Shu Fu truly hadn't expected that before she could even throw her punch, Fang Wanqing had already collapsed on her own.
"Unsuitable to enter the Jiuhua Sect" and "wait another six hundred years"—the sect master's phrasing sounded benevolent and magnanimous, but in reality, it was no different from slamming the door in her face, and he had slammed ten doors at once.
No need to ask, it was clear that this time, Fang Wanqing, just like Lin Xiaomei, was utterly finished.
To be fair, Fang Wanqing brought this misfortune upon herself. If she hadn't been so relentless, insisting that Master Huaigu stand up for her, she might not have provoked Jiang Xuesheng into this public execution, sending her straight into the deep freeze of the Arctic Circle.
In Shu Fu's opinion, she would have liked to keep Fang Wanqing around a bit longer, to tease out more information about the "previous life."
But now, it was too late for that.
A reborn female supporting character who couldn't even get into the sect was probably one of a kind.
How embarrassing, Miss Fang.
To her plight, Shu Fu extended her most sincere regards.
"Hmph."
With the sect master personally making the final decision, Master Huaigu knew there was no room for reversal. His old face couldn't bear the shame, so he could only put on a fierce front with a weak core, snorted coldly, swept his sleeve to lift the collapsed Fang Wanqing, and without even glancing at Shu Fu or Jiang Xuesheng, turned and flew away on his sword.
An apology or admission of fault?
Shu Fu knew with her chest (i.e., it was obvious) that was impossible.
If Master Huaigu had even a shred of responsibility, he wouldn't be such a useless good-for-nothing. And Fang Wanqing, who had lived under his wing for two lifetimes, wouldn't have warped into such a character.
So she didn't expect any introspection from Master Huaigu. She just chased after his retreating figure and shouted:
"Master Huaigu! Elder of Tianquan Peak! My reputational damages and emotional distress—Miss Fang has to pay compensation! Or you can pay on her behalf!"
Jiang Xuesheng: "Indeed, compensation. I will organize the bill shortly and have Si Fei deliver it. The expenses for Yaoguang Peak for the coming year will all be drawn from Tianquan Peak's accounts. Sect Master, what do you think?"
Master Qiu: "Sounds good, sounds good."
Master Huaigu: "..."
Sounds good your head! That's not your money!
Shu Fu saw from afar that his otherworldly, immortal-like back gave a violent shudder, as if he wanted to faint right alongside Fang Wanqing.
As for the others present at the scene, they weren't blind or fools, nor were they all brainless background characters chanting "I won't listen, I won't listen."
Jiang Xuesheng's live broadcast performance was in 1080p high-definition, uncensored, with a 360-degree flawless view. Anyone could see his evidence was solid, his preparation thorough, it could be called a one-hit kill, leaving no room for the other party to turn things around.
Who was right and who was wrong between Fang Wanqing and Shu Fu naturally needed no further debate.
A young woman in practical ponytail and fitted martial attire was the first to step forward, clasping her fist towards Shu Fu: "Fellow cultivator, my apologies. Although I didn't believe the rumors, I found these trivial matters of love affairs and jealousy rather boring and didn't think to investigate the truth to clear your name. Now it seems, fellow cultivator, your character is outstanding, and you were truly dragged down by this filthy business."
"No matter."
Shu Fu also clasped her fist in return. "The affairs of the world are full of conflicting claims and mixtures, difficult to distinguish. If not for the irrefutable evidence this time, I wouldn't dare ask everyone to believe me either."
The ponytailed young woman gave a bright, hearty smile and announced her name clearly: "I am Yao Huang, from Yao City in Central Province. May I have the honor of being your friend?"
Shu Fu was slightly taken aback: "Yao City in Central Province?"
In this world, the division of the cultivation continent was extremely simple and crude, broadly divided into the East, West, South, North, and Central Provinces, with countless cities large and small scattered across each.
For example, the legendary four great sects: Lingxiao in the West, Tianyan in the North, and Jiuhua in the South, were located in the West, North, and South Provinces respectively. Xuanyu Palace resided far out at sea, not among the five provinces.
Now, with Lingxiao City's growing power, not only its home West Province, but even parts of the distant Central, North, and East Provinces—fertile lands and prosperous cities—had already fallen under the control of the Ling family. Only the South Province, with the unyielding Jiuhua Sect standing firm, remained an impenetrable fortress.
