Zhao Zi’ang swallowed hard, stammering awkwardly.
“Senior Sister, d-d-didn’t I tell you before that I was going out for training?”
“Oh?”
Bai Rushuang narrowed her eyes, pursed her lips.
Of course she knew this routine of Zhao Zi’ang’s.
But after Jiang Che disappeared, she gradually came to understand something: words couldn’t always be taken at face value.
Looking at this Shidi whom she’d often looked after, she really couldn’t figure out why, on the second day after Jiang Che was expelled from the Zhumen, he’d slipped away as well, leaving no trace.
If it hadn’t been for taking over Senior Brother Jiang Che’s duties, she never would have realized that the usually somewhat lecherous Senior Brother had actually done so much for the Lingjian Cultivators.
No wonder she’d never seen Jiang Che go into seclusion; the Cave Residence Lin Yin assigned to him had never been used, not even once.
And then there was herself, always sheltered by Senior Brother, never needing to worry about Lingjian Cultivator affairs, never lacking resources for cultivation; whenever she finished a round of seclusion, Senior Brother would come by thoughtfully to check on her.
Come to think of it, maybe Senior Brother placed a Shadowstone in the female disciples’ bathhouse just to keep an eye on their health!
Thinking this far, Bai Rushuang deeply regretted how cold she’d been to Senior Brother during those years after she grew up.
Ever since reading Jiang Che’s Diary, Bai Rushuang no longer believed he’d done those things.
And as for the Diary…
“Shidi Zhao, with such a huge event shaking the Zhumen, and you try to sneak away—aren’t you being a little too irresponsible?”
Bai Rushuang lifted her gaze and looked at Zhao Zi’ang.
“Second Senior Sister! I… I… that’s right, it’s because I felt so guilty toward Senior Brother! I couldn’t stop him back then—if I had, things wouldn’t have ended up like that! So I decided to leave and train myself! I wanted to get stronger! Look, I’m in the late Zhuji Realm now!”
“Senior Sister! You have no idea what I’ve gone through these past three years! Eating wild fruits and sleeping in the open every day! You know I’m shy, I can’t even talk to strangers! I could only fill my belly with wild berries! Look, I’ve even lost weight!”
As he spoke, Zhao Zi’ang pulled up his sleeve, showing his arm and pinching a bit of skin.
His aggrieved expression was just the same as when she’d first met him years ago.
Zhao Zi’ang liked to use this move, and his two Senior Sisters always fell for it.
Bai Rushuang pushed down the nausea rising inside.
She wondered how she could have been so softhearted toward this sort of thing before.
Why did she pass up the world’s best Senior Brother, spending her days teaching this good-for-nothing to cultivate?
Bai Rushuang took a deep breath, knowing now wasn’t the time to turn hostile.
Back then, Zhao Zi’ang was the only clue. If she wanted to clear Senior Brother’s name, she had to keep him around.
“Hey! Senior Sister, what are you doing? That hurts!”
Bai Rushuang pinched Zhao Zi’ang’s arm hard.
“I just wanted to see how much thinner you’ve gotten.”
Can’t kill him, but can’t she at least hit him?
Bai Rushuang had been in seclusion for so long, and it was rare to get a chance to vent, but she still let go.
For some reason, Zhao Zi’ang felt that this Senior Sister before him was very different from before.
In the past, Bai Rushuang’s face was always serious, making her hard to approach.
Now she always gave him a chilly feeling, the hint of a smile at the corner of her lips that was hard to read.
“Is there anything else?”
Bai Rushuang asked.
“Senior Sister, honestly, I came back this time just to see you. Now that I’ve seen you, I feel satisfied!”
Zhao Zi’ang said, slick-tongued.
“But Senior Sister, the Banquet of Reunion Night is in a few days! Shenxiao Town will be lively then! Let’s go out and have some fun!
Senior Sister, you know I’m an orphan, I have no family. Now, in this world, you’re the closest people I have!”
Zhao Zi’ang sounded so sincere, but Bai Rushuang only felt irritated hearing it.
“We’ll see then.”
With that, Bai Rushuang flew off on her sword, leaving Zhao Zi’ang standing there alone.
