“No.” Shen Qinghe refused without the slightest hesitation.
Su Wanqing’s expression turned extremely ugly. “I’ve returned all your things, so why won’t you lend it to me?”
Shen Qinghe’s brows curved like crescent moons, her smile radiant. “This was originally Azure Profound Sect’s property. I’m just taking it back on behalf of my brother. As for my own things, don’t even think about touching them. Servants, see the guest out.”
Several maids immediately came over to escort her out. “Miss Su, please leave.”
Su Wanqing wanted to confront Shen Qinghe, but these maids were all experts within the sect. She couldn’t get past them, and could only watch helplessly as Shen Qinghe walked away.
Su Wanqing stomped her foot in fury.
Fine. She had prepared for this.
She shot a vicious glare in the direction Shen Qinghe had gone, then left with her head held high.
Shen Qinghe trotted over to Lizhu’s door and knocked forcefully. “Qi An-gege, look what good things I’ve brought you!”
The door was flung open without warning. Shen Qinghe lost her balance and pitched forward, crashing straight into the youth’s embrace.
Thump, thump, thump.
She seemed to hear someone’s heartbeat, her apricot-colored eyes widening slightly.
Looking up, she saw the white-haired youth’s handsome, indifferent features.
Lizhu’s expression was cold as he shoved her away.
“Don’t hug me.” His voice was icy.
This woman must be trying to Dual Cultivate with him, which was why she came to hug him again.
That kind of sticky, disgusting thing—he would never do it!
Shen Qinghe didn’t seem to mind. She proudly produced a Storage Ring, waved her hand, and a roomful of rare treasures and spiritual medicinal pills piled up into a small mountain.
“These are all things Su Wanqing swindled out of my brother over the years. Take a look and see if there’s anything you like—I’ll give it all to you.”
Lizhu frowned, grudgingly extending one hand to pick through the pile for a long while.
Finally, he shook his head. “The things stink. I don’t want them.”
Shen Qinghe was taken aback, then said, “Is it because Su Wanqing used them? Then I’ll wash everything.”
Lizhu remained disdainful. “Then wash them properly. Not a single trace of her scent can remain.”
Oh, so now he was being picky.
Even if she washed them clean, would he still find fault?
Shen Qinghe had a temper too. She wasn’t about to play servant. “If you’re so disgusted, then I’ll give them to someone else.”
She turned to leave, and Lizhu’s thin lips pressed tightly together. “Who will you give them to?”
“Whoever wants them, I’ll give them to.”
Shen Qinghe walked out of the room and slammed the door shut with a bang, fully expressing her fury as the sect’s young miss.
Lizhu’s eyes grew darker and darker, deep and profound like a pool of water, as if at any moment the pool would overflow and swallow everything around it.
Suddenly, a glimmer of starlight surfaced in the pool. The cold, biting aura around him dissipated completely.
The door was pushed open again. A young girl in a flowing water-blue dress strode in grandly, clutching the Storage Ring.
“If you want the treasures, you just have to wash them yourself, and they’re all yours.”
The white-haired youth’s lips curved up almost imperceptibly, and he uttered a single, soft word: “Fine.”
This human woman really had taken a liking to him.
Why else would she have come back?
Because she only wanted to offer these things to him.
In that case… letting her hug him once didn’t seem so bad.
When he was in a good mood, he might allow her a hug, a bit of Dual Cultivation—but only once.
“By the way, Lizhu-gege, can you sense whether there are any other Demonic Creatures in Azure Profound Sect?” the girl asked in a soft voice.
Lizhu shook his head. “Not for now.”
“So how did the Pool Demon appear? Do you know?”
Lizhu’s fingertips brushed over a scale. “Something helped it conceal its tracks.”
Shen Qinghe’s eyes widened slightly. “So if there are other Demonic Creatures hiding their tracks here, would you not be able to sense them, Brother Lizhu?”
Lizhu: “I can sense them.”
Shen Qinghe understood.
She felt like she’d asked a useless question.
Lizhu had appeared at the bath that day, of course, because he’d sensed the Pool Demon—it couldn’t possibly have been to see her.
Good thing she hadn’t undressed completely that day, or she would’ve been mortified.
Shen Qinghe said, “If Azure Profound Sect is safe, then let’s set off right away. I’ll take you to find the treasure.”
Lizhu’s eyes lit up. “Really?”
Shen Qinghe nodded with conviction. Now that she held the script in her hands and had a supreme powerhouse by her side, she had to move at top speed to snatch away all the opportunities meant for the male and female leads.
And conveniently avoid certain troubles.
They left as soon as they decided.
The two departed gracefully on their swords.
Not long after they left, Shen Qingci walked into the courtyard, dragging along Su Wanqing, who was crying like pear blossoms drenched in rain.
Su Wanqing’s hand was being pulled, but she kept tugging in the opposite direction, as if she wouldn’t have come at all if she weren’t being dragged.
She choked out between sobs, “I’ll return everything to your sister. We’re even now. From now on, I owe you nothing.”
Shen Qingci’s throat was dry. “Qing’er, between you and me, there’s no need for this. I’ll have Qinghe return those things to you right now. What I’ve given you, there’s no reason to take back.”
Su Wanqing shook her head, her tone carrying a resolute distance. “Young Master Shen, my mind is made up. Though the Su family has fallen, I don’t want to be mocked for owing today’s standing to Azure Profound Sect.”
