Chapter 15

“What the eye doesn’t know, the heart doesn’t grieve over!” Liuli argued stubbornly. “And nobody told me what these were! I-I-I’m innocent too!”

Dropping the pastries, Liuli didn’t want to be lectured. She greased her feet and fled.

Watching Liuli’s departing figure, as if about to take flight, Big Feng and Little Feng couldn’t help but sigh. “Perfected One Feng is truly magnanimous.”

“I fear that magnanimity is selective.”

As for the pastries on the table, they were made from precious Spiritual Herbs. Though Liuli’s rough handling had caused most of their medicinal properties to dissipate, what little remained was still enough to benefit anyone who ate them. The two divided and ate them, then went to cultivate and absorb the effects.

After leaving Parasol Tree Mountain, Liuli didn’t return directly to Peach Blossom Mountain. With the Grand Sect Tournament approaching, she detoured to the Training Ground first to scout the terrain.

Coincidentally, she spotted Liang Tiantian there. Beside Tiantian stood a tall, slender young man.

Seeing Liuli, Liang Tiantian’s face lit up with a smile. Lifting her skirt, she trotted over. “Senior Sister Liuli!”

Liuli was very happy to see her too. Liang Tiantian was the first person she’d met after arriving in this world, and their relationship was close. Not seeing her for over half a month had made Liuli quite miss her.

Liuli opened her arms and smilingly caught Liang Tiantian, touching the two little buns of hair on her head with curiosity. “What happened to your hair? Is your technique as bad as mine?”

Liang Tiantian wriggled out of her arms and turned around, pointing to the handsome young man strolling towards them. “Senior Sister, this is my brother, Liang Tianguang. He did my hair.”

Liang Tianguang? Why did that name sound somewhat familiar…

Liuli cupped her fist towards the approaching Liang Tianguang in greeting. “Senior Brother Liang, a pleasure.”

“A pleasure, Junior Sister Xue.”

Liang Tianguang’s cultivation was much higher than Liuli’s. Between cultivators—except for those using special methods to conceal their cultivation or those at a far higher level—one could mutually sense each other’s level of strength.

Though Liuli couldn’t precisely determine the level of Liang Tianguang’s cultivation, she could still sense the depth of his power. In the Grand Sect Tournament, he would definitely be a formidable opponent.

At this thought, Liuli’s gaze sharpened, a hint of excitement contained within.

Liang Tianguang had no idea she was already viewing him as a heavyweight rival. Being stared at so intently by such a beautiful and charming junior sister, he subconsciously became a little stiff.

Among the younger generation of disciples, Xue Liuli and Ye Zhenzhen were considered the unofficial little goddesses.

Xue Liuli especially—as beautiful as a flower, adorably charming, with incredible talent, and the Sect Leader’s daughter. Which young, lovestruck disciple hadn’t been smitten with her at some point?

It was just that Xue Liuli used to only hang around Long Jingxing. Other disciples, knowing they had no chance, didn’t bother to humiliate themselves by trying. But recently, rumors said she’d fallen out with Long Jingxing; although the details were unknown, many disciples were already getting restless.

To be honest, Liang Tianguang was one of those smitten.

But he didn’t want to blurt it out rashly and scare Liuli. More importantly, of course, he didn’t want to be rejected by her in front of everyone and lose face… Liang Tianguang discreetly glared at the surrounding fellow disciples who were itching to approach and curry favor.

Liang Tiantian broke the strange atmosphere between them, looking at Liuli excitedly. “Senior Sister, your cultivation has improved again!”

“Yes.” Liuli smiled. “I was able to advance so quickly this time entirely thanks to Perfected One Feng’s help.”

“Perfected One Feng?” Liang Tianguang interjected. “Could it be Perfected One Feng Xiwu from Parasol Tree Mountain?”

“Exactly.”

Liuli answered him politely, then turned her head to continue chatting and laughing with Liang Tiantian. “You have no idea what I did on Parasol Tree Mountain?”

“What did Senior Sister do?”

“I was…”

The words were about to slip out, but Liuli reconsidered. The story of carving formations on her dantian and failing was far too ridiculous. Better not mention it. She changed tack and said, “It wasn’t much. At Parasol Tree Mountain, I just spent seven days taking a bath!”

“What?” Liang Tiantian was so surprised her voice couldn’t help but rise. “Senior Sister went to Parasol Tree Mountain just to take a bath?! Perfected One Feng is really too… generous!”

“Shh, shh, keep your voice down…”

It was too late.

Whispered discussions had already begun all around.

“What? Senior Sister Liuli went to Parasol Tree Mountain to take a bath?”

“What? Perfected One Feng is exceptionally generous to Junior Sister Liuli.”

“What?! Senior Sister Liuli treats Parasol Tree Mountain like her second home!”

“…”

At a cultivator’s level of sharp hearing, even if Liang Tiantian whispered, they’d hear it. So, ultimately, the culprit was Liuli herself.

