With a gentle smile, Xuanlou said leisurely, "I think you and Nalan Rong are having a great time talking."
Shen Qianmo's eyes flashed, her dark pupils looking at Xuan Lou with a hint of resentment. This guy was clearly joking with her. She hadn't been as enthusiastic as she'd been talking to Nalan Rong. Didn't he know how tiring this scheming, this constant testing of each other was?
"I've neglected Xuanlou. Next time, I'll send you to talk to Nalan Rong." Shen Qianmo's lips curled into a playful smile, her eyes full of cunning.
Night fell. After teasing Xuanlou for a while, Shen Qianmo lazily returned to her room. Alone, she nestled on the edge of the bed and suddenly felt an emptiness beside her.
She had always been alone before, and she didn't think there was anything wrong with being alone. However, once she had a warm companion by her side, she found it so hard to get used to leaving.
I miss him. I miss Situ Jingyan's scent. I miss his warm body temperature. I miss his charming smile and his doting eyes.
Everything about Situ Jingyan rushed to Shen Qianmo like a tidal wave. She had always thought she wasn't a woman who was easily swayed by romantic feelings; after the betrayal and deception of her previous life, she had always believed she would never give her heart away again. However, Situ Jingyan's appearance changed her.
She never knew she could do anything for someone. No reason needed; she was willing to do anything to help him.
A faint smile played on her lips. Shen Qianmo lay on the bed, instinctively reaching out to hook her arm around Situ Jingyan's neck, but her hand swung away and she missed.
Looking at her empty hands, Shen Qianmo suddenly felt inexplicably annoyed. She got up dejectedly, leaned against the window, and watched the moonlight quietly flow into the room.
What is Situ Jingyan doing at this time?
Suddenly, the sound of a zither interrupted Shen Qianmo's thoughts. The zither music was not loud, but intermittent and indistinct, as if it were far away. However, Shen Qianmo, being a martial artist, had exceptional hearing and was able to vaguely hear a little bit of it.
She frowned slightly. It was so late, and someone was still playing the zither?! Since she couldn't sleep anyway, she might as well go out and see who was playing the zither in the middle of the night.
Leaving the inn, Shen Qianmo headed east and unknowingly arrived at Nalan Rong's former residence before he became the ruler of Li Kingdom. The inn wasn't far from Nalan Rong's residence, only about half a street away. The music was coming from Nalan Rong's residence.
The closer you get, the clearer you can hear it. The music is long and drawn out, with a melody like flowing water, and the emotions mixed in are complex, seemingly tinged with sorrow, yet also with a hint of sweetness.
Shen Qianmo's eyebrows twitched slightly, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes. At this time, someone was actually playing the zither in Nalan Rong's residence?! Her gaze darkened slightly, and Shen Qianmo concealed her aura, carefully sneaking into Nalan Rong's residence.
After Nalan Rong became the Prince of Li, this mansion was left empty. Now, with no one around, Shen Qianmo cautiously approached, following the sound of the zither.
All that could be seen was a girl dressed in black sitting in the pavilion in the middle of the lake. The girl was wearing a light black gauze dress, and her face was also covered with a black veil, so her appearance could not be seen.
Shen Qianmo frowned. The shore was some distance from the center of the lake, and the pavilion in the center of the lake was not connected by a corridor. There were also no small boats or anything like that around. The woman's sudden appearance in the center of the lake must have been due to her using light-footed skills to leap over there.
This distance is not short. Even with Shen Qianmo's skills, without any leverage, he could probably only cover this far. This shows that the woman in the center of the lake must be quite skilled.
Shen Qianmo's brows furrowed even deeper. This mysterious woman in black who played the zither late at night was quite skilled. She had appeared at Nalan Rong's residence, and the music she played seemed to carry a sense of nostalgia.
Who came to visit so late at night?
As Shen Qianmo was pondering the problem, the music in the center of the lake suddenly stopped, and Shen Qianmo's heart skipped a beat. She had already concealed her aura, so how could this woman still detect her presence?! Moreover, at such a distance, and without releasing the slightest aura, how could this woman still sense her?! Even she probably couldn't do that; this woman was no ordinary person.
"I was drawn in by the young lady's music. Please forgive my intrusion." A cold glint flashed in Shen Qianmo's eyes. Now that she had been discovered, there was no point in hiding it, especially since she was quite interested in the woman in the center of the lake.
A clear, melodious voice, amplified by internal energy, reached the black-clad woman's ears perfectly. Shen Qianmo watched as the black-clad woman slowly rose, her black robes billowing in the wind. Then, Shen Qianmo's eyes widened in disbelief.