The maidservant beside her yawned.
Shen Qingci’s heart ached as if twisted.
He’d known Su Wanqing for so long—she’d never used such a distant form of address with him, and returning everything to his sister clearly meant she wanted to sever ties with him.
He wouldn’t allow it!
Even if he could only watch her happiness from afar, he didn’t want to cut ties completely.
Shen Qingci closed his eyes briefly, then looked at the maidservant, his voice firm: “Where is Qinghe? Have her come and return Wanqing’s things.”
The maidservant said, “The eldest young lady and Young Master Qi An have already left.”
Shen Qingci’s expression froze, and Su Wanqing’s face was even more complicated.
They’d just arrived, and she was already gone?!
Shen Qingci’s brows nearly knitted together as he lowered his voice: “Nonsense! Does she not know her own condition?!
She gave away the Xuantian Heart-Protecting Mirror and still runs around outside all the time—what if something happens?!”
Su Wanqing smiled bitterly. “Young Master Shen, I know you siblings intend to distance yourselves from me. There’s no need to go this far. I’ll take my leave.”
Shen Qingci tried to grab her, but Su Wanqing pulled her sleeve away—the moon-white fabric tore cleanly, leaving only a strip in his hand.
Su Wanqing: “Today, let us be like this robe—our ties severed completely.”
Shen Qingci stared blankly at the torn sleeve in his hand, his mind turning to mush, unable to think or process.
He stepped forward, wanting only to stop her.
Several sect elders flew over, blocking his path. “Sect Master! Something terrible has happened!”
The woman in moon-white robes, who had been striding away, paused mid-step.
Shen Qingci’s expression shifted slightly. “What’s wrong?”
The Grand Elder’s brow sank. “News that a Demonic Creature infiltrated Azure Profound Sect has somehow spread. The people at the foot of the mountain are panicking, and other sects have sent their forces to keep an eye on us.”
This is not a good thing.
The treasures and secret manuals of Azure Profound Sect had always been the most abundant among all the Immortal Cultivation sects. Back then, when the former Sect Master and his wife mysteriously disappeared, if Shen Qingci had not broken through to the Spirit Transformation realm in time, Azure Profound Sect would likely have been ransacked by the various major sects and ceased to exist by now.
Now, a similar situation had arisen. If they failed to clarify and assert their authority in time, it would surely leave lingering troubles.
Shen Qingci was also aware of this. During this period, he had probably been busy handling the sect’s affairs.
Raising his head, he watched Su Wanqing’s receding figure, his gaze darkening. “Qing’er, once I finish handling the sect’s matters, I will go find my sister and get your things back.”
Su Wanqing turned her head, looking at him with reddened eyes. “No need.”
Just that one resolute look in her eyes made Shen Qingci want to abandon everything and chase after her.
Third Elder said, “Miss Su, why don’t you take a look and see if there are any other Magic Treasures in the sect that you could use for now? That way, you won’t keep making the Sect Master uneasy.”
Su Wanqing’s expression shifted. She had been thinking the same thing, but coming out of Third Elder’s mouth, didn’t it make her sound like she was coveting Azure Profound Sect’s Magic Treasures?
She gritted her teeth inwardly. “No need. I will work hard on my own. I don’t need to rely on Azure Profound Sect.”
If Su Wanqing had known that she might not get those Magic Treasures back, she would never have so easily given them all to Shen Qinghe back then.
She regretted it!
But it was too late!
Now, aside from waiting for Shen Qingci to get them back for her, she seemed to have no other option.
No, she could go find Shen Qinghe herself.
That waste who had only been propped up by Medicinal Pills couldn’t possibly be her match.
Su Wanqing strode away, leaving only a carefree silhouette behind.
Shen Qingci still wanted to chase after her, but was stopped by Fourth Elder: “Third Elder already said it—she’s the one who refused.”
Shen Qingci looked at Third Elder, who glanced around and said in a low voice, “I only spoke the truth. The Sect Master should focus on the sect’s affairs for now.”
Shen Qingci naturally knew this. He took a deep breath and assigned tasks to each of the elders.
When it came to the last one, Third Elder, he paused and said, “Find out exactly who leaked this matter.”
Third Elder’s gaze wavered. “It might have been an unintentional act by a disciple within the sect.”
“Such a major matter must never happen a second time. Investigate thoroughly. If it was unintentional, then educate them well and make sure they don’t do it again.
If it was intentional…”
Third Elder swallowed. “Then what?”
“If it happens again, they will be confined to the Cliff of Reflection.”
Third Elder’s fingertips trembled almost imperceptibly, though he struggled to keep his composure. “Alright, no problem.”
Shen Qingci waved his hand. After everyone had left, he made a bow to the empty air.
“Elder Zhong, Elder He.”
Two old men appeared silently.
The two were subordinates of the former Sect Master. After the former Sect Master and his wife disappeared, they had been protecting Shen Qingci all along. Both were above the Spirit Severing stage in cultivation, in no way inferior to Shen Qingci.
“Elder Zhong, go protect my sister. Elder He, go secretly protect… Qing’er. I beg of you—there must be no more mistakes.”
Elder Zhong nodded.
Elder He shook his head, and his figure vanished in an instant.