Gu Meng's face grew increasingly pale, a single tear forgotten and hanging at the corner of her eye. She looked toward Li Zhaoye, pleading for his help, but he refused to meet her gaze.
"I... I..." She fumbled, utterly at a loss.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk!" Master Qingxu suddenly produced a feathered fan from somewhere, waving it pointedly. "This mortal is truly blind and foolish. Can't you even tell who saved you?"
Master Lingxue's eyes filled with disappointment. "Gu Meng, why have you not mentioned Luo Luo's sacrifice in saving you?"
"Exactly!" Master Qingxu chimed in mockingly. "If my disciple wanted you dead, why would she save you? For fun? Kill, save, kill, save—what kind of game is that?"
Master Lingxue shot him a sharp glare, silencing him.
Gu Meng's lips trembled as she pitifully reached out to tug at Li Zhaoye's sleeve.
"Brother Li, Brother Li?" she called, her voice desperate.
She was truly afraid now. Staring at his cold back and indifferent profile, a terrifying thought struck her—could Luo Luo's words actually be true?
But it made no sense. Why would Brother Li want to harm her? He knew how devoted she was to him!
Luo Luo also turned her gaze toward the man.
He stood idly by, detached as if the matter had nothing to do with him. He didn’t even seem concerned about Gu Meng’s lies being exposed—in fact, he appeared distracted.
The hall was thick with tension. The imposing gazes of the senior cultivators bore down on Gu Meng, their sheer presence an oppressive weight. She shivered as if standing before the wrathful guardians of hell, awaiting judgment.
"I..." With the evidence undeniable, Gu Meng faltered, her voice shaking. "I... I didn’t see clearly who pushed me. It could have been... yes, it must have been a demon! Definitely a demon!"
Still, she refused to implicate Li Zhaoye.
Master Lingxue sighed in disappointment, shaking his head at the new disciple’s behavior.
Master Qingxu clicked his tongue, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, didn’t see clearly, huh? Then tell me—did you at least see Luo Luo saving you?"
Flustered, Gu Meng blurted, "Yes, Luo Luo flew down on her sword to pull me up! But... but isn’t it natural for immortals to save mortals? If it’s her duty, why must I constantly sing her praises? Is it a crime if I don’t?"
The hall fell into stunned silence.
Master Qingxu blinked, bewildered. "This mortal has her own twisted logic. I can’t even pinpoint what’s wrong with it."
Master Lingxue flicked his sleeve with a cold snort. "Enough! False accusations against a fellow disciple, and not an ounce of remorse. Let the Discipline Hall pass judgment as it sees fit."
"W-wait!"
Li Zhaoye seemed to snap out of his daze, raising a hand weakly as he coughed. "Sect Master, please hold!"
He stepped forward, shielding Gu Meng.
With utmost sincerity, he said, "Gu Meng is innocent. The fault lies with me. Punish me instead."
Gu Meng stared at his tall, slender figure in disbelief before bursting into tears—relieved and moved that she hadn’t misjudged Brother Li.
She had always known he was a good man!
Master Lingxue’s voice was icy. "No need to rush. Once her judgment is settled, yours will follow."
Li Zhaoye coughed again, his pale cheeks flushing with an unhealthy red.
Luo Luo watched him closely, waiting for his excuses.
But he offered none. Instead, he admitted, "This matter began because of me. I wronged my junior sister."
Luo Luo bit out each word, "You wronged Li Zhaoye."
"Yes." He smiled faintly, almost amused. "I wronged the man I used to be."
He had indeed slipped up in front of her, saying something he shouldn’t have. But so what? She had no proof.
If looks could kill, Luo Luo’s glare would have shredded him to pieces on the spot.
His dark eyes curved gently as he spoke earnestly, "Junior Sister Luo, you are honest and pure-hearted."
Then he turned to Gu Meng. "Junior Sister Gu, you are kind and gentle."
Luo Luo frowned suspiciously, unsure what game he was playing.
"You are both good people." Li Zhaoye gave a bitter smile and shook his head. "Yet now you stand opposed because of me. I failed to handle matters of the heart properly. This is all my fault. I don’t deserve either of you."
Everyone in the Tai Xuan Sect had witnessed the recent events—
Luo Luo had not only threatened Li Zhaoye but had once even "kidnapped" Gu Meng.
And today, Gu Meng had repaid Luo Luo’s kindness with betrayal in front of the entire assembly.
Hearing his words, Luo Luo narrowed her eyes.
She thought she understood his ploy now.
Sure enough, Master Lingxue took the bait. With a furious sweep of his sleeve, he slammed his palm onto the table.
"Bang!"
The sound startled everyone.
Master Lingxue glared at the two girls, exasperated. "You two!"
It was well known that the Sect Master despised seeing women fight over a man.
Luo Luo knew she’d stepped on a landmine. She lowered her head obediently, staying silent.
Without proof that Li Zhaoye had been possessed, the more she spoke, the worse it would get. After her parents’ deaths, only her master and the real Li Zhaoye had ever believed her unconditionally.
"Mortal women may have no choice but to rely on men, but you are different!" Master Lingxue scolded. "You have entered the immortal path—why cling to outdated customs? We cultivators seek truth beyond illusion, pursuing the boundless Dao! Why confine yourselves to petty love affairs? It’s like discarding a treasure for a pebble!"
Luo Luo kept her head bowed.
She knew the Sect Master was right—but she had to avenge the real Li Zhaoye.
Gu Meng’s eyes flickered slightly, unconvinced. Meeting Brother Li was the luckiest thing that had ever happened to her. Besides, he had promised to guide her in dual cultivation—she could ascend to immortality in one step!
