130: A plan is devised in the valley, and feelings begin to stir.

After Luo Li left, Ziyun Valley fell into a brief silence, with only the crackling of the bonfire and the gentle lapping of the pond water. The news she brought was crucial, clearly outlining the previously vague enemies and objectives: the Guixu Cult, the Grand Elder's faction, the Ancient Demon Sealing Site, and the Ancestral Worship Ceremony. A storm surrounding the fate of the Qinglan Sect was already brewing.

"The Ancestral Worship Ceremony, half a month from now..." Su Wanqing's icy eyes gleamed with a sharp cold light. This was the Sect where she had grown up, carrying her Revered Master's expectations and the camaraderie of her fellow disciples. She would never allow it to be defiled and exploited by such petty individuals. "We must stop their conspiracy before the ceremony."

"Stopping them is inevitable, but how to stop them requires careful deliberation," Lin Xuan said in a deep voice, his gaze sweeping over the Three women. "The intelligence Luo Li provided is key, but she is, after all, from the Mountain Guard Lineage. Her stance is not entirely consistent with ours, so we still need to gain more initiative ourselves."

He looked at Su Wanqing: "Wanqing, contacting Junior Martial Uncle Li Qingfeng must be done immediately. We need accurate information from within the Sect to understand the Grand Elder's faction's specific actions during the preparation of the ceremony, and which Elders might still be on the Sect's side."

"Alright, I'll prepare the 'Ice Butterfly Communication Art' right away." Su Wanqing nodded and immediately walked to a secluded spot. Her fingertips gathered pure Taiyin Power, and she began to perform a secret technique. A lifelike, transparent butterfly, condensed from ice crystals and moonlight, slowly formed in her palm. Its wings trembled slightly, emitting faint spatial fluctuations.

Lin Xuan then looked at Gongsun Yu: "Xiaoyu, you also need to hurry with drawing the Family map. The Guixu Cult's arrangements within the Gongsun Family might be related to the ceremony's conspiracy; we can't let any clues slip."

"En! Big Brother Lin, I'll draw it now!" Gongsun Yu immediately took out a Jade Slip and a special spiritual brush from her Storage Pouch, then knelt on a flat large stone nearby and began to meticulously sketch.

Finally, Lin Xuan's gaze fell on Qu Feiyan: "Senior Sister Qu, for these three days, I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you to work with me to set up some more covert reconnaissance and countermeasure methods around the periphery of Ziyun Valley. If Luo Li could find us, it's hard to guarantee that others can't. Moreover, we might need an emergency escape route."

Qu Feiyan stretched languidly, showcasing her graceful curves, and a confident smile played on her red lips: "Don't worry, Junior Martial Brother, when it comes to setting up traps and stealthy escapes, your Elder sister here is an expert. I'll make sure those ignorant fellows come and never return~"

With clear division of labor, everyone immediately sprang into action. Su Wanqing focused on communicating with the internal contact in the Sect; Gongsun Yu was immersed in map drawing, her small face serious; Qu Feiyan, on the other hand, pulled Lin Xuan and began to busy herself around the periphery of the valley, sometimes burying Formation Flags, sometimes carving concealment runes. The two cooperated quite well.

During this time, Lin Xuan could clearly feel that when Qu Feiyan was alone with him, her enchanting and bold demeanor became even more undisguised. Occasionally, she would lean in under the guise of discussing Formations, her hair brushing against his neck, or she would pretend to accidentally touch his arm, her eyes like silken threads, her breath like orchids, doing her utmost to tease him.

"Junior Brother Lin, do you think this node of the 'Misty Illusion Formation' would be good here?" Qu Feiyan pointed to a rock crevice, her body almost leaning into Lin Xuan's embrace.

Lin Xuan's nose was filled with her unique rich fragrance, and his arm could feel her soft touch. His heart involuntarily stirred, but he maintained his composure. After careful examination, he said, "The Spiritual Qi flow here is a bit sluggish; placing it three inches to the left would be more effective."

"Oh? Is that so? Junior Brother's eyesight is still sharp~" Qu Feiyan chuckled. Instead of retreating, she leaned even closer, looking up at him, her eyes shimmering. "Then... as thanks, will Elder sister leave the door open for you tonight?"

Lin Xuan's breath hitched. Looking at her alluring face so close, he said with a wry smile, "Senior Sister, serious matters are more important..."

"Hmph, coward." Qu Feiyan snorted lightly, then finally retreated a little, but the smile in her eyes grew even wider, as if teasing Lin Xuan was an extremely interesting thing to do.

Meanwhile, on the other side, when Su Wanqing successfully sent the ice butterfly carrying her Divine Thought into the Void Realm, she turned around and saw the scene of Qu Feiyan almost pressing against Lin Xuan and whispering. Her footsteps paused slightly, and a faint, almost imperceptible displeasure flashed deep within her icy eyes—a displeasure even she hadn't noticed. Her hand holding the frost silence sword subconsciously tightened, and her aura seemed to grow several degrees colder. She then turned and walked towards the pond, sitting alone to meditate and regulate her Qi, but her cold back inexplicably exuded an aura that warned others not to approach.

Gongsun Yu, tired from drawing, looked up and happened to see Su Wanqing's cold back as she sat alone by the pond. She then looked at Lin Xuan and Qu Feiyan, who seemed to be 'intimately' setting up Formations in the distance. Her small head tilted, seemingly not quite understanding why the atmosphere was a bit subtle, but she obediently remained silent, not wanting to disturb them.

As night deepened, all preparations proceeded in an orderly manner. Lin Xuan could clearly feel that the relationships between Su Wanqing, Qu Feiyan, and himself were becoming more subtle and complex under this tense atmosphere. Su Wanqing's coldness carried an increasingly obvious concern and possessiveness, while Qu Feiyan more boldly displayed her passion and allure.

This blessing of having multiple companions, accompanied by immense risk and responsibility, made him feel immense pressure, yet he also... savored it.

The three-day deadline arrived in a flash. The next meeting with Luo Li from the Mountain Guard Lineage would undoubtedly determine their next course of action, and even the future of the Qinglan Sect.