As the faint fragrance of cold scent drifted away, Wen Qiwu painstakingly prevented any lingering or reluctant expression from appearing on her face. She leaned into her senior sister’s embrace, her angle perfectly allowing her to see her senior sister’s cherry-red lips.
The patient who had just woken up shifted her gaze. Her senior sister could never have imagined that her usually obedient junior sister was thinking of how to kiss her. I must hide this thought carefully and not anger my senior sister again…
Right! I still don’t know if Senior Sister is still angry.
Wen Qiwu’s heart tightened, and she instinctively grasped her senior sister’s hand.
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” Yun Heng asked urgently. Now, any slight change in Wen Qiwu made her anxious.
Wen Qiwu shook her head, then raised her eyes and asked cautiously, “Senior Sister, are you still angry?”
Yun Heng was speechless. Her junior sister, who had just struggled back from the brink of death, was actually most concerned about whether she was angry. Her regret deepened.
Yun Heng gently touched her junior sister’s pale face. This illness had made her junior sister much thinner, as if she might shatter if touched. She softly told her junior sister that she wasn’t angry. To be precise, she had never been angry with Wen Qiwu. Most of her anger was directed at Zuo Lan, and a small part was due to her own inexplicable emotions.
She didn’t explain the latter part to Wen Qiwu, but Wen Qiwu could see her mood from her senior sister’s eyes. The depths of that cold pool held only softness, not the unsettling emotions she had previously felt.
Wen Qiwu’s lips curved upwards uncontrollably, and her entire being radiated joy. Coupled with her pale and frail appearance, it made the Immortal Venerable feel even more pity.
As long as Senior Sister isn’t angry, that’s all that matters. At worst, I’ll just stay away from Zuo Lan in the future. After all, Wen Qiwu naturally placed her senior sister first in her heart.
Who would have thought that Yun Heng, who had previously been so firm, would be the first to compromise?
“I shouldn’t have interfered with your friendships. As long as the other party isn’t cunning, you can interact with that Saintess.” Yun Heng seemed to have softened her stance, but in reality, her opinion of Zuo Lan hadn’t changed. However, she had already informed the Sect Master of the Yu Xi Sect in advance, and Zuo Lan was currently unable to leave the sect.
She had realized that she couldn’t let her junior sister worry too much while recuperating because of the Saintess incident. Thus, the Immortal Venerable had silently dealt with the other party behind the scenes.
Wen Qiwu blinked her somewhat bewildered eyes. Her senior sister’s change in attitude surprised her. Things shouldn’t be this simple, right?
But Yun Heng brushed the matter aside lightly, as if she truly had no intention of bringing it up again.
“Ah Que, next month is your birthday.” Yun Heng had been counting the days. Her Master didn’t know when her junior sister was born, so she used the day she found her as her birthday.
“You need to get well soon. Elder Lu said we’ll have a lively celebration this year to commemorate it.” Everyone had been on edge for over a month. Elder Lu said they absolutely had to have a good celebration to ease everyone’s nerves, and Yun Heng agreed with her suggestion.
“My birthday is next month?” Wen Qiwu had been in a coma for over a month, so she didn’t know how much time had passed outside.
She loved celebrating her birthday. Every year, her senior sister would meticulously prepare gifts for her. If her senior sister was in seclusion, she would prepare her birthday gift in advance.
What will this year’s birthday gift be?
Wen Qiwu begged her senior sister to give her a hint, but unfortunately, her senior sister was determined to give her a surprise and wouldn’t reveal anything. Her curiosity made her itchy, and Wen Qiwu stared at her senior sister’s storage bag, wishing she could look for it there!
Her thoughts were almost written on her face, so her forehead was lightly tapped by her senior sister.
“The gift isn’t ready yet. You’ll know on your birthday.” The spot on Wen Qiwu’s forehead that was tapped was then rubbed.
“Mmm… alright.” Her senior sister was being so mysterious this time. Wen Qiwu looked forward to her birthday even more!
A faint smile flickered in Yun Heng’s eyes. This gift was indeed very special. If all went smoothly, her junior sister wouldn’t have to live in fear anymore…
Yun Heng stayed with Wen Qiwu for a while longer, but unfortunately, she couldn’t stay for too long. Not even a quarter of an hour had passed before she was called away by an elder from the sect.
