One junior sister spoke up at once. “Master, stop trying to play matchmaker. If Senior Sister goes over to catch up with Tang Yubai, who knows how upset his little junior sister will be?”
Seeing the elder frown, the junior sister rattled on. “That one over there. I think her name is Gu Miao’er? She and Tang Yubai were hugging each other in the secret realm without the slightest attempt to hide it.”
The subject made the junior sister unhappy. Feng Qiwu was her idol. Now that her idol had been treated this way, she naturally stood up to speak for her.
Besides, Gu Miao’er had fought her in the secret realm and seriously injured her. If Senior Sister had not given her the Nine-Revolution Purple Gold Pill, there was no telling whether she would have made it back alive.
The elder frowned and discreetly glanced at the pitiful-looking Gu Miao’er beside Tang Yubai. Biting her lip, she was looking at him with worried eyes, her fingers still clutching his sleeve.
His gaze swept over the Yunshui Sect disciples’ faces. Seeing how accustomed they all were to this, the elder understood everything.
He nodded. “Then don’t go over. My senior brother, the sect leader, will take care of this. You’ve been through a long trial and must be tired. Return to the sect and rest first.”
“Yes. Thank you, Martial Uncle.”
Once the Sword Sect and Yunshui Sect disciples had left, the remaining disciples from the various sects burst into lively conversation. Cultivators liked gossip too, alright? During the trial, while the Sword Sect made trouble for the Yunshui Sect, these disciples from smaller sects had followed behind and picked up quite a few bargains.
Now that they were out of the secret realm, everyone was animated. Tang Yubai might not say why the Sword Sect had been targeting the Yunshui Sect, but did that mean no one else knew? None of them were fools.
Seeing how close Tang Yubai and Gu Miao’er were, then thinking of his engagement to Feng Qiwu, the disciples could only shake their heads at what he had brought upon himself.
Why did he have to be so greedy? Was Feng Qiwu not good enough? She was talented and beautiful. Wasn’t she better than Gu Miao’er in every respect?
If any of them had Feng Qiwu as a fiancée, would they even glance at another female cultivator? Seeing the Sword Sect’s cool attitude toward the Yunshui Sect now, it was clear that the two sects would no longer be so close.
Wouldn’t that give the other sects a chance to rise? The elders of the various sects began entertaining new ideas, considering their own sects’ future development.
On the way back, the Sword Sect elder learned the whole story. The more he heard, the angrier he became.
“That insolent brat! He’s gone too far!”
The elder was so angry that his beard bristled. The disciples all nodded. Thinking back, they had been far too lenient with Tang Yubai! Seeing her martial uncle and fellow disciples defend her filled Feng Qiwu with warmth.
“Don’t be angry, Martial Uncle. He isn’t worth making yourself ill over. Since he has feelings for someone else, let him have his wish. We’ve only met twice anyway. What feelings could there be?”
That was Feng Qiwu’s nature. Once she decided to end something, she did so decisively, without dragging it out.
The elder nodded. “Exactly. Remember this: romantic feelings are the most fickle things in the world. Once someone has been unfaithful, never trust him again. In this world, the only person you can always rely on is yourself.”
Had Jiang Chan been there to hear this, she would have wholeheartedly agreed.
“Master, you have to get justice for me.” The junior sister who had first spoken up for Feng Qiwu tugged at her martial uncle’s sleeve. “Gu Miao’er seriously injured me in the secret realm. If Senior Sister hadn’t given me the Purple Gold Pill, I would never have seen you again.”
“What happened?” Hearing that his young disciple had been injured, the martial uncle could no longer remain calm. She was his youngest disciple, as well as a niece from his own clan, and he was usually very fond of her.
“It was all because of Tang Yubai! He and Gu Miao’er were being so lovey-dovey that I couldn’t stand it and said a few words. Tempers flared, and we started fighting. How was I supposed to know Gu Miao’er would be so ruthless?”
The junior sister spoke with resentment written all over her face. The feeling of her life slipping away had been unbearable. She never wanted to experience it again.
“But she didn’t get off lightly either. Senior Sister avenged me.” Remembering how Feng Qiwu had thoroughly beaten Gu Miao’er that day, the junior sister grew excited again.
“We’ll discuss all of this with my senior brother, the sect leader, when we get back. When have our Sword Sect’s disciples ever suffered such mistreatment? I think the Yunshui Sect is growing more arrogant by the day.”
This elder had a fiery temper too and wished he could go straight to the Yunshui Sect to demand an explanation. Unfortunately, they were too few in number. It would be better to wait until they returned and consulted the sect leader before deciding what to do.
“You’re lucky to be alive, girl. I examined Gu Miao’er’s cultivation. She’s at the middle Foundation Establishment stage. You’ve only just reached Foundation Establishment. Why did you overestimate yourself and provoke her?”
“Master, please stop lecturing me. Senior Brother and Senior Sister have already told me off so many times. I just can’t stand Gu Miao’er. She acts so delicate and weak all day. She doesn’t look like a female cultivator at all, more like one of those concubines in the mortal world.”
All the disciples laughed. Even the elder’s lips curved into a faint smile.
“You really must thank your senior sister this time. The Nine-Revolution Purple Gold Pill is a miraculous healing medicine. Most people would be reluctant to part with one.”
“We’re fellow disciples. It was only right. If Junior Sister hadn’t spoken up for me, she wouldn’t have been hurt like that.”
Feng Qiwu could hardly claim the credit. Jiang Chan had given her that Nine-Revolution Purple Gold Pill. She had thought this would be just a minor trial, never expecting the pill to be needed.
Without that Purple Gold Pill, the consequences would have been chilling to contemplate. Now that she thought about it, her luck seemed to have improved considerably since meeting Jiang Chan.
Not only had she obtained Geng Metal Essence from Jiang Chan, but Jiang Chan had now indirectly saved her junior sister’s life too. Feng Qiwu felt she ought to thank her properly when she returned.
“Senior Sister, you’re amazing. Our Sword Sect doesn’t have any alchemists. Where did you get that Purple Gold Pill?” The junior sister was very close to Feng Qiwu, staying by her side and chatting affectionately with her.
“From that little shop in the marketplace. The shopkeeper gave it to me before we left.” Feng Qiwu was completely open about it. There was nothing she needed to hide.
“Anyone who can refine a Purple Gold Pill must be quite an accomplished alchemist.” The elder recognized its value, and an idea occurred to him. The Sword Sect had no alchemists. Now that such a master of alchemy had appeared in their marketplace, could they recruit her?
If the Sword Sect had its own Alchemy Hall, injured disciples would no longer have to bear their injuries in silence or pay exorbitant prices for Rejuvenation Pills and other medicines.
Sword cultivators were poor. They spent all their time absorbed in arduous cultivation. If the Sword Sect had its own Alchemy Hall, its disciples would have a smoother path in their cultivation too.
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