Under the pale moonlight, the quiet pins were dyed red.

  The ground was soaked with blood, and the air still carried the metallic scent of sughter.

  Standing in the middle of it all was Lin Xuan, currently in the appearance of a woman.

  Blood stained her bck dress, yet under the moonlight she still looked elegant and cold, like a ghost wandering the battlefield.

  Not far away, Yue stood silently watching her master.

  After observing for a moment, she finally spoke.

  “Master… why is your appearance a woman?”

  Her tone was serious, clearly asking a genuine question.

  Lin Xuan gnced at her.

  “Why?” he said casually.

  “Is it bad to become a woman?”

  Yue blinked slightly, not understanding whether her master was serious or not.

  Seeing her confused expression, Lin Xuan lightly coughed.

  “Ahem.”

  “It’s just a joke.”

  He waved his hand dismissively.

  “The real reason is simple.”

  Lin Xuan looked toward the distant Cloud City, his eyes slightly narrowing.

  “I’ve been pnning which appearance I should use for the upcoming disciple recruitment of the Celestial Origin Sect.”

  “If I appear with my real face…”

  He chuckled softly.

  “It would be troublesome if Liu Xin sees me in the recruitment disciples and I'm sure he will be there because he's a disciple of Sect Master Xingjin.”

  “So…”

  Lin Xuan spread his hands slightly and smiled.

  “I’ll simply use this appearance to join the sect.”

  He let out a quiet ugh.

  Yue listened silently.

  Then she suddenly spoke in a calm tone.

  “Master… are you a pervert?”

  Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow.

  Yue continued without changing her expression.

  “To the point that you changed your appearance into a woman just to ease your boredom?”

  For a moment, the night became completely silent.

  Yue listened silently.

  Then, with a straight face, she said,

  “Master… are you a pervert? To the point that you changed your appearance into a woman just to ease your boredom?”

  Lin Xuan froze mid-step, eyes widening.

  “…Excuse me?” he said, his calm fa?ade cracking slightly.

  Yue nodded seriously, as if delivering an undeniable fact.

  Lin Xuan’s lips twitched. “…You’re calling me a pervert?”

  Yue didn’t back down. “Yes. You killed dozens, exploded people, and now you’re using a woman’s appearance just… for fun. Definitely pervert-level fun.”

  Lin Xuan pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing theatrically. “Ah… the horror of being misunderstood by my subordinate.”

  Yue rolled her eyes. “Misunderstood? Master, you’re literally proving my point!”

  Lin Xuan suddenly held up a finger as if making a grand decration. “Fine! Fine! You caught me… but this… this is purely strategic!”

  Yue blinked. “Strategic?”

  “Yes!” Lin Xuan straightened, puffing out his chest. “I’m adopting this appearance for the upcoming in the Celestial Origin Sect recruitment. It’s all tactical.”

  Yue tilted her head, unimpressed. “Tactical pervert, got it.”

  Lin Xuan groaned dramatically and muttered, “Next time, I’m never telling you anything.”

  Yue smirked, already enjoying the mental torment of her master.

  ...

  The Next Morning

  “Master… how did you know this is the hideout of the Bck Society?”

  Su Qingyun asked while looking at the massive structure in front of them.

  Lin Xuan stood calmly beside her, his hands behind his back.

  “I have my own way,” he replied casually.

  Su Qingyun followed his gaze.

  In front of them stood a rge sect compound, its towering gates illuminated by nterns. The walls were high and thick, and numerous guards patrolled the entrance.

  From the outside, it looked completely legitimate.

  Disciples moved in and out.

  Servants carried supplies.

  Nothing about the pce looked suspicious.

  Su Qingyun frowned slightly.

  “Isn’t this a sect?” she said.

  “And… they even have connections with the City Lord of Cloud City.”

  Her eyes showed disbelief.

  If this pce truly belonged to the Bck Society, then it meant something far more troubling.

  It meant their influence had already infiltrated the city itself.

  Lin Xuan looked at the sect calmly, as if he had already expected this.

  A faint smile appeared on his lips.

  “That’s exactly why they chose this pce.”

  “Who would suspect that the headquarters of an evil organization… is hiding inside a respectable sect?”

  Su Qingyun clenched her fists slightly.

  “So the Bck Society…”

  “Has been hiding in pin sight all this time.”

  “That’s right,” Lin Xuan said calmly. “And now… this is your chance to get your revenge.”

  Su Qingyun looked at the sect ahead of them. Her fists slowly clenched.

  “That’s right… this is my chance to avenge my father.”

  Lin Xuan casually raised his hand and made a simple gesture forward.

  “So go.”

  “Destroy them.”

  Su Qingyun took a deep breath and began gathering spiritual energy, preparing to attack.

  But just as she was about to move—

  She suddenly turned around.

  She wanted to ask her master how exactly she should destroy them.

  However, when she looked back—

  Lin Xuan was already far away, sitting on a rge rock like a spectator watching a show.

  Su Qingyun hurried over.

  “Master!” she said.

  “Why aren’t you coming with me? I thought you were going to support me.”

  Lin Xuan looked at her with a rexed smile.

  “That’s right.”

  “I am supporting you.”

  He pointed zily toward the sect.

  “So now go. Destroy them.”

  Su Qingyun stared at him in confusion.

  “But—”

  Lin Xuan waved his hand dismissively.

  “Don’t worry.”

  “I’ll be there if you’re in danger.”

  Su Qingyun looked at him silently for a moment before nodding.

  Before leaving again, she hesitated.

  “Master… how exactly should I destroy them?”

  Lin Xuan tilted his head slightly.

  “How to destroy them?”

  Then he answered casually.

  “Just kill them all.”

  Su Qingyun froze.

  She was shocked by how ruthless her master sounded.

  Seeing her hesitation, Lin Xuan’s expression became slightly more serious.

  “Listen carefully, Qingyun.”

  “Never show mercy to those who truly deserve death.”

  His eyes looked toward the sect in the distance.

  “The people in front of you… deserve to die.”

  “Don’t fall for appearances.”

  “Some criminals pretend to be beggars… some pretend to be merchants… some pretend to be righteous people.”

  “But beneath those masks… they are still criminals.”

  Lin Xuan looked directly at her.

  “Don’t be naive, Qingyun.”

  “If you show mercy… you will die.”

  Su Qingyun lowered her gaze.

  Many thoughts appeared in her mind.

  Should she really wipe them all out?

  Would this become a massacre?

  Lin Xuan looked at Su Qingyun, his gaze calm yet firm.

  “Killing one criminal… could save a hundred lives.”

  He paused for a moment before continuing.

  “And you are my successor… my beloved disciple.”

  Those words echoed quietly in Su Qingyun’s mind.

  Her heart trembled slightly.

  For a moment, all the doubts inside her began to fade.

  She looked toward the sect again.

  The pce that hid the people responsible for her father’s death.

  The people who destroyed her peaceful life.

  Her fingers slowly clenched into fists.

  If she showed mercy…

  More innocent people might suffer just like her father.

  If she hesitated…

  Those criminals would simply continue their evil deeds.

  Su Qingyun slowly closed her eyes.

  When she opened them again, the hesitation had completely disappeared.

  Her gaze had become cold and resolute.

  At that moment, she made her choice.

  She would no longer be the grieving daughter who hesitated between justice and mercy.

  From this day forward—

  She would become a ruthless viginte, someone who punished evil without hesitation.

  And the first target…

  Was the Bck Society hiding within this sect.