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

A hundred miles outside the capital, on the banks of Yingyue Creek.

A thin mist, like gauze, enveloped the winding stream.

The stream babbles gently, lapping against the pebbles on the bank.

A woman wearing a large bamboo hat and a raincoat is quietly fishing.

The shadow of the bamboo hat obscured her face, revealing only her beautifully shaped chin.

Beside her was an empty bamboo basket, as if she had been sitting there for a long time without gaining anything.

Its figure appears and disappears in the misty fog, carrying a sense of otherworldly aloofness and mystery, yet seemingly blending into the landscape.

Luo Qingyi appeared gracefully.

She walked slowly, as if strolling leisurely in a garden.

They showed no surprise at the presence of the woman in the bamboo hat.

Luo Qingyi casually waved her hand, and a lush green bamboo by the stream snapped in two on its own.

The branches and leaves fell, transforming into a smooth fishing rod, which landed steadily in her slender, fair hand.

Luo Qingyi sat down not far from the woman in the bamboo hat.

With a casual gesture, he cast the unbaited bamboo hook into the clear stream.

The water rippled slightly, then quickly returned to calm.

A moment later, Luo Qingyi broke the silence, her tone carrying a hint of mockery:

"The Holy Maiden has such refined tastes that she has the leisure to emulate Jiang Ziya here."

The woman in the bamboo hat held the pole without moving her hand, as if she had expected her arrival.

The voice came from under the straw hat, ethereal and melodious, carrying a hint of barely perceptible laughter:

"Isn't Lord Luo the same?"

"Ignoring the mountain of official business at the Northern Garrison Command, you've come to this desolate place, perhaps seeking peace and quiet?"

Luo Qingyi slightly raised her phoenix eyes and looked at the misty stream.

Even the purest places can harbor filth and grime.

"I've only come to see what kind of demons and monsters are lurking beneath this stream."

The woman in the bamboo hat chuckled softly, her voice like jade beads falling onto a plate.

"Lord Luo, are you implying something?"

"I am but a humble village girl from the mountains, and I am not worthy of the title 'demon' or 'monster'."

The woman turned her head slightly, the shadow of her straw hat still obscuring her expression.

Luo Qingyi narrowed her phoenix eyes slightly, a flash of cold light passing through them.

"The saintess knows how to play dumb."

"Your Candle Shadow Sect is stirring up trouble in the capital, do you think I'm blind and deaf?"

"Or does the Holy Maiden believe that by using those fools from the Yongning Xiao Clan, you can deceive everyone and achieve your ulterior motives?"

In his words, he had already ruthlessly torn away the other party's pretense.

The other party's true identity was none other than the Holy Maiden of the Candle Shadow Sect, who had been investigated by the entire Northern Garrison for a long time and had once caused a bloodbath in the Immortal Dynasty!

Upon hearing this, the woman in the bamboo hat let out a silvery laugh, as if she had heard something extremely interesting.

"The intelligence from Governor Luo is indeed as good as its reputation suggests."

A clear, melodious voice, like the warbling of a nightingale, with a hint of playfulness, came from under the straw hat.

"The Xiao family is both bait and a pawn."

"Just like Governor Luo, isn't he also trying to take advantage of this mess to fish for himself?"

Luo Qingyi chuckled lightly: "Likewise."

When she vaguely investigated and sensed the hidden plot of the Holy Maiden of Candlelight.

How could the other party not guess her scheme?

If she weren't so incredibly clever, almost supernatural, the Holy Maiden of Candlelight would probably have been imprisoned in the capital's imperial prison long ago.

Luo Qingyi's gaze shifted and landed on the face of the Holy Maiden of Candlelight, which was hidden by a bamboo hat.

"But it's rather petty of the saintess to hide her true face like this."

Upon hearing this, the Holy Maiden of Candlelight smiled even more broadly.

"Lord Luo is joking."

"With my meager skills, how dare I reveal my true form before you?"

"A woman in blue robes in the capital, with delicate hands, severs immortality."

"Before your 'destiny', immortality is nothing but a mirage, easily severed like smoke."

"So let alone me, how many cultivators in the world would dare to openly show their faces in front of you after offending Commander Luo?"

If the "Imperial Guards" are a sharp blade hanging over the heads of all officials in the Celestial Dynasty...

Luo Qingyi's "life essence" is a sharp blade hanging over the heads of all immortals in the world.

Luo Qingyi's expression was calm.

"You are too modest, Holy Maiden."

"Your manipulation of people's hearts, like embodying your true self, isn't that equally difficult to guard against?"

