The headquarters of the Guiyuan Sect was bisected by the Great Yuyang Canal, with approximately twelve li of the waterway flowing through their grounds.

And every evening, the young men and women of the Guiyuan Sect greatly enjoyed night excursions along the canal.

Guiyuan Sect, Longgang Dockside.

Teng Qingshan, arriving with his sister 'Qingyu,' observed the numerous boats plying the canal, watching couples step onto the pleasure barges one after another.

"So many pleasure boats," Teng Qingshan remarked with a sigh.

"Of course! But brother, you're always clinging to that Reincarnation Spear; you have no romance about you," Qingyu teased intentionally, then spotted two figures in the distance and waved vigorously. "Hurry over here, this way!"

Teng Qingshan immediately recognized the approaching pair as the Zhuge siblings.

"Brother Qingshan must be here for the canal night cruise for the first time," Zhuge Yun said with a smile. "Let's go to the dock." The four proceeded toward the pier, where several lanterns swayed from pleasure boats waiting for hire. Zhuge Yun called out, "Uncle Wang, we'll be chartering your boat."

"Right away!" the white-haired boatman responded with a grin.

The four of them boarded the vessel.

"Hmm?" Teng Qingshan noted upon entering: the center of the cabin was an aisle, while the sides were partitioned by screens, dividing the space into four distinct areas. Logically, these four sections were sufficient for four couples to enjoy the canal's night scenery.

"Brother, you and Miss Qing should take that section over there. You need to look after Little Qing..." Qingyu chuckled, then she and Zhuge Yun moved behind a screen and sat down, completely hidden from Teng Qingshan and the other Miss Qing. Likewise, Qingyu and Zhuge Yun could not see the pair. The boatman, stationed on the outer deck, was also shielded from view by the screens.

"This is indeed a fine place for a rendezvous," Teng Qingshan mused with a wry smile. "This scheme was probably thought up by Little Yu and him."

"Brother Teng, shall we sit down?" Miss Qing bravely took a seat first. If affection were mutual, they would typically sit side-by-side, leaning close. However, Teng Qingshan and Miss Qing had clearly not reached that stage; they sat facing each other, with a low table placed between them.

The table held snacks like fruit and sweet biscuits, and a small, bright red lantern hung nearby.

"Swish, swish~~" The gentle sound of flowing water.

A turn of the head revealed the dark river water flowing beside them, and under the hazy lantern light, Miss Qing, seated serenely opposite, seemed like an exiled celestial being. The scene was truly dreamlike.

"The view is wonderful," Teng Qingshan praised. "Mm. Miss Qing, please have some refreshments." Teng Qingshan pushed the small plate of sweet biscuits towards her.

Miss Qing murmured an "Mm," picked up a slightly crisp biscuit, and took a small, delicate bite. Clearly, in Teng Qingshan's presence, she was somewhat reserved, her face flushing slightly from the constraint.

"Brother Teng, tomorrow Father and the others will publicly announce you as the new Enforcement Elder in the main hall. After becoming the Enforcement Elder, will you continue to hold the position of the First Commander?" Miss Qing spoke up immediately. After all, the canal night cruise lasted over an hour; surely they couldn't endure such awkwardness for the entire duration?

"According to Master's advice, I will maintain it for the time being," Teng Qingshan replied.

"Being the commander of the Black Armored Army can be quite taxing sometimes," Miss Qing observed wistfully. "The Enforcement Elder role is much easier—the status is transcendent, and normally there is little to do."

Teng Qingshan knew well that only those who reached the Xiantian realm qualified as Enforcement Elders. But Xiantian experts were further categorized into three levels: Void Core, Solid Core, and Golden Core. The Guiyuan Sect certainly would not burden its Enforcement Elders with trivial matters that could hinder their cultivation. After all, the pillars of any sect were these few Xiantian powerhouses; the Guiyuan Sect relied on them to secure its standing.

"Oh, look, isn't that Commander Teng?"

"It is Commander Teng."

"And the one opposite him... isn't that the Sect Master's daughter, Miss Qing?"

At that moment, two pleasure boats passed one another, and the young men and women aboard the other vessel clearly saw Teng Qingshan and Zhuge Qing.

"Junior Sister, tell your fellow disciples not to get any wild ideas; Commander Teng already has Miss Qing," one said.

"Senior Brother, my fellow sisters are just indulging in fantasies and dreams. Commander Teng is a genius, and Miss Qing is as beautiful as a celestial maiden; they are truly a match made in heaven. I truly hadn't realized they were together until we saw them today. There weren't any rumors in the sect about it," the other replied.

The chatter faded into the distance as the boats drifted apart. Miss Qing's ears turned bright red from what she heard.

Seeing her reaction, Teng Qingshan thought, "This young lady is just too thin-skinned." The dim light of the lantern illuminated a beautiful young woman sitting shyly, with nothing but the sound of the wind and water surrounding them. The atmosphere was indeed rather intimate.

...

The other pair in the cabin, Qingyu and Zhuge Yun, were secretly giggling.

"Little Yun, did you hear what those people said just now? Heh heh, once news about my brother and Miss Qing spreads throughout the entire Guiyuan Sect, then..." Qingyu's mischievous eyes narrowed in a smile.

"Mm, even if there were nothing between them, if the rumor spreads, things will change," Zhuge Yun admitted. "Besides, my sister truly does like your brother, and in Jiangning Commandery City, it would be hard to find a girl prettier than her... though Qingyu, you are just as beautiful as my sister."

"Hmph," Qingyu huffed, finally satisfied.

