According to the ancient texts collected by Falling Blossoms Valley, the original Twilight Palace was just a few rooms casually built by Grandmaster Beichen for quiet cultivation. Because many disciples and servants came later, the residence gradually expanded, stacking rooms into buildings. At that time, Jiuli Mountain was rich in spiritual stones, gold was as common as dirt, and white jade was like mountains. Even the simply constructed halls were grand and majestic, exuding an immortal aura.

Entering the lively inner hall, she saw guests gathered in groups of two or three. Some were laughing loudly as they reminisced, others were whispering. From afar, Cai Zhao saw her future master sitting high in the main seat of the hall with a righteous and stern, square-jawed face. He looked solemn but was stiffly receiving yet another wave of guests—Cai Zhao's aunt's assessment of this sworn brother was: 'He's clearly the type to become a grandmaster of his generation through focused cultivation, yet he has to welcome and send off guests every day, just like a courtesan from the Lichun Brothel.'

Since Cai Pingshu had secluded herself to recuperate, she rarely associated with people from the Jianghu. Only a few close friends could still see her, and Qi Yunke was one of them, visiting Falling Blossoms Valley almost every year. Each time he came, he would either be holding a cage with a pretty bird or cat inside, or he would have stuffed his wind-filled robes with snacks that little Cai Zhao loved but wasn't allowed to eat.

In her ignorant youth, Cai Zhao had thought Qi Yunke would become her uncle-in-law. Later, she learned that he had already married and had a daughter, and that his relationship with Cai Pingshu was one of true soulmates and life-and-death friendship. Cai Zhao couldn't help but feel ashamed of her narrow-mindedness and resolved to read fewer storybooks about elopement and romance.

She followed behind Zeng Dalou, walking forward. Qi Yunke spotted her as if seeing a savior. He quickly left the random people he was endlessly chatting with and came over, shouting, "Little Zhaozhao is here! Hurry, come over! Your parents and younger brother have already had three rounds of tea. Where on earth did you run off to!"

Cai Zhao stepped forward with a dignified expression, kowtowed, and saluted: "Greetings, Uncle Qi. Thank you for your hard work, Uncle Qi. I saw that the scenery at Myriad Waters Thousand Mountains Cliff was picturesque and captivating, so I walked around and took a look."

Qi Yunke laughed, "Zhaozhao, you didn't get lost this time, did you? Back then, you got lost during the lantern festival in town, and your aunt and I searched for you for half the night. Luckily, there are no human traffickers in Falling Blossoms Town, or you'd have had something to cry about!"

How could Cai Zhao admit it? "I wasn't lost. I was helping that old grandpa watch his sugar painting stall. I'm very good with directions! Besides, you and auntie always had endless things to talk about, and I couldn't understand any of it..."

Qi Yunke's expression suddenly dimmed, a hint of bitterness in his eyes. "Yes, back then we always had endless things to talk about. Now... who can I say these things to?"

Cai Zhao fell silent.

A beautiful middle-aged woman sitting next to Qi Yunke saw that her husband was not returning and showed displeasure on her face. She first smiled at the four or five lavishly dressed guests beside her, then raised her voice to her husband, "Alright, let the child go play over there. Yunke, hurry back and reminisce with your uncles."

Qi Yunke got a headache just from hearing his wife Yin Sulian's voice.

Cai Zhao whispered, "Uncle, are those your good friends?"

"Good friends, my foot!" Qi Yunke also furtively lowered his voice. "They're all relatives and old acquaintances of the Yin Family. In terms of seniority, every one of them is an elder. I'm exhausted from socializing with them!"

Yin Sulian unhappily called out a few more times from over there. Qi Yunke had no choice but to lead the young girl Cai Zhao forward to face the ordeal, his square-jawed face a mask of righteousness. "Zhaozhao, come here. Your master will introduce you to the elders..."

Cai Zhao shot Qi Yunke an angry glare. Elders these days weren't very kind. He was clearly too lazy to deal with those people himself, yet he was using her as a shield.

