29 - Crazy! Criticizing the Prime Minister for Being a Servant

### Chapter 22: Frosty Morning Ran Fanyin sat upright with an air of decorum, calmly watching the water mirror. She lightly tapped the table with her fan and said indifferently, “Perhaps junior brother simply remembered it wrong.” She discreetly sent a mental message to He Lan: “Don’t forget, Luo Sheng is also here.” Immediately, He Lan, without a change in expression, shifted his posture. He made sure his senior brother couldn’t see his face, and with a smile, he remarked, “A few thick-browed little liars.” Yue Changsong increasingly felt something was amiss. He pressed close to the edge of the water mirror, his prominent brows trembling with surprise as he exclaimed, “That's not right! I recall burying a lot of rare herbs here!” Indeed, there were many—so many that Ran Fanyin’s mind was abuzz with Ning Songwu’s incessant listing of them. She tapped her temple with the tip of her fan, attempting to alleviate the overwhelming excitement and joy Ning Songwu brought with his cataloging. It was already hard enough to stifle her laughter. If her little disciple got any more excited, she wouldn’t be able to hold it in. She decided to find an excuse later to send some money to Fifth Elder, as a sort of apology. She glanced sideways at the elder, who was still lost in self-doubt. After all, the three people in the water mirror were walking straight ahead, not stopping to dig for herbs or treasure. Could those rare herbs and treasures really have vanished into thin air? It was as if the place was haunted. Grinding his teeth lightly, Yue Changsong, unable to find a reason, kept telling himself that at least he hadn't placed the secret realm containing the Double Snow Sword and the Heart-Nurturing Lotus inside. No matter who the sneaky thief was, they couldn’t have taken the most precious items. Though these herbs were indeed valuable, he had always risked the possibility of disciples discovering and taking them once they were placed here. But still... they cleaned out the place completely! Even down to the stones! Whose child could be this greedy, this needy? Were they not receiving their monthly allowance? Was the peak leader withholding it, forcing the child to save up secretly? Pray he never finds out which child it was. Ran Fanyin sneezed lightly, drawing concerned and scrutinizing gazes from everyone around. Not necessary. She coughed softly, then pointed at the water mirror. “People are coming. Shall we watch?” She hoped once again that Ning Songwu would share her thoughts and put on the play she most wanted to see. --- "Fate truly brings enemies together." Ning Songwu thought to herself as she tightly gripped a shining longsword, facing the incoming group without any fear. Raising her chin slightly, she declared, “Hello, you’re blocking the way.” Lin Yuxue furrowed her brows. She had only stopped to see who was behind her, not wanting to obstruct anyone's path. Unexpectedly, it was these three again. Thanks to the arrangements on Fifth Elder's peak, she knew the final destination was eastward. Thus, she had moved east all this time. Were these three here by coincidence? Or had they learned something too? Lin Yuxue clutched her sword, “Are you also heading east?” Luo Sheng found her odd, “Is this road yours? Do we need your permission to walk in that direction?” “Ah Sheng, don’t bother with her. Let's go.” According to the subtitles, they were close to the spot where the token was. Getting tangled up here was pointless, wasting time and energy. Ning Songwu thought as she gathered the three little figures trailing behind her. Though hardly noticeable, they were indeed a liability. With the trial nearing its end, she thought it best to leave some treasures for Fifth Uncle. It was rare to meet here, but the person clearly had no intention of letting them go. With a step forward, she drew her longsword, placing it horizontally in front of the three of them, and asked coldly, “Why are you heading east?” Blocked from moving to the sides, Ning Songwu stood firm with her sword, chuckling, “The secret realm is vast, we can walk wherever we please. But why are you fixated on the east?” Her question naturally echoed the elders' curiosity. Why was the girl so insistent on blocking the way east? Ran Fanyin tapped the table with her fingers, "Is the token in the east?" "No," Fifth Elder shook his head, "They are spread in all directions." Ran Fanyin smiled mysteriously but turned her gaze back to the water mirror. In the mirror, Ning Songwu took a step forward as the girl remained silent, “Or perhaps, Junior Sister Lin knows something about the east?” A sudden thought crossed her mind, and desiring some mischief, she added, "Come to think of it, we've been traveling all this way, and the rare herbs have all been picked clean. Are you afraid that we might expose something if we continue east?" 【Either you know something about the east or you’ve done something there. You have to give me a reason.】 【I've been puzzled while reading: why did the protagonist insist on heading east? The subtitles suggested the tokens could be obtained in any direction with a time difference. Now it seems this person had inside information.】 【Information... This secret realm was supposed to be solely managed by Fifth Elder, right? No way they got the information from him.】 