Chapter 154: Chief Disciple of Dragon-Tiger Mountain
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Autumn Chrysanthemum Courtyard.
The chrysanthemums were in full bloom.
Around this season, banquets at the Chancellor’s Mansion were typically held in the Autumn Chrysanthemum Courtyard.
From a distance, laughter and cheerful voices could be heard echoing from the courtyard.
Shen Jing Yun sat beside You Bing Yue. His delicate features were lit up by a radiant smile, which held a tinge of respect and admiration. “Miss You, I heard you recently apprehended a notorious thief. Truly, you are a match for any man.”
Among the guests were several men: the Young Master of Heavenly Domain Manor, Li Chang Huai; the Crown Prince of Yunnan, Liu Fei Yang; Assistant Official of the Ministry of Personnel, Li Ming; and an unfamiliar man dressed in white.
The man in white was clearly not well-acquainted with the others. He sat quietly beside You Bing Yue, his gaze occasionally drifting toward her, brimming with such tenderness that it seemed almost tangible.
Feeling the man’s affection, You Bing Yue’s smile deepened.
A few days prior, she had made a carefully calculated decision: to abandon her pursuit of Du Zi Heng. Of course, it wasn’t a true abandonment. Rather, it was a strategy to retreat and advance, by finding a man even more outstanding than Du Zi Heng to provoke him—to make him realize just how foolish he was to have let her go.
And that man was none other than the Chief Disciple of Dragon-Tiger Mountain Dao Field, Ou Yang Shuo, whom she had recently encountered.
Ou Yang Shuo was not only handsome and eloquent but also possessed extraordinary talents. These were not mundane skills but rather the abilities of mysticism.
Yes, Ou Yang Shuo was a Master of Mysticism.
Didn’t Yu Zhi Yi use mysticism to dazzle others and flaunt her superiority? Well, You Bing Yue had found someone even more formidable. She refused to believe that this wouldn’t utterly crush Yu Zhi Yi.
Du Zi Heng’s unwillingness to let go of Yu Zhi Yi was merely because of the latter’s exceptional skills, which brought great benefits to the Du Mansion. But once You Bing Yue shattered that illusion, Du Zi Heng would undoubtedly come to his senses.
Moreover…
As her thoughts turned to Graceful Phoenix Charity, You Bing Yue’s gaze darkened. Almost all of Du Zi Heng’s friends were acquainted with her and treated her warmly, especially Shen Jing Yun. If he hadn’t repeatedly declared that his heart belonged solely to his fiancée, she might have suspected he was in love with her.
However, You Bing Yue eventually figured it out: he was just an avid shipper of her and Du Zi Heng.
Even though it was just that, her self-esteem was immensely gratified.
After Shen Jing Yun offered a few more compliments, You Bing Yue replied, “It wasn’t entirely my effort; I owe much of the credit to Brother Ou Yang.”
Hearing the intimate “Brother Ou Yang,” Shen Jing Yun immediately felt a warning bell ring in his heart and asked, “Oh? Did this Ou Yang gentleman also contribute to capturing the thief?”
What You Bing Yue desired was precisely this kind of reaction from the CP shipper. If she could thoroughly torment the shipper, perhaps they might even turn into her die-hard fan, following her lead without question.
Feigning obliviousness to Shen Jing Yun’s unease, she smiled and said, “Brother Ou Yang is the Chief Disciple of Dragon-Tiger Mountain, a young prodigy with unfathomable skills. He can effortlessly discern a person’s entire life history. We happened upon the thief on the road, and with just one glance, Brother Ou Yang discerned that the man carried the burden of over a hundred lives and lacked morality. Such a person could only be an enemy spy, a wanted criminal, or a bandit.”
Her face displayed just the right amount of admiration. “When we apprehended him, he was on the verge of murdering a merchant couple.”
Shen Jing Yun stared at Ou Yang Shuo in astonishment. “So remarkable?”
