"Hey, Zhuge Liang." Alex nced at himzily. “If that woman kills me, you''ll lose your position as Acting City Lord."


    He turned back to the bed, dragged the nket over himself, andy down as if the world outside no longer existed.


    "Handle it yourself," Alex added with a wide yawn. "I''m going to sleep. Tell her to stop screaming at the gate."


    "Sir," Zhuge Liang said quickly, his voice tense, "she is an Immortal. We mortals should not provoke Immortals."


    Alex opened one eye. "So that means she can provoke mortals instead?" he replied tly.


    "Anyway, speaking of Immortals..... we actually know one, don''t we? Li Qingxue. She gave me amunication talisman."


    He reached under his pillow, took out a talisman, and tossed it toward Zhuge Liang without even sitting up.


    "Use it if you need to," Alex said. Then he turned over and closed his eyes again.


    Outside the Bai Family gate.


    Murong Yue''s face was burning red.


    Since joining the Wudang Sect, almost no one had ever dared to look down on her except fellow disciples of Wudang. Everywhere else, she was treated with respect, even awe.


    Yet today, she was humiliated.


    Bai Xiaochun. The most pathetic mortal in all of Qingshui City.


    That trash dared to reject her.


    Worse he did it in front of three of her friends, and in front of the senior she admired most.


    She had wanted to prove her devotion to that senior. She had even been willing to abandon her fiancé-the City Lord himself—just to show how sincere her feelings


    were.


    Instead, she was publicly dumped by Bai Xiaochun like worthless garbage.


    Shame exploded into rage.


    Murong Yue drew her sword, the de shing cold light, and stepped toward the gate. Her voice shook with fury.


    "I will destroy this ce," she dered. "And kill everyone inside."


    "We''ll help you," several of her friends said immediately, anger ring on their faces as well.


    They raised their weapons and moved forward-


    Just as the massive gate suddenly swung open.


    Zhuge Liang stepped out, calm andposed, followed by ten armored bodyguards who formed a tight formation behind him.


    "I am Zhuge Liang, Vice City Lord of Qingshui," he said, bowing deeply. "It is an honor to meet Immortal Murong Yue."


    He straightened and continued evenly, "The City Lord is currently ill and requires time to recuperate. He apologizes for being unable toe out in person."


    “Ill?" Murong Yue screamed. “I clearly heard him yelling just now! How is that sick?!"


    Zhuge Liang did not argue. Instead, he calmly took out a document and held it forward.


    "This is the engagement document signed by your father and the former City Lord," he said calmly. “Please ept it. From this moment on, the engagement is annulled."


    "What?!"


    Murong Yue froze, shock ripping through her anger as she stared at the document in disbelief.


    “Didn''t youe here to annul the engagement?" Zhuge Liang said calmly. “This is the document. The engagement has already been canceled."


    "But—” Murong Yue felt something deeply wrong, a sharp difort twisting in her chest.


    "Oh, please," Zhuge Liang cut in smoothly, not raising his voice.


    "No ''but.'' Once an engagement is canceled, it''s canceled. It doesn''t matter whether you annul it or the City Lord annuls it. What matters is the result. The goal has been achieved."


    He bowed and gently but firmly ced the document into Murong Yue''s hand.


    "You have aplished your purpose ining here," he continued. "If you remain, it will only contradict that purpose. Isn''t that correct?"


    Murong Yue froze.


    Yes. She hade to annul the engagement. That much was true. Yet the way it ended felt unbearably wrong-like she had lost something important without even realizing it.


    She turned away instinctively.


    Then she saw her senior standing behind her.


    In that instant, realization struck.


    Her pride.


    That was what she had lost.


    "My pride," Murong Yue said suddenly, spinning back toward Zhuge Liang, her eyes zing.


    Zhuge Liang bowed again, his posture respectful but unyielding. "You are an Immortal. As such, you should not interfere in mortal affairs. I understand what you want to say that the City Lord should not treat an Immortal this way."


    He lifted his gaze slightly, his tone steady and professional.


    “But if you treat the City Lord too harshly, your family will suffer. Your father, your mother, everyone in your family still lives in Qingshui City. They are mortals. The City Lord has the authority to make their lives difficult."


    "He wouldn''t dare touch my family!" Murong Yue snapped, fury surging again.


    Zhuge Liang''s expression remained polite. “Miss Murong, I said he has the authority. I did not say he would use it recklessly."


    "You''re threatening me."


    "I am describing consequences."


    "My father is respected in this city!"


    “Yes,” Zhuge Liang agreed. “Which is precisely why it would be unfortunate if


    sudden tax audits began."


    Murong Yue stiffened.


    "You wouldn''t-"


    "City infrastructure inspections," Zhuge Liang continued calmly. "Land reassessments. Merchant licensing reviews. Mortals have so many fragile procedures."


    Murong Yue stared at him in disbelief. "You fight like this? With paperwork?"


    Zhuge Liang gave a small smile. “Miss Murong... swords are loud."


    He gestured lightly toward the city behind him. "Records are quieter.”


    "Miss Murong," Zhuge Liang said evenly, "Immortals do not interfere with mortal lives. If you involve yourself in this matter further, you will be crossing a taboo." He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in.


    "I believe the Wudang Sect would view this as a vition of disciple conduct. At best, you would be reprimanded. At worst, you could be expelled from the Wudang Sect."


    At once, the faces of all five Immortals present drained of color.


    They had received strict orders: Immortals could aid mortals, uphold justice—but never harm mortals or create chaos among them.


