Chapter 1553: Only the word love hurt people the most, fight openly and secretly?

Deep down, Ling Yuxian didn’t want any interaction with Jing Xiao at the moment. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to see Jing Xiao or that she harbored any hatred; rather, it was the swirling rumors and speculations in Yu Xian Palace during this period. Although she wouldn’t admit it, how would she respond if Jing Xiao confronted her about them?

“Since there are other ways, why should we continue to waste time here?” Gu Changge said with a smile, seemingly unaware of Ling Yuxian’s troubles.

Upon hearing this, Ling Yuxian took a deep look at him, noticing that the smile at the corner of Gu Changge’s mouth held a hint of intrigue, as if he had said this intentionally.

“It seems that Senior Brother Gu doesn’t think it’s a big deal; you just want to see the excitement between Junior Sister Jing Xiao and me,” she remarked in a neutral tone.

Gu Changge smiled noncommittally. “Why does Senior Sister Yuxian say that? If there are other ways that don’t waste time, why should we wait here?”

Ling Yuxian decided not to engage further. Gu Changge was clearly aware of the many rumors circulating in Yu Xian Palace, yet he still seemed intent on having her interact with Jing Xiao. Wasn’t it obvious that he wanted to witness their arguments and make a spectacle out of it?

With a flick of her robe, her skirt fluttered, and she swept away like a startled bird, searching for the elders of Yu Xian Palace who remained on the ancient warship. Ling Yuxian didn’t want to waste time, but she also wished to avoid any contact with Jing Xiao. Instead, she decided to find a few elders and entrusted them with the task of contacting Jing Guo in Xiyan Prefecture.

Although Ling Yuxian had lived in Jing Guo for a time in the past, that was long ago. Given her current status, going to Jing Guo to find Jing Xiao’s parents and directly inquire about the Jing clan’s territory felt somewhat self-serving and unreasonable. She felt quite embarrassed and uncomfortable about this.

Soon, word about the need to contact Jing Guo spread across the ancient warships. Although Ling Qiuchang had never mentioned Ling Yuxian’s identity in front of the elders, many began to suspect that she might be the heir of the patriarch of Yu Xian Palace after this significant event. As a result, they didn’t dare to neglect Ling Yuxian’s orders at all.

Because of Jing Xiao’s background, Elder Jiulin, who was on another ancient warship at the time, also learned about this matter.

“Contacting Jing Guo—does this have something to do with Jing Xiao?” he remarked in surprise. Initially, he thought their arrival in Xiyan Prefecture within the Shengyang Ancient Domain was merely a coincidence, but who would have imagined it was truly linked to Jing Guo and Jing Xiao?

Earlier, Elder Jiulin had been curious about Jing Xiao’s background and what was so unusual about it, especially since Palace Mistress Ling Qiuchang had personally ordered him to look after her. Now, he realized that there might be significant connections between Jing Guo and Yu Xian Palace regarding Jing Xiao.

Thinking of this, Elder Jiulin didn’t dare to delay. He went to find Jing Xiao to ask about it.

“Jing Guo?” Jing Xiao replied, surprised. She had been confused about why the location where Yu Xian Palace was rescuing the patriarch was in Xiyan Prefecture in the Shengyang Ancient Domain. Could it be that Jing Guo held some other significance that she wasn’t aware of? Now, it seemed that her parents’ acquaintance with Ling Qiuchang, the Palace Mistress of Yu Xian Palace, was no coincidence.

“If you want to go to Jing Guo territory, I can lead the way…” Jing Xiao offered. With the capabilities of Yu Xian Palace, it was impossible for them to find Jing Guo on their own, but it was evident that what Yu Xian Palace sought went beyond just Jing Guo.

Elder Jiulin’s expression brightened. “That would be excellent.”

“Master, do you know who is inquiring about Jing Guo?” Jing Xiao asked, puzzled.

