An awkward silence ensued between them, which continued for a few moments. However, the mysterious girl returned to reading her book, which threw May off guard a little.

  She was the first person May had met on the estate who did not serve the clan. May had no intention of giving up until she knew the girl’s identity.

  She decided to introduce herself; after all, when you tell someone your name, they should respond in the same manner.

  “My name is May Shang,” she said, smiling to encourage the mysterious girl to talk.

  However, the girl didn’t even look up from the book she was reading, she just nodded. May frowned, unaccustomed to talking to this type of person.

  May cleared her throat and spoke. “And you? What’s your name?”

  The girl’s face scrunched up, clearly not in the mood for conversation. After a moment, however, she sighed, realizing she had no other choice.

  “Zu Chen,” she said briefly, without interrupting her reading. The conversation ended as quickly as it had begun.

  May, however, gained a little confidence and decided she could press her a little more.

  “So, Zu Chen... if I may ask, what are you actually doing here?”

  “Reading.”

  May sighed. This conversation was much more difficult than any training she had undergone so far.

  “I see, but I mean, what are you doing in this mansion? How did you get here?”

  Zu Chen slammed the book shut, it was so unexpected that May flinched at the sudden loud noise of the book closing. This time she seemed extremely irritated.

  May felt a slight chill on her body and hoped that this girl was not someone important because she currently seemed extremely irritated by the fact that May was not allowing her to read in peace.

  “My dad is here on a visit with Elder. It wasn’t particularly interesting, so I came here to read.”

  Elder? Did that mean Ze Yun had returned to the estate? I didn’t know anything about it.

  May decided she shouldn’t tease this girl any longer. Since her father was important enough to meet with Ze Yun in person, it would be better not to annoy the daughter of someone so influential.

  May bowed and went deeper into the library seeking a new book. Zu Chen went back to reading as if nothing had happened. From time to time, May would glance over, but the girl was lost in reading and looked unbothered.

  The very fact of her unhealthy interest in this girl showed how boring the world was when she had nothing else to do. May sighed and started looking for something new to read. However, she mostly watched the girl secretly instead of searching for a book.

  What a pity she is so reluctant to talk. I miss having someone to talk to.

  In Eastern Court, she at least had Senlin or even Zhifang, but here she was completely alone.

  Suddenly, a boy's voice rang out in the library. Someone had just entered the library and was apparently unaware of the etiquette of keeping silence in such a place. May was intrigued, however, and decided to peek out from behind the bookshelves to see who the voice belonged to.

  The library was long and wide, so the task was not as easy as it might seem. Finally, following the voice, she saw a boy, about the same height and age as her, with a rather chubby but pleasant face. He had quite long black hair, though it was slightly greasy.

  “There you are! I've been looking all over for you. All of a sudden you disappeared, and father told me to look for you!” he said loudly to the girl. She didn't react, though. “Let's go back, come on.”

  “No, I'm reading,” she said as if nothing had happened.

  “That wasn't a question. You're coming with me,” he said and tried to snatch the book from her hand. However, the girl didn't give up and held on to it with all her strength.

  Suddenly, the girl let go, and the boy and the book fell to the ground. He let out a cry of pain.

  “You bastard...” he said, rubbing the spot where he had been hurt to ease the pain. “Hmm? Who are you?”

  Suddenly, he noticed May watching them from a distance. She came closer.

  He finally got up from the ground. He looked at her with curiosity in his eyes. May was about to answer, but Zu Chen forestalled her.

  “Her name is May,” she said indifferently, causing May to roll her eyes.

  Now you’re talking normally?

  “May, huh? An unusual name. But quite pretty,” he commented, nodding approvingly.

  The name May was given to her by her mother. It wasn't a typical name for cultivators, but it emphasized her roots and her unusual looks quite well.

  “Thanks, I guess,” she said uncertainly. You never knew how others felt about the descendants of mages. Usually not favorably. “And you? What’s your name?”

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  The boy looked at her strangely.

  “You don’t know?” he asked, scratching his head.

  This time it was May who was surprised.

  “How would I know?” she replied with a question.

  She was sure she had seen him for the first time today. She had basically never left the estate since arriving at Inner Court. She had no reason to know him.

  Unless he was someone famous here?

  “Hmm, I see. You know my sister, so I thought Zu might have mentioned me...”

  “Why would I mention you?” The tall girl suddenly spoke up, getting up from her chair. She snatched the book from the boy's hand and sat back down, returning to her reading.

  “You don't look like siblings,” said May, looking at the two of them. The only thing they had in common was their hair color. In other respects, they didn't seem to be similar in either appearance or character.

  “You know we're twins, right?” the boy laughed. “But you're right, we're not very similar. Anyway, my name is Peng. Peng Chen, nice to meet you? Anyway, May, what are you doing here? I've never heard of a girl with that name in the Yun Clan.”

  Twins? La Xia mentioned something about that... That they were talented or something.

  May watched the two of them for a moment. They really didn't look related, let alone being twins.

  “I'm not part of the Yun Clan. I'm a guest.”

