Today, The Villain Couple is Settling Scores Again

When Jian Huan and Shen Jizhi followed Wen Jiu and Yang Ye to the inn where they were staying, it was already nearing the end of the hour of Zi. Although the sect leader was known for his frugality, for an occasion like the Jiuzhou Conference, he had arranged for the participating disciples to stay at the best inn in Jiuzhou City.

In Yin Yusheng's room, the two groups finally met. Yin Yusheng's group was larger, consisting mostly of Jade Purity Sect disciples who had come to attend the Jiuzhou Conference. Aside from Wen Jiu and Yang Ye, the female lead Jiang Qiaoqiao was also present, along with a few senior disciples who were less familiar.

After exchanging polite greetings, they quickly got down to business under Yin Yusheng's guidance. Jiang Qiaoqiao stood beside a senior sister, her head slightly lowered, occasionally stealing glances at Shen Jizhi and Jian Huan, her delicate face pale.

She had never expected to suddenly see him—and his betrothed—here tonight.

They were both wearing pink robes... Such a cold and aloof young man, dressed in pink. He actually wore pink.

A bitter smile tugged at Jiang Qiaoqiao's lips, her heart aching with every beat.

The senior sister beside her gently tugged at Jiang Qiaoqiao's sleeve, whispering something in her ear with concern. Jiang Qiaoqiao shook her head, forcing a weak smile and muttering something like, "It's fine."

Jian Huan thoughtfully averted her gaze, her eyes sweeping across the room.

She had been puzzled earlier when she noticed that Jing Chi, the male lead, was not among the top nine disciples at this Jiuzhou Conference.

Now, this feeling grew stronger. Jing Chi wasn't even here, not by Jiang Qiaoqiao's side.

"Hey, senior sister," Jian Huan called out later in Wen Jiu's room.

Lying on the bed next to her senior sister, Jian Huan propped herself up on one elbow, her inky black hair cascading like silver silk. "I heard earlier that Jing Chi was supposed to come with you all to the Jiuzhou Conference. Why isn't he here now?"

Wen Jiu, lying on the outer side of the bed, turned her head and replied softly, "Jing Chi gave up his spot."

"What?" Jian Huan sat up, her brows furrowed in confusion and thought. "Why?"

Jing Chi was the bodyguard Jiang Qiaoqiao's father had assigned to her, supposed to stay by her side at all times to protect her.

Wen Jiu hesitated for a moment.

This was ultimately someone else's private matter, and though she knew the whole story, it wasn't her place to gossip.

But the person asking was her beloved junior sister.

And besides, this matter did involve Jian Huan and Shen Jizhi, so it wasn't right to keep it from them.

Wen Jiu sat up as well, lowering her head as she spoke. "Jing Chi has feelings for Qiaoqiao. On the night we arrived in Jiuzhou City, we had a bit to drink, and Jing Chi... he kissed Qiaoqiao while drunk." Wen Jiu stumbled over her words, rushing through the explanation. "The next day, Qiaoqiao talked to him and told him that she... that she has someone else in her heart. She said she only saw Jing Chi as a brother and asked him not to protect her anymore. After that, Jing Chi withdrew from the Jiuzhou Conference and disappeared. No one has seen him since."

Jian Huan leaned against the wall, absentmindedly biting her fingernail.

The original plot had completely derailed.

In the original story, by this point, Jiang Qiaoqiao had given up on Shen Jizhi, and her relationship with Jing Chi had progressed rapidly.

But now, Jiang Qiaoqiao still harbored feelings for Shen Jizhi and had rejected Jing Chi.

Jian Huan wondered if this change had indirectly affected the incident with the Bodhi Pagoda, which shouldn't have been lost in the first place.

Moreover, with the plot already altered, would Elder Gao still be the one to steal the Bodhi Pagoda, as in the original story?

The once certain reward of one million spirit stones now seemed far less guaranteed.

Jian Huan sighed deeply.

Hearing her sigh, Wen Jiu fiddled with the embroidered mandarin ducks on the quilt, offering a stiff consolation. "Junior sister, you don't need to worry too much."

Jian Huan blinked, puzzled. "Worry about what?"

Wen Jiu whispered, "Senior Brother Shen likes you."

Jian Huan: "..."

The memory of what had happened behind the screen flashed through her mind, and Jian Huan's cheeks warmed.

She laughed awkwardly and flopped back onto the bed. "Senior sister, it's late. Let's rest. We have a lot to do in the coming days."

Jian Huan pulled up the blanket and unconsciously sniffed it, catching a faint feminine fragrance.

She grinned. "Senior sister, you smell really nice."

Wen Jiu panicked and waved her hands. "No, no, it's not me. It's... it's her scent."

Jian Huan: "Her?"

