“Sir.”
Shu Fu saw Jiang Xuesheng and didn’t bother hiding the trust and surprise in her eyes. She immediately quickened her pace, closing the distance in just a few strides. “Why are you here? It’s perfectly fine outside, no rain at all—so why are you carrying an umbrella?”
Could it be… some newfangled way to show off?
Jiang Xuesheng said nothing. He reached out, pulling Shu Fu close beside him. With a deft flick, the umbrella’s handle spun lightly, just enough to hide their figures behind its canopy.
Only then did he lower his gaze to meet Shu Fu’s puzzled look, speaking lazily, “Nothing much. Just blocking out the foul air and foolishness.”
Shu Fu was speechless.
When it comes to stirring up trouble, Ning really is in a league of his own.
Jiang Xuesheng’s expression had an immediate effect. Master Huaigu, witnessing this, instantly flared up in anger. “Tanhua, what exactly do you mean by that?”
“Literally what I said.”
Jiang Xuesheng lifted his narrow eyelids, a sharp glint flashing through them. “Master Huaigu, you’re getting on in years. I’m surprised you don’t understand plain speech.”
“You’re the one at fault. I have no interest in arguing with you.”
Master Huaigu, unwilling to lose face in front of everyone, huffed and flicked his sleeve in frustration. “If you’re going to defend Jiang Ruoshui in front of all these eyes, you’ll have to give me a reason. Otherwise, even before the sect leader, I won’t let this matter drop.”
“Defend?”
Jiang Xuesheng repeated the word with a meaningful tone, his eyes flickering unpredictably. “That’s odd. Shu Fu hasn’t done anything wrong, so why would I need to defend her? Besides, look at her—does she look like someone who needs defending? She’s not some Miss Fang who can’t survive without a man.”
Shu Fu was speechless again.
Sorry, Dad’s just that awesome.
Speaking of which, who exactly is “Fu’er”?
While she was puzzling over this—wondering how to deal with her master’s habit of giving her embarrassing nicknames—Jiang Xuesheng, calm as ever, continued, “Earlier you said Lin Xiaomei is of low character and her testimony can’t be trusted. You don’t believe her, but you refuse to search her soul either. So I’ll just have to find another witness.”
Master Huaigu and Fang Wanqing both blinked in surprise. “Another witness?”
Jiang Xuesheng replied lazily, “My second disciple, Zhao Yun, is actually the youngest daughter of the Qiongzhi Yutu clan’s leader. Master Huaigu, you know about this, right? Then you should be aware that among the Qiongzhi Yutu, many individuals lack true intelligence—they’re just empty shells.”
“I know that, I know.”
The erudite Ye Shusheng quickly jumped in. “The Qiongzhi Yutu are a kind of demon beast that hibernates underground in winter, and in spring they sprout into a tree that bears countless rabbits. However, only a portion of them possess true intelligence. The rest are empty shells, without consciousness, spiritual power, or the ability to cultivate. They can only act under the guidance of their leader.”
Fang Wanqing felt a sudden wave of unease and asked sharply, “So what? What does that have to do with anything?”
Having lived a lifetime in the cultivation world, she was naturally familiar with the lore of the Qiongzhi Yutu. Some of them lacked intelligence—she knew that. So what?
No intelligence, no intelligence…
“Wait.”
Suddenly her heart tightened, her face paling. “Elder Yaoguang, are you saying that the witness you mentioned is…”
“That’s right.”
Jiang Xuesheng peeked out from behind the umbrella, revealing half of his flawless face, his smile gentle and warm. "Around the Jingjing Hall, there are many jade-branch and jade-rabbit spirits wandering about. If Miss Fang wishes to meet Lin Xiaomei discreetly in some secluded spot to avoid prying eyes, rest assured those jade rabbits have already seen everything."
"Jade rabbits lack intelligence and would never fabricate anything, yet they can record the scenes they witness. If we catch a few and use magic to extract the memories they carry, wouldn't the truth be laid bare?"
Fang Wanqing’s heart sank.
This was bad.
To gain Lin Xiaomei’s trust, she had not hidden her identity as Miss Fang. Despite being cautious every step of the way, there had inevitably been moments when she revealed her true face before Lin Xiaomei.
"In that case, let someone go catch some rabbits."
Master Huaigu didn’t notice the subtle change in her expression and waved his hand impatiently. "However, if none of them is Fang Wanqing, I won’t tolerate you twisting facts here. Fang Wanqing, Jiang Ruoshui, what do you think?"
