Zheng Xie stood at the grand entrance of the ancestral pavilion, a gentle breeze tugging at his robes as he greeted each guest with the grace of a seasoned master of etiquette.
His smile was serene, his posture impeccable. In his hands were freshly bloomed flowers—White Tears of Dawn, an exceedingly rare spirit flora known to bloom only once every decade atop Serene Flora Mountain. Their fragrance was gentle, pure, and carried faint traces of spiritual qi that could calm the mind.
He presented these flowers—one by one—to every visitor arriving for the grand ceremony.
With an elegant bow and unwavering composure, he placed each stem into the hands of nobles, cultivators, merchants, and servants alike. Whether they were emperors or errand boys, he offered them the same degree of respect. It was an act so genuine and graceful that many momentarily forgot the mountain of rumors surrounding him.
The Central Continent had gathered en masse today to celebrate the formal succession of Zheng Shuheng as the Heir of the Zheng Clan.
Not just any family—but one of the Four Pillars of the Verdant Lotus Plain.
And so, the powerful arrived in droves.
The great Families—Chu, Du, and Xuan—had sent not only their finest representatives, but their Patriarchs and Matriarchs in person. Their presence alone signified how tightly interwoven their fates were with the Zheng family.
Yet even that wasn't the full extent of this gathering.
From the sectarian world came thunderous names:
—Profound Sword Sect, sharp and ancient.
—Blazing Fist Sect, brimming with aggressive heat.
—Mist Flow Sect, elusive and veiled.
—The Great Saber Sect, militant and blood-soaked.
—Moonveil Palace, mysterious and dangerously alluring.
The prestige that surrounded the Zheng family was suffocating, like a mountain of gold crushing the common man. And Zheng Shuheng—that ever-diligent brother of his—was set to inherit it all.
Yet strangely, amidst this torrential sea of influence, none of Zheng Shuheng's siblings looked envious.
Not even the faintest ripple of dissatisfaction crossed their faces.
The only ones who seemed nervous… were the other family members, the outer branches, the opportunists and schemers who had long sought cracks to crawl through.
And Zheng Xie? He finished his long ritual of greeting guests with the same serene expression from the first bow to the last.
Afterward, he retreated from the loud halls and into the quieter quarters. There, he met the servants. But Zheng Xie offered them the same white-petaled gifts. Some resisted, trembling and murmuring apologies. But with gentle persuasion, his calm words and warm voice disarmed them.
In the end, even the lowest-ranking cleaners of the pavilion found their trembling fingers holding a rare bloom.
He wiped the sweat from his brow, exhaled deeply, and muttered beneath his breath, "Finally… That should be everyone."
His voice contained the exhaustion of greeting every single person present in the gathering.
"Greeting everyone really is a hassle," he sighed, rubbing his temples. "But it's over. For now, at least."
Just then, a bloated figure waddled toward him.
His robes were glistened as if they were soaked in oil, and his smile oozed something far stickier than honey.
"Ah, Young Master Zheng," the man said, voice full of cheer. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you! I'm Ju Jiang—just a humble merchant. Forgive the intrusion, but I had a small question that's been burning in my mind. Do you have a moment to indulge a curious old man?"
Zheng Xie turned slowly, his crimson eyes narrowing faintly before softening with his usual smile. His voice took on a silky, hospitable tone. "Of course, Mr. Ju. I am merely a host today. It is my honor to fulfill the needs of our guests. Ask what you wish."
Ju Jiang chuckled, his jowls shaking as he rubbed his greasy palms together.
"It's a trivial thing, I assure you… merely idle curiosity. Not just mine, you see—many others share this thought."
He leaned in, lowering his voice slightly.
"Are you truly content with this outcome?"
Zheng Xie tilted his head slightly, expression unreadable. "I'm afraid you'll need to be more direct."
Ju Jiang grinned knowingly. "What I mean is… with your elder brother becoming the heir… don't you feel the slightest dissatisfaction? You two are close, I know. Everyone knows your talents. Some even say you're far more suited than Zheng Shuheng."
Zheng Xie's smile vanished.
"I don't," he said flatly.
The silence that followed was uncomfortable.
Ju Jiang tried to laugh it off. "I understand. Of course, of course. But still, if you ever change your mind… there are many influential parties who would be eager to support you. Some even believe you're the rightful heir."
Zheng Xie remained still. Then, slowly, he took a step forward, clasping his hands behind his back.
"Ah… so it's that kind of conversation."
He leaned in until his lips nearly brushed Ju Jiang's ear.
"Chu family? Xuan family? Or perhaps your little Merchant Alliance? Oh, wait… even the Blazing Fist Sect has been getting antsy lately. And what about Moonveil Palace? That fox Empress must be getting impatient."
Ju Jiang's face turned pale.
Zheng Xie pulled back, stroking his chin with mild amusement. "I must say, it's quite a shame. So many people are trying to wedge a gap between two loving brothers… Alas… how low have people fallen. Truly… pitiable."
Ju Jiang tried to retreat, murmuring, "I… I should be going…"
But a hand clamped down on his shoulder—softly, but unyielding.