Wen Jiu lay back down. "I was sharing the room with Mu'er before—Ran Mu'er from the Harmony Union Sect." She paused, slightly embarrassed. "She offered me fifty spirit stones a day to stay here for a few days, to hide from some... partners she knows."

Jian Huan: "!"

Ran Mu'er from the Harmony Union Sect!

She remembered this sister well. She even had her Xuantian ID. Over the years, Ran Mu'er had persistently sent her messages every three months, asking when she and Shen Jizhi would try out the dual cultivation technique she had created...

Jian Huan felt a bit scared and wasn't keen on running into Ran Mu'er. "Senior sister, where is she now?"

"She's gone," Wen Jiu replied. "Her Harmony Bell broke, so she went to find someone to fix it."

The first rays of dawn spilled over the horizon, and the streets were still quiet, with few people about.

The autumn air was chilly, and when people spoke, their breath formed little clouds of white mist, like steam rising from freshly steamed buns.

Jian Huan and Shen Jizhi stood at the corner outside the inn.

The girl's voice was filled with obvious surprise, her eyes wide. "You're not coming with us?"

The previous night, Yin Yusheng and Jiang Qiaoqiao had also made a discovery: the person stationed at Elder Gao's residence wasn't the real Madam Gao but her personal maid in disguise.

Fifteen minutes earlier, a senior brother skilled in tracking had hurried back with news. He had spotted a merchant caravan about thirty miles outside Jiuzhou City, and it was highly likely that Madam Gao was hiding among them.

Now, they were preparing to head out of the city to intercept Madam Gao.

But Shen Jizhi had pulled Jian Huan aside and told her he wouldn't be joining them.

Shen Jizhi's pale pink robes fluttered in the autumn breeze as he nodded slightly, his eyes showing a trace of weariness. "You have enough people."

He had stayed in Yang Ye's room the previous night, intending to meditate on a cushion.

But that pig kept bothering him, which was annoying.

Still, since the inn was free—such a place would cost hundreds of spirit stones per night—he had endured it.

After a pause, Shen Jizhi's gaze settled on Jian Huan's face. "Besides, something feels off to me. Why are you all so sure it's Elder Gao?"

It was as if they had discussed it beforehand. Both Yin Yusheng's group and Jian Huan seemed to naturally suspect Elder Gao among the four gatekeepers.

But if Elder Gao really was involved, why hadn't the Imperial Pacification Office and the powerful cultivators who had arrived in Jiuzhou City noticed anything?

Jian Huan lowered her head, her embroidered shoes tapping lightly against the ground as she thought for a moment. "Alright then."

The two parted ways.

Half an hour later, Jian Huan leaned against a red maple tree, gazing up at the mountains ahead, their foliage ablaze with autumn colors. For a moment, she felt as if she had come here for a leisurely outing.

This was her first time experiencing what it felt like to be carried by a strong team.

They had effortlessly intercepted the merchant caravan and identified Madam Gao, who was disguised as a man among them.

Though Madam Gao herself was at the Golden Core stage, and the caravan had several skilled guards, Jian Huan barely had to lift a finger before they successfully subdued the group.

Yin Yusheng's use of medicinal powders and insects had become even more seamless, complementing the sword techniques of Wen Jiu, Jiang Qiaoqiao, and the other senior disciples, as well as Yang Ye's pig. It was an overwhelming display of strength.

Under the red maple tree, a carriage stood parked. The curtain was drawn back, and a person with a cloth headband and dressed in ordinary male attire removed a face-altering spirit mask, revealing a strikingly elegant face.

But now, this face, full of charm, was tinged with hidden fear as she spoke with a mix of defiance and unease. "Have I broken any laws by using a spirit mask? Is it against the Nine Provinces Continent Law for my maid to impersonate me? No, right? I haven't killed anyone or done anything immoral. Why are you holding me here?"

Yin Yusheng stood nearby, his voice calm and gentle. "Madam, please calm down. We only have a few questions for you."

As the eldest among them and a respected medical cultivator, Yin Yusheng naturally took the lead. Jiang Qiaoqiao and the others deferred to him.

Jian Huan, who had joined the group midway, leaned against the tree, listening carefully without interrupting.

“You have something to ask me?” Madam Gao let out a cold laugh, her back straight as a rod, her chin tilted high. “I don’t know if the world has changed, or if I’ve just grown old. But in this day and age, is this how you ask for favors?!”

Yin Yusheng remained unbothered, his demeanor calm and composed. “Circumstances force our hand. We truly have no other choice, and we beg for your understanding. Madam Gao, forgive my boldness, but may I ask where the Bodhi Pagoda is?”

“The Bodhi Pagoda?” Madam Gao laughed bitterly, her trembling hand pointing at Yin Yusheng, Wen Jiu, and the others. “You think my Gao family took the Bodhi Pagoda? Ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous! What use would my family have for it? If my husband and I needed it, we’d simply ask my elder brother. Why would we steal it?”

