Jian Dan lazily sipped her peach blossom tea, enjoying the ink-wash scenery of the Heavenly Demon Palace. She wasn't about to step outside her cave dwelling until she got a clear order.
"Zūnzhàng, the Mo Ying Peak Lord has come to request an audience!"
Chun Yu bowed as she delivered the message.
"Oh? That kid from the Miao family?"
"Yes."
Jian Dan hadn't expected her first visitor to be her successor.
"Let him in."
A moment later, the Mo Ying Peak Lord walked into her line of sight, dressed in a dark blue Daoist robe.
She only needed one glance to size him up. The man was clearly the pragmatic type, nearly one meter ninety, upright and handsome, his lips pressed into a firm line. He looked overly serious and, from a few steps away, offered her a respectful salute.
"Mo Ying greets Mo Yue Zūnzhàng."
His voice was low and slightly hoarse.
"Tsk, why are you so far away? Come sit down." Jian Dan's alluring voice carried a teasing edge. She loved bullying honest types, so she tapped her round fan toward a jade stool nearby.
The Mo Ying Peak Lord looked a little uncomfortable, but after thanking her, he sat properly and rigidly.
"It must be tough for you. Mo Lie sent you here, didn't he?" Jian Dan lightly fanned herself, her tone leaving no room for doubt.
Mo Ying hesitated, but finally nodded. He glanced at the stunning Mo Yue Zūnzhàng, then kept his silence.
"So, Mo Lie didn't tell you to bring a gift when meeting me?"
He immediately pulled a storage ring from his sleeve and handed it to Chun Yu before speaking. "This contains peach blossom trees from Mo Ying Peak. I heard they're your favorite, Zūnzhàng. I transplanted a few so you can use them to decorate your cave dwelling.
If you have free time, please visit Mo Ying Peak. The peach blossom forest there is one of the sights of the Heavenly Demon Palace."
Jian Dan smiled faintly. "You chose well, I like this gift. When you return, tell Mo Lie that for Mo Su's sake, I won't fuss about what happened in the past. But there better not be a next time. If he loses both face and substance, he'll have only himself to blame."
"Yes, I'll remember that and report back truthfully."
Mo Ying rose respectfully. He'd heard some rumors about the two of them.
Mo Lie, the Palace Master, had used Mo Yue Zūnzhàng before to restructure Mo Ying Peak and push out the Ma family. Back then, he'd even dangled the position of Dao companion beside her name to keep Ma's remnants in line. But somehow, Ma's chosen candidate died, their clan suffered heavily, and when Mo Yue Zūnzhàng advanced at Mo Ying Peak, Ma family's schemes nearly cost her life.
In the end, she endured double thunder tribulation alone, ascended to Void Refinement, and took her revenge. Mo Lie couldn't escape blame for his negligence.
The reorganized Mo Ying Peak had ended up in the hands of the Miao family, Mo Lie's faction. So now that Mo Yue Zūnzhàng was back, it was no surprise that Mo Lie was feeling guilty.
Mo Ying was sent to test the waters, but before he could say a word, she'd already exposed his purpose and laid everything bare. He'd learned his lesson and finally understood why Mo Lie was so anxious about her attitude.
"In that case, I won't disturb you further."
He wisely asked to take his leave. Staying longer would only embarrass him.
"Good, go handle your duties. I won't keep you."
With her permission, the Mo Ying Peak Lord finally left.
"Xia He, transplant all those peach blossom trees to the cave entrance. Arrange everything properly, I'll be entertaining guests soon."
"Yes, Zūnzhàng."
Xia He took the ring and hurried to the entrance to get to work.
"That Mo Lie really is an old fox."
Jian Dan toyed with her fan as she laughed.
With Chun Yu's help, Xia He quickly transformed the cave's entrance.
The left side's spirit field was untouched, already filled with high-grade spirit and demon plants that not only displayed status but could also be plucked at will by Mo Yue Zūnzhàng.
On the right side, along the cliff, they planted the thousand-year-old peach trees, forming a natural barrier. Chun Yu and Xia He even cast Cloud Rain Arts, infusing wood-element power into them so the blossoms bloomed even more vividly red. Beneath the peach trees, they placed a soft couch and a set of obsidian stone tables and stools, ready for flower-viewing with future guests.
Satisfied, Jian Dan nodded. She had them set out spirit fruits and brought her own Purple Jade Heart-soothing Wine, preparing to enjoy both flowers and drink.
"Gong Yi."
"Here."
"Replace my identity jade token."
She handed him the obsidian jade plaque from her waist.
When Jian Dan had left the Heavenly Demon Palace, her cultivation was only at early Void Refinement. Now she'd reached late Unity, so the token's beads had to be updated to eight.
"Yes, I'll see to it." Gong Yi flashed away toward the Core Disciple Hall on the main peak. He wasted no words, handing the plaque directly.
"Gong Yi is here on behalf of Mo Yue Zūnzhàng to replace her identity jade token."
Just that one sentence had every disciple present perking up their ears. Yesterday, they'd already heard the rumors that Mo Yue Zūnzhàng had returned. And now, with the token update, there was no doubt.
The middle-aged cultivator on duty received the plaque with utmost respect, confirmed its authenticity, and hurried inside. Soon, he returned with the upgraded token, now bearing an extra bead, and handed it over along with a storage bracelet.
"This is the updated token of Mo Yue Zūnzhàng, as well as the offerings she hadn't claimed."
Gong Yi checked and found everything in order.
"Also, since Zūnzhàng never left behind a soul lamp, this time the Palace Master instructed that one must be lit for her."
The man added politely.
"I understand. I'll inform her."
Meaning, it wasn't for him to decide when she'd come.
"Thank you."
The cultivator didn't dare press further.
When Gong Yi returned to Mo Yan Peak, Jian Dan was already under the peach trees entertaining Mo Yi and Mo Qi.
"Mo Yue Zūnzhàng, I just saw the Mo Ying Peak Lord leaving your place."
Mo Yi teased on purpose.
"Drop the formal tone. Just call me Senior Sister."
"Haha! Alright!"
Mo Yi readily agreed, though he added with mock complaint, "You've advanced too fast, how are we supposed to keep up?"
"Heh, enough already. You're too talkative. Calling her Senior Sister in private is already a bargain for us."
Mo Qi scolded him.
"Yeah, yeah, I know!"
The three of them laughed together. Mo Yi eagerly poured spirit wine for Jian Dan before continuing.
"So, what did the Mo Ying Peak Lord want?"
"Who else but Mo Lie? He's just afraid I'll settle old scores." Jian Dan didn't bother hiding it, spreading her hands.
"Heh, why didn't he think of that earlier? Mo Yan Zhēnzūn already warned him, but he never changes." Mo Yi blurted out.
"Easy for you to say. You're at his level now, so of course you dare talk like that. Back then, I don't recall you being so bold."
Mo Qi exposed him with a smirk.
"Hehe, Senior Sister Mo Qi, don't spill all the hard truths. The only reason Mo Lie's testing the waters is because Mo Yue's cultivation left him in the dust. He can't even dream of catching up now." He shook his head with exaggerated regret.
"Alright, you two don't need to put on a show in front of me. I've already had Mo Ying deliver my words. The past is past, I'm not that petty. A Palace Master has his own burdens.
I don't agree with all his methods, but I can understand them. That chapter's closed." Jian Dan took a sip of wine, smiling.
"That's good. In that case, there's something I need to tell you. Just don't blame Mo Su for it…"