"Senior Martial Sister, what are you doing...
Let go of me!"
Being forcibly dragged by Tan Siru, Ouyang Ye immediately circulated the spiritual power within her body and broke free.
"Why are you still bothering with that kind of man? He couldn't even succeed in Foundation Establishment, yet he has absolutely no self-awareness, daring to act so arrogantly in front of me."
Tan Siru's anger had not subsided, her expression filled with indignation as she scolded, "Junior Sister, let me tell you, I've seen plenty of men like him. Relying on a bit of talent, being able to play a few tunes, they become conceited and look down on everyone. He dares to be so arrogant simply because he knows you will definitely protect him. He's just a worthless man who lives off a woman!"
Ouyang Ye was going crazy!
She didn't know why that fellow Gu Qingfeng acted so indifferent.
But one thing was certain: Gu Qingfeng definitely wasn't fearless because he knew she would protect him, and he certainly wasn't the kind of man who lived off a woman that her senior sister spoke of—because he wasn't Lord Chixiao at all!
Only, besides herself, no one else knew this.
She tried to explain, but Tan Siru simply wouldn't believe her. The more she explained, the more firmly Tan Siru believed she was protecting that worthless man who lived off a woman.
Just then, a commotion suddenly arose from the foot of the mountain. Ouyang Ye looked over and was shocked to see a group of people walking up the mountain. Leading them was none other than Li Sen, accompanied by Yun Hong and Ye Hui.
"It's over!"
Discovering Li Sen had brought so many people, Ouyang Ye immediately panicked. She turned, intending to take Gu Qingfeng and flee, but when she looked at Gu Qingfeng, she nearly fainted from anger.
Because...
Because that fellow had somehow climbed onto another Redleaf tree and was...
still picking those awful Redleaf Monster Fruits!
Heavens!
Ouyang Ye was on the verge of a breakdown, shouting, "Gu! What time is it, and you're still picking these wild fruits? Li Sen has brought people up the mountain looking for you!"
These Redleaf Monster Fruits were the fruits Gu Qingfeng often ate as a child. He planned to pick many to take back and brew some wine. Hearing Ouyang Ye's shout, he couldn't help but look over and indeed saw a group of people marching up the mountain—a mighty procession of over a hundred.
This scene truly surprised Gu Qingfeng, who sighed, "Kids these days are quite ruthless...
Coming to fight with over a hundred people, much more impressive than I was in my day."
"You still... What are you staring at? Come down quickly! I need to take you away!"
"Away?"
Tan Siru sneered, "Junior Sister, do you really think he can run?
Even if you could take him down the mountain, where could he run to?
The Li Clan's influence spreads throughout the Qingyang territory. With just one word from Li Sen, he'd be dead the moment he leaves the Yunxia Sect!"
Hearing her senior sister say this, Ouyang Ye finally realized the severity of the problem.
Yes.
She only wanted to take Gu Qingfeng away, but where could they run?
The Li Clan's power was so vast, and Li Sen was so vicious.
What should she do?
Ouyang Ye truly didn't know. If her master were here, she could ask for help, but her master wasn't at the sect. What could she do? Left with no choice, she had to beg her senior sister.
"Senior Sister, please help me...
As long as you're willing to help, I'll listen to everything you say from now on, alright..."
"Senior Sister, I know I was wrong, please help me...
Senior Sister has always been the best to me!"
After all, they were fellow disciples under the same master. Although Tan Siru's personality was a bit cold, she deeply cherished this junior sister of hers—otherwise, she wouldn't have tried so hard to persuade her. Looking at her junior sister's pitiful appearance, Tan Siru sighed.
"I can help you, but you must promise me that once this matter is settled, you'll immediately return to seclusion. I will personally escort him away, and you must never have any contact with him again!"
"I promise, I promise everything!"
Right now, Ouyang Ye only wanted Gu Qingfeng to leave safely.
Yes.
This was her only wish.
In her mind, this matter had arisen because of her. If she hadn't asked Gu Qingfeng to impersonate Lord Chixiao, none of this would have happened. Gu Qingfeng had only been helping out of kindness. If he suffered because of this, Ouyang Ye would hate herself for a lifetime.
Yet, even if it was all her fault, this fellow was too infuriating!
What time was it? The enemy was already charging up the mountain, she was here anxiously pacing, and he actually still had the mood to pick fruits.
Just how big was his heart?
Ouyang Ye suspected that perhaps this fellow, unable to bear the blow of his Foundation Establishment failure, had developed a mental problem, gone a bit insane.
The more she thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. Otherwise, how could this fellow not even know fear? Any normal person would be terrified!
"Gu! Can you please come down first!"
"Since your senior sister can handle this matter, I won't come down."
