Three punches shattered the demonic soul, young hero, I'm an honest man!

Meanwhile, inside the Northern Garrison Command.

Yan Xiugang has just returned from Huaizhou after capturing a demonic cultivator.

The bloodstains on his dark flying fish robe were not yet completely dry, and he looked travel-worn.

Carrying the lingering dust and murderous aura, Yan Xiu walked swiftly, his face ashen, heading straight for Luo Qingyi's residence.

"Bang!"

With a muffled thud, Yan Xiu slammed a stack of files onto Luo Qingyi's long pearwood desk.

The papers scattered, like startled butterflies.

"Luo Qingyi!"

Yan Xiu's voice was filled with suppressed anger.

"How do you explain all this?!"

Luo Qingyi was reviewing documents when she heard the sound and looked up.

Her gaze was calm and undisturbed, without the slightest ripple.

"Why do you say that, Lord Yan?"

Luo Qingyi's voice was calm and indifferent, revealing no emotion.

"Could it be that there's something amiss with my own files?"

Yan Xiu let out a cold snort, his nostrils flaring.

"inappropriate?"

"Hmph! Luo Qingyi, do you really think I'm so old and blind that I can't see anything?"

Yan Xiu extended his thin but powerful fingers.

They went through the case files one by one the seemingly unreasonable personnel transfers and abnormal resource allocations.

And certain covert agents of the Northern Garrison Command who are not openly related to the "Candle Shadow Sect" case, but are unusually active in the shadows.

With each point Yan Xiu made, his tone grew heavier, and the anger in his eyes intensified.

"These clues connect... Luo Qingyi, what exactly are you plotting?!"

Yan Xiu stared intently at Luo Qingyi, trying to discern some clues from her calm, unwavering eyes.

Luo Qingyi finally put down the wolf-hair calligraphy brush in her hand.

"Lord Yan is overthinking it."

"These are just precautions to deal with any potential villains lurking in the capital."

Upon hearing this, Yan Xiu was so angry that he laughed instead.

"Does a petty scoundrel need you to use such hidden power, even going so far as to bypass the regular procedures of the Northern Garrison?"

"Luo Qingyi, we've worked together for many years, I know your methods very well!"

"Some things, it's already a matter of courtesy to see through them but not say them out loud," Yan Xiu said in a deep voice.

Luo Qingyi sighed softly and slowly got up from the chair.

Walking to the window and looking at the gray sky outside, I finally stopped denying it.

"Since Lord Yan has already seen through some clues, I no longer need to hide it from you."

She turned around and calmly met Yan Xiu's gaze.

"Lord Yan, in some chess games, the observer does not necessarily need to know the meaning behind every move."

Yan Xiu's pupils suddenly contracted.

Although the full scope of Luo Qingyi's plan is unknown.

However, even from the existing clues, he could tell that the plan had far-reaching implications and its risks were far greater than imagined!

"Do you realize that if you're not careful, this move could lead to utter ruin!"

Yan Xiu's voice trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly.

"This could implicate the entire Northern Garrison Command, and even threaten the safety of the capital!"

Luo Qingyi's tone, however, was unusually firm, carrying an unquestionable resolve.

"This matter is none of Lord Yan's concern."

Yan Xiu was deeply shocked upon hearing this.

What allowed Luo Qingyi to act so freely, without having to reveal everything to him, a fellow commander of the same rank...

Throughout the entire Great Ying Immortal Dynasty, there were very few people with this power who were also closely connected to the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Could it be... the Commander's intention?

Or perhaps, it comes from the will of the innermost nine palaces?

The thought of the possibility that made his heart pound turned Yan Xiu's face ashen.

With a sudden flick of his sleeve, he turned and walked out.

"Nonsense! Absolutely nonsense!"

"You're playing with fire!"

The aged voice was filled with worry about an uncontrollable future.

The door slammed shut, the echo reverberating in the empty public housing.

Luo Qingyi watched Yan Xiu leave angrily, a complex emotion that went unnoticed by anyone flashing across her deep phoenix eyes.

With a soft sigh, Luo Qingyi murmured to herself.

"Some moves have to be made; some risks have to be taken."

She knew that Yan Xiu's concerns were not unfounded.

But the arrow was already on the bowstring, and it had to be released.

The public housing returned to silence.

A moment later, a fiery red shadow darted in as nimbly as a kitten.

In the blink of an eye, they were behind Luo Qingyi.

The person who came was a little girl in red.

She had a petite figure, a pair of bright, lively eyes that darted around, and a short blade tied to her waist that seemed somewhat out of place with her vivacious nature.

"Lord Luo~"

Chu Huanzhuo drew out his words and slammed a file on the table.

His tone carried a hint of elation, as if he were taking credit for something.

"Your beloved Candle Shadow Sect, well, you've gotten a glimpse of its true nature!"

Luo Qingyi took the secret report, her slender fingers turning the pages carefully.

Although Chu Huanzhuo is usually somewhat playful and unserious, he is always extremely efficient and his intelligence is very accurate.

This intelligence report was precise and ruthless, and it did indeed uncover traces of the Candle Shadow Sect's infiltrative activities that were difficult for the Northern Garrison to access through regular channels.

It even involved some unexpected figures.

