"So, Miss Ling’er, would you care to elaborate?"
Ling’er looked at her with a half-smile. "Miss Zhaoxue, please rest assured. No matter what my Five Poison Sect does, you will not be implicated."
Liu Zhaoxue turned her head away, no longer looking at her.
"Not necessarily."
"Last time, Elder Yan Fusha abducted Pei Guanli of the Mountain Race. Now that you’ve returned in force, do you really think you won’t attract the Mountain Race’s attention?"
Ling’er’s smile froze, and she pouted at the back of Liu Zhaoxue’s head.
"We will."
"That’s why this time, besides me, a Great Elder has also come, along with several Altar Masters."
"Then where are they now?"
"Miss Zhaoxue, don’t be so anxious. Right now, your most important task is to successfully expand Xinglin Hall. I will report everything else to the Great Elder myself."
Hearing this, Liu Zhaoxue said softly, "It had better be that way."
She was well aware of her own situation.
If her father hadn’t helped her, she would have never been able to return to Shu State this time.
She had even been on the verge of being sent to the Capital Prefecture by her second brother Liu Wen’s birth mother, in league with several family elders, to be some man’s bed warmer.
Thus, Liu Zhaoxue cherished this opportunity.
Even though she knew the situation in Shu State was perilous, she would not give up.
For some reason, the image of Chen Yi surfaced in Liu Zhaoxue’s mind. She thought to herself,
’If only I had someone like Mr. Qingzhou to help me, how could I possibly fail to achieve my goals?’
She still remembered what she had seen before leaving Jing State—a Spearman at the Perfection Realm, along with Liu Lang, had rescued Chen Yi and Pei Guanli.
As she saw it, those two must have helped the Xiao Family because of their connection to Chen Yi.
Liu Zhaoxue thought with a sigh, ’What a pity...’
Alas, she had no one like that by her side.
Otherwise, she would have never cooperated with the Five Poison Sect.
Just then, Ling’er heard footsteps from outside in the distance. Her eyes darted around for a moment before she stepped forward and bowed.
"Miss Zhaoxue, I’ve just arrived in Shu State and would like to go out for a walk. I hope you’ll grant me permission."
Liu Zhaoxue glanced at her and nodded slightly. "Feel free, Miss Ling’er."
"Alrighty then."
After she left, it just so happened that several shopkeepers arrived at the West Mansion with their respective accountants.
Liu Zhaoxue composed herself and rose to greet them.
"Greetings, Third Miss."
"There’s no need for such formalities, Uncles. Please, come in..."
Amidst the pleasantries, in the East Mansion just a wall away...
Chen Yi and Liu Lang exchanged a look and then waited a while longer.
"Boss, Liu Zhaoxue is back."
"Mm, she was bound to come back sooner or later."
A smile touched Chen Yi’s lips as he thought about what had happened that day.
Honestly, Liu Zhaoxue’s timing was perfect.
If the General saw her, it might even mislead his judgment.
Seeing his smile, Liu Lang shuddered instinctively and asked in a low voice,
"So when are we leaving?"
"No rush. It won’t be too late to leave after we hear what Miss Zhaoxue plans to do next."
That was what he said, anyway. But Chen Yi was more concerned with avoiding the General and any potential pursuers who might have followed them from the West Market.
After all, he didn’t care about Xinglin Hall expanding its business in Shu State.
What he cared about was the extent of Liu Zhaoxue’s ambition and the Five Poison Sect’s purpose for coming to Shu State.
’From what Liu Zhaoxue just said, the Five Poison Sect wants to use Xinglin Hall to achieve some goal. That’s a bit strange.’
Chen Yi had originally thought the Five Poison Sect came to Shu State to seek revenge on the Mountain Race.
But now it seemed their target had never been the Mountain Race at all.
Thinking about it carefully, it made sense.
The men Elder Yan Fusha brought last time had some strength, but going up against the Mountain Race would have been like throwing an egg against a rock.
With so few people, forget about taking revenge on the Mountain Race.