Chapter 046
Chapter 46: It’s Not Up to You to Decide!
Looking at the cold, distant woman in front of him, Ming Xi Su felt strangely uneasy. Shi Zi Chu, this shameless woman, had once openly declared her admiration for him, eager to cling to him whenever she saw him afterward.
Yet now, she acted as if they were mere strangers. Could it be that she was playing hard to get?
Ming Xi Su laughed coldly, his indifferent tone quickly shifting into an accusation, “A group of disciples from the Punishment Hall just arrived, saying they want to take Junior Sister back to the sect for questioning. Was it you who falsely accused her again?”
Ye He Qi sincerely worried for Venerable Xing Lan’s reputation. Her direct disciples were either too foolish or entirely brainless, or overly cunning like Shi Zi Chu.
Jiang Wan Sheng spoke mockingly, “Ming Xi Su, next time you leave home, remember to bring your brain along.”
If this were truly a false accusation, would disciples from the Jade Void Sect’s Punishment Hall even bother coming to capture Chu Zhi Rou? They would have come for Qing Qing instead, as punishment for her lies.
Shi Zi Chu took a moment to enjoy the unpleasant look on Ming Xi Su’s face before speaking unhurriedly, “Third Junior Brother truly thinks highly of me.”
“Hah!” Ming Xi Su scoffed, his eyes filled with disgust. “Eldest Senior Brother has already told me everything! You stole Junior Sister’s Drifting Flower and deliberately set her up to owe a debt to the Cloud Riding Bank…”
“Slap!”
A crisp, decisive slap interrupted Ming Xi Su’s words.
Lake Heart Pavilion fell into stunned silence.
Shi Zi Chu withdrew her hand, shaking it slightly to relieve the sting in her palm. She hadn’t held back in the slightest, leaving behind a vivid red handprint on Ming Xi Su’s fair, handsome face. Half his face immediately swelled, looking frightening.
He stood frozen in place, staring at Shi Zi Chu in disbelief, clearly dazed from the slap.
“Shi Zi Chu!” Realizing what had happened, anger surged within Ming Xi Su. Half his face was throbbing painfully and swollen. Furious, he drew his spirit sword and swung it fiercely toward Shi Zi Chu.
Shi Zi Chu swiftly elbowed Jiang Wan Sheng, who stood inconveniently behind her, pushing him away. “Water Shield!” she called out calmly.
Instantly, water flowed up from the lake, forming a barrier in front of Shi Zi Chu.
Jiang Wan Sheng, pushed to the side, rubbed his aching abdomen quietly. Qing Qing looked delicate and soft, yet her strength… Indeed, one should never underestimate any body cultivator.
Ye He Qi wisely stepped back, making sure not to interfere with Shi Zi Chu’s performance.
Ming Xi Su sneered, seeing Shi Zi Chu’s unexpected skill, and mocked her recklessness inwardly. How could someone merely at the late Foundation Establishment stage dream of challenging a late Golden Core cultivator?
The thin layer of water quickly shattered under the fierce sword qi, and Ming Xi Su’s sharp blade swung mercilessly at Shi Zi Chu. She curled her fingers, causing delicate threads of watery-blue silk to flash briefly through the air.
Ming Xi Su suddenly found himself losing control of his body. Thrown forward by momentum, he stumbled onto the goose-neck chair, flipped over its backrest, and fell directly into the lake.
“Splash!” The lake erupted into a cascade of water.
“Third Senior Brother!”
“Third Junior Brother!”
Chu Zhi Rou’s and Xu Zhou Ye’s voices rang out simultaneously. Immediately, a crowd gathered at the lakeside.
Dragged underwater by an invisible force, Ming Xi Su swallowed several mouthfuls of the cold lake water. While not enough to drown him, it was certainly unpleasant.
Seeing Ming Xi Su still beneath the surface, Ye He Qi moved next to Shi Zi Chu, discreetly handing her a silk handkerchief, whispering softly, “Don’t accidentally kill someone.”
Shi Zi Chu accepted the handkerchief and slowly wiped her palm, “Am I that type of person?”
Punishment Hall disciples had arrived, yet Chu Zhi Rou still hadn’t been taken away. The heroine’s luck was truly invincible.
Inside her spatial storage ring, the female villain system stirred again, about to bark. Xue Gu quickly silenced it with a swipe of his paw.
Ye He Qi gave her an expression that clearly said, [What do you think?]
Shi Zi Chu simply smiled softly.
