Yun Rao had no idea what the relationship was between An Ziyuan and the old master, Yu. On the banquet, there were so many elders and distinguished figures seated above him in rank and standing, yet a young up-and-comer like him could sit right beside the honored guest—this was no small honor. After all, the Eight-Direction Pavilion, ranked fifth among the great martial organizations in the realm, had been invited as a guest of honor, and it was only fitting that the renowned An Ziyuan, the First Gentleman of the Realm, should also be seated beside the host. At twenty, An Ziyuan dealt a crushing blow to the Yinming Sect, renowned as the number one magical sect in the world, thereby gradually restoring peace to the once chaotic and turbulent martial world. The reputation of the Light-Dust Gentleman soon resonated throughout the realm. Yet in that same year, An Ziyuan quietly stepped back from the martial world. For six years, he had neither intervened in nor taken part in any of the factional disputes, appearing only occasionally in a neutral capacity. Far from diminishing public admiration, his neutrality only enhanced his standing and prestige within the martial circles, and his refined, detached demeanor further elevated his reputation. With extraordinary talent evident at such a young age, his martial prowess seemingly beyond comprehension, his striking appearance and noble bearing, his pure character and gentle, composed temperament—people regarded the Light-Dust Gentleman as a celestial being sent from beyond the ninth heavens, pure, serene, untouched by the earthly world's clamor. Thus, though no woman had appeared in his life for more than two decades, it was never considered out of place—on the contrary, the arrival of a woman seemed to dim the lofty grace and purity of this celestial being from the ninth heaven. Yet, despite his high reputation among the martial circles, no one had ever spoken of his origins or family background, as though he were truly a celestial being sent down to earth, visiting the mortal world occasionally, only to return quietly to beyond the ninth heaven. Yun Rao was unsure whether An Ziyuan deliberately separated his identity in the martial world from his original noble lineage, or whether his towering reputation in the realm had rendered his noble birth so unremarkable that it went unspoken. Of course, the heroic feats and accomplishments that made An Ziyuan a young prodigy were known to her only through hearsay. When people across the land spoke of the Light Dust Gentleman, they invariably expressed admiration and reverence. Previously, she had thought these praises somewhat exaggerated; now, however, she realized she had underestimated him. Gazing at the various noble guests hurrying over to toast the celebrated young gentleman of the realm and seek closer ties, Yun Rao quietly sipped her clear wine, silently marveling at the boundless charm of heroes. While she was unaware whether the rumors about him were accurate or not, she did know—indeed, she could say it was a complete triumph—that the great blow dealt to the Yinming Sect had been truly decisive. Even now, six years later, the Yinming Sect had not regained its former splendor, and thus, in the eyes of the public, this ethereal, celestial young lord had become an unavoidable thorn in the side of the Yinming Sect. Yun Rao simply lifted her gaze toward An Zi yuan, following the natural flow of the moment. An Zi yuan remained composed, neither pleased nor displeased, merely saying, "Excessive praise." As soon as he finished speaking, the bearded man who had been seated across from the previously elegant gentleman erupted in a sharp voice of discontent. "Since that great battle, the Yu Ming Sect has been relatively quiet for several years—everyone thought it would remain so, retreating steadily. Yet over the past two years, it seems to have begun stirring again, growing restless. Especially that young female spirit of the Yu Ming Sect, Zuo Suoya—she bears such an ethereal appearance and has been causing waves throughout the martial world, claiming the lives of countless renowned martial heroes." Yun Rao felt somewhat embarrassed, lifting her hand to gently wipe the wine residue from her lips with her sleeve, and apologizing to the group, "Sorry, this wine is quite strong." Master Yu, seated at the head of the table, expressed his sincere regret, "It's my fault. As a young lady, Su's daughter, she truly cannot endure such a strong, clear wine." He then instructed someone to prepare a lighter variety—Da Nü Hong. "Thank you, Master Yu," Yun Rao said humbly, grateful for the change. The wine was indeed quite intense, burning her chest with a steady ache. "As for this sorceress from the Demon Sect—how could such a young girl dare to stir up trouble in the martial world?" Another guest, dressed in merchant's attire, redirected the conversation back to the topic at hand. "It's said that this sorceress possesses extraordinary beauty, and anyone who sees her is struck by wonder. Yet, her heart is as cold as a serpent's or a scorpion's. Though she has only been active in the martial circles for the past two years, she has already been involved in several high-profile cases of death. I believe she is able to "The bearded man sighed with growing resentment, his teeth clenched so tightly that it seemed as though he would shatter the demon priestess in his mouth into a thousand pieces—unaware observers thought he had suffered a defeat at her hands. Yun Rao silently glanced at the man whose face she recognized somewhat, then continued to gaze down, calmly savoring her meal. Indeed, the tales of the Jianghu were no mere rumors; it was likely that the extraordinary feats of the Qingchen公子 had been embellished over time through word of mouth. "So impressive? Then what does she look like—what clothes does she usually wear, and what jewelry adorns her? I shall surely make it my mission to eliminate her the next time I meet her," someone nearby, evidently captivated by the bearded man's words, spoke up with enthusiasm. "I've heard she is about twenty years old, often dressed in white, skilled in changing her appearance, masterful at poisoning, and possessing an indomitable martial arts prowess—her footwork is exceptional, allowing her to move silently, as if the wind itself had not stirred. Moreover, she always carries a faint, lingering scent of herbs and medicinal plants." Yun Rao raised her head with determination, knowing that Indeed, everyone's eyes turned to her, fixing her with steady glances that made her scalp ache, yet she had