At that moment, Li Ming interjected, “Isn’t Young Madam Du renowned for her skills in mysticism? Her expertise even earned her the Emperor’s recognition, granting her an exceptional promotion to a fifth-rank official. I wonder how Ou Yang compares to her?”
Just as Yu Zhi Yi stepped into the Autumn Chrysanthemum Courtyard, she caught this remark.
Anyone who could be compared to her would undoubtedly be someone with considerable expertise in mysticism.
Her curiosity was piqued.
In her previous life, she had encountered a few individuals with extraordinary abilities, most of whom served as strategists for the enemy forces. Among them, the most formidable was the military advisor of the Great Luo Empire—a figure even she found daunting to deal with.
However, her experiences with other mystical practitioners only occurred several years later. To encounter one so early in this life—it was truly unexpected.
Wait a moment.
She had just faced an evil cultivator earlier in the day, and now, by nightfall, she had come across a mystical practitioner? Could such coincidences truly exist?
There was no need for additional searching; the other party’s aura was far too distinctive, standing out like a crane among chickens amidst the ordinary crowd. With ease, Yu Zhi Yi located the young man in green robes.
Coincidentally, he looked her way as well.
Their gazes locked, and in that instant, sparks seemed to fly.
Invisible forces clashed between them, sharp and unyielding. Though unseen by others, the palpable tension created an oppressive atmosphere.
Shen Jing Yun couldn’t help but wrap his arms around himself and rub them. “Why does it suddenly feel so cold?”
Yu Zhi Yi was the first to look away. Her expression remained composed, her face adorned with a faint, impeccable smile. “Perhaps it’s just that the weather has grown colder,” she said nonchalantly.
Ou Yang Shuo frowned.
In such invisible confrontations, the first to withdraw typically signaled their defeat. Yet, between him and Yu Zhi Yi, this was not the case.
As the chief disciple of Dragon-Tiger Mountain, Ou Yang Shuo knew his own strength well. He had also heard from Yue Er that Yu Zhi Yi possessed some skill, though he hadn’t taken it to heart.
After all, the world of mystical practitioners was vast, and there were many others beyond just the two of them.
Most practitioners from reputable backgrounds gathered at Dragon-Tiger Mountain. Even those who did not belong to this esteemed lineage often aligned themselves with its authority.
Every notable disciple’s name was familiar to him. Yet, he had never heard of anyone with the surname “Yu.” This alone suggested she was self-taught—a wild, unorthodox rogue practitioner.
Such origins not only implied a lack of formal training but also signaled mediocrity in skill. The most powerful techniques were locked away in the repositories of the major sects, rarely ever making their way outside.
Thus, Ou Yang Shuo dismissed her.
Still, he hadn’t anticipated that under his spiritual pressure, she would hold her ground without faltering.
For a practitioner of orthodoxy to face off against a self-taught rogue and fail to suppress them—this, in a sense, was already a loss.
He hadn’t expected her resolve to be so steadfast!
If Yu Zhi Yi knew his thoughts, she would have rolled her eyes.
Steadfast resolve? She hadn’t even felt the so-called pressure.
With a single glance, she had discerned his cultivation level. It was merely mid-stage Qi Refining.
As for herself, even without refining the golden light of merit earlier that day, her level was already a minor stage above his.
His attempt to exert spiritual pressure on her was akin to a baby glaring fiercely at an adult, believing it to be intimidating.
Spiritual pressure?
Nonexistent.
She hadn’t felt a thing.
Meanwhile, You Bing Yue seemed to catch on to some nuances. She had expected Yu Zhi Yi to crumble embarrassingly under Ou Yang Shuo’s pressure. Yet, to her surprise, Yu Zhi Yi remained utterly unaffected. Gritting her teeth in frustration, she suddenly broke into a radiant smile.
“Young Madam Du,” she said sweetly, “I must apologize for any offense earlier. I have decided to let Zi Heng go. I hope you and your husband enjoy harmony and mutual respect in your marriage.”
Taking a step back to advance, You Bing Yue proactively announced her decision to end things with Du Zi Heng.
Her words immediately drew sympathy from their mutual acquaintances.