Spectating the Angsty Romance of the Master and Disciple from the Sect Next Door Chapter 132

The fewer the words, the graver the matter.
If nothing serious had happened, Jingting Dao Lord would be joking and clowning around playfully, teasing this one and that one, wishing she could provoke everyone once. It would keep her extremely busy.
But if something truly serious occurred, Jingting Dao Lord’s violent and indifferent side would fully manifest. Just like with Futu Valley, who had been scheming behind the scenes, she wouldn’t need any evidence, nor would she listen to Cui Guangling’s protests. She only needed the annihilation of Futu Valley; nothing else mattered.
Her juniors had wandered adrift in the space-time turbulence, so Futu Valley also had to pay an equivalent price; they should all just die.
Judging by Jingting Dao Lord’s tone, something unexpected had definitely happened, most likely related to Li Jin’an and Xie Huaixue.
Therefore, no matter how unwilling or grumbling Li Jin’an was, she had no choice but to let Xie Huaixue straighten her collar before heading to the sect main hall.
On the way, Li Jin’an let her thoughts run wild, boldly speculating, “Could it be that Dao Lord accidentally killed my Master?”
Otherwise, she couldn’t think of any other possibility that could interrupt the dignity-bound duel between Chixin Sword Lord and Jingting Dao Lord.
Of course, while Chixin Sword Lord had neglected her cultivation and the Sword Dao, she wasn’t useless to that extent. And Jingting Dao Lord’s control over spiritual energy had reached an exquisite level; she wouldn’t casually slap Chixin Sword Lord to death.
Xie Huaixue patted her hand. “Don’t talk nonsense.”
They were almost at the sect main hall. Speaking ill of elders so openly—not to mention Jingting Dao Lord—even Chixin Sword Lord would hear it, and then there would be another scene of chaos.
“Alright, alright.”
The sect main hall at this moment was completely different from the clamor of yesterday’s banquet, being cold and solemn, grand and majestic.
Familiar with the path, Li Jin’an stepped into the hall, immediately seeing Jingting Dao Lord, her expression cold, seated on the main seat. Yun Liuguang nodded towards them, and Li Jin’an returned the gesture. Her head just halfway through the nod when she froze, turning to look at Xie Huaixue, seeing the same astonished expression.
In the center of the hall lay a person whose life or death was uncertain.
They were both familiar with this person: it was Lan Ci, who had already been expelled from the Dao Sect and Qingxiao Peak.
In the year since Futu Valley was annihilated, Cui Guangling, the leader of the evil cultivators, had been killed, and Ming Xuan was utterly dead. Only Lan Ci, the culprit who caused Li Jin’an and Xie Huaixue to be swept into the space-time turbulence, was nowhere to be found. They had thought she had many hiding places and had hidden away in some unnamed minor domain when she sensed danger. Who knew she would unexpectedly reappear, covered in demonic energy and wounds, lying in the sect main hall.
This was clearly Lan Ci “voluntarily offering herself up.” She wasn’t important enough for the Dao Sect and Sword Sect to mobilize and search the entire Lancang Continent for her.
Without waiting for anyone to beckon, Li Jin’an pulled Xie Huaixue to sit down, pointed at Lan Ci on the ground, and casually asked, “What’s going on here?”
Just yesterday they were told to deal with Lan Ci themselves, without needing to go through the Enforcement Hall, and now she was brought here today?
This efficiency is too high.
Across from them, Chixin Sword Lord, with an awkward expression and unusually without a wine gourd in her hand, tossed a jade slip to Li Jin’an.
Li Jin’an took it, not understanding why, and extended her spiritual sense into it, wanting to see what kind of thing could make the two elders wear such expressions, more twisted and grim than even losing a fight to each other.
The next second, she crushed the jade slip.
Li Jin’an’s aura surged and churned, her phoenix eyes blazed with sparks of fire, and she instantly erupted in fury. “Courting death!”
Now her expression was no better than Jingting Dao Lord’s or Chixin Sword Lord’s; it was even more chilling and terrifying.
