Chapter 067
Chapter 67: I Can Carry Daoist Shi Over
Chu Zhi Rou lowered her gaze, nervously twisting her skirt with both hands. Her timid voice cautiously asked, “Second senior sister, are you alright?”
Clearly, Chu Zhi Rou had learned to be clever.
Instead of agreeing outright with Shi Zi Chu, she acted as if she feared her, yet couldn’t help but show concern—a kind-hearted appearance.
“I’m fine,” Shi Zi Chu replied softly with a gentle, comforting smile. Soon after, her voice became filled with concern and worry, “But Sixth junior sister, you don’t look very well… cough, cough…”
Shi Zi Chu lowered her head, covering her mouth as she coughed softly. She looked delicate and weak, yet her eyes held tenderness and worry.
Her beautiful and elegant face was slightly pale, losing some of its usual brilliance. Together with her gentle and worried expression, she appeared fragile yet utterly enchanting, enough to soften the hearts of everyone watching.
Many of the surrounding disciples revealed expressions of pity.
“Junior sister Chu is really pushing too hard. Senior sister Shi is hurt so badly. Even if she doesn’t feel pity for her senior sister, she shouldn’t force senior sister Shi to come out.”
“Exactly! What could possibly be so important that senior sister Shi had to show herself like this?”
“Perhaps the rumors weren’t true at all, like the Green Mountain Secret Realm incident…”
“Cough, cough, cough! Quiet down!”
A nearby disciple nudged his friend, urgently whispering a warning.
The friend paused in surprise and looked up, seeing Xu Zhou Ye and the others glaring darkly at him with anger. Frightened, he stepped back and fell silent, but deep down he felt as if he’d uncovered the truth.
The surrounding disciples’ swift change of heart toward Shi Zi Chu not only stunned Chu Zhi Rou but left Xu Zhou Ye and the others feeling absurd.
A notorious, vicious woman—could Shi Zi Chu have bewitched these disciples?!
Distracted by the disciples’ whispers, Chu Zhi Rou briefly showed a flicker of impatience in her eyes. But quickly, she raised her face again, nervously and delicately testing, “Second senior sister, I’ve heard your injuries were related to Clan Chief Chu?”
Shi Zi Chu softly sighed, lowering her brows slightly as her gentle voice dimmed with sadness, “I had bad luck and was transported to an evil cultivator’s ruins by the teleportation array, causing trouble for the Young Sect Master as well.”
Her hidden meaning was clear: [I have no idea who was behind this.]
Yao Ruo Ruo, understanding her implication, cast a meaningful glance toward Yan Zhou Bai, as if silently saying: [See, senior brother? Zi Chu isn’t such a good person.]
Yan Zhou Bai cast a cold glance back at Yao Ruo Ruo, silently replying: [I know, and then what?]
Yao Ruo Ruo strangely understood Yan Zhou Bai’s expression and nearly rolled her eyes.
Chu Zhi Rou was momentarily speechless, unable to continue asking about Chu Zhi Sheng. Yet her master was nowhere to be found, and both Chu Clan and Ah Sheng were in dire straits!
Hua Ting Li, with a playful yet disgusted look, directed his gaze at Shi Zi Chu, saying mockingly, “Seems someone’s deeds were so wicked even others couldn’t stand it. I wonder who was the hero stepping up to uphold justice…”
A sudden sword qi sliced through the air and struck Hua Ting Li squarely in the back.
Though the sword qi was barely one ten-thousandth of Xing Lan’s power, Hua Ting Li still couldn’t withstand it. He was knocked down, falling flat and nearly swallowing dirt.
“Disciple greets Venerable Xing Lan!”
“Disciple greets Master!”
…
Amid respectful greetings, Xing Lan’s gaze passed over everyone and settled on Ye He Qi and Shi Zi Chu.
Shi Zi Chu, leaning on Ye He Qi like a spirit staff, looked adorably obedient as she sweetly greeted, “Master.”
“What’s going on here?”
Xing Lan’s cold, deep voice held clear displeasure—not aimed at Shi Zi Chu, but rather at Hua Ting Li’s earlier disrespectful remark.
