Chapter 399

Chapter 399: Du Zi Heng Also Reborn?

Yu Zhi Yi studied him closely. His eyes were full of confusion. His look was sincere, not fake. She wondered if he truly didn’t know-and truly hadn’t come to plead for You Bing Yue.

She said, calm and direct: “Didn’t you see it yourself? On Mount Ming, she tried to frame me. I exposed her and planned to have her arrested, but she had a teleport talisman. This time she came back with a Golden Core Realm expert and ran right into me. Do you expect me to let a criminal who slandered an Imperial Court official go free?”

She fixed her gaze on Du Zi Heng. In the past, the moment he heard You Bing Yue’s name, he would be lost in infatuation. Today, he was only startled for a moment, then pulled his thoughts back to ask: “A Golden Core Realm expert? And you?”

“I don’t owe you an explanation,” Yu Zhi Yi said, making a polite gesture toward the door: “I have to report to the Ministry of Justice. Please leave.”

Du Zi Heng grew anxious: “Yi’er, please think carefully about what I said…”

Yu Zhi Yi frowned: “Let me repeat myself: we’re not close, so don’t call me ‘Yi’er.’ Also, thank you for your kindness, but I don’t need it. I’ve already sent word to my sect. They’ll arrive soon. Even a Grand Void Sect elder will likely give my sect some face.”

“This… alright,” he said at last, leaving with regret.

He truly wanted to help, but Yu Zhi Yi wouldn’t accept it. He didn’t understand why she was so stubborn. This was about life and death-was it really worth risking herself for pride?

Yu Zhi Yi wasn’t the kind of person to risk her life for pride. [Well… not absolutely.] If it were only about her, she wouldn’t allow herself to owe anyone a karmic favor. But the Capital City didn’t have only her. It also had her family and friends. For their sake, she didn’t mind owing a favor.

Yet the moment her heart started to soften, a strong feeling rose inside her: she must not agree. She didn’t know what would happen if she said yes, but she trusted her sixth sense. If she agreed, she wouldn’t get what she wanted. Worse, she would push herself and the people beside her into deeper danger. That was why she refused.

Du Zi Heng didn’t know her reason. Back at Du Manor, he paced and thought it over and over. In the end, he felt only the supreme elder’s help could get Yu Zhi Yi through this.

He had known her for so many years and had never seen her truly in danger. But Immortal Qing Feng was someone even she couldn’t handle. She had to call on her sect just to protect herself. That meant Immortal Qing Feng was truly a thorny problem. He couldn’t bear to see her weighted down with worry.

In their past life, they supported each other. She took care of his messes; he removed troubles for her. In this life-even if they hadn’t repaired their relationship yet-he would still help. With that thought, he crushed the jade token.

…

Yu Zhi Yi’s chest tightened without warning. A never-felt panic flooded her heart. She clutched her chest and snapped her gaze toward Stargazing Terrace.

Sure enough, Immortal Qing Feng stood there with his hands clasped behind his back, coldly watching the direction of the Prefect’s Manor.

Maybe that extreme fear triggered her talent, because in that instant she sensed his realm with perfect clarity: Golden Core Realm-late stage.

A whole major stage above her. Not good at all. Even if she broke into the Golden Core Realm, there would still be a long gap.

A bead of cold sweat slid from her temple. Yu Zhi Yi closed her eyes and forced herself to calm down. [Don’t panic. Heaven is fair. There’s always a thread of life.]

Her seven-day leave had ended; today she had to report to the Ministry of Justice. Thankfully, she could now divine more kinds of hexagrams, and faster too. In less than an hour she worked out leads for ten cases. After handing the clues to Constable Song, she requested leave as usual.

By day, the Capital City was packed with people. Even near Peach Garden, commoners were always passing by. Yu Zhi Yi returned to Peach Garden, gave the mystic Xiao Qing several instructions, then shut herself in her room again.

Knowing she couldn’t match Immortal Qing Feng by simply stacking cultivation, she stopped forcing a breakthrough. Even at Golden Core Realm, she would still lose to him. So she returned to studying formations.

The power of an array is different from a mystic arts practitioner’s personal strength. Even someone weaker can defeat a stronger foe with superior formation-setting-so long as the opponent’s formation skills aren’t high.

Yu Zhi Yi cast a hexagram. The signs were still foggy. But right now, she had no better choice.

Her Sound Transmission Talismans were all used up. She didn’t know how to draw new ones; her master had left the originals before departing. And even if she could draw them, a Sound Transmission Talisman only works if it carries the target’s aura. Her master had been gone a long time. She could barely remember her master’s face, let alone capture any aura. As for her fellow sect members, she had never met them, so there was no way to send a voice transmission.

[Enough. Overthinking is useless.] Better to test the new idea in practice.

After three days in seclusion, Yu Zhi Yi reported to the Ministry of Justice as usual. On her way back, she saw Zhang Xiang waiting outside the gate.

“What happened?” Yu Zhi Yi asked.

In the past, Zhang Xiang would also wait for her, but always just inside the gate. There was a small spy-hole in the door to watch the street. Zhang Xiang only stepped out when Yu Zhi Yi reached the far end of the long street. Today, though, Zhang Xiang had been waiting outside long before that.

Zhang Xiang held up an invitation with both hands and said respectfully: “Miss, the Eldest Princess’s Manor sent a card inviting you to view flowers outside the city.”

The year’s end was near. The great households of the city had already begun their arrangements, and high-status families were starting to host banquets.

The Eldest Princess was the emperor’s half-sister. The late emperor had four daughters; three married far away for peace, and only the Eldest Princess remained in the Capital City. Although she and the emperor weren’t very close, because she was his only sister left, he treated her quite well. In the Capital City, her honor was unmatched.

Yu Zhi Yi read the invitation. It was for viewing plum blossoms. Outside the city there was an Imperial Family plum grove, and whenever the blossoms opened, the Imperial Family hosted a grand plum-viewing feast.

Yu Zhi Yi narrowed her eyes, then looked up at the dim sky. [This plum feast is a Hongmen Banquet-a trap.]

After thinking it over, she handed the invitation back to Zhang Xiang to place in her room, then turned and headed for the palace. She had planned to go a few days ago, but Du Zi Heng’s visit had interrupted her and she’d let it slip her mind.