My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion

The woman in red within his embrace was on the verge of surrendering. If not for his calculated restraint, Chen Yizhen might very well have indulged once more in the charms of the Princess.

Yet now, Chen Yi's gaze remained crystal clear.

To avoid unnecessary complications, he had not uttered a single lie to this Demon Sect Saintess. Yet every word he spoke was a carefully curated truth.

He had once admitted to her that he preferred Qin Qingluo to her—that was the truth.

Just earlier, he had said that Yin Tingxue was his favorite, and like Zhu E, both were merely silver hairpins—this was also the truth.

Only through such deliberate distance could he foster a dynamic that was both near and far. And only with such distance could a woman become more... enamored.

After this, Qin Qingluo would gradually despair over someone like Zhu E and slowly make space in her heart for their daughter.

As he contemplated, he extended a hand and gently released his grip on Zhu E, saying:

"If we calculate the time, hasn't the Prince... concluded his business?"

Seeing Chen Yi mention Qin Qingluo and withdraw just as her emotions were deepening, a flicker of darkness flitted across Zhu E's eyes.

Nonetheless, she replied softly:

"Probably so. The timing seems about right."

"I want you, as much as I want her. It's just that she seems a little... unwilling to yield," Chen Yi's voice was calm and measured.

Zhu E, realizing what he was implying, momentarily struggled and couldn't help but say:

"She will, eventually. She just doesn't understand yet."

Chen Yi offered a noncommittal smile.

He saw the fervor in Zhu E's eyes for him, as well as her affection for her niece. When these emotions collided, it tore her apart.

Lowering his gaze, Chen Yi calculated inwardly.

At present, with Qin Qingluo, he needed to play the role of someone irredeemably wronged with a blood feud. The best method to achieve this would be to use Zhu E to utterly humiliate Qin Qingluo.

Now... how best to proceed?

Before Chen Yi's thoughts could fully form, hurried footsteps suddenly echoed in the hallway outside the room.

The sounds were frantic and disordered, accompanied by chaotic voices and exclamations.

"What on earth is going on? Why are the Jinyiwei here?"

"They're saying something about rebels—preparing to annihilate the rebels!"

"What? What rebels could possibly be here?"

"The Prince of Annan's men! It's the Prince of Annan's men!"

The heavy stomping of footsteps reverberated through the pavilion, shaking the corridor, soon accompanied by faint sounds of weapons clashing.

Chen Yi was just about to push the door open and step out when Zhu E suddenly cried out in alarm.

He turned his head sharply, seeing Zhu E clutch her shoulder, her face ashen, letting out a hoarse cry: "It hurts..."

Chen Yi's eyes instantly filled with a sharp, cold glint.

Qin Qingluo... something has happened to her?!

..................

Within Jinya Pavilion, a fine drizzle began to fall.

"Well, well, Li Jisheng. The people of Xique Pavilion thought your Wuyong Building had finally settled down. Who would have expected you to collude with rebels with treasonous intentions?"

A dagger pressed against Li Jisheng's throat. The blade shone with a cold silver hue, reflecting off his face in a frosty pallor.

Lowering his head to inspect the dagger, he noticed engraved patterns of cuckoos bleeding tears on its blade, its hilt wrapped in intricate silver threads—it was unmistakably a lethal weapon designed to slit throats.

"You're Du Juan?! The Direct Disciple of the Magpie Pavilion Master!"

Du Juan offered a coy smile.

Within Xique Pavilion, her codename was Du Juan—the cuckoo bird.

Cuckoo birds are most skilled at taking over the nests of others.

For this reason, she had been sent to infiltrate Wuyong Building, laying low until now.

Having experienced his fair share of predicaments, Li Jisheng kept his composure despite the raindrops splashing on his face. Considering this woman's identity, he steadied his voice and said:

"I had no idea... that the palace would embed someone like Du Juan. A Fourth Rank expert, nonetheless, who's remained hidden for so long. Truly, it's overkill for such a mission."

Du Juan chuckled lightly.

"So, all this time, you pretended to be clueless on purpose?" Li Jisheng asked.

"You're free to guess," Du Juan replied.

Initially, she hadn't planned to expose herself so soon—perhaps, she would've remained an undercover pawn for the palace her entire life. But after receiving a pigeon's message, the palace became aware that the Prince of Annan himself would appear and made its decision.

The Eastern and Western Factories, along with the Jinyiwei, were all mobilized, and every sleeper agent from the Magpie Pavilion lying hidden in Jinya Pavilion was activated.