Wen Qiwu had been lying in bed for too long, so long that her bones felt like they were falling apart. After her senior sister left, she used her somewhat weakened body to sit up and prepare to get out of bed for a walk.
Her living quarters were as quiet as ever. Elder Lu wasn’t next door; she didn’t know where she had gone.
Wen Qiwu had only intended to get some fresh air, but as she walked, she suddenly heard the sound of a child crying not far away.
She followed the sound and found a little girl with tear-reddened eyes in the bushes. The little girl looked no older than six or seven. She was wearing the uniform of an inner disciple, and her somewhat messy hair was still stuck with a few leaves.
“Ah Yue?” Wen Qiwu recognized the child. This child was named Dong Shiyue. Her parents were also inner disciples of the Wen Shen Sect, but unfortunately, they were killed by demons several years ago, and the child became an orphan.
Dong Shiyue had good talent. An elder in the inner sect took pity on her for being so lonely at such a young age and accepted her as his personal disciple. Wen Qiwu had also taught her in the academy on Mount Wendao before.
“Elder Wen…” Dong Shiyue sobbed, her eyes swollen like walnuts.
“Did someone bully you?” Wen Qiwu comforted her. “Don’t be afraid. Tell Elder what happened.”
Wen Qiwu’s comfort seemed to have the opposite effect. The child cried even louder, hugging her. After a long while, Dong Shiyue, while crying, said, “My Grandmaster is gone… They said Elder Wen is also dying. Those bad people actually dared to curse you. When I go back, I’ll stuff Lightning Strike Talismans into their mouths…”
The child made fierce threats as she cried. She had been guarding her Grandmaster when she heard children from other peaks say that after Elder Jin’s demise, Shang Qing Peak would have no successor and would soon decline. They also said that Wen Qiwu was also close to death and that the Wen Shen Sect would soon have another funeral. She didn’t believe it and got into a fight with those children.
Unfortunately, she lost. Next time, she would definitely remember not to fight bare-handed.
Then she found Myriad Elixir Mountain, but Wen Qiwu’s residence was hard to find, and she got lost.
Grandmaster? Ah Yue’s Grandmaster is Elder Jin? He died?! Wen Qiwu looked astonished. Yun Heng hadn’t told her about all the upsetting changes that had happened during this time.
Wen Qiwu took Dong Shiyue to Shang Qing Peak. White streamers hung all over the main hall of Shang Qing Peak, and the eyes of the personal disciples were red. Lu Qiaoyi, whom Wen Qiwu hadn’t seen earlier, was also here.
“Junior Sister Wen.” Dong Shiyue’s master hurried over to pick up her little disciple. Her eyes couldn’t hide her weariness. “Thank you for bringing this child back.”
Then she looked at her little disciple, her tone becoming a little stern, “Did you get into a fight again?”
“It-it was because they disrespected Grandmaster and cursed Elder Wen, that’s why I acted!” Dong Shiyue showed no signs of admitting fault.
Dong Shiyue’s master naturally knew that her little disciple wasn’t someone who actively sought trouble. However, Shang Qing Peak didn’t even have a Earth Immortal Realm cultivator now, so it was naturally inferior to other peaks. The masters of those young disciples had Earth Immortals or even Golden Immortals. If she wanted to seek justice for her little disciple, she had to consider it carefully.
The children who had just fought with Dong Shiyue hid behind their respective elders. Some of them quietly made faces at Dong Shiyue, but they didn’t notice someone quietly approaching.
“Since these disciples have disrespected their elders, send them to the Disciplinary Hall.” Lu Qiaoyi, who had always been kind and lively, showed a chillingly frightening expression with her back to Wen Qiwu and the others. No one had ever seen Lu Qiaoyi like this. The arrogant children were immediately scared into crying, and their elders were also startled.
“Elder Lu… these children meant no harm. We will discipline them properly when we get back. There’s no need for the Disciplinary Hall, right?” The elder who had just bullied someone without support finally spoke.
The Disciplinary Hall was not a good place. If the charge of disrespecting elders was established, these young disciples would likely be whipped a few times.
Wen Qiwu rubbed Dong Shiyue’s little head and had no intention of letting this matter go easily.
