Chapter 15: Nonsense

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“Oh?”

Xie Yang turned to look at her, his eyes filled with scrutiny.

“Just Qi Refining…” The words died on his lips. A trace of suspicion appeared on his face, as though he was no longer certain. He extended his spiritual sense once more.

Yet the result was exactly the same as before.

He could vaguely sense spiritual fluctuations from the girl standing before him, but he was completely unable to determine her true cultivation level!

Could she have used some method to conceal it?

Following Xie Yang’s fragmentary remarks, Song Junyu quickly guessed the reason and felt somewhat reassured. A smile curved her lips.

“Seeing how composed and handsome Senior Brother looks, you must be an elite disciple under one of the peak masters. Someone with your magnanimity and grace is certainly no ordinary person. I was young and ignorant just now and misspoke. Surely a senior brother of your stature would not take offense. Isn’t that right?”

Before Xie Yang could respond, Song Junyu pulled Wang Xinglong to his feet, pressed down on his head, and made him bow once, her smile growing even more amiable.

“Oh, and another thing. My little brother failed to recognize greatness and offended you just now. We are truly sorry… If Senior Brother still feels dissatisfied—”

“Enough!” Xie Yang finally interrupted her.

What had he said just now? Why did her words make it sound as though he had been bullying them through his position?

Only Song Junyu lowered her eyes to hide the mockery within them.

She understood perfectly what the man before her cared about most. His image and his pride—those were things Xie Yang would fight to the death to preserve.

The air fell silent. Seeing that Xie Yang was no longer speaking, everyone exchanged uncertain glances.

After a long while, someone finally ventured, “Senior Brother Xie… may we continue on now?”

Xie Yang knitted his brows, visibly impatient. “What? You cannot wait even this long?”

The person’s voice had already been as faint as a mosquito’s hum. Now, seeing Xie Yang’s expression, he dared not say another word.

At that, Song Junyu looked around and indeed found that many of the people nearby had anxious expressions. So they had not wanted to rest here after all—they had been forcibly made to stay?

As for the reason…

Perhaps her contemplative gaze had been too obvious, for Xie Yang stared straight at her. He then strode forward and said, “Weren’t you speaking quite cheerfully just now? Why have you stopped? Did you really think I couldn’t tell that you were deliberately sowing discord?”

Song Junyu showed not the slightest trace of panic. Instead, she answered with even greater earnestness.

“Senior Brother, you must not put it that way! Heaven and earth can bear witness to my words. I would never deceive anyone, young or old. Every word was completely sincere!”

“The moment I saw you, I felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity. I even thought of you as an elder brother… It is only a pity that…”

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At that point, Song Junyu suddenly lowered her head and lifted a hand to dab at the corner of her eye, appearing so grief-stricken that tears could hardly stop flowing.

Beside her, Wang Xinglong silently lowered his head as well. Before long, his shoulders began to tremble. To anyone watching, it looked as though the two of them were mourning together.

Only he himself knew how difficult it was to keep from bursting into laughter.

How had she started acting so naturally all of a sudden? She was even more convincing than when she had abruptly knelt earlier!

A steady sound of sobbing came from beside him.

“My elder brother met with an accident when I was little and passed away far too soon…”

In an instant, everyone turned their attention toward them. A few particularly inquisitive people even stretched their necks, hoping to hear more clearly.

Standing where he was, Xie Yang felt a breath lodge painfully in his chest. He wanted to vent his frustration, yet he could not possibly take it out on this girl!

If he truly flew into a rage over this, where would that leave his dignity?

Seeing how stifled Xie Yang looked, Song Junyu narrowed her eyes slightly, gently brushing away the last of several nonexistent tears. She raised her head, her expression filled with longing.

“We have caused Senior Brother trouble.”

When Xie Yang met those clear, limpid eyes, his heart softened for some inexplicable reason. He could not help sighing, and his expression relaxed somewhat.

