It was common for Cultivators to enter secluded cultivation. Generally, if the restrictive spell in their courtyard was active, it was assumed they were in seclusion.
Normally, any sensible person wouldn't disturb them.
After all, if an external disturbance caused someone to Fall into Demon during their cultivation, it would be a grave offense.
But clearly... Ye Zhiyao was not a sensible person.
Dragging her body, which had only just begun to heal from serious injuries, she stood unsteadily outside the residence, her lips pale as she called out to Lu Sangjiu.
"Junior Sister Lu, it's me, Ye Zhiyao. I just woke up and heard about what happened. My heart is fraught with guilt, so I've come especially to apologize to you."
"I know you might still be angry with me, Junior Sister Lu, and that's why you don't want to see me. But that's alright. I'll just stand here and wait for you. I believe that one day, you'll see my sincerity and be willing to come out and meet me!"
Lu Sangjiu: "..."
'Is there... something seriously wrong with this person?'
'Then again, it makes sense. Ye Zhiyao always did seem to love pulling this kind of moral blackmail stunt.'
'This was originally her fault, but if I don't go out and forgive her now, letting her wait outside while she's just recovered from serious injuries, I'll probably be the one people start badmouthing soon enough.'
Sure enough, other disciples from Purple Peak soon came running after Ye Zhiyao. Seeing how weak she still was, they tried to persuade her to go back.
But Ye Zhiyao said stubbornly, "No. If Junior Sister Lu doesn't come out to see me, I won't go back."
At that, someone who felt sorry for Ye Zhiyao couldn't help but speak up for her.
"Junior Sister Lu, my junior sister was unconscious before, so she didn't mean to wrongly accuse you. The moment she woke up and heard about it, she rushed over to apologize. She is truly sincere. For you to refuse to see her is a bit unreasonable."
"Besides, my master traded a Lotus Pill for the Snow Mysterious Ginseng. Technically, you're the one who profited from the exchange."
Lu Sangjiu was utterly speechless. 'So I'm supposed to thank you for this?'
'But the truth was, if her master hadn't arrived in time, forget the Lotus Pill—they probably would have just stolen her Snow Mysterious Ginseng outright.'
Such shameless sophistry was truly bottom-of-the-barrel, but seeing that the speaker was Ye Zhiyao's only senior brother, Qin Yu, it wasn't surprising.
After all, Qin Yu was a key supporting male character in Ye Zhiyao's story—the gentle, loyal-puppy type of senior brother, devoted to protecting his junior sister with all his heart.
All the men bewitched by Ye Zhiyao, regardless of their personalities, were capable of abandoning all shame to defend her.
Fortunately, though, Ye Zhiyao had a senior brother, and so did Lu Sangjiu—one with a much worse temper than Qin Yu.
Just as Qin Yu and Ye Zhiyao were speaking, their words drawing a crowd of curious passersby, Lu Sangjiu's eldest senior brother, Li Qiancheng—a man born with a foul temper who was not to be trifled with—arrived.
"What are so many of you doing crowded around my Little Junior Sister's residence?"
"Oh, it's Senior Brother Li." Ye Zhiyao spoke apologetically. "Did we disturb you? I'm sorry. I just wanted to apologize to Junior Sister Lu, but I didn't expect her to refuse to show herself, so I could only..."
Lu Sangjiu rolled her eyes. 'So, she's implying she disturbed Li Qiancheng, but it's actually all my fault, is that it?'
But now that her own backer had arrived, Lu Sangjiu was in no mood to watch Ye Zhiyao's performance any longer.
Before she could finish, Lu Sangjiu deactivated the restrictive spell on her courtyard and walked out. "Senior Brother..."
The moment she spoke, her voice was even weaker than Ye Zhiyao's, and her face looked terribly pale.
Li Qiancheng was startled. "Little Junior Sister, you're..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Lu Sangjiu's expression suddenly changed. With a "BLECH," she spat out a large mouthful of blood, then clutched her chest and began to cough relentlessly.
Her sudden action stunned the crowd. Li Qiancheng was the quickest to react, rushing forward to support her. "Little Junior Sister, what's wrong?"
After a great effort, Lu Sangjiu finally stopped coughing. She managed a weak shake of her head and said faintly, "Eldest Senior Brother... I'm fine. I was just cultivating when I was suddenly disturbed by the people outside. My qi circulation went awry, causing some internal injuries."
Li Qiancheng was a hothead. Hearing this, he glared furiously at Ye Zhiyao and her senior brother. "Don't you know that disturbing someone in seclusion can cause problems?"
Ye Zhiyao was flustered. "No, I didn't mean to. I didn't know..."
With that, she looked to Qin Yu. "Senior Brother, I..."
"You don't need to say another word, Junior Sister. I believe you."
Qin Yu stepped in front of Ye Zhiyao, his eyes fixed sharply on Lu Sangjiu.
Then he turned to Li Qiancheng and said, "Junior Brother Li, we were just standing in front of her residence and said a few words. How could that possibly injure her so severely?"
Cultivators have much stronger mental fortitude than ordinary people. Generally speaking, a few mere words should not be able to cause such a severe outcome.
Therefore, Qin Yu suspected Lu Sangjiu was faking it.
Everyone naturally understood the implication in his words. The crowd of onlookers began to whisper among themselves, their gazes toward Lu Sangjiu filled with suspicion.
The only one who didn't doubt Lu Sangjiu was Li Qiancheng.
He shot back domineeringly, "Bullshit! You bullied my junior sister until she coughed up blood, and now you not only deny it but try to blame her instead? Can you people from Purple Peak be any more shameless?"
Qin Yu's expression instantly soured. "Li Qiancheng, I know you cultivate the Anger Rune Technique, which affects your temperament and makes you irritable and prone to anger. But you should try to exercise some self-control. If you keep speaking so offensively, I won't tolerate it!"
The signature Cultivation Technique of the Seven Emotions Sect was called the Seven Emotions Technique. When practicing it, a disciple would choose one of the seven emotions most compatible with them to cultivate. Afterward, they would be influenced by it, causing that emotion to be amplified.
However, as one's cultivation progressed, the influence would diminish the higher their cultivation level became.
Most disciples of the Seven Emotions Sect cultivated the Seven Emotions Technique. The only exception was the Purple Peak lineage, because their master, Bai Heng, was a Sword Cultivator with an exceptional Sword Dao. As such, both of his disciples were Sword Cultivators like him.
As for Lu Sangjiu, she had only recently reached Foundation Establishment and had not yet formally chosen her cultivation path.
In short, many within the Sect were somewhat affected by practicing the Seven Emotions Technique, so fellow disciples were generally more tolerant of each other's personalities.
For Qin Yu, someone who didn't even cultivate the Seven Emotions Technique, to say such a thing with such a condescending attitude instantly made Li Qiancheng even angrier.
His anger flared, and he was about to attack, but Lu Sangjiu pulled him back.
She looked at him with a worried expression and said, "Senior Brother, don't fight with them because of me."
She said, "Senior Brother Qin is right. Most people wouldn't be affected by such a small thing. It's all my fault for forcing myself to cultivate before my previous injuries had fully healed. It's all my fault. Please don't be angry, Senior Brother!"
Her series of deceptively meek words only made Li Qiancheng more furious.
"A few days ago, your master bullied and injured my Little Junior Sister! Now you two come to her door to pile on more injuries, then turn around and slander her! Do you really think there's no one on Red Peak to stand up for her?!"