Zheng Xie's voice dropped into a whisper. "Ju Jiang… I know everything. Every name. Every meeting. Every single step of your sorry excuse of a plot. If I so wished, your life would end before you took another step."
His smile returned.
"Luckily for you, I have no such intention. Not today. But if I hear another whisper like this…"
His eyes gleamed crimson under the warm light.
"…there won't be enough tael in the Central Continent to buy your corpse a proper burial."
Ju Jiang staggered back, bowing repeatedly before stumbling away.
Zheng Xie sighed once again.
Just then, another voice drifted lazily from behind him, tinged with exaggerated wistfulness.
"Aww~ such a loving younger brother you are. I'm so envious, truly~ makes me want to cry tears of blood."
Zheng Xie's head turned with a sharp jolt, his black robes rustling faintly as he narrowed his eyes over his shoulder.
As expected.
Standing behind him was a man of medium build clad in a flowing purple robe embroidered with playful clouds and peach blossoms. A saber rested diagonally across his back, the handle wrapped in soft red silk.
His short black hair was neatly parted in the middle, and his deep indigo eyes shimmered like spring water beneath moonlight. His face was flawless—no scars, no blemishes, no worldly exhaustion. An ethereal charm clung to him like perfume.
Utterly and ruthlessly handsome.
Casanova.
Zheng Xie turned fully now, a faint mockery in his smirk. "Long time no see, Casanova. I've heard quite a bit about you from Mystic."
Casanova grinned and flicked his fingers through his hair, an unnecessary gesture that somehow still radiated flair. "Oho~ that grumpy fox? Ignore her, Mask. She's always had it out for me. Probably, jealous that I'm more popular than her, and that's not even a competition! Always nitpicking me—'Casanova, why are you flirting with the enemy?' 'Casanova, why are you challenging the Sect Leader's daughter?' Tsk. Like she doesn't have anything better to do with her time."
Zheng Xie chuckled, brushing invisible dust off his sleeve. "You know she'd skin you alive if she heard you badmouthing her. And I'll be sure to pass along your message in the exact tone you just used."
Casanova froze. "What?!"
He lunged forward, grabbing Zheng Xie's shoulders and shaking him vigorously. "What kind of partner are you?! You don't sell your comrade out like that! Haven't we been through shared fortune? And challenges? Like that incident with the widow in South Serpent City?! Brotherhood, Mask, brotherhood!"
Zheng Xie rolled his eyes, entirely unshaken by the dramatics. "Yeah, yeah… I'll try to keep my mouth shut."
Casanova released him, stepping back with a theatrical sigh and a small pout. "As long as you know."
Zheng Xie gave a half-shrug. "So, what brings you here? Some task from the Leader? Another undercover mission or something random like always?"
Casanova stuck out his tongue. "Blegh, no. I'm free today. Took a break from that nagging 'Fox Empress' and my three junior sisters. They're adorable but clingier than spirit-bound swords. I needed fresh air and less perfume."
Zheng Xie raised a brow. "So… you heard everything."
Casanova scratched the back of his neck, then gave an unrepentant grin. "Bits and pieces. But don't worry, I don't snitch. And please, don't act like you didn't know I was there. Your spiritual sense is always active. If someone eavesdropped on you, I'd wager you wanted that person to hear it—another piece in your web of calculated intent, eh?"
Zheng Xie didn't respond. He merely smiled, calm and unreadable as still water.
Casanova groaned, stretching both arms high with a loud yawn. "Ugh, don't give me that silent, mysterious act. It's creepy when you do it. Anyway, how's life? I heard rumors—big ones. Something about an engagement with that Ling Xue girl? You sly fox, you. I never thought I'd see the day Mask fell to love's blade."
His grin grew impish. "You're after that manual of hers, aren't you? There's no way you'd willingly tie yourself down. You and I, we're the same breed—rogues of the heart. We don't do the love thing!"
Zheng Xie turned away, his black robe fluttering lightly as he faced the moonlit veranda railing. His voice, when he spoke, was low and silky, tinged with a peculiar serenity. "That's your understanding. I, Zheng Xie… can love. I do love. My affection for Ling Xue is not rooted in strategy or benefit. It's a truth that exists beyond gains or losses. She is not a pawn. She is my heart."
Casanova blinked. Then, a slow, impressed whistle escaped his lips. "Wow… incredible. You almost convinced me. You should quit cultivation and become an actor, seriously. Who needs Dao comprehension when you've mastered emotional performance? If I didn't know you like the back of my own handsome hand, I'd have believed every word."
Zheng Xie clicked his tongue in mock disdain. "A toad like you would never understand the sentiments of a swan."
Casanova smirked. "Oh, I see. You've entered the Swan Dao. My apologies, Great Swan Immortal. May I bask in your radiant feathers?"
Zheng Xie remained quiet, but his eye twitched.
Then Casanova's expression shifted, just slightly. He leaned in, and though his tone remained teasing, his words carried a trace of something deeper.
"Jokes aside… I've got news. Might be nothing. Might be everything. Your beloved Ling Xue… she has a pursuer or someone who could be her pursuer."
