Chapter 115

Qu Hang released his divine sense, trying to see the true form of the female cultivator, but soon, his divine sense was deeply trapped in mud, unable to proceed any further, and even struggling to be swallowed. Startled, he immediately withdrew his divine sense, afraid to probe further.

He discreetly observed the other elders in the circle, seeing their varied and subtly strange expressions, knowing that many others, like himself, had been secretly struck.

When the voice of the female cultivator resounded through the sky, although there was still some distance, in an instant, the figure of the newcomer appeared on the horizon.

At the moment when the female cultivator appeared, everyone looked up.

She wore a red robe, with intricate and gorgeous golden lotus flowers embroidered on the cuffs, her face as stunning as her attire, radiant and resplendent.

She stood amidst the magnificent and elegant morning glow, like a red lotus born from bathing in the morning glow.

Qu Xirong, beside Qu Hang, met the gaze of the female cultivator.

Those eyes were extremely light and extremely beautiful, with a hint of enchantment at the corners. Inside, it seemed to be filled with endless starlight and swirling brilliance, like the mist and clouds in the mountains, beautiful and tranquil, yet lifeless.

In front of such eyes, Qu Xirong felt as small as an ant, even meeting her gaze made Qu Xirong’s dantian sluggish, and her heart felt like it was about to break apart—

“All conditioned phenomena are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, or shadows, like dew or like lightning. You should contemplate them thus.”

With a Buddhist verse, Chu Feng shook Qu Xirong awake from the illusion, and she immediately broke out in a cold sweat.

Only now did she realize that she had been inadvertently affected by the other party’s Dao.

Then Qu Xirong felt a surge of anger and resentment, who dared to be so arrogant in Lingyun Sect and toy with her like this!

In the silence, Qu Xirong calmed down and smiled, intending to thank Chu Feng first, but in the next moment, Hang Yunhe beside her exclaimed:

“This is— a puppet?!”

Qu Xirong was stunned, her heart horrified.

Only then did she forcibly shift her stiff gaze away from the unfriendly female cultivator and looked at the delicate girl protected behind her.

It was Yu Yi.

It was her.

A stone stirred up a thousand waves.

“A puppet? Could it be the demi-god artifact to be acknowledged today?”

“Indeed from the hands of Qiong Ling, it’s extraordinary. Even with divine consciousness, one cannot see that she’s an artifact. Marvelous.”

“But… wasn’t today supposed to be the acknowledgment ceremony? Look at this appearance, has she already acknowledged the master? Lingyun Sect’s Master must give us an explanation.”

…

Lingyun Sect gives an explanation?

Qu Hang, maintaining his identity, never revealed any covetousness in front of Yu Yi, nor did he allow Qu Xirong to do so.

They only indirectly instructed someone to tell Yu Yi to release the puppet from the storage bracelet. The father and daughter kept themselves clean, not even revealing the true appearance of the puppet. Hang Yunhe hadn’t reacted quickly enough.

“What’s going on here?!” Qu Hang shouted, his brows furrowed tightly.

Not only Qu Hang, who was in the Yuan Ying stage, but also the highest cultivation level present, was only at the merging period with Qu Xirong, between them.

Below the Tribulation Crossing stage, just with a glance or a smile from the other party, everyone lost their composure in front of this female cultivator.

Like souls being sucked away, unable to think, even the person next to them hadn’t seen it until they heard Chu Feng’s Buddhist verse, and their minds suddenly cleared.

And just as they woke up, they heard Hang Yunhe pointing out that this was a puppet. How could Qu Hang not lose his composure?

His eyes sharp as a hawk, staring at the female cultivator, or rather the puppet, which he had long regarded as his possession.

“Yu…Yi, is this your puppet?”

Qu Xirong beside him still couldn’t believe it, or dared to believe it, but soon, she took a deep breath and said:

“I’ve warned you so many times. You haven’t even cultivated Qi properly. Acknowledging a master is too critical, so I chose today. Many elders and guests are here to protect you.”

