"Right, no trouble at all."

Liu Qianyun listened to the string of heaven-and-earth treasure names coming out of the jade slip, privately somewhat taken aback.

These plainly were not things that could grow inside the fallen Nanyang treasured site.

Taken together they very nearly outstripped the entire fortune of some outer-gate elders.

Sect Master Shen had not shown his face for three months — so he had been out ransacking houses and wiping out clans again, had he?

"What is it?"

Zheng Qian had heard that familiar voice; but she had said last time that she would take no part whatever in anything involving Shen Yi, and so could only feign curiosity to cover her embarrassment.

"Look at you, saying one thing and meaning another." Liu Qianyun rolled her eyes at her — though in truth this matter really could not be managed without Zheng Qian.

To trade for the blood essence of a twelfth-layer Return-to-Void Crimson-Eyed Mysterious Phoenix, one had to be at least a steward even to raise the subject.

Elder Liu's marked solicitude toward the Nanyang Sect of late had been talked of everywhere, and as his daughter she had inevitably been noted along with him.

It would be all too easy for people to connect the goods with the Nanyang Sect's needs, and that would only make more trouble later.

Better to let Zheng Qian be the one to show her face.

"Let's go. You're coming with me to fetch something."

Liu Qianyun called out a treasure ship and carried a thoroughly embarrassed Zheng Qian out of the sect, sweeping off toward the Nanyang Sect.

At the same time.

Within the Heaven-Sword treasured site: the inner gate's steward's hall.

A young man in a sword robe lounged back in his chair, watching the woman bustling in front of him with a touch of mockery.

When the woman had finally finished dealing with the disciples' affairs—

she turned back and squeezed out a strained smile. "Steward Cui, did I do well enough?"

"Not bad. A great deal better than when you first came."

Cui Hao nodded, then…