Master Lingxue didn’t realize his earnest lecture was falling on deaf ears.
"Today’s disgrace should never have happened! Strength is paramount in our path. If you are powerful enough, others will naturally flock to you. Must you debase yourselves fighting over a man?"
"Li Zhaoye, Gu Meng—your punishments are unavoidable!"
Li Zhaoye bowed his head. "Understood."
Gu Meng hurriedly mimicked him. "Understood."
"Luo Luo!" Master Lingxue’s voice was stern.
Luo Luo straightened and saluted properly. "Here."
Master Lingxue commanded, "If his heart is no longer yours, the Heartbond Vow is nothing but a shackle. Sever it at once. Do not persist in this folly, harming yourself and others!"
Luo Luo pressed her lips together, resisting in silence.
The longer she refused, the heavier the pressure on her grew—her shoulders ached, her knees trembled.
"Such stubbornness!" Master Lingxue was furious. "Luo Luo, must you remain deluded?"
Master Qingxu fidgeted anxiously, coughing loudly in feigned distress.
"Since he is no longer the same Li Zhaoye as before... ahem," the old father desperately hinted, "that soul mark brings nothing but harm, so why not break it now? We can deal with the rest later!"
Many eyes were fixed on Luo Luo.
She knew everyone wanted to see her decisively sever ties, including her most beloved master.
But every time the soul mark on her wrist ached, she could feel Li Zhaoye's sorrow.
This was the last bond between them—how could she bear to let it go?
After a long silence, Luo Luo spoke softly, "No."
Pausing, she added with earnest conviction, "Li Zhaoye has not betrayed me, and he never will."
Master Lingxue's expression darkened. "Are you truly deceiving yourself? Will you even disobey your master now?"
Luo Luo shook her head. "No."
Master Lingxue, utterly disappointed, snapped harshly, "Letting emotions dictate your actions is nothing but foolishness!"
The crowd exchanged uneasy glances.
Even Qingxu, the least favored among them, had never been called "foolish" to his face.
Master Qingxu rolled up his sleeves and jumped up. "Hey, you damned old—"
Luo Luo cut off her master's outburst. "Elder Sect Master."
Her face was pale, but her faint smile was clear and unwavering.
She asked, "The ones at fault today are these two, correct?" She pointed at Li Zhaoye and Gu Meng.
Then she continued, "And the sect has no rules dictating when or where disciples should form or break bonds, right?"
Master Lingxue's anger wavered slightly.
Luo Luo pressed on, "I have broken no sect rules, yet the Elder Sect Master scolds me. Isn’t that letting emotions dictate actions..."
Master Qingxu sucked in a sharp breath and lunged to cover her mouth.
Too late.
Luo Luo, ever the honest one, finished her thought, "...nothing but foolishness."
Master Qingxu: "Gulp!"
The onlookers averted their eyes, pretending not to hear.
A true warrior! A legend!
May the warrior rest in peace—no one dared to intervene.
Master Qingxu slapped a hand to his forehead, muttering, "It's over, it's over... That old nun holds grudges like no other. If she tries to kill you, I’ll hold her off for a bit—prepare to flee to the ends of the earth..."
An unbearably tense silence followed.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Master Lingxue's frost-covered eyes flickered slightly.
"You're right," she said flatly. "This time, I was blinded."
Seizing the moment while the "old nun" was still dazed, Master Qingxu swiftly whisked Luo Luo away from the scene.
His smooth forehead creased with worry. "Do you have any idea what we went through in the Nether Realm? Those shameless old foxes from the Heavy Star Sect and the Heavenly Dao Sect—ugh, never mind. Point is, that old nun is in a terrible mood, and you just had to poke the tiger!"
Luo Luo blinked. "The Elder Sect Master is magnanimous. She didn’t punish me."
Master Qingxu rubbed his temples. "Who taught you to turn her own words against her?"
Luo Luo hesitated. "...Master, Li Zhaoye is shameless. The only way to shut him up is throwing his own words back at him. I just... got used to it."
Master Qingxu: "..."
With Li Zhaoye and Gu Meng being disciplined, Mirror Twin Peak was left with only the master, the disciple, and the wooden puppets.
Master Qingxu shut the half-repaired hall doors, sealed them, and settled onto the meditation couch. "Now, tell me everything that happened in the Nether Realm!"
"Yes!"
Luo Luo recounted the events in detail, starting from Gu Meng’s fall from the cliff.
When she finished, she watched her master anxiously, her eyes clouded with worry.
To him, she and Li Zhaoye were both precious. If he trusted her, surely he trusted Li Zhaoye too.
Master Qingxu exhaled slowly. "So all we lack is proof."
Luo Luo froze for a second before leaping up in joy. "Master! You believe me!"
Master Qingxu nearly jumped out of his skin. "Calm down!"
"Yes, yes, yes!" Luo Luo nodded vigorously, her eyes shining. "So you’ll help me get the evidence now!"
Master Qingxu took a deep breath, bracing himself. "Go on. What’s your plan? I can handle it."
Luo Luo lowered her voice. "Yu Fusheng."
"Hiss!" Even though he’d braced for the worst, hearing that name still made Master Qingxu dizzy. "Where did you even hear about that?!"
"Master, there’s no need to panic at the mere mention of it," Luo Luo said seriously. "It’s just an aphrodisiac."
Master Qingxu: "..."
Listen to her. Just an aphrodisiac! Just an aphrodisiac!
Drugging Li Zhaoye at a time like this—what kind of vindictive, desperate villainess script was this?!