“You acknowledged a master privately, disregarding the Sect Master’s intentions, and made everyone come here in vain, truly disappointing Junior Sister.”

Every word from Qu Hang and Qu Xirong was directed straight at Yu Yi, but they were brushed aside by the puppet’s sleeve, leaving nothing behind.

“Sect Master Qu,” the puppet smiled at the corner of her lips, ignoring Qu Xirong as if she didn’t exist, and spoke only to Qu Hang, “Without discerning right from wrong, you’re already pointing fingers. Is this how you teach your children?”

Qu Hang looked deeply into her eyes. “Xirong is honored as Senior Sister and has the responsibility to supervise Junior Brother and Junior Sister.”

“My master is the daughter of Yu Qing and Qiong Ling, the mistress of Daiyuan Peak,” Song Pianxian said loudly, and the morning clouds and mist rolled with her voice.

She looked around, her beauty turned into majesty, her voice wrapped in spiritual power, and she spoke with a deep, intimidating voice:

“Is the Lingyun Sect treating my master like this?”

Yu Yi stood in the void, behind Song Pianxian, draped in a crane cloak, silently lowering her gaze.

In her eyes, the clouds and mist under her feet also churned anxiously due to Song Pianxian’s anger. Yu Yi smiled silently.

What Song Pianxian said was hard to refute, but Qu Hang dared not continue arguing.

He could sense that Song Pianxian’s cultivation was higher than his, and as the Sect Master of Lingyun Sect, he shouldn’t provoke the wrath of a Tribulation Crossing stage powerhouse over mere words, otherwise…the elders of the disciplinary hall would still be watching him.

And Qu Xirong, her courage was probably shattered.

In the cultivation world, having a Tribulation Crossing stage powerhouse to protect you was indeed a boon.

Yu Yi had experienced it before, but it had been too long, and she had forgotten.

Now, facing the questioning of a Tribulation Crossing stage powerhouse, the guests had no right to answer for Lingyun Sect. Qu Hang, representing Lingyun Sect, was unwilling to lose face in public, yet dared not respond.

Apart from the churning clouds and waves, there was dead silence.

Song Pianxian quietly surveyed the cultivators on the ground, smiling gently.

She used to think that the higher world was so special, but it seemed not much different from the world she had been in.

Similarly, they both longed for power, yet—

Succumbed to the power they couldn’t resist.

Song Pianxian waved her sleeve again, and the long sleeves adorned with golden lotus petals rolled up like clouds, unfolding in order.

She turned around and gently pulled Yu Yi, who was behind her, to the front.

The girl was only as tall as Song Pianxian’s chest, her cheeks pale and bloodless. Wrapped in the crane cloak, she looked even smaller, evoking more pity.

Although Song Pianxian had erected a spiritual barrier, completely shielding Yu Yi inside, not even a breeze could penetrate, seeing her like this, Song Pianxian couldn’t help but tighten her cloak around her, pulling her half-body into her arms, step by step, descending on the cloud ladder.

As she did this, the people below all looked up, their expressions complex for a moment.

The indifferent guests wrote on their faces, “Why don’t I have a puppet who can care for me meticulously and even sacrifice itself?” Qu Hang didn’t know what to think, but his smile was particularly stiff. Chu Feng held the prayer beads, her eyes half relieved and half pleased.

Under such scrutiny, Song Pianxian seemed oblivious and asked Yu Yi softly:

“You’ve been out for a while. Are you tired?”

Yu Yi leaned her head against her, gently moving, like a fluffy little animal rubbing against someone, her voice obedient:

“I’m fine. It’s more important to explain to Uncle Qu clearly.”

Song Pianxian’s heart softened instantly.

“I’ll say a few more words, then we’ll go back.”

Yu Yi nodded again.

Song Pianxian gently patted her.

Without further delay, she took Yu Yi and skimmed over the light clouds, arriving at the banquet venue, her robes fluttering.

“Today’s ceremony was for the sake of my acknowledgment as the master, but the acknowledgment has already been completed. I trouble everyone to make a trip.”