Qi Yunke grinned broadly and introduced the guests one by one. The middle-aged beauty was, of course, the current Sect Master's wife, Yin Sulian. Cai Zhao obediently bowed. As she lowered her head, she saw the hem of Yin Sulian's skirt spread out on the velvet carpet. The fabric was luxurious, dotted with specks of gold, and the edge of the skirt was even adorned with thumb-sized pearls.

Yin Sulian was the same age as Cai Pingshu. Unlike Cai Pingshu, who grew increasingly weak and withered over time, she was extremely well-maintained. Her face was fair and tender, her features delicate, making her look no older than her twenties. Her attire was exquisite and elaborate, with a pair of priceless emerald cat's eye earrings dangling by her ears. One could tell at a glance that she lived a very comfortable life.

She gave Cai Zhao a reserved glance and mumbled, "So this is Zhaozhao. Who does she take after? Your aunt and mother are decent-looking, but how come this child didn't inherit any of their good points?"

Qi Yunke frowned. "Nonsense. Zhaozhao clearly resembles both Pingshu and Xiao Feng. She's better looking than both of them."

Yin Sulian's eyelids twitched, her expression half-smiling. "How rare. It's rare to hear you point out Cai Pingshu's shortcomings."

Qi Yunke was displeased. "A girl's strengths aren't necessarily in her looks. What's important is her character and abilities..."

Zeng Dalou quickly stepped in to smooth things over. "Master, Mistress, Junior Sister Cai just said she was hungry. Why not let her have some snacks first before slowly introducing her to the elders?"

Yin Sulian snorted. Helpless, Qi Yunke picked up a plate of pastries from the small table and pushed it into Cai Zhao's arms. "Go to the side room in the rear hall and have some snacks to tide you over. We'll eat the good stuff later when the banquet starts, alright?"

Cai Zhao took the pastries with a wide, carefree smile. She had just turned and taken a few steps when she suddenly saw several familiar figures walking towards her, causing her to stop.

"Father, Mother, my senior brothers and I are here." Qi Lingbo was now dressed in new clothes. A water-red skirt with dark gold embroidery was paired with a set of peach-colored gemstone hairpins and pendants, making her appear more delicate than a flower. Her graceful beauty stunned Dai Fengchi, who stood beside her.

A few steps behind them, a tall, slow-moving teenager followed silently. It was, of course, the poison-sore-covered Chang Ning.

Yin Sulian's eyes lit up. "Oh, my Lingbo is here. Why were you willing to wear this outfit today? Don't you usually complain that dressing like this makes it hard to move?"

Qi Lingbo glanced at Cai Zhao with a smile. "It was for the convenience of practicing martial arts before. Just now, I saw how appropriately Junior Sister Cai was dressed, so I decided to follow her example. Junior Sister Cai, you're here too?"

As she said the last word, she shot a look at Dai Fengchi beside her. Dai Fengchi smiled slightly, his right hand gently stroking something in his left sleeve. He then flung it outwards. With a light clink, a sharp glint shot straight towards Cai Zhao's face. The crowd vaguely saw what looked like a sharp weapon, and it seemed Cai Zhao was about to be splattered with blood on the spot.

Amidst the crowd's gasps, Qi Yunke roared in anger. Just as he was about to strike out to save her, he saw the sharp glint stop half a foot from Cai Zhao's face. It then quickly retracted back into Dai Fengchi's hand. Only then did everyone realize it was a small dagger, connected to a chain at the hilt. Dai Fengchi had just used the chain to pull the dagger back.

Although he used a chain, his wrist strength and accuracy were still very impressive.

Qi Yunke was furious. "What are you two doing!"

Qi Lingbo laughed coquettishly, "Father, don't be angry. It was just a little joke. Senior Brother and I met Junior Sister Cai in the plum grove just now. We hit it off immediately and decided to prepare a meeting gift for her. Senior Brother, show it to Father!"

