Chapter 195: The Junior Helps Out

Early the next morning.

“Little junior niece, are you… preparing for class again?” Yuan Jiang walked into the study, smiling kindly as he looked at Yun Jiao, who was writing vigorously.

Yun Jiao looked up briefly and replied casually, “Not preparing lessons. I’m adjusting the Explosive Flame Formation—seeing if I can limit its range.”

“Limit it?” Yuan Jiang was startled. Sure enough, the table was covered with intricate formation diagrams, so complex that one glance made his head spin. He asked instinctively, “Isn’t the power of the Explosive Flame Formation supposed to be as strong as possible? Why restrict it? Don’t tell me—” his eyes brightened, “—you mean the smaller the range, the stronger the power?!”

“Not exactly,” Yun Jiao shook her head.

“Then you’re…”

“You know the corn Ying Lun planted ripened recently?” Yun Jiao said matter-of-factly. “Those corn cobs are enormous. Ancestor said the rice cooker—uh, I mean, the alchemy furnace—is too small to fit them, so I thought I’d modify the Explosive Flame Formation a bit.”

“So this formation is for…”

“Popcorn!” she blurted out.

…What?

(￣△￣；)

Using the Explosive Flame Formation to make popcorn?!

Yuan Jiang almost spat blood. Have you ever considered how the formation feels?! That’s a high-level array, could you at least show it some respect as ‘the venerable flame formation’?!

“All done! This should work.” Yun Jiao put down her brush and looked up. “So, Uncle Yuan, what brings you here this early?”

Yuan Jiang froze for a moment, finally dragging his mind away from the desecrated formation. Remembering his purpose, he coughed lightly. “Ah… yes. I do have something I’d like to trouble you with.”

Yun Jiao glanced at him, noticing his “we need to talk” demeanor. She put away the diagrams, invited him to sit at the guest table, and poured him tea. “Is it about Ancestor?”

“How did you know?” he asked in surprise.

“Oh, didn’t Ancestor make you kneel all night?” she said offhandedly. Not only she knew— even Old Man Bai, and even Ying the gardener, had quietly come by to watch the show.

“…” Did she have to say it out loud?!

○|￣|_

Yuan Jiang twitched at the corners of his mouth, took the tea to hide his embarrassment, and changed the subject. “Ahem! It’s like this—one of my… friends has long admired my master and wishes for an audience. But… you know Master’s temper. He’d never agree to meet an outsider.”

The more he spoke, the deeper his frown grew. He took a sip of tea, sighed heavily, and continued, “I’ve mentioned it to Master many times, but he never agreed. In fact, he seems to hold some… dislike toward my friend.”

“Oh.” Yun Jiao nodded casually, pouring herself a cup of tea as well. “A very important friend, then?”

“Of course!” Yuan Jiang’s eyes lit up. He nodded vigorously. “You may not know, but he’s a true gentleman. Though of noble birth, he’s completely unlike others of his rank. Not just me—many ascended disciples of the Mystical Sect owe him their success. He treats everyone with generosity, even the lowest of immortals. If you met him, you’d surely be impressed by his character.”

“Oh.” Yun Jiao nodded again, watching his fan-like expression with mild curiosity.

“You’re aware that some… events have recently shaken the Three Realms.” Yuan Jiang’s tone grew heavier. After a pause, he continued, “Actually, his desire to see Master isn’t just curiosity—it concerns the stability of the realms.” He paused and looked at her expectantly.

“You want me to persuade Ancestor,” Yun Jiao said bluntly.

Yuan Jiang gave a sheepish smile, his tone carrying obvious pleading. “Little junior niece, Master treats you unlike anyone else. All of us brothers together probably don’t measure up to your place in his heart. And of course, your talent is… well, astonishing. Honestly, no one but you could sway him.”

“…” Yun Jiao took another sip of tea without replying.

He pressed on. “Besides, you’ve been worrying about the disturbances in the Mystical Sect lately, haven’t you? I assure you, if you can convince Master, this matter could soon be resolved—and the mortal realm will finally see true peace.”

“This friend of yours… is that capable?” she raised an eyebrow.

“Completely,” Yuan Jiang nodded confidently. “He always keeps his word. In virtue, cultivation, and influence, there’s no one in all the realms his equal. Only he has the power to bring balance to the Three Realms, so—”

“So…” Yun Jiao interrupted, staring straight at him. “Which Emperor is he?”

“…”

Eh?!!

(⊙_⊙)

Yuan Jiang froze, eyes wide with shock—clearly not expecting her to hit the mark so quickly.

“Let me guess…” Yun Jiao tapped the table thoughtfully. “It seems the Swallowing Sky Beast incident involved more than just that Immortal Lord Zhu Yan. Likely, even the highest Emperor of the Celestial Realm was involved. I just don’t know—was it your Emperor friend, or another?”

Yuan Jiang’s expression turned complicated. He looked her up and down, sighed, and smiled bitterly. “Ah… my little junior niece truly sees through everything.” He hadn’t wanted to drag her into these affairs, so he’d used “a friend” as an excuse—but his slip had already given her most of the truth.

“What exactly happened with the Swallowing Sky Beast?” Yun Jiao asked directly.

Yuan Jiang’s face darkened, brows furrowing deeply. After a long silence, he spoke gravely, “As you guessed, the Swallowing Sky Beast incident couldn’t have been orchestrated by Zhu Yan alone. He had others behind him. But… are you sure you want to know, little niece?”

There was a trace of concern in his eyes as he looked at her. “Once you know, you’ll inevitably be entangled in higher-realm matters. You may be exceptionally gifted, your strength extraordinary—but you’re still mortal. And Bai-shidi as well—if…” He didn’t finish, but his expression grew heavier.

Yun Jiao suddenly looked him up and down. “Uncle, isn’t it a bit late for that warning?”

“…?” Yuan Jiang blinked. What did she mean?

“Whether it’s the Swallowing Sky Beast or your current plan, when has any of it been separate from us at Qingyang Temple?” Yun Jiao said calmly. “Forget the mortal realm—even the underworld knows it by now. Everyone with ears has heard that the human-realm branch of the Mystical Sect, Qingyang Sect, was involved—and that we were the ones who broke the formation.”

Her gaze was steady, her voice composed and clear, cutting straight through pretense. “Uncle Yuan, this isn’t about whether I choose to get involved. From the very beginning, we were already part of it.”

“…”

(End of Chapter)