Liancastle, Independence or Attachment

Although Master Xuanqing resented Lance Quinn—a man—giving her orders, his power was undeniable. Unless Heartshadow Pavilion wanted to betray the Former‑Dynasty Lan clan, she had no choice but to obey until she found a stronger patron.

Lance Quinn did not interact with anyone else in Heartshadow Pavilion; he issued his orders only to Master Xuanqing: "Cancel the mission to hunt Eastlyn’s Ninth Royal Uncle Nolan Dongling. Recall all operatives."

"Yes." Master Xuanqing accepted without hesitation; she had never wanted this mission in the first place. "But what about the silver? Do we have to return it?"

That silver determined how they would survive for the next few years. Of course Master Xuanqing cared.

"Return it? Why should you? Didn’t you lose several people? That silver is compensation." Lance Quinn felt no pressure from Prince Damien of Southlyn’s money.

"What if the client comes to demand it back?" Master Xuanqing pressed again, clearly trying to make things difficult for Lance Quinn. Lance stared at her coldly until she lowered her head, then said, "If the client comes, can’t you fight back? Are ‘Xuan’ sects so easy to bully?"

A group of women with no sense of responsibility—only knowing how to hate men, never learning how to make themselves strong. No wonder Heartshadow Pavilion kept falling into ruin.

"Understood. We can cancel the mission, but our dead sisters can’t die for nothing. Please, Master, avenge them for us." Master Xuanqing, unafraid of death, tested Lance Quinn again, hoping he would reveal his true strength—only then could she truly submit.

All these years, the Lan clan had never cared about their lives. Now they suddenly appeared to issue orders—Master Xuanqing’s resentment was only natural.

How could Lance Quinn not see through her little scheme? She just wanted to use him as a sword, to order him around—Master Xuanqing was still too green.

Lance Quinn’s gaze toward Master Xuanqing grew colder, almost as if he were looking at a corpse. “You’ve got some nerve, daring to order me around. Revenge? You’d best drop that idea. If you so much as think about it, I’ll wipe Heartshadow Pavilion off the map. Do you really believe I care about a tiny sect like yours?”

If not for this incident, he wouldn’t have bothered coming to Heartshadow Pavilion at all. The place was now no better than a third-rate sect—he truly didn’t spare these women a second thought.

“I was wrong, Master. Please punish me as you see fit.” Master Xuanqing’s face drained of color; she didn’t dare test him further. She could clearly sense that the man holding the Nine Provinces Token was not someone to cross—anger him, and there would be no good outcome.

“Hmph... I’ll let you off this time. If this happens again, I’ll take your life.” So many years had passed, the Pavilion master had changed hands several times, and the fact that Heartshadow Pavilion still obeyed his token was already remarkable. As for loyalty...

He didn’t believe in it for a moment. All he wanted was Heartshadow Pavilion’s obedience; as long as they stopped hunting the Ninth Royal Uncle and Serena Feng, he had no time to waste guarding against traitors.

“No one outside this room is to know I was here. I don’t want a third person learning of my existence. If you leak anything about me, you know what happens.” Lance Quinn finished his business, not forgetting to threaten Master Xuanqing.

The fewer people who knew a Lan clan descendant had appeared, the safer he would be.

“Rest assured, Master, I will not breathe a word.”

Master Xuanqing’s practical attitude pleased Lance Quinn. He glanced at the ruined main hall, a brief flash of light in his eyes. After a moment’s thought, he said, “I know Heartshadow Pavilion is struggling. I’ll send someone to help you, a young woman. Take good care of her.”

“Master, is there something I failed to do?” Master Xuanqing nearly jumped at his words.

Even if she obeyed the Lan clan, it didn’t mean they had the right to interfere in Heartshadow Pavilion’s affairs. She was still the Pavilion Master here.

“Hmph... Do you really think you’ve done well? You’ve turned a once-proud Xuan sect into a third-rate group, forced to compete with assassins just to survive. What kind of Pavilion Master are you?”

Lance Quinn was merciless. Master Xuanqing’s face flushed red, wanting to argue, but he waved her off impatiently: “Enough, I don’t have time for this. The person I send won’t threaten your position. Heartshadow Pavilion is still yours to command; she’s only here to earn silver for you.”

Relief washed over Master Xuanqing as she heard his promise.

If Lance Quinn had really insisted she step down, she would never have agreed. She’d never seen the Lan clan’s glory, never received its favor. Her obedience was only out of respect for the previous Pavilion Master’s orders.

With everything explained and Master Xuanqing tested, and with Serena Feng confirmed not to be in Heartshadow Pavilion’s hands, Lance Quinn had no interest in lingering in this women’s enclave. He left that night.

Master Xuanqing watched Lance Quinn’s departing figure, a strange light flickering in her eyes before fading. She sat quietly in the main hall, digesting the night’s events and pondering his words.

Should Heartshadow Pavilion continue to serve the Lan clan, or break free and stand on its own?

Staring at the ruined hall and thinking of the sect’s poverty, all her ambitions faded into a sigh.

Forget it. She’d take things one step at a time. For now, she needed the Lan clan’s hidden strength to help her restore the Pavilion’s power. Everything else could wait until their reputation was rebuilt. As for the Lan clan?

Hmph... This world hasn’t belonged to the Lan clan for a long time.

After leaving Heartshadow Pavilion, Lance Quinn traveled day and night toward Liancastle.

Storm Cloud Bu and Bella Qin were already in Liancastle, and the city lord was a staunch loyalist of the Lan clan.

Lance Quinn didn’t wear his signature mask on the road. Traveling light and alone, he arrived at the city gate and presented the City Lord’s Edict of Liancastle, immediately alarming the city lord and Storm Cloud Bu.

Each of the Nine Cities’ lords possessed a City Lord’s Edict, representing their full authority. Liancastle’s Edict had always been in Lance Quinn’s hands, meaning he was the city’s true master.

The city lord and Storm Cloud Bu were stunned by Lance Quinn’s appearance. They knew he must be here for something serious.

They skipped the pleasantries and quickly brought him into the city lord’s residence, not alerting a single soul.

“Quinn, has something happened?” Storm Cloud Bu was impatient; as soon as they entered, he asked before the city lord could even close the door.

“Your Highness.” The city lord addressed Lance Quinn respectfully, acknowledging him as the Former-Dynasty crown prince in their hearts.

Lance Quinn nodded and explained the Heartshadow Pavilion situation, omitting Serena Feng’s disappearance. As a descendant of the Lan clan, he could not use their hidden power to search for her.

The Lan clan’s hidden power did not exist for him alone.

“So, Master Xuanqing now knows your identity?” Storm Cloud Bu’s expression turned grave.

Many people knew Lance Quinn’s true identity, but only those who could be trusted. Whether Heartshadow Pavilion was trustworthy remained to be seen.

“As a ‘Xuan’ sect, they have the right to know.” Lance Quinn replied matter-of-factly.

Storm Cloud Bu retorted bluntly, “Skyvault Palace doesn’t know.”

“Skyvault Palace severed ties with the Lan clan long ago. Sean Xuan knows nothing about Lan matters.” Lance Quinn wasn’t just guessing; he’d tested Sean Xuan, who hadn’t suspected a thing.

Skyvault Palace had long since cut off all connection to the Lan clan.

As for Heartshadow Pavilion, he had indeed taken a risk. If Master Xuanqing hadn’t recognized the token, he would have killed her on the spot...