Jiang Baishan was walking along the streets of Zhenwu City when he quickly turned into a small alley and arrived at the entrance of a small courtyard.
"Ruhua!"
He looked joyfully at the woman in white watering the flowers, a tender look in his eyes.
Lin Ruhua turned around, her smile radiant like a blossom. She leaned into Jiang Baishan's embrace. The two were deeply affectionate, the gentleness in their eyes ready to melt each other.
"I left you alone all this time. That was my fault," Jiang Baishan said guiltily.
Lin Ruhua shook her head with a smile.
"I understand. Zhenwu Sect has been going through turbulent times recently. As an elder, you naturally have to set an example."
Then she pouted and said,
"Do you take me for a woman who can't understand reason?"
As she spoke, she punched Jiang Baishan in the chest, making him wince in pain. The words he had on the tip of his tongue—"And who was it back then that tried to hack me with a broadsword?"—were all swallowed back.
He chuckled and said,
"Exactly, exactly. My Ruhua is the gentlest woman of all!"
Lin Ruhua nodded in satisfaction. Suddenly, Jiang Baishan turned serious and said,
"If that's the case, how about becoming the elder's wife in Zhenwu Sect? This year's Zhenwu Peach Blossom Festival is about to start. The brothers are all eager to meet you."
Lin Ruhua froze, her cheeks flushing red.
The words came too suddenly, leaving her completely unprepared.
There was joy and sweetness in her eyes, but in the end, hesitation took over. Looking into Jiang Baishan's firm and sincere gaze, she took a step back and sighed softly:
"Baishan, I don't want to lie to you. I've never told you my real identity..."
Before she could finish, Jiang Baishan cut her off:
"You're trying to tell me you're from the Demonic Sect, right?"
Lin Ruhua looked at Jiang Baishan in shock, only to see him smiling:
"We've been traveling and training together for so long—if I hadn't figured that out, wouldn't that make me pretty dumb? My master once told me, people can't choose their background. A gentleman judges deeds, not hearts. You may be from the Demonic Sect, but you've never done anything truly wicked, and you even have a kind heart. If that's the case, does it really matter where you're from?"
Lin Ruhua was deeply moved.
"But... I'm not just any member of the Demonic Sect. I'm the daughter of Lin Xueshuang, one of the three deputy sect leaders."
As soon as she said it,
Jiang Baishan was dumbfounded.
He had guessed that Lin Ruhua held a certain position in the Demonic Sect, but he hadn't expected it to be this extreme. A deputy sect leader of the Demonic Sect—one of the highest authorities below the sect master. And now, he had run off with her daughter. It all felt a bit surreal.
Lin Ruhua let out a soft laugh:
"Scared?"
Jiang Baishan quickly replied,
"Hmph! Her daughter's in my hands—what's there to be afraid of?"
Lin Ruhua immediately pinched a handful of soft flesh on his waist, making Jiang Baishan grimace in pain and beg for mercy.
Finally,
Lin Ruhua held Jiang Baishan's arm and said softly:
"Baishan, as long as you don't mind my identity, I won't worry. I didn't mean to keep it from you, but you know how the Demonic Sect has always been hostile toward Zhenwu Sect. I was afraid you'd think I approached you with ulterior motives."
Jiang Baishan said seriously,
"The affairs of the Demonic Sect have nothing to do with you. My master and the others are clear about personal grievances."
Lin Ruhua let out a breath of relief. She had always been a bit of a rebel and wasn't very loyal to the Demonic Sect. Now that her lover didn't care about her background, she felt more at ease than ever. After a moment of thought, she said,
"There's something I want to tell you."
"Go ahead."
The two began laying all their cards on the table.
Lin Ruhua sorted her thoughts and began sharing secrets about the Demonic Sect:
"There used to be a conflict between the Demonic Sect and the Southern Alliance, and several Heaven-Man Realm experts died. But later they started peace talks, believing a third party was stirring the pot and deliberately provoking war. The two main suspects were Zhenwu Sect and the Northern Suppression King."
Jiang Baishan looked a bit grim.
This was beyond what he had imagined.
"And now, their suspicion of Zhenwu Sect is even higher than of the Northern Suppression King. That time they planted spies during the sect's assessment was a test. Originally, the Demonic Sect and Southern Alliance were planning to strike at Zhenwu Sect, but then Heavenly Sword Master appeared out of nowhere and killed Wenxin Sword. That made them hesitant."
"But they definitely won't let it go. Even if there's no large-scale action for now, they might still target individual Zhenwu disciples. You all need to be careful."
Then, she began to reveal more details—intelligence she had gathered thanks to her identity.
She had originally planned to pass it to Jiang Baishan through other means, but now that they had come clean with each other, she laid everything bare.
Jiang Baishan held her hand tightly, his eyes full of emotion.
"Ruhua, that time during the assessment—the thing with the Demonic Sect and Southern Alliance spies—that was your tip-off, right?"