Dai Fengchi removed the thin chain and presented the dagger with both hands. The crowd craned their necks to see. The hilt was entirely filigreed with gold thread and red gems, and the blade was like a pool of clear blue water. It was indeed exceptionally valuable.

Seeing her husband's displeasure, Yin Sulian quickly said, "Isn't this the meeting gift that Yuzhi's father gave to Fengchi? This is Fengchi's treasured possession. For you to be willing to part with it, you must truly be considerate of Zhaozhao for coming all this way. Right, Yunke?!"

Qi Yunke's anger had not subsided, but with a hall full of guests and his wife intervening, it was not the time for an outburst. He could only let out a cold snort.

This was exactly what Qi Lingbo had planned. She looked at Cai Zhao with a beaming smile. "Junior Sister, you weren't scared, were you? You... uh..." Having suffered a loss in the small grove in the hollow, she was determined to get even. So, she conspired with Dai Fengchi, planning to give Cai Zhao a good scare.

But to her surprise, Cai Zhao's expression was calm. "I figured Senior Brother and Senior Sister wouldn't hurt me. What's there to be scared of? Rest assured, elders, I'm perfectly fine."

Qi Lingbo "oh-ed" in disappointment.

Qi Yunke grunted heavily. "Fengchi, Lingbo is thoughtless, but how could you join in her foolishness? If you hadn't pulled back in time just now and had really hurt Zhaozhao, how would you two explain yourselves?! Is this how your master has always taught you to act, with such a poor sense of judgment..."

Dai Fengchi's face flushed, and he immediately prepared to bow in apology.

"Alright, alright!" Yin Sulian interjected. "Don't you know Fengchi's character? He wouldn't have played this joke without being absolutely certain! Didn't Zhaozhao also say she wasn't scared? It's not just Chang Ning who is lonely and helpless now, Fengchi is too. Don't just pity Chang Ning, pity Fengchi a little as well. ...Zhaozhao, come over. This dagger is for you. Keep it safe."

Qi Yunke suppressed his anger and slammed his hand heavily on the small table.

Cai Zhao stepped forward to take the dagger. She turned it over and examined it, praising, "It's truly a fine blade. Thank you, Senior Brother and Senior Sister. I'll accept it."

Qi Yunke took a breath, pulled Chang Ning over, and said to Cai Zhao, "This is your Senior Brother Chang Ning. He's three years older than you. He, sigh, his family... Dalou has told you everything, right? It's a good thing your aunt is already gone. Otherwise, if she knew what happened to Brother Haosheng's family, she would have been furious to death. The Demonic Cult is too outrageous."

Cai Zhao looked at Chang Ning. The youth was quite tall with long limbs, but his face was a ghastly sight.

Qi Yunke said, "Chang Ning, come meet Zhaozhao. She..."

"I already met Junior Sister Cai just now," Chang Ning said.

Qi Yunke probed, "Also in the plum grove just now?"

Chang Ning nodded. Zeng Dalou immediately tensed up again.

Qi Yunke froze for a moment, then his face darkened. "Lingbo, were you bullying Chang Ning again just now? Have you forgotten my orders? If there's a next time, I'll..."

Yin Sulian interrupted her husband, laughing, "What kind of father are you, scolding your own daughter without distinguishing right from wrong? Take a look at Zhaozhao and Chang Ning. Their bodies and faces are perfectly fine..."

Hearing the words 'faces are perfectly fine,' Cai Zhao couldn't help but look at Chang Ning's ruined face. Chang Ning wasn't offended at all. He even gave her a slight smile. Despite his face being covered in gruesome and terrifying poison sores, his eyes were so limpid and clear they could make one's bones melt.

"...Even if Lingbo has been a bit naughty in the past, she wouldn't be willful on such an important day." Yin Sulian turned to Cai Zhao. "Zhaozhao, don't you agree?"

"Yes, yes, Father, we were just teasing each other a bit!" Qi Lingbo hurriedly explained. "Junior Sister, say something, quick."

