Young Master Zhao sat upright in the grand master’s chair, turning his head slightly with a rather indifferent expression. He took a slow sip from his teacup before leisurely saying, "Now that it’s done, it cannot be undone. Master Changying, the Mansion of Marquis Anyang and the Ninth Princess are no ordinary opponents. I implore you to find a way to secretly take him out of the capital."
Changying flicked her dust whisk, her face icy. She snorted coldly and said, "Although I want to help you, you’re asking too much. Let me advise you: the Mansion of Marquis Anyang might be manageable, but the Ninth Princess is beyond what we can handle. If you return him now and sincerely apologize, perhaps the Ninth Princess will not pursue this matter further."
This matter involved the Mansion of Marquis Anyang, so she could only consider herself unlucky and didn’t even want to ask for the money for the teleportation talisman anymore.
As she turned to leave, Young Master Zhao waved his sleeve, sending out a force that shut the door.
Changying showed no fear, squinting her eyes as she turned her head to provocatively say, "Young Master Zhao, your martial skills are not bad, but you’re not quite a match for me."
"You, Master, are proficient in Daoist arts and skilled with talismans. I am, of course, not your opponent," Young Master Zhao raised his eyebrows, then changed the subject, "You previously worked for Liang Zhen, assisting the Daoists of Sanqing Temple in activating the Eight Trigrams Soul-Locking Formation. If the Ninth Princess learns of this, I’m afraid you won’t stand a chance."
After speaking, he stood up, a smile playing on his lips as he looked at Changying.
Changying’s face stiffened. She tightened her grip on her dust whisk, her fingers turning white and veins bulging on the back of her hand. "Don’t slander me without proof, Young Master Zhao!"
"There’s no need to deny it, Master. Since I could hire you, I naturally investigated your background. The spies of the Flame Sect don’t eat for free," Young Master Zhao said, his tone light, "You and your three disciples disguised yourselves as men at the Duke of Jin’s residence, changing your appearances, which is why the Imperial Censorate never caught you."
Although the Flame Sect was a martial arts sect, it always kept an eye on the political situation to avoid being caught off guard. The sect’s spies had discovered this matter by chance. This was why he could find Changying; he knew she had some skills and he had leverage over her.
Changying ground her teeth in frustration. With her skills, she couldn’t make much money just by drawing talismans and catching ghosts, so she had to do some dirty work for the rich and powerful. She used different appearances for different clients, and since the employers wouldn’t expose these dirty deeds, she had been safe all these years. She never expected that after being cautious all her life, she’d be exposed by Young Master Zhao now!
Young Master Zhao walked to the table, poured himself a cup of tea, and said, "Master Changying, you’ve accumulated a lot of wealth over the years of cultivation and haven’t even had a good time yet. I don’t want to be your enemy; I want you to know that we are now in the same boat."
He filled the cup to the brim, then pushed it forward, continuing, "My sister has had a pitiful life. I just want her next life to be peaceful and smooth. Please understand my brotherly concerns and help me this time."
Changying looked at the cup, then at Young Master Zhao. This young master was different from Master Zhao, who was kind and loyal. Daring to harm Chu Yang showed he was a madman. If she didn’t agree, he might really drag her down with him. With no choice, she stepped forward, took the cup, and drank the tea, agreeing to the task.
Young Master Zhao immediately smiled, not showing the madness from before, but rather a bit of gentleness, "Thank you, Master. I will ensure you are well compensated."
Changying snorted, "Money is not the issue now; staying alive is. If Chu Yang is to be made the groom to accompany Zhao Lingfu on her final journey, and if Chu Nanli finds out, no amount of lives would be enough to save me."
Now she deeply regretted guiding Young Master Zhao to the capital in the first place.
Young Master Zhao nodded, "I heard that when a member of the Chu family is injured, the Ninth Princess knows immediately. If someone goes missing, she can use some tracking technique to find them. That’s why I insisted you come."
Changying muttered to herself, thinking she had initially thought of this young master as an easy target, only to find he was both mad and clever.
She went to check on a disciple with a similar build to Chu Yang, knocked him out, and set up a talisman array in the room, using her own lifespan to activate it. However, the protective talisman that Nanli had drawn was indeed intricate, and Changying’s face turned pale, her hands shaking uncontrollably, blood trickling from the corners of her mouth.
Young Master Zhao watched anxiously, "Master, you can’t fail. If the Ninth Princess detects this, she’ll come immediately!"
Changying understood this too. She gritted her teeth and stomped her foot, shouting, "With ten years of merit, I ask my ancestor to show his spirit and aid me!"
Shortly after, a strong wind surged in and entered her body. Her hands steadied, no longer trembling, as she transferred Chu Yang’s protective talisman to the disciple.
The array’s light dimmed. The power receded, and Changying, unable to hold on any longer, collapsed to the ground, spitting out a mouthful of turbid blood.
"Master, how are you? Did it work?" Young Master Zhao hurriedly helped her up.
"It worked," Changying said, wiping the blood from her mouth, but she was furious. This time, she not only lost lifespan but also half of the merit she had painstakingly accumulated. This deal was a huge loss!