Chapter 27

Chapter 27: Hearing Secret News

Eighty thousand spirit stones wasn’t a small amount, even for Phoenix Roost Valley. But it wasn’t so enormous that Eldest Miss Ji couldn’t afford it.

That maid must have gotten confirmation in advance. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have dared to keep bidding.

All Bai Meng Jin could say was this: when it came to tricking people, Ling Bu Fei knew exactly how to do it. He’d calculated the number perfectly—large enough to hurt, not large enough to collapse a great clan.

Putting herself in Ji Xing Ge’s place, Bai Meng Jin had to admit she would be furious too.

Still, Ji Xing Ge had started it first.

The central room fell quiet. Ji Xing Ge’s voice came out tight and controlled. “Chun He. Pay.”

The maid answered and went out to settle with the Star-Plucking Tower’s steward.

No fight. No further scene.

The guests who’d been hoping for chaos groaned with disappointment.

Bai Meng Jin’s mouth twitched. Ji Xing Ge wasn’t brainless. Her face was already in shreds. Making a scene would only stain it further.

With the central room quiet, Young Sect Master Ling’s side also fell silent. The auction continued, and the episode passed quickly.

When it finally ended, Bai Meng Xing’s excitement returned full force. “Sister! Sister! Want to go to the top floor? To see that ‘star’ and ‘river’ thing!”

“The Myriad Phenomena Star River,” Bai Meng Lian corrected automatically. Then she turned to Bai Meng Jin. “Sister, what do you think?”

Bai Meng Jin’s gaze lifted as the central room’s curtain shifted. Someone was leaving.

A familiar corner of a robe stepped onto the spiral stairs.

Bai Meng Jin nodded. “Let’s go. We’re here anyway—we should see the Star-Plucking Tower’s signature.”

Bai Meng Xing nearly jumped out of his skin with joy. “Let’s go, let’s go!”

They climbed the round staircase and soon reached the top floor. The view opened all at once, wide and glittering.

Bai Meng Xing shouted “Wow!” again and again like he didn’t know any other word.

The rooftop was designed like an extravagant dream—shell ornaments set with luminous pearls, rails carved and inlaid, every surface catching light. Above it all floated the Myriad Phenomena Star River. The “lamps” were luminous pearls drifting in slow orbits, turning through the air like a gentle galaxy lowered to mortal reach.

Even Bai Meng Lian, usually unshakable, was won over. “A true wonder of the mortal world.”

Bai Meng Jin’s eyes, however, were searching.

She had seen this view before, countless times. She wasn’t here for the scenery.

If she wanted to climb onto this high branch, she needed an opportunity.

She said lightly, “I’m a bit tired. I’ll rest over there. When you’re done, come find me.”

Bai Meng Lian didn’t suspect anything. “All right. I’ll keep an eye on that monkey so he doesn’t cause trouble.”

Bai Meng Jin laughed under her breath. “Thanks, Elder Sister.”

After they left, Bai Meng Jin scanned the rooftop.

Places like this were layered with arrays that blocked spiritual sense. You couldn’t search with cultivation alone—you had to use your eyes.

She spotted them soon enough.

On a higher terrace stood two figures, their silhouettes faint in the pearled glow. Not far away, Bai Li Xu stood as a guard should. And near him, Chun He hovered with rigid posture.

Bai Meng Jin looked around once, then slipped into a nearby rockery.

In her last life, the Star-Plucking Tower had been one of her dens. She knew its hidden corners, its seams and shortcuts. Even after a thousand years, some things remained.

Like this rockery.

There was a hidden exit built into it, opening behind the viewing pavilion.

Bai Meng Jin found the concealed gap and pressed her palm to the stone. A thin soundproof barrier hummed against her touch. She drew a talisman in the air with swift fingers and tapped it lightly to the rock.

The barrier loosened.

Voices poured through—clear as if spoken beside her ear.

“…Can’t you talk properly?” Ji Xing Ge’s voice snapped, anger bright and sharp. “Do you have to be like a hedgehog? If you’re not stabbing people, you feel uncomfortable, is that it?”