Gu Qingfeng took a sip of wine from his gourd and began picking fruits again, saying, "I need to brew wine with these fruits tonight, so I need a lot. You two go ahead and deal with things; I'll pick more fruits."
"You..." Ouyang Ye wanted to say something but was interrupted by Tan Siru.
"Junior Sister, don't make things difficult for him. Don't be fooled by his outwardly indifferent appearance—it's all an act. He's actually scared to death inside, too afraid to even come down."
Looking at Gu Qingfeng standing in the tree picking fruits, Tan Siru shook her head with extreme disgust. "Junior Sister, now do you see what kind of person he is?
No courage whatsoever, scared when trouble arises, putting on an indifferent facade while his heart is already shattered with fear. No real capability, yet loves to save face, boasting with nothing but his mouth. He can only fool inexperienced young girls like you. When you grow up and mature, you'll realize this kind of man is the most useless!"
"Well now."
Standing on the branch, Gu Qingfeng glanced at Tan Siru and couldn't help but chuckle heartily, nodding. "Young lady, your insight is truly remarkable."
"Hmph!
Still putting on an act in front of me!"
Tan Siru snorted coldly. "If it weren't for Junior Sister's sake today, I wouldn't care if you got beaten to death."
Gu Qingfeng shook his head, smiled, and said nothing more.
In the distance, someone seemed to have spotted Ouyang Ye. After a shout, the hundred-plus people surged forward.
Ouyang Ye wanted to rush over but was stopped by Tan Siru.
"Junior Sister, stay here for now. Let me go talk with Li Sen."
Tan Siru leaped up, taking several steps through the air using the tree branches with qinggong, and landed on the ground, blocking the path of the hundred-plus people.
"Young Master Li, could you hear me out?"
Clad in white Danyang Jade Silk robes, Li Sen was cold as a sharp sword ready to be drawn at any moment, saying icily, "Tan Siru, I hope you won't interfere in this matter. Otherwise, don't blame me for turning hostile!"
The Li Clan was a prominent, powerful family whose influence spread throughout the Qingyang territory. There were many Li Clan members within the Yunxia Sect as well. Not to mention Tan Siru being merely an inner disciple—even if she were a senior steward of the Yunxia Sect, Li Sen wouldn't give her face.
Tan Siru knew this well, which was why she had always been courteous to Li Sen. She said softly, "Young Master Li, I know all about the matter. I know that Gu fellow hit your people, and I know you're very angry right now. However, I've already reprimanded him on your behalf."
Li Sen arrogantly replied, "My affairs don't need your interference!"
"Young Master Li, I'm thinking of your benefit. I've always known you like my junior sister, and I've always been speaking well of you to her. But think about it carefully: if you beat that Gu fellow today, my junior sister will definitely be very angry...
Your relationship is already strained; she'll surely hate you even more because of this..."
Hearing Tan Siru say this, the anger in Li Sen's eyes diminished slightly, and he fell into hesitation.
"Moreover, I guarantee you that after this matter is over, I will personally escort that Gu fellow away. Junior Sister has also promised me she'll never have any contact with him again."
While Tan Siru was persuading over there, not far away, Ouyang Ye hugged her arms and paced back and forth, anxiously waiting.
She glanced at Gu Qingfeng—that fellow was still picking fruits.
Ouyang Ye couldn't be bothered to say anything more; she just wanted this matter resolved as quickly as possible. After waiting for a while, she saw her senior sister walking over and hurriedly asked.
"Young Master Li agreed, but..."
"But what?"
"But he must kneel and apologize!"
What!
Hearing this, Ouyang Ye's expression changed drastically. She shook her head in refusal. "Li Sen is too arrogant!
Who does he think he is! I'll go settle accounts with him!"
Just as Ouyang Ye was about to move, Tan Siru raised her hand, light flashing at her fingertips as she instantly sealed Ouyang Ye's acupoints.
"Senior Sister, you...
What are you doing!"
"Junior Sister, I sealed your acupoints to make you calm down. If you go, you'll only add fuel to the fire. Then it won't just be kneeling."
Tan Siru persuaded, "After all, Li Sen is a young master of the Li Clan, a man who values face. That Gu fellow hit his people; Young Master Li absolutely won't let it go. He must reclaim his face."
"But..."
"No 'buts.' Young Master Li has already made his stance clear just now. If that Gu fellow doesn't kneel and apologize today, he'll be beaten into a cripple. What kind of person Young Master Li is, I don't need to tell you. He means what he says. Haven't there been plenty of disciples crippled by him these past two years?"
"Senior Sister, Gu Qingfeng only impersonated Lord Chixiao to help me. If I let him kneel, what kind of person would I be? No..."
As Ouyang Ye was speaking, Tan Siru sealed her mute acupoint, so she couldn't even speak.
"Junior Sister, let's settle it this way. I'm doing this for your own good!"