Jiang Wan Sheng walked closer, eyes filled with curiosity. What were those watery-blue silk threads that flashed by just now?
Shi Zi Chu continued wiping her palm calmly, ignoring Jiang Wan Sheng’s curious stare.
Moments later, a large crowd rushed into Lake Heart Pavilion.
Chu Zhi Rou threw herself against the goose-neck chair’s backrest, eyes full of worry, anxiously watching the rippling lake water.
Chu Zhi Sheng quickly stepped forward and wrapped his arm around her slender waist, pulling her gently away. “Ming Xi Su is a late Golden Core cultivator. He’ll be fine.”
Chu Zhi Rou nestled softly into Chu Zhi Sheng’s embrace, still staring anxiously toward the lake.
Pei Qing You spoke up coldly, “Shi Zi Chu! You can’t deny seriously injuring a fellow sect disciple this time!”
“Seriously injuring?” Shi Zi Chu pointed toward the lake behind her, her face full of innocence, “Are you referring to Third Junior Brother suffering the consequences of his own actions?”
Just as Pei Qing You was about to respond, Yan Zhou Bai stepped forward. His calm eyes made Pei Qing You hesitate.
“Young Sect Master Pei, please don’t assume everyone here is blind!” Yao Ruo Ruo boldly stepped up, blocking Shi Zi Chu protectively.
The tall Shi Zi Chu was around five-foot-seven. Yao Ruo Ruo barely reached five-foot-three, looking petite and tiny standing before her, entirely unable to hide Shi Zi Chu’s figure.
Yao Ruo Ruo’s usually adorable, round face was serious now. “Clearly, Ming Xi Su attacked first. How is it Shi Zi Chu’s fault if he couldn’t stand properly and fell?”
She tried very hard to lower her voice, making herself sound less sweet and childish.
Shi Zi Chu glanced at Yao Ruo Ruo, feeling those meridian mending pills had truly been worth giving her.
Pei Qing You scoffed, refusing to argue further with Yao Ruo Ruo, and simply said, “Disciples from Jade Void Sect’s Punishment Hall are here. It’s not up to you to decide!”
The Punishment Hall disciples, however, stayed silent, secretly glancing at their own Young Sect Master’s expression. It was indeed strange; their Young Sect Master had emerged from seclusion after years, yet instead of returning directly to their sect master, he had chosen to join them here in Supreme Virtue City.
What was Young Sect Master’s plan?
Just then, Wan Yan Qian walked in arrogantly, her footsteps bold and loud.
“Oh my, how lively!” Her overbearing, arrogant voice cut through sharply. “Eldest Miss Ye, are you still mixed up with Young Sect Master Pei?”
“Rou Rou and I are innocent!” Pei Qing You glared angrily at Wan Yan Qian, “Don’t you know how important a young lady’s purity is? Apologize to Rou Rou!”
Wan Yan Qian rolled her eyes. “Where did this feudal relic come from?”
This was the cultivation world, not the mortal realm! A woman’s purity here was worthless!
Finally resurfacing, Ming Xi Su raised his head, only to meet countless gazes from those standing in the pavilion.
At that moment, he briefly wished he could just sink back into the water.
“Third Senior Brother!” Chu Zhi Rou called out anxiously, her voice full of worry and urgency.
After Ming Xi Su climbed out and cast a Dust Dispelling Spell on himself, a strange, unspoken tension filled Lake Heart Pavilion.
Amidst this atmosphere, a sharp, icy stare remained fixed upon Shi Zi Chu, impossible to ignore.
Shi Zi Chu raised her eyes slightly.
Standing quietly at the back was an exceptionally handsome man whose usually warm and gentle expression had turned sharp and cold, distant enough to repel anyone from approaching.
Meng Xi Yu—the son of Sect Master Meng and Young Sect Master of Jade Void Sect.
Half a year after Chu Zhi Rou became his disciple, the female villain system had manipulated Shi Zi Chu to betray Meng Xi Yu during a mission, severely injuring him and forcing him into secluded recovery.
However, even before Chu Zhi Rou had officially joined the sect, their friendship had already ended.
Meng Xi Yu’s gaze deepened, coldly meeting Shi Zi Chu’s calm, indifferent eyes, his expression becoming even colder.
Eventually, Shi Zi Chu withdrew her gaze first. She watched with subtle amusement as Chu Zhi Rou continued fussing over Ming Xi Su.
Receiving the affection of his beloved, Ming Xi Su naturally basked in delight, while the other men nearby burned with jealousy.