Seeing that Immortal Yuquan had returned unscathed, Xiao Hongling was stunned for a moment. Then her willow brows shot up as she snapped, “Yuquan! You came back alive? That’s great!”
Immortal Yuquan looked completely confused. “What do you mean ‘came back alive’?”
“Still playing dumb! Didn’t you go to the Demon Cloud Abyss?” Xiao Hongling grabbed his ear. “Immortal Cang Yan and Fairy Maiden Jinxia’s life tokens have shattered. You—”
“Wait! Who said I went to the Demon Cloud Abyss?” Immortal Yuquan quickly took out a transmission talisman. After listening, his face turned pale. “That… the Demon Cloud Abyss is that dangerous?!”
He wiped his cold sweat in fear and muttered in relief, Thankfully that rebellious Qin Fan made a scene, or I’d be dead and gone!
Xiao Hongling stared at him suspiciously. “You really didn’t go? Then why didn’t you respond to the message?”
“I…” Immortal Yuquan glanced at Qin Fan, who was still bound. “I was just about to go, but this rebellious disciple Qin Fan dared bully his Senior Sister and act outrageously. I’ve been busy disciplining him.”
Hearing this, Xia Qingyue and the other two let out a collective sigh of relief.
Lin Xiaolu whispered, “Good thing Master didn’t go. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have a Master anymore!”
“Thank heavens!” Xiao Hongling cried with joy and suddenly hugged Immortal Yuquan tightly. “You old fool, you scared me to death!”
Immortal Yuquan blushed and cleared his throat. “Wife, the disciples are watching…”
“What are you all looking at!” Xiao Hongling turned and glared, scaring Xia Qingyue and the others into lowering their heads immediately.
Only Qin Fan was seething with rage. “Hey! Are you all seriously ignoring me like this?”
Immortal Yuquan snorted coldly. “Rebellious disciple! Reflect on your actions here!”
“Reflect my ass!” Qin Fan exploded. “You didn’t even go, and now you’re blaming me? If I’d known this would happen, I wouldn’t have caused a scene. I should’ve let you go to the Demon Cloud Abyss!”
The entire place fell silent.
Xiao Hongling’s beautiful eyes widened, her red lips parted in disbelief. “You… you rebellious brat… you actually dared say something so outrageous?”
“Wife, calm down!” Immortal Yuquan hurriedly held her back. His dao companion had a fiery temper. If she lost control, Qin Fan’s life might really be in danger.
“This kid’s gone mad during cultivation. That’s the only reason he’s spouting nonsense…”
“Wait! Cultivation deviation?” Xiao Hongling’s eyes suddenly lit up. “No wonder he’s been acting so strange today! Normally, this kid trembles just looking at me. How dare he talk back now?”
Damn it… Qin Fan almost coughed up blood.
First it was Lin Xiaolu defending him, then Xia Qingyue played the saint, and now even the old man Yuquan was putting on a performance of a kind master?
“You people…” Qin Fan ground his teeth. “Are none of you going to follow the script?”
Seeing this, Xia Qingyue grabbed his arm and lowered her voice. “Junior Brother Fan, don’t act up. Aunt gets scarier than Master when she’s mad.”
Su Meier was rubbing her burning backside, gritting her teeth. “Qin Fan, I won’t forget today’s humiliation!”
“Are all of you sick or something?” Qin Fan finally snapped. “I peeped on Second Senior Sister bathing! Stole her undergarment! Molested Fifth Senior Sister in public! I even tried to kill the old man Yuquan! I’ve done such disgraceful things, and none of you care?”
He roared, “If you’ve got guts, then expel me from the sect! I don’t want to stay with a bunch of lunatics like you!”
“Wretched brat!” Xiao Hongling could no longer hold back. Her Crimson Flame Whip lashed out, leaving a burning trail of fire on the ground.
Qin Fan’s eyes lit up. Finally, a normal person!
But just as Xiao Hongling was about to strike, Xia Qingyue quickly grabbed her right arm. “Aunt! Junior Brother Fan has gone mad from cultivation! If not for him, Master would have…”
Immortal Yuquan also rushed to hold her left arm. “Wife! This rebellious disciple may be unruly, but he really did save my life!”