A senior disciple who had been searching the merchant caravan walked over and shook his head at Yin Yusheng, indicating that they had not found the Bodhi Pagoda.

Yin Yusheng frowned slightly and bowed respectfully to Madam Gao. “Then may I ask, Madam Gao, why did you choose to leave Jiuzhou City in such a covert manner at this critical time?”

She hadn’t even dared to use the public teleportation array, instead disguising herself as an ordinary citizen.

Madam Gao, who had been kneeling on the carpet inside the carriage, scoffed and leaned lazily against the seat. “It’s just my nature. Sometimes I want to live like an ordinary person. Is that so wrong?” She suddenly raised her voice. “Even the Nine Provinces Continent Law doesn’t restrict me. Who are you, a bunch of wet-behind-the-ears youngsters, to tell me what to do?”

Jian Huan leaned against a red maple tree, its leaves falling gently in the breeze and landing softly in her hair.

Her gaze passed over Wen Jiu’s large black sword and settled on Madam Gao.

For some reason, she had noticed several times that Madam Gao seemed to be avoiding her gaze.

And there was something vaguely familiar about her.

Where had she seen her before? Jian Huan’s dark pupils darted around as she tried to recall.

Since transmigrating into this world, she hadn’t traveled to many places, so she mentally retraced her steps.

Fortunately, having recently advanced to the Golden Core stage, her mind was clear, and her memories were like a book stored in her mind. While recalling them was usually hazy, if she focused, the pages would unfold, and the memories would come back vividly.

Approaching Immortal City? No.

Azure Dragon City? Not there either.

Yujiang City… Yujiang City!

Back then, while investigating Chu Chu’s disappearance, she, Shen Jizhi, and Baili Dao had traveled to Yujiang City.

While waiting to enter the city, they had encountered two caravans.

A minor incident had occurred at the time—a guard from the left caravan had approached the right caravan to ask for information from a kind-looking guard.

Jian Huan had even made a bet with Shen Jizhi over a spirit stone, but neither of them had won or lost.

The tight-lipped, kind-looking guard had claimed to be from Liangzhou City.

But was he really from Liangzhou City?

When the city gates opened, a gust of wind lifted the carriage curtain.

The master of the carriage happened to glance out, and Jian Huan had locked eyes with him.

It was a man, but his demeanor carried an inexplicable feminine grace.

At the time, she had only noted it in passing, preoccupied with Chu Chu’s disappearance, and hurried into the city without giving it much thought.

Now, the memory came back with startling clarity.

Though the face was different, Madam Gao’s posture, figure, and the slightly out-of-place air she had when dressed as a man were exactly the same as back then.

“Madam Gao.” Just as Yin Yusheng and Madam Gao reached a stalemate, Jian Huan slipped through the group of senior disciples like a fish and stood beside Yin Yusheng, flashing a bright smile. “It’s been a while, Madam. Look at that—almost three years have passed in the blink of an eye.”

Jian Huan tapped her head, feigning annoyance. “Look at my memory—it took me a while to remember you…”

Madam Gao’s eyes flickered, and almost simultaneously with Jian Huan’s words, a poisoned spirit dart shot toward her.

Jian Huan’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, and she was about to deflect it with her talisman sword when Jiang Qiaoqiao, the most talented and highest-level cultivator present, struck the dart away with her sword.

“Junior Sister Jian!” Yin Yusheng also panicked, shielding Jian Huan behind him. With a flick of his hand, the Gu worm he had planted on Madam Gao activated, causing her to vomit a mouthful of blood.

Jian Huan was momentarily stunned. She glanced at Jiang Qiaoqiao and gave her a wink. “Thank you.”

Jiang Qiaoqiao smiled back, sheathed her sword, and stood aside.

A senior disciple patted her shoulder, but Jiang Qiaoqiao shook her head, indicating she was fine.

Jian Huan calmed Wen Jiu, who had rushed over, and stepped out from behind Yin Yusheng. With a light step, she landed on the driver’s seat of the carriage.

She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand, and faced Madam Gao. “Madam, your way of greeting is rather brutal.”

“What?” Jian Huan’s eyes curved into a smile, but her gaze was icy. “Are you afraid I’ll reveal that I saw you in Yujiang City back then?”

At these words, Madam Gao’s lips trembled, and all color drained from her face.

Wen Jiu, Yin Yusheng, and the others turned to Jian Huan, their expressions filled with confusion.

Jian Huan recounted the events of that day, then glanced at the visibly shaken Madam Gao. “After that, I never saw them again, but I suspect they must have paid spirit stones to obtain… spiritual roots.”

However, due to Jian Huan and Shen Jizhi’s interference, the events in Yujiang City were quickly exposed.

