"You Xinyue, it's been a while."
The woman in purple who had come to escort Lu Xuanyuan turned out to be none other than You Xinyue, the younger of the Purple Sky Sect siblings who had once tried to trap Jian Dan in the Purple-Rank Secret Realm. Her brother, You Xinwu, had planned to kill Jian Dan for resources, but ended up slain by Jian Dan and Han Pengfei instead.
Jian Dan's sudden move stunned the escorts. Yue Liang bared her teeth, then leapt back onto Lu Xuanyuan's shoulder.
Lu Xuanyuan froze. He had known the true reason this Zhēnjūn had tormented him was just a petty revenge for asking to take her spiritual beast, but now, he had clearly sensed real killing intent.
Though his cultivation was low, he had grown up beside the sect master. He had long since learned how to read people and knew precisely who could and could not be offended. So he sat still with Yue Liang on his shoulder, not daring to move.
"Since Young Master Lu and I hit it off so well, and he expressed his desire to raise a spiritual beast like mine, I can't make the decision on my own. Let's go together to speak with the sect's elders and see if we can fulfill the young master's wish."
"Uh…"
The five remaining attendants were completely bewildered, unsure of what to do. Instinctively, they turned to Lu Xuanyuan.
Lu Xuanyuan thought to himself, if he dared say no, this Zhēnjūn would have Yue Liang toss him around again. So he nodded rapidly like a pecking chicken, ignoring You Xinyue's meaningful glances. Satisfied, Jian Dan led the group of eight—plus one spirit beast—toward the main peak, Tianjian Peak.
When the guards at the guest hall saw this strange procession, especially one Purple Sky Sect disciple restrained by a fire spell, they were wary. After Jian Dan explained the situation, they remained skeptical, hesitating whether to report it. At that moment, the voice of Jian Chun Zhēnzūn echoed beside them:
"Let them in."
As the group entered, the expression of Xiao Die Zhēnjūn from the Purple Sky Sect darkened. To him, it was clear: this Yuányīng Zhēnjūn from the Heavenly Sword Sect had detained their young master. He immediately spoke in a less-than-polite tone.
"Sect Master, what is the meaning of this? Did Young Master Lu offend this Zhēnjūn?"
"I have no idea. That's why I asked them to explain it themselves," Jian Chun Zhēnzūn replied bluntly and gestured for Jian Dan to speak.
Jian Dan was even blunter. Without warning, she closed her fist. The fire circle constraining You Xinyue flared, and a burst of Verdant Flame severed her neck. What shocked everyone more was what happened next.
A black beetle burst from You Xinyue's severed neck, buzzing toward Lu Xuanyuan's forehead. But before it reached him, Jian Dan caught it in a hand cloaked in flame. At the same time, Yue Liang flashed to Xiao Die Zhēnjūn's side with Lu Xuanyuan, then zipped back to Jian Dan's shoulder in a blink.
Everything had happened in a flash. Even those with higher cultivation were left stunned. Jian Dan conjured a fire dragon with Verdant Flame, suspending the beetle larva inside.
"My spiritual beast sensed the scent of a black beetle on her. To prevent any accidents, I had no choice but to eliminate her and bring the matter here. As for the others…"
She turned her gaze toward the five remaining attendants, now pale as death.
"That will need further investigation by Zhēnjūn."
With that, Jian Dan stepped aside with Yue Liang and bowed toward Jian Chun Zhēnzūn.
"Well done. Go claim a reward, and take that thing to the Law Enforcement Hall."
"Yes, respected Sect Master."
Jian Dan cast a pointed look at Lu Xuanyuan. With You Xinyue removed, hopefully the boy would not grow up as unrestrained as he had in her past life.
Lu Xuanyuan was visibly shaken, clutching the hem of Xiao Die Zhēnjūn's robe, silent. He had never expected the kind and accommodating Sister You to be beheaded on the spot, or that a black beetle would crawl out of her corpse. He was overwhelmed.
And that final look from the Zhēnjūn before she left made him tremble again. Trying to take her spirit beast had been an incredibly foolish move. He was lucky she hadn't taken it seriously.
"Yue Liang, are you sure he wasn't already parasitized by the black beetle?"
"He doesn't smell like one. But there's no guarantee the mother didn't lay eggs in him. Still, since we destroyed her, it should be fine."
"All right. Got it."
Law Enforcement Hall
Jian Dan had thought she would see Jian Jun Zhēnzhǔ again, but it was Jian Li Zhēnzhǔ who received her.
"Greetings, Jian Li Zhēnzhǔ. Shan Yunzu of Tianyue Peak, reporting in as ordered to deliver the captured black beetle."
"Hm. You've improved a lot over the years."
"Not worthy of Zhēnzhǔ's praise."
"Do you have plans now?"
"I've just advanced to Nascent Soul and need to solidify my cultivation. I was hoping to take a sect mission and travel for a bit."
"Any specific destination?"
"I'd like to go to areas where demon cultivators gather. Before I entered seclusion, I received word from Yan Su Zhēnjūn of the Heavenly Demon Palace. He said both the Crimson Blood Manor and the Nine Fiends Hall have fallen into chaos, and parasitic beetles were discovered."
"Yes, we've heard of that as well. Since it involves the demon sects' internal matters, our Daoist sects cannot intervene directly. Yan Su and his team from the Heavenly Demon Palace have been helping to quell the unrest these past five years, eliminating threats wherever they appear. His cultivation has already reached Nascent Soul."
"I have a method to disguise myself as a demon cultivator. I can investigate and assist Yan Su Zhēnjūn if needed."
Jian Li Zhēnzhǔ didn't object. He only offered a reminder:
"Change your face. Right now, you're a walking spirit stone."
"?"
"Everyone knows you."