"Sure enough, I can't hide it from you, Senior," Zhou Zhilán said, her eyes curved in a smile, fingertips lightly tracing the gruesome scars on her neck. A thin layer of ointment covered them, but she'd deliberately left them from fully healing.
Xie Zhaolin withdrew her hands. "After all, you're not the type to let your weaknesses show in front of others."
"Exactly." Zhou Zhilán straightened her clothes. "We have to let Xu Changming see just how messy the Zhou family really is."
No explanation was needed. Xie Zhaolin understood her intentions perfectly. `She knew these people in power too well—the higher their status, the easier it was for subtle similarities to strike a chord.
Xu Changming had never gotten over the death of his only daughter. Whenever he saw a girl around her age, his gaze softened, especially the first time he met Zhou Zhilán, who had that twin-lotus-patterned pouch.
"Seventh Uncle sent this Snow Skin Ointment during the day." Zhou Zhilán retrieved a jade vial from her storage bag and handed it to Xie Zhaolin.
Xie Zhaolin took the box, dipping her fingers into the ointment. The faint scent revealed its function: it delayed wound healing without leaving scars.
"He really thinks of everything," she said.
Zhou Zhilán's fingers paused briefly as she put the ointment away. "Seventh Uncle knows better than anyone which scars move people's hearts the most. Otherwise, he wouldn't have told me.… not to let the scars heal too quickly."
Xie Zhaolin let out a soft laugh.
Zhou Moxuan had quietly allowed Zhou Zhilán to keep her scars. It wasn't just to show Xu Changming the family's internal chaos—it also planted hidden danger for the Patriarch's branch. And having Xie Zhaolin, the "guest elder" with a 'serious injury,' was the perfect way to relay the message to Xu Changming legitimately.
"Looks like I helped you out that day," Xie Zhaolin said.
Zhou Zhilán was silent for a moment before changing the subject. "Seventh Uncle wants to use Xu Changming to suppress the Patriarch. I need Seventh Uncle to support my father's rise. And Xu Changming…" Her eyes dimmed slightly, "he needs an emotional anchor."
"As for me…" Xie Zhaolin sipped her tea, the steam softening the smile on her lips. "It's the perfect excuse to retreat and recover."
Zhou Zhilán nodded lightly and pulled out a small box, sliding it toward Xie Zhaolin. "Seventh Uncle's treasured Cold Marrow Pill. Once ingested, your pulse will show the appearance of a serious injury."
Xie Zhaolin opened it. The pill was pure white, with a frosty mist hovering above. Her spiritual sense confirmed it was genuine—it could fake injuries while aiding damaged meridians.
"Your Seventh Uncle is generous."
"He has to be." Zhou Zhilán's voice turned cold. "If Second Young Master's strike had really harmed someone the Hehuan Sect values…"
The plan was airtight. Seventh Uncle used Second Young Master to pressure the Patriarch. Zhou Zhilán used her scars to draw Xu Changming's sympathy. And the "seriously injured" guest elder gave Xu Changming the perfect excuse to intervene in the Zhou family.
What he would never know was that the care he showed toward the Zhou girl, so similar to his deceased daughter, had already been calculated perfectly.
"Xu Changming will come tomorrow," Zhou Zhilán lowered her voice. "Seventh Uncle's already arranged everything at Tinghe Pavilion."
Xie Zhaolin raised an eyebrow. "So soon?"
"Not soon enough." Zhou Zhilán tapped lightly on the table. "The Patriarch will return in three days. If we wait for Xu Changming to come after that…" She left the sentence hanging, but Xie Zhaolin understood—the Zhou family's power shift had to settle within three days.
"And your father?"
"The workshop's inventory was completed last night." Zhou Zhilán pulled a ledger from her sleeve. "Three bottles of Calm Spirit Incense and five boxes of Jade Marrow Ointment are missing…" She flipped to the marked page. "All taken by Second Young Master over the past six months."