A cold voice asked, “Why not today?”

Song Pianxian looked over. Without the identifier [09], she couldn’t directly obtain the other party’s identity and name, but she was familiar with the information and quickly recognized from the appearance that this should be Chu Feng.

Song Pianxian was about to mention this, but Chu Feng beat her to it:

“The little master is kind-hearted. Since she already knows that her current physique makes it difficult to successfully acknowledge a master, how could she entrust this matter to the sect?”

Qu Hang exclaimed urgently, “Why not?”

“If the acknowledgment fails, the little master will perish on the spot. From the sect master to the elders of Lingyun Sect, all will be implicated. By then, the little master will be unable to defend Lingyun Sect. It’s inevitable that Lingyun Sect, and you, Master Qu, will be accused of plotting against an orphan.”

“Therefore, the little master decided to try it herself at Daiyuan Peak. The great formation of Daiyuan Peak is activated, and no one can enter. If the acknowledgment fails, naturally no one can say that Lingyun Sect is not at fault.”

“And when the spiritual stones of the formation are depleted, this puppet of mine and all the treasures left on Daiyuan Peak will belong to Lingyun Sect, then the little master will be at ease.”

Song Pianxian sighed lightly:

“I had to ask the little master for these words, and she was willing to say them. Unexpectedly, she thought deeply for Lingyun Sect, but Master Qu indulged his children to insult her today—”

As Song Pianxian spoke slowly, Qu Hang’s expression changed several times.

Was what the puppet said true?

Considering that Yu Yi inexplicably opened the formation, it did have some credibility… but…

Qu Hang’s thoughts had not yet escaped from these two possibilities when Yu Yi took a step forward, raising her pale little face:

“Uncle Qu, don’t blame me.”

Qu Hang glanced at her, momentarily speechless.

He shouldn’t have neglected to make a show with Yu Yi, but now that the dream of having a puppet to protect his life was shattered, he really didn’t want to deal with this girl right now.

This slight delay, Yu Yi’s eyes welled up with tears, choking back a sob, she removed the storage bracelet that never left her wrist:

“I still have artifacts left by my mother. If Master Qu is angry, forgive Yu Yi for the sake of these things.”

Qu Hang took a deep breath, his gaze involuntarily falling on the storage bracelet.

“No.” Chu Feng was the first to speak, firmly stating, “That was left to you by your mother, and besides, at your young age, you’re already thinking so much for the sect. Master Qu shouldn’t blame you.”

“Yu Qing has always treated the sect as his home. His daughter should be like this—Master Qu, you can’t bully a little girl!”

“It’s just a trivial matter. The acknowledgment was successful. Aren’t we here to celebrate? Let’s all be happy.”

…

The storage bracelet was still held in front of Qu Hang. The storage bracelet itself was a celestial-grade artifact, with mysterious patterns flowing under the light, incredibly enticing.

With waves of sound in his ears, Qu Hang could only forcefully tear his gaze away from the storage bracelet, his voice tense:

“Nonsense, keep the storage bracelet. This matter shouldn’t be blamed on you.”

Yu Yi blinked her eyes, crystal-clear tears falling, slowly tracing her snow-white cheeks.

There were still tears hanging on her eyelashes, but she was already smiling through her tears, as clear and beautiful as dew-kissed camellias, extremely pure.

“It’s great, Uncle Qu doesn’t blame me, that’s great.”

For a moment, even those who had previously faintly suspected that Yu Yi might have deliberately acted to guard against Lingyun Sect couldn’t help but dispel the thought.

Lingyun Sect had always cared for Yu Yi in every way. How could they plot against her?

The tears slid down, gathering at the girl’s chin, but they didn’t fall.

The puppet bent down slightly, using her thumb to wipe them away for her. The girl obediently lifted her head, letting the puppet act, with a sweet and pure smile on her lips.

How could such a pure and transparent girl have such deep scheming?

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Translator: Glariosa
Editor: Ruu

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