To assassinate the Prince of Annan—an opportunity like this, once missed, would never come again. Such a moment warranted a heavy investment.

The trap had been laid.

Being a pragmatic businessman, Li Jisheng naturally understood the importance of cutting losses in time.

He revealed, "The death of the Prince of Annan can be pinned on Jinya Pavilion. This way, the remnants of the Southern Border won't shift blame onto the palace."

Li Jisheng handed over a signed confession of allegiance.

"Rebels or not, they remain subjects. Thus... if the Heavenly Family demands a subject's death, the subject cannot refuse."

But Du Juan merely smiled.

"The death of the Prince of Annan is a matter for the Heavenly Family, not yours," she said.

Li Jisheng's eyes widened in shock.

His pledge... had been rejected.

The palace wanted more—something bigger. It wanted enough to sink the entire Wuyong Building into ruin, a price so colossal that even a fortune wouldn't suffice to shoulder it.

Du Juan struck a pressure point on Li Jisheng, then gestured to someone behind her.

"Take Mr. Li and have him locked away."

A group of Xique Pavilion spies approached to take Li Jisheng into custody. They had all disguised themselves as servants and maids, blending into Jinya Pavilion for a long time. Though their numbers were scant—only around a dozen compared to the nearly thousand occupants of Jinya Pavilion—each one of them was an elite operative.

"Search the place. Even if the Prince of Annan has skilled men, with Jinya Pavilion surrounded, they can't get far."

With his pressure points sealed, Li Jisheng could only watch blankly as he was taken away. Meanwhile, chaos engulfed Jinya Pavilion.

...............…

In the private chamber, Chen Yi's expression darkened slightly. He fixed his gaze on Zhu E, and when her pain finally subsided, he let out a faint sigh of relief.

Zhu E lifted her face, her complexion pale from the lingering pain. She whispered:

"It seems we were ambushed, but the situation should now be under control."

Chen Yi nodded, then moved to the window. Slightly cracking it open, he could see the turmoil unfolding within Jinya Pavilion.

The Eastern and Western Factories, along with the Jinyiwei, had suddenly arrived, sealing off all major exits. The pavilion had descended into chaos. At this hour in the afternoon, though not too many people indulged in revelry, there were certainly enough to fuel the pandemonium. Every moment, individuals attempted to sneak or storm out of Jinya Pavilion amidst the mounting clamor.

From the window, Chen Yi noticed the figures outside the pavilion—members of not just the Eastern and Western Factories but also the Jinyiwei.

His mind swiftly pieced together the implications. Without an edict from the palace, such a large-scale mobilization of the two Factories and Jinyiwei would be unheard of.

Their presence implied one thing: the palace was aware... that Qin Qingluo was here.

Chen Yi turned his head and asked:

"Liao Hao, did anyone else know you were coming here?"

Zhu E shook her head and replied softly:

"No one. To deceive others, we first had to deceive our own. We traveled in secrecy, infused the camp with illusion incense, and set up an array. Everyone should still believe that the Prince and I are in the military encampment."

"Could someone have divined it through fortune-telling?"

"The Divine Sect has its own secret techniques. It can't be discovered through divination."

Standing by the window, Chen Yi mulled over her words. His questions sought to gather as much intelligence as possible.

With the sudden turn of events and an unpredictable situation emerging, he was essentially groping in the dark. Only by accumulating sufficient information could he devise his next steps.

Why had Qin Qingluo suddenly been ambushed? What exactly was happening...

If Zhu E's account was accurate, it seemed there were no internal leaks. Instead, the palace must have been suspicious of Qin Qingluo's involvement at Jinya Pavilion. They just didn't expect her to show up personally.

Meaning, from the palace's perspective, this situation likely caught them off guard as well.

And his advantage lay in exploiting this disparity in information.

Having formed a rough hypothesis, Chen Yi exhaled deeply.

"Husband, what should we do next? Should we find the Prince and fight our way out?"

Zhu E's voice carried a note of urgency as she grew increasingly concerned for Qin Qingluo's safety.

Her words caused Chen Yi to pause in thought.

That wasn't a bad plan...

But...

Chen Yi shook his head.

Zhu E's face filled with confusion, unable to understand. Chen Yi closed the window and said softly:

"The enemy is in the open, while we remain hidden. If we seek out Qin Qingluo, we expose ourselves to the open.

For now, we must stay in the shadows and continue to act from there."