Lin Ruhua was stunned, since she had only learned about it afterward.
"It wasn't me..."
They both froze.
Jiang Baishan frowned:
"If not you, then who?"
Lin Ruhua's thoughts raced. Suddenly, her eyes lit up as she remembered something, her expression turning slightly odd:
"I know who it was."
Facing Jiang Baishan's questioning gaze, she said slowly:
"Qin Yun."
"That traitor?" Jiang Baishan looked shocked.
He had been close to Qin Yun. After Qin Yun left Zhenwu Sect, he was the angriest among all the brothers and had sworn to one day drag Qin Yun back to apologize in front of their master.
He hadn't heard from Qin Yun in years—now he was learning about him from his beloved.
Lin Ruhua nodded:
"That's right. My mother even once wanted to marry me off to him to help him become the Holy Son of the Demonic Sect. I used to think he was a traitor too, but now it seems Qin Yun might still have feelings for Zhenwu Sect."
"Marry you to Qin Yun??" Jiang Baishan got anxious.
Lin Ruhua patted his hand, signaling him to calm down.
"When five Heaven-Man Realm experts from the Demonic Sect attacked Zhenwu Sect at night, the sect originally wanted revenge. But Qin Yun talked them down—at the cost of entering the Blood Demon Pool. Turns out he's a ruthless guy. Not only did he survive, he even burned four hundred years of his lifespan to break through into the Heaven-Man Realm. Now, he's one of the Demonic Sect's three candidate Holy Sons."
"You mentioned someone slipped a secret letter during the assessment. Thinking back, I'm almost certain it was Qin Yun. He and the Southern Alliance Saintess were in charge of that operation, but recently his situation hasn't been great."
"With Ghostmask's support, he was a strong contender for the Holy Son title. But now, he's essentially under house arrest. My mother's even dropped the idea of marrying me to him. If it weren't for the Grand Elder speaking up for him, things might've turned worse. The sect can't tolerate his lingering attachment to Zhenwu."
"Anyone who enters the Blood Demon Pool is supposed to be completely loyal to the Demonic Sect. But Qin Yun broke that precedent. Now, the sect's experts are interrogating him. I heard from my mother—they're trying to nurture his inner demon to take control of him."
Lin Ruhua spoke steadily.
She knew Qin Yun had underestimated the methods of the Demonic Sect. He thought he'd been clever, but ended up falling into a deep trap. Before, she didn't understand why the sect suddenly turned on Qin Yun—but now everything made sense.
Jiang Baishan's expression grew increasingly complicated. His earlier anger had vanished, replaced by a quiet sigh.
"That guy Xiao Ba..." he muttered, a mix of frustration, bitterness, and anxiety in his heart.
Taking a deep breath, Jiang Baishan said seriously:
"Ruhua, would you come with me to Zhenwu Mountain to meet my master and senior brother? This information is important to them. Don't worry—they won't care about your background."
Lin Ruhua's heart fluttered, but a bride has to meet the in-laws eventually. She nodded gently:
"I'll do whatever you say."
The two had gone through life and death together and had already chosen each other.
She never felt any loyalty to the Demonic Sect. Her only attachment was her mother. But now, Zhenwu Sect was the weaker side between the Demonic Sect and the Southern Alliance. She didn't need to worry about her mother—but she did worry about Jiang Baishan.
The two stood in a silent embrace.
After nightfall, they quietly ascended the mountain.
…
Mingwu Pavilion.
Daoist Longshan and Luo Wentian were both present, while Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua stood side by side, hands tightly clasped.
"Greetings, Daoist Longshan, Sect Master Luo," Lin Ruhua greeted them a bit nervously.
Jiang Baishan also stammered a little:
"Master, this is my beloved—Lin Ruhua."
Daoist Longshan and Luo Wentian exchanged a glance and smiled. They studied Lin Ruhua's bearing and appearance and could sense some of her character. They nodded inwardly.
Luo Wentian smiled and said:
"No need to be so formal, Miss Ruhua. We've heard Baishan talk about you plenty. Said you nearly chopped his arm off once. He grumbled about it for months. Just call me Senior Brother."
Lin Ruhua relaxed and quietly pinched Jiang Baishan.
Jiang Baishan shook his head awkwardly. That embarrassing story was clearly not going away.
Daoist Longshan also smiled warmly, though he didn't ask her to call him Master yet. That would wait until they were married.
"Baishan, what's this important matter you mentioned earlier?" he asked.
Jiang Baishan straightened his expression and said slowly,
"It's about Ruhua's identity. She's the daughter of Lin Xueshuang—one of the three deputy sect leaders of the Demonic Sect."
The smiles on Daoist Longshan and Luo Wentian's faces froze, but quickly softened. They knew Jiang Baishan's character—he wouldn't act recklessly.