Hearing this, Ran Fanyin cast a light glance at the person grinding their teeth next to her. Naturally, the information wasn't obtained from Fifth Elder, but to say the secret realm was entirely his making was debatable. She swayed her folding fan, seemingly unintentionally, "Speaking of which, did junior brother design this secret realm all by himself?" "I did call several disciples to help; why do you ask?" "Then who was responsible for the eastern part?" Even a dull person would realize something at this point. Clenching his fist, he replied coldly, "I understand now." "Ah, I wonder how the other peaks are faring? We should all check them." Speaking thus, Ran Fanyin laughed softly, "My peak is quiet and free from disasters." The other elders, especially the Second Elder who managed the inner disciples, cast resentful and deeply angry glances at Ran Fanyin. She simply leaned back, avoiding their gaze. It couldn’t be helped; after all, her spiritual root was special, her health poor, unable to teach many disciples. However... Ran Fanyin pressed her fan against her cheek, feeling puzzled. In the books her disciple read, was she truly this foolish? How could she not notice Lin Yuxue’s obvious oddities? It wasn’t strange for Ning Songwu to have help from imaginary settings, choosing a single direction and forging ahead upon entering. But would a character with just one disciple fail to notice Lin Yuxue's unusual behavior? She should have been more cautious. Could it be the mystical force Ning Songwu often mentioned, correcting the plot forcefully and blinding her eyes? The so-called protagonist's halo was so powerful, guiding them all to the predetermined path of destruction. This time, now aware of such discrepancies and beginning to scan for remedies, could they avoid this fate? Rubbing her fingers, she traced a semi-arc with her fan. Regardless of the outcome, they’d at least try. While those outside the mirror contemplated their future moves, those inside were still blocked by the drawn sword. The one holding the sword offered no explanations, nor did she let them pass. Ning Songwu scratched her head; if this continued any longer, the time they saved by taking shortcuts would be wasted. She really wanted that first place—even if there was no reward, the glory was alluring. Ran Fanyin's first disciple achieving top marks in the secret realm trial had such a nice ring to it. She pressed her brow, exasperated, "Lin Yuxue, I really don’t want to argue or bet—can’t we just each go our own way?” 【You wait for your Demon Lord to marry you while I live my own peaceful life. What’s wrong with that?】 【Did I steal your money or something?】 【Oh, I took your master.】 【That was because Ran Fanyin didn’t want you—it has nothing to do with me!】 Lin Yuxue remained silent, her sword pointing directly at Ning Songwu. “What do you want? Forcing me into a duel?” “Let them go, you stay and fight me.” "...” Wow, she really hit the nail on the head. After discussing for a moment, Liu Ruying led Luo Sheng around. Though cautious, her spirit fox even bared its teeth, before speeding towards the finish line. It was crucial to return soon to prevent Lin Yuxue from doing anything harmful. In merely a year, Ning Songwu had only reached the mid-foundation stage, due in part to her recent reduced focus on cultivation. Especially since spring began, when Ran Fanyin had someone make her a longsword named Morning Frost for her birthday—a gift crafted from excellent materials. She privately showed it to Elder He Lan, who sighed, placing allied spirit arrays on the hilt. Now the sword was so valuable, nobody could afford it. After receiving the sword, Ran Fanyin altered Ning Songwu’s training schedule. Most of her days were spent practicing sword techniques or combat, with Ran Fanyin often resting on a wicker chair in the shade, observing. This person’s image in Ning Songwu’s mind was increasingly different from the book. Back to the matter at hand: Ning Songwu had focused on solidifying her sword foundations this year, slowing her cultivation to build a robust base, thus only reaching mid-foundation stage. On the other hand, Lin Yuxue had nearly reached late foundation stage, perhaps soon breaking through to Gold Core upon leaving. Maybe Lin Yuxue had extraordinary talent, or maybe there was more hidden behind her swift progress. Ning Songwu was inclined to believe it was the latter because, in the original narrative, the protagonist at this moment was merely a fledgling in the early Foundation Establishment stage. This sudden acceleration in progress seemed deliberately orchestrated to suppress her. Could there really be such a cultivation method? One that rapidly enhances one’s strength without evident side effects? Why wasn't there even a mention of it in the book? Distracted, Ning Songwu tapped the subtitle area, but the response was equally blank. The butterfly's fluttering wings carried a wind that brought about unforeseen changes, even affecting the protagonist in ways unknown. She dared not let her guard down. Without Ran Fanyin present, if Lin Yuxue decided to play dirty tricks, it was genuinely possible she might kill her right here. Drawing out Morning Frost, Ning Songwu gripped it tightly, prepared for battle. Her eyes were locked on the black-glowing sword in the girl’s hand. Flames briefly glossed over its edge as the longsword lunged straight for her face. Morning Frost, forged with inherently cold metal and inscribed with spirit arrays, radiated a chill even without spiritual energy. Raising her sword, she met the incoming flames head-on, producing a layer of white mist. ⊙ Ning Songwu maintained a defensive stance, her steps stable, subtly shifting her direction while retreating. The attacker’s eyes glinted with red, her occasional shows of ferocity and killing intent now more intense. She naturally didn’t notice the deft changes in her opponent’s footwork, thinking she was simply on the defensive. “Ning Songwu, can’t you take this seriously? Am I not worthy of your respect?!” Lin Yuxue