Ling Bu Fei’s tone was unbothered and infuriatingly flat. “This is how I talk. If you’re not happy, leave.”

Ji Xing Ge’s breathing rose and fell. She was furious, but after a moment, she forced herself to swallow it down. “What good does it do if you drive me away? Can you drive your uncle away too?”

Ling Bu Fei didn’t answer.

Ji Xing Ge steadied her voice and continued, each word carefully pressed into place. “Earlier, I was opposing you on purpose. You were the one who tore my face off first.

“We’ve known each other since we were kids. We can barely count as childhood sweethearts. If you don’t agree to this marriage, fine—but did you have to throw a face at my father?”

Her voice sharpened. “Do you know how people laugh at me because of this?”

Hidden behind the stone, Bai Meng Jin raised her brows.

So Phoenix Roost Valley wanted a marriage alliance with Young Sect Master Ling—and he refused.

In her memories, Ling Bu Fei never took a partner for dual cultivation. And Ji Xing Ge’s voice… familiar. She was likely the later valley master of Phoenix Roost Valley. Bai Meng Jin had never heard of open conflict between them.

Ji Xing Ge continued, “Yes, Young Sect Master Ling. You’re so pure and lofty. You look down on me.

“Don’t worry. I don’t like you either.”

A beat.

“But I still want to talk about this marriage.”

Ling Bu Fei gave a cold snort, as if granting her the honor of his attention.

“You don’t need me to spell out your uncle’s intentions,” Ji Xing Ge said. “If this keeps going, forget becoming sect master—you’ll be used up and tossed aside.

“You’re unwilling, but what can you do? For the past decade, your maternal grandfather’s people have been pushed further and further out. Your uncle has gotten more and more comfortable in that sect master seat.”

Her voice lowered, turning almost harsh with sincerity. “That seat was left by your maternal grandfather. Your mother traded her life for it. Are you really willing to hand it over?”

Silence.

Then, softer but colder, “You have no way out,” Ji Xing Ge said. “You can’t cultivate. That means you have no future.”

“So?” Ling Bu Fei’s tone was calmer than expected—almost amused. “I don’t want to be his puppet, so I should become your puppet instead? At least my uncle’s surname is Ling. Why would I help the Ji surname deal with him?”

“If you do nothing, you’ll be a puppet,” Ji Xing Ge shot back. “But if you work with us, maybe there’s another road.

“When you become sect master, your maternal grandfather’s people will naturally come close to you. Our Ji Family’s foundation in the Limitless Sect is shallow. At most, we’ll share power.”

She didn’t hide the hunger in her next words. “Yes, I want to become the sect master’s madam of the Limitless Sect. If you agree to this marriage, we’ll be one family.

“You can’t cultivate, but you can count on your children, can’t you?”

Bai Meng Jin’s eyes narrowed.

Ambitious. Direct.

Setting marriage aside, her goal matched Bai Meng Jin’s perfectly.

Unfortunately, Ling Bu Fei was clearly more capable than Bai Meng Jin had assumed. His arrogance wasn’t just temper—it was armor.

Ling Bu Fei replied lazily, “So in the end, you just want me to sell myself, don’t you?

“Ji Xing Ge, so you’ve been lusting after my good looks all along.”

His voice sharpened with mockery. “Stop dressing it up with excuses.”

“You…” Ji Xing Ge’s voice warped with rage. “Ling Bu Fei, you shameless bastard!”

Ling Bu Fei laughed twice, low and cold. “And you’re not that smart either. Didn’t you just get tricked out of a huge pile of money? With that brain, you want to fight my uncle? Stop dreaming.”

Ji Xing Ge snapped, “You Ling—”

She didn’t finish.

The world went black.

As if fog had fallen from the sky, swallowing the entire Star-Plucking Tower whole.

Bai Meng Jin’s scalp tightened, every instinct flaring.

This was bad.

Someone was launching an ambush.