Cang Dongqing was nearly unable to maintain her gentle smile after being publicly rebuked by Li Nanzhu. However, she quickly adjusted her expression and said softly, "Of course not. I was merely surprised that Junior Sister Li and I are so destined; we seem to run into each other everywhere."
As soon as Li Nanzhu heard this, she knew the girl was subtly poisoning the minds of those around her again. Wasn't she implying that Li Nanzhu was stalking her? Why else would they run into each other so coincidentally every time? A cold sneer played on Li Nanzhu's lips.
"Indeed, we really are destined. Every time I see Fellow Daoist Cang, something unpleasant seems to happen. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were here specifically to stir up trouble." Before Cang Dongqing could respond, Li Nanzhu quickly covered her mouth as if she had misspoken.
"Oh, my apologies, Fellow Daoist Cang. You know I've always been blunt. I accidentally said what I was really thinking. But since you're so kind, you surely won't be angry with me, right?"
Cang Dongqing was left speechless by these words. If she pursued the matter now, it would only make her look petty.
She silently clenched her palms, a smile still lingering on her lips, but the warmth in her eyes turned cold inch by inch.
"Junior Sister Li is being quite distant with me. Naturally, I wouldn't blame you. It's just that I still need to speak with Fellow Daoist Liu Qi, so please, Junior Sister, step aside for a moment."
Upon hearing this, Li Nanzhu didn't leave. Instead, she stood beside Liu Qi with a light chuckle and took a large bite of the spirit fruit in her hand. She tilted her head intentionally. "The way Fellow Daoist Cang puts it, it's as if I'm the one blocking you from speaking to Fellow Daoist Liu." She turned to Liu Qi and blinked. "Fellow Daoist Liu, am I disturbing you?"
Though Liu Qi was unskilled in social graces, he wasn't stupid. He was already annoyed that this person was preventing him from going to rest. Now that Li Nanzhu had given him an out, he followed the lead naturally. "I am a complete stranger to Fellow Daoist Cang. I have nothing to say to her."
That single sentence caused the smile on Cang Dongqing's face to freeze completely.
When she looked up again, her eyes were filled with tears, presenting a picture of a pitiful beauty.
"Why must Junior Sister Li be so overbearing? I only saw that Fellow Daoist Liu had no place to stay and wanted to do a small kindness. Why must you cause him to misunderstand me?"
She forced a strained smile. "It doesn't matter. After all, there was a misunderstanding between Junior Sister Li and me in the past. It's normal for you to think of me this way, and I don't blame you. But you shouldn't let Fellow Daoist Liu misunderstand me as well."
The people around them had already gathered because of the initial commotion. Hearing Cang Dongqing's words, they couldn't help but feel sympathetic toward her.
"She's right, she's just being kind..."
"This young girl is quite pretty, but why is her tongue so sharp?"
"She's a disciple of the Sword Heart Sect, how could she possibly slander a young girl?"
Li Nanzhu sneered inwardly. As expected of the heroine, she could sway the emotions of those around her with just a few words. However, this time her schemes were misplaced. After all, Li Nanzhu wasn't the only one involved.
"What is wrong with you?" Liu Qi was now visibly irritated. "I already agreed to buy this fellow daoist's room. You insisted on blocking me and wouldn't let me go upstairs, saying all sorts of nonsensical things. If you feel insulted by what I said, then I'm sorry, alright? If I remember correctly, this is the first time we've met. Why would you give me a room for free?"
"When someone shows unnecessary kindness, they're either up to no good or trying to steal something," Duan Xianxing added casually.
Cang Dongqing's face instantly darkened.
"My little junior sister was only acting out of kindness. You're Li Nanzhu, right? Back in Qingyun City, you were the one bullying my little junior sister. I originally thought there might be a misunderstanding between you two, but it seems you simply have a sharp tongue."
Oh?
