The Ninth Lady is a rebellious person.

Chapter 541 A scheme specifically designed for her
The jealousy in Dao Jicang's eyes was almost overflowing. He coughed up two mouthfuls of dark blood and stared intently at Lang Jiuchuan.

"Impossible! You've merely been reborn into this world. Even in your previous life, you only cultivated for a mere ten years or so. How could you possess such power?!" His voice was hoarse, filled with resentment. "What secret techniques did His Majesty teach you? Why? I've followed him since childhood, serving him diligently for a hundred years, managing the Canglan Temple with thriving incense offerings, making him revered like a god. Yet I don't even qualify to be his personal disciple. Why were you his personal disciple from the very beginning, receiving the most core teachings? Why? Just because my talent is inferior to yours?"

He roared like a madman, the jealousy in his eyes almost tangible, coiling around Lang Jiuchuan like a venomous snake. His expression and tone perfectly portrayed the image of a frustrated person who was psychologically unbalanced due to inferior talent and unfair treatment.

Lang Jiuchuan raised an eyebrow as he watched his crazed state. He had mentioned his past life and being reborn, so Lang Jiuchuan had already guessed who he was.

No wonder something seems off. The abbot of Canglan Temple is already a hundred years old, with his experience and knowledge, yet he's behaving like a senile fool. This doesn't fit his image or status.

Most importantly, Canglan Temple was founded by that old fox, the Grand Preceptor. Even if this temple wasn't the most important to him, it enshrined his golden statue, which could bring him a continuous source of faith and power. The abbot in charge of the temple's affairs could have a lower level of cultivation, but he couldn't be without intelligence.

Dao Jicang was entrusted with an important task by the Imperial Preceptor and was stationed here. How could he be such a shallow-minded fool who was easily swayed by emotions? He had been cultivating for a hundred years. Even if his talent was not as good as hers, his mental state should not be so easily defeated.

And his jealousy, though seemingly genuine, was too deliberate and superficial.

The jealousy and resentment he displayed were more like those of a wronged child who couldn't get candy or praise.

It's so divisive!

They seemed to be trying to guide her towards the script they had arranged, haha.

Lang Jiuchuan immediately thought of the veil of gloom in Wen Yue's children's palace. Apart from the initial misjudgment based on her appearance, if one were to actually deduce the child's birth date and time, although there would be twists and turns in the process, it wouldn't be impossible to completely deduce whether the child was alive or dead, right?

She first analyzed Wen Yue's birth chart, and then discovered the existence of her daughter. It all seemed too easy. What was even easier was that, following that layer of numerology, she tracked them down to this place.

Canglan Temple is an important territory for the old fox; is this all the defenses have to offer? Impossible. And Dao Jicang's timely appearance just now seems more like a pre-arranged, meticulously planned play.

A terrifying thought struck like a bucket of ice water: this whole thing might have been a setup from beginning to end!

A scheme specifically set up for her, Lang Jiuchuan!

What a show!
The purpose of Dao Jicang's performance was to lull her into a false sense of security, mislead her, make her underestimate their enemy, and thus lower her guard against them, or perhaps, to fool her from beginning to end.
Lang Jiuchuan laughed, but the smile didn't reach his eyes; as expected of him.

Her gaze instantly sharpened like a knife, as if to scrape off the layer of his disguise and look straight into the depths of his soul: "As expected of a disciple who has followed Tantai Qing to cultivate Taoist magic since childhood, you haven't learned anything else, but you have learned how to wear a mask. Your acting was not bad. It's a pity that you overdid it a bit."

Dao Jicang's twisted expression of jealousy froze instantly, a hint of shock flashing across his face, but he quickly regained his composure: "What nonsense are you spouting? The victor is king, the loser is a bandit. Kill me if you want, but don't humiliate me!"

"Kill you? You lured me into a trap so I could kill you? We're all not fools; continuing this act would be a waste of energy." Lang Jiuchuan asked coldly, "Where is that child born with the destiny of a phoenix?" Dao Jicang's pupils contracted. After a long while, he stood up, clutching his chest, and chuckled, "As expected of the disciple Your Majesty regards as your personal disciple, his intelligence is indeed extraordinary. To have such strength at such a young age is truly unparalleled."

His last words were almost squeezed out between his teeth, his tone barely concealing envy. Who wouldn't want such talent?

If he had such talent back then, wouldn't he have been His Majesty's personal disciple long ago, serving by his side, instead of just managing the affairs of this temple?
Sure enough.

Lang Jiuchuan felt an even greater chill in her heart. That old monster Tantai Qing had indeed set a trap for her. Did it start with taking away the child, or did he later tamper with Wen Yue's place to lure her into discovering it?

Regardless of when this scheme was set up, she followed his instructions step by step and entered into it.

"Indeed, we shouldn't underestimate you." She lowered her eyes and said mockingly.

Lang Jiuchuan looked at Dao Jicang and mocked, "Look at you grinding your teeth. Your jealousy isn't just an act; you're genuinely jealous of me. Are you jealous of my status as his direct disciple, or of my talent, that I've received his true teachings? Both, right? It's pathetic. You're just resentful, and all you can do is put on this show to vent your resentment that's been building up for a hundred years, isn't that right?"

Dao Jicang's face changed, his breathing became heavy, and he looked embarrassed as if his secret had been exposed. His eyes were gloomy, but he was not provoked by her. Instead, he angrily rebuked her: "It is your good fortune to be made a personal disciple by the Venerable One. How dare you disregard the bond between master and disciple? Now that you have been reborn, why don't you go and pay your respects to the Venerable One... uh uh."

What a loyal disciple!

Lang Jiuchuan teleported, appearing before him in a flash. She grabbed his throat, her hand churning his throat until it cracked. Her eyes were bloodshot as she said, "Worship him? He doesn't deserve it! But don't worry, I will see him again, and I will kill him, just as he killed me!"

Dao Jicang's pupils contracted sharply. He tried to use his spiritual power to resist, but he forgot that the Xuanming True Qi she had used on him had frozen his spiritual power. This was something he had not anticipated about her strength, which was why he suffered such a great loss. He guessed that even the Venerable One was unaware that her strength had greatly increased.

Right now, the hand gripping his throat tightened even more; she wanted to kill him!

Dao Jicang grinned, a cold glint in his eyes, and grabbed her hands, saying haltingly, "Kill...me, and she...will die too!"

What do you mean?
Lang Jiuchuan immediately looked into the door of the Jingsi Daoshe, where she seemed to hear a faint crying sound. At that moment, Jiang Che, who had sneaked in at some unknown time, shouted in her mind, "We found the child! What happened? She's about to die!"

Something flashed through her mind, and she immediately released her grip on his throat, asking, "What did you do?"

Dao Jicang coughed violently, his throat hoarse from the injury, and grinned sinisterly: "You're so clever, guess!"

(End of this chapter)