Zhao Zi’ang stood there blankly, unable to understand why Bai Rushuang had changed so much.
…
“Xu Head, three years ago, did you personally refine a Xuan Shui Dan for Zhao Zi’ang?”
Inside the room.
Xu Qianlan and Jiang Che had been silent for a long time.
It was as if Xu Qianlan had finally discovered the reason Jiang Che had always suspected her.
She’d never understood why Jiang Che was always so guarded with her.
But only when Jiang Che brought up Zhao Zi’ang did Xu Qianlan finally realize.
“Xiao Che… this isn’t what you really want to ask, is it? What you want to know is, how did the Resurrection Pill in the Medicine Hall go missing three years ago, isn’t it?”
Jiang Che was silent.
To Xu Qianlan, this silence was as good as an admission.
“How did you know I refined a Xuan Shui Dan for Zhao Zi’ang? Did he tell you?
Do you think I was involved in framing you?”
Jiang Che did not answer.
Back then, the place in the Medicine Hall where the Resurrection Pill was stored was protected by a Jin Zhi.
Only Bai Rushuang, who managed the Medicine Hall, and Xu Qianlan, who could enter and leave freely, could get in.
He couldn’t help but suspect that Xu Qianlan and Zhao Zi’ang had colluded.
And Xu Qianlan had deceived him. But ever since Jiang Che saw Hu Qiao’er come to such a place as Nanjing for his sake, he’d started to wonder if some things weren’t as he’d thought.
Even though he still felt uneasy, he couldn’t help wanting to find out the truth.
Xu Qianlan’s face showed a bitter smile.
“Xiao Che, if I said I never did anything to wrong you, would you believe me?”
Jiang Che hesitated, then said, “Not necessarily.”
Xu Qianlan’s hands clenched tightly, a boundless fury rising in her heart.
But she held it back.
“Xiao Che, I will give you an explanation.”
With that, Xu Qianlan flicked her sleeve and left.
Jiang Che sighed quietly.
He didn’t feel anything in particular; even if these answers were finally revealed, Jiang Che didn’t think he’d be very grateful.
He still wanted to protect Hu Qiao’er, but since he couldn’t persuade her, he could only try to find another way to improve his strength.
Or to help Hu Qiao’er become stronger—at least enough to protect herself.
At the same time.
Having gained nothing from Bai Rushuang, Zhao Zi’ang trudged back to his room, in no hurry to do what the mysterious person had told him.
He figured as long as the person stayed in the Zhumen, he would have another chance.
Suddenly, an overwhelming surge of spiritual power blasted toward Zhao Zi’ang from the side without warning, slamming into him with full force!
“Puh—!”
Zhao Zi’ang didn’t even have time to react. His whole body flew out like a kite with a broken string, smashing hard against a fake mountain several meters away, the impact ringing out dully.
A corner of the fake mountain broke off with a crack, rubble tumbling down.
“Ugh…”
Zhao Zi’ang’s vision went black. With only a stifled cry of pain, he collapsed to the ground, passing out completely.
Even a late-stage Zhuji Realm was as fragile as paper before this power.
Under the moonlight, Xu Qianlan’s figure appeared, her dark green sleeves stirring without wind.
Gone was her usual laziness and nonchalance—her brow was now frosted over with ice and burning rage.
Those eyes, always slightly tipsy or teasing, were now locked on Zhao Zi’ang’s limp body, so sharp they seemed to pierce flesh and bone.
“Good for you, Zhao Zi’ang! Ruined my plans!”
Xu Qianlan’s voice carried an icy chill never heard before, each word squeezed through clenched teeth.
Xu Qianlan swore, this was the only time in her life she’d lost control like this! Not even when arguing with Lin Yin had she gotten so furious.
The air itself seemed to freeze with her rage.
She drew a deep breath, chest heaving, her anger not abating but intensifying.
“No wonder Xiao Che is so distant with me now! I’ve never been this angry at anyone in all my years! You’ve really pushed me too far!”
Before her words even finished, Xu Qianlan sent another sharp blast of spiritual power flying forth.