, robbing andmitting arson everywhere. They aremitting atrocities.... The few viges and towns around their sect have all been leveled. The men they abducted will be ordinary Soul Puppets, the women their ythings... ” An imperial Qi Artist remarked coldly.
He was a Qi Artist at the lower level of Cultivation Dimension. Although he was one realm lower than Hua Qiyue and Yun Shimo, he was still a little higher than Ji Feng and the rest.
The other five Qi Artists were either in the Dragon Diagram or the Cultivation Dimension Realm—about the same as Ji Feng.
Ji Feng was good at nting spiritual herbs. He could rear herbs which usually could not survive.
Therefore, although Ji Feng was also a Qi Artist and not on the same level as Yun Shimo, he was the medicine saint.
However, in this ensuing battle, a medicine saint would y a major part.
“Later, I’ll get my men to take more herbs to Prince Nan’s mansion. Then, you can refine more Heaven and Earth Revitalizing Pills. Just refine as many as you can. I hope more of our people survive... ” Ji Feng said. Thepany all stared at Yun Shimo. “We’ll be troubling Your Highness.”
Yun Shimo gave a faint smile. “I’ll do my best.”
Tianci felt impatient over the adults’ talk. He had dashed off outside to y.
“Qiyue, three dayster, the Sect Leaders of all the major sects will be here. Are you willing to teach them some lethal skills?”
Ji Feng stared at Hua Qiyue. A great foe was about to confront them. He had to be extremely cautious.
“Sure. Anyone who wants my lethal skills can just ask.”
Hua Qiyue said quietly. She was not at all upset about imparting her lethal skills to the others.
The other Qi Artists were greatly astonished. At the same time, they experienced a wild joy. Normally, a sect’s lethal skills would not be imparted to outsiders, let alone such powerful lethal skills.
Hua Qiyue’s eminence was far-reaching. Everyone knew how powerful she was. If they mastered her lethal skills, their powers would increased greatly!
So, two Qi Artists immediately stepped out and asked Hua Qiyue for her famous “Icy Shield.”
Hua Qiyue had only used Icy Shield to deal with that member from the Divine Eyes Organization. She did not know how he had managed to leak out this news.
The other Qi Artists also formed a circle, listening to Hua Qiyue impart the lethal skill. Caining and Caiqing knitted their brows deeply. In their hearts, they felt that she was too generous. Once these Qi Artists managed to exterminate the Gnawing Devils Sect and start opposing her, what should she do?
“I was wondering who’s so powerful, imparting Qi Art here so generously. Haven’t you guys thought about this? Is a small fry like Hua Qiyue qualified to be your Master?” An icy voice rang out from outside the door!