Elder Jiulin hesitated for a moment, but seeing Jing Xiao’s earnest expression, he replied directly, “It’s Ling Yuxian. You know that the matter of rescuing the patriarch was decided by the elders of Yu Xian Palace and the palace master, and they have given Ling Yuxian full authority to handle it.”

Jing Xiao’s expression changed slightly, and she fell silent.

Of course, she was aware of it. However, just hearing Ling Yuxian’s name still made her feel uncomfortable. Over the past few days, Jing Xiao had been feeling out of sorts. She could clearly sense that Gu Changge was distancing himself from her; even when she visited in person, he had declined to see her. This left Jing Xiao feeling somewhat incredulous.

She had been brooding over Ling Yuxian’s words from that day and was eager to find Gu Changge to verify the truth. But Gu Changge had been avoiding her and had instead started to grow closer to Ling Yuxian. This development inevitably brought a sense of sadness to Jing Xiao’s heart. She also recalled what her master had said that day—could it be that the Palace Lord was intentionally trying to match Gu Changge and Ling Yuxian?

To prevent her from feeling heartbroken, Senior Brother Gu was deliberately alienating her and keeping his distance. Was Ling Yuxian’s remark that day also intended to drive a wedge between her and Senior Brother Gu? Did she want Jing Xiao to hate him or push her away so that Ling Yuxian could fulfill her own agenda?

“Master, since Ling Yuxian is going to Jing Guo, you might as well take me with you. After all, I am the princess of Jing Guo. This time, I just want to return to Jing Guo and ask my parents about many things. I may not see them for many years after leaving,” Jing Xiao said after a moment of thought, looking at Elder Jiulin.

Elder Jiulin, unsure of Jing Xiao’s true intentions, shook his head slightly in his heart but did not refuse her request. There were tens of thousands of words in the world, but the word “love” often hurt the most. After all, Jing Xiao was just beginning to fall in love, and it was hard for her to conceal what was on her mind. But what grudge could there possibly be between her and Ling Yuxian? Now, they were openly and secretly competing over a young man.

Swish!

Elder Jiulin rolled up his robes and, in an instant, disappeared from the ancient warship with Jing Xiao. When they reappeared, they were already on the ancient warship where Ling Yuxian was.

Ling Yuxian, standing independently at the bow of the ship, was a bit surprised to see Jing Xiao. However, she quickly regained her composure, maintaining a neutral expression.

On the other hand, Jing Xiao noticed Gu Changge on the ancient warship not far away. He wore a pleasant expression, but it quickly faded into a frown as if he was lost in thought again.

As Jing Xiao approached, she saw Ling Yuxian seemingly engaged in conversation with Gu Changge, their closeness evident. From a distance, they resembled a picturesque couple of gods and immortals, an unmatched pair. This sight only fueled Jing Xiao’s jealousy.

“Forget it; you can’t hide even if you want to,” Ling Yuxian sighed inwardly as she observed the scene. Although Gu Changge had intentionally distanced himself from Jing Xiao, he still spoke to her softly. Yet, Jing Xiao’s gaze toward Gu Changge remained unchanged from before. This left Ling Yuxian at a loss for words. Could it be that love could drive someone to the point of obsession?

Elder Jiulin quickly explained the purpose of his visit, sparing no need to elaborate on Jing Xiao’s identity. Ling Yuxian understood that this was a matter concerning the Jing clan; no matter how much they tried to navigate around it, they couldn’t bypass Jing Xiao.

Jing Xiao silently followed Elder Jiulin, her eyes drifting toward Gu Changge, whom she hadn’t seen for days. “Brother Gu…” she said softly.

Gu Changge appeared surprised by her arrival but managed to maintain a smile. “Junior Sister Jing Xiao.”

“Brother Gu, these past few days…” Jing Xiao began, her gaze meeting his, as she was about to discuss the time apart.

However, Ling Yuxian interrupted her, speaking coolly. “Since that’s the case, I’ll have to trouble Junior Sister Jing Xiao to lead us the way. This concerns the important affairs of Yu Xian Palace, and we can’t afford any sloppiness.”

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