Chapter 51

"That Zhang Zhang Shixiong Jin is truly able to endure, even setting the wedding date for three months from now."

Lu Ming laughed, his face full of a lewd expression that said, "I understand but I can't do it": "If it were me, I would be dying to be the groom that very night! Waiting even one more day is a disrespect to the True Yin Body!"

Chen Lili rolled her eyes and struck back mercilessly:

"Look at your behavior. That's why he is the third-ranked direct disciple, and you are just an ordinary inner disciple. That's called having a big picture, while you are just... coveting her body; you are base."

"Hehe, what's wrong with coveting her body? Aren't all men like that!" Lu Ming wasn't annoyed and cheekily retorted.

Jiang Ye held his teacup, took a sip calmly, and interjected as if casually: "The wedding date is set for three months from now... what if someone were to forcibly seize Xu Qinghuan's True Yin in the meantime?"

Before he finished speaking, Lu Ming waved his hands repeatedly, with an expression of "you're overthinking it": "Jiang Zhishi, you just arrived at the sect, so you don't quite understand the weight of a direct disciple."

He lowered his voice, his expression becoming a bit more serious:

"It is no exaggeration to say that the power of a direct disciple is even greater than that of an elder."

"Zhang Zhang Shixiong Jin is even one of the top figures on the Direct Disciple Ranking, and his personality is domineering and violent!"

"It is said that on Golden Star Peak, even some elders stronger than him have to give him three points of respect!"

"Within this Tianqing Sect, few dare to provoke him."

"So, now that Xu Qinghuan has been taken into his pocket, everyone can just talk big in private, but who would dare to actually have ideas? Isn't that just looking for death?"

Jiang Ye nodded thoughtfully, a flash of hidden brilliance passing through his aged eyes, his voice remaining calm:

"So that's how it is."

Who would dare?

He would!

Chen Lili, on the other hand, giggled, her eyes staring at Jiang Ye with amusement, laughing until she shook:

"Hahaha, I couldn't tell, Old Master Jiang, you are old in age but young at heart! Are you also interested in this young girl with the True Yin Body?"

Jiang Ye's expression was calm, and he shook his head slightly, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness: "Miss Chen is joking; this old man was just asking casually. I have one foot in the grave, how could I still have such thoughts."

"Hehe, you don't have to pretend!" Chen Lili suddenly leaned in closer, the faint fragrance on her body drifting into Jiang Ye's nose.

She bit her moist red lips, her eyes full of teasing laughter: "It's human nature, after all. Men only become honest when they are hung on the wall. Although you are old, your heart... might still be young."

Jiang Ye felt his old face heat up slightly from her bold statement, and the hand holding the teacup stiffened for a moment.

He lowered his eyes, taking a sip of tea to cover it up, secretly complaining in his heart—this little girl who always talked big was truly hard to deal with.

This scene fell into Fang Ming's eyes, and his already gloomy face became even darker, almost dripping with water.

He really couldn't accept it.

Chen Lili ignored him, yet chatted so enthusiastically with a newly arrived old man who had one foot in the grave, and even leaned in so close to talk!

"Chen Xu Shijie!" He finally couldn't help but shout in a low voice, his tone carrying suppressed anger: "Please mind your own behavior!"

Hearing this, Chen Lili glanced at him, her eyes looking as if she were watching an unreasonable child.

She didn't even bother to reply, just rolled her eyes and looked away.

Fang Ming stood frozen in place, the muscles on his face twitching slightly, but he couldn't say another word.

The atmosphere in the wooden hut cooled slightly again.

Lu Ming also looked at Fang Ming speechlessly, secretly regretting it in his heart.

He had originally thought that since he had taken several thousand taels of silver from Jiang Ye, he should bring a few more people to support the new deacon and make things lively.

Who knew that this guy Fang Ming would be so good at ruining the atmosphere, not going three sentences without mentioning Chen Lili, and showing a long face at the slightest disturbance.

