A few days later, at Daoning Gate.
As she slowly regained consciousness, a faint, soothing aroma lingered at the tip of her nose.
Su He felt an unbearable soreness in the back of her neck; even a slight movement sent a throbbing pain through her brain.
She struggled to open her eyelids, her gaze falling upon familiar green gauze curtains and the glazed palace lantern hanging from the beam.
This was the Pill Chamber Side Hall of Daoning Gate.
Memories flooded back like a tide. At the entrance of the Market City, that handsome man who spoke nothing but nonsense, that deafening shout of “What audacity, rogue cultivator!”, and that unbelievably fast wooden sword...
“You’re awake?”
A clear, authoritative voice sounded by her ear, instantly dispelling the last vestiges of confusion in Su He’s mind.
Her body stiffened, and she instinctively tried to get up to salute, but then heard a groan beside her.
—It was Li Miao.
Su He turned to look, only to see her junior sister curled up on another soft couch, hands clutching her abdomen. Clearly, that Inch Force had left her with considerable psychological trauma and physical injury.
And directly in front of the two soft couches, a beautiful middle-aged woman in an elaborate dark green Daoist robe sat upright in a Grand Tutor's Chair, holding a cup of Spirit Tea, the swirling steam obscuring half her face.
She was the Deacon Elder of Daoning Gate, and also their Benevolent Instructor, Elder Liu.
“Disciple... greets Master.”
Elder Liu sighed, “No sword wounds, no traces of art techniques, all blunt force trauma.”
“Tell me, what kind of expert did you encounter?”
Li Miao was already timid, and now, under the pressure of her master’s aura, coupled with her still-aching stomach, her mind became a blur.
She stammered for a long time, her gaze flickering, not daring to look up:
“Ma... Master, actually... that... we...”
She truly couldn't bring herself to say it.
Was she supposed to say, Master, we went to block a First Realm, Fourth Level cultivator, but before we even finished speaking, he instantly defeated us with a wooden sword?
It was too humiliating.
Elder Liu frowned slightly, her gaze turning to the slightly more composed Su He:
“Su He, you tell me.”
Su He knelt on the ground, cold sweat trickling down her spine.
Tell the truth?
Absolutely not.
If she was defeated by a First Realm, Fourth Level cultivator, how could she ever hold her head up in Daoning Gate again? Those senior and junior sisters who were always at odds with her would surely turn this into a joke and tell it for a hundred years over tea.
She had to find a reason.
The scene from that moment flashed quickly through her mind.
Gu Chengming... wooden sword... sneak attack...
Who else?
Right!
That young man who had been following Gu Chengming!
Su He’s eyes instantly lit up.
She remembered that young man was named Jiang Lu. Although he seemed a bit dim-witted, his spiritual energy fluctuation was genuinely that of a First Realm, Seventh Level!
If she said she lost to a First Realm, Seventh Level cultivator, and it was under circumstances where the opponent had a numerical advantage and launched a despicable sneak attack...
The nature of the situation would completely change.
This wasn't incompetence; this was being outnumbered, this was being ambushed!
Su He gritted her teeth, looking as if she found it difficult to speak:
“Today, my junior sister and I were strolling in the Market City when we unexpectedly met Gu Chengming. Because of the rumors circulating recently about Junior Sister You, this disciple thought of going forward to ask a few questions, wanting to seek justice for Junior Sister You.”
“Who knew... who knew that Gu Chengming was completely unreasonable? His frivolous words were one thing, but he had already set up an ambush with helpers!”
At this point, she secretly observed Elder Liu’s expression. Seeing her frown, she boldly continued to fabricate:
“He was accompanied by an Outer Sect disciple named Jiang Lu, whose cultivation had already reached First Realm, Seventh Level!”
“The two of them teamed up, and it was a sneak attack. This disciple was caught off guard, and that’s why...”
Li Miao beside her was a little stunned. If one ignored the process and only looked at the outcome and the character setup, what her senior sister said was indeed not wrong.
Jiang Lu was indeed there, Jiang Lu was indeed First Realm, Seventh Level, and they were indeed knocked unconscious.
As for who actually did it... did it matter?
Anyway, Jiang Lu was present at the time, so by approximation, he was an accomplice!
“Bang!”
A crisp sound.
The teacup in Elder Liu’s hand slammed heavily onto the table. The fine Celadon instantly shattered into pieces, and scalding tea flowed all over the table.
A terrifying Spiritual Pressure instantly filled the entire side hall, making the two disciples gasp for breath.
“Outrageous!”
Elder Liu stood up abruptly, “What an Outer Sect disciple! What a First Realm, Seventh Level cultivator! Two grown men, teaming up to sneak attack two women, and with such viciousness!”
Elder Liu grew angrier the more she thought about it.
In her opinion, this was no longer a simple Disciple Friction; this was a slap to the face of Daoning Gate!
If the opponents had defeated Su He and the others honorably, Elder Liu was not someone who couldn't accept defeat; if their skills were inferior, they would just go back and practice.
But a sneak attack, and by someone of a higher realm?
What kind of skill was that?!
Elder Liu snorted coldly, waving her large sleeve. A gentle spiritual force lifted the two kneeling disciples.
“Let’s go!”
Su He was startled, a premonition of ill omen suddenly rising in her heart: “Ma... Master, where are we going?”
“Where are we going?”
Elder Liu’s eyebrows shot up, and a cold glint flashed in her eyes, “Naturally, to Huiyuan Gate to demand an explanation!”
“I want to see who gave them the audacity to beat my Daoning Gate disciples like this in broad daylight!”
Su He and Li Miao were instantly dumbfounded.
The script was wrong!
According to their plan, after hearing this, their master would most likely scold them for “lacking skill,” then order them to reflect behind closed doors and diligently cultivate to reclaim their honor later.
After all, it was just a minor squabble between disciples; for an elder to personally intervene would be too undignified.
“That... Master...”
Su He panicked, cold sweat instantly breaking out.
If they really went to confront Gu Chengming and Jiang Lu...
“Master! There’s no need!”
Su He quickly grabbed Elder Liu’s sleeve:
“Actually... actually, it’s not a big deal. This disciple will recover after some rest. Why trouble you, Master, to personally...”
“Not a big deal?”
Elder Liu glared at her, disappointed, “You were knocked unconscious, and it’s ‘not a big deal’? Where is your backbone? Where is your dao heart?”
“How did I usually teach you? If you’re bullied, you fight back! If you can’t win, find your master!”
“If you swallow this insult today, how will they view you tomorrow?”
“But...”
“Shut up!” Elder Liu was in a fit of rage and wouldn’t listen to reason: “This is not up to you!”
With that, Elder Liu gave the two no chance to refuse.
She swept her large sleeve, and an irresistible spiritual force instantly enveloped Su He and Li Miao.
“Go!”
Accompanied by a soft shout, Elder Liu moved swiftly, taking her two disciples, who looked as if 'Life is Meaningless', and stormed out of the Pill Chamber.
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