Xiao Hongling froze, sighing internally. This was cause and effect. If she punished Qin Fan now, it might create a crack in Immortal Yuquan’s dao heart, making future cultivation progress impossible… or worse, cause a heart demon.
Pa!
She put the whip away and looked at Qin Fan with a hint of pity.
“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?” Qin Fan was utterly losing it. “I didn’t stop that old man from going to die! I wanted him to die in the Demon Cloud Abyss!”
The moment he said that, Xiao Hongling looked even more at ease. “This boy really has gone mad…”
She even began reflecting. Had she been too strict with him, pushing this child to the brink?
Though Immortal Yuquan secretly wanted to grind his teeth to dust, he had to act magnanimous on the surface. “Rebellious disciple! Seeing as you’ve lost your senses, I’ll let you off this once!”
Hearing this, Qin Fan was hopeless. “Heavens! Can I get just one normal person around here? This Jade Spring Peak… is beyond saving…”
“Hmph! Qin Fan doesn’t look like he’s lost his mind at all!”
A cold, crisp voice suddenly rang out.
Everyone turned to see an ethereal fairy in an off-white long dress walking over—it was Qin Fan’s Sixth Senior Sister, Leng Qingshuang.
A crystalline Ice Soul Sword hung at her waist. She looked like a goddess descended from the heavens.
Xiao Hongling’s expression changed. With a wave of her hand, the Binding Immortal Rope around Qin Fan vanished as she sent spiritual energy into his body.
“How dare you!” Xiao Hongling’s beautiful eyes widened. “Qin Fan, you dare pretend to be crazy?”
Qin Fan dusted off his clothes and excitedly grabbed Leng Qingshuang’s soft hand. “Sixth Senior Sister! You came just in time! I love you to death!”
“Exactly!” Qin Fan turned to the crowd, chest out proudly. “I’m perfectly sane! I spanked Su Meier’s fragrant butt, kicked the old man Yuquan, and even stole Second Senior Sister’s undergarment!”
He grew more excited. “Come on, expel me from the sect already! A scumbag like me doesn’t deserve to stay on Jade Spring Peak!”
Silence fell.
Leng Qingshuang stared in shock, lips parted, her mind completely blank. “Qin Fan… are you insane?”
“I’m not insane! I’m more clear-headed than ever!” Qin Fan pounded his chest. “Sixth Senior Sister, if you don’t believe me, I’ll go burn the Scripture Hall right now to prove it!”
“Qingshuang!” Xia Qingyue flashed in front of Qin Fan with slightly red eyes. “Please don’t provoke Junior Brother Qin Fan further! Could this be… a love tribulation?”
She turned to him, eyes filled with pain. “I remember yesterday, when you gave that snow lotus to Sixth Senior Sister and got rejected on the spot. And today you’ve become like this… why torture yourself so?”
Qin Fan’s eyes widened. “Xia Qingyue! You—”
What the hell!
That was a snow lotus he stole from the herb garden to sell for spirit stones! Who said anything about giving it to her?
Xia Qingyue, can you please act normal?
First, I slap Su Meier’s butt, and you suggest dual cultivation.
Now you’re saying I have a crush on Leng Qingshuang?
You’ve got one hell of an imagination!
Upon hearing that, Leng Qingshuang’s delicate body trembled. She suddenly remembered the snow lotus Qin Fan had sneakily slipped her yesterday.
She had been so cold at the time…
“So… that was his confession?”
Her ears turned red, and her voice dropped to a whisper.
Immortal Yuquan slapped his thigh. “So that’s it! No wonder this rebellious disciple has been acting so strangely today!”
Xiao Hongling stood frozen. “Silly child, if you like her, just say it. If you told me earlier, I’d have helped you propose!”
Su Meier pouted sourly. “Hmph, so you like ice-cold beauties like Sixth Senior Sister? No wonder you didn’t cherish my charm and hit my butt so hard. At least now I don’t have to dual cultivate with you!”
“Oh heavens…” Qin Fan looked up and wailed, “Can all you lunatics stay away from me? I just want some peace and quiet!”
At that moment, Lin Xiaolu finally summoned the courage to speak. She timidly raised her little hand. “Junior Brother Qin Fan… who is Quiet?”