By morning, the two Jiang sisters were both feeling a bit woozy.

Walking out of the yard and arriving at Jiang Lingyue's small courtyard, Jiang Qingge found her sister practicing her sword early in the morning, maintaining the good habit she had always cultivated.

However, even though Jiang Qingge wasn't skilled in swordsmanship, having read some Sword Dao secret manuals, she could tell.

Today, Jiang Lingyue seemed a bit listless in her sword practice, lacking energy.

"Oh, sister, you're up so early."

Hearing the commotion outside, and seeing Jiang Qingge appear at the courtyard gate, Jiang Lingyue blushed slightly as if remembering something.

Luckily, Lu Ye's soundproof barrier worked well, otherwise...

"Did you not sleep well last night?" Seeing that Jiang Lingyue seemed off, Jiang Qingge asked, "It seemed like a mouse got in last night, did you know?"

"Oh, oh, I knew, sis. It woke me up in the latter half of the night, and I dealt with it, so I didn't sleep well."

Jiang Lingyue was briefly puzzled but then recalled what the rascal mentioned about a big mouse last night and immediately understood.

Jiang Qingge nodded, which explained it; a mouse entering the house disrupting sleep in the latter half of the night could understandably leave one tired.

"Don't overdo it; if you need to rest, go take a nap." Jiang Qingge glanced unintentionally toward Lu Ye's yard and said softly, "I'm going to check the accounts of the last two shops, keep practicing your sword."

Originally intending to finish accounting last night, unexpectedly meeting the treasure-returning Lu Ye caused a change in the plan.

...

At the Red Cloud Sect's back mountain, there was a clear lake with blossoming lotuses on the surface and fish swimming playfully underwater.

Within the lake stood a pavilion.

At this moment, a dignified figure in a red court dress was sitting in the pavilion, watching a few goldfish swimming in the lake.

The Northern Territory had been increasingly turbulent, but looking at the Red Cloud Sect as a whole, she couldn't find a single promising candidate among the young disciples who could shoulder major responsibilities.

The Myriad Laws Sect, after all, had Xiao Yun, a notable figure among the younger generation.

Having completed the Black Valley Secret Realm training, Xiao Yun had begun a closed-door cultivation, attempting to comprehend the Perfection of the Innate Ninth Layer.

In her Red Cloud Sect, the strongest among her disciples was also her own disciple.

There was Su Wan, who had independently reached the Innate Fifth Layer and had a very promising future.

The issue was that time waits for no one.

An Innate Fifth Layer might be decent under the Northern Territory's calm surface.

But in a real crisis, such as the recent unleashing of a sealed demon from Black Stone Wilderness, even an Innate Eighth Layer might not suffice.

Only a few top Innates and Martial Arts Grandmasters might form sufficient combat power!

Suddenly, the Red Cloud Fairy remembered a certain Martial Arts Grandmaster in black.

"If only you could join my Red Cloud Sect, with our resources, you would surely reach greater heights quicker…"

The Red Cloud Fairy sighed slightly. Why avoid meeting her when it's obviously beneficial to him?

If he agreed, she believed she could offer many conditions.

Even the Vice Sect Leader position in the Red Cloud Sect could be negotiable.

After contemplating for a moment, the Red Cloud Fairy clapped her hands, and immediately, a woman shrouded in black appeared quietly in the pavilion.

"Sect Leader!"

The black-clothed woman looked at the Red Cloud Fairy with eyes full of fanaticism.

She was a hidden hand of the sect leader, rarely seen within the Red Cloud Sect, like a shadow of the Red Cloud Fairy.

Only when the Red Cloud Fairy needed her would she appear.

"Go find Su Wan," the Red Cloud Fairy gazed at the carefree fish in the water and said bluntly.

The black-clothed woman silently turned and left, ghost-like in her movements.

Moments later, Su Wan, having received the message, hurried towards the lakeside pavilion.

"Master, you called for me?"

"The Sect Secret Realm is about to open; you should go in and train a bit," the Red Cloud Fairy spoke softly.

Sect Secret Realm…

Su Wan nodded. She had entered the Sect Secret Realm once before, which only opens periodically and has a limitation on the number of people it could accommodate.

Therefore, each opening triggers a disciple selection within the sect, selecting the top-ranked disciples to enter.

However, given Su Wan's status and strength—although not comparable to Xiao Yun—dominating the entire young generation of Red Cloud Sect posed no issue at all.

It meant that even without participating in the selection, no one in the sect would object.

An Innate Fifth Layer true disciple, impressively dominating the sect, could undoubtedly secure a spot.

"Yes, Master!"

She pondered and then, curious about whether her master had any gains from the recent journey to Yinmang Mountain, asked, "Master, how did it go at Yinmang Mountain?"

The Red Cloud Fairy furrowed her brow slightly, paused, and said, "I feel like this person doesn't want to see me."

"Huh?" Su Wan was stunned. Her master was, after all, one of the three giants of the Northern Territory, yet someone didn't want to see her master?

Even a Martial Arts Grandmaster forming a good relationship with her master seemed like an entirely beneficial move.

Su Wan's confusion mirrored the Red Cloud Fairy's bewilderment.

She didn't think too highly of herself, but under the combined weight of her status and strength, she—Red Cloud—could determine the fates of vast territories in the Northern Territory just with her words.

...

Approaching noon, despite knowing she should avoid suspicion and not frequently visit Lu Ye's side,

Jiang Lingyue couldn't hold back. She went to the kitchen to get two servings of food, intending to bring them to Lu Ye's courtyard under the pretense of delivering meals.

"Brother-in-law, I came to bring you a meal!"

At that moment, Lu Ye was in the small courtyard, practicing the Wandering Dragon Four-Pole Transformation.

Having reached a skilled stage, Lu Ye increasingly appreciated the wonders of this Earth Tier Upper Grade Body Technique, preparing to breakthrough to the Small Success Realm with lots of practice.

Hearing Jiang Lingyue's lively and innocent voice from outside, Lu Ye smoothly stopped his stepping technique.

Carrying a lunchbox, Jiang Lingyue blinked: "Brother-in-law, I brought you something delicious."

"Come in, didn't you eat?"

Jiang Lingyue blushed and shook her head; she hadn't eaten either, to have an excuse to bring food for Lu Ye.

Sitting at the stone table in the courtyard, Lu Ye opened the lunchbox to find it filled with sumptuous dishes—fierce beast meat, stewed beef, and more, all hearty options.

He even found some wolfberry yam lamb, which seemed very nutritious.

"?"

"Why did you bring this for me?" Lu Ye's face turned slightly dark, "Do you think that granting your plea for mercy last night wasn't enough?"

"No, no, no… It's enough!"

Jiang Lingyue quickly waved her hands, slightly nervous, "I specifically brought this to nourish you… I read about it in those books."

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