Zheng Xie's eyes flickered, he stared at Casanova with calm.
Casanova's grin stretched from ear to ear like a fox.
"Have you heard about the so-called Sword Immortal, Li Hao?" he said with a mocking tilt, spinning theatrically in place before stopping with his arms crossed. "Same age as us. But a generational prodigy. The top disciple of the Profound Sword Sect. Rumors say he's reached the Soul Transformation Realm—Unified Soul Stage. And his Dao Comprehension of the Sword has apparently already touched the Expert Stage."
He leaned in, eyes glimmering with mischief and anticipation, waiting for some reaction—an arched brow, a flick of the eye, a twitch of the lip.
But Zheng Xie?
Nothing.
Only a soft exhale, followed by a lazy sigh.
"So?" Zheng Xie murmured, voice smooth as silk. "Is he one of Ling Xue's long-lost childhood friends? Let me guess—now that he's ascended the heavens, he's come to reclaim the girl who he had admired since childhood?"
Casanova's jaw dropped. "That's exactly it!" He pointed at Zheng Xie as if accusing him of reading the plot ahead of time. "The guy has the background, the power, and now the spotlight. If he wanted to, he could whisk Ling Xue away without breaking a sweat."
Zheng tilted his head slightly, his lips curving into a faint, unreadable smile. "And?"
Casanova blinked. "And? What do you mean 'and'?!"
Zheng chuckled lowly, the sound calm but cutting. "What's he going to do? Force her to marry him? Or perhaps force himself on her?"
He gave Casanova a sideways glance. "Someone wearing the robe of virtue can't afford to dirty their sleeves in front of an audience. If she's given the right to choose, I have complete faith she'll choose me. And if he values his esteemed background, he'll know better than to act recklessly."
Casanova's eyes widened. His expression shifted from confusion to disbelief, then horror, then epiphany. He took a sharp step back, pointing an accusatory finger at Zheng Xie.
"You motherfu— You knew about Li Hao, didn't you?! All this time…!" He gritted his teeth, pacing in small circles. "That's why you manipulated Ling Xue for years. It wasn't about slow courting. It was strategy. You laid a trap. You built an entire emotional fortress around her mind! So that when Li Hao finally emerged from his cave of cultivation, it would be too damn late!"
Zheng Xie said nothing. He simply stood with his hands behind his back, eyes distant, his smile never fading.
Casanova ran both hands through his hair and let out a frustrated growl. "Fuck! And to think I thought you wasted all that time trying to court for absolutely nothing. When you could've forced her to marry you. Or coaxed her with a few honeyed words. But no—you spent years crafting the perfect illusion of affection. That's not pursuit, that's fucking… sorcery."
He turned his back and mumbled curses under his breath. Then, spinning back around, he jabbed a thumb at Zheng Xie's chest.
"You're filth, you know that? Absolutely disgusting. A manipulator to your damn core. If you'd been born with better spiritual roots, the world would be groveling at your feet. Thank the heavens you weren't. Just the thought of a full-talented Zheng Xie gives me the shivers."
Zheng Xie rolled his eyes, brushing imaginary dirt off his sleeve. "You're overthinking it. I manipulated her because if I didn't… she wouldn't have agreed to marry me. I had no such grand scheme. It's just… coincidence."
"Oh yeah?" Casanova scoffed. "Then what happened to all that swan talk earlier? All that 'my love is pure' bullshit? You stabbed your own poetry in the heart. Since when is manipulation considered love?"
Zheng Xie's lips twitched. He slowly walked up to Casanova and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Trust me," he said smoothly, his voice like honey laced with venom. "Why would I waste so much time on some Li Hao? I'm not worried about him… not when I have you."
Casanova blinked. "Huh?"
Zheng Xie smiled, eyes twinkling like stars. "My dear friend Casanova… the so-called strongest cultivator of the lower realm. With you around, why would I fear a sword-polishing show-off like Li Hao?"
Casanova scratched his nose with smug pride. "Hmph. Well, I am the best. I suppose your confidence in me is justified. Still, that guy's pretty flashy."
Zheng Xie turned toward the grand hall. "Shall we go? The ceremony's about to start."
Casanova stretched his arms, letting out a lazy yawn. "Yeah, yeah. I suppose I should show my face before one of my junior sisters starts crying again. Or worse, Master 'Fox Empress' finds me and starts lecturing and beating me again."
Zheng Xie raised an eyebrow. "You really need to stop provoking her."
Casanova scoffed. "You try living with an eternally youthful beauty who lectures more than she cultivates. The last time I said she was cute, she broke three of my ribs."
Zheng Xie smirked. "Serves you right. Why were you even trying to compliment her?"
Casanova shrugged as he walked with his hands leaning behind his head. "I'm a beauty connoisseur Zheng Xie, I can't help myself. I like to appreciate beauty when I see it. And it's not like her cutesy attack do any damage~"
Zheng Xie gave him a sideway glance. "Says the guy who had 3 broken ribs."
Casanova put his forefinger on his lips, "Shhh~~"