Sword Sect Outer Sect

Chapter 362 Invitation
Outside the clan's territory, Song Yan bid farewell to Yan Li and left the Yan clan. He then visited the Wu clan in Beiya Mountain City.

Since we're already here, let's meet up with our old friends Wu Huaguo and Rong Xiaofeng and catch up.

Unfortunately, when they arrived, only Rong Xiaofeng was there; Wu Huaguo had gone out on business, which seemed to be related to the death of Master Xuantong of Huadu Temple a few days ago.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Rong Xiaofeng, Song Yan left Beiya Mountain City, transforming into a sword light and returning to Dongyuan Sect.

We returned all the way to Wipe Sword Peak.

At the entrance of the cave dwelling of Earth No. 21, a little girl was seen squatting at the entrance of her cave dwelling, dozing off.

Song Yan recognized the child; she had brought him from the family when Granny Qin returned to her clan last time.

Her name seems to be Qin Yue. In terms of seniority and kinship, she is Qin Grandma's... grandniece?

Song Yan didn't ask for details, but in short, she was now living with Granny Qin in the clan.

"Xiaoyue, what are you doing here?"

"Ah..." Qin Yue woke up with a start, looking at Song Yan in a daze: "Brother Yan... Grandma asked me to come and see if you're back yet."

"My mother-in-law is looking for me? Why didn't she just send me a telepathic message?" Song Yan was taken aback, then said, "I understand, I'll go to her cave to find her right now."

"no, I'm fine!"

Xiaoyue got up from the ground and painstakingly channeled a wisp of spiritual energy around her: "Grandma said she's coming to find you in person. Brother Yan, you go and rest for a while. I'll go and inform her right away."

That's not how you use that word...

Watching Xiaoyue dash down the mountain in a flash, Song Yan frowned and began to ponder deeply.

What wrong have I done that I have to come to you in person to interrogate you?

It's been too long since I visited her to say hello.

Did you not give Xiaoyue any money for good luck during the Lunar New Year?

He returned to his cave dwelling, tidied up a bit, and then took out his best spiritual tea to prepare.

Just as I settled down on the stone bench inside the cave, before I even had a chance to pour myself a cup of tea, the protective light barrier at the entrance of the cave began to ripple.

With Xiaoyue's clear voice, tinged with a hint of boasting, she announced, "Brother Yan! We're here!"

He quickly got up, walked briskly to the entrance of the cave, and waved to remove the restrictions.

However, the scene that came into view made him pause slightly.

Outside the cave, Qin Xijun stood with one hand on her hip, with Xiaoyue behind her.

There were two other people standing next to Qin Xijun.

One of them was Senior Brother Lu Ziye. Over the years, his carefree and irreverent demeanor had softened somewhat, and a hint of joy lingered between his brows.

The other was a female cultivator, dressed in an elegant pale yellow dress, with a slender figure, gentle temperament, and beautiful appearance.

Song Yan felt that the face looked somewhat familiar.

She stood close to Lu Ziye, seemingly a little reserved.

With a slight shift in her thoughts, she remembered what Yan Xun and Wu Duo had mentioned a few days ago: that they had received Lu Ziye's wedding invitation.

So it seems this is the future sister-in-law?

"Oh my! Isn't this our busy Fellow Daoist Song?"

Qin Xijun didn't stand on ceremony with Song Yan at all. She stepped forward and walked into the courtyard. Before he could react, she grabbed his shoulder.

"Tsk tsk tsk, it's really not easy to see you."

"Grandma, I've come several times but haven't seen you once. What's wrong? Now that you're famous at a young age, your name resounds throughout the Chu Kingdom, and you've become a big shot, you can't even see my master anymore?"

Song Yan was left speechless, both amused and exasperated by her mother-in-law's sarcastic remarks.

He knows this flavor all too well.

"No, Master, you're being too kind."

He quickly apologized, "I just went out on some business, and you all arrived right after I walked in. I didn't even have time to catch my breath..."

"Hey, busy, busy, it's good to be busy." Qin Xijun said with a look of disdain.

"Master..."

"Don't call me Master, I can't accept that. Just call me Qin Xijun from now on."

"Qin Xijun?"

"Look at this, so disrespectful! They've already disowned me as their master. What kind of person is this?"

"no……"

Seeing the master and disciple arguing like children, the female cultivator chuckled.

After making a fuss for a while, Song Yan glanced at Lu Ziye and the female cultivator beside him.

"Master, who is this fairy...?"

Upon hearing Song Yan's question, the female cultivator gave a graceful bow, but Senior Brother Lu Ziye seemed unusually embarrassed.

Qin Xijun looked at Lu Ziye with a strange expression and said, "Tell me yourself, why are you being introverted?"

Lu Ziye stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Junior Brother Song, how have you been?"

He turned to the side, gently took the hand of the female cultivator beside him, and introduced her: "This is Nangong Ling. We will soon become Daoist partners."

“Nangong Ling…”

He had actually seen this name on the invitation he had given to Yan Xun and Wu Duo before.

However, considering the girl's appearance, Song Yan dared to draw a conclusion.