In the end, it was the mature and cautious Jiang Ye who came out to smooth things over, saying a few idle words to barely cover up the awkward atmosphere.

However, the mood had been spoiled, and that was that.

After chatting for a few more minutes, the group stood up to take their leave.

Before leaving, Chen Lili didn't forget to turn back and wave at Jiang Ye, smiling brightly: "Old Master Jiang, I live in the wooden hut next to the Earth Fire Ginseng herb garden at night, not far from here. Come find me to play when you have time!"

"This girl..."

Jiang Ye's old face flushed red, a rare occurrence, as he cupped his hands to bid her farewell.

"Goodbye, Jiang Zhishi."

Fang Ming said coldly and left, following closely behind Chen Lili.

Jiang Ye narrowed his eyes slightly.

He saw it clearly; in the look Fang Ming gave him, there was clearly a trace of resentment.

This damn sycophant, why did he even hold a grudge against an old man like him?

A flash of hidden cold light passed through the bottom of Jiang Ye's eyes.

He didn't like being held a grudge against.

"I'm sorry, Jiang Zhishi."

Lu Ming, who was the last to leave, leaned in with an apologetic face and lowered his voice: "Junior Zhang Zhang Shixiong Fang, he... he likes Chen Xu Shijie a bit, so sometimes he's not very rational in his words and actions."

"I can see that."

Jiang Ye nodded slightly, revealing a seemingly warm smile, as if he really didn't mind at all, "I can understand the love and affection of young people."

"Jiang Zhishi, you are truly magnanimous!" Lu Ming let out a sigh of relief and laughed: "Don't worry, next time there's a gathering, I definitely won't bring him, so as not to spoil the fun again."

After saying this, he also cupped his hands and turned to leave.

Jiang Ye stood at the door of the wooden hut, watching the three figures walking away, the smile on his face slowly fading into a calm indifference.

Fang Ming's resentful look flashed through his mind.

He turned and returned to the house, closing the door.

Three days passed in a flash.

These three days, Jiang Ye had spent quite fruitfully.

During the day, he practiced the Five Animal Fist in front of the wooden hut, using the health-preserving fist technique to warm his Qi and blood and consolidate his Transformation of Force foundation.

Occasionally, the little fatty Lu Ming would come to visit, bringing some news from within the sect.

Jiang Ye didn't find it annoying and was happy to learn more about the situation in the sect from this chatterbox.

After nightfall, he would carry his curved blade and step into the blood-red Tiankui Herb Garden.

His whole person was like a ghost blending into the night, walking silently through the herb fields.

Fire centipedes would crawl out of the soil, and before they could even gnaw on the leaves, they would be picked up, inspected, and killed by him.

But to his regret, after three nights, he had caught no fewer than a hundred fire centipedes, and not a single one had a fire mark on its abdomen that caught his eye.

"I've been here for a few days, I should go down the mountain to see the Master and the others."

Jiang Ye finished a set of the Five Animal Fist, calmed the Qi and blood in his body, slowly withdrew his fists, and stood there, his aged eyes looking down the mountain.

People are not plants or trees; who can be without feelings?

The ones he was most concerned about were Liu Qingshi and his family.

Jiang Ye was also a person who acted decisively; he immediately packed up simply and headed down the mountain.

Jiang Ye's pace was fast, and in about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, he had arrived at the entrance of the outer sect.

The towering mountain gate shone brightly in the sun, still looking magnificent.

To his surprise, he actually ran into an "acquaintance" here.

Li Jianghua, the former fiancé of Xu Qinghuan, who possessed the True Yin Body.

This kid had called him an old thing before.

Jiang Ye was not a person who held grudges, so he had a deep impression of him.

At this moment, the kid was trying to rush into the mountain gate with an angry face, but unfortunately, he was firmly grabbed by two Tianqing Sect disciples on guard.

"Let me in! I am Xu Qinghuan's fiancé!"