Hearing the murmurs and seeing the astonished looks directed at her, Liuli hastily grabbed Liang Tiantian and fled the Training Ground.

“Goodbye, Senior Brother Liang! We’re heading off first!”

Liang Tianguang waved belatedly. “Goodbye… Junior Sisters.”

…

Back at Peach Blossom Mountain, Liuli breathed a sigh of relief.

Little did she know, after she left, her joking words had spread like wildfire, becoming a tall tale of three men making a tiger, escalating out of control!

“I heard it with my own ears. Xue Liuli said it herself.”

“…”

Finally, when the rumors completed a full circle around the Heavenly Martial Sect and returned to Liuli’s ears, they had transformed into—Perfected One Feng of Parasol Tree Mountain has taken Xue Liuli as her disciple!

“Senior Sister Liuli has such high talent, and Perfected One Feng is the youngest Nascent Soul expert in the Heavenly Martial Sect. The two of them together are such a perfect match! Eh, did I say something a bit wrong there?”

“But Junior Sister Liuli has a Water Spiritual Root, why didn’t she take Elder Rongshan as her master?”

“Who knows? She didn’t take the Sect Leader as her master either, and he’s her father.”

“Whatever, let’s just congratulate Junior Sister Xue!”

“Yeah!”

Liuli cried out in utter frustration, “I didn’t! I’m not! Stop talking nonsense!!!”

Shaking Liang Tiantian by the shoulders, Liuli wailed madly, “I didn’t say that, wuwuwu, you have to testify for me!!!”

Liang Tiantian let herself be shaken back and forth, casually reaching out to grab a flower pastry Liuli had brought her to eat. Mmm, so delicious. Where did Senior Sister Liuli get these flowers? They even contained spiritual energy! One bite clears the mind, two sharpens the senses. Good stuff, must eat more!

Finishing a pastry, Liang Tiantian licked the crumbs off her fingers and said, “Well, Senior Sister wants to become Perfected One Feng’s disciple anyway. A misunderstanding is just a misunderstanding.”

“No way!” Liuli chewed on her own hair tip, resolute. “What if Perfected One Feng thinks I spread the rumor on purpose to pressure her into accepting me? My innocence!”

“Surely it wouldn’t come to that?” Liang Tiantian thought Liuli was overthinking.

“Your mind is too innocent,” Liuli said miserably.

Non-fans wouldn’t understand. This behavior was called “ripping up the support banner”—it dragged down your impression score in the eyes of your idol!

“No, I can’t let this rumor spread freely.” Liuli pushed the door open and headed out. “I’m going to clarify the truth!”

“How does Senior Sister plan to clarify?”

Liang Tiantian was Liuli’s little tail, following her without a second thought.

Liuli paused. “Er… I haven’t figured that out yet.”

True. She couldn’t just grab every disciple she saw and blast the truth using a loudspeaker in their ear, could she?

However, just at that moment, an old acquaintance she hadn’t seen in a long time arrived at Liuli’s courtyard wearing a smile.

“Junior Sister Xue! I heard Perfected One Feng took you as her disciple. Congratulations, congratulations!”

The visitor was none other than the very person Liuli wanted to avoid like the plague—Long Jingxing!

Liuli: “…I didn’t! Aaaaaah!”

It was maddening. Just look at Long Jingxing’s travel-worn appearance—he must have just returned to the Heavenly Martial Sect, and the first thing he heard upon arriving was this rumor. It showed just how ridiculously far the rumor had spread!

Liuli’s mind broke down. In one swift motion, she mounted her flying sword and sped towards the Training Ground, hair whipping in the rushing wind.

Let this rumor die right where it was born!

A cold light flashing in her eyes, Liuli marched forcefully and menacingly towards the Training Ground’s administration office.

Spotting Xue Liuli approaching with a ferocious expression from afar, the Training Ground Steward was startled and stammered, “Wh-what business do you have?!”

Liuli’s mouth stretched into a fake smile. “Just borrowing the Amplifier Horn for a moment.”

She was the Sect Leader’s daughter—if not friends, at least no enemies. The Steward obediently brought out the Amplifier Horn.

This so-called Amplifier Horn was nothing more than a large loudspeaker inscribed with runes. Holding the horn, Liuli scrambled up to the roof of the administrative building.

“Ahem…”

Liuli cleared her throat, and a powerful voice instantly boomed across the entire Training Ground. Everyone present turned in unison to look at her.

Liuli shouted at the top of her lungs: “FENG XIWU DID NOT TAKE ME AS HER DISCIPLE!!!”

First, there was a moment of absolute, extreme silence.

Then, a violent eruption of clamor:

“What’s wrong with Xue Liuli?”

“Maybe the apprenticeship ceremony hasn’t been held yet, and Junior Sister Liuli doesn’t want to leak it early?”

“Senior Sister Xue must be shy.”

“That’s right, mm-hmm…”

“Junior Sister Xue is so awkward!”

Liuli: “……………”

She was going insane!