Chapter 26

Chapter 26: Foolish or Bad

Li Shuang kept a calm face, with no emotion in her eyes.

She said evenly: “Everyone knows how dangerous Qi Deviation is. Shen Yue has a fire attribute Single Spiritual Root, which is even more terrifying once it riots. So then, five years ago, when Ye Zhao Zhao claimed she worked so hard to care for Shen Yue during his Qi Deviation, did she actually just stand by and watch him sleep?”

Ye Zhao Zhao went pale as she looked toward the few from Ling Xu Peak: “It wasn’t… it wasn’t like that,” she said, then added with a trembling voice, “When I saw Senior Brother unconscious, I panicked. I fed Senior Brother spirit pills and spirit water and tended to him for a few days, and he got better on his own. His condition… his condition was not like what it is now.”

Her lips shook, and there was panic in her eyes when she looked at Sheng Yuan and the others.

Lin Qing Ling had already started to laugh, and she could not help saying: “If Qi Deviation were this easy to get through, there wouldn’t be so many Cultivators who die from it! Five years ago Shen Yue was already at the Golden Core Stage, right? For a Golden Core Stage Qi Deviation, at least a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator must act to suppress it, and the element must counter his. Ye Zhao Zhao? She has a mixed three-spiritual-root system and wasn’t even at Nascent Soul Stage then. Why would any of you think she could save Shen Yue during Qi Deviation?”

This was truly ridiculous.

She had only heard bits and pieces, but she already understood what really happened back then.

On Ling Xu Peak, only Li Shuang could have saved Shen Yue.

Back then, Li Shuang’s cultivation had not advanced for five years and had even begun to slip. Yet when Shen Yue fell into Qi Deviation, she still stepped in without hesitation to suppress it. To tamp down Shen Yue’s heartfire, Li Shuang must have suffered serious injuries at the time, right?

And yet these fools from Ling Xu Peak thought it was all thanks to Ye Zhao Zhao. [Are they stupid, or just bad?] Lin Qing Ling could not even tell for a moment.

Her words cut like blades, and the people of Ling Xu Peak began to look at Ye Zhao Zhao with a hint of doubt.

Ye Zhao Zhao trembled harder, flustered as she said: “I… I don’t know. I don’t know anything.”

With tears in her eyes, she looked at Immortal Ling Xu: “Master, I’m telling the truth. When I saw Senior Brother Shen Yue, he was only unconscious, and under my care he really did get better.”

Immortal Ling Xu, seeing how hard she cried, felt his heart soften. He said gently: “Zhao Zhao had only been in the sect for five years at that time. How could she know what Qi Deviation truly looks like? She did not lie.”

“Junior Sister would never lie,” Chang Le An said loudly.

Sheng Yuan lowered his gaze. His lips shook and for a long time he could not speak.

Zhao Zhao truly had not lied.

But still, [something is wrong], he thought.

Luo Ming Yue could not hold back: “Fine, say Ye Zhao Zhao really didn’t know. What about you all? You didn’t know either? A Single Spiritual Root’s Qi Deviation isn’t something you can heal so easily. Did it never occur to you that the person who saved Shen Yue was someone else entirely?”

The person who saved Shen Yue was someone else entirely…

Sheng Yuan slowly looked at Li Shuang and asked hoarsely: “First Senior Sister, was it you?”

Five years ago, after Shen Yue woke, only then did Li Shuang suddenly appear.

Junior Sister had grown pale and thin from caring for Shen Yue.

They themselves had red-rimmed eyes from worry over Shen Yue.

Only First Senior Sister looked perfectly fine and even rosy.

Compared side by side, it was natural for resentment to grow in their hearts.

Sheng Yuan remembered he was the first to sharply question First Senior Sister, asking where she had gone. Everyone knew that ice counters fire, and with her spiritual roots she was the most suitable person to treat Shen Yue, yet she left at such a critical moment. What kind of First Senior Sister did that?

In his anger and in Shen Yue’s disappointment, First Senior Sister tried to explain.

She said she had seen Shen Yue’s condition, treated him, and only left after she was sure he was safe.

But none of them believed it. He even remembered snapping at her: “If you discovered Third Junior Brother’s condition and treated him, why did you rush off? First Senior Sister, that’s not how you steal credit. If Junior Sister hadn’t stayed by his ear day and night calling to him, he might never have woken up.”

At the time, Li Shuang looked stunned and did not argue further.

He had thought she was guilty.

Now it seemed there was another story behind it.

“How could it be her?” Chang Le An blurted out. “Back then Junior Sister looked exhausted and haggard from caring for Second Senior Brother. And her? She looked perfectly fine.”

“First Senior Sister, you tell us,” Sheng Yuan said, ignoring Chang Le An and staring at Li Shuang.

Li Shuang met his eyes and said quietly: “Suppressing heartfire is extremely dangerous. Even though I was one major realm above Shen Yue, I was still badly wounded. I disappeared for a few days to heal. When I returned, I took a Vitality Pill ahead of time so you wouldn’t worry.”

She stated the facts as simply as that.

Sheng Yuan’s lips trembled. His knees weakened, and he nearly fell.

Chang Le An’s eyes went wide: “Impossible. That’s impossible. You aren’t that kind.”

In his mind, Zhao Zhao was always gentle, sweet, and considerate, giving her whole heart to them Senior Brothers.

And Li Shuang? Always cold like ice.

You could never tell whether she felt anything at all.

Could a person like that really injure herself to save Shen Yue?

“You people are laughable,” Luo Ming Yue said coldly. “Other than Li Shuang, who on Ling Xu Peak could have saved Shen Yue? By your sloppy feeding of random pills and water, or by those so-called heartfelt calls at his bedside? Do you want the whole sect to laugh at you?”

Liu Jun Cheng’s face was dark: “Li Shuang didn’t want you to worry and even took a Vitality Pill for your sakes. How are you worthy of such thoughtfulness? Remember this: on Ling Xu Peak, sweet talkers get more love than the ones who do the real work.”

As he spoke, he cast a mocking glance at Ye Zhao Zhao.

Ye Zhao Zhao flinched and looked helplessly at Sheng Yuan.

Sheng Yuan looked lost, as if his soul had slipped away.

She turned to Chang Le An.

Chang Le An stared, still unable to process it.

Ye Zhao Zhao looked to Immortal Ling Xu, her voice shaking: “Master… I really didn’t know.”

Immortal Ling Xu had fallen silent at first, but when he saw Ye Zhao Zhao like this, his heart softened again.

This little Disciple of his was the most well behaved.

Of so many Disciples, only she would tell him all manner of strange jokes to make him laugh.

Only she would struggle to invent new brewing recipes and make strong liquor for him.

Only she would rack her brains to bring him fresh curiosities.

People have feelings. After ten years, how could he not be biased?