Xie Huaixue placed her hand over Li Jin’an’s, her fingertips gently tapping. She asked thoughtfully, “Is this related to me? Lan Ci… did Ning Zhufeng say something?”
The cool touch helped Li Jin’an calm down slightly. Hearing Xie Huaixue’s words, her expression changed drastically again, for Xie Huaixue had guessed precisely, without a single error.
Having a Dao companion with demonic levels of intelligence meant that everything, good or bad, had nowhere to hide from her. It was impossible to conceal anything; she could clearly reconstruct events with just clues and traces.
“Don’t be angry, don’t be angry. The jade slip has already been crushed by you; I won’t see those filthy words,” Xie Huaixue said, skilled at comforting. Her gaze was focused on Li Jin’an, clear and bright, with an added touch of tender affection. “You know, I don’t care.”
Xie Huaixue wouldn’t take the world’s praise and reverence for the Qingxiao Immortal Venerable seriously. As for slander and disgust, she never took them to heart; they wouldn’t leave the slightest trace in her heart.
Undisturbed by external circumstances, whether good or bad.
Apart from her devotion to Li Jin’an, Xie Huaixue could be considered a person of tranquility and self-restraint, detached from worldly desires.
“I care,” Li Jin’an said sullenly.
Xie Huaixue smiled brightly. “I know.”
Even when they were arch-nemeses, the Jijin Sword Sovereign cared more about the Qingxiao Immortal Venerable’s reputation and prestige than ordinary people, unwilling for her to be slandered in the slightest, not even caring for her own reputation as much… The main reason was that they were bound too deeply. If the Qingxiao Immortal Venerable were to fall from grace, what would become of the Jijin Sword Sovereign, who was considered inferior to her?
Now, it went without saying. Her distress and tenderness for Xie Huaixue were long engraved in Li Jin’an’s bones, blood, and soul. Even though she knew Xie Huaixue didn’t care about these things, she still wouldn’t allow a single speck of dust to fall upon Xie Huaixue.
Why should she?
Just because the Heavenly Tome and those vile protagonists enjoyed humiliating aloof Immortal Venerables who stood lonely at the peak, and loved seeing immortals fall from grace and be banished to the mortal realm, did Xie Huaixue have to willingly endure those filthy plotlines?
Xie Huaixue was simply doing her job as the Qingxiao Immortal Venerable, having wronged no one. Why should she satisfy those vile creatures’ disgusting selfish desires!
Just thinking about this made Li Jin’an grit her teeth in hatred. And Ning Zhufeng was still provoking her, courting death!
In truth, Ning Zhufeng hadn’t said any filthy words. She had simply used a tone of seeking credit, telling Xie Huaixue that she knew about their eldest senior sister being expelled from the sect. To spare Master from worry, she had specially gone to the demonic realm to capture Lan Ci and bring her back, using it to congratulate Xie Huaixue on becoming Master’s only disciple.
She even said in a joyful and sweet tone that she would definitely become Master’s favorite disciple, hoping Master wouldn’t forget her, and that she would miss Master day and night…
They all knew Ning Zhufeng was abnormal, and Ning Zhufeng also knew that they knew she was abnormal. Both sides understood clearly, yet Ning Zhufeng still did it.
Utterly presumptuous!
Li Jin’an’s face was ashen, her sharp eyes like unsheathed swords. She gritted her teeth, tightly clutching Xie Huaixue’s hand, and said indignantly, “That fiend had better not take a single step across Three Realms Mountain.”
“Ning Zhufeng is not easy to kill,” Xie Huaixue said faintly.
Li Jin’an pondered for a moment, then looked up at her. “Are you saying she might have contacted that branch of the Heavenly Demonic Race?”
“Perhaps.”
“Indeed. Otherwise, how would she dare provoke us like this?”
Jingting Dao Lord lightly raised one eyebrow, her tone not severe, even carrying a hint of a smile as she said, “Before the Dao Sect, there is nothing that cannot be killed or isn’t allowed to be killed.”
As long as one is a colossal entity, they can crush everything, unstoppable.
Li Jin’an pouted. “If she hides in the demonic realm and doesn’t come out, what do we do if we can’t find her true body? Ning Zhufeng isn’t her true body.”