Many years ago, when I was refining the Foundation Establishment Pill of Sword Dao, I rented a cave dwelling in Jiangxian Pass.

He remembered that it was a woman from the Nangong family who handled his paperwork.

“Fairy Nangong, did we meet a few years ago?”

"Huh?" Qin Xijun and Lu Ziye were both taken aback.

Nangong Ling clearly recognized Song Yan long ago, and gave a graceful bow: "Senior Song... back when I was still in Jiangxian Pass, managing a cave dwelling that my clan rented out, we did meet then."

"Hahaha!"

Lu Ziye laughed heartily, "So you all knew each other all along? This cultivation world in Chu is really small! After all this time, we're all acquaintances."

As they walked into the cave, Xiaoyue volunteered to use her newly refined spiritual power to brew tea for the adults.

The group started chatting.

"It's quite a coincidence, actually. I attended the Jiangtian Night Banquet hosted by the Nangong family a few years ago," Song Yan said casually.

"I wonder how Senior Zhang Cheng has been lately?"

"Zhang Cheng... Senior?"

Lu Ziye and Nangong Ling exchanged a glance, their expressions somewhat strange.

Lu Ziye pondered for a moment and said, "Ling'er was born into a branch family. Her parents died when she was young, and no one took care of her. It was a servant from the Nangong family who raised her from childhood."

Nangong Ling nodded and continued, "My grandfather's name was indeed Zhang Cheng, but he was a servant, not a senior."

"How...how did you come to know him?"

Song Yan was stunned by what he heard and was speechless.

It was only when he got to this point that he remembered that the Nangong family had a Golden Core cultivator, a fact that had never been made public.

Most people are just guessing.

Only a few people know the identity of Senior Zhang Cheng.

I almost let this get out.

However, he never expected that Senior Zhang Cheng and this Nangong Ling had such a relationship.

What a coincidence.

Moreover, the two people in front of them seemed unaware that Senior Zhang Cheng was a Golden Core cultivator.

"Uh...cough cough."

Song Yan coughed lightly: "I met him by chance at the previous banquet. I had tea and chatted with him."

"Oh……"

Lu Ziye and Nangong Ling suddenly realized, and then beamed with joy: "We never expected to be so destined."

Although she didn't know why Senior Zhang Cheng had kept it from Nangong Ling, Song Yan quickly took the opportunity to change the subject.

"This is terrible! Back then you called me 'senior,' and now you and my senior brother are happily married..."

Song Yan scratched the back of his head, looking puzzled: "Does this mean I have to call you sister-in-law now?"

"Why are the generations getting younger and younger?"

His half-joking remark, tinged with self-deprecation and a blessing, immediately drew laughter from everyone.

Nangong Ling covered her mouth and chuckled, "You are now a prominent figure in the cultivation world of Chu, which is too much for me."

Her tone was gentle, and her attitude was very generous and proper. Lu Ziye smiled and patted Nangong Ling's shoulder: "My junior brother's mouth is obviously learned from our master."

Qin Xijun rolled her eyes at him: "Alright, alright, let's get down to business. Didn't you come here specifically to deliver something?"

Lu Ziye then stopped joking and took out a beautifully crafted red invitation from his sleeve, solemnly handing it to Song Yan with both hands.

"Junior Brother Song, Ling'er and I will be holding our wedding banquet at the Nangong family on the banks of the Lingyang River on the ninth day of next month."

"I've come today to deliver this invitation. I sincerely hope that Junior Brother Song will be able to attend and share a drink with us at our wedding."

Song Yan quickly accepted the invitation with both hands. The cover of the invitation was decorated with a pattern of lovebirds and intertwined branches outlined in gold powder, with a double happiness character in the middle and the words "Respectfully invited by Lu Ziye and Nangong Ling" written neatly below.

It's about the same as Yan Xun's and the others'.

"Congratulations, senior brother! Congratulations, sister-in-law!"

"This is a great joyous occasion. Senior brother, you can rest assured that I will be there on the ninth day of next month to have a drink with you."

"May you and your wife be forever united in heart and walk the path of enlightenment together!"

"Thank you, junior brother!" Lu Ziye and Nangong Ling smiled at each other, their eyes filled with sweetness.

"Oh right, this is for Xiaohe."

Song Yan was taken aback, then accepted the second invitation.

"I don't know when Xiaohe will be back, but if she can come back before next month, let's come together. It'll be very lively."

"..."

Song Yan sighed inwardly, but still smiled and said, "Alright, I'll accept it on her behalf."

The group got up to leave.

"Alright, the invitation has been delivered to you in person, so we won't bother you any longer, you busy person."

As Qin Xijun walked, she glared at Song Yan and said, "Don't forget the ninth day of next month."

"Okay, I know."

After seeing off several guests, Song Yan sat on a stone bench in the cave, looking at the two invitation cards in his hand, and let out a soft breath.

When I opened the invitation for Xiao He, it was different from the ones for the others. There was hardly any text, just some cute pictures.

It was probably hand-drawn by my sister-in-law.

"Have a heart."

