Chapter 127: Calculating and Scheming, the Heart Stirs

Shangqing Zhenren heard this, rose, and walked toward the door, but upon reaching the threshold, he stopped.

"Since you have already made up your mind to bear it, then as you wish!"

The Elders were all startled, thinking Shangqing Zhenren had grown angry. Fuyin Zhenren was just about to open his mouth to persuade him otherwise when he saw Shangqing Zhenren turn half his face back.

"But do not forget, you still have Yuanqing behind you; even if the sky were to collapse, we old bones are still capable of holding it up for you."

A gust of wind from nowhere blew through, blowing the curtains open. Lingxiang looked toward the group of True Persons and saw them all standing there, their faces filled with resolute expressions. She smiled, her eyes shimmering, and then the wind stopped and the curtains fell.

……

"Tell me, what places are there in your Qiuyun Peak that can hide things?" Lingxiang asked while lying on the bed, as Maidong helped her knead and apply medicine.

After two days of massage from Fuyin Zhenren, the swelling on her legs had gone down, but it was still not suitable for her to walk around. However, staying in Donghui Zhenren's room was not a long-term solution, so Lingxiang suggested moving into Qiuyun Peak, which would also save Maidong from running back and forth.

Upon hearing this, Maidong immediately became alert: "What kind of mischief are you brewing again? Do not drag me into it. Last time Master punished me for copying the Heart-Cleansing Scripture, much of it was written by Senior Brother Guanchen, and I don't even know if Master discovered it."

As she spoke, she was not paying attention and increased the force in her hands, causing Lingxiang to wince in pain.

She hissed and said: "I am not asking you to do anything, just asking if you know where things can be hidden." She then recounted what she had heard at the Chaos Bell when she was injured last time, along with her own deductions.

"You mean, you have established a Spirit Binding with Linglong?" Maidong was extremely surprised upon hearing this, and only then did she react, "No wonder you wanted to come to Qiuyun Peak to recover from your injuries; it turns out it was all calculated beforehand."

Lingxiang glanced at Maidong: "What do you mean calculated? It is just wanting to retrieve my own things. Look at how you say that; someone who didn't know better would think I was plotting something illegal or criminal."

Maidong curled her lips upon hearing this, thinking to herself: Even if your actions over these years cannot be called illegal or criminal, they are still extremely wicked.

Yet she did not realize that for such a wicked Lingxiang, she, as an accomplice, was also duty-bound, and many times, the methods were things she herself had thought of for Lingxiang.

"Last time you said that Entwining Dragon Sword Technique was found in your master's secret chamber, so where is his secret chamber?" Lingxiang asked, grabbing Maidong's hand.

Maidong could not break free for a moment: "Do not talk to me about that nonsense sword technique again. It is because of your lousy sword technique that I was punished by Master to copy the Heart-Cleansing Scripture, and you are actually trying to incite me to do things for you again. I tell you, there is no way." Saying this, she used some force and finally broke free from Lingxiang's clutches, and as soon as she broke free, she immediately stood up and hid far away.

Lingxiang had just applied the medicine and was not convenient to move, so she just rolled her eyes and sat up with her arms crossed.

"Hey~ tsk tsk tsk!"

Hearing her tone, Maidong felt a chill run down her spine and hurriedly packed up the medicine bottles, wanting to stay away from this plague god, but she stopped upon hearing her next sentence.

"You have been grounded by the Sixth Senior Brother for quite some time now, haven't you? Although this Qiuyun Peak is shrouded in clouds and mist like a fairyland and the scenery is unique, one will eventually get tired of looking at it. How can it compare to my Qingwei Peak, with its beautiful mountains and clear waters, full of vitality? Besides, Qingwei Peak has a young gentleman, with delicate features and a graceful bearing; if one saw him every day, it would truly be a feast for the eyes. Tsk tsk tsk, it is just a pity, such beauty, but from now on, only I can see it. Hey, what a pity, what a pity~~"

Maidong paused for a long time, then sat back down on the couch.

"Your Qingwei Peak is currently bare of trees and plants, where is the vitality? You only know how to tell lies."

Seeing her sit down, Lingxiang knew she had been persuaded.

"Tell me, where is that little treasury, and how can one get in?"

Maidong did not answer on that side, but asked: "How will you get Master to lift my grounding?"

Lingxiang smiled: "A few days ago, I took Xinyi and the others to Langhuan Pavilion to pick out many techniques, but if I let them practice on their own, I imagine there will be mishaps. And I am currently quite inconvenienced, so if there were someone who could provide some guidance..."

Lingxiang did not finish her sentence, and Maidong heard it and hesitated for a long time, as if she had made up her mind—Master, oh Master, do not blame your disciple for betraying you; if you must blame someone, blame yourself for having a Junior Sister who is an expert at scheming.

So Maidong leaned into Lingxiang's ear.

"Thus and so, this and that."

……

Long Qi and the other two were sent back to Xianyun Abode that day. Now he was sitting in the courtyard listlessly, while Rendong, although looking normal on the surface, was also feeling quite depressed inside.

Xinyi, on the other hand, seemed to have nothing on his mind, practicing his blade technique alone in the open space.

It was not that he did not care about Lingxiang, but in his view, Lingxiang was not a reckless person. Whatever she did, she definitely had her own calculations. If she established a Spirit Binding with Xiaobai, she must have had plans for the future.

The three of them were each occupied with their own thoughts and tasks, when suddenly they heard footsteps coming from outside the courtyard. The tapping sound was extremely cheerful, and faintly, one could even hear humming.

It was a woman's voice. Could it be that Lingxiang had returned?

Long Qi hurriedly stood up, but just as he was about to take a step, he saw Maidong at the courtyard gate.

"Why is it you? Where is Lingxiang?" Long Qi sat back down and asked unhappily.

This surprised Maidong. What was wrong with him?

"I say, at the very least you should call me Senior Sister, so why does it seem like you don't want to see me?" Maidong said as she entered the courtyard, "I tell you, your Senior Sister here has been entrusted by your master to specifically come and guide your cultivation."

Rendong heard this and asked: "How is her leg injury?"

Maidong felt a sense of comfort; so there were still disciples who cared about her, unlike this Long Qi, who was disrespectful all day long and had no manners at all.

"It is nothing serious, but if she wants to be safe, she still needs to rest in bed for a few days," Maidong said, looking at Xinyi, her eyes seemingly overflowing with stars, "It is just that she truly cannot let go of your cultivation, which is why she begged me in every way to come and train you. As for me, it was hard to refuse such kindness, and after all, in terms of seniority, she is my Ninth Junior Aunt, so I have to give her some face, right? That is why I reluctantly came."

Seeing her like this, a smile immediately appeared on Xinyi's face—Maidong was still the same as when she was a child.

Looking at Xinyi, whose eyes were full of smiles, Maidong was stunned for a moment. It was a long time before she came back to her senses, only thinking that she had been too aggressive. Although Lingxiang had once said that one should be proactive toward a blockhead like Xinyi, one must never be like this now, just like those nuns who had never seen a man and had no experience of the world.

However, she was also suspicious in her heart. This Xinyi had never smiled at her before; he would even dodge her if he could. Why did he seem not afraid of her now?

Could it be that because of her persistent pursuit, he also had feelings for her?

That would be great, but even so, she should be more reserved, so as not to make him think she couldn't wait.

Although she did indeed want to... with him...

Maidong was deep in thought and actually laughed out loud for no reason. That appearance was truly a bit...

A bit foolish...