The Saintess

As she spoke, she turned her head and tilted her chin toward the young girl standing behind her. “Qingqiu, host everyone well. Do not neglect them.”

Song Yao followed her gaze.

The girl wore an elegant and luxurious high-waisted skirt. Her features were as cold as winter jade, and her temperament was extraordinary. She was none other than the Saintess of Beiyao Sect, Chen Qingqiu.

In other words, she was Ye Chang'an's current fiancée.

In her past life, to climb the Heavenly Revelation Board, Song Yao had run off to Beiyao Sect to fight Chen Qingqiu.

Back then, this girl was ranked eight hundredth. She was extremely socially anxious and disliked talking to people, standing there stiff as a wooden block, yet her movements during combat were exceptionally clean and sharp.

After losing to Song Yao—and having her face touched twice by her in the process—the girl had shed a few tears, pressed her sword to her neck, and prepared to commit suicide to prove her resolve.

It had taken Song Yao a long time to talk her down, and she seemed to have become even more silent after that.

Song Yao couldn't understand how a youth who was willing to die for the sword path would suddenly get engaged to Ye Chang'an.

Had the blockhead finally seen the light?

Chen Qingqiu silently bowed to Feng Qing and Ninth Elder, still not uttering a single word.

Ninth Elder looked as if he wanted to say something but stopped.

Feng Qing smiled and shook her head. “Let us go, Brother Yun. Are you still afraid that my Beiyao Sect will eat these children of yours? Rest easy and let's go.”

Ninth Elder nodded helplessly. “After you.”

The two transformed into a streak of light, sweeping toward the main hall.

Ming Ran whispered angrily, “Aren't Beiyao Sect and Taiqing Pavilion supposed to be working together to suppress our Nine Saints Hall? Yet they're acting so polite now. Bah, what hypocrites.”

Cheng Yue frowned and covered her mouth. “Quiet down.”

It was unclear whether Chen Qingqiu had heard them, but her gaze swept over the group.

Jiang Jin quickly took half a step forward, cupping his hands with a beaming smile. “So you are the Saintess of Beiyao Sect. I am Jiang Jin, and these are my junior brothers and sisters. I have long heard of your great name.”

However, Chen Qingqiu had no intention of paying attention to him. She even furrowed her brow slightly, turned around, and walked up the jade steps.

Jiang Jin couldn't help but feel embarrassed, his smile freezing on his face.

Fortunately, a male disciple beside Chen Qingqiu stepped in to explain, “We are terribly sorry. Our Saintess does not like interacting with strangers. She means no offense. Everyone, please come this way. We have prepared a feast to welcome you.”

Chen He replied, “Thank you for the trouble.”

Following behind them, the environment along the way could only be described as lavish and extravagant. The group felt somewhat like country bumpkins entering the city.

Ming Ran pouted and grumbled unhappily, “What do you mean she doesn't like interacting with strangers? Is she intentionally trying to give us a cold shoulder because of Fifth Senior Sister?”

Jiang Jin nodded in agreement. “This Saintess's fiancé once had deep feelings for our Fifth Senior Sister. It's only natural she would hold some prejudice against us...”

A lazy voice drifted in from the side. “He's just a fiancé. It's not enough to make a dignified Saintess so petty.”

The two who were refuted were stunned. Jiang Jin said displeasedly, “What do you mean he's ‘just a fiancé’? How many entanglements in this world aren't caused by love?”

Ming Ran, however, immediately turned coat. “I think my little master is right. He's just a man. The Saintess wouldn't have such narrow horizons like you.”

Before coming out, Chen Qingqiu had received orders to keep a close eye on the disciples of Nine Saints Hall. Thus, she was highly focused, listening to everything they said.

They had only lowered their voices without setting up a barrier, so every single word fell into her ears.

Upon hearing them suggest she was intentionally targeting them because of her fiancé, her spine stiffened and her eyes lowered, though she didn't stop walking.

This kind of misunderstanding had happened many times, and she was already used to it.

But she hadn't expected someone to speak up and defend her.

She couldn't help but extend her divine sense to look at the speaker.

It was a young girl, stunningly beautiful.

Her features were exceptionally delicate, carrying a natural cold aloofness, and she exuded a careless, nonchalant vibe.

For some reason, she felt a bit familiar.

Chen Qingqiu tried to listen to what she would say next. In the next second, the girl's lips curled into a smile, and she spoke in a lazy, mocking tone again. “Maybe the Saintess just thinks you're too pretentious and doesn't want to bother with you. Rich people from Beiyao Sect are all like that.”

Chen Qingqiu: “...”

Slander.

Pure slander.

She had felt touched for absolutely nothing.

She retracted her divine sense in annoyance and quickened her pace.

...

It had to be said that Beiyao Sect's superficial courtesy was top-notch.

Nine Saints Hall was still considered the number one sect in the Tianshu Realm, so the disciples were seated at the very head of the banquet.

Song Yao propped her chin in her hand, observing her surroundings while eating fruit.

The last time the Myriad Bones Forest secret realm opened, although she was at the Golden Core Rank, she had been directly banned from participating because of her high ranking on the Heavenly Revelation Board. They claimed it would be unfair to the other participating disciples, so she had never been here before.

Ming Ran, Cheng Yue, and Jiang Jin were all participating in an inter-sect tournament for the first time, and they looked around with immense curiosity.

However, after sitting for a while, they felt something was off.

Disciples from other sects were actively mingling and chatting with great warmth, yet no one came over to greet them.

Ming Ran frowned and whispered, “Is it because we are too powerful? Why is everyone ignoring us?”

Jiang Jin muttered, “Perhaps they agreed beforehand to isolate and exclude our Nine Saints Hall.”

Cheng Yue looked toward Chen He. “Senior Brother Chen, was it like this when our sect participated in outside events in the past?”

Chen He's expression was slightly complicated. “Uh, this is a bit complicated to explain...”

Ming Ran: “Shh, someone is coming.”

The three inexperienced youths sat up straight, looking with great anticipation at a young man and woman walking toward them.

Song Yao had no interest in socializing and only cast a casual glance.

After glancing, she found these two somewhat familiar.

They seemed to be from Qianxi Hall.

Jiang Jin was the first to stand up, cupping his hands politely to greet them. “I am Jiang Jin of Nine Saints Hall. May I ask who your master is...”

Before he could finish, the youth from Qianxi Hall, with red eyes, punched Jiang Jin in the chest. “You people from Nine Saints Hall are all heartbreakers! Sob, give me back my innocence!”

Jiang Jin was struck, taking two staggering steps back.

By the time he recovered, the surrounding gazes had already drifted over.

His face instantly flushed red in shock. “You... I... fellow Daoist, you cannot just make things up!”

“It's that Song Yao of your Nine Saints Hall!”

Song Yao choked violently.

Wait, what?

When did she ever have a conflict with anyone from Qianxi Hall?

And when did she become a heartbreaker?

The youth threw a jade pendant onto the table while crying. “Two years ago, while I was bathing in the pool, she stole my clothes and only left this jade pendant behind!”

The girl beside him patted his shoulder to comfort him.

Amidst the chaos, Cheng Yue asked blankly, “What does that have to do with being a heartbreaker?”

Jiang Jin: “No, is now the time to ask that?”

The youth grew even angrier. “Of course it does! She took my clothes and left a jade pendant. Doesn't that mean it's a token of love and she wants to take responsibility for me? I went to Nine Saints Hall several times but couldn't find her, and then news actually spread that she was dead! She hasn't even taken responsibility for me yet! How could she just abandon me and die?!”