When Dong Kui first spoke, Ye Yuâs immediate reaction was one of protest. He was truly innocentâhe could swear on heaven and earth. Apart from Xu Nanqiao, he had no other immortal companion. So there was no way he had bullied some sword-bearing maiden outside his sect. Waitâsword-bearing? After a momentâs thought, Ye Yu recalled a figure and strode to the sect entrance.
Sure enough, Zheng Nuanxiu stood there, her eyes bloodshot and tears streaming down her cheeks. Ye Yu hurried over. âWhat happened?â
âI returned from the Demon Realm, and my sect has vanished!â Zheng Nuanxiuâs tears fell even faster.
The thought was heart-wrenching. A sect she had sworn to protect, destined to flourishâstolen in a single day. What meaning remained in her efforts?
Ye Yu was astonished. How could an entire sect just disappear? Seeing Zheng Nuanxiu sobbing, he knew he couldnât get answers now. He gently guided her back inside, promising to speak once her emotions calmed. After all, if she stood crying at the gate, passersby might think he had mistreated her!
Unbeknownst to them, Zhu Diezhen and Zhuo Lanqing watched from afar. Dong Kui pursed her lips in displeasure. âHe wouldnât admit anything when we asked. Now lookâheâs brought her inside.â Banxia and Bai Xichu nodded in agreement, while Zhuo Lanqing shrugged. âEnough chatter. Letâs figure out where to put our new sister. Good thing the sectâs grownâotherwise this would be awkward.â
Inside, Zheng Nuanxiu had regained composure and recounted how her
Zhu Xie Immortal Sect
site had disappeared. Ye Yu found it incredible. Who would steal a ruined sectâs groundsâworthless rubble? Distressed, Zheng Nuanxiu said, âI came to ask for your help finding my lost sect. In the Heavensâ Realm, youâre my only hope.â
Ye Yu readily agreed. He vowed to spare no effort to track down the thief. It was outrageousâimmortals, yet resorting to theft!
Grateful, Zheng Nuanxiu prepared to leave. Ye Yu called after her, âWhere are you going?â
âI... donât know,â she sniffled, tears welling again. âMy home is gone!â
âDonât cry,â Ye Yu said. âStay here until we retrieve your sect. Our place is spacious, and you can study the swordâs techniques rather than waste time.â
Convinced, Zheng Nuanxiu accepted. Ye Yu summoned Zhu Diezhen to arrange lodging. âOf course,â Zhu Diezhen replied, eyeing Zheng Nuanxiu. âBut what shall we call our new sister?â
Zheng Nuanxiu took an involuntary step back at the intense scrutiny. Ye Yu quickly interposed, âSheâs not a sister but a fellow immortal companion. Since her sect vanished, sheâll reside here temporarily.â
Zhu Diezhen laughedââvanished sectâ? Preposterous! Whoâd believe someone stole an immortal sect? And why come to Ye Yu rather /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ than oneâs own sectmates? Yet she did not press further; instead, she led Zheng Nuanxiu to the rear hill of
Wuwei Pagoda
. Though newly built, it boasted multiple blessed grottoes and abundant immortal qiâan ideal training ground.
âYou may choose any spot to cultivate,â Zhu Diezhen whispered. âIf you need anything, let me know.â
âThank you, Immortal Companion!â Zheng Nuanxiu clasped her hands gratefully. Zhu Diezhen smiled and departedâno need to linger when her husbandâs identity as Xu Nanqiaoâs partner remained unannounced.
Alone, Zheng Nuanxiu gazed around the vibrant sect grounds with envy. She longed to restore her sect in such splendorâif she ever reclaimed it, she must rebuild it thus. A wave of nostalgia struck her. Was this a mirage of her former sect? Startled, she shook her head to steady herself.
In the main hall, Ye Yu pondered who would be idle enough to steal a ruined sect site. No mortal immortal would plunder worthless land. He abandoned the question and left
Wuwei Pagoda
. His plan was simple: delegate the investigation to junior immortals and await their report. When asked who these juniors were, the answer was noneâhe couldnât send his wives into the field. So he summoned three minor sect masters whose cultivations fell short of Immortal Emperor. Using the
Divine Mind-Control Art
, he bound their wills and ordered them to search for the missing
Zhu Xie Immortal Sect
.
Thus the simplest solution was set in motion. Ye Yu returned home and waited for news.
In the central region of the Heavensâ Realm, within the
Three Corps Hall
, the Lord of Magic Heavens sat in the main hall as subordinate dark immortals delivered treasures. Though most items were worthless to him, now and then a rare artifact appeared. He savored the thrill of discovering such treasures.