Chapter 625 530: Shang Miaoyan and Lin Qianyan's "Husband-Chasing" Plan (Part 2)

Upon hearing this, Shang Miaoyan silently clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms.

Feeling the young woman in her arms tense up, Yin Wanqing's voice grew even softer.

"I know… Back then, it was you who deliberately lured Fan Xuan into taking Pei Yuhang away.

Because I told you before that to prove your Dao Heart when breaking through to the Nascent Soul realm, you had to kill the first man in your life… You didn't want Pei Yuhang to die, so you orchestrated this whole charade."

"You've been in so much pain for the last century. And after you found Pei Yuhang, he still wouldn't accept you. It's all my fault. I never taught you how to love or be loved…"

"I don't ask you to forgive me for the suffering I've caused you, Miaoyan. I only hope… that for once, you'll truly listen to me."

A great war, one that would decide the very survival of the Human Race, was about to begin. Yin Wanqing didn't know if the Yin Yang Sacred Land, or even she herself, would survive it.

So, on this last peaceful night, she wanted to shelter Shang Miaoyan one final time.

"The battlefield at the Endless Sea is bound to be brutal. Lives will be treated like weeds, to be reaped at will.

But Miaoyan, you are the one person I cannot bear to see get hurt."

"This time… I'm not speaking from the Sect's standpoint, but from my own selfish heart…

"Miaoyan, please don't go to the front lines to find Pei Yuhang.

I'll arrange a command position for you in the rear. Can you stay there, safe and sound, until the war is over?"

Shang Miaoyan fell silent for a moment before finally nodding.

"Miaoyan, this might be the last time I ever see you. Can we talk a while longer?"

"Alright."

「An hour later.」

Shang Miaoyan left Yin Wanqing's room, gently closing the door behind her.

The moonlight traced her graceful silhouette. Only after turning a corner did Shang Miaoyan let out a nearly inaudible sigh.

"I'm sorry…"

She returned to her own chambers, where Fan Ya and Fan Xuan had been waiting for a long time.

"Fan Ya, you've worked by my side for so long. You should understand how to take my place, shouldn't you?"

Shang Miaoyan looked at Fan Ya, whose figure was accentuated by a purple qipao, giving her an elegant air. Their body shapes were very similar. As long as Fan Ya used magic to alter her face and aura, anyone not intimately familiar with Shang Miaoyan would never notice the difference.

The difficulties lay in mimicking her personality and decision-making.

Fan Ya lowered her gaze and bowed. "I will do my best to play the part of the Holy Daughter," she said softly.

"I don't want you to 'do your best to play the part.'"

Shang Miaoyan raised a hand, gesturing for Fan Ya to look up and meet her eyes. "From this moment on, you *are* Shang Miaoyan."

"Making decisions for the rear command, issuing military orders, even when facing the Saint Master—you must *be* me."

Fan Ya's breath hitched. She closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, they held an alluring, arrogant glint, the very same air as Shang Miaoyan's.

"Yes."

Shang Miaoyan nodded in satisfaction, her gaze shifting to Fan Xuan, who stood in the shadows.

The young woman was leaning against the window with her arms crossed, the moonlight outlining the red mask she wore.

"Jiu, you're coming with me to find Xiaohan this time."

Beneath the mask, Fan Xuan's eyelashes fluttered.

After a moment of silence, she gave a heavy nod. A low "Yes" escaped her throat, as though she were suppressing some deep emotion.

Having given her instructions, Shang Miaoyan turned to leave. She was busy tonight; she still had to find Lin Qianyan and discuss the specific plan for finding Pei Yuhang.

In an instant, only Fan Ya and Fan Xuan remained in the hall. A momentary silence fell between the two sisters, who were concealing their identities, leaving only the soft crackle of candlelight.

Fan Xuan suddenly straightened up and snatched the purple Demon Blade from the table.

This blade was a gift from Pei Yuhang, given to her after they were ambushed by enemies.

After losing contact with him, Fan Xuan had kept the long blade with her at all times, never letting it out of her sight.

She spun the scabbard once in her palm before tucking it into her belt. Fan Xuan started to walk out, but as she passed Fan Ya, the other woman grabbed her wrist.

Fan Ya's fingers were cold and her grip was light; Fan Xuan could have easily pulled away.

But she didn't. She simply looked down at Fan Ya, waiting to see why she had been stopped.

Fan Ya's lips trembled, and after a long moment, she managed to force out a name: "Xiaoxuan…"

"I wish you all the best… You have to come back alive."

