Li Mei had just finished folding the last of her robes into her bag when a sudden wave of noise drifted in from the courtyard—hurried footsteps, hushed whispers, and an unfamiliar flutter of qi.

Her hand paused mid-motion.

Two foreign presences…? Mortal-level, but unusually tense.

Even without divine sense, Li Mei's perception was far from ordinary. Through the subtle shifts in wind flow and the faint tug of qi currents brushing against the dojo's formations, she could sense the presence of strangers at the entrance—two distinctly feminine auras, clearly outside cultivator standards.

With a light frown creasing her delicate brows, she set her things aside and stepped outside.

…

On the other end of the courtyard—

"Mortals…" Lin Huang muttered, the sharp anger that had surged moments before gradually cooling once he noticed the complete absence of cultivation from the two cloaked figures.

No qi fluctuations. No combat will. Simply… ordinary humans.

Even so, rules were rules. And more importantly—his master's dojo was not a place anyone could wander into as they pleased.

He took a step forward, his voice carrying the weight of a blade.

"Halt! This is the territory of the Phoenix and Dragon Dojo. Trespassers are not welcome."

His tone was cold, clipped, unmistakably unyielding.

The two veiled women froze instantly. Even through the thin cloth covering their faces, Lin Huang could sense their fear tightening their bodies. One of them trembled, just slightly—but enough for someone like him to notice.

Just then, soft footsteps approached from behind.

Li Mei emerged from the side corridor, her presence graceful yet sharp, like a moonlit blade.

"What is it, Senior Brother? Why are you shouting?" she asked, though there was no irritation in her voice—only curiosity.

Lin Huang didn't answer immediately. His eyes remained locked on the intruders.

Li Mei followed his gaze… and her expression shifted.

Even veiled, the two women were breathtakingly beautiful—shapely silhouettes, trembling forms, hands clasped nervously at their sides. Yet beneath their elegance was unmistakable terror.

And there was a reason for that.

Lin Huang had only recently touched upon the peak of the Mortal Sword Dao. His control was not yet refined. Even when he wasn't actively releasing sword intent, his every movement… cut.

Literally.

Li Mei's eyes narrowed.

The veils covering the women's faces—thin, expensive silk—had been sliced open without either sister noticing. The cuts were so fine that they were invisible to the naked eye… unless one looked closely enough.

But what made Li Mei's breath still for a fraction of a second was not the fabric.

It was the faint but undeniable crimson line across both sisters' throats.

A single strand of blood slowly trickled down.

If Lin Huang hadn't restrained himself—even accidentally—their heads would already be rolling across the courtyard floor.

The two sisters likely didn't even notice the danger they were in.

Li Mei gave Lin Huang a strange, side-long look.

Peak Mortal Sword Dao… and he's already this terrifying to mortals?

She couldn't decide whether to be impressed… or concerned.

The Fang sisters, however, stood stiff as statues, their trembling hidden poorly beneath their cloaks, their breaths shallow and uneven—as though they sensed that the slightest movement might provoke the swordsman before them into finishing what he had unknowingly started.

That's right—both young misses of the prestigious Fang family were mortals. Their father had forbidden them from cultivating entirely. His reasoning was simple and ruthless: power breeds rebellion. And Patriarch Fang would not tolerate disobedience—not even from his own daughters.

It was cruel… but effective.

So when Lin Huang's sword intent brushed across their throats, nearly severing their heads without him even realizing it—

"You brute! How dare you attack us—do you know who we are?!"

Fang Zhirou's voice exploded like a firecracker, high-pitched and trembling with fury.

This girl, born into wealth, pampered daily, doted upon by servants—had never been treated so harshly in her life. Her anger surged like a spoiled kitten suddenly shown the threat of a tiger.

Her eyes reddened, tears welling at the corners.

Fang Biyu, the elder sister, didn't shout, but her reaction was no less intense.

She slowly reached up, her fingers brushing the faint line of blood on her snow-white throat.

Her eyes trembled.

For a girl who had never even seen a slaughtered chicken, feeling her own blood outside her body was a shock that rattled her bones.

Li Mei watched it all unfold and internally nearly cursed aloud.

Senior brother, you absolute blockhead. You can kill demons but you don't know how to talk to delicate flowers? Keep this up and you'll die single for all nine lifetimes…

Of course, she did not dare say that out loud.

This was the same Lin Huang who had touched the peak of Mortal Sword Dao. Arguing with him was like insulting a walking calamity.

So instead, Li Mei stepped forward with the grace of a snow lotus and placed a gentle hand in front of Lin Huang, signaling him to step back.

"Forgive my senior brother," she said warmly, her tone soothing like a spring breeze. "The city is in chaos—you've surely heard the rumors. There are demons disguising themselves as humans to cause discord. Everyone is on edge."

Her words carried experience, authority, and a hint of charm crafted from countless years in the Upper Realm.

Even if she didn't care for small talk anymore—as an Eternal Emperor in her previous life—she understood how to calm frightened mortals.

And calm them she did.

Almost instantly, Fang Biyu and Fang Zhirou's tense shoulders loosened. Their breathing steadied. Their defensive postures relaxed as if Li Mei's voice alone could protect them from danger.

Perhaps it was Li Mei's beauty.

Perhaps her gentle aura.

Or perhaps it was simply that the Fang sisters trusted other women instinctively more than sword-wielding men who nearly decapitated them.

Li Mei patiently asked, "Why have you come to the Phoenix and Dragon Dojo?"

That one question opened the floodgates.

The Fang sisters explained everything—their purpose, their goal, their desperation, their wish to meet the mysterious master. As they spoke, their voices shook with fear and determination both.

Li Mei listened, her expression smooth and elegant.

But when the sisters finished—

A strange, amused smile tugged at the corner of Li Mei's lips.

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