Li Nanzhu arched an eyebrow and looked at the speaker. He wore the disciple robes of the Sword Heart Sect as well, but the patterns were much more elaborate than those of the other disciples. The status of Sword Heart Sect disciples was distinguished by the number of swords embroidered on their sleeves: one for chore disciples, two for outer sect disciples, and so on.
This man's sleeve was embroidered with five spirit swords.
A direct disciple. Since he called Cang Dongqing 'little junior sister' and carried a greatsword on his back, he was likely Ling Xiao's third disciple—Qu Chen.
Li Nanzhu had no intention of saving face for him. The situation was crystal clear. She wasn't the one who had embarrassed Cang Dongqing, nor was she the one being bothered. Yet, she was the one being blamed. Did they really think she was a pushover?
"Senior Brother Qu Chen, is it?" Li Nanzhu spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly. "I call you senior brother out of respect because everyone says Senior Brother Qu is the most upright and just person in the Sword Heart Sect. Seeing you today, it seems that's not the case."
"You!" Qu Chen hadn't expected Li Nanzhu to identify him so easily. He was surprised by her initial words, but his face darkened as soon as she finished the sentence.
"You don't even know what happened in Qingyun City, yet you're so quick to stick your neck out for someone..." She looked up, her eyes filled with mockery. "Are you truly upright, or are you just easy to fool? Today, anyone with eyes can see the sequence of events. My senior brother had already negotiated a room exchange with Fellow Daoist Liu Qi, yet Fellow Daoist Cang pointlessly interfered. Is that our fault?"
Beside her, Liu Qi nodded. If Cang Dongqing hadn't suddenly stopped him and started pestering him, his transaction with Duan Xianxing would have been completed, and he would be resting upstairs by now.
The whispering of the crowd quieted down. After all, no one wanted to admit they lacked eyes. Furthermore, what Li Nanzhu said made sense. The cultivators who had been there from the start began explaining the details to the newcomers in low voices.
"I know Fellow Daoist Cang has good intentions and wants to befriend Fellow Daoist Liu Qi," Li Nanzhu continued.
"But whether you want to make friends is your business. Whether Fellow Daoist Liu Qi wants to be friends is his. Making friends is a matter of mutual consent, not a forced transaction. He's unwilling, yet you keep pestering him. Could it be..." She intentionally dragged out her words. "That Fellow Daoist Cang has feelings for Fellow Daoist Liu?"
"What nonsense are you talking about! I'm not..." Cang Dongqing's face turned pale instantly. How could Li Nanzhu be so bold and shameless! How could a young girl who hadn't even had her coming-of-age ceremony say such things?
What made it even more humiliating for her was that Liu Qi's gaze now held a trace of disgust. He likely thought she was someone lusting after him. She felt even more infuriated.
Li Nanzhu snorted coldly. "As for the 'misunderstanding,' I wasn't aware we had one. In Qingyun City, you clearly tried to snatch my belongings first. How did that become a misunderstanding? I didn't know that robbery could be called a misunderstanding!"
"Yes! Junior Sister Li, I misspoke just now. I shouldn't have said that. It was a slip of the tongue! Please forgive me, Junior Sister Li!"
At this moment, Qu Chen, who had a dark face earlier, fell silent. He didn't know the full story of what happened that day. He had simply believed Cang Dongqing because she said so. Thinking about it now, he had been too muddled and rash in his actions today.
However, she was his little junior sister. Her every move in public represented the reputation of the Sword Heart Sect. He finally spoke in a low voice.
"My little junior sister misspoke. Please understand, Fellow Daoist Li. I also apologize for my words just now. I'm sorry."
Li Nanzhu looked at Qu Chen with some surprise. He was actually able to lower his head and apologize. Since he had said as much, she couldn't continue to press the matter, or she would become the overbearing one.
She gave Qu Chen a meaningful look. To be able to apologize so decisively, he wasn't as simple as he appeared on the surface.
Just as the atmosphere began to ease, Liu Qi spoke up again.
"This Fellow Daoist Li's issues are settled, but my problem here hasn't been resolved yet."
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