Setting Sun Hall was the residence for the great elder for many successive generations of the Masked Moon Sect. Not only was a spirit well placed there, but the hall was also heavily layered with restrictions. Apart from a few other elders, none were able to easily approach the hall without the permission of the great elder.
At that moment, a streak of red light flew across the horizon. It revolved several times around Setting Sun Hall and was able to enter without obstruction.
The red light passed through several layers of restrictions as if they weren’t there, and entered a side room after taking a few turns. Inside the room was a woman of graceful beauty meditating on a prayer mat. Her skin seemed icily pale, and she appeared to be in her early twenties. Her body faintly emitted an icy Qi.
In the instant the red light appeared before the woman, she slowly opened her eyes and frowned. She beckoned to the red light and it then dropped down into the woman’s hand in a fist-sized ball of red light. The icy woman stared at the flame and expressionlessly flipped her hand, extinguishing it.
“What is that girl planning? Taking the initiative to see me? But since her tone is so gentle, I better have a look!” In a swift and decisive manner, the woman quickly flew off in a streak of white light and instantly flew out of Setting Sun Hall.
Not long after, the woman arrived in front of Nangong Wan’s cave residence. She descended onto the ground and examined her surroundings. It appeared ordinary and the restrictions outside the cave residence were still damaged beyond use. Having noticed nothing strange, she walked towards the cave residence with confidence and struck the stone door with a white spell seal, opening it of its own accord.
The pale woman then calmly walked in without a word.
“I pay my respects to Martial Ancestor!” A young, yellow-clothed woman that was standing behind the stone door, immediately saluted the icy woman as soon as she appeared.
The icy woman shot an casual glance at her and indifferently said, “It seems your cultivation has progressed since the last time I saw you. It seems you should’ve already taken those medicine pills I’ve given you.” She then began to slowly walk deeper into the cave residence.
The yellow-clothed woman lowered her head and quickly replied, “Many thanks for the medicine, Martial Ancestor! This disciple wouldn’t have progressed so quickly without it!”
“It is good that you know! Has Junior Martial Sister Nangong taken any strange actions in her cave residence?”
“Nothing much,” the young woman answered respectfully. “Apart from seeing a sect disciple today, she hasn’t done anything else.”
“Your Martial Uncle Lan already told me about this from a sound transmission talisman. What gift did that disciple bring? Has he already left?”
“That disciple was merely a low-grade steward in the sect. He already left a few hours ago. After Martial Ancestor Nangong received the gift, she actually seemed somewhat unhappy.”
The icy woman’s expression stirred upon hearing this. “Oh? What kind of gift was it that made her unhappy?”
The yellow-clothed woman further lowered her head and uttered each word with deliberation, “It was simply a silver sword magic tool. Martial Ancestor Nangong felt ill at ease upon seeing it.”
After pondering for a moment, the icy woman’s face revealed a trace of astonishment and said, “It most likely came from a vagrant cultivator that Junior Martial Sister Nangong had befriended while she was travelling. This isn’t anything too strange.”
“Martial Ancestor’s words are certainly true! When Martial Ancestor Nangong received the silver sword, she became pensive for a long while. Afterwards, she decided to send a voice transmission talisman to Martial Ancestor.”
“It is truly surprising that this was able to change her mind!” the icy woman mused aloud. She then casually ordered, “In the future, continue to pay attention to Junior Martial Sister Nangong’s actions. With her restricted cultivation, the high-grade talisman I have should allow you to spy on her undetected. So long as you perform well in this task, I will compensate you with vast rewards.”
By the time that was said, the two had already arrived outside the main hall.
“As you command, Martial Ancestor! Martial Ancestor Nangong should be waiting for you in the hall ahead!” The yellow-clothed woman spoke softly and led the way to the hall’s entrance.
The icy woman originally thought to be cautious out of habit and was about to examine her surroundings before entering the hall. However, when she arrived in front of the hall, she heard Nangong Wan’s voice from within, “Senior Martial Sister! Come in. I’ve thought about the matter, and I am able to reluctantly agree, on one condition. You need to make a promise.” Her voice sounded exceptionally calm.
