Greetings, Young Palace Master

"Cousin?"

Situ Yanqing stared at the person before her, her eyes widening to an astonishing size, the expression on her face incredibly colorful.

She absolutely had not expected that the person appearing before her would be her eldest cousin, whom she was extremely familiar with.

"You—

You..."

Situ Yanqing stammered, momentarily at a loss for words.

Her cousin was a rebel Secret Cultivator?

Moreover, the power she displayed just now clearly showed an extremely high cultivation base. This was not an achievement that could be reached overnight.

Could it be that her cousin had been a rebel Secret Cultivator for many years?

And she had actually remained completely unaware all this time!

Situ Yanqing only wondered about Xue Huan's strength, completely ignoring why Xue Huan had appeared in this place.

"Why do I know how to perform secret arts?"

Xue Huan smiled joyfully. These past few days, this was the first time she truly felt happy; all the worries brought about by the events in Jiangdu City had completely vanished.

"If you can be a stockade chief, why can't I be a rebel?"

Xue Huan said with a laugh.

"I..."

Situ Yanqing felt her thoughts in utter disarray. The logic made sense, but why did she always feel like something was not quite right?

Yet, she could not figure out what was strange about it.

"Right, cousin, how did you find this place?"

Situ Yanqing suddenly snapped back to reality and asked.

Her venturing into the forest to become a bandit was something she had never told her family. After all, this kind of thing was hardly glorious.

"Someone told me," Xue Huan said with a sigh of emotion. Speaking of which, she also had not expected her cousin to actually go this far.

She found it somewhat amusing yet tragic. The dignified daughter of the Jiangdu City Lord had actually become a bandit leader.

If her uncle knew of this, what would he think in his heart?

Xue Huan was even somewhat looking forward to seeing how Situ Daosheng would react once he found out.

"Someone told you?"

Situ Yanqing looked at Xue Huan in slight surprise and asked, "Cousin, do you know my Master Bai?"

Aside from Master Bai, no one else knew she was here.

"Bai Zhentang?"

Xue Huan shook her head and said, "I do not know him, but my teacher has some friendship with him, which is why I came here."

"Cousin, your teacher?

Could your teacher also be someone from Yujing Mountain?"

Situ Yanqing asked.

"I do not know."

Xue Huan shook her head. "Actually, you also know my teacher.

He has another identity in the outside world."

Xue Huan's expression was slightly peculiar. Speaking of which, Qingqing had known her teacher longer and was more familiar with him.

Thinking of this, Xue Huan felt a trace of envy in her heart. Her teacher had never composed poetry for her.

"I know him?"

The confusion on Situ Yanqing's face deepened.

Her cousin's teacher must also be a rebel Secret Cultivator.

The rebel Secret Cultivators she knew could be counted on one hand. Who could it be?

She could not think of an answer no matter what.

"Cousin, just tell me, who on earth is it?"

After thinking for a moment, Situ Yanqing simply gave up.

"Xu Lu."

Xue Huan uttered two words.

"Xu Lu?"

Situ Yanqing's eyes widened, her small mouth parting slightly.

"Cousin, are you joking?"

After a long while, Situ Yanqing swallowed hard and slowly asked.

"Of course not."

Xue Huan shook her head. "You will understand once you return with me.

He has another identity, which is the Young Palace Master of the Heavenly Palace.

I came this time on his orders to invite you back."

"Xu Lu is the Young Palace Master of the Heavenly Palace?"

Situ Yanqing could not help but pinch her own cheek, then let out a cry of pain.

It was not a dream!

Not a dream, but this was simply too shocking.

How could Xu Lu possibly be the Young Palace Master of the Heavenly Palace?

Scenes of her past acquaintance with Xu Lu flashed through her mind, and no matter how she looked at it, she could not see how Xu Lu could be the Young Palace Master of the Heavenly Palace.

"This matter is already known to everyone in Jiangdu City," Xue Huan said seriously. "Your father, along with Luo Jingqi, the Great Heavenly Official of the Jiangdu Heavenly Palace, have all acknowledged my teacher's identity."