As Luo Qingyi read, a faint smile appeared at the corner of her mouth, and she shook her head.

"That kid Pei Yun has become increasingly lazy lately."

"I asked him to investigate the Candle Shadow Sect, but instead he was either indulging in sensual pleasures or flirting with other women outside. He didn't seem to get much done on important matters."

Her tone was a mix of reproach and resentment, yet it also carried a subtle hint of indulgence.

"It's all thanks to Huanzhuo's help with this little bit of stuff."

"However, we can't entirely blame him."

Luo Qingyi changed the subject.

"The Candle Shadow Sect operates in secrecy, and the amount of useful information that can be unearthed from the entire Northern Garrison Command is indeed very limited."

Chu Huanzhu blinked her big eyes, listening to Luo Qingyi mutter about Pei Yun, and couldn't help but smile.

"Lord Luo, the way you keep mentioning 'Pei Yun,' 'Pei Yun,' makes it sound like you're longing for your lover!"

"Or perhaps, did Commander Pei use some kind of spell on you?"

Chu Huanzhuo leaned closer, lowered his voice, and gave a mischievous smile.

Luo Qingyi glanced at her.

"You have no manners. If you keep talking nonsense, I'll send you to the southern border."

Chu Huanzhu chuckled, completely unconcerned, and instead began to count on her fingers.

"Look at this! You're giving him cultivation techniques and tokens. Tsk tsk, how much good fortune did Commander Pei do in his past life to earn such favor from you?"

"Besides being handsome and having a good-looking appearance, what's so special about Pei Yun? Is he worth your utmost care?"

"You don't seem like the type to put all your eggs in one basket."

Upon hearing this, Luo Qingyi smiled gently.

"Huanzhuo, there are indeed reasons why I value Pei Yun."

"He deserves my high regard."

"As for why..."

Luo Qingyi shook her head and did not offer any further explanation.

Pei Yun's special qualities are indeed not something that ordinary people can easily see.

Some secrets are better left hidden.

Luo Qingyi paused for a moment, then continued, "However, you are wrong about one thing."

"While I value Pei Yun's abilities, I am not placing all my hopes on him."

"His ability is one aspect..."

A profound meaning flashed in Luo Qingyi's eyes.

"On the other hand, I also used him as 'bait' to attract the attention of the Holy Maiden of Candlelight."

"After all, that Holy Maiden is so proud and arrogant."

"A year ago, I had planned this for a long time, but I never expected that I would be defeated by a mere centurion in her eyes."

"Not only is this centurion alive and well, but the foundation he himself destroyed has been restored to its original state."

"I don't believe that the Holy Maiden of Candlelight can remain unmoved by this."

"If she spares even a fraction of her attention for Pei Yun, I will have already achieved half of my goal."

Upon hearing this, Chu Huanzhuo clapped his hands as if he had just realized something.

"So, you're playing a grand game here, keeping it all from a poor little thing like me."

"You really made me think you had some ulterior motive towards that Commander Pei! I thought you were about to have a sudden, unexpected romance!"

Luo Qingyi's eyes twitched.

I'm thinking of sending this little girl to the southern border!

Chu Huanzhuo's gaze was intense.

Although she was a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, she was not subject to the orders of the Northern Garrison Command and was loyal only to Luo Qingyi.

Even her trusted confidante was completely unaware that Lord Luo had such profound considerations!

All she knew was that since returning to the capital, Lord Luo had devoted himself to investigating the Candle Yin Sect, secretly laying down countless pawns.

These chess pieces are not all laid out in the open.

Their investigation direction was quite different from the usual investigative methods of the Northern Garrison Command.

More secretive, and more dangerous.

The forces it mobilized covered a wide range of areas.

Even Yan Xiu, who was also a garrison commander, probably only vaguely sensed the tip of the iceberg.

Perhaps the only person within the entire Northern Garrison Command who could see the full picture of Lord Luo's plan was that elusive Commander.

Even Yan Xiu, a high-ranking official who was also a garrison commander, could only vaguely sense some unusual undercurrents based on his years of experience.

As for the lower-ranking officers and their subordinates, they knew nothing about what Luo Qingyi was really planning to do.

Luo Qingyi continued to peruse the secret report presented by Chu Huanzhuo.

However, when her gaze fell upon a location called "Yingyuexi" in the secret report, she paused almost imperceptibly as she flipped through it.

Chu Huanzhuo, with her sharp eyes, immediately moved closer.

"Lord Luo, is there something amiss with this intelligence report?"

"Or... is it related to that womanizing Commander Pei again?"

She knew that what could stir Luo Qingyi's emotions was no ordinary matter.

Luo Qingyi closed the secret report and lightly tapped her forehead with annoyance.

"What kind of nonsense is going on in that little head of yours all day long?"

Luo Qingyi stood up, adjusted her dark unicorn-patterned robe, and the sleeves fluttered even without wind.

I'm going out for a bit.

"You, keep a close eye on those lines, and don't cause any trouble, you hear me?"

Although Chu Huanzhuo had some doubts, she did not ask any further questions.

Chu Huanzhuo covered his forehead, made a face, and then grinned mischievously.

"Yes, sir! I guarantee I'll handle things perfectly."