“Sixth junior sister insists on meeting me for some reason,” Shi Zi Chu explained with innocent confusion, soon turning into melancholy. “I had just mentioned encountering danger in the ruins, but Fourth junior brother… surely he didn’t mean it. He’s still young and ignorant.”
Xing Lan moved a finger, sending another streak of sword qi, “Disrespecting seniority and failing to honor his senior sister deserves punishment.”
Hua Ting Li, who had barely risen to his knees, crashed to the ground once more.
This time, he truly swallowed dirt.
Xing Lan’s two sword qi attacks left Hua Ting Li in such pain that blue veins bulged across his forehead. He couldn’t even utter a sound.
Xu Zhou Ye and the others remained bowed silently, not daring to move.
Shi Zi Chu raised a sleeve to cover half her face. To others, it appeared she was saddened, but beneath, she simply couldn’t suppress her smile.
[Fourth junior brother looks just like a little turtle, flopping around and eating dirt.]
Ye He Qi lowered his eyes, conveniently catching sight of Shi Zi Chu’s wildly curling lips from his angle. Quickly looking away, Ye He Qi struggled to recall something sad from his past life, barely suppressing his own smile, maintaining a refined, dignified air.
“Get inside.”
—
Outside the main hall.
Shi Zi Chu glanced toward the interior.
Apart from her, Meng Xi Yu, his companions, and Ye He Qi hadn’t gone in either.
No sound-isolating barrier had been set up in the hall, making it easy to hear the conversation inside.
It wasn’t anything unexpected: Chu Zhi Rou was pleading to Xing Lan for Chu Zhi Sheng’s sake, and though Xu Zhou Ye’s group was reluctant, they joined her. The immediate result was that all five of them were kneeling on the ground, the chilly silence in the hall clearly felt from outside.
Ye He Qi lowered his gaze toward Shi Zi Chu.
She raised her eyes to meet his, exchanging a swift look.
Seeing Ye He Qi hesitate, Shi Zi Chu gently encouraged him, “Clan Chief Ye, we are all friends here. There’s nothing we can’t discuss openly.”
Ye He Qi glanced at the main hall nearby, indicating they should move somewhere quieter first.
Shi Zi Chu softly complained, “The path is too far; I can’t walk.”
Ye He Qi paused, holding back a smile, then gracefully reached out his hand, offering charmingly, “It’s fine, I can carry Daoist Shi over.”
Shi Zi Chu raised an eyebrow, stretching her arms openly without hesitation.
[Only a fool would refuse a free ride!]
Ye He Qi stepped forward, bending easily to lift Princess Shi Zi Chu into his arms.
Yao Ruo Ruo blinked, then blinked again.
[What’s going on here?]
A faint scent of sandalwood suddenly filled Shi Zi Chu’s nose.
The scent from his study’s incense burner still lingered on him, meaning Ye He Qi must have rushed here immediately after receiving news.
Yet, this gentle sandalwood scent felt too gentlemanly for someone like him.
“Show the way.”
Shi Zi Chu glanced upward, “Over there.”
The rear mountain.
Within the garden pavilion near the East Side Hall.
Ye He Qi placed Shi Zi Chu down gently. She sank lazily into a goose-necked chair, casually leaning against its back.
Yao Ruo Ruo glanced at Yan Zhou Bai, uncertain if they should stay.
Yan Zhou Bai smoothly took the initiative, suggesting a stroll, “Zi Chu, the scenery around here seems lovely. May we walk around?”
Shi Zi Chu and Ye He Qi clearly had something to discuss.
Though she didn’t specifically send them away, they understood to leave gracefully.
Yao Ruo Ruo, eyes hopeful, echoed, “Zi Chu, I adore the view over there. Can we explore?”
“Of course,” Shi Zi Chu agreed with a smile.
Meng Xi Yu’s indifferent voice sounded, “I’ll accompany them.”
He raised a hand, motioning politely.
Watching them depart, Ye He Qi finally sat down next to Shi Zi Chu.
“Clan Chief Chu has settled the spirit stones debt for Zhi Rou at Cloud Riding Bank,” Ye He Qi spoke calmly, his posture graceful yet composed.
Shi Zi Chu rested her chin on her arm, lifting her gaze to meet his.