Volume 3, Chapter 328 – He Must Be Stopped!

Song Shutao steadied her expression and drew a long breath, forcing the unease in her chest into something manageable.

She knew she was a member of the Song clan, and that her first loyalty ought to lie with the Song clan.

Moreover, the identity she was currently playing was Song Shixuan, Young Sect Master of Lingxiao Sword Sect.

By every measure, she had no reason to take the Chi family’s side.

And yet…

It was her own lack of resolve that had led her into the schemer’s trap, and she had been the one to wrong Chi Muxue first.

She owed Chi Muxue an apology.

So after a long stretch of wavering, Song Shutao made her decision, one that flew in the face of everything she was supposed to stand for.

She drew a long breath, her gaze resolute, and pushed the door open to step outside.

Leaving the courtyard, she could see that a great many additional guards had been posted outside.

Song Shutao’s brow furrowed slightly.

She understood. The Chi family was on guard against them.

After what had happened the night before, the relationship between the Chi family and Lingxiao Sword Sect had dropped to its lowest point.

And yet, with things in this state, Lu Guan still harbored the fantasy of getting the Chi family to swap the marriage contract’s party to Chi Muxue.

As if anything so convenient could possibly exist in this world.

Lingxiao Sword Sect was thoroughly rotten.

Song Shutao exhaled quietly.

She walked up to the guards and said, “I need to see Miss Xiyan.”

The guard gave Song Shutao a cool look. “Young Master Song, the young lady is occupied at the moment and may not be available.”

“And Young Master Song…” The guard’s gaze remained flat and indifferent. “After what happened, the young lady would not wish to see you anyway.”

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Song Shutao had no comeback. The guard was not wrong.

After the events of last night, the relationship between the Chi and Song families had deteriorated beyond repair. She had wronged Chi Xiyan’s sister, and Chi Xiyan would have no desire to see her now.

“But I have something urgent that cannot wait!” Song Shutao said. “This concerns the Second Young Miss. I must see Miss Xiyan right away!”

The guard continued to look at her coldly.

“I will pass word to the young lady. Whether she chooses to see you is another matter entirely.”

Song Shutao felt a small measure of relief. At least the guard was willing to carry the message.

If even that had been refused, things would have become very complicated.

…

On the other side of the estate, Chi Xiyan had returned to her own courtyard.

Her face still carried a lingering trace of panic.

Her father’s words had felt like a hand yanking away the veil she had pulled over everything.

What had happened between her and Chi Muxue was something no one should ever have known about.

Chi Muxue was Chi Xiyan’s younger sister. They were sisters by blood.

What had happened last night had been unavoidable, a necessity born of having to cure Muxue of the toxin.

But regardless of the reason, what had occurred was a mistake.

What she had never anticipated was that it would somehow reach her father’s ears.

Chi Jingwen had not said it outright, but he had clearly already guessed at something.

“But what does Father mean by all of this…”

Chi Xiyan did not understand the implication behind her father’s words. She knew every word he had said, yet somehow strung together, they made no sense to her.

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“What exactly is Father hinting at?”

Chi Xiyan raised a hand and pressed it to her burning forehead.

Women of great families were all expected to marry.

Even Chi Xiyan, as a daughter of the main line, had only marginally more say in the matter of her marriage, and that was merely because a better match could secure greater value in return.

Her marriage was more like a knot in a rope, binding other powers to the Chi family’s ship.

Then what of Chi Muxue? What would her future look like? What would her marriage be?

The thought of Chi Muxue made Chi Xiyan’s chest tighten again.

“Young Miss.”

A maidservant’s voice came from outside the room.

“A message just came from the guards. Song Shixuan is asking to see you.”

Chi Xiyan’s brow knitted at once. “Song Shixuan wants to see me. At this point, what could he possibly want?”

At this stage, she no longer believed her engagement with Song Shixuan had any future.

She shook her head. “I don’t want to see him.”

The maidservant continued, “Young Master Song says he has come about the Second Young Miss.”

“About Muxue?”

Any other reason would have been easier to brush aside, but the moment Muxue was mentioned, Chi Xiyan’s expression went cold again.

“What is he scheming now? Haven’t they already said that Muxue is innocent, that nothing happened last night?”

The maidservant offered, “Then shall I go and turn him away for you, Young Miss?”

“Wait.” Chi Xiyan went still, expression dark, and thought for a moment.

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“Forget it. I’ll see him. Let’s find out what he’s really after.”

“Yes, Young Miss.”

…

Song Shutao had not expected to be granted an audience at all.

She had already given up hope.

When word came that she had been admitted, she walked quickly into Chi Xiyan’s courtyard.

She was met immediately by a pair of eyes as cold as frost.

Song Shutao swallowed with some difficulty. “Miss Xiyan…”

The glacial aura pressing outward from Chi Xiyan was nearly suffocating.

Chi Xiyan said, “At this point, I would like to know what it is that compels Young Master Song to seek me out so insistently.”

“If you have come about last night, there is nothing left to say.”

“It isn’t that!” Song Shutao had not forgotten why she had come. She glanced left and right at the maidservants standing near Chi Xiyan.

“This is important. I need to speak with you alone.”

Song Shutao’s expression was grave.

Chi Xiyan studied her face and judged she was not making a scene for nothing. She raised a hand and dismissed her attendants.

“Speak. What is it?”

“I’m sorry, Xiyan.” Guilt showed plainly on Song Shutao’s face. “I failed to keep the promise I made to you.”

“Senior Brother Lu Guan, he was planning to move against Muxue.”

“I warned him…”

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“And in doing so, he pieced together Muxue’s true identity from what I said.”

Song Shutao bowed her head. “There have long been rumors within the sect of a sword venerable’s reincarnation. Because of me, Lu Guan was able to confirm that information.”

“I’m sorry. This was not my intention.”

Chi Xiyan’s expression darkened as she listened.

As the Chi family’s eldest daughter, she understood very well what this meant.

Word of the Chi family producing someone with a Sword Dao Sacred Body had already leaked from somewhere, some time ago. The Chi family had investigated at length and never managed to find the source.

The saving grace had been that the news was too extraordinary for most people to take seriously.

But if Lingxiao Sword Sect confirmed it, the Chi family’s troubles would be upon them in force.

She had not imagined Song Shutao would deliver her such a blow.

“Where is Lu Guan? Where is he now?”

Song Shutao’s expression stalled, and the guilt in her eyes deepened.

“When he learned of this, he decided to carry the news to the sect master himself, to let him handle the matter.”

“By now, he should be close to the city gate.”

Chi Xiyan’s expression grew several shades darker.

She rose to her feet and moved toward the door in quick strides.

The guards stationed outside bowed respectfully the moment they saw her.

“Take some people with me. He must be stopped before he gets through.”

“The Demon Suppression Bureau still has the city gates sealed, checking travelers and merchants passing through. He won’t find it easy to leave Beihe Commandery.”