Cai Zhao laughed dryly in her heart. 'Where does this Senior Sister Qi get the confidence to think I'll just swallow my anger and say everything's fine?'

Seeing Zeng Dalou look over with a troubled expression, Cai Zhao nodded. "Although I've only just met Senior Sister, I can already tell that she has a kind, simple, and pure character. She's a sincere person."

Zeng Dalou: ...'Junior Sister Cai, you just needed to be perfunctory to save Mistress and Junior Sister some face. You don't have to put so much effort into telling such an obvious lie. No one's going to believe that.'

Qi Yunke was both angry and helpless. He could only say, "Fine. If you really think so, in the future..."

"Uncle, I really do think so," Cai Zhao said seriously. "If you don't believe me, watch." Before her voice had faded, she raised her right hand. The exquisite dagger let out a soft sound as a burst of energy surged forth, and the dagger shot towards Qi Lingbo like an arrow piercing the air.

Yin Sulian let out a choked scream. The imposing energy of the sharp weapon was far more fierce than the dagger Dai Fengchi had thrown. Seeing the dagger fly straight for her daughter's face, Yin Sulian nearly fainted. Qi Lingbo was frozen stiff, unable to move. Qi Yunke was too far away; only Dai Fengchi, who was beside her, immediately raised a palm to block it.

However, just as the dagger was three inches from Qi Lingbo's nose, Cai Zhao suddenly slapped the air with her left palm. The dagger made a turn right in front of Qi Lingbo's face, tracing a graceful arc through the air, before returning obediently to her hand as if pulled by a string.

The surroundings fell silent. The guests had all stopped to watch the scene. In the quiet hall, only the crisp 'clink' of a pearl hairpin falling from Qi Lingbo's temple could be heard. Beads of sweat the size of soybeans trickled down her forehead.

Only Chang Ning showed no sign of alarm. On the contrary, he watched with great interest.

Yin Sulian was scared into a cold sweat. She shrieked, "Cai Zhao, what are you doing! Are you trying to kill Lingbo..."

"It's just a joke. Auntie, Senior Sister, don't be afraid." Cai Zhao said with a smile, playfully tossing the dagger.

Qi Lingbo's hands and feet went cold, and her throat felt blocked. It took her a long while to force out any sound. "...You, didn't you say you weren't very good at martial arts?!" Even with her low level of martial arts cultivation, she could tell how formidable Cai Zhao's move just now was. In terms of both internal energy and the subtlety of her palm strike, she was not inferior to Dai Fengchi.

Cai Zhao feigned surprise. "Senior Sister must be mistaken. When did I ever say I didn't know martial arts?"

"Didn't you say in the woods, you said..."

Chang Ning kindly added, "Junior Sister Cai said she doesn't like learning martial arts, not that she doesn't know martial arts."

Qi Lingbo's eyes were wide with fury. "That's right, you said you don't like learning martial arts!"

"What does not liking to learn martial arts have to do with whether I know it or not? Even if I don't like it, I still have to learn it." Cai Zhao said innocently.

Qi Lingbo said angrily, "You also said your parents never taught you martial arts!"

"They didn't. But my aunt did."

Qi Lingbo trembled with anger, speechless. Dai Fengchi wanted to console her but didn't know how. Yin Sulian's face turned livid. Qi Yunke sighed, rubbing his forehead. Only Chang Ning watched Cai Zhao with a smile.

Cai Zhao gently slapped the ground with her right palm and made a grasping motion with her five fingers. The pearl hairpin on the ground popped up with a click and flew straight into her palm.

Everyone except Qi Yunke and Chang Ning stared with wide eyes.

Cai Zhao smiled and walked to her side. She leaned over slightly, helped her put the pearl hairpin back in place, and said in an even gentler tone, "See, Uncle, wasn't I right? Senior Sister is so honest. She believes whatever anyone tells her, without a second thought."

Qi Yunke said with a blank expression, "Yes, you and Lingbo are both honest children." He didn't even believe his own words.