“Children… indeed, how could children say such things? I think they must have learned it from being influenced,” Wen Qiwu coughed lightly, appearing as fragile and harmless as a willow in the wind, but her words made people’s hair stand on end. “It seems Elder Zhu was hoping for my death.”
“This is a misunderstanding!” Elder Zhu hurriedly denied it. He might have said it, but he absolutely couldn’t admit it. If this reached the Sect Master’s ears, it would be over!
Upon hearing Wen Qiwu’s words, Lu Qiaoyi suddenly burst out laughing. The terrifying aura receded, and she transformed back into the lively and smiling elder she was before.
“Qiwu is right. They weren’t taught well, and your responsibility is the greatest. Then you shall all go to the Disciplinary Hall together.” As soon as Lu Qiaoyi finished speaking, the Disciplinary Hall Master, dressed in black, walked in.
Elder Zhu’s face turned ashen. “Why are you here?”
The Disciplinary Hall Master usually didn’t show himself easily, unless…
The Disciplinary Hall Master said expressionlessly, “The Sect Master has ordered that several of you be invited to the Disciplinary Hall for a while.”
Lu Qiaoyi held a communication jade slip in her hand, which was emitting a faint light.
“Take them back directly,” Yun Heng’s cold and emotionless voice came from the jade slip.
“Sect Master?!” Elder Zhu probably wanted to curse Lu Qiaoyi as despicable.
“It’s just the careless words of children… Fine, if you have to go, then go.” Elder Zhu now wanted to spank his grandson, who was crying beside him, for speaking nonsense outside! He had barely managed to outlive the one surnamed Jin, and before he could even divide his belongings, he was sent to the Disciplinary Hall first. It was fine; he would at most be held responsible for poor supervision.
The Disciplinary Hall Master saw through Elder Zhu’s thoughts. The master tugged at the corner of his mouth. He had personally come to arrest people. Did he really think he had only committed a minor offense? Just as the Sect Master predicted, after Elder Jin’s death, all sorts of shady characters in the sect immediately jumped out. He was going to be busy during this period.
However, this Zhu fellow was too bold, actually cursing the Sect Master’s precious junior sister to die prematurely in private. The Sect Master detested this the most. The master could hear it; the Sect Master’s tone was clearly filled with anger just now, and he would likely be the most miserable among those arrested later.
The master offered a stick of incense to Elder Jin, then, along with the disciples of the Disciplinary Hall, led Elder Zhu and the children away.
“Senior Sister Sun, although Elder Jin is gone, Shang Qing Peak belongs to the Wen Shen Sect. If you encounter any problems, you can tell the Sect Master. The Sect Master will not let you suffer injustice,” Wen Qiwu said softly.
Senior Sister Sun was stunned for a moment, then smiled gratefully. “Junior Sister Wen is right.”
The Sect Master’s fairness was fortunate for Shang Qing Peak.
“Elder Lu, please take care of Qiwu. Don’t let her stay outside for too long, and remember to return to rest early. I will be back before she takes her medicine tonight.” Yun Heng did not immediately cut off the communication. Instead, she concealed the coldness in her voice and instructed with concern.
“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of A’Que here.” Lu Qiaoyi responded a couple of times and then cut off the communication. She then beckoned to Wen Qiwu. “A’Que, come here.”
Wen Qiwu said goodbye to Senior Sister Sun and then walked to Lu Qiaoyi’s side.
“Elder Lu, how did Elder Jin suddenly…” Fearing she might touch upon someone’s sad matters, Wen Qiwu didn’t dare to ask the people of Shang Qing Peak.
“He had an accident in the secret realm. Your senior sister doesn’t know the specifics of what happened. It’s possible he encountered the tomb owner of the True Immortal Realm. Life and death are fated, and one cannot force it,” Lu Qiaoyi sighed, but as fellow disciples, the emotions in her eyes were rather indifferent.
“His luck was also bad. He didn’t encounter the Sect Master. Unlike the princess of the Qingluan clan and the only daughter of the Sect Master of the Qian Yue Sword Sect, they were rescued by your senior sister. Especially the daughter of the Sect Master of the Qian Yue Sword Sect…” Lu Qiaoyi showed a playful smile amidst Wen Qiwu’s increasingly solemn expression. “That one keeps shouting about repaying your senior sister for saving her life.”
Nice chapter