Xie Zhaolin took the ledger. The ink was fresh, obviously prepared as evidence. That girl had even counted her own father in—those "missing" herbs had likely been secretly moved by her, now serving as irrefutable proof against Second Young Master.
"No need to worry, Senior," Zhou Zhilán said, as if reading her thoughts. "Father may not know the details, but he's never sloppy when cooperation's needed." She took out a letter. "He sent this this morning, saying the workshop needs maintenance and asking Seventh Uncle to supervise."
Xie Zhaolin glanced over it. The names listed were all her Seventh Uncle's trusted men. Her father's move, yielding while showing his stance, gave Seventh Uncle the perfect excuse to place his people.
"Your father's cautious."
"Caution is how you live long," Zhou Zhilán replied.
Xie Zhaolin didn't comment. "I'll wait for Xu Changming at Tinghe Pavilion tomorrow."
"Thank you, Senior." Zhou Zhilán bowed deeply. "Oh, and this is for you."
She produced a small green bell, its clapper etched with fine runes.
"Seventh Uncle's communication bell. If anything changes tomorrow…" She set it on the table. "Three shakes and I'll know immediately."
Xie Zhaolin examined it, noting the subtle hidden transmission array. Such a device wasn't cheap. That Seventh Uncle would give it to Zhou Zhilán showed how much he valued her.
"Zhou Moxuan values you highly."
"What he values is this scar on my neck," Zhou Zhilán said casually, smiling. "And how much it can stir Xu Changming's emotions."
Night deepened, and Zhou Zhilán took her leave.
Xie Zhaolin took the Cold Marrow Pill. Chill spread through her limbs instantly. After tomorrow, she could retreat properly to recover, while the Zhou family's power shift would settle, and she could push toward Foundation Establishment. The Hehuan Sect wouldn't give her a second lucky chance.
At dawn, Xie Zhaolin awoke from meditation. The pill's effect had fully taken hold. Energy circulated sluggishly in her meridians, intentionally suppressing her aura. nnnnShe touched her cheek, confirming the human-skin mask was flawless, then rose slowly.
Footsteps approached outside, followed by Zhou Zhilán's lowered voice. "Senior, Xu Changming is here."
Xie Zhaolin raised an eyebrow. "So fast?"
"Seventh Uncle sent word of an evil cultivator sighting." Zhou Zhilán's lips curved slightly. "Xu Changming's naturally anxious."
Xie Zhaolin let out a soft laugh. Zhou Moxuan did know how to time things.
"But…" Zhou Zhilán paused. "He first went to Seventh Uncle's study. Should be arriving soon."
Before she finished, firm footsteps reached Tinghe Pavilion.
"Is Daoyou Mingyue here?" Xu Changming's voice called through the door.
Xie Zhaolin cleared her throat weakly. "Steward Xu, please come in."
The door opened. Xu Changming, in a black robe, entered, eyes pausing on Xie Zhaolin's pale face, brows knitting. "Daoyou, this is…"
"Thank you for your concern, Steward Xu," she coughed lightly. "Just some old hidden injuries. A few days of care and it'll be fine."
Xu Changming's eyes narrowed. His spiritual sense scanned her body instinctively, detecting chaotic energy and damaged meridians. His frown deepened. "How could this happen?"
"A small conflict with Second Young Master yesterday," Xie Zhaolin said lightly, coughing twice, blood trickling from her lips.
Xu Changming's expression darkened. "Second Young Master?"
Zhou Zhilán stepped forward at the right moment, lowering her voice. "Steward Xu, Senior was struck by Second Brother yesterday while protecting me, injuring her meridians…"
As she spoke, the veil around her neck slipped slightly, revealing the deep, purple bruises below.
They were carved so deep it looked like they were embedded into the flesh, edges still tinged with fresh blood, glaring against her pale skin.
The tea cup in Xu Changming's hand cracked with a sharp sound.