Chapter 149

Yuan Yao, who had grown up in the Carefree Sect since childhood, naturally knew everyone in the sect; she looked surprised at Senior Brother Li Hang.

"Senior Brother Li, why are you following me?"

Li Hang's expression changed drastically; he waved his hands, shook his head, and said, "Junior Sister, please don't misunderstand—I absolutely had no intention of following you; it was merely a coincidence that we happened to be traveling together."

"'Really?' Yuan Yao asked expressionlessly."

This was the first time Li Hang saw his usually gentle and affable junior sister speak to him in such a cold manner; his heart suddenly felt inexplicably weak, and he stammered, "N-naturally, it is absolutely true!"

Yuan Yao seemed not to believe his explanation, and continued to press: "Senior Brother Li, is someone ordering you to secretly monitor my every move?"

Upon hearing this, Li Hang's emotions became unusually agitated, and he almost blurted out, "Absolutely not!"

"'Could it be that Lu Xiangxiang instructed you to do this?' Yuan Yao smiled slightly."

Li Hang's pupils contracted slightly, his expression flickered with something unusual, and just as he was about to say something, a sudden force came from above!

"'Ah!'"

Li Hang, only at mid-Foundation Establishment Realm, had no strength to resist under this intermediate formation; the powerful gravity pressed him down so he could not straighten his waist, and he knelt prone on the ground.

"'Senior Brother Li, repent to me.' Yuan Yao's face held no smile, her eyes were cold as well."

She had never before considered 'capturing' anyone from the sect.

Because she feared her 'capture' would hurt them.

But that does not mean they can still receive such leniency after doing wrong.

Li Hang was startled, "Junior Sister, I… I didn't follow you!"

"'Repent to me.' Yuan Yao slightly squatted down, gazing into Li Hang's eyes."

Seeing his junior sister's unapproachable demeanor for the first time, Li Hang felt both guilty and afraid; he still shook his head and stubbornly said, "Junior Sister, you have misunderstood me."

"'Junior Sister, how could I possibly follow you? Believe me, Senior Brother, okay?' he coaxed softly."

"'I say, repent to me.'"

Yuan Yao's expression remained unchanged.

The moment her words fell, a suddenly stronger gravity surged toward Li Hang, making him cry out in pain.

Yet his cry could not escape, for Yuan Yao had already set up a sound-isolating barrier.

Li Hang still wanted to talk tough, but Yuan Yao beat him with a formation.

Finally, Li Hang could not hold out any longer and finally revealed the truth.

"'It's Lu Xiangxiang! She told me to follow you! Junior Sister, Lu Xiangxiang means no harm; she merely wanted to know what you have been planning lately!'"

Yuan Yao laughed, "Following me? And then?"

Li Hang felt intense pain all over and hurriedly said, "No… nothing more!"

Yuan Yao shook her head.

"'Continue repenting.'"

Li Hang pleaded in pain, "Junior Sister, I truly know I was wrong! Please let me go, okay?"

Yuan Yao suddenly asked, "Senior Brother Li, do you want to leave the Carefree Sect?"

As soon as she said that, Li Hang's face turned pale in an instant, and he said, "I'll tell you everything! Junior Sister, you must absolutely not tell the Immortal Lord and the Second Elder about this, okay?!"

"'Lu Xiangxiang not only had me follow you, but also told me to seize the opportunity to knock you unconscious! As for anything else, I truly don't know, Junior Sister—I know I was wrong, please spare me, alright?'"

Yuan Yao looked at Li Hang disappointedly.

Although Li Hang's cultivation was not high, he was an outstanding disciple of Heavenly Learning Peak, being both a third-rank physician and a third-rank alchemist.

"'Junior Sister, I beg you.' Li Hang kowtowed toward Yuan Yao."

"'You need not beg me, nor call me Junior Sister.'"

Hearing this, Li Hang's face showed disbelief.

Suddenly, Yuan Yao keenly sensed that an additional presence had appeared ahead.

The person who arrived was none other than Lu Xiangxiang.

Lu Xiangxiang's lips curled with a composed smile, which soon faded.

Lu Xiangxiang's expression changed in surprise, and she hurried over.

"'Sixth Senior Sister, what are you doing?'"

Her voice was loud enough to startle everyone around.

When Li Hang saw Lu Xiangxiang appear, a glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes: "Lu Xiangxiang, please save me quickly!"

But his voice could not get out.

Seeing her hostile demeanor, Yuan Yao's heart sank sharply, realizing she might be walking into a trap.

Lu Xiangxiang exclaimed anxiously, "Sixth Senior Sister, how can you treat Senior Brother Li like this? Release him at once!"

At the same time, the people around rushed over.

They all saw this scene.

Li Hang had blood on his forehead and wounds on his body; he knelt toward Yuan Yao's direction.

Everyone looked shocked, involuntarily turning their gaze to Yuan Yao.

"'Sixth Senior Sister, how can you treat Senior Brother Li like this? What exactly did he do wrong?' Lu Xiangxiang frowned."

At that moment, Song Yan and the others heard the noise and rushed over; Cang Li pushed through the crowd and said, "What's happening?! All this clamor."

When Song Yan and the others saw this scene, they too were stunned for a moment.

Yuan Yao coldly swept her gaze over Lu Xiangxiang: "Senior Brother Li followed me; he said it was you who ordered it, and that you told him to make me lose consciousness."

Upon hearing this, Lu Xiangxiang retreated half a step, her expression aggrieved as she shook her head: "Sixth Senior Sister, what are you saying? I don't understand."

"'Then let him speak for himself.' Yuan Yao withdrew the sound-isolating barrier and the gravity formation."

And as soon as Li Hang met Lu Xiangxiang's gaze, he instantly changed his story.

「Little Junior Sister, I was just passing by; why did you set up a formation against me for no reason and beat me? Moreover, the words you just said, I never said them! 」

Yuan Yao heard this, her gaze sharp as she swept it toward Li Hang.

Li Hang stuck out his neck, a look of anguish on his face, his voice trembling as he said: "Little Junior Sister, you've changed; you are no longer the lovable, kind little junior sister we once knew!"

Everyone present heard this and were startled.

Lu Xiangxiang bit her lip, tears falling like broken pearls, she choked out: "Sixth Senior Sister, even if you don't like me, there's no need to frame me like this. I know you've always wanted to drive me out of the Carefree Sect, afraid I'd steal the affection that originally belonged to you. I know you forbid the Master, Eldest Senior Brother, Second Senior Sister, Third Senior Brother, Fourth Senior Brother, and Youngest Senior Brother from getting close to me."

"No matter the occasion, there's no place for me."

"Sixth Senior Sister, please don't wrong me, okay?" Saying this, Lu Xiangxiang was about to kneel to Yuan Yao.

Yuan Yao did not stop her.

But Li Hang unexpectedly rushed over and supported Lu Xiangxiang.

Li Hang shouted angrily, "Little Junior Sister, you're really too willful! Your mind is narrow, you can't even tolerate Junior Sister Lu! Tonight's affair, I fear you're plotting to frame Junior Sister Lu and me? Do you think you......"

Before he could finish speaking, a long whip swept over, with a "crack", striking Li Hang's back.

In an instant, skin split and flesh tore!

"Ahhh..."