Monarch Night

"Who!?"

Li Mengyun and the others scattered like an explosion, dashing off in four directions.

The night sky was intensely scrutinized, yet not a single disturbance was detected.

A cool breeze brushed past.

The four of them simultaneously felt a chill envelop their bodies.

"Who...who is targeting us?"

They stood in the night wind for a moment, then returned to the room.

"Let's see what's on the paper?"

Putting on gloves to prevent poisoning, Li Mengyun pulled out her hairpin, infused it with spiritual power, and unwrapped the note.

On it were clear imprints made by a fingernail.

"Li Mengyun: Tonight at three quarters past midnight. Yemo will appear at... to meet someone and receive cultivation materials."

Just these few words, without a beginning or end.

The time, place, and people were extremely clear.

The four looked at each other in astonishment.

A chill rose in their hearts.

"Who sent this?" Li Mengyun's pretty face turned pale.

The other three had bewilderment written all over their faces.

We want to ask the same thing.

"What does this note mean? Does it want us to kill Yemo?"

Li Mengyun furrowed her brows: "Then this person also wants Yemo dead, that's certain. But why not do it themselves?"

Li Changbo frowned and said: "Could this be a trap set by the Guardian?"

"Absolutely impossible!"

Li Mengyun immediately denied it, saying: "It's clearly written here; this person knows our identity, otherwise, my name wouldn't appear on this note. The Guardian could never know my name."

"If the Guardian Hall knew, they'd come to arrest us directly, no need for an elaborate trap!"

Li Mengyun thought clearly and said: "So this person must be someone from our sect. Moreover, someone who knows us. That much is sure!"

"Secondly, why is there this note? It's likely because this person might not be convenient to take action themselves, and Yemo dying at our hands would be expected."

The three silently nodded.

Acknowledging the third miss's sharp deduction.

"As for why this person can't conveniently take action themselves, I guess... this person might be from the Yixin Sect, and likely someone high up in its hierarchy. He knows Yemo's whereabouts, but this person and Yin Shen Palace are probably not on the same side. So, he wants us to kill this genius disciple of Yin Shen Palace with our hands!"

"This is like directly cutting off Yin Shen Palace's inheritance and backup path. When Yin Shen Palace steps down as Yixin Sect Leader in the future, there will be no successor... and at that time, it would be an opportunity for others to benefit from the maneuvering."

It must be said, Li Mengyun's reasoning is very compelling.

But there's one premise, which is: This person wants Yemo dead!

That is the inevitable premise.

"In our sect, there are too many people who want Yemo dead."

Coldness flashed in Li Mengyun's eyes, and she said: "Yet this person is blatantly using us as a sword. It's despicable!"

The analysis was complete.

The four eyes gleamed.

"Do we go tonight?"

"Go! Of course, we must go!"

Li Mengyun said: "However... this matter should not be taken lightly. Therefore, we can go ahead, spread out in four directions for support."

"If Yemo really appears, then it's real, and we will attack with full force and retreat immediately!"

"If this is a trap... then we shall withdraw in time."

"If so... we need to set off now."

"Yes, bring your belongings. We might leave tonight."

"Okay!"

The four, having made their plan, immediately began tidying up.

Li Mengyun stood by the window, gazing into the night sky.

Murmuring: "Meng Nan, tonight, your sister will avenge you! Just watch, and see that Yemo's blood, in this night sky, will blossom into the human blood flower you so loved to see!"

"Sister assures you, Yemo's blood flower will bloom brilliantly for you to see!"

She stood by the window, as if seeing her brother smile.

Saying: "Thank you, sister."

A gentle smile appeared at the corner of her lips, extending her hand as if to caress her brother's face.

But the vision suddenly vanished.

Li Changhe's voice came: "Third Miss, we're ready."

The gentleness on Li Mengyun's face turned to extreme coldness, she turned and strode out: "Let's go!"

"Go!"

...

The night deepened.

Near the courtyard surrounded by tall walls, was such a small alley, utterly lacking concealment.

This was a gutter left between large households for rainwater to flow.

Commonly known as sunshine ditch.

But with such adjacent courtyard walls, the wealthier the person, the taller the wall, and if your wall is tall, mine needs to follow.

So these alleys grew increasingly dark.

At the alley entrance, was a narrow path, and beyond that, a bamboo grove. Or, an abandoned garden.

In the dark night.

There was still some unmelted ice and snow in the alley.

Under the starry moonlight, glimmering faintly.

An old man with a hunched back, wearing a tattered cotton jacket, seemingly a beggar, carrying a medium-sized bundle.

Trembling somewhat, he walked to the alley entrance.

Immediately, as if exhausted, he sat down by the corner of the wall, panting.

Huddled, trembling, with disheveled, whitening hair fluttering in the cold wind.

Muddied eyes, full of fear, lingered with hesitation, looking around, enviously at the smoke and warmth drifting from the surrounding courtyards.

He tucked his hands into his torn cotton jacket sleeves again.

A desolate sigh escaped, followed by a puff of white breath.

Revealing the chill of the weather.

Night had grown deep, by now, it was already two minutes past midnight.

The wind seemed colder still.

The old man, shivering, huddled as much as he could, curling his body parts together to retain warmth.