Fifty-five. Never heard of it.

The journey to and from the Divine Engine Battalion had taken a considerable amount of time; dusk was already settling in, and for once, the snow had ceased. Pei Xiunian made his way along the imperial path, lined with crimson palace walls, and returned to Chengqian Palace. The moment he entered, he slumped into the grand armchair.

Xiao Qin, who had been waiting inside the hall, dutifully hurried forward to help him out of his outer garments. She warmed a cup of tea for him and, moving with practiced gentleness, began to knead his shoulders, her voice soft and soothing:

“Your Highness must be tired. Is there anything you’d particularly like to eat tonight?”

“The usual will do,” he replied.

Xiao Qin nodded lightly. “Very well.”

As Pei Xiunian basked in Xiao Qin’s attentive ministrations, so reminiscent of a favored concubine, he couldn’t help but marvel—was this truly the so-called Holy Maiden of the Demonic Sect?

For years, neither the righteous nor demonic factions had made their presence known in the Great Zhou. Pei Xiunian himself had never witnessed this so-called demonic sect of the cultivation world… Yet, influenced by countless novels, he had always imagined such sects as ruthless, slaughtering entire households without batting an eye.

Was all of this merely an act?

A wave of melancholy swept through Pei Xiunian’s heart. He found himself envying Luo Xiaoning’s carefree and untroubled state of mind. Now, the disadvantages of being forced to assume this identity were becoming painfully clear; the crushing loneliness of having no one to confide in nearly suffocated him.

He glanced sidelong at Xiao Qin, who was wholly absorbed in massaging his shoulders. Her lips were a rosy red, her teeth white, her eyes like stars beneath elegant brows. Their gazes met for an instant, and the girl quickly lowered her head, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.

She hardly seemed the type who could, with a smile and a few words, commit murder or robbery. If this was all a performance by Lu Qin Yue, then her acting skills deserved an award. Yet she was no more than sixteen, already at the pinnacle of the fourth cultivation realm… Such prowess might even be concealed, so how much time could she have had to hone her skills in deception?

Under the Heavenly Eye, no disguise could hide one’s true face. Was this, then, Lu Qin Yue’s real appearance? She was no different from any other young girl unversed in the ways of the world.

But… if he were to expose her identity, the entire situation would surely change in an instant…

“Lu Qin Yue…”

Pei Xiunian turned, lifting his teacup, and casually uttered the name as he blew on his tea. The small hands on his shoulders paused for barely a heartbeat, but the pressure seemed to increase ever so slightly.

Startled by the sudden use of her real name, Xiao Qin’s heart skipped a beat—she almost believed her identity had been revealed. But the Empress Dowager had never said what she should do if that happened…

Eliminating him was impossible—not because she lacked the resolve, but because keeping him alive was useful to her sect…

But if not elimination, then what? Should she use forbidden techniques to seize control, or employ a seductive art? If she forced control, what would happen… But would seduction really work?

While her mind raced, Pei Xiunian sipped his tea again and continued, “I heard she’s the Holy Maiden of the Yaoguang Sect. Yaoguang Sect is a prominent martial clan, isn’t it?”

Lu Qin Yue’s anxious heart gradually settled, though she felt a twinge of irritation—who speaks in such ambiguous sentences?

Pei Xiunian glanced again at Lu Qin Yue, whose expression was now slightly strained. Before she could feign ignorance, he pulled over a chair, gestured for her to sit, and said,

“Xiao Qin, you know Lady Jiang, don’t you? Surely you’ve heard of such illustrious sects?”

As the daughter of a former high-ranking court official, she was supposed to know nothing of the martial world. But due to an earlier slip, she now had to maintain the persona of someone enthusiastic about such affairs.

So Xiao Qin swallowed the words “I’m not familiar” and instead sat down, speaking frankly:

“Yaoguang Sect was once the foremost demonic sect, practicing the severance of emotion and desire, and its members were all women. Yet after the great battle between righteous and demonic forces, though their leader slew the master of the Guiyuan Pavilion, she herself lost all cultivation. Thereafter, Yaoguang Sect, like many others, faded into obscurity.”

“As for Lu Qin Yue…” Xiao Qin feigned ignorance, clapping her hands slightly in embarrassment before continuing coolly:

“I’ve never heard that name. The Great Zhou has enjoyed many years of peace, but perhaps the righteous and demonic paths are stirring again. If Yaoguang Sect is rising, it wouldn’t be surprising.”

Her expression unchanged, Xiao Qin looked at Pei Xiunian and carefully asked,

“Why is Your Highness suddenly interested in matters of the martial world? And… what are your thoughts on the righteous and demonic sects?”

“It’s nothing,” Pei Xiunian replied. “I just happened to see something in the Wen Zong Pavilion about Yaoguang Sect selecting a new Holy Maiden. She’s apparently quite beautiful, so the name stuck in my mind. Thinking about it now, I realized I hadn’t heard of any notable deeds, so I thought I’d ask.”

Lu Qin Yue seemed slightly stunned by this, her gaze tinged with a subtle, almost imperceptible wistfulness, but she said nothing more.

Pei Xiunian, for his part, appeared entirely at ease. He spread his hands and said,

“As for the righteous and demonic paths… perhaps it’s simply a difference in ideology. Come to think of it, wasn’t the Divine Engine Battalion—personally supported by my father—rather demonic in its own way? They’re trying to create artificial beings with their own intelligence…”

That was truly an attempt to create life—albeit artificial. But in this feudal world of cultivation, it didn’t matter if you created real people or fakes; all such endeavors were labeled demonic.

What did they call the cultivation method for creating real people? Dual cultivation?

Would that ever be openly practiced among the righteous? The very idea of a Daoist nun discussing dual cultivation with you was absurd.

Good and evil, right and wrong—there was little point in arguing. A thousand people, a thousand faces; it all depended on one’s standpoint.

“By that measure, the Divine Engine Battalion is undeniably a demonic sect, isn’t it? But they haven’t harmed the people—instead, they seek to bring blessings, don’t they?”

He paused, then added,

“To distinguish so sharply between righteous and demonic is meaningless. The tides of the martial world are about to rise again; let’s wait and see.”

He then patted Lu Qin Yue on the shoulder, leaned close to her ear, and smiled with frankness:

“And what does my opinion matter, anyway? Don’t forget, Xiao Qin—I’m hardly a real prince…”

Lu Qin Yue raised her brows, immediately standing and saying in a soft, earnest voice, “Your Highness, in the Forbidden City, one must beware of eavesdroppers.”

Pei Xiunian looked at Lu Qin Yue, whose expression had turned solemn, and after a moment’s silence, waved his hand.

“Xiao Qin, fetch me two clusters of grapes. I must go see the Empress Dowager.”

Lu Qin Yue inclined her head. “Please wait a moment, Your Highness. There are only raisins in the hall; as for fresh grapes, I will fetch some from the imperial kitchens…”

Pei Xiunian waved her off. “No need, raisins will do.”

Lu Qin Yue watched as Pei Xiunian carried a small box of raisins into the twilight. The snow in the sky was now so light as to be nearly invisible.

She suddenly recalled his words from earlier. Unlike most, who harbored deep resentment toward the demonic path, his attitude took her by surprise—and warmed her heart, if only a little.