The Palace Mistress of the Emperor Hall Sect, Xia Jiaqing was now sitting serenely on her throne in the Great Emperor Hall and standing in front of her were her four elders, Li Qiang, Hai Sheng, Deng Qiu and Tang Ao.
The astonishing peerless beauty of Xia Jiaqing had never failed to astonish the four elders whenever they had an audience with her.
Her exquisite stately appearance, coupled with her sparking golden eyes, a heavy and upright bosom, coupled with her revealing legs that reached to her waist could cause even a cultivator with a high level of divinity to go berserk with lust.
But that was only normal or else Xia Jiiaqing would not be renowned as one of four great beauties of the Desolate Celestial Fraternity.
Even the eyes of the four elders were constantly looking lecherous at her and they could not wait to tear off her clothing if they were given an opportunity.
Today she had wound up her long hair into a cute bun on her left and a short pony tail on her right; she looked extremely appealing as she listened innocently to the reports of the four elders who were stripping her with their eyes.
Xia Jiaqing looked a little disappointed when the reports had finished.
"Are there any movements from Xue Qianxue?" She inhaled a soft sigh as she said gently.
Xue Qianxue was the Sacred Maiden of the Celestial Orthodox Sect and also a seventh realm golden saintess. She was also one of the four great beauties of the Desolate Celestial Fraternity and was a hated rival of Xia Jiaqing.
If there was a person that she could not stand, it was Xue Qianxue.
Therefore she was always particularly interested to know what Xue Qianxue was always up to.
"Ever since that shameless Xue Qianxue had become a saintess, she thinks that she is the number one heroine of the Desolate Celestial Fraternity but she is nothing but a harlot." Xia Jiaqing really did not mince her words.
Li Qiang quickly said, "There are no unusual movements from Sacred Maiden Xue Qianxue."
Xia Jiaqing frowned lightly, "Really? This is such an unusual month then."
"Very well then. Dismiss…"
All of a sudden, a protégé had hastily entered the Great Emperor Hall and said panicky. "My respect to the Palace Mistress and the elders, I have something urgent to report."
Li Qiang smiled coldly, "Speak."
The protégé had broken into cold sweat as he said, "There is a man name Yuan Ji outside. He has brought back the bodies of Hai Guotian and Deng Chao."
When the protégé had said that, Hai Sheng and Deng Qiu were taken aback and they had muttered out at the same time. "My son!..."
Li Qiang clenched his fists, "I know this Yuan Ji…"
Xia Jiaqing was also startled. "Who dares to kill our core protégés? This Yuan Ji is the killer?"
The protégé shook his head with a frightened look, "He says that he isn't the killer and had found the bodies. He even says that he is willing to join the Emperor Hall Sect as a core protégé and he is asking for a reward for bringing back the bodies."
Xia Jiaqing blinked her lovely eyes, "Core protégé…asking for a reward…what audacity…" She quickly recollected her thoughts and said coolly, "Summon him here. I want to question him personally. And bring the bodies here. I want to examine the wounds."
Hai Sheng and Deng Qiu had immediately fallen on their knees, "Palace Mistress, you must seek redress for our sons!"
Deng Qiu said grievously, "I say that he is the killer!"
Hai Sheng bemoaned loudly, "My only son…Guotian, you are so pitiful! Who is so heartless as to take away your life…"
Xia Jiaqing said coolly, "My elders, do not grieve further. I will surely seek redress for your sons' deaths."
A while later, Yuan Ji had entered the Great Emperor Hall. Behind him were a dozen protégés of the Emperor Hall Sect and they were carrying two bodies on a stretcher.
Xia Jiaqing gasped silently when she saw Yuan Ji, "What a dashing man. But why is that I found him so familiar?"
When Yuan Ji had entered the hall and saw Xia Jiaqing, he was blinking his eyes and was staring at this peerless beauty. It was not because he was stunned by her beauty but it was because he had recognized her.
He thought, "Isn't she Xia Jiajia? Xia Jiajia is actually Xia Jiaqing?!"
