Chapter 51: Against One's Conscience

Xiao Lingwei treated Yuan Yao's injuries, then had Yuan Yao lie on the bed to rest.

Yuan Yao lay on the bed; just as Xiao Lingwei was about to leave the cabin, she suddenly thought of someone and couldn't help but say, "Second Senior Sister."

Xiao Lingwei turned to look at her.

Yuan Yao gazed at her and said, "A few days ago, Master accepted an inner disciple; she has also come. She is now outside."

Xiao Lingwei was somewhat surprised; how could Master accept a disciple so suddenly? And not even inform them?

"Good." Xiao Lingwei nodded, but saw that Yuan Yao's brows and eyes seemed worried.

Just as she was about to speak and ask, a knocking sound suddenly came, instantly drawing her attention back.

She opened the cabin and instinctively used her body to shield the scene inside.

"Second Senior Sister." The visitor was Lu Xiangxiang; she softly called out, then anxiously asked, "Is Sixth Senior Sister alright?"

Xiao Lingwei froze for a moment; only then did she realize that the person before her was the inner disciple newly accepted by Master, Lu Xiangxiang.

Lu Xiangxiang was very beautiful, with delicate features, willow-leaf brows, large eyes, and a pale lip color, giving off a gentle and cool impression.

"There's something." Xiao Lingwei said.

Saying there's nothing is false.

Lu Xiangxiang heard this, her expression slightly tightening, "Then may I go in to see Sixth Senior Sister?"

Xiao Lingwei was about to politely refuse, but then heard Yuan Yao's voice from behind: "Is that Lu Shi Mei?"

"Yes."

"You may come in."

Xiao Lingwei turned and gave Yuan Yao a disapproving look; right now, the most important thing is for her to rest.

Yuan Yao blinked playfully.

Xiao Lingwei let out a soft sigh, then allowed Lu Xiangxiang to enter.

"You two talk first; call me if anything comes up."

"Okay, Second Senior Sister." Lu Xiangxiang obediently agreed.

Inside the cabin, Lu Xiangxiang walked to Yuan Yao's bedside.

Yuan Yao smiled and asked, "Lu Shi Mei, do you have something you need me for?"

Lu Xiangxiang saw her smiling face, dazed for a moment, and couldn't help but recall that she herself used to be just as lively and cheerful, but she can no longer return to that past.

In her previous life, she lived for over a hundred years.

Her mindset had long since changed from what it once was.

Lu Xiangxiang said, "Sixth Senior Sister, I just saw you badly wounded, but with so many people and chaos, I really had no chance to ask about your condition. I hope Senior Sister won't hold this against me."

Yuan Yao teased, "We've never even been acquainted; how can we talk about estrangement?"

Lu Xiangxiang's face stiffened slightly, and she replied following her words, "Senior Sister is right."

After a pause, Lu Xiangxiang looked at her and said, "Senior Sister, I always feel that the Youngest Senior Brother doesn't like me much; could you speak a few good words for me in front of him?"

"No." Yuan Yao shook her head.

Lu Xiangxiang's eyelid twitched, "Why?"

Yuan Yao explained to her, "I've only known you for a few days and haven't seen any merits in you, so I can't praise you against my conscience."

Lu Xiangxiang smiled somewhat reluctantly.

At that moment, Yuan Yao stared fixedly at her and asked, "You don't like the Eldest Senior Brother and the others, do you?"

Lu Xiangxiang met Yuan Yao's bright gaze, her heart fluttering with panic—had she seen through? Had her own behavior been too obvious?

"No." Lu Xiangxiang denied, feigning pitiful grievance: "Senior Sister, you must never let them hear these words, otherwise I wouldn't be able to clear my name even with a mouth."

"Oh."

The two stared at each other in silence, the cabin filled with stillness.

Lu Xiangxiang rose, gave a small smile, and said, "Senior Sister, you should rest first."

Soon, Lu Xiangxiang left the cabin.

Inside the cabin, only Yuan Yao remained.

Yuan Yao lay on the bed, her expression becoming torn; she now could not kill the female lead Lu Xiangxiang, yet had to keep interacting with her.

If they continued like this, the Eldest Senior Brother and the others' Awakening Value might drop to zero, or even, as the 250 System said of their past life, they would fall deeply in love with Lu Xiangxiang and again be trapped in that tragic fate's cycle…

Just thinking of these possibilities, Yuan Yao felt a sudden vexation, as if a thousand‑jin weight pressed on her, making it hard to breathe.

She sat up.

From now on, she must keep a close watch on the female lead Lu Xiangxiang to prevent her from scheming against the Eldest Senior Brother and the others.

Thinking this through, she had no mind left to rest.

Thus, without a word, she sat cross‑legged on the bed, eyes closed, hands naturally resting on her knees, adjusted her breathing rhythm, and quickly entered a self‑forgetting state, beginning to devote herself wholeheartedly to cultivation.

About a quarter of an hour later.

Only to see Yuan Yao's originally tranquil aura suddenly ripple, growing ever more violent; at the same time, the extremely thin spiritual energy in the surrounding air swarmed toward her.

And on the deck of the Spirit Vessel, Song Yan and the others immediately noticed this, exchanging glances.

Xiao Lingwei furrowed her brows.

At that moment, Cang Li said with a stern face, "Who forced the junior sister into this state? Even with serious injuries she still has to cultivate! It's not me! My cultivation is low, but you all are so strong—do you know how much pressure you're putting on the junior sister?"

At this moment, Cang Li said with a stern face: "Who forced the little junior sister into this state? Even with serious injuries, they still have to cultivate! Anyway, it wasn't me! My cultivation is low, but you are not the same; each of you is this strong. Do you know how much pressure you have caused on the little junior sister?"

Cang Li pressed his palms together and let out a deep sigh.

Several people ignored him.

Ying Wuji said, "Yao Yao isn't she supposed to be resting?"

Ying Wuji said: "Yao Yao isn't resting?"

"I'll go take a look." Xiao Lingwei said, and was about to turn and head to the cabin.

"Lingwei." Song Yan called out to her, "Yao Yao is currently cultivating; if you go now, you'll disrupt her cultivation rhythm."

Xiao Lingwei stopped in her tracks.

Lu Xiangxiang glanced at the cabin's location, then casually remarked: "I heard the sixth senior sister doesn't like to cultivate, so why has she taken to cultivation?"

In her previous life, she had never heard from Song Yan and the others that Yuan Yao had suddenly become diligent, so she somewhat suspected Yuan Yao… whether she knew something? Or put another way, had she been possessed?

However, the possibility of her being possessed is very low.

After all, how could a possessor escape the divine eye of Thousand Jade Mountain?

Could it be that my own appearance has, unknowingly, altered Yuan Yao's life trajectory, allowing her to survive?

If that were the case, it would also be impossible.

Because, according to the previous life's trajectory, after Song Yan and the five entered Wuduan Mijing, they suffered heavy losses, and when they returned to the Carefree Sect, all they could see was Yuan Yao's corpse.

But this time, entering Wuduan Mijing, Song Yan and the five not only avoided heavy losses, they actually gained abundantly; Yuan Yao seemed to be bearing the harm that originally belonged to them.

Just thinking about this, Lu Xiangxiang felt stifled in her heart.

She had originally wanted to kill them in Wuduan Mijing, but she never expected that instead she would help them out.

The most hateful of all is Ying Wuji!