Shu Fu recalled the map, vaguely remembering that "Yao City" was a famous major city in Central Province that seemed to have pledged allegiance to Lingxiao City early on.
If so, the appearance of this Miss Yao at the Jiuhua Sect held some intriguing implications.
"Fellow cultivator, have you heard of Yao City?"
Yao Huang seemed to perceive Shu Fu's doubt and didn't evade or conceal it, speaking frankly and openly: "To my shame, my father is the city lord of Yao City. He has already led my siblings and the entire city's populace to submit to Lingxiao City. I refused to join them, so I left home alone, hoping to secure a place in the Jiuhua Sect."
Shu Fu nodded in understanding: "So that's how it is."
So you also despise Lingxiao City? Then we are friends for life!
She immediately stretched out her hand readily and shook hands with the runaway Miss Yao: "Fellow cultivator, your noble integrity fills me with admiration."
With Yao Huang taking the lead, other hesitant and observing rogue cultivators in the crowd also stepped forward one after another. They offered apologies to Shu Fu, chiming in one after another, deeply reflecting on their own lack of firm stance against the rumors, their vacillation, and their failure to charge to the forefront of debunking the rumors, resulting in the reversal of black and white, villains having their day, and the wronging of the innocent.
Some who had followed the trend and uttered a few sour remarks insisted, to show they dared to act and take responsibility, that Shu Fu must slap them twice to make them remember the lesson: "Fellow cultivator, aim for the face! Don't spare me because I'm handsome!"
Someone immediately chimed in: "Right! And I even glared at you once! Fellow cultivator, if you're still angry, you can use the 'Two Dragons Playing with a Pearl' move to poke my eyes!"
Shu Fu: "That really isn't necessary."
Following the trend in spreading rumors, and following the trend in asking for a beating—these people were truly consistent inside and out, carrying their herd mentality to the end.
Towards these strangers, she wasn't actually very angry.
After all, their sources of information were limited. In their ears were vivid, detailed rumors; before their eyes were Qi Yuxuan and Fang Wanqing, a perfect match in talent and beauty, like an immortal couple, looking utterly compatible. And Qi Yuxuan himself was a once-in-a-century fool, with eyes only for Fang Wanqing as his prized possession, turning a blind eye to the rumors and slander against Jiang Ruoshui for being "fickle and unfaithful."
Under such circumstances, anyone would believe the hat on his head was truly green.
As a pitiful soul betrayed by his fiancée, Qi Yuxuan joyously welcoming a second spring and finding his true love was truly congratulatory.
In fact, everyone indeed found this incredible:
“So, it was Fellow Cultivator Jiang who initiated breaking off the engagement, and you simply looked down on Qi Yuxuan?”
"He himself pledged himself to Fang Wanqing, found you in the way, didn't want the reputation of being fickle, and just let Fang Wanqing sling mud at you?"
"He is too shameless, isn't he?!"
“He looks the part of a talented gentleman; who would have thought his heart was so filthy!”
Apologies, fellow cultivator, I truly never imagined there could be such a shameless person in the world!
"Indeed."
Shu Fu agreed wholeheartedly. "I also never imagined he could be so shameless."
Hearing the twists and turns of the story for the first time, Ye Shusheng was filled with righteous indignation. On the spot, he wielded his brush to compose an essay "On the Shameless," criticizing Qi Yuxuan at length, vowing to nail him to the Jiuhua Sect's pillar of shame.
Shu Fu: "Thanks, that was satisfying. More, please."
Ye Shusheng: "Rest assured, fellow cultivator. I can also adapt it into clapper talk, crosstalk, and folk ballads. I guarantee they will become infamous throughout the Jiuhua Sect, with no one left to believe the rumors."
The merman Si Fei earnestly added, "Junior Sister, I can compose the music and sing it."
Shu Fu: "..."
This is just too enjoyable. Is this what it feels like to have your own PR team?
And so, Shu Fu and the clueless bystanders cleared up their misunderstandings, united against a common enemy, and forged a fiercely murderous friendship through the shared activity of cursing Qi Yuxuan.
