Chapter 27: Taiyin Yuan Sect

Guan Shanxue stared at Cang Yinyue's retreating figure with uncertainty, but she found herself utterly speechless.

At that moment, Cang Yinyue turned her head coldly, her dark brows lifting slightly to reveal a look of blatant contempt.

In the next instant, she turned away disdainfully and leaped out of the window without looking back.

...

On the bustling and wide streets, Cang Yinyue and Li Musheng rode their mules side by side.

She glanced back at the restaurant behind them, let out a soft breath, and said to Li Musheng

"Thank you. So this is what it feels like to 'act'—it really is quite exhilarating!"

Li Musheng turned his head to look at her; Cang Yinyue's eyes were filled with pleasure at this moment.

He shrugged and said

"It was a small matter. I mainly thought that if you two started fighting, there would be no telling when it would end, and it would be a waste of time."

Cang Yinyue's eye twitched as she defended herself

"Even though my martial arts realm is inferior to hers, she couldn't do anything to me. I can leave whenever I want."

As she spoke, her cold eyes flickered, and she continued

"However, that acupoint technique of yours is truly impressive. It is silent and impossible to guard against, giving the opponent no chance to strike. Even if Guan Shanxue is a martial arts grandmaster possessing Frost True Qi, it would be difficult for her to resist."

Hearing this, Li Musheng stared at her composedly for a moment before smiling.

"Want to learn? I'll teach you."

Cang Yinyue was momentarily stunned, her eyes fixed intently on Li Musheng.

But ultimately, she let out a deep sigh and averted her gaze

"A top-tier martial art can trigger a bloody storm in the martial world and serves as the foundation for a sect's standing. One cannot receive a reward without merit. I have self-awareness enough to know that I am not yet worthy of you passing such a supreme martial art to me."

Li Musheng chuckled softly.

This girl not only had strong boundaries but was also quite honest.

"Fine then. Miss Cang, just perform well. I'm not a man of high demands; I'm very easy to please."

Li Musheng spoke nonchalantly, but then a spark of curiosity ignited in his heart, and he asked inquisitively

"I really didn't expect you to have a fiancé. Why haven't I heard you mention it before?"

"What do you mean by that?"

At those words, Cang Yinyue's brows furrowed instantly, and she subconsciously reached up to touch the veil on her face.

Seeing this, Li Musheng waved his hands hurriedly

"Don't misunderstand, that's not what I meant."

Cang Yinyue let out a cold snort, her gaze unfriendly.

"No need to hide it. Your expression has already betrayed you. You want to say that for someone with such an ugly tattoo on her face, how could any man possibly take an interest in me?"

Li Musheng fell silent for a moment, but soon, his eyes darted around. He patted the back of his horse and said

"Miss Cang, do not belittle yourself. Even a poor horse has its purpose, let alone an outstanding talent like you."

"Besides, once the tattoo on your face is removed, with your natural beauty, I expect the line of people scrambling to pursue you will stretch all the way to the gates of Shangyang City."

Hearing this, Cang Yinyue's eyes flickered slightly. She lowered her hand, pulled the reins, and rode forward.

After a while, her expression gradually calmed, but her gaze turned cold once more.

"My marriage was arranged by my family. And that Constable Fu, as the head of the Six Doors' Ten Great Constables, naturally values the power of the Cang family rather than the appearance of my face."

Riding beside her, Li Musheng rubbed his chin and asked in confusion

"Which Cang family?"

Cang Yinyue glanced at him and said

"The Marquis of Cangyuan."

Li Musheng frowned and spread his hands.

"Never heard of them. Is your Cang family even someone of note here in the imperial capital of Shangyang City?"

Cang Yinyue did not speak. Instead, a trace of extremely subtle hatred flashed through her cold eyes.

"The Marquis of Cangyuan's manor naturally holds significant power in the capital, but it has nothing to do with me."

As she spoke, she explained to Li Musheng

"The Cang family's current power all stems from the Marquis's First Lady."

"That woman is not only the sister of Consort Ji of the Great Li Imperial Palace, but she also hails from the Taiyin Yuan Sect, one of the four great sects of the Great Li martial world, and maintains an extremely close relationship with them."

"Therefore, the Cang family holds a very high status not only in the imperial court but also in the martial world. Who knows how many people in all of Shangyang City are trying to curry favor with them?"

A look of realization crossed Li Musheng's face.

"So your family is not only related to the imperial clan but also has connections with a martial world giant like the Taiyin Yuan Sect."

Li Musheng was, of course, no stranger to the Taiyin Yuan Sect.

It was one of the top-tier powers in the entire Great Li martial world. Anyone active in the martial world knew the name and the terrifying martial strength it represented.

It was said that the Taiyin Yuan Sect had a heritage of over a thousand years. During the Great Qi Dynasty, it was a first-tier great sect that once suppressed an entire era of the martial world with the *Taiyin True Scripture*.

The sect possessed countless martial arts experts and produced generations of geniuses. Along with the other three top sects, they were true leaders of the martial world capable of challenging the imperial court.

Suddenly, Li Musheng thought of something and said

"Wait, I remember the Bone-Eroding Yin Wind Finger seems to originate from a martial art of the Taiyin Yuan Sect. Could it be..."

Cang Yinyue did not hide it and nodded.

"You guessed correctly. The tattoo on my face was bestowed by that First Lady."

As soon as these words were spoken, Li Musheng's mind immediately conjured a grand drama of internal strife within a wealthy household.

A young lady of a noble house being abused and exploited by the matriarch—waking up earlier than a rooster and sleeping later than a dog, being hungry and cold, being marginalized, mocked, beaten, and scolded.

She was even subjected to branding on her face, having the character for "lowly" carved into her skin, simply because of jealousy over her beauty.

"Miss Cang, it must have been very difficult for you to grow up like this."

Li Musheng spoke with genuine sympathy, but to his surprise, Cang Yinyue let out a cold laugh.

"It was indeed difficult. If she hadn't been so lucky to survive the bowl of poison I gave her back then, I wouldn't have ended up in this state."

"Uh??"

Li Musheng was speechless.

As expected, he had been sympathetic too early. Given this girl's scheming personality, she was definitely no saint.

At this moment, Cang Yinyue, sitting on her horse, drifted further away, whispering softly to herself

"Don't worry, sooner or later, I will kill her!"

...

Inside the restaurant, Gao Changrui, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, arrived before Guan Shanxue with a group of people, including the man in green.

Seeing her standing motionless in the private room, everyone showed strange expressions.

"Uncle, I heard this woman has connections to the Divine Constable of the Six Doors. How about we..."

Zhang He stared at Guan Shanxue and spoke with squinted eyes, but in the next moment, he was sent flying by a backhand slap from Gao Changrui.

"You dog! No wonder you shaved your head this first lunar month—you've never given up on destroying me! You almost succeeded again this time!"

Gao Changrui's face was livid, his entire body trembling with rage.

(End of Chapter)