Central Continent.
Wuxiang Sect.
Yiyu Hall.
Han Huijun's veins bulged across his forehead, his fury boiling over. "Who on earth did this to you? Who hurt you so badly?"
Shen Yuefu lay on the bed in his usual white robes, silent and indifferent, as if the roars beside him were nothing but distant echoes.
Pei Xianqiao brushed away the tears at the corner of her eyes and whispered, "Sect master, please don't ask anymore. Elder Shen will never speak of it..."
Han Huijun's rage exploded as his palm smashed the millennial red sandalwood table into splinters. His eyes turned to Pei Xianqiao, and with a flick of his sleeve he swept her out of the hall.
"Tell me! Who injured Elder Shen?"
As he questioned her, his mind sifted through the faces of several mighty figures.
Was it the Holy Maiden of Beiming Holy Palace, enraged after her marriage proposal was rejected, who then begged her sect master to strike? Or was it someone from the Southern Dynasty, fearful of Shen Yuefu's growing strength, who struck from the shadows?
Pei Xianqiao shook her head sadly. "Sect master, please stop asking. Even if I tell you, you won't believe me..."
Already burning with impatience, Han Huijun's anger spiked higher at her words. "As long as you speak the truth, how could I not believe you?"
Pei Xianqiao bit her lip, her teeth trembling against the soft flesh before she finally whispered, "Sect master... the one who grievously injured Elder Shen was Yao Ranran!"
Han Huijun froze. "Are you joking with me? I am in no mood for such nonsense!"
Tears welled in Pei Xianqiao's eyes as she looked at him pitifully. "Sect master, I would never jest with you. Yao Ranran... she's gone mad!
She lured Elder Shen to Dongze Forest near Quanchi City. She prepared an array in advance, then her strength suddenly soared. With Elder Shen defenseless, she struck a single blow that left him in this state!"
At that point, tears could no longer be contained. They streamed down her face in hot rivulets.
Han Huijun stared at her in disbelief. "Nonsense! Even if Yao Ranran's strength improved, she's only at the tenth layer of Qi Refinement. How could you possibly be unable to stop her?"
Pei Xianqiao's eyes were swollen from crying, her cheeks flushed red with shame. "Sect master, she's far more than the tenth layer of Qi Refinement! At that time... at that time..."
At that time, even when she stood in full strength before Shen Yuefu, Yao Ranran had sent her flying with a single strike.
But such humiliation was impossible to say aloud. She stammered, unable to make herself clear.
Han Huijun's expression darkened. "I can understand if you wish to cover for Shen Yuefu. I know your heart leans toward him. Before, I thought you were merely a naïve girl. Now it seems your schemes run no shallower than Yao Ranran's!
She has been gone from Wuxiang Sect for many days. Why would you slander her and frame her with this crime? Do you think that just because she left, I cannot find her and expose your lies face to face?"
"No... it isn't... Sect master..." Pei Xianqiao stood frozen, dazed by his scolding. It was the first time she had ever seen Han Huijun lose his temper at her. And worse, he was defending the deeply calculating Yao Ranran before her eyes.
"Enough. I won't get the truth from you today. Don't think that just because you are Elder Yue's most beloved disciple I dare not punish you. Today I spare you only because I lack the mood. You will take good care of Elder Shen's condition. If there is the slightest problem, do not expect to remain in Wuxiang Sect in peace!"
With those furious words, Han Huijun transformed into light and vanished.
Pei Xianqiao stood there crying foolishly.
"I told you, you wouldn't believe me. And in the end, you really didn't..."
She truly was innocent.
…
Main Hall of Wuxiang Sect.
Han Huijun sat solemnly in the highest seat, a sneer curling at his lips. "These young disciples always think their sect master cannot see through their petty rivalries.
Xiao Pei's jealousy of Yao Ranran is understandable. In terms of beauty, she indeed falls short. But this lie she fabricated today... far too ridiculous."
The fire in his eyes cooled slightly.
For days, he had gone sleepless in pursuit of Yao Ranran's trail, hoping to bring back the girl beside her. By now, he had long since pieced together her path.
Yao Ranran had never gone to Quanchi City at all.
The ones who went there were Nie Rong and Zhou Lili. The four of them had split into two groups, spreading false information to cover for Che Lingzhi, hiding her in secret.
Thinking through it now, everything became clear. He finally understood why Nie Rong had been so desperate to acknowledge her as his master. It must be that Yao Ranran used Che Lingzhi's choice as leverage, offering Che Lingzhi's spiritual flesh in some secret, shameful bargain with Nie Rong.
"Hiss!" Lost in thought, Han Huijun tugged too hard and ripped a short beard hair from his chin. He burned it away in disgust, lips curling into an exaggerated grin.
"Hehehe... All of Central Continent is under my watchful eye. Let's see where you, little girl, think you can hide.
Unless you drove Che Lingzhi out of Central Continent in mere days, sooner or later she will return to my grasp. Hahaha... hahahaha!"
…
"The Eastern Wilderness has become this chaotic?"
High upon a flying boat, Yao Ranran gazed down at the scene beyond the protective array.
A huddle of ragged refugees crammed themselves into a narrow stone cave, none daring to step outside.
Jiang Shengxiang had been forced to deal with countless displaced folk each day. Some he accepted, but most he drove away without mercy.
If he had not done so, before Yao Ranran and her companions returned, this land within ten li would already have been overrun.
Even now, she saw fleeing cultivators striking at the array in the corners, hoping to pry open a crack to squeeze inside.
But with their pitiful cultivation, the barrier did not stir in the slightest.
Yao Ranran turned the flying boat and landed upon Biluo Sect.
Zhou Shengqian handed her the spirit stones earned from selling magical artifacts and delivered a piece of news.
"Fairy Ranran, Tower Master Qin of Suohong Tower wishes to cooperate with you. She has more spirit stones than she knows what to do with, and asked me to see if you were interested."
Yao Ranran's voice grew solemn. "I've at least met Tower Master Qin once. At a time like this, the righteous path should unite to strike down the demonic path and restore peace to the Eastern Wilderness."
Her words sounded upright, but the truth was she simply coveted the mountain of spirit stones in Qin Lüsha's hands.
Zhou Shengqian had already anticipated this. Whoever offered the most spirit stones would gain Fairy Ranran's support in this war.
"Yes, I'll relay the message to Tower Master Qin at once."
"Wait. Why would Qin Lüsha want to cooperate with me? When you sold her those artifacts, what exactly did you tell her?"
Yao Ranran frowned. She was nothing more than a disgraced sinner of Wuxiang Sect. Qin Lüsha had met her before and should have known this well.
Zhou Shengqian hesitated, then spoke gravely. "Fairy, everything I did was for the sake of survival, and to earn more spirit stones for you..."
A bad feeling settled in Yao Ranran's heart, but she forced herself to listen patiently. "I understand. Continue."