Ji Zhaoxi and Liuli finished reading the letter, then exchanged a silent look.
Liuli quickly waved her hands. "Miss, it wasn't me. I didn't say anything to the madam and master."
Ji Zhaoxi looked at her with a serious expression. "Of course I know it wasn't you, Liuli."
It was her father who was too clever.
He even knew about Liu Fuyin's provocation.
Ji Zhaoxi stared at the letter, her brows knitted tightly together. "But I can't go back now. I agreed to my father back then because I thought I had no talent."
But now she knew her talent was terrifyingly strong.
This was personally certified by Wen Shubai, the senior disciple of Tianjue Sect!
Guiltily, Ji Zhaoxi wrote a reply to her parents.
[Father, Mother, I didn't learn anything from the Heartless Path. I spend every day playing with Liuli, eating at Drunken Immortal Tower, going to the black market—I haven't had a single moment to study.]
"How is it?" Ji Zhaoxi showed the reply to Liuli.
Liuli read it carefully and exclaimed, "Miss, your writing is even better than the top scholar's!"
Ji Zhaoxi stared at Liuli in silence, and Liuli stared back in confusion.
What had she said wrong?
The two of them hurried to the back mountain to send the letter. A servant boy was carrying several food boxes on his back. Ji Zhaoxi took the boxes and handed him the letter.
The servant boy glanced around furtively, then tucked the letter into his chest.
"Miss Ji, if our manager asks you about this, please don't say anything."
He worked hard for this little bit of extra money.
Ji Zhaoxi nodded seriously.
She understood the rules of the Jianghu!
Just then, a mocking voice suddenly sounded from behind her.
"Ji Zhaoxi, did your butcher money run out again?"
Ji Zhaoxi's irritation flared the moment she heard that voice. She retorted loudly, "So what? My family has plenty of butcher money, unlike your family's insect saliva money."
Living off their little bug babies spitting everywhere.
Liu Fuyin's face turned red with anger. "What would you know? My family earns real gold from nobles!"
The two quickly tumbled into a brawl.
The servant boy watched, dumbfounded.
Ji Zhaoxi locked her arm tightly around Liu Fuyin's neck and shouted, "Liu Fuyin, you used spiritual power to ambush me! Shameless!"
Liu Fuyin struggled to break free from Ji Zhaoxi's grip. When did this butcher girl get so strong?
Clenching her teeth, she shot back, "Stop talking nonsense! You just slipped earlier. I don't need spiritual power to deal with you!"
Liu Fuyin grabbed at Ji Zhaoxi's ankle, trying to trip her, but Ji Zhaoxi's body didn't even stagger. They ended up wrestling again, all pure physical brawling.
Liuli stood at the side, her face red with excitement. "Go, miss!"
The servant boy quietly asked, "Aren't you going to help?"
Liuli's brows furrowed deeply. "This is a battle between the two of them."
If she joined in, that would change everything!
It was a rule of the Jianghu.
A passing Tianjue Sect disciple was startled. They tried to separate the two, but got either punched or kicked in the process.
Helpless, the other disciples hurried to fetch an elder from the Discipline Hall.
The area was completely silent. Cranes swam in the water, and other disciples stood around watching the show.
The Discipline Hall elder stood with a dark face, looking at the two before him. They stood with their heads lowered, covered in dust and dirt, looking utterly disheveled.
"Liu Fuyin, you're not a newcomer. How dare you fool around like the new disciples?!"
Liu Fuyin hung her head, her eyes red.
The elder's gaze then shifted to Ji Zhaoxi. He frowned. "I haven't seen you before. Who is your master?"
Ji Zhaoxi mumbled, "I don't know..."
The elder was furious. "You don't know?! You don't know who took you in?!"
Ji Zhaoxi was silent for a moment, then hesitantly said, "The senior disciple took me in."
The elder refused to talk to Ji Zhaoxi anymore. He turned to the disciple beside him, and the disciple stepped forward. "Elder, she really has been training with the senior disciple."
The elder frowned and said, "Go summon Shubai. Ask him what this is about."
Since she was under his charge, he'd make sure Wen Shubai taught her a proper lesson.
She had no sense of rules, daring to fight privately in Tianjue Sect!
Ji Zhaoxi and Liu Fuyin stood under the tree with their heads down, both staring at the shadows at their feet in silence.
Ji Zhaoxi felt the spot was a bit too sunny and secretly shuffled closer to the tree. Liu Fuyin also sneaked a step closer.
"Step back!"
The elder's voice cracked in fury.
Incorrigible!
Ji Zhaoxi and Liu Fuyin's eyes met briefly, then they quickly looked away.
She was the person Ji Zhaoxi/Liu Fuyin hated the most!
Liuli hid behind the tree, watching Ji Zhaoxi with a worried expression.
Why were the Tianjue disciples like this? They tattled to the elder over a fight. They weren't children anymore.
The elder stood with a grim face, waiting for Wen Shubai.
When Wen Shubai arrived, he saw the two with disheveled hair. Liu Fuyin had one sleeve completely torn, with bruises on her arm. Ji Zhaoxi was slightly better off—just one pant leg rolled up higher than the other and some dirt on her face.
"Fighting among fellow disciples, brawling in public—what's next, acting like street thugs?!"
The elder's scolding never stopped.
Just then, a cold fragrance drifted past her nose. Recognizing the familiar scent, Ji Zhaoxi lowered her head even more, sneaking a peek at Wen Shubai's cloud-patterned boots.
Wen Shubai walked up to the elder and gave a proper salute. His voice was steady: "Elder Zhou."
The Discipline Hall elder, seeing Wen Shubai arrive, angrily listed Ji Zhaoxi and Liu Fuyin's offenses one by one.
Wen Shubai listened quietly until the elder finished, then said in a gentle voice, "It was my failure in discipline. The little junior sister hasn't burned off all her training energy yet. I'll take her back now and punish her severely."
The elder muttered a few more complaints. None of these new disciples were any good.
Yesterday, a disciple insisted on riding the crane and got it riled up. Now there was a private brawl. His Tianjue Sect was truly doomed!
Ji Zhaoxi tucked her neck in and followed behind Wen Shubai. Liu Fuyin's master still hadn't arrived, so she had to wait before she could leave.
Ji Zhaoxi shot her a smug smile. Wen Shubai, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, coughed lightly. Ji Zhaoxi immediately straightened her head and obediently trailed after him.
They didn't return to the courtyard—they went to the bamboo grove.
The setting sun stretched their shadows long. Liuli was originally following Ji Zhaoxi, but couldn't resist going back to watch Liu Fuyin's misfortune.
Liu Fuyin's master didn't come, but her senior sister did. She followed her senior sister back dejectedly.
"I've never seen a fight that's purely physical. Is your spiritual power just for show?" Her senior sister's tone was harsh.
Liu Fuyin muttered, "Senior sister, using spiritual power would be winning by unfair means."
If she used spiritual power on Ji Zhaoxi, Ji Zhaoxi would definitely accuse her of bullying. Then she'd write to her parents, and her Liu family's reputation would be ruined.
Liuli finished the last of her snacks and quickly ran off to find Ji Zhaoxi.