That year, none of the couples at the banquet received the spiritual roots they had hoped for to conceive children. Many were detained by the Imperial Pacification Office, but some managed to escape in the chaos.

The disguised Elder Gao and Madam Gao must have been among those who fled.

Jian Huan smiled modestly. “Madam Gao, am I correct?”n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Madam Gao wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and stared intently at Jian Huan’s face, saying nothing.

Back then, at the city gates and during the banquet, she had seen this girl and the young man with her. Their striking looks made them hard to forget.

The two youngsters had caused quite a stir, and she and her husband had considered silencing them.

But upon investigation, they discovered that Shen Jizhi was a disciple of Gu Mountain. Fearing they might make matters worse, they decided not to act.

For over two years, things had been peaceful. But now, with the Bodhi Pagoda incident, her husband had been detained by the Imperial Pacification Office and couldn’t easily escape.

She was terrified—terrified that if they searched her husband’s consciousness, the events in Yujiang City would come to light, and she too would be imprisoned.

Madam Gao closed her eyes, her body trembling slightly.

She covered her face and let out a self-deprecating laugh. “I have nothing to say. But I swear, the Bodhi Pagoda has nothing to do with my family!”

On the busiest street in Jiuzhou City, by the riverside, stood the most famous tea house in the Nine Provinces Continent.

The tea house catered exclusively to cultivators and was off-limits to ordinary citizens. Even the servers were at the Qi Refining stage.

In smaller cities, a Qi Refining cultivator might be considered a notable figure, but in Jiuzhou City, where cultivators were everywhere, they were a common sight.

One of the servers had just seen off a customer when his gaze fell on a young man in pink standing to the side.

The young man was looking up intently at the small wooden plaques hanging on the wall.

The plaques listed the types of spirit tea sold in the tea house, along with their prices.

Many customers in the tea house stole glances at him, but he seemed oblivious, his attention fully absorbed.

The server cleared his throat, thinking, “This could be a big order!”

The more the customers he served ordered, the higher his monthly salary would be.

The server walked over lightly and greeted him with a smile. “Young master, why not take a seat? You can choose at your leisure once you’re seated.”

Handsome young men from wealthy families were often indecisive and picky.

Hearing this, Shen Jizhi turned his head, glanced at a dazed young man sitting by the window, then looked back at the server and asked, “Can I just have a cup of water?”

The server: “??”

The server was momentarily stunned. He scratched his head and shook it. “I’m afraid not, young master. Our spirit tea is renowned across the Nine Provinces! Take a look—” He pointed to the highest plaque. “This Qinghong Longzhu tea…”

Shen Jizhi’s gaze fell on the words “18,000 per pot” at the back, but he didn’t even blink before interrupting, “Just a pot of bitter tea will do.”

The server’s eyes immediately dropped to the lowest plaque. He twitched his lips and asked uncertainly, “…Young master, are you sure you want bitter tea?”

Bitter tea was sold by the cup for one spirit stone.

It was sold by the cup because no one could finish a whole cup—most people took one sip and spat it out.

Bitter tea was a staple in spirit tea houses, symbolizing the bitterness of the cultivation path. Its taste was exceptionally harsh.

Customers rarely ordered it; it was more of a symbolic offering.

Shen Jizhi hummed in acknowledgment, disregarding the puzzled look on the waiter's face. With his hands clasped behind his back, he found an empty seat and sat down.

The dazed young man remained by the window, one hand propping up his head, dark circles under his eyes, staring blankly as if his soul had left his body.

Shen Jizhi had spent the entire morning investigating the other three elders. Coincidentally, outside the residence of one of the elders, he had spotted this young man and followed him here.

The sound of a teacup being gently placed on the table echoed softly. The waiter lingered, curious to see Shen Jizhi's reaction.

Shen Jizhi glanced at the waiter, picked up the teacup, and took a small sip. His brows immediately furrowed.

The waiter's eyes gleamed with anticipation, thinking the young master was about to spit it out.

Spit it out! Go on, spit it out! That way, he could take the opportunity to recommend some sweet teas and pastries...

But in the next moment, Shen Jizhi's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed the tea.

He lowered his gaze, staring at the ink-black liquid, and took another sip.

The waiter, unwilling to give up, said, "Young master, would you like to order something else..."

Shen Jizhi interrupted him calmly, "No need."

The waiter pressed on, "Our pastries are also quite excellent..."

Shen Jizhi looked up, deep in thought. "Do you have a Xuantian Mirror?"

The waiter was taken aback. "Huh?"

He instinctively nodded. "Yes..."

Shen Jizhi, unaccustomed to such interactions, gave a faint smile and asked softly, "May I borrow it?"

He needed to call Jian Huan over. There was something off about this young man.