Li Jianghua's face flushed red, his voice hoarse, and he struggled desperately, but he couldn't break free from the two disciples' restraint.

The two guard disciples looked at each other, their eyes full of pity and impatience.

One of them sighed, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness:

"Sigh, I've told you so many times, Junior Xu Xu Shijie Xu is no longer your fiancée. She is now the fiancée of our Golden Star Peak's Zhang Zhang Shixiong Jin, and the wedding date is already set. You should just give up."

"You're lying! Don't try to trick me!"

Li Jianghua shouted angrily, "Qinghuan and I are childhood sweethearts, we grew up together, how could she abandon me to be someone else's fiancée!"

He suddenly raised his head, staring fixedly at the two disciples, his voice carrying a hint of hysterical confidence: "Do you know who I am!"

Hearing this, the two Tianqing Sect disciples were slightly stunned, "Who are you?!"

The confident look of the young man in front of them left them speechless.

Could he be from one of those martial arts families in the prefecture city?

"I am the eldest son of the Li family, the number one family in Kanglin County!!!"

Li Jianghua raised his head, enunciating every word, as if declaring some earth-shattering secret.

Hearing this, the two Tianqing Sect disciples couldn't help but burst into laughter.

They had thought this young man was a scion of a prefecture city family.

It turned out to be a small-time punk from a county town.

After learning the young man's background, their attitude became even colder and sharper, "If you continue to pester us, don't blame us for being impolite!"

"How dare you!"

Li Jianghua, who had been unable to see Xu Qinghuan, was angry to the extreme and exerted all his strength to rush in.

However, the two Tianqing Sect disciples guarding the gate were both at the late stage of the Hidden Force, and they simultaneously slapped out a palm, sending him flying and crashing heavily to the ground.

"Ah..."

He collapsed on the ground, struggling to get up, but the force of those two palms made his muscles and bones ache, and for a moment, he couldn't move.

At this moment.

A figure walked out from the mountain gate, unhurriedly.

It was an old man wearing a Tianqing Sect deacon's robe, with graying hair, a tall and thin build, and a face as calm as water.

"Greetings, Jiang Zhishi!"

The two guard disciples immediately restrained their expressions and respectfully cupped their hands in salute.

"Hmm."

Jiang Ye nodded slightly in response.

His footsteps didn't stop for a second, and he didn't even shift his gaze toward the collapsed figure on the ground, walking straight past as if it were just a stone on the side of the road.

"You... you are..."

Li Jianghua's eyes widened.

He recognized him.

That old man was the very person he had called an "old thing" while waiting in line!

The old thing he had threatened to "slowly deal with once I join the Tianqing Sect"!

He never imagined that in just a few days.

When the two met again, it would be so awkward.

He was collapsed on the ground, in a sorry state, unable to even enter the mountain gate.

And that old thing had already become a deacon of the Tianqing Sect, and even the disciples guarding the gate had to salute him respectfully.

What was even worse was that the other party had treated him like air from beginning to end, not even intending to look at him.

An indescribable sense of humiliation instantly swept over his entire body, coupled with the previous anger of being unable to enter the mountain gate.

Bang!

A soft sound.

Li Jianghua was so angry that he fainted, his head hitting the ground heavily.

Jiang Ye was walking down the mountain when he suddenly felt a familiar aura.

Below the stone steps, two figures were slowly walking up.

The one in front wore a light green robe, his face as firm as a mountain, his spine straight as a green pine that had weathered the frost yet still stood tall.

Following behind him was a young girl.

She had a graceful figure, her features as exquisite as a painting, and a coldness that couldn't be melted condensed between her brows, like a snow lotus on a mountain peak, to be viewed from afar but not to be trifled with.

She wore simple, clean clothes, her steps light, and her clear, cold eyes were quietly examining this towering mountain gate.

Jiang Ye's pupils contracted slightly.

Liu Qingshi and Liu Yiyi.

They had come.