Yun Jin could feel Gao Jingxuan's gaze on her.
At first, she pretended not to notice. But when it became clear that he had no intention of looking away, she simply turned her head and met his eyes directly.
"Mr. Gao, are you perhaps smitten with me at first sight?" Yun Jin said with a straight face. "Apologies, but I'm wholly devoted to cultivation. I have no interest in romance."
Her words caught Gao Jingxuan completely off guard. His usually composed expression cracked, and a faint blush crept onto his cheeks. He quickly cupped his fists and replied, "Please, don't tease me, Miss."
Yun Jin raised an eyebrow, voice playful. "Then why were you staring at me? It's only natural for a gentleman to admire a graceful lady. Being fond of me is understandable. After all, I do have quite a few strengths."
The color on Gao Jingxuan's face deepened. He bowed again, this time in surrender, and didn't dare look at her anymore.
Yun Jin was thoroughly amused.
From that point on, the roles reversed.
Now it was her turn to stare at Gao Jingxuan.
Hmm...
This little disciple candidate didn't seem bad at all.
At the very least, his conduct appeared decent and upright.
"Young Master, have you taken a liking to this Gao Jingxuan?" Tian Po Sword suddenly chuckled mischievously. "His cultivation is a bit low, sure, but he's a five-element root. If he cultivates your Mystic Codex, his realm will catch up in no time. And he seems like a good sort. If you like him, why not just snatch him back to the sect?"
The Tian Po Sword was clearly joking.
But Yun Jin nodded seriously. "I think that might work."
"???"
Tian Po Sword froze, a touch of panic creeping in.
What did she mean by that? Was she serious?
Yun Jin smiled and clarified, "I mean, how about I take him in as a disciple?"
Tian Po Sword finally let out a relieved sigh. So that's what she meant. He hadn't considered the possibility earlier, but now that she mentioned it, he gave it some thought.
After watching Gao Jingxuan along their journey, Tian Po Sword found himself liking the young man's character as well.
The outside world might look down on him for his poor spiritual roots, but Wushuang Sect didn't. In fact, this boy felt like a perfect fit for their sect. With that in mind, Tian Po Sword began to look at Gao Jingxuan with increasing satisfaction.
On the other hand, being under Yun Jin's direct scrutiny had Gao Jingxuan more than a little rattled. He wanted to ask her—if she was following her own logic, didn't that mean she was interested in him too?
But... he didn't have the nerve to say it out loud. He could only swallow the embarrassment in silence.
In the end, Gao Jingxuan chose to speed up his pace.
That mysterious woman was unlike anyone he'd ever met. He couldn't see through her at all, and he wanted to test her, even just a little.
But to his surprise, even though he was using his full strength, she kept up effortlessly. In fact, she looked entirely relaxed, as though she hadn't even begun to exert herself.
Just how high was her cultivation?
The question lingered in Gao Jingxuan's mind.
—
Another day passed.
Finally, the group arrived at the capital.
As they approached the city walls, the first thing they saw was the grim sight hanging in the sky: Qin Ping and the others, suspended in the air like a public warning.
Even Yun Jin and Gao Jingxuan couldn't keep their expressions from shifting.
The image of Qin Ping being beaten and strung up had already circulated for some time, and they'd all been enraged the first time they saw it.
But that had only been a projection.
Now they were seeing it with their own eyes.
Emotion surged through the group. One man could no longer hold back and lunged forward.
In the very next instant, an invisible force pinned him in place.
No matter how he struggled, he couldn't move an inch.
He turned his head sharply, eyes landing on Yun Jin.
He could feel it clearly—the power restraining him came from Yun Jin!
He was already in the Golden Core stage, yet under her strength, he couldn't even form a thought of resistance.
Her cultivation... was far beyond his.
Nascent Soul?
Divine Transformation?
Or even higher?
Facing the stunned gazes of those around her, Yun Jin said calmly, "If you're going to die, at least make sure your death is worth something."
Charging up the city walls now would be nothing but a senseless waste.
Gao Jingxuan gave Yun Jin a long, thoughtful look, then spoke slowly. "She's right. Since we've come this far, we must try to be of use. For the capital to betray the Kingdom so suddenly, there must be a deeper cause. I was appointed as the top scholar by the king himself. It's my duty to offer counsel. No matter what, I must first meet with the king and uncover the truth."
The others voiced their agreement.
Gao Jingxuan led the way toward the city gates.
Yun Jin followed silently behind.
As Gao Jingxuan glanced at the guards stationed at the gate, a flicker of uncertainty crossed his face.
Still, he said nothing and stepped through calmly.
Oddly enough, the guards didn't stop them. Not even a single question.
Inside the gates, however, a large group of civilians were gathered, hoping to leave the city. The guards were strict with them—no one was allowed out.
Once inside, Gao Jingxuan lowered his voice. "Something is wrong with those guards."
"Oh?" Yun Jin asked with interest. "Why do you say that?"
Gao Jingxuan hesitated slightly, as if weighing his trust. Then he leaned closer and said, "Each rotation of gate guards is one hundred men, and they switch out every three years. I've met every member of this current rotation at least once. But the expressions and bearing of those two... they were different."
"???" Yun Jin blinked.
He'd only met them once, and he still remembered their expressions and mannerisms enough to notice something was off?
Gao Jingxuan... really was something else.
Someone nearby, seeing Yun Jin's surprise, added, "Gao Jingxuan's talents are rare. He's always had a keen perception. He has this knack—he can infer the bigger picture from small details. Once he's seen a person or an object, even the slightest difference won't escape him."
"Inferring from details?" Even Tian Po Sword sounded curious.
He couldn't see Luck, so he didn't understand why Yun Jin had taken such an interest in Gao Jingxuan.
But now, hearing about this unusual ability, he finally started to understand. Such a skill suggested that Gao Jingxuan had extremely high perception in at least one area. Maybe he really was a promising cultivation seedling.
"It's just an exaggeration," Gao Jingxuan said modestly. But his eyes were thoughtful. "Still, those two guards were definitely off. Their faces were identical, but their aura, their expressions... something's changed. Why would that be?"
Yun Jin had a good guess, but she didn't say it out loud.
"Let's not get distracted," she said. "Brother Gao, why not take us to see the king?"
Gao Jingxuan nodded. The change in the capital had started with the king. Seeing him might reveal the truth.
In his memory, Chen Chen had never been an incompetent ruler. If this was all some kind of misunderstanding, perhaps he could talk him down.
Soon, Gao Jingxuan led them into the palace and formally requested an audience with the king.
To everyone's surprise, the king actually received them.
Yun Jin followed Gao Jingxuan into the palace unnoticed. The palace guards didn't seem to care how many people entered. They completely ignored Yun Jin and the others, letting them pass without a second glance.
Before entering, Gao Jingxuan had sworn that he would reason with the king. But once they stood before Chen Chen, his expression shifted. He said nothing about offering counsel and only asked a few surface-level questions.
"Chen Chen" repeated the claim that Qin Ping had colluded with the demon clan.
But that reasoning had a gaping flaw.
If Qin Ping had truly conspired with demons, why wasn't the Demon-Slaying Alliance brought in to investigate?
The logic didn't hold at all. Yet Gao Jingxuan didn't seem to notice. He simply nodded and left with the group, as though he accepted the explanation.
The moment they stepped outside the palace, however, Gao Jingxuan's face darkened.
In a low voice, he said, "The king is not himself. He's changed, just like the guards."