When did Mu Jialing also start chasing these empty titles?
Pei Xianqiao was not deliberately ignoring his contributions. It was just… the overwhelming praise of the others had made her momentarily forget, so why did he have to emphasize it to her?She furrowed her brows at him.
The moment the words left her mouth, Mu Jialing realized his own emotions were unstable.
He turned inward, examining his spiritual platform. A swirl of dark red mist hovered within.
Mu Jialing wanted to apologize to Pei Xianqiao, but the sight of Yao Ranran's confused, unassuming expression made him change his mind.
"Everyone may not know, the reason I could find that heart was thanks to Fairy Yao Ranran."
"Fairy Yao Ranran? How could she know about the evil heart?"
That fact was even more incredible than Pei Xianqiao saving them alone.
Everyone exchanged glances, hesitating at Mu Jialing's words.
As a natural Buddhist disciple of Guan Fan Temple, he had no need to lie about Fairy Yao Ranran!
Yao Ranran herself stood dumbfounded.
So Mu Jialing did not know that she had killed Master Mingzhi… but then, when had she ever told Mu Jialing about the heart?
"Everyone has their own karmic path. That Fairy Yao Ranran knew first is the arrangement of the Heavenly Dao. It was not I alone who saved you, nor Pei Daoyou alone. Though Fairy Yao Ranran has rebuilt her cultivation, her wisdom remains. For us to leave Yan Family Fort alive, both Fairy Yao Ranran and Pei Daoyou deserve equal credit."
Mu Jialing calmly explained the events. His voice carried a quiet, meditative weight, and the crowd gradually fell silent.
"I see!" Pei Xianqiao smiled at Yao Ranran. "Then indeed, we could not have done it without Yao Daoyou's help."
Their eyes met. Yao Ranran's gaze shifted slightly. "The snow is falling so heavily… isn't everyone cold?"
The crowd, full of expectation, froze.
"If the Fairy is cold, she may return to Guan Fan Temple with me," Mu Jialing said.
"Wait!" A crisp, playful voice rang out. Yu Zhenyan, long silent, stepped forward from the crowd.
"Fairy Yao Ranran is a disciple of Wuxiang Sect. She must return with us. Please, Mu Jialing, do not stop her!"
Mu Jialing raised his right palm, his calm gaze meeting Yao Ranran's. "But I still have words for Fairy Yao Ranran."
"Mu Jialing, if you have something to say, it can wait until we return to Wuxiang Sect. We've lingered here far too long. Father has been waiting for Fairy Yao Ranran for days!" Yu Zhenyan crossed her arms and blocked him, shielding Yao Ranran from view.
Yao Ranran said, "Mu Jialing, I should return to Wuxiang Sect. The two Senior Brothers who brought me here—please release them as well."
"…Very well." Mu Jialing hesitated briefly, then agreed.
Yu Zhenyan smirked and leaned close to Yao Ranran's ear.
"Can't wait to be my little sister, huh? You and your fox-spirit mother have waited for this day for years. Too bad she can't see this scene!"
"If you want her to see it, I can still make your wish come true," Yao Ranran replied calmly.
Yu Zhenyan's lashes trembled as a chill ran through her. She waved her sleeve and turned. "Let's go. This barren mountain is getting colder by the moment!"
Disciples of Wuxiang Sect followed her, puzzled. With protective robes and pure cultivation, how could she feel cold?
Yao Ranran smiled faintly at Pei Xianqiao, who had been watching her. "Pei Daoyou, aren't you leaving?"
Pei Xianqiao glanced at her coldly and whispered a voice only Yao Ranran could hear. "Do you know who the little girl was who saved Elder Shen back then?"
Yao Ranran blinked. "It was you."
Pei Xianqiao: "…How did you know?"
Pei Xianqiao's eyes widened in surprise. To outsiders, it might have looked like fear toward Yao Ranran.
She realized in an instant—at this point, the heroine's identity had not yet been revealed. The original self would not know the little girl who treated Shen Yuefu back then was Pei Xianqiao…
Oh no, the plot has been revealed early!
How could she fix this?
Yao Ranran's eyes darted around. She cupped a falling snowflake in her hand and followed Yu Zhenyan, smiling, "The scenery on the barren mountain today is beautiful. What did Pei Daoyou just say? I couldn't hear clearly. The view is stunning, and the snow is loud too!"
Pei Xianqiao: …This act is far too perfunctory!
…
"Sect Master! Sect Master! Fairy Yao Ranran… they've returned!"
A disciple stumbled into the hall.
Inside, three people stood up excitedly.
"My master (Fairy Ranran is back)?" Nie Rong and Zhou Li demanded abruptly.
The disciple nodded frantically. "Yes! They came out from the Buddha statue and are on their way back. They'll reach the mountain gate soon!"
Nie Rong clapped his hands. "That's wonderful! My master is no ordinary person. I told you there was nothing to worry about!"
He proudly placed his hands on his hips.
Han Huijun pressed his brows in frustration. "You worthless brat, you already have a teacher. How can you casually take another? And this person is a female disciple weaker than you…"
Han Huijun suddenly remembered something. He flashed in front of Nie Rong and grabbed his collar. "Tell me honestly. Did you take a fancy to the first Fairy's appearance?"
Nie Rong frowned and lightly patted his hand away. "Sect Master Han, you've been trapped in Wuxiang Sect too long, like a frog at the bottom of a well, unaware! Am I that superficial? Is my master ordinary? You don't understand the bond between us!"
"Pah! Leaving aside that you, Elder Nie, are shallow to the extreme, what value does that bond hold? Can it advance your cultivation?" Han Huijun never trusted such illusions.
He had always known Nie Rong was unreliable. For ordinary matters, he could follow Nie Rong's lead.
But regarding taking a master—it was absolutely forbidden!
By rank, Nie Rong should have called him Senior Brother. Han Huijun joined the sect later than Nie Rong, and let alone the genius Shen Yuefu!
If news spread that Nie Rong had taken a master, how could he, the sect master, face a junior disciple of higher rank?
The more he thought about it, the more absurd it seemed. In anger, he smashed the newly acquired millennial purple sandalwood desk.
"You want to take her as your master, only over my dead body!"
Nie Rong seemed stunned by the sudden harsh words. "Sect Master, are you serious?"
Hmph, scared, right?
"I never speak falsely…"
Suddenly, a punch cut through the air and struck Han Huijun's cheek, sending his last word deep into his stomach.
Nie Rong's face was fierce yet unwilling. His fists never slowed. "Sect Master, you forced me into this!"
I didn't want this either!
The sect master can change, but a master… there can only be one!
As for the one who ascended, that doesn't count anymore!