Chapter 176: Gratitude to the Grand Senior Sister
This novel is translated and hosted only on BCatranslation
“Enough! Fellow Daoist Zhou, stop pushing things too far!” Li Jing Rang couldn’t hold back any longer.
Junior Sister Ye was so fragile and sensitive; she could never endure the pressure from Zhou Jin Yue. He simply wanted to ensure Junior Sister Ye could have a better life, not to cause her hardship. For her sake, he was willing to compromise.
“This matter ends here,” he said through gritted teeth, his expression filled with endurance. His humility and forbearance only served to amuse Zhou Jin Yue, who let out a cold laugh.
“Li Jing Rang, you rushed in just now to baselessly accuse me, and now you’re trying to dismiss everything with a simple ‘it ends here’? Are you looking down on me, Zhou Jin Yue, or on the Five Elements Dao Sect?”
“You… didn’t suffer any loss,” Li Jing Rang muttered, recalling how Zhou Jin Yue had responded to him earlier.
“Oh, so I should endure being wronged just because I didn’t lose anything?”
Her voice dropped, laced with the authority of the Grand Senior Sister. The pressure emanating from her presence silenced everyone. Even Zhang Jun, who was always joking and carefree around Zhou Jin Yue, straightened up nervously, not daring to laugh.
The ones in the most awkward position were undoubtedly Ye Cong Xin and Li Jing Rang.
Ye Cong Xin was seething internally. She had placed her sights on Li Jing Rang because of his overwhelming fortune and his status as the top disciple of Tai Bai Academy. Who could have predicted that he would turn out to be all flash and no substance? Outwardly clever but inwardly foolish, he had boarded the Five Elements Dao Sect’s flying boat and, under the noses of its sect master and elders, dared to provoke the sect’s Grand Senior Sister.
Such foolishness!
Yet, Li Jing Rang himself didn’t realize the gravity of his actions. He still believed Zhou Jin Yue was acting arrogantly, bullying others, and suppressing Junior Sister Ye out of jealousy. Of course, it must be envy! Wasn’t Junior Sister Ye’s beauty… well, maybe not beauty, but surely her talent? Yes, her talent! Zhou Jin Yue was jealous of Junior Sister Ye’s talent and was intentionally oppressing her.
His sense of righteousness surged. However, as his gaze swept across the deck—crowded with disciples from both sects, totaling three or four hundred—his lips moved as though to speak but closed quickly. There were things he simply couldn’t say in front of such an audience.
“Jin Yue, an elder from Tai Bai Academy just came to me, asking for leniency. Let’s split the compensation fifty-fifty; what do you say?”
The sly voice of Sect Master Ji Yuan rang softly in Zhou Jin Yue’s ears. Her eyes lit up as her lips moved silently.
“Seventy-thirty,” she mouthed.
“Deal!”
As everyone braced themselves for what seemed an inevitable clash, Zhou Jin Yue’s imposing aura suddenly dissipated.
“Since Junior Sister Ye said it was all a misunderstanding, I’ll grant her the benefit of the doubt. Let’s let the matter rest here. However, I urge you, Fellow Daoist Li, to be more cautious in your words and actions in the future.”
The swift change in tone left everyone stunned. Before they could react, Zhou Jin Yue turned and strode away briskly.
Zhang Jun’s eyes darted as he quickly followed, his voice dripping with exaggerated affection. “Senior Sister~ my most revered, most beloved Grand Senior Sister~!”
“Shut up. You’ll get ten percent.”
“Thank you, Grand Senior Sister, for your generosity!” Zhang Jun followed her cheerfully, eager to join her in meeting their sect’s most business-savvy elder to claim their reward.
The remaining disciples from both sects exchanged bewildered glances, rendered speechless.
“Junior Sister, come with me,” Fang Cheng Lang’s cold voice broke the silence, calling out to Ye Cong Xin.
Her heart sank, though her face betrayed nothing. She agreed calmly, but inwardly, she braced herself.
Su Ming and Quan Ye moved to follow but were stopped by Lan Zi Yu.
The narrative unfolds as Lan Zi Yu prevents Su Ming from intervening when the Eldest Senior Brother, Fang Cheng Lang, privately calls upon Junior Sister Ye Cong Xin. This is a change for Lan Zi Yu, whose maturity has grown since Fang Cheng Lang stepped back from responsibilities. Instead of joining the drama, Lan Zi Yu chooses to diffuse potential conflict, attributing blame to the Tai Bai Academy, whom he accuses of scheming to disrupt their sect’s unity.
Lan Zi Yu cleverly diverts Quan Ye’s anger toward the Tai Bai Academy, reinforcing the idea that their provocations aim to weaken the sect’s performance in the upcoming competition. This manipulation works, as Quan Ye vows to teach them a lesson during the sect’s Grand Competition.
Meanwhile, Fang Cheng Lang surprises Ye Cong Xin by encouraging her to foster relationships with disciples from other sects, avoiding any harsh criticism. This gesture raises Ye Cong Xin’s suspicions about his motives. Turning to her system, she confirms his favorability score has increased to 30, leaving her more uncertain about his intentions.
Despite trusting the system’s accuracy, Ye Cong Xin becomes increasingly cautious, recognizing Fang Cheng Lang’s unpredictable behavior as potentially slipping out of her control. This compels her to remain vigilant in her interactions.
Ten days later, Yu Zhao prepares for the Individual Competition, awakening early and stepping outside into a quiet courtyard. As a disciple of the Five Elements Dao Sect, she notices the sect’s participants are still en route due to differing schedules.
On her way to the competition grounds, Yu Zhao encounters Silence, a monk holding prayer beads. Silence has been waiting for her, acknowledging her growing reputation within the Aspiration Pavilion. His gesture of support reflects his earlier recognition of Yu Zhao’s extraordinary abilities and his intent to aid her during the competition. After expressing her gratitude, Yu Zhao and Silence head together toward the martial grounds, ready to face the challenges ahead.