The Dispute

The edge of the talisman was clearly branded with a mark exclusive to Wuji Sect for Hehuan Sect—a gilded hehuan flower!

Cang Dongqing's fingertips trembled, and she quickly flipped the talisman over. Her fingernails dug deep into her palm, and her eyelashes quivered as teardrops hung precariously in her eyes.

This minute detail was something even Mu Zeting likely hadn't noticed—after all, he had always been nothing more than a tool to deliver talismans.

The moment the lie was exposed, the surrounding Hehuan Sect disciples burst into laughter.

Someone intentionally raised their voice. "I heard things have been going missing from the back mountains of Sword Heart Sect lately. Could it be..."

Cang Dongqing's face turned pale instantly. She truly hadn't noticed that the talismans Mu Zeting gave her had special markings. A dark glint flashed through her eyes.

That fool—he was more of a hindrance than a help. He didn't even think to warn her about the marks. However, even after being called out to her face,

she didn't panic. Instead, she looked at the others with tear-filled eyes.

"I only did it for everyone's safety..."

"Enough! Stop making a fool of yourself," Pei Ji interrupted in a heavy voice. "The enemy is right in front of us. What are you arguing for!"

Daoist Master Yu Heng of Hehuan Sect snorted. "Elder Xuan Shuang, did your Sword Heart Sect send this girl here specifically to disgust us? Or do you simply look down on our Hehuan Sect?"

Daoist Master Xuan Shuang of Sword Heart Sect frowned. "Elder Yu Heng, Dongqing is young and naive. Please forgive her. The priority now is to confirm the situation inside Blackwater Marsh."

Li Nanyi suddenly sneered. "If you ask me, those people from Five Elements Dao Sect are probably already dead in there. Why would they go to a place where even those at the Nascent Soul stage might perish? Why even bother with a rescue?"

"Li Nanyi!" Pei Ji shouted. "Do you want your six-month confinement to continue? Shut up!"

Rong Yuying walked up from the back and sneered at his words. "Junior Brother Li has been in confinement for so long, yet his mouth is still so foul. It seems the discipline of Sword Heart Sect isn't up to much."

Cang Dongqing suddenly spoke up. "My fifth senior brother is right. Blackwater Marsh is full of dangers, not to mention there are evil cultivators about. They might really have..."

Yu'er stood to the side, tugging at her sleeves in frustration. "What are you saying! Senior Sister Li and the others are definitely safe and sound!"

Rong Yuying suddenly flashed a charming smile, as if no conflict had ever occurred, and spoke to Cang Dongqing. "Junior Sister Cang is right."

Then, she shifted the conversation, deliberately raising her voice.

"But even if they are dead, the evil cultivators must be eliminated. Since you've come to Blackwater Marsh... surely Junior Sister Cang has some extraordinary skills?" Her gaze swept over the three talismans as she smiled again. "Why don't we let Junior Sister Cang lead the way? After all, you have the heart-protecting talisman my fiancé gave you. You should be perfectly safe."

She put extra emphasis on the word 'fiancé,' as if determined to grind Sword Heart Sect's reputation into the dirt.

Cang Dongqing's expression shifted slightly, her fingertips turning white as she gripped the talismans.

The three elders from Sword Heart Sect and Pei Ji all looked displeased.

To put it bluntly, everyone understood what was happening, and they had no grounds to criticize Rong Yuying for her harsh words.

If Cang Dongqing hadn't failed to check those items before showing them off, they wouldn't be in this awkward position.

To take a man's things when he was already engaged and then show them off without even checking them—only to be exposed in front of the actual fiancée—was beyond embarrassing!

Thinking of this, their gazes toward Cang Dongqing carried a hint of reproach.

Seeing the looks from the others, Cang Dongqing hurriedly gave Li Nanyi's sleeve a hidden tug, signaling him to say something.

Li Nanyi quickly spoke up to change the subject.

"Aren't we supposed to investigate the evil cultivators? What are we doing standing around here?"

As soon as Li Nanyi finished, Rong Yuying sneered. "Junior Brother Li certainly knows when to open his mouth. Why didn't I see you stepping up to say something fair when Junior Sister Cang was showing off my Hehuan Sect's property just now?"

At these words, the expressions of the Sword Heart Sect elders grew even grimmer.

Cang Dongqing's eyes reddened, her voice trembling. "Senior Sister Rong, I... I really didn't know these talismans were..."

"You didn't know?" Rong Yuying arched an eyebrow, her tone mocking. "Weren't you just insisting these talismans were yours? And now you've changed your tune? Out of respect for Sword Heart Sect, I'll pretend you didn't say that." Rong Yuying lightly swayed her round fan.

"But did Mu Zeting not tell you where these talismans came from? Or was it..." She dragged out her words. "That when he gave them to you, you were so touched you didn't even look at them?"

"Rong Yuying!" Pei Ji finally lost his patience and barked. "If you keep being so unreasonable, don't blame me for being discourteous!"

"Unreasonable?" Rong Yuying's red lips curled, but her eyes were cold. "Pei Ji, your Sword Heart Sect is holding onto talismans exclusive to my Hehuan Sect, and now I'm the one being unreasonable?"

"You don't have proof, do you?" Li Nanyi shouted. "What if you just saw it wrong? There are so many marks on talismans, how can you be sure it's from Hehuan Sect?"

Elder Xuan Shuang and the other two elders nodded. Li Nanyi was actually being clever for once. As long as they didn't take the talismans out again, or took the chance to swap them, Hehuan Sect would indeed be the one being difficult!

"Proof?" Rong Yuying looked at the group from Sword Heart Sect with a smile, but her eyes remained cold.

With a wave of her hand, a projection from a memory stone appeared in the air, clearly showing the exclusive Wuji Sect mark for Hehuan Sect in the corner of the talisman Cang Dongqing had just held.

"The evidence is right here. What else does Sword Heart Sect have to say?"

The people from Sword Heart Sect were momentarily speechless.

Cang Dongqing's face was deathly pale. She clutched her sleeves tightly, tears hanging in her eyes, looking pitiable.

Seeing this, Li Nanyi immediately stepped in front of her and roared, "Rong Yuying! Stop being so aggressive! What Senior Brother Mu gives to my junior sister is none of your business!"

"None of my business?" Rong Yuying sneered. "Li Nanyi, have you forgotten? Mu Zeting—is my fiancé."

She enunciated every word, her voice clear enough for everyone to hear.

"He took items that should have belonged to my Hehuan Sect and turned around to give them to another woman. You tell me—is that none of my business? Or has Sword Heart Sect's reach grown so long that you can now make decisions for Wuji Sect?"

The scene fell into a dead silence.

The elders of Sword Heart Sect looked at each other; now even Pei Ji had nothing to say.

Cang Dongqing finally couldn't hold back anymore. Her tears fell with a splash as she sobbed, "Senior Sister Rong, you've misunderstood. Senior Brother Mu was only..."

"Only what?" Rong Yuying cut her off with a cold laugh. "Only took pity on you? Or 'conveniently' gave you items belonging to my Hehuan Sect?"

She took a step forward, staring Cang Dongqing down. "Cang Dongqing, I've seen your act of playing the victim many times. It's one thing to take it, but you just had to show off. Do you think—"

Before she could finish, a world-shaking explosion erupted from deep within Blackwater Marsh!

"BOOM!!!"

Violent evil qi surged into the sky, and the entire ground began to tremble violently!