Xia Jiaqing had quickly flashed to the two stretchers and had bended over to examine the bodies and she was followed by the four elders.
Yuan Ji saw could see her beautiful exposed white shoulders from where he was standing and his sharp eyes could see that she was wearing a white panties.
He had nearly nose bleed from her beautiful sexy appearance but he quickly steeled his heart. "She is the enemy of my Orthodox Sword Sect. If it isn't for her and her Emperor Hall Sect, Ye Chengxi won't be in this state."
Finally Xia Jiaqing said quietly, "This is the work of a super swordsman. They had died instantly with no pain."
Li Qiang had also concluded the same, "Their killer must be at least a fifth realm expert. Do you think it may be Fairy Ye Chengxi?"
Xia Jiaqing shook her head, "I know her. Her swordplay isn't that swift and…ruthless. Therefore the killer isn't her or him."
Him referred to Yuan Ji.
Li Qiang turned to stare coldly at Yuan Ji, "I know you. You are that young man that I've met previously. Why are you here?"
Yuan Ji said politely, "Actually I have some regrets after I had joined the Orthodox Sword Sect. Therefore I have bade my former Master Ye Chengxi farewell and have made my way here. On my way here, I've found the bodies of these men. I have recognized them when they had come to the Orthodox Sword Sect for a visit…"
Xia Jiaqing asked unhappily, "Why did they go to the Orthodox Sword Sect for? Who gives them the permission?"
All of a sudden the four elders were all stammering, "This…that…"
Hai Sheng quickly said, "Some of the interests are due. So I had asked my son to pay Fairy Ye Chengxi a visit…"
Xia Jiaqing returned a cold stare at him, "When did I say you can collect any interest from Fairy Ye Chengxi? Have you forgotten what I have said? Am I not the Palace Mistress?"
Hai Sheng stammered, "Yes, yes…"
Yuan Ji was startled as he thought, "She isn't aware? Or is she putting an act in front of me?"
Then Xia Jiaqing had turned to look at Yuan Ji with a smile, "Thank you for bringing them back. I will make an exception for you. As your reward, you shall be made a core protégé of the Emperor Hall Sect."
Li Qiang protested immediately, "I think we can just make him a common protégé. He isn't fit to be a core protégé and he may be a spy of the Orthodox Sword Sect."
When they had first met, Li Qiang had said to Yuan Ji about making him a protégé of the Emperor Hall Sect, it was never as a core protégé.
Xia Jiaqing said coldly, "I have already decided. Dismiss."
Hai Sheng and Deng Qiu immediately said, "What about the deaths of our sons?"
Xia Jiaqing hummed coldly, "The deaths of your sons are not the work of the Orthodox Sword Sect. This, I am pretty sure. They must have offended some powerful cultivators with their ugly appearances.
Hai Sheng and Deng Qiu were stunned by Xia Jiaqing heartless words. She had called their sons ugly and seemingly hinted to them that they should be killed.
"Dismiss! What are you waiting for?" Xia Jiaqing said coldly. "As for this new core protégé, he can stay here for a while. I have some questions for him."
Yuan Ji blinked his eyes. She had not changed after all these years. One of these days, she would surely die without knowing even why.
When Hai Sheng and Deng Qiu had left the hall, they were trembling with hatred. This did not escape Yuan Ji's eyes but it seemed that it had escaped Xia Jiaqing's notice.
When the four elders had left the hall, Xia Jiaqing had turned to him with a wryly smile. "So, between your former master Fairy Ye Chengxi and me, who is the prettier?"
Yuan Ji: …
The female attendants behind Xia Jiaqing were all giggling at the question.
But Yuan Ji could see the murderous intent that was in Xia Jiaqing's lovely eyes.
If he answered wrongly then he would be dead in the next instant.
But he raised his head to say, "Fairy Ye Chengxi…"
All of a sudden the female protégés at the back stopped their giggling and they had turned ashen.
Even the smile that was on Xia Jiaqing had completely vanished and her lovely eyes were looking coldly at him.