Forget it. She seemed to be about the same age as Shu’er, and she was at least a clever-tongued girl. Why make things difficult for her?

With that thought, he raised a fist to his mouth and pretended to cough twice. Then he swept his gaze around and lowered his voice.

“To pass through this place, you must surrender all the spirit stones on your person. It signifies sincerity in seeking the Dao and casting aside all worldly attachments.”

“The people just now hesitated before giving theirs up, so they were punished by being made to enter later. As for you…”

Song Junyu obligingly revealed a look of curiosity. Xie Yang instantly felt as though he were being deeply admired. His heart grew light, and his expression softened by several degrees.

“Since you seem pleasing to the eye and have such a tragic background, you may pass directly.”

Song Junyu immediately curved her eyes into a faint smile and prepared to stroll away.

Wang Xinglong was quick to see what she intended. He immediately began wailing.

“Sis! I actually mistook Senior Brother Xie for the man who bullied you back then! I am utterly ashamed to face him!”

“Sis, you go on ahead. I will stay here and sincerely repent! I shall not rise until Senior Brother Xie forgives me!”

“Ah! My crimes are truly unforgivable—”

“Shut up!”

The veins on Xie Yang’s forehead throbbed as he cut him off viciously.

He abruptly lowered his head and leaned close to Wang Xinglong, speaking each word distinctly.

“Be quiet. For your sister’s sake, I will allow you to leave half.”

The next moment, Wang Xinglong, with two glistening tears hanging from his eyes, hurriedly took out a small pile of spirit stones and placed them on the ground. He then respectfully knocked his head against the floor.

While he was not paying attention, Xie Yang glanced at the largest pile of spirit stones, and his eyes brightened slightly.

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Then, highly satisfied, he waved a hand.

“You two may pass.”

The others watched the pair with envy. A few could no longer restrain themselves and began to protest.

“Senior Brother Xie, this is rather unfair, isn’t it?!”

With a sharp sound as a sword-light tore through the air, not another murmur could be heard from behind them.

Song Junyu and Wang Xinglong rushed through the curtain of light at top speed. A flash of radiance passed over them, cutting off all the commotion outside.

“Whew… Good heavens! Thank goodness you were there!”

Having narrowly escaped disaster, Wang Xinglong let out a long sigh. The thought of that bastard Xie nearly piercing through his ribs filled him with rage.

“Hmph. You were quite the picture of dignity just now, and your flattery flowed beautifully enough,” Song Junyu said, casting him a sidelong glance as her usual cool expression returned.

Wang Xinglong froze for a moment, then scratched his head and muttered, “You’re one to talk. Didn’t you act just as convincingly?”

When the person beside him ignored him completely, he narrowed his eyes and smiled again, moving closer as he changed the subject.

“We did help each other out, after all. Why don’t we call everything that happened before even? By the way, my name is Wang Xinglong. I still don’t know yours.”

“Liu Yu.”

Wang Xinglong mulled it over, and his eyes brightened even more.

“That’s a lovely name! It suits your appearance.”

“But now that I think about it, I have never heard of you among the Qi Refining disciples. With your strength, you should not be an unregistered disciple, should you?”

“Let me tell you, I’m quite famous among the Qi Refining disciples. I’m practically the little tyrant of the entire—”

“Move!”

Before he could finish, Song Junyu had already yanked him swiftly to one side.

Right before them, a gigantic green python had emerged from nowhere. Its eyes were cold and sinister as it hissed, its forked tongue flickering in and out.

“This… this is a Green Bamboo Python—a second-grade spirit beast!”

Song Junyu frowned and quickly asked, “How strong is it compared with a human?”

“It is comparable to someone who has half-stepped into Foundation Establishment! Liu Yu, we should hide first—”

Before he could finish speaking, sharp fangs were already bearing down upon them. At that critical moment, Wang Xinglong’s expression changed again and again. In the end, he shifted the tips of his toes and made his move!