    Murong Yue''s face flushed crimson, humiliation and rage twisting together.


    "You dare lecture me about the Wudang Sect?" Murong Yue spat. "You are a mortal!"


    "Correct," Zhuge Liang said mildly. "Which is why I have read your sect''s discipline handbook very carefully."


    Her senior''s expression shifted slightly.


    "You think you understand our rules?”


    "I understand enough," Zhuge Liang replied. "Immortals may uphold justice."


    He met her gaze evenly.


    “But not create chaos over a rejected proposal."


    A ripple of tension passed through herpanions.


    Murong Yue''s jaw tightened. "This is not about a proposal."


    "Of course," Zhuge Liang said smoothly. "It is about dignity."


    "Yes!"


    "And dignity," he continued calmly, "is not improved by ughtering me and these


    gate guards."


    Murong Yue coughed awkwardly.


    "You''re twisting things!" she shouted.


    “No,” Zhuge Liang replied gently. “I am untwisting them.”


    Murong Yue and her friends fell into stunned silence.


    Zhuge Liang bowed deeply once more. "I apologize if I have overstepped."


    Then he straightened and calmly took out a talisman.


    "This talisman was given to the City Lord by the Pure Snow Sword Maiden Li Qingxue," he said. “She


    made it clear if anyone dates to cause trouble for the City Lord, he is free to inform Immortal Li-directly."


    All five faces turned deathly pale.


    "Pure Snow Sword Maiden, Li Qingxue? Impossible," Murong Yue said, her voice breaking for the first time.


    Li Qingxue was a Core Disciple of the Wudang Sect-legendary for her beauty and her upromising sense of justice. Her name alone carried weight.


    For people like Murong Yue-mere Outer Disciples-Li Qingxue was untouchable. Someone who existed far above them.


    If Li Qingxue ever learned that Murong Yue had been stirring up trouble among


    mortals...


    All five of them could be expelled from the Wudang Sect.


    And that wasn''t even counting the massive donations their families had poured in


    just to secure their ces in the sect.


    "We mortals do not wish to interfere


    in Immortal affairs," Zhuge Liang said calmly. "You may ask anyone


    present who ced Bai Xiain


    the City Lord position. It was Snow Sword Maiden, Li Qingxue.


    Ask anyone here."


    The five Immortals stiffened, shock shing across their faces.


    Without another word, Zhuge Liang stepped back through the gate. The heavy doors swung shut with a deep, final thud.


    Murong Yue stood there, frozen, her mind in chaos.


    Then one of her friends spoke, voice tight with disbelief. "No wonder Bai Xiaochun


    dared to act so arrogant... and dared to reject you. So that''s it. He has backing. Pure Snow Sword Maiden, Li Qingxue."


    Her eyes widened. "Damn it. What kind of rtionship do they have?"


    Another disciple turned sharply toward the nearby crowd. "Youe here," he demanded, pointing at a bystander.


    “Is it true that Pure Snow Sword Maiden, Li Qingxue appointed Bai Xiaochun as City


    Lord?"


    The man stepped forward eagerly, eyes gleaming with excitement. "Sir, you''ve


    asked the right person. I know this well."


    He lowered his voice, leaning in conspiratorially. "About two weeks ago, I rushed to the City Lord''s residence with several others. And


    you know what I saw. Pure Snow Sword Maiden, Li Qingxue, standing right outside the City Lord''s private room."


    He pped his chest. “I swear it. They must have a special rtionship. Lovers,


    maybe! That''s why Bai Xi was forced to step down, and Bai Xiaochun was restored as City Lord."


    “Lovers?” All five of them gasped in unison.


    "Pure Snow Sword Maiden, Li Qingxue," one muttered in disbelief. "The pride of the


    Wudang Sect. The most beautiful woman in Wudang. One of the eight great beauties of all Xia."


    "You''re sure?” another asked sharply.


    "Of course I''m sure,” the man said confidently. "Go ask around. Every tavern and


    restaurant is already buzzing with it. Everyone says Pure Snow Sword Maiden is protecting Bai Xiaochun. They are lover!"


    He sighed dramatically. "Heaven truly has no eyes. How could trash like Bai Xiaochun have such ridiculous luck? But well, they also maybe already share a room."


    None of the five dared to act further.


    One by one, they turned and left.


    When they returned to the Wudang Sect, they spread the gossip like wildfire—


    whispered in halls, murmured in courtyards, repeated over tea and wine.


    Until, eventually, it reached the ears of Pure Snow Sword Maiden, Li Qingxue... and


    her friends.


    "Senior Li ! Urgent news!" one junior disciple rushed into the courtyard.


    Li Qingxue did not look up. "If this is about sect rations again, speak to the quartermaster."


    "It''s not rations. It''s romance."


    That made three disciples freeze.


    "...Exin," someone said tly.


    The junior swallowed. "There are rumors in Qingshui City. They say you personally


    appointed Bai Xiaochun as City Lord."


    Silence.


    "And?" one friend asked.


    "And... they say you were seen outside his private room."


    Another pause.


    "And?" Li Qingxue said calmly.


    The junior braced himself. "They say you''re lovers."


    The courtyard went still.


    One of her friends blinked slowly. "Lovers."


    Another tilted her head. "With Bai Xiaochun."


    A third looked genuinely confused. "Which Bai Xiaochun? The one known as ''Most


    Pathetic Mortal in Qingshui''?"


    "The same."


    A long silence.


    Then one friend sighed. “I see.”


    The junior swallowed. "You... see?"


    "Yes," she said coldly. “He is asking for death."