Fan Xuan was silent for a moment, then finally spoke in a low voice:

"The Holy Daughter told me about you yesterday… She actually knew all along that I was going to take Pei Yuhang away back then.

And you, sister… you were just following her orders, playing a part in a charade of betrayal she directed herself."

"I should have figured it out sooner, really. If I had taken Pei Yuhang away without the Holy Daughter's knowledge, why would she not only spare my life, but even place great trust in me?"

"So, sister, don't feel guilty anymore… And you have to live long enough for us to meet again."

Fan Ya's fingers slowly released their grip, the warmth of her sister's wrist still lingering on her fingertips.

…

…

Shang Miaoyan slipped silently into Lin Qianyan's study.

Pushing the door open, she found Lin Qianyan leaning in the candlelight, her fingertips gently caressing a Silver Ring engraved with the character "Pei."

The warm yellow glow of the candle illuminated her downcast eyes, revealing an air of deep love and tenderness.

Shang Miaoyan's brow furrowed. 'How annoying,' she thought.

'That was the Engagement Ring Pei Yuhang had given Lin Qianyan back then. Ye Liyuan had one, too. But she… she never had one…'

'Of course, she probably couldn't blame Xiaohan for it.'

'Back when Xiaohan was in the Yin Yang Sacred Land, he had kept a ring engraved with the character "Lin," but she had destroyed it.'

'Back then, in her arrogance and tyranny, she couldn't allow her Cauldron Slave to pine for another woman every day.'

'Thinking back on it now… the tangled conflict and resentment between her and Xiaohan had begun to accumulate then, growing over time until an unbreakable barrier now stood between them.'

"Is everything on your end taken care of?"

Seeing Shang Miaoyan enter, Lin Qianyan slipped the Silver Ring back onto her finger.

"All taken care of. My Saint Master doesn't want me on the front lines, so I had to arrange a stand-in to take my place in the rear. It took quite some time.

What, is the Jade Pool Sect Leader that confident in you, Saintess Lin? Is she allowing you to run wild on the front lines?"

Lin Qianyan shook her head and said softly, "My master doesn't want me to take risks on the front lines either, so I've also arranged for a disciple to cover for me…"

"Then it seems we're both willful Saintesses, deceiving everyone around us."

A cunning glint flashed in Shang Miaoyan's eyes as her red lips curled into a smile. The two women looked at each other and shared a laugh.

After their joke, Shang Miaoyan's expression suddenly turned serious. She said in a low, grave voice:

"Before sunrise, we need to break away from the main group and move out on our own."

"According to the prophecies from those Divine Calculators at the Celestial Secret Pavilion, there will be a massive ebb tide in the Endless Sea the day after tomorrow. The seal suppressing the Abyss across the entire sea will weaken.

When that happens, the Abyssal Sea Palace will surface, and there's a very high chance we'll find Xiaohan there."

Hearing this, Lin Qianyan's fingertips gently stroked her ring, her brow furrowing slightly.

"It's the most promising place to find Brother Pei, but it will also be the most dangerous part of the entire battlefield."

"The mysterious woman who abducted Brother Pei, who is suspected to have reached the Saint Realm, and the leader of the Chosen Organization might all be there.

We'll be right in the heart of the battlefield."

"What, is Saintess Lin afraid?"

Shang Miaoyan raised an eyebrow, a provocative smirk playing on her lips.

"If you're scared, I'll just find Xiaohan by myself. But once I do, I hope Saintess Lin doesn't come and disturb our happy life together."

Lin Qianyan shook her head and retorted,

"Of course I'm not afraid. I'm just worried that when you see Brother Pei, Saintess Shang, you'll get too emotional and rush forward, only to be turned to dust by the aftershocks of the Great Powers' battles."

"Hmph. Then I won't trouble Saintess Lin with the concern."

Shang Miaoyan snorted coldly and turned her face away.

In the months since Pei Yuhang's disappearance, perhaps because of their shared goal, the two Saintesses who were once as incompatible as fire and water had begun to work together, slowly putting aside their mutual conflicts for the time being.

Sitting together now, they were more like frenemies who constantly took jabs at each other, but they no longer truly held any hatred for one another.

"Have you found out where Ye Liyuan is?"

Lin Qianyan nodded, then shook her head.

"Liyuan has gone to the Sinful Sword Abyss, the Forbidden Land of the Dragon Roar Sword Sect. She probably won't make it to the Endless Sea battlefield in time. But that's a good thing; at least she'll be safe.

Brother Pei wouldn't want Liyuan taking such risks, would he?"

"Is that so…"

Shang Miaoyan looked up at the night sky and sighed softly.

"Let's hope everything goes smoothly."