She wasn't unfamiliar with masters; her own lightness skill was top-notch. However, this woman's speed was almost unimaginable. In the blink of an eye, before she could even see how the woman moved, the woman had already gracefully appeared in front of Shen Qianmo.
The woman in black, her face veiled, appeared before Shen Qianmo. Shen Qianmo was slightly taken aback, but quickly composed herself and smiled, "You have excellent skills, young lady."
Hearing Shen Qianmo speak, the woman in black finally raised her eyes, which had been indifferently fixed on the zither in her hands, and looked at Shen Qianmo. For a fleeting moment, a hint of surprise flashed in the woman's eyes, but it was quickly concealed by her calm and unwavering gaze. She said in a light tone, "A trivial skill."
Shen Qianmo was no ordinary person. Even though the surprise vanished in an instant, it didn't escape her notice. That surprise clearly indicated that she recognized her! It wasn't the kind of amazement one feels upon seeing her face, but rather a surprise tinged with wariness and doubt. This woman in black had seen her before!
Shen Qianmo's dark eyes deepened, her brows furrowed, and a smile spread across her lips as she said, "Qianmo feels that you are very familiar to me, young lady."
Sure enough, a hint of panic flashed in the black-clad woman's eyes, but she quickly composed herself and said leisurely, "Miss, you've made a mistake."
"Perhaps," Shen Qianmo replied with a smile.
She was certain she had never seen the woman in black before. But the woman in black had definitely seen her! That was strange.
Shen Qianmo looked at the woman in black before her. Her aura seemed to be elusive, as if she didn't exist at all.
A flicker of surprise crossed Shen Qianmo's eyes as she looked up at the woman in black again. A faint, elusive aura... Wasn't this the same aura she had sensed around Nalan Rong?!
Could it be that Nalan Rong has truly been accompanied by a peerless master all along?! And this master is the woman before her?! She had already witnessed the woman's lightness skill, which was definitely superior to her own. She just didn't know how skilled the woman was in martial arts. If she truly surpassed her, then things would become very difficult.
"Your zither is quite unique, young lady. May I take a look?" Shen Qianmo reached out as if casually and grabbed the woman's wrist. He frowned and looked at the woman in surprise.
Seeing the surprise in Shen Qianmo's eyes, the woman didn't flinch, but simply returned a faint smile. That smile carried a hint of mystery and unfathomable depth, and her tone was indifferent, tinged with coldness, "I don't like others touching this zither."
Shen Qianmo raised an eyebrow and withdrew her hand from the woman's pulse point. No internal energy? This woman didn't have a single trace of internal energy?! How could that be! She just came from the pavilion in the middle of the lake; didn't she use lightness skill? How could she have no internal energy at all!
Shen Qianmo was filled with doubts, but her face remained calm, and a faint smile appeared on her lips. "Since it is something that you cherish, I will not force you."
After speaking, Shen Qianmo raised her white sleeve, seemingly with a casual wave, then looked steadily at the woman, a profound look appearing in her eyes, and said in a light tone, "I am very happy to meet you today, Miss. Until we meet again."
The woman in black didn't react at all, but simply looked at Shen Qianmo calmly and said slowly, "Until we meet again."
Shen Qianmo turned and left, her steps swift and decisive, a cruel smile playing on her lips. Until we meet again, the woman beside Nalan Rong.
Although the exact relationship between this woman and Nalan Rong is unknown, the fact that Nalan Rong, a man who trusts no one, allows this woman to stay by his side suggests their relationship is far from simple. If they can track this woman's movements, then Nalan Rong's movements will also be under their control.
That flick of the sleeve, seemingly unintentional, was actually a sprinkle of colorless and odorless powder—the Demon Palace's secret tracking drug, Fragrance. Those affected by Fragrance will not experience any unusual symptoms, nor will they emit any scent. However, a special insect of the Demon Palace can detect the unique aroma of Fragrance.
The Demonic Qin Master smiled faintly. Knowing Nalan Rong's whereabouts would make future actions much easier.
Chapter Eleven: A Cunning Plan
Summer is gradually approaching, and the weather in Lebanon is getting warmer and warmer, as if everything is shrouded in a warm mist.
Shen Qianmo wore a moon-white long dress with a light blue belt around her waist. As usual, she wore no extra adornments; the pure white alone was enough to accentuate her ethereal and noble气质 (qi zhi - inherent quality/temperament).
His expression was indifferent and languid, his dark eyes slightly narrowed, like a sleeping lion. The curve of his lips was faint, as if he could unleash a bloodthirsty smile at any moment.