"But... the Holy Maiden experiences all walks of life over the years, so she must not one day lose her true self and forget who she really is."

The Holy Maiden of Candlelight seemed unconcerned by Luo Qingyi's words and continued to chuckle.

"Life is like a play; only by experiencing it several times can you truly understand its essence."

"Isn't it a bit less enjoyable to see Commander Luo so untouched by worldly affairs?"

The two exchanged words, seemingly calm, but actually harboring hidden wit and sharp wit.

They both knew that the other party was a person of exceptional intelligence, and that ordinary methods would be ineffective.

Today's meeting is merely a prelude to testing each other and figuring out each other's true intentions.

After a moment of silence, the Holy Maiden of Candlelight suddenly changed her tone, taking on a hint of inscrutable meaning:

"We invited Lord Luo here today not only to catch up, but also to give him a 'surprise'."

The Holy Maiden of Candlelight took out a well-sealed scroll from her wide sleeve and handed it to Luo Qingyi from a distance.

"I know that Lord Luo has always kept that incident from eighteen years ago in his heart."

"I am unworthy, but I have managed to find some clues from back then, which may be able to clear up some of the doubts for Governor Luo."

Upon hearing the other party mention "the events of eighteen years ago," Luo Qingyi's gaze narrowed almost imperceptibly.

As for the case file, Luo Qingyi wasn't afraid of the other party using tricks.

Luo Qingyi unfolded the file and carefully read through it.

As her gaze shifted, a subtle yet clearly perceptible change suddenly occurred in the previously calm and even aura surrounding her.

The green bamboo fishing rod in his hand moved automatically even without wind.

The rod tip lightly touched the water's surface, creating ripples that lingered for a long time, startling the fish swimming underwater.

Upon seeing this, the Holy Maiden of Candlelight smiled faintly beneath her bamboo hat.

"It seems that Lord Luo is quite satisfied with this gift."

She knew all too well that Luo Qingyi was obsessed with the events of eighteen years ago, which was practically the only flaw in Luo Qingyi's heart.

The reason she went to such lengths to find this file was because she had accurately predicted Luo Qingyi's obsession with this matter.

Once she obtains this clue that could potentially reveal the truth, given Luo Qingyi's personality, she would never simply shelve it and wait until the turmoil in the capital subsides before investigating it.

She will certainly devote her energy immediately to investigating the matter thoroughly.

As long as she could distract Luo Qingyi, her plan would be free of one of its biggest obstacles.

At that time, in the vast capital city, who will be able to see through her true scheme?

This may seem like a choice, but it is actually a calculated move.

They force you into the game in a straightforward and honest way.

Just then, the fishing rod of the Holy Maiden of Candlelight suddenly sank.

Water splashed everywhere, and a small, silvery fish, about an inch long, broke out of the water, drawing a graceful arc in the air.

The Holy Maiden of Candlelight removed the fish from the hook and gently placed it into the bamboo basket beside her.

Then he gently pushed the bamboo basket containing the lone little fish toward Luo Qingyi.

The Holy Maiden of Candlelight smiled gently, her voice soft:

"This fish is a small token of my appreciation for Lord Luo."

"I hope that both of us can catch the 'big fish' we want in this game of chess."

Before the words were finished, the figure of the Holy Maiden of Candlelight appeared, along with the raincoat she wore and the fishing rod in her hand.

Like wisps of smoke scattered by the wind, it drifted away into the pervasive mist.

It was as if they had never appeared by the stream.

Only the bamboo basket containing the small fish remained, lying quietly at Luo Qingyi's feet.

Luo Qingyi shifted her gaze from the dossier in her hand to the bamboo basket at her feet.

The fish occasionally swayed their tails in the basket, making a soft splash that was particularly clear on the quiet stream bank.

Luo Qingyi suddenly chuckled softly.

The laughter was cool and detached, carrying a hint of self-mockery and a touch of understanding.

This file was indeed extremely important to her.

So even if you know what the other party is planning...

She accepted the offer anyway.

She had previously told Shi Huanqing that "Pei Yun is a pawn that attracts the Holy Maiden of Candlelight".

But that's not actually the whole story...

Because when facing the Holy Maiden of Candlelight, Luo Qingyi herself is also a pawn!

After all, in the game of chess, there are no real players, only players within the game.

If the Holy Maiden of Candlelight focuses all her attention on her, she will inevitably overlook Pei Yun's existence.

If we truly underestimate Pei Yun...

Luo Qingyi's lips curled into a meaningful smile.

That saintess is likely to repeat the same mistake.

Luo Qingyi put away the files, picked up the bamboo basket, and turned to leave.