The icy woman was pleasantly surprised, and walked in without further thought. She spoke in a pleasant tone, “Junior Martial Sister Nangong! It is great that you’ve finally came to a realization! So long as you agree to marry the Flowing Mind Sect’s Elder Wei, I will agree to any condition that you raise. With the assistance from Wei Wuya, our Masked Moon Sect will soon flourish.”
After she spoke, the entire hall entered her view. Nangong Wan was sitting in a straw chair and was holding a crudely refined silver sword in a her hand. It was held across her body and she was carefully examining it. It was as if she hadn’t spoken just a moment ago.
When the icy woman saw this, she stepped forward and walked into the large hall. A trace of bewilderment appeared on her face and she thought to ask Nangong Wan something more, but suddenly, her expression abruptly changed and her arm shot backwards at the speed of lightning.
She shot five inch-long sword lights from her fingers towards where the yellow-clothed woman was standing.
When the yellow-clothed woman faced this attack, a strange smile suddenly appeared on her face. The woman’s body suddenly sunk into the stone in a flash of yellow light, leaving only tatters of her yellow clothes behind.
She immediately shot towards the hall with her body clad in light upon seeing this fantastical earth evasion technique.
But once she made her way to the exit, she heard a whistle approaching her. A ten-meter-long azure sword fiercely shot towards her in an attempt to cleave her in half.
Her expression vastly changed. With a sudden flick of her fingers, ten foot-long streaks of icy light shot out and struck the huge sword.
The streaks of white light met the sword in a series of loud bangs. The impact of the strikes caused both the huge sword and the woman to recoil.
The icy woman retreated about ten meters before coming to a stop.
The huge azure sword dimmed and diverged into several tens of flying swords that began to circle in place. Gradually, a silhouette appeared from within the revolving swords, revealing a youth with a common appearance. He gazed at the woman with a faint smile.
When the woman clearly saw Han Li’s true cultivation, her pupils shrank. “What is going on?” she demanded coldly. “Junior Martial Sister Nangong, who is he and what was that doppelganger of Yu’er?”
The woman immediately reached at her waist and took out a red command medallion.
Han Li shifted his gaze towards the command medallion, and sullenly said, “The restriction medallion!”
With a cold snort, she hostily said, “As expected, Junior Martial Nangong has told you everything. I don’t know who you are, but these matters are the affairs of the Masked Moon Sect. You had best stand down, or our Six Sects will hunt you down!”
Having already placed away the silver sword from before, she gracefully stood up. “There is no need for Senior Martial Sister to speak such frightening words,” Nangong Wan said coldly. “I am not without friends in the Six Sects. If they knew what Senior Martial Sister did to a fellow sect member, would you receive the blade? And while you are able to activate the Heart Restriction Technique with that command medallion, do you believe that I will give you the opportunity to use it?”
Soon after, Nangong Wan spat out a ring of flame, her magic treasure the Vermillion Bird Band.
A sinister glint flickered from the icy woman’s eyes when she heard this. She had no intention of retreating against Han Li and wore a resentful expression on her face. She suddenly shook her sleeves, and tossed out a streak of white and black light, two flying swords. They revolved once around her and suddenly grew in size, extending to three meters in length.
The white flying sword was as pure as snow and emitted a bone-chilling icy Qi. As for the black flying sword, it possessed a fantastical heat and occasionally flickered with black flame. There were a rare pair of Yin-Yang Swords.
The woman coldly laughed and lightly shook the red command medallion in her head and muttered a few words into it. Red light immediately flickered from it, slowly covering it in a layer of light.
Closely observing her actions, Han Li instantly attempted to interrupt her without another thought. A small silver bell had already begun to revolve around his head. Under the command of an incantation gesture, the bell began to ring, striking at her with silver soundwaves.
At nearly the same time, Han Li rolled his hands together, sending a streak of red and a streak of azure light towards two some nearby pillars in the hall. As the hall’s restrictions were activated, the ground trembled.