"Heh, I never thought I'd run into three old friends in this tranquil garden of wind, flowers, snow, and moon."
Bi Qiao approached with unhurried steps, a faint smile on her face. Her gaze swept over Tang Manqing and the other two before she continued, "It's been a long time. I wonder if you three old friends are all doing well?"
Tang Manqing and the others were well aware of Bi Qiao's nature and knew her visit couldn't possibly bring good words. They naturally couldn't be bothered to respond. However, Lin Xiang'er replied with a half-smile, "Of course we're well. Couldn't be better."
"Oh, is that so?"
Bi Qiao stopped at the pavilion's edge. She didn't rudely take a seat but simply looked at the three of them, adding, "But this Young Lady has heard that the three of you haven't been faring too well, especially you two."
Her smiling eyes swept over Tang Manqing and Liu Yue as she said, "I've heard you two have been extremely busy these past few years, running around all day, constantly on edge and fearful."
Hearing this, Tang Manqing and the others immediately understood what Bi Qiao was implying—she was hinting that the Yanluo Royal Family and the Crimson-Letter Sect's situation was precarious and growing increasingly dangerous under the immense pressure of the Immortal Dynasty's authority.
Sure enough.
Bi Qiao chuckled, "I've heard the Yanluo Emperor has been in constant discussions with the Four Great Families and Seven Great Sects lately. However, the situation doesn't seem too optimistic. I've also heard that the renowned Black Buddha Lord has been away for many years and still hasn't returned."
"So what if that's true?"
"Bi Qiao, if you have something to say, just say it directly. No need to beat around the bush."
"What do I want to say? Heh, this Young Lady doesn't want to say anything. I just wanted to tell the three of you that this Young Lady is in an exceptionally beautiful mood today, that's all. Hehehehe..." As Bi Qiao's smug laughter rang out, a flash of anger passed through the eyes of Tang Manqing and the others. Liu Yue said, "Bi Qiao, don't get too cocky."
"This Young Lady is cocky, and what can you do about it?"
Bi Qiao stared at the three of them, her eyes filled with arrogance, her tone dripping with disdain as she sneered, "You actually dare to dream of opposing the Immortal Dynasty? Truly overestimating yourselves. Let me tell you, this time you're doomed. Whether it's the Yanluo Royal Family or that Crimson-Letter Sect, none of you will come to a good end!"
"Whether we come to a good end or not, I don't know."
The three of them weren't angry, nor did they lose their temper. Bi Qiao wasn't worth their anger. Tang Manqing, holding a cup of wine, said calmly, "But I do know that you certainly won't come to a good end!"
"Hmph! Tang Manqing, you still dare to talk tough in front of me? You really don't know what's good for you! Do you think your Yanluo Royal Family allying with the Four Great Families and Seven Great Sects can stand against our Immortal Dynasty? What a joke! Even if the Four Great Families and Seven Great Sects truly allied with you—which they won't—in front of our Immortal Dynasty, you'd still be nothing but ants."
"Bi Qiao, does your mouth itch again? Asking for another beating, is that it?"
"Tang Manqing, what did you say! Say that again if you dare!"
"What? Didn't hear me clearly?" Tang Manqing repeated the words right in front of Bi Qiao.
Bi Qiao immediately flew into a rage, shouting, "Don't think just because that woman Chu Jiaohong backs you, this Young Lady won't dare touch you! I'll settle that previous score with Chu Jiaohong for sure."
"Then go settle accounts with Sister Hong. I think Sister Hong would be very pleased if you went to settle accounts with her."
Chu Jiaohong was the name Bi Qiao least wanted to hear and the person she hated most. Last time, when she caused trouble at Linglong Manor with her people, it was Chu Jiaohong who had slapped her several times in a row, swelling her entire face. She had held onto that grudge ever since.
"What? Scared?" Liu Yue said, "Want me to take you to her?"
"Liu Yue, do you think Chu Jiaohong will help you this time?" Bi Qiao stared at Liu Yue, a cold sneer curling her lips. "Let me tell you, she doesn't dare. She doesn't have the guts to oppose our Immortal Dynasty. This time, the Yanluo Royal Family won't come to a good end, and your Crimson-Letter Sect will fare even worse. Moreover, this Young Lady can also tell you that to deal with your Crimson-Letter Sect, our Immortal Dynasty doesn't even need to lift a finger. The Black Heart Lord alone can wipe out all of you!"
"Is that so? Then we'll wait and see."
"Liu Yue, aren't you on good terms with Chu Jiaohong? Why don't you ask her for help? What? Is it because she doesn't dare, so you found a fake Gu Tianlang instead?"
Bi Qiao grew more and more gleeful as she spoke, her tone increasingly arrogant. "You think finding a fake Immortal Dao criminal like Gu Tianlang can stop our Immortal Dynasty? Heh, forget that it's just a fake Gu Tianlang—even if you brought the real one here, in front of our Immortal Dynasty, he'd only have the right to kneel and kowtow!"
"Sorry to disappoint you, but whether that Monarch is real or fake, I don't know. However, I can responsibly tell you one thing: he wasn't someone we sought out."
Liu Yue's expression was filled with indifference, though anger flickered in her eyes. "Moreover, there's no need for you to shout and scream at us here. You're not the Immortal Dynasty's Eldest Princess, nor are you the Immortal Dynasty's Grand Young Master. You're just one among millions of Immortal Dynasty Nobles. Don't keep throwing around 'Immortal Dynasty' with every breath. If the Immortal Dynasty wants to make a move, we'll face it. At the end of the day, it's just a life on the line, nothing too serious."
"Immortal Dynasty Nobles? What big talk!" Bi Qiao mocked, "Too bad you're not even an Immortal Dynasty Noble!"
"I'm indeed not, and I don't care to be."
"Don't care to be? What brazen nonsense. If the Immortal Dynasty bestowed a noble title upon you, you'd wake up laughing from your dreams. But you're only dreaming. You have no right to receive the Immortal Dynasty's rewards. You're not worthy."
"Bi Qiao, have you said enough?"
At this moment, Lin Xiang'er, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up. "It's just an Immortal Dynasty Noble. If you want to flaunt your authority in front of others, that's one thing, but you insist on putting on airs here. The Immortal Dynasty bestowed the Yunjue Title upon Manqing, and to this day, she hasn't acknowledged it. You, a mere noble, what authority are you trying to flaunt in front of her!"
"You!"
Bi Qiao was momentarily speechless, her face alternating between green and pale. She wanted to say something but hesitated.
Because what Lin Xiang'er said was the truth.
The Immortal Dynasty had indeed once bestowed the Yunjue Title upon Tang Manqing, but Tang Manqing didn't care for it and had refused. Although she hadn't managed to refuse completely, she had never acknowledged herself as any Yunjue of the Immortal Dynasty.
It must be known that the status of Yunjue was a whole level above that of an Immortal Dynasty Noble.
As was widely known,
All Immortal Dynasty Nobles were second-generation immortals.
But not all second-generation immortals were Immortal Dynasty Nobles.
Because Immortal Dynasty Nobles were the elites selected from among the second-generation immortals.
As for Yunjue, they were hailed as the nobles among Immortal Dynasty Nobles, the prodigies among prodigies. Whether in terms of status, position, or anything else, they were not something ordinary Immortal Dynasty Nobles could compare to.