Lin Ruhua observed the change in their expressions and let out a breath of relief. Then she bowed and said,
"Master, Senior Brother, here's the situation…"
She began recounting the Demonic Sect and Southern Alliance's plans against Zhenwu Sect.
She also explained Qin Yun's current situation.
When she finished, Daoist Longshan's expression was complicated.
Back when the secret letter was delivered during the sect assessment, they had made many guesses. They never imagined it had been Qin Yun. Thinking about his current predicament, they couldn't help but feel a bit of regret.
One wrong move—and everything was lost.
Luo Wentian also sighed inwardly and said gratefully:
"Thank you for telling us, Miss Ruhua."
Now that the cause and effect were clear, they finally understood that the Demonic Sect and Southern Alliance suspected Zhenwu Sect because of the destruction of a Southern Alliance stronghold in Qingzhou.
In particular, the Demonic Sect's follow-up actions and plans were extremely important for Zhenwu Sect to know in advance—so they could prepare.
He understood that much.
Lin Ruhua revealing all these secrets likely meant she had truly fallen for her Fifth Junior Brother and had made great sacrifices.
Lin Ruhua quickly waved her hands, her face slightly flushed:"Senior Brother, you're too kind."
She hesitated slightly, then gritted her teeth and said:"There's one more thing. Although Zhenwu Sect has Heavenly Sword Master holding the fort, the Demonic Sect and the Southern Alliance have deep foundations. Ever since they formed an alliance, they've been secretly planning to produce a Martial Saint, complementing each other's weaknesses. If either side manages to give rise to a Martial Saint, the world will be turned upside down—they may even declare war on the Great Yan, and by then, Zhenwu Sect could very well be the first to be sacrificed!"
"Please, Master and Senior Brother, make preparations early!"
After saying this, she felt a great weight lifted from her heart. This was all she knew.
Inside Mingwu Pavilion, a heavy silence settled.
Daoist Longshan's expression was grim.
Luo Wentian and Jiang Baishan were both wide-eyed in shock.
The pressure of a Martial Saint was simply too overwhelming.
Jiang Baishan's face turned pale. He stared at Lin Ruhua in a daze, then asked anxiously:"Martial Saint? That's impossible. It's been how long since a Martial Saint has appeared in the Great Yan? How could the Demonic Sect and Southern Alliance produce one so easily?"
Lin Ruhua gently held Jiang Baishan's hand and said:"In truth, the Demonic Sect and the Southern Alliance have long had methods to ascend to Martial Saint status using external forces. They've been experimenting for a thousand years, and now they're close to success. A hundred years ago was just a test. They were waiting for the Martial Saints of the Great Yan to weaken, hoping to rise in that gap."
"Now that the two powers have joined forces, their progress is accelerating."
Luo Wentian couldn't help but ask:"Miss Ruhua, do you know how soon the Demonic Sect and the Southern Alliance might produce a Martial Saint?"
Lin Ruhua said apologetically:"I don't know the specifics. That's a top secret within the Demonic Sect. I only discovered it by chance from something my mother left behind. But judging from the sect's recent movements, it will happen within three years at most."
Daoist Longshan's heart was also far from calm.
In other words,within three years at the latest, the world was going to change?
It was easy to foresee—
If both the Demonic Sect and Southern Alliance were to produce Martial Saints, they would definitely challenge the rule of the Great Yan.
Two thousand years of rule—it had lasted far too long.
They had thought Zhenwu Sect was on the rise, yet such a massive upheaval was already upon them.
And Zhenwu Sect would be the first in the line of fire.
Because of the destruction of the Qingzhou stronghold, their conflict with the two powers was already irreconcilable. What's more, the greater Heavenly Sword Master's reputation grew, the more suitable he became as a target to make an example of.
In an instant,
Zhenwu Sect seemed to have a demonic sword hanging over its head, ready to fall at any moment.
She said three years at most—but what if the Demonic Sect succeeded in just two years, or even one?
No one could say for sure.
Daoist Longshan glanced subtly toward the screen behind him, then let out a long breath and said:"This news is very important to us. Thank you, Miss Ruhua."
He gave a slight bow.
If not for Lin Ruhua's revelation, Zhenwu Sect would still be completely unaware of the coming storm.
Lin Ruhua quickly stepped aside and waved her hands nervously:"Master, that's too much. I'm deeply in love with Baishan—his sect is my sect."
Daoist Longshan sighed inwardly.
He had lived nearly a hundred years and could see things far more clearly than the younger generation. Naturally, he knew Lin Ruhua had given her heart to his fifth disciple, which was why she'd gone so far.
But this situation wasn't fair to Lin Ruhua either.
The Demonic Sect and Zhenwu Sect were enemies. Lin Ruhua was the daughter of a deputy sect leader of the Demonic Sect, while Jiang Baishan was Daoist Longshan's disciple. Even if they succeeded, one of them would surely suffer.
Daoist Longshan had to consider the bigger picture.
Perhaps the best solution was for both of them to stay out of this entirely.