Chapter 37

Chapter 37: It Was Definitely Li Ruo!

“Martial Niece Ye,” the Sect Master said, voice tight, “how do you explain this?”

Everyone knew Ye Chu Xue hadn’t intended to poison anyone. No one was that stupid. The most likely explanation was also the simplest: her skill was lacking, and something had gone wrong during refinement.

“I don’t know what happened,” Ye Chu Xue said quickly, “but my pills definitely have no problem!”

She believed it. She had copied the inheritance one-for-one. She had even produced mid-grade pills in one attempt. How could poison appear?

“The facts are right in front of you, and you’re still insisting there’s no problem?” the Second Elder snapped. Her cold snort cut through the room. “Do you need a disciple to die before you admit your pills are flawed?”

Ever since Gu Qing Yuan had humiliated himself for Ye Chu Xue last time, the Second Elder’s disdain for her had only deepened. Everyone knew exactly why Ye Chu Xue was driving herself so hard, and now that trouble had erupted, of course she refused to admit fault.

“I didn’t!” Ye Chu Xue’s face flushed with urgency. “I refined them exactly according to the pill formula. There’s no way I made a mistake!”

“There has to be a misunderstanding.” Her voice tightened as she turned to the Sect Master. “Sect Master, my pills absolutely cannot be wrong. I beg you to see clearly!”

If she admitted her pills were poisonous, what would happen to her reputation? Who would ever seek pills from her again?

The Sect Master’s brows knit. “Martial Niece Ye, it’s not that I don’t believe you, but your pills truly do contain poison.”

His gaze flicked away, frustration simmering. He wanted the sect to produce another alchemy grandmaster so they wouldn’t have to watch Song Wan Ning’s face every time. But he couldn’t deny what was right in front of him.

“This wasn’t intentional,” he continued, voice measured. “But a disciple has been poisoned. You need to cooperate and find a way to detoxify her.”

It was only an Outer Sect disciple. Whether Wu Dan lived or died wasn’t what truly mattered.

What mattered was that if this wasn’t handled properly, Ye Chu Xue’s name would be stained—and the sect’s hopes along with it.

Lan Le stepped forward. “Martial Niece Ye, tell me the pill formula. Let me see where the problem might be.”

Ye Chu Xue recited it without hesitation. Lan Le listened, then frowned deeper.

“This formula is the standard Spirit-Gathering Pill recipe,” he said slowly. “There’s nothing wrong with it.”

That only made the situation stranger.

With the same formula, how could poison appear?

Puzzlement spread through the room like fog.

Just then, Gu Qing Yuan arrived.

Bai Yang and An Ze rushed in with him, having heard the news. The three entered together, the air sharpening with their presence.

“Chu Xue’s pills can’t be the problem,” Gu Qing Yuan said the moment he stepped inside.

He moved instinctively, placing himself in front of Ye Chu Xue as if shielding her from the entire room. “Senior Brother Lan, you said yourself the formula is fine. Then the problem can’t be with Chu Xue.”

“Master…” Ye Chu Xue’s eyes brightened, relief surging so hard it nearly made her dizzy. Looking at his straight, unwavering back, she felt safe again.

“No one will touch you,” Gu Qing Yuan said quietly, without turning. “I’m here.”

Bai Yang took a step forward as well, frowning. “Martial Uncle Lan, if Junior Sister Ye’s formula is fine, then could the problem be—”

“It was definitely Li Ruo!” An Ze suddenly shouted.

All eyes snapped to him.

He strode to Ye Chu Xue, agitation written across his face. “Yesterday I told Li Ruo to bring you the Thousand Mountains Spirit Springwater. Were you there the whole time?”

Ye Chu Xue’s breath caught. Then she shook her head. “During the refinement, I stepped out for a bit. When I came back, the Thousand Mountains Spirit Springwater was already there. I thought you’d sent it over.”

Her lips tightened. “I was gone for less than a quarter hour. And since there were no outsiders on the peak, I didn’t open the wards.”

Understanding spread in a wave.

Someone had slipped in while Ye Chu Xue was away.

“Are you sure?” Gu Qing Yuan asked, gaze heavy.

“I’m sure.” Ye Chu Xue’s face went pale, anger curdling under her skin. “When I returned, it was there.”

Disgust flared in her chest.

Song Wan Ning really was that vicious—sending someone to tamper with her cauldron?

Despicable.

“It was definitely Li Ruo!” An Ze insisted, practically vibrating with rage. “She must have acted under Master’s orders to frame Senior Sister Ye!”

“Or she meant to poison Senior Sister Ye, but didn’t expect someone else to eat the pill!” His voice rose, sharper with each word. “After all, someone like Master would never imagine Senior Sister Ye would be generous enough to share pills with ordinary disciples!”

Whispers erupted.

“Grandmaster Song? No way. Would Grandmaster Song really do something like that?”

“Why not? If Ye Chu Xue becomes an alchemy grandmaster, the first person she threatens is Grandmaster Song’s position!”

“She must be jealous.”

“Exactly. Maybe she ordered her disciple to sabotage things so she could keep her status.”

The more they spoke, the more convinced they became. Suspicion turned into certainty by sheer repetition.

Bai Yang’s frown deepened. He shot An Ze a displeased look. “Master has been in seclusion this whole time. What does this have to do with her?”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

The way Bai Yang defended Song Wan Ning made Ye Chu Xue’s throat tighten. Shock and disappointment hit her so hard she could barely breathe.

The truth was obvious, yet Bai Yang still chose Song Wan Ning.

He had changed.

Ye Chu Xue forced herself to steady her voice. “To determine right from wrong, call Junior Sister Li over and ask her. That way we won’t wrongly accuse her.”

She even managed a pale, magnanimous smile toward Gu Qing Yuan.

Gu Qing Yuan’s expression softened at once. “Bring Li Ruo here.”

The Second Elder’s disgust sharpened. “Li Ruo is only a small Qi Refining Stage disciple, and Song Wan Ning is in seclusion. Aren’t you bullying her?”

Her gaze slid to Gu Qing Yuan, lingering on the protective angle of his body, the softness in his eyes. It made her stomach turn.

“And how would Li Ruo even know how to poison anyone? I think certain people made a mistake themselves and are forcing the blame onto someone else.”

Her mocking eyes swept over Ye Chu Xue, disdain plain as daylight.

Ye Chu Xue’s hands curled into fists. Anger surged so hard her fingers trembled.

Why was the Second Elder targeting her?

Gu Qing Yuan’s brows sank. Cold killing intent flickered in his eyes as he turned toward the Second Elder.

She didn’t flinch. She met his gaze head-on, and tension snapped taut in the air like drawn wire.

The Sect Master rubbed at his temple.

In his heart, he favored Gu Qing Yuan and Ye Chu Xue. He also wanted—desperately—for Li Ruo to be the culprit.

After all, she was a “true disciple” in name only. If she could step forward and take the blame, even better. The problem was forcing a confession without provoking Song Wan Ning once she left seclusion.

He soothed the Second Elder and Gu Qing Yuan with a few hollow words, and soon Li Ruo was brought in.

The little girl looked utterly confused, hair a mess, mud staining her hands. She looked small and miserable under the weight of so many eyes.

The moment she stepped close, Gu Qing Yuan released his pressure.

Li Ruo dropped to her knees with a thud.