  “A guest?” Peng was surprised. “Are you some kind of relative of theirs?”

  “Well, no...”

  May didn't know how much she should say, so she quickly decided it was better not to say too much.

  “You really are uninformed,” Zu said suddenly, still staring at the book. “Apparently, she is from Outer Court. No one knows why she lives here.”

  “From Outer Court...?” The boy covered his mouth in shock. “That's awesome!”

  May looked at the girl with irritation. Why did she have to speak up when she didn't need to?

  “But that's strange...” said the boy. “The Yun clan doesn't really like strangers... Not to mention the Outer Court? Actually, why did they invite you here?”

  May fell silent. If she told him the truth, would he believe her?

  The spirit of the old sect leader brought her here. The spirit desires her because of her unique power. However, the Eastern Court was unsafe, so the former sect leader had her brought here. And by the way, the Elder wants to be her master.

  It sounded quite unrealistic. However, even if she thought he wouldn't believe it, she couldn't say anything.

  The very fact that the previous leader of the sect lived as a spirit was a mystery known only to the Elders.

  “I'm sorry, but that's not something I should talk about,” she said briefly. The simpler, the better.

  The boy muttered curiously, but didn't try to find out more. The girl also listened carefully, although she pretended to be reading. She was also curious about May, although she tried not to show it.

  “You shouldn't pressure her anymore,” Zu Chen interjected.

  “I had no intention of doing so. I know when to hold back,” he replied with a hint of irritation. “Contrary to what you think, I'm not a brainless jackass.”

  The girl didn't respond, as was now her tradition.

  “Anyway, May... Since you've been living here for a long time, do you know where Black Wasp is?” asked the boy with big eyes. “My father's meeting is going to take a long time... And that bore isn't going to leave the library, so maybe you could show me where it is?”

  “Black Wasp? That's the first I've heard of it...” May replied, unsure what the boy was referring to.

  “Really? You live here and you don't know? Black Wasp is a sword! The best in the whole sect!” he shouted enthusiastically. “Well, maybe except for Deep Breath Wave, but that's a legend...”

  The girl sitting at the table snorted and put the book aside.

  “It's just a rumor. The sword called Black Wasp has more of a symbolic function than actual potency. It used to be the insignia of the entire sect, but because of its history, it is currently not located in the sect's headquarters, but in the clan's estate,” said Zu Chen, who apparently wanted to show off her knowledge. “The sword was too closely associated with the Yun clan, which didn't sit well with many people.”

  “Nonsense!” the chubby boy suddenly interjected. “The Black Wasp was wielded by the founder and our ancestor! It was also used before all other leaders. It is a symbol of all of us, not just the Yun clan.”

  The girl shrugged.

  “That's just your opinion. Although theoretically any cultivator in the sect could be a future leader, so far the sect has never had a ruler from outside the Yun Clan,” she explained calmly to her brother. “And that sword was a symbol of that stagnation...”

  The boy snorted. He was clearly unhappy with his sister's words.

  “It's not the sword's fault!” he shouted. “I don't want to listen to your stupid talk! May, are you coming with me to look for it?”

  He asked May, looking straight at her. May thought for a moment and...

  “Sure. Why not,” she replied.

  She was bored anyway, so she might as well have some fun, as befits a child her age. She wasn't particularly interested in the sword, but at least she was able to blame the boy if anything happened.

  May began to follow Peng Chen's footsteps, leaving the library and heading down the corridors.

  “Do you have any ideas?” the boy asked her. “I searched the upper floor where my father is having a meeting, but I didn't find anything there.”

  “The sword definitely isn't upstairs. I'm there all the time and I would have noticed it,” she said, puzzled. “If the sword is so valuable, it's definitely not in plain sight. Wouldn't it be easier to ask someone to show it to us?”

  The boy shook his head disapprovingly at her.

  “What would be exciting about that?”

  May had no intention of arguing with that logic. That said, she had absolutely no idea where something so very precious could be located. She might have been living here for some time, but she didn't usually roam around the estate. She felt like a outsider in this place, which was why she usually avoided trouble.

  Today, however, something made her want to go a little wild. How long could she sit in the same places?

  “What's that?” the boy asked her. “Going underground?”

  “Hmm, that's right. It's the entrance to the cellars,” she said, remembering the words of the maid Shui Gai. “But I'm not supposed to go down there...”

  Shui said it was dangerous there. Slippery, moist, and there were rats. May didn't think much of it and, in fact, forgot about it. It didn't sound especially scary. She probably just wanted to scare her a little.

  “Shall we go?”

  “I don't know...” she replied uncertainly. She preferred to stay out of trouble.

  But she only mentioned rats... If there really was something dangerous there, she would have emphasized it more, instead of just trying to use weak explanations.

  “The place you weren't supposed to go? Where else could the sword be?” he said, then proceeded to descend the stairs.

  “Wait a second! ” she said in a louder voice.

  Nevertheless, the boy was already in the process of opening the basement door. He opened it and went inside. He looked back at May and then shut the door. May stood at the top of the stairs and watched.

  Screw it.

  She ran down the stairs and followed him inside.