Young Noble Be Monster Slaying

Chapter 768: Mother

After Chu Liang left, Xue Lingxue, Tie Chui, and the others did not simply sit around waiting in the courtyard.

They were top-tier disciples of prestigious immortal sects, each possessing formidable cultivation. If not for being compared to prodigies like Yang Shenlong, Chu Liang, and Xu Ziyang—who had stepped into the seventh realm ahead of their peers—they would still be considered powerful cultivators in their own right. At its core, this matter was Xue Lingxue’s problem. Chu Liang had only offered his help, and she had no intention of relying on him completely.

According to the information provided by Hu Sanlang, the fake Xue Lingxue was now staying at a temporary lodging that the Flower Pavilion had prepared for her.

They all planned to head over there and investigate.

The impostor had appeared twice before, vanishing without a trace both times. This time, however, she had a place to stay. Even if they couldn’t capture her, they might at least uncover some clues.

Lin Bei hesitated slightly. "Chu Liang has already gone to the palace to investigate. I trust he’ll get to the bottom of this. If we act recklessly and end up running into Jing Wuya, then what?"

He had absolute faith in Chu Liang. After working alongside him for so long, he knew one thing for certain. When faced with a crisis, the best course of action was often to sit tight and let Chu Liang handle everything.

Acting rashly could cause more harm than good.

Lin Bei's understanding of clinging to a powerful ally was ingrained deep in his bones.

"He could be in danger at any moment in the palace. If we can uncover the impostor’s identity, we can call for reinforcements to suppress Jing Wuya," Xue Lingxue reasoned. "That way, he can get out of there sooner."

"You’re right!" Tie Chui, never one to sit still, agreed enthusiastically. "Let’s storm the place! Best case, we catch that fake Xue Lingxue red-handed!"

Hu Sanlang said, "I’ll lead you guys there."

Having gathered the intelligence himself and being the most familiar with the City of Azure Waves, he was eager to contribute—especially after all the help Chu Liang had given him.

Seeing this, Han Lingshou quickly said, "If Miss Xue is going, then I’ll go too."

Lin Bei shot him a look and rolled his eyes. "Go where? You can’t even relieve yourself in a back alley without looking over your shoulder. Just stay put and behave."

The Royal Wave Bureau had locked down the entire city. While the others could still move around freely, Han Lingshou’s face was far too recognizable. Without Chu Liang’s level of cultivation, he wouldn’t make it more than a few steps before getting arrested.

"In that case, Young Hero Lin Bei, you can stay here with His Majesty and wait for our return," Xue Lingxue said as she rose to her feet.

Tie Chui immediately stood up to accompany her, while Hu Sanlang gave Han Lingshou a respectful bow before leading the way.

"Miss Xue, please be careful!" Han Lingshou called out loudly. "If you run into danger, just call my name! In the City of Azure Waves, I still—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Xue Lingxue’s indifferent silhouette had already vanished beyond the doorway.

"Haaaaaa..." Han Lingshou let out a long sigh and murmured, "I offered my heart, only for it to be washed away like water... Loving her is even sadder than never loving her at all..."

Lin Bei, watching from the side, said. "Your Majesty seems to have deep feelings for Miss Xue."

"Yes," Han Lingshou said with a nod. "I have over seven hundred concubines in my palace, yet not one of them can compare to even half of Miss Xue..."

Well, then. If this isn't true love, what could be considered true love?

Hearing this, Lin Bei’s eyes lit up as if he had found a kindred spirit. "If you’re also someone who knows the depths of devotion, then we’ll have plenty to talk about."

...

The fake Xue Lingxue was staying in a garden residence arranged by the Flower Pavilion, nestled against the mountains. It was even more luxurious than the place where Chu Liang and his group were staying. The surroundings were tranquil, with lush greenery enveloping the courtyard.

Across the street, Tie Chui and the others hid in a corner, quietly observing the residence.

"We don’t know if she’s inside, but it’s worth a try," Xue Lingxue said.

"The garden is huge. Sneaking in shouldn’t be too difficult. Let me find the best entry point..." Tie Chui murmured, scanning the surroundings with her divine sense.

"No need for all that trouble."

Xue Lingxue shook her head, casually pulled off the white veil covering her face, and strode forward openly.

Tie Chui hurried after her, while Hu Sanlang pulled his hood tighter and followed closely behind.

Two muscular guards stood at the entrance of the courtyard. At the sight of Xue Lingxue, they froze in surprise. "Miss Xue?"

So the impostor hasn’t left yet, Xue Lingxue thought. She gave a slight nod and replied, "Mm, thank you for your hard work."