to force a smile and dryly ask, "What's wrong?" The faint aroma of herbs carried within her body wasn't something she'd chosen—having taken medicine daily for ten years, she had grown accustomed to the bitterness, and now, it had become a natural scent that followed her wherever she went. People could easily guess her whereabouts simply by the herbal fragrance she emitted. From birth, she had been a woman destined for constant flight and hardship. "Miss Su, have you been taking medicine recently?" the man in the scholar's robe asked, initiating the conversation. Good—he hadn't directly questioned whether she was the disguised sorceress from the magical sect. Though she was certain that the guests' minds were brimming with such doubts. "Yes," she replied, "a few days ago, while I was gathering information in Yunze, I accidentally sustained an injury, so..." Her voice softened as she lowered her gaze and wisely chose to stop there. "Mr. Li," a young attendant hurried in from outside, leaning close to Mr. Yu and whispering, "there's a young gentleman who claims to be the eldest son of Ba Fang Building, and he has an urgent matter to see you." Though the attendant spoke softly, his voice carried clearly among the group of those with strong internal energy. Yun Rao once again became the center of everyone's attention. Gazing at the expectant eyes of the others, she couldn't even manage a smile, and quietly glanced at An Ziyuan, who had remained silent throughout. Last night, he had treated her as if she were Su Chan, showing leniency—now, did he still care about her Su girl's appearance? What if Su Yan arrived? Still sipping his wine with a calm, faint expression, An Ziyuan remained unchanged. Yun Rao silently withdrew her gaze, scanned the room with composed indifference, and then, with a sigh, gave up—she was truly destined to be caught. As for whether she can safely escape the intricately designed Yu family manor, let alone these over a thousand skilled guests—any one of them stepping forward would have her helpless, at their mercy. Indeed, she had been too soft that day; she should have first drugged and tied up Su Yan for two days and two nights, instead, she had merely taken the invitation and let him go free. That’s why Bili and Xiao Man were adamant about never letting her go out alone—she simply lacked experience and was not sharp-minded. Speaking of it, had it not been for the mention of the magic sect’s strange maiden… Yun Rao cast a sharp glance at the bearded man across from her, who in turn looked back, then rose abruptly from his seat, striking the table. “She is not the real Su girl. When Su was young, her right hand was scorched by fire, and there’s a plum blossom-shaped scar on her little finger. This woman is a magic sect’s strange maiden who has disguised herself as Su.” Her chopsticks flew toward Yun Rao’s face at lightning speed. …… Yun Rao silently cursed under her breath, calmly stepping aside at the last moment as the chopsticks came within an inch of her eyes. Could Su Lady really have coincidentally placed a clear mark visible to all, to authenticate the genuine from the counterfeit? Yet no one seemed to pay attention to the authenticity of the guests. Upon hearing the burly man’s loud declaration and learning that the young lord of Ba Fang Pavilion had come to visit, everyone simply accepted the information at face value, regardless of its truth. Instantly, they all went on high alert. As someone suddenly shouted, “It’s rumored that the demon sect’s female disciple has recently infiltrated the estate to steal medicinal herbs—she must have taken Su Lord’s invitation and slipped in unnoticed,” the crowd immediately raised their weapons and began calling her “witch,” demanding, “Halt, capture her now!” Cloud Rao found herself utterly bewildered by this sudden turn of events. With the situation urgent, she had no time to quietly complain, and thus had to draw her breath and skillfully weave through the surging crowd. The bearded giant was the most persistent in pursuing her. Just as she narrowly evaded the sudden onslaught from the group of martial heroes, the giant seized the moment to launch an attack, his hand passing just beside her body, missing her entirely. She gritted her teeth, "What business do you have here?" "He told you to go back!" A deeper, more measured voice—different from the earlier roughness, yet familiar. Cloud Rao's expression slightly darkened. With a push of her palm against the giant's back, she used the momentum to glide gracefully out of the fray. Amid the chaos, the crowd around her grew increasingly disoriented. At the corner of her eye, she noticed An Ziyuan still seated calmly at the main side, quietly sipping his drink, his brow never wavering a single inch. Standing among the unruly, unrefined crowd, he truly carried an air of elegance and distinction—so much so that even those who had rushed in blindly to join the combat instinctively stepped back half a zhang to avoid disturbing him. Yun Rao bit her lip, raised her spirit, and flew toward him, barely grasping his shoulders with her hands, warmly wrapping her arms around his neck. Her breath came in short puffs as she whispered into his ear, "Lord An, could you please give me a favor?" Indeed, as soon as she settled herself beside An Ziyuan, the crowd who had been glaring at her with growing resentment, even eager to capture her alive, immediately halted. "Monster!" the bearded man shouted, gritting his teeth, his arms outstretched as if ready to charge, yet hesitating, clearly mindful of the others, remaining rooted in place. The others likewise stood still, unwilling to move. An Ziyuan slowly set down his wine cup, as though only now realizing the shift around him, glanced at her, then at the bearded man, and rose slowly, his expression calm and composed. "What does this have to do with me?" As he spoke, he gently removed her hand from his shoulder and subtly stepped aside, placing her squarely within the gaze of the assembled crowd. "Hey, you—" Yun Rao was startled, but by the time she could process it, An Ziyuan's actions had already calmed everyone. One after another, they surged toward her again. Indeed, she had evidently offended quite a few bandits lately. With a sharp kick of her foot, Yun Rao lifted her hand and darted toward An Ziyuan, one hand gripping his sleeve and the other pressing against her abdomen, forcing out a few tears as she strained her voice, gritting her teeth to cry, "An Ziyuan, are you that cold-hearted? Do you have to watch us mother and daughter perish right before your eyes?"