From now on, what would happen to Qi Yuxuan and Fang Wanqing, she didn't know; but the plot from the original story where the female lead was ostracized, cold-shouldered, and subjected to school bullying was most likely not going to happen.
To secure a normal life of cultivation, Shu Fu felt she had really worn herself out with worry.
After the first trial ended, the candidates were all more or less injured and exhausted, unable to immediately proceed to the next test. Especially someone like Qi Yuxuan, who went in standing up and came out lying down, was immediately carried away on a stretcher for emergency treatment.
The Jiuhua Sect's second trial was therefore naturally scheduled for three days later.
According to insider information, this trial did not involve testing martial prowess. Even if Qi Yuxuan were still lying on a stretcher, hooked up to an IV and oxygen by then, it wouldn't affect the trial's progress.
In other words, to avoid holding up the overall examination schedule, Qi Yuxuan would have to participate despite his injuries, putting on a display of resilience with his charred corpse look.
Just like Jiang Ruoshui in the original story.
Upon learning this, Shu Fu immediately picked up a pen and wrote him a letter of sympathy: "Your Wanqing will be watching you from the heavens. Go for it!"
She really wanted to add "Aoligei (Go for it!)", but unfortunately, Qi Yuxuan wouldn't understand.
As for the other candidates, most had already formed small groups of three or five, often gathering to share information and discuss tactics. For example, Bai Tian, with his cheerful personality and generous spending—once he corrected his arrogant flaws—quickly made a bunch of new friends.
Shu Fu had never been one to blend in much, and she didn't plan on actively integrating into the group now either. During these three days, she intended to return to Yaoguang Peak as before, recuperating peacefully in that paradise away from the world, and taking the opportunity to admire the beautiful senior brother and the merman senior brother.
Senior brothers are really pleasing to the eye.
And then there was Ye Shusheng, he was quite a character too.
Yao Huang's entire family were vassals of Lingxiao City, so others dared not get too close to her, fearing they might get burned. Only Ye Shusheng paid no heed, enthusiastically chasing after her to claim common ground as fellow townsfolk.
"Fellow cultivator, fellow cultivator, to be honest, I once lived in Zhongzhou with my mother, right around the Yao City area. It's been many years since I left, I miss it dearly."
"Is that so? What a coincidence."
Meeting someone from home in a distant land, Yao Huang was also very warm towards him. "Fellow cultivator, since you lived in Zhongzhou, why did you travel all the way here to the Jiuhua Sect to seek a master? Could it be that, like me, you are unwilling to submit to Lingxiao City and came here drawn by its reputation?"
Ye Shusheng: "Oh, because I heard there are many demon cultivators here. I wanted to ask them to help me find someone."
Yao Huang: "What?"
"This is a long story."
Ye Shusheng explained seriously, "Back when I was in Zhongzhou, I once rescued a fox in distress. Afterwards, that fox demon transformed into a woman, saying she wanted to repay my kindness, marry me, and live in harmony as a couple..."
"So that's how it is. That sounds like a beautiful tale."
Yao Huang nodded in understanding. "There are indeed many fox demons in Zhongzhou, and stories of foxes repaying kindness are common, with many humans forming partnerships with them. By the way, what happened later? How did you part ways?"
The story sounded like a classic, piquing Yao Huang's interest. Even Shu Fu, who was passing by, couldn't help but interject, "Yeah, what happened next?"
Ye Shusheng: "Later, I told that fox demon, marriage is no trivial matter. Perhaps we should start as friends, get to know each other for two or three years first. I dare not be disrespectful, and I ask you, young lady, to also conduct yourself with dignity. Please don't bring up marriage again."
"For some reason, she flew into a rage upon hearing this, saying that my procrastination meant I must look down on her. She splashed mud in my face, then left and never came back."
Ye Shusheng's romantic fate ended within three sentences.
Yao Huang: "..."
Shu Fu: "..."
Yao Huang: "Fellow Cultivator Ye, you truly are a good person, a rare gentleman."
Shu Fu: "No need to try so hard to compliment him. I get what you mean."
Ye Shusheng: "?"
Everyone, please remember to bookmark the website or keep it in mind. The website is free, with no theft or anti-theft measures. Report chapter errors, seek books, find books, and chat about books with friends.