Song Yan marveled and put away all the invitations.

"I'll give this to Xiaohe when I see her in the future."

……

The territory of the Qin clan.

In the attic, Qin Feiyu, the patriarch of the Qin clan, was sitting by the railing, his eyes lowered and his expression somewhat solemn.

Sitting in front of him was Qin Ying.

Despite being the patriarch of the vast Qin family, Qin Feiyu showed no arrogance of a superior in front of Qin Ying.

"Is the news from the Demon Ruins accurate?"

Qin Ying raised his eyes: "How could it be false? The Demon Ruins has already drawn nine Nascent Soul True Monarchs from the four major lineages, and they will soon arrive in the Chu Kingdom."

Qin Feiyu took a deep breath.

Nascent Soul True Lord...

Nine people came at once!?

These nine people alone are enough to manipulate the entire border region's situation repeatedly.

He said in a deep voice, "Such a display of force... it seems the Demon Ruins are determined to seize the border region. How should my Qin family position itself?"

Qin Ying's face remained expressionless and extremely indifferent.

"When that time comes, countless sects and aristocratic families in the Chu Kingdom will surrender to the Demon Ruins. If we do nothing, we'll just be absorbed into the Demon Ruins..."

Qin Ying glanced sideways at the clan leader: "In the end, we still can't escape the fate of being ridden on by the Yan clan."

"The Qin family cannot simply be a dog wagging its tail and begging for mercy."

"Before the Demon Ruins truly arrive, we must take the initiative and secure enough leverage for the Qin family's future!"

Qin Feiyu's eyes flickered: "You mean..."

"The Nangong family, I'm afraid we can't wait any longer. Let's make our move ahead of schedule."

Qin Feiyu was startled by this, but quickly composed himself: "Okay."

Qin Ying continued, "By the way, the Nangong family is having a wedding banquet on the ninth day of next month."

"At that time, there will be a large gathering of guests, and the place will be a perfect opportunity to take action."

"Let the Nangong family's joyous occasion turn into a funeral."

To strike on someone's joyous occasion is undeniably ruthless.

Qin Feiyu nodded, then asked, "But... if the Nangong family really still has Golden Core cultivators, what should we do?"

A strange glint flashed in Qin Ying's eyes: "There's no need to worry about this. I will ask Qin Yang to take action."

A complex expression appeared on Qin Feiyu's face: "Will that person... agree?"

"For the Qin family, and for his own sake, he will."

After saying this, Qin Ying left the pavilion.

Without lingering, they headed straight for the deepest part of the Qin family compound, the area designated as a forbidden zone.

Here, the fog was thick, and after passing through layers of protective formations, the scene before my eyes suddenly changed.

This is a secluded valley covered with dark red vines.

The vines were thick and glistening with a bright red, sticky sap that emitted a sweet, fishy odor that sent shivers down one's spine.

The valley was dimly lit, with only a few scattered fluorite stones emitting a pale glow.

Qin Ying seemed extremely familiar with this place. Without stopping, she walked straight to the deepest part of the valley.

There, vines intertwine and entwine, forming a natural entrance to a cave.

Qin Ying stopped in front of the cave entrance, raised his hand and cast a peculiar spell, disappearing into the cave.

A moment later, a soft sound came from inside the cave.

"Oh, what a rare guest!"

A languid voice rang out: "Isn't this my dear sister?"

As the voice spoke, a figure slowly emerged from the shadows of the cave entrance.

The newcomer looked extremely young, no more than twenty years old, with a handsome face.

The skin is pale, as if it has never seen the sun.

She wore a loose, dark red robe, was barefoot, and had a string of small white bone bells tied to each ankle.

They bump into each other lightly as they walk.

"The Demon Ruins are about to conquer the border region." Qin Ying cut to the chase, his tone icy, without the slightest intention of pleasantries: "I want to ask you to help the Qin family destroy the Nangong family."

"Destroy Nangong?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Yang's dark red pupils shifted slightly: "Why?"

"For the Qin family."

"With the arrival of powerful figures from the Demon Ruins, all the major and minor forces in the Chu Kingdom will inevitably turn against us. If my Qin family cannot strengthen itself and seize the initiative before then, we will only be suppressed by the Yan family and their ilk within the Demon Ruins system in the future."

"The Nangong family is our stepping stone."

Qin Yang tilted his head, his bare feet stepping on the cold rock, and the white bone bell fell silent.

He stared at Qin Ying for a few moments, then suddenly chuckled, the sound echoing through the valley, sending chills down one's spine.

"Of course, my dear sister..."

He drew out his words and slowly walked up to Qin Ying, the two of them very close.

How could I not listen to you?

He gently raised his hand and stroked Qin Ying's face.

"...We are blood-related siblings."

Qin Yang smiled gently: "I have no interest in bullying the old, weak, sick and disabled. If the Nangong family still has Golden Core cultivators clinging to life, I will take action myself."

"However, sister, you must remember this."

Qin Yang's fingertips traced a path from the corner of Qin Ying's eye down to her chin.

"You owe me another favor."

(End of this chapter)