With that, she stepped past them and entered the courtyard.

The two guards exchanged confused glances. "When did she leave?"

"Maybe she went out to meet a friend. Those two with her have been here before, haven’t they?"

"..."

When Xue Lingxue entered the residence, she spread her divine sense out to the entire garden. Fortunately, she didn’t take a wrong turn. The three of them continued smoothly and soon arrived in the room where the fake Xue Lingxue was staying.

The moment they pushed open the door, a faint yet unusual fragrance drifted toward them.

There was no one inside. The room was clean and tidy, with only the lingering scent left behind.

"It's Harmonic Fragrance," Xue Lingxue said.

Tie Chui added, "Indeed. This formula is exclusive to the South Melody Conservatory."

It seemed that the impostor was indeed an insider from the South Melody Conservatory, or at the very least, someone closely connected to it.

Harmonic Fragrance was a special incense crafted by the conservatory, designed to help musicians attune themselves to the Great Dao of Music. It was like the Fragrance of Enlightenment but exclusively used for musicians. Outsiders were unlikely to even know of its existence, let alone possess it.

Yet, aside from this, they found nothing else.

As with the previous two times, the fake Xue Lingxue had vanished without a trace the moment the performance ended. Had they arrived any later, even the lingering scent of the incense would have dissipated beyond detection.

The three of them sighed in frustration and were about to leave when hurried footsteps suddenly approached.

A voice called out from outside, "Miss Xue! A decree has arrived from the palace. His Majesty invites you to the palace!"

"Hmm?" The three exchanged glances and each of them pondered for a bit.

By their calculations, Chu Liang should have already infiltrated Fuyou Palace. Was this decree his doing? A ploy to lure the fake Xue Lingxue into the palace at this precise moment?

But the impostor had already fled. If the goal was to summon her, then what was the point now?

Unless... Chu Liang hadn’t succeeded yet. If this decree came from the fake king, then there might be some secret connection between him and the fake Xue Lingxue. If both of them were disguises created by Jing Wuya using the Mirror of Captured Light, then there was a chance that both the fake Xue Lingxue and the fake king knew each other to a certain extent.

If that were the case, then this trip might be worth taking.

With this thought in mind, Xue Lingxue responded, "Coming."

When she stepped out of the courtyard, she found a carriage already waiting to take her to the palace. On their way over, the palace attendants had been worried that the disciple of the South Melody Conservatory might be indifferent and refuse the invitation. But now, it seemed she was not as cold and distant as rumored.

The three of them rode together in the carriage and soon arrived at Fuyou Palace.

Passing through layers of enchanted formations and guards, they eventually reached the area near the bedchamber, which felt noticeably more spacious. This was due to a prior decree from the fake king, forbidding the guards from staying too close to the courtyard.

At the entrance to the bedchamber, Hu Sanlang and Tie Chui were instructed to wait outside, while Xue Lingxue had to enter alone.

Right in front of the palace guards, Tie Chui raised her voice and declared, "Lingxue, if anything happens, just call out and I’ll charge in and rescue you immediately!"

The surrounding guards tensed up. Given what they knew about their king, they couldn’t be sure how likely it was that Tie Chui would actually need to storm in and save her.

Xue Lingxue knocked on the bedchamber doors. When they opened, she stepped inside and found a man seated at the desk. The man looked identical to Han Lingshou. Their gazes met, both filled with unspoken suspicion.

The impostor king gestured to the chair in front of him and said, "Take a seat."

Xue Lingxue sat down, carefully observing the man before her, trying to determine whether he was actually Chu Liang. She hesitated for a moment before deciding to test him.

She knew he was an impostor, but which one? If he was Chu Liang, she could reveal her true identity. But if he was the fake king, she needed to convince him that she was the fake Xue Lingxue.

After quickly working through the logic, she took the initiative and asked, "Your Majesty, why have you summoned me?"

"I simply wished for a chance to meet you," the fake Han Lingshou replied smoothly, not revealing a single clue of who he truly was.

At this point, Xue Lingxue decided to reveal something that only she and Chu Liang would know. That way, she could instantly confirm his identity.

So, she asked, "Your Majesty, you are known for your love of guqin. Have you ever heard my best performance piece, 'The Benevolent Melody of Restoration'?"

"The Benevolent Melody of Restoration" was a composition with a healing effect. Disciples of the South Melody Conservatory rarely performed it, but when Xue Lingxue first met Chu Liang in South Gate City, she had played it to save his life.

If he recognized it, he would understand the hidden message.

Sure enough, the fake Han Lingshou's lips curled into a knowing smile before he let out a soft chuckle.

"Haha, of course I've heard it... Mother."