Bi Linglong was speechless. She had thought of countless possibilities, such as a plot to besmirch Zu An by the imperial clan’s survivors, or the Shadow Group, or the Hub of Freedom, but it had never crossed her mind that the books would be from the academy.
The academy was Zu An’s territory! Everyone there respected him, and it was unthinkable for anyone there to pull this off.
“I thought I made a mistake too, but after capturing several booksellers, I was forced to conclude that the books are indeed coming from inside the academy. They each thought they were the exclusive publisher, so they worked overnight to release more goods in the market,” Zhang Zitong explained.
“Did you find out who in the academy is behind this?” Bi Linglong asked.
“That person is highly elusive. They concealed themselves, so none of the booksellers know their identity. It appears that they are a formidable cultivator,” Zhang Zitong reported with a frown. It looked as if she had a theory in mind, though.
Bi Linglong knew what Zhang Zitong was getting at. The academy was Zu An’s territory; no one would dare work against him there.
Is the culprit Ji Xiaoxi or Xie Daoyun... It can’t be Ji Xiaoxi. I've only met her a couple of times, but she doesn’t seem capable of this. Her father is capable of it, but I heard he’s a slave to his daughter. It’s unlikely he would do this.
That makes Xie Daoyun the more likely culprit... but why would she do this? She's already been together with Ah Zu since returning from the ancient era. Did she sense something between Ah Zu and Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue and lose her rationality?
That stoked Bi Linglong’s wariness. If she can deal with Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue today, who knows when she’ll go after me?
She gave the idea more thought and decided against it. Xie Daoyun was the Fiend races’ Saintess in the ancient era. She led the fiends in the fight against the monsters. Someone like that wouldn’t be so reckless.
But if it isn’t her, who could it be? Did Ah Zu spread the news himself?
Zhang Zitong probed, “Your Majesty, do you think the contents of the novels are true?”
Bi Linglong harrumphed. “Of course they're true.”
Zhang Zitong was perplexed. “But I can’t imagine Sect Master Yan and Sect Master Yun being in such a relationship with the regent. Their disciples...”
“That fellow is a walking incubus. Which woman in the world can resist him?” Bi Linglong said vexatiously. That fellow just keeps expanding his harem. How am I supposed to deal with this?
No woman in the world would want to share her lover with others.
Zhang Zitong’s face reddened as she felt a twinge of guilt. I have to admit that the regent is indeed dashing...
“That fellow is a master philanderer! How can Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue withstand his abilities?” The more Bi Linglong spoke, the more frustrated she felt.
Annoyance flickered through Zhang Zitong’s eyes. Why is the regent such a gentleman around me then? I've already hinted toward him many times! Though she would never dare say those words aloud to Bi Linglong.
Sensing Bi Linglong’s anger, Zhang Zitong tried to change the subject. “Should I continue investigating this matter?”
“Don’t bother. Why should we worry about him when he’s not even worried himself?” Bi Linglong turned around and returned to her room. She couldn’t tell if Zu An had intentionally released the news or not. It would be awkward if it turned out to be him.
She considered seeking verification from Zu An, but she was too angry to do so right now.
...
A new novel was released before daybreak. The plot was even more explosive this time, delving into Yan Xuehen’s motive for going after her disciple’s man.
She had fought against Yun Jianyue for a long time, with both sides refusing to admit defeat. However, her disciple was now in a bad condition and couldn’t be with the regent. This was a disaster, as her disciple’s relationship with the regent was bound to cool off at this rate. On top of that, she discovered that Yun Jianyue had gotten with the regent. That sparked her sense of danger. For her disciple’s happiness and her reluctance to concede her charm was beneath her rival’s, she began to seduce the regent.
Realization dawned upon the world. It had previously confused them why the highly respected Sect Master Yan would do something like that, but the explanation, as ridiculous as it was, sounded plausible.
No wonder Sect Master Yan and Sect Master Yun came to blows recently. It was over a man!
On Mount Yuquan, Yun Jianyue nearly blew up after reading the sequel. “Rubbish! She got together with Zu An before me! How could our rivalry be the motivation for their relationship?” She smashed the book into dust.
Qiu Honglei gulped before meekly whispering, “Master, you might have been ahead of her.”
“Impossible! The ice sculpture must have been with Zu An before me! The more I think about it, the more certain I am!” Yun Jianyue paced around the room angrily. “If I ever learn who’s behind these books, I’ll rip them apart!”
Pei Mianman cowered. She coughed lightly and excused herself.
“Help me check out the situation on the ice sculpture’s side.” Yun Jianyue was still relying on Pei Mianman for intelligence, thinking the latter was trustworthy since they shared blood ties.
Pei Mianman was on good terms with Yan Xuehen and Chu Chuyan, so it was easy for her to win their trust.
Pei Mianman’s expression crumbled as soon as she left the room. Ugh, it’s been so tough on me! Do you know how hard I have been working to clean up your mess? And now, I even have to fear for my life!
She shook those thoughts out of her head and went off to meet the next batch of booksellers.
Her series had sparked such widespread interest that demand for her books shot through the roof! It was to the extent that resellers were listing the books at astronomical prices! All the publishers in the capital and nearby provinces wanted a slice of the pie, so there was no lack of collaborators for Pei Mianman to choose from.
As such, the third book was released before the readers could even digest the contents of the first two books. It was even more erotic.
It detailed how Yan Xuehen had seduced the regent while her disciple wasn’t around. She'd approached the regent under the pretext of discussing her disciple’s affair, then moved on to consulting the regent about cultivation. Once they became close, she invited the regent to her room in the middle of the night to discuss secret manuals. The regent didn’t suspect her intentions and did his best to impart everything he knew to her.
But Yan Xuehen intentionally dressed scantily, sometimes appearing before the regent in her pajamas. She dropped hints at every turn of the corner. One night, she spiked the regent’s drink with aphrodisiac. The regent finally succumbed. Their discussions about secret manuals moved onto the bed, and it became a truly intimate sharing session.
The details were so explosive that blood would uncontrollably spurt from one’s nose. Needless to say, the novel caused a huge fuss. No one could have imagined the virtuous and pure Yan Xuehen to be so licentious.
On Mount Yuquan, Yun Jianyue clutched her belly and burst into laughter. “Hahaha, the publishers are doing a good job with the novels! I knew the ice sculpture has been faking it all these years. Someone is finally seeing her true face!”
Qiu Honglei scoffed in her heart. Just moments ago, you were berating the publishers for coming up with nonsense.
Yun Jianyue couldn’t hold back anymore. She grabbed the book and marched off to Yan Xuehen’s room. How can I miss such a good opportunity to mock her?
Yan Xuehen was reading the same book in her room. Like Yun Jianyue, she was concerned about the latest development and had bought the newest sequel right away. The content made her face turn red, and she trembled in anger.
Bam!
Someone kicked her door down. Yun Jianyue appeared by the doorway with an evil smile. “You’re much wilder than I thought, ice sculpture!”