Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Reaping What They Sowed

Lin Zhao moved fast.

Following her memory, she found the staff quarters, located the elder who had first received her and Ning Wen Gui, confirmed Lu Mei hadn’t left, and obtained the location of Lu Mei’s private room.

At Lu Mei’s door, Lin Zhao paused with her hand raised—

And Granny spoke. “Careful. Four Enlightenment cultivators are hidden around this room.”

Lin Zhao’s fingers lowered slightly.

Then Granny added, almost amused, “But there’s also a Golden Core cultivator following you. Your family likely arranged him. For him, dealing with four Enlightenment cultivators is more than enough.”

Lin Zhao’s eyes brightened.

A shadow guard.

Probably the one her father had arranged.

She stepped away from the door and spoke softly into the quiet. “Lord assigned by Father, could you help this junior with something?”

A moment later, an old man in a gray robe appeared, cupping his hands respectfully. “This subordinate is Zheng Quan. Young Lord, you overpraise me. What are your orders?”

Zheng Quan’s gaze flicked over her with subtle surprise.

His cultivation was late-stage Golden Core, and his stealth and escape were strong enough that even some Golden Core cultivators at great perfection might not surpass him. That was why Lin Mang had assigned him to Lin Zhao.

Yet Lin Zhao had sensed him.

As expected of the Young Lord the family placed its hopes on.

“Uncle Zheng,” Lin Zhao said, “please deal with the four Enlightenment cultivators hidden around that room.”

Zheng Quan nodded once.

His figure blurred.

He vanished.

Lin Zhao stared, stunned. Shrink the Earth to an Inch—only Golden Core cultivators could use it, and his speed seemed even faster than ordinary Golden Core.

Her father had placed someone like this at her side.

Back at Yun Ding Peak, forget a Golden Core shadow guard—Immortal Venerable Yun Ding hadn’t even arranged a single Foundation Establishment companion for her.

Granny clicked her tongue. “As a Young Lord of the Noble Houses, having a Golden Core shadow guard is only proper. Your previous master was too unreliable. Just watch—after you left, the disciple he cherished like a treasure won’t end well.”

Before Lin Zhao could respond, Zheng Quan appeared again, as if he’d never left. “Young Lord, it’s done. The people inside were not alerted.”

In only a few breaths.

Four Enlightenment cultivators, erased.

The gap between Golden Core and Enlightenment was a wall no one climbed.

“Thank you, Uncle Zheng,” Lin Zhao said.

She returned to the door and pushed it open.

Lu Mei sat on a long chair, holding a porcelain bottle, her eyes bright with vicious triumph.

“Lin Zhao,” she said, voice dripping satisfaction, “don’t blame me. If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for having such a tempting face. You already have a fiancé from Sacred Land, yet you still flirt around and seduce the Crown Prince. You deserve this disaster.”

She stroked the bottle, smiling. “I’ve used this drug on girls who opposed me more times than I can count. It’s never failed.”

Her gaze went distant with hungry imagination. “It’s a pity, though. With your talent and status, even if it succeeds, it can only disgust you. It can’t destroy you completely.”

Then her smile turned uglier. “If only I could find a group of beggars for you. Best of all, in full view of the crowd, so everyone knows you’re a woman any man can have.”

She sighed, almost dreamily. “How wonderful that would be.”

Lost in her own thoughts, Lu Mei didn’t notice the shift in the room.

Lin Zhao watched her with ice in her eyes.

Lu Mei’s cultivation was close to hers: late-stage Foundation Establishment.

But late-stage Foundation Establishment was not the same as late-stage Foundation Establishment.

Lin Zhao moved.

In the instant before Lu Mei could react, Lin Zhao was in front of her, fingers closing around her throat.

Lu Mei’s eyes went wide, shock and terror colliding.

She was shocked Lin Zhao stood there unharmed.

She was terrified her shadow guards had never warned her.

Unless—

Despair flooded Lu Mei’s pupils as the truth hit.

Lin Zhao sneered. “Figured it out?”

Lu Mei forced out a curse through clenched teeth. “Hmph. You only escaped because you got lucky and happened to return to the Lin Family. If you were still on Yun Ding Peak… as Immortal Maiden Luo Luo said, how would a dog of Yun Ding Peak have any help?”

She tried to provoke Lin Zhao, to scratch at old wounds.

She refused to believe Lin Zhao would dare do anything to her—the fiancée of an imperial prince—inside the You Lan Empire.

Lin Zhao saw the calculation in her eyes and smiled calmly. “Of course I won’t do anything to you.”

Lu Mei’s gaze flickered with relief.

Lin Zhao’s voice didn’t change. “But what you might do to yourself… that, I can’t be sure.”

When Lin Zhao dragged Lu Mei back toward the First Private Room, Lu Mei’s face drained of color.

The aphrodisiac incense she’d set had failed on Lin Zhao—but it would certainly work on Lu Mei herself.

Lin Zhao shoved Lu Mei inside, took the porcelain bottle from her hand, and slid it into her own sleeve.

Then she glanced down at Ning Wen Yue, unconscious on the floor.

“Enjoy the show you set up for yourself.”

She stepped outside, closed the door, and pressed a Restriction Seal into place—no one in, no one out.

By the time she finished, Ning Wen Gui had returned with Steward Wang.

Yang Hui Hui lingered nearby, arms crossed, expression disgusted.

Ning Wen Gui’s gaze went from Yang Hui Hui to Lin Zhao. “What happened? Why aren’t you waiting inside?”

Yang Hui Hui sneered. “I’m not staying in a filthy place like that.”

Ning Wen Gui looked at Lin Zhao, suspicion tightening his face.

Lin Zhao set a soundproof Barrier Domain and explained, briefly, exactly what had happened.

A shadow fell across Ning Wen Gui’s eyes.

He was quiet for a long moment, then turned to Steward Wang. “Later, say this room caught fire and bring a group of guests to take a look. Every private room has an Image Recording Stone, yes? Use some means to send the recording from this room to Father. And find a way to let the other top figures in the Imperial Capital see it too.”

Steward Wang’s eyes flashed bright. “Yes!”

Ning Wen Gui’s voice went colder. “Father should set their wedding date already.”

Lin Zhao whistled softly under her breath, then gave him a thumbs-up.

She had paired them up.

Ning Wen Gui was binding them together forever.

That might not matter much to Ning Wen Yue.

But for Lu Mei…

It would likely be worse than death.

Lin Zhao felt no sympathy. If not for Granny and the shadow guard her father arranged, she would have been the one humiliated tonight.

Lu Mei was simply reaping what she sowed.