"I will follow the Master's orders."
Cold sweat dripped down Fang Wanqing’s brow as she silently hoped the moments she had shown her face had not been witnessed by any of the rabbits.
"I have no objections either."
Shu Fu glanced sideways at her, guessing her thoughts with near certainty, and secretly found it amusing.
The original story made no mention of "Elder Yaoguang," so it seemed that in her previous life, Fang Wanqing was equally unfamiliar with him.
Had she known Jiang Xuesheng better, she would have understood that this man never pretended to be uncertain when he was not.
As expected, Jiang Xuesheng was clearly prepared. Seeing Master Huaigu nod, he calmly raised his hand and clapped once. "Si Fei, come up."
"Yes, Master."
No sooner had the words fallen than Shu Fu’s vision blurred, and suddenly a figure appeared out of thin air.
The figure was a boy, his appearance and attire bearing a strong exotic flair. He wore a flowing white robe trimmed with blue, soft and light. His wavy hair reached down to his waist, and his cat-like, translucent glassy eyes gleamed with a bluish glow. Among the strands of hair were scattered fragments of pearls and jade. At the spots where ears should have been, two half-transparent, shimmering silver fins sprouted at a slant, resembling frozen waves.
If one had to describe him in a single phrase, it would be "mermaid prince."
No, wait—how come you’re a princess too?
The boy cradled a basket filled to the brim with fluffy, chubby steel-toothed little white rabbits—creatures Shu Fu knew all too well.
But at this moment, the rabbits were eerily still, like plush toys, utterly motionless, exuding an innocent, harmless aura that begged the question, "Rabbits are so adorable—why would anyone want to eat them?"
The boy stepped forward without a glance aside, placed the basket on the ground, and stiffly bowed to everyone present.
"Master, everyone."
His tone was peculiar, the emphasis and rhythm off-kilter, carrying the awkwardness of a foreigner still mastering Chinese. "I have caught some rabbits. They are empty shells without intelligence. Please examine them."
Master Huaigu reluctantly swept his divine sense over the scene. Knowing the youth’s words were true, he casually instructed, “Since that’s the case, put the rabbits down and step aside. Let me examine the images they recorded.”
“Yes, sir.”
The young man responded with rigid precision, stepping back behind Jiang Xuesheng.
Shu Fu couldn’t hide her curiosity and instinctively turned her head to study him. “Sir, this must be Third Senior Apprentice Brother.”
“Shh.”
Jiang Xuesheng raised a finger to her lips, then gently pressed down on her head with one hand while looping his other arm around the youth’s shoulders, smiling warmly as he led them both back a step. “Master Huaigu, please proceed.”
“Hmph, no need for your prompting.”
Master Huaigu, without suspicion, flicked his sleeve, releasing countless points of light that scattered like fireflies, enveloping the rabbits on the ground.
Gradually, the lights converged into a single source and rose into the air like stars merging into a galaxy, slowly unfolding a massive glowing screen.
In the center of the screen, vague and flickering figures swayed faintly.
“Ah, here it is.”
Shu Fu instinctively leaned forward, pressing as close as possible to the luminous screen, trying to discern the images.
Suddenly, she collided face-first with a large, rosy-cheeked face.
“Eek!”
Startled, Shu Fu jumped back a step, only to be caught by Jiang Xuesheng’s outstretched arms.
“Hey, careful.”
Jiang Xuesheng steadied her shoulders and shook his head. “I told you not to get too close. See? You got scared. Or maybe you were just shocked by how ugly she looks.”
Fang Wanqing “”
It was needless to say—that was her face.
She had always prided herself on her beauty, but at this moment, she couldn’t even bother to argue about being called “ugly.”
Because on the screen, the enormous “Fang Wanqing” wore a cloak, her gaze dark and sinister, looking furtive and shameful. Opposite her stood Lin Xiaomei, pale-faced and stiff, trembling as she took a short sword.
“”
The instant this scene appeared, the room fell into complete silence, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Everyone exchanged wide-eyed glances, their expressions as if they’d just swallowed a cockroach alive.
Master Huaigu, frustrated, accidentally plucked two of the long whiskers he so proudly cherished.
“No, that’s not—”
Fang Wanqing went pale, trembling like a withered leaf in the wind, struggling to speak in her defense. But before she could, Lin Xiaomei on the screen spoke first in a low voice.