"Fine."

Situ Yanqing frowned. "Even if he truly has this identity, what does that have to do with me?"

Her emotions were somewhat chaotic. Her relationship with Xu Lu was rather complicated.

She was currently a rebel, while Xu Lu was the Young Palace Master of the Heavenly Palace. Didn't this mean they were now enemies?

"Living in the wilderness, your news might be relatively isolated," Xue Huan explained. "An internal war broke out in the Heavenly Palace. Several clans rebelled and killed the Palace Master.

Therefore, my teacher's current situation is quite dangerous. Those Heavenly Palace clans all want to kill him to their heart's content.

The forces around my teacher are insufficient, so he currently wishes to mobilize all forces that can be mobilized."

"So, he is targeting me?"

Situ Yanqing blurted out.

"My teacher wants to give you an opportunity."

Xue Huan shook her head. "Bai Zhentang has a deep friendship with my teacher, and it was he who told you to assist my teacher. This way, you all can have a proper background."

Xue Huan did not know the exact relationship between her teacher and Bai Zhentang, but that did not stop her from saying so.

Although Situ Yanqing was her cousin, she did not want Situ Yanqing to look down on her teacher.

In reality, given the current situation, it was indeed not Xu Lu begging Situ Yanqing.

Although Situ Yanqing had many subordinates, their strength was only mediocre.

In fact, Xue Huan herself could sweep through the entire Qingfeng Stockade.

In Xue Huan's eyes, her teacher's desire to recruit Qingfeng Stockade was merely giving face to her cousin.

Her teacher's thoughts—who in Jiangdu City did not know or understand them?

Qingqing was truly blessed.

Xue Huan sighed softly in her heart.

"Master Bai's instructions?"

Situ Yanqing tilted her head, thought for a moment, and said, "Even if Master Bai did not say so, I would still go.

Xu Lu and I are brothers. Now that he is in trouble, how can I not help him?

Cousin, I will muster my forces and return to Jiangdu with you!"

Seeing Situ Yanqing so decisive, Xue Huan was also slightly moved.

If it were her, she would probably weigh the risks and gains.

But Qingqing seemed completely unafraid of danger.

No wonder her teacher valued her so much.

Xue Huan thought to herself, but said, "Qingqing, what was going on with that Lianshan Stockade just now?

That General Ding was a mid-grade Strongman. If I hadn't arrived today, you would have been in danger."

"I also didn't expect Lianshan Stockade to have a mid-grade Strongman," Situ Yanqing said. "But cousin, you underestimate me. Even if I am not his match, it wouldn't be easy for him to leave my Qingfeng Stockade alive."

Situ Yanqing said with a proud face, "Right, they seemed to be the subordinates of that Li Zongyi."

Xue Huan's face darkened, not wanting to mention that name.

"Your Qingfeng Stockade wants to annex Lianshan Stockade, right?"

Xue Huan said with a serious face. "Since that's the case, let's just clean it up, gather some more people, and then return to Jiangdu."

"Ah?"

Situ Yanqing said in surprise, "But saving someone is like putting out a fire."

"We are not short of this moment," Xue Huan said. "Cleaning up Lianshan Stockade won't take much time."

Xue Huan was also extremely confident.

Under Xu Lu's guidance, she had now successfully broken through to the fourth-grade realm, becoming a genuine mid-grade Secret Cultivator.

It was precisely because of this that she could easily slay General Ding earlier.

Within the same realm, a Secret Cultivator held an overwhelming advantage over a Strongman.

As a mid-grade Secret Cultivator, Xue Huan felt that taking down a mountain stockade was as easy as turning over her hand.

Moreover—

Xue Huan knew very well that there must be high-grade Strongman guards following her in secret.

"True."

Situ Yanqing thought for a moment, nodded, and said, "Since cousin says there's no rush, then we will deal with Lianshan Stockade first.

After taking down Lianshan Stockade, my forces can at least double.

By then, we will have ten thousand people. Ten thousand people are enough to help Xu Lu avenge himself."

Situ Yanqing rubbed her fists, full of enthusiasm.