Many young women were indeed beautiful, but Zhuge Qing possessed a purity of temperament, like a snow lotus on a sacred mountain, which was the most striking quality. Even Teng Qingshan had felt a slight tremor in his heart when he first met her; others like Teng Qinghu were simply stunned into silence. It was natural for people to admire Zhuge Qing; weren't commanders like Bai Qi all pursuing her? Most people felt inadequate in her presence. Even Teng Qinghu, though he held affection for her, knew the gap between them was too vast. Admiration and affection were normal! Not liking Zhuge Qing would be abnormal!

...

The pleasure boat glided slowly along the canal. An hour later, many in the Guiyuan Sect had retired for the night, and the temperature had dropped significantly. The night wind over the canal was particularly chilling.

"Whoa!" "Whoa!"

Gusts of night wind swept over, causing Miss Qing to shiver involuntarily, her face looking drawn. Her physical constitution had always been delicate since childhood.

"You knew it would be colder at night, yet you didn't wear more clothes," Teng Qingshan said, shrugging off his slate-grey robe and rising to drape it over Miss Qing. This robe was the one Miss Qing had given Teng Qingshan previously; it was lined with Snow Silkworm Silk. Although the garment was light, it was surprisingly warm.

Miss Qing clutched the robe, curling up within its folds, feeling the warmth emanating from the fabric—Teng Qingshan's body heat.

Miss Qing bit her lip, looking at Teng Qingshan. He was only wearing a sleeveless undershirt, yet he seemed completely unaffected by the howling cold wind. He had once dared to enter the Bitter Cold Pool; what was this slight chill to him?

After a long while, the boatman's voice called out, "We are reaching the shore ahead."

Qingyu and Zhuge Yun stood up and came over. Seeing Teng Qingshan and Miss Qing, they couldn't help but smile.

"Brother, your robe is all over Little Qing now," Qingyu remarked deliberately.

"Alright, let's get ashore," Teng Qingshan rose as well. Under the intimate atmosphere of the pleasure boat, being alone with a woman, Teng Qingshan admitted, that ambiance, coupled with a celestial-like woman before him, could indeed melt a heart. He hadn't realized how quickly the hour had passed.

"Mm," Miss Qing also stood up and stood beside Teng Qingshan. "Brother Teng, this robe..."

"You keep it for now and give it back to me next time," Teng Qingshan said.

"Mm," Miss Qing nodded, a faint smile appearing on her face. Zhuge Yun and Qingyu exchanged a knowing glance and smiled. Tonight's plan had yielded excellent results.

...

While many men and women within the Guiyuan Sect enjoyed their carefree night cruise, Zhuge Yuanhong, the supreme authority of Jiangning Commandery City, frowned deeply.

In the deep night, within the study.

The flickering candlelight danced as Zhuge Yuanhong sat at his desk, his brow tightly furrowed.

"The situation has reached such a grave point." Zhuge Yuanhong stared down at a tightly sealed letter on his desk.

A middle-aged man in gray robes stood before the desk, nodding in assent. "Sect Master, when the commotion flared up in Xuyang Commandery and Tiannan Commandery some time ago, the forces our Guiyuan Sect had lurking there only noticed faint tremors. However... just today, massacres began across the cities in Xuyang and Tiannan Commanderies. Many people have died."

Of the Thirteen Commanderies of Yangzhou, nine were ruled by Qinghu Island, one by the Guiyuan Sect, and one by the Iron Clothes Gate. The remaining two, 'Xuyang Commandery' and 'Tiannan Commandery,' were in a state of chaos. The simultaneous discovery of widespread slaughter in these two commanderies was no minor affair.

"Are you certain it is Qinghu Island?" Zhuge Yuanhong asked.

"We are not certain. Based on our brief investigations, the perpetrators used various identities, such as gangs or minor sects," the gray-robed man explained. "However, synthesizing the intelligence, this is clearly a coordinated operation—astonishingly fast. I cannot conceive of any other power possessing such capability—only Qinghu Island!"

Zhuge Yuanhong’s gaze drifted south. "Qinghu Island has prepared for too long, too long. If they don't move, they don't move, but once they strike..."

The foremost sect in Yangzhou was Qinghu Island! But though Qinghu Island governed nine commanderies, they harbored an endless desire to eradicate the Guiyuan Sect and the Iron Clothes Gate, unifying all of Yangzhou. Yet, Qinghu Island had to consider this: if a full-scale conflict erupted, even if they managed to destroy the Guiyuan Sect and the Iron Clothes Gate, Qinghu Island would suffer crippling losses. A weakened Qinghu Island—would it be capable of holding the entirety of Yangzhou? Would the 'Carefree Palace,' one of the Eight Great Sects situated in Qing Province, not swoop in like a mantis stalking a cicada?

"This Qinghu Island has exercised restraint for so many years," Zhuge Yuanhong murmured. "This latest offensive cannot be simple! Although it only targets Xuyang and Tiannan Commanderies, the situation is already disastrous! It might easily ignite a war that engulfs all of Yangzhou!"

The gray-robed man’s expression also turned grave. Thinking of the behemoth that was 'Qinghu Island,' no one in the Guiyuan Sect could remain composed. They controlled nine commanderies; their forces far surpassed those of the Guiyuan Sect and the Iron Clothes Gate combined.

"Order the disciples within the territories of Xuyang and Tiannan Commanderies to investigate thoroughly! Any significant discovery must be relayed to me immediately!" Zhuge Yuanhong commanded.

"Yes, Sect Master," the gray-robed man acknowledged.

"You may retire now."

Zhuge Yuanhong was left alone in the study. He gazed out the window at the night sky, his expression distant, seemingly lost in thought. He stood there until the early hours of the next morning.