The real Ning Zhufeng was a pitiful human girl, hoping to grow up well, become a disciple of the Qingxiao Immortal Venerable, and become a powerful cultivator like her mother and aunt. She was vibrant and lovely, yet her entire family and she herself suffered an immense unforeseen disaster due to the Demon Venerable and Heavenly Demonic Race’s schemes, only able to watch her body being occupied by demons, powerless to resist.
“Wait!” Chixin Sword Lord, dizzy and disoriented despite not being drunk, interrupted their conversation. “What’s this about a Heavenly Demonic true body? Why don’t I know anything about this!”
She was clearly right here and hadn’t been distracted, yet why couldn’t she understand what they were saying!
It was fine for Jingting, Huaixue, and Yun Liuguang; they were all the Dao Sect’s masterminds, most skilled at these intricate schemes.
But why could her silly disciple also follow their discussion? Since when did sword cultivators produce clever people, and her disciple no less?
This wasn’t right.
“Hmph.” Jingting Dao Lord, still feeling displeased from having her fight interrupted mid-way, snorted. “What’s wrong? Did Venerable Monarch Yinyue not explain these secrets to you, her Dao companion? How about I tell you, and you can thank me afterwards?”
Chixin Sword Lord’s face instantly darkened, adopting an oppressive, grim demeanor.
Jingting Dao Lord smiled, composed, indifferent, and arrogant.
The Masters were about to start fighting again. The disciples on both sides quietly watched. Neither Li Jin’an, Yun Liuguang, nor Xie Huaixue had any intention of disturbing the two elders’ enjoyment.
Chixin Sword Lord’s peripheral vision caught Li Jin’an’s eyes gleaming as she watched her Master’s drama while sipping tea, making her even angrier. “When there’s a task, disciples should take the lead. You want to hear ‘thank you’? Go find my disciple.”
“Look, she’s right there.”
Saying this, Chixin Sword Lord pointed in Li Jin’an’s direction.
“In that case, forget it.” Jingting Dao Lord immediately waved her hand.
Excellent, Li Jin’an’s face also darkened.
The atmosphere in the hall became lighter, unlike its previous somber state.
Yun Liuguang also chuckled, “In that case, I also owe Sword Lord a word of thanks.”
Chixin Sword Lord laughed heartily.
Jingting Dao Lord instantly turned to look at Yun Liuguang. “Why are you thanking her? Are you planning to defect in battle and turn traitor?”
Yun Liuguang hastily clasped her hands in supplication. “Your disciple would never dare.”
Li Jin’an leaned against Xie Huaixue, cackling with laughter. Other people’s misfortunes truly were funnier. She finally understood Jingting Dao Lord’s mood.
Jingting Dao Lord crossed her arms, letting out a disdainful cold laugh, an arrogant posture of not deigning to associate with common mortals like them. She pointed her chin at the half-dead Lan Ci on the ground. “Jin’an, deal with her. Don’t let her dirty my place.”
Xie Huaixue also smiled, watching her.
Bathed in her Dao companion’s gentle gaze, Li Jin’an immediately stepped forward without hesitation. She kicked Lan Ci awake.
Lan Ci hadn’t even opened her eyes, about to spit out a mouthful of black blood, when Li Jin’an sealed her mouth and nose with spiritual energy from a distance, preventing her from spitting.
If she said she wouldn’t dirty Jingting Dao Lord’s place, then she absolutely could not break her word. Sword cultivators always kept their promises.
Li Jin’an looked down at Lan Ci. “Awake?”
The first thing Lan Ci saw after opening her eyes was not the extremely oppressive Li Jin’an, but Xie Huaixue, dignified and composed, elegantly sipping tea not far away. Black blood overflowed from her lips, and her lips moved, as if wanting to call out “Master.”
Li Jin’an smiled, shattering Lan Ci’s heart meridians with a single palm strike. A second before Lan Ci breathed her last, meeting Lan Ci’s eyes filled with unspeakable terror, she slowly said, “Lingxu? Nothing but a rascal.”
Having said that, she turned around sharply and ran towards Xie Huaixue with a bright smile.