“Miss Fang, I don’t have to kill her, do I? As long as Jiang Ruoshui is eliminated from the selection, you’ll recommend me to Master Huaigu and Master Jinghai, and I’ll be admitted to Tianji Peak, right? I—I don’t want to kill anyone.”
“That’s right.”
Fang Wanqing on the screen was confident and persuasive. “I’ve already uncovered the arrangements for the first trial. When Jiang Ruoshui sneaks into the cave, you just need to follow my instructions and use this short sword to cut the ropes. That will ensure she’s out of the running.”
“”
Lin Xiaomei hesitated for a long moment before finally clenching the short sword, biting her lip hard. “Alright, I’ll do it.”
“”
“”
After a brief silence, the room erupted into whispers.
“It really is Fang Wanqing.”
“That can’t be right. Why would Fang Wanqing do something like this? I clearly heard before that it was Jiang Ruoshui who wouldn’t stop pestering her, stirring up jealousy.”
“I’ve said it before, those are all rumors.”
“But considering Fang Wanqing’s background, why would she target her?”
“Y-yeah, exactly.”
Fang Wanqing was trembling so much she couldn’t speak. Only Fang Han, refusing to believe until the very end, was still shouting hoarsely, “Who is my sister? Why would she bother scheming against Jiang Ruoshui and the others? One is in heaven, the other underground—my sister would never stoop so low. She simply wouldn’t care about her; she’s just a—”
Before he could finish, the young man quietly standing behind Jiang Xuesheng suddenly sprang forward like a rushing torrent.
His movements were faster than lightning. Shu Fu hadn’t even had time to get a clear look when the youth suddenly produced a translucent soft sword in his hand. The blade was as clear and cold as ice, and it circled lightly around Fang Han’s slender neck.
The young man said, “You don’t have to mind me. Keep talking.”
Fang Han—
His eyes darted wildly as he swallowed hard. “You’ve got a sword at my throat, and you still want me to say my last words?”
The youth replied, “Whatever you want. You can keep insulting, or you can apologize to the little junior sister.”
Fang Han asked, “What if I keep insulting?”
The youth said, “Whatever you insult will become your last words.”
Fang Han—
Meanwhile, the scene on the screen continued.
After instructing Lin Xiaomei, Fang Wanqing had bribed several other wandering cultivators to spread rumors among the crowd, tarnishing Jiang Ruoshui’s reputation.
Although this time she didn’t speak or reveal her true appearance, only transmitting messages through a jade slip, the wandering cultivators were all shocked and eagerly read aloud the words on the jade slip.
“The Jiang family—are you talking about the Jiang family from Qingcheng? Their eldest daughter is unfaithful, having an affair with the Peak Master of Yaoguang Peak.”
“No way. That Peak Master is too indiscriminate. A minor family’s young female cultivator, barely blossomed in beauty, how could she have any appeal?”
“Hey, you never know. A girl barely in her teens, tender enough to squeeze water from, even immortals want to try something fresh.”
A few male cultivators gathered, chuckling lewdly before suddenly remembering their business. They cleared their throats exaggeratedly and turned solemnly to the cloaked “employer.”
“If we help spread your message, all these spirit stones and elixirs will be ours.”
The cloaked figure said nothing, silently nodding.
After the wandering cultivators left satisfied, the scene didn’t end but instead followed the cloaked figure’s back as she walked along a hidden mountain path back to the lecture hall. There, she transformed back into the delicate and charming Fang Wanqing.
That close-up of her rosy lips and flawless face—no one could mistake her identity.
—
Silence fell over Yanyuntai like a grave.
Not even Master Huaigu could utter a word.
It was unbearably awkward.
Public humiliation couldn’t get any worse.
Perhaps finally realizing the situation was hopeless, or unable to endure the piercing gazes any longer, Fang Wanqing suddenly knelt down with a thud before Master Huaigu, sobbing as she kowtowed repeatedly.
“Master, it was my fault—I was blinded by jealousy and made a terrible mistake. I swear I’ll never do it again. I can apologize. Yes, I can apologize to Miss Jiang. Please have mercy and let me stay under your tutelage.”
She knew this time she had lost everything. She was merciless to herself, banging her head until it throbbed painfully. A wound split open on her forehead, blood streaming down her face.
Fang Han was already terrified out of his wits. Afraid to reach out to help, he could only kneel beside his sister and bow his head repeatedly, pounding the floor with his forehead alongside her.
Just like Jiang Ruoshui in the original story—framed by them—she was humble, helpless, and utterly miserable, like an ant crawling in the dust, desperately clinging to life.
Jiang Xuesheng’s smile never wavered. Leaning in slowly, he whispered close to Shu Fu’s ear, “She says she wants to apologize. Will you accept it?”
“Sir, please don’t tease me.”
Shu Fu felt a warm breath tickle her ear, making her neck flush. She tilted her head slightly and turned to smile at him. “If an apology mattered, why would we even need Tianxuan Peak? If she likes kowtowing, let her do it a few more times. After all, the ground doesn’t hurt.”
“All right, all right.”
Meanwhile, on the other side, Master Huaigu’s whole body stiffened, his face turning ashen. Seeing Fang Wanqing kneeling, he suddenly came to his senses and replied without hesitation, “Recognizing one’s mistakes and correcting them is the greatest virtue. Fang Wanqing, since you acknowledge your fault, then—”
“Master Huaigu, harming fellow disciples is the greatest taboo in the Jiuhua Sect. ‘Recognizing one’s mistakes’ does not apply here.”
The merman youth’s expression remained calm as he mimicked Fang Han’s earlier accusations against Shu Fu in a flat, mechanical tone. “Fang Wanqing has inflicted poison upon other cultivators, using ruthless methods and harboring a cruel heart. Such a venomous woman does not deserve to enter the Jiuhua Sect.”
“Outrageous!”
Master Huaigu tugged at his own beard in frustration. “You’re just a junior, spouting nonsense. This isn’t a place for you to speak.”
The youth said, “Master, he says I’m talking nonsense.”
Jiang Xuesheng asked, “Oh? What did you say?”
The youth replied, “I simply repeated what the Fang family said.”
Master Huaigu was speechless.
“Sigh.”
As the standoff dragged on, everyone suddenly heard a faint sound above them, like the wind stirring through the mountain forest, followed by the familiar, sorrowful, and ethereal sigh of Master Qiu.
Master Qiu was known for his kindness and prioritizing the greater good, rarely confronting Master Huaigu directly. But now, the truth was clear to all. If this continued, it wouldn’t just be Fang Wanqing’s reputation at stake.
“Senior Uncle, enough.”
He sighed softly, his voice gentle but resolute. “Fang Wanqing’s character is flawed and she is unfit to join the Jiuhua Sect. Without proper action, this matter will never be accepted.”
“By order of the Sect Leader: Not only this time, but for the next ten entrance trials, the Jiuhua Sect will close its doors to Fang Wanqing.”
“Senior Uncle, if you want to admit her, wait six hundred years and see how her character develops before making a decision.”
“Six hundred years?”
Master Huaigu was so shocked that his uneven beard bristled on end. “If she never entered the inner sect, she wouldn’t have the means to cultivate. How could she have lived to six hundred years old? If this were made public, the Fang family and other sects would never accept her again. She would have nowhere to go.”
The sect leader replied softly, “If she can’t live that long, then so be it. Does the Jiuhua Sect have to be responsible for prolonging her life?”
“Since Uncle Master is so kind-hearted, why not follow the example of Dongming Peak—travel around, offer medical aid, and benefit all living beings? It would be better than saving someone with a corrupt heart. You’ve stayed in one place too long; it’s time to get out and move about.”
“”
Hearing the sect leader’s final words, Fang Wanqing could no longer bear the blow. Her vision darkened, her body went limp, and she collapsed weakly to the ground.
In her extreme panic and despair, she lost all grace and poise. Unlike in dramas where fainting is elegant, she simply fell flat on her back, sprawled out in a perfect starfish shape.
At that moment, the entire Xianyun Terrace fell silent.
Among those present were Jiang Xuesheng and Shu Fu, many of whom took out their ever-present Memory Stones to capture this rare scene on film.
At that time, Shu Fu had no idea that for decades, even centuries to come, this joyful footage would be endlessly circulated on the cultivation world’s video-sharing sites, bringing laughter to countless people.
Though Fang Wanqing herself had socially died in the cultivation community, she had become an invaluable source of comedy—an iconic image warning others, “If you don’t behave now, you’ll grow up to be Fang Wanqing.”
Her name would forever be inseparable from jokes, forever linked to happiness.
A cause for celebration.
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