Chapter Nineteen: Who Are You?

Yu Wanqiao dismissed her followers and hastily began to leave the place. Fortunately, her cultivation was not weak, and she concealed her spiritual aura with great effort; otherwise, her presence would have surely been detected by the others. Yet, she dared not reveal herself so easily. After all, she was alone, while they numbered four.

“Junior sister, don’t be angry. Senior brother is just overly worried about our master,” someone said.

Yu Wanqiao had just started to leave when she noticed two of the previously scattered group returning. She quickly hid.

“Isn’t Xu Shaodeng just a bit more talented than us? What right does he have to shout orders here? He worries about our master, but do we not? Besides, our master said the Glazed Heart Grass is elusive, and so far only two blossoms have appeared. If we come to Ruzhou and can’t find it, there’s no need to be obsessed,” Xu Qingru said, growing more irate.

“But that Xu Shaodeng insists we can’t leave if we don’t find it! Who does he think he is? I think he just knows nothing, which is why we can’t find any trace of this Glazed Heart Grass,” she continued.

“Junior sister, lower your voice! I’m afraid senior brother is still nearby,” someone warned.

Xu Qingru shot him a glare.

“Third senior brother, Xu Shaodeng gave you a harsh blow just now. He doesn’t even consider us juniors. Why are you defending him?” Xu Su sighed.

“I was wrong; it’s not senior brother’s fault,” Xu Qingru said, exasperated at their stubbornness.

“Then you can keep wandering with him. I’m done!” She said this and turned away without looking back at Xu Su.

“Junior sister! Junior sister!” Xu Su hurried after her.

Once they had left, Yu Wanqiao immediately jumped down from the tree. Interesting. Outsiders all said that Qin Pi’s four disciples were united like a solid rock. But it seemed otherwise. Still, thinking of her own junior brothers and sisters, she found herself sympathizing with Xu Shaodeng for a moment.

Being a senior brother or sister isn’t easy!

After two people left, Yu Wanqiao relaxed slightly. She followed the direction Xu Shaodeng had taken. Now knowing nothing, she had to rely on the stone in Xu Shaodeng’s hand. But she had wasted too much time just now.

Soon, she realized Xu Shaodeng had vanished. She plucked a few leaves, about to toss them out, when suddenly she sensed someone behind her. Her expression turned grave, and she swiftly spun around, drawing her sword.

“Xue Yuan, return!” she commanded.

Sure enough, it was Xu Shaodeng behind her. Xue Yuan pressed her sword against his, preventing an attack. Xu Shaodeng had tried to ambush her from behind. She had just empathized with him for two seconds—how foolish!

Quickly losing to Xue Yuan, Xu Shaodeng sheathed his sword and dodged aside. Yu Wanqiao did not pursue further.

Xu Shaodeng looked at Yu Wanqiao and said, “I don’t know who you are or why you keep following me.”

Oh no, I’ve been discovered.

Yu Wanqiao was not surprised. When she couldn’t find Xu Shaodeng earlier, she had sensed something was off.

“I was just a bit lost here, wandering around, unaware I was being misunderstood,” she said, sheathing her sword and feigning wiping away tears.

As far as she knew, the people around the heroine in the story were almost all kind-hearted. Otherwise, they would not be friends with the heroine.

Sure enough, seeing Yu Wanqiao wipe tears away, Xu Shaodeng hesitated. After arguing with his juniors, he had come here alone, troubled and with a headache. He had vaguely sensed someone behind him but quickened his pace without showing it.

Eventually, the person behind stopped, so he turned back—only to find it was a woman.

He had intended to test Yu Wanqiao but soon realized her strength was not to be underestimated.

“…The evening grows late. Why are you still here?” he asked.

In her mind, Yu Wanqiao quickly recalled how Bai Chuwei usually spoke.

“I—I’m just looking for something here,” she replied.

Seeing Yu Wanqiao searching as well, Xu Shaodeng’s expression turned cold.

“What are you looking for?”

Yu Wanqiao read his expression and knew what he was thinking.

“You may not know, but my husband was recently captured by those demonic sects. His whereabouts are unknown. Our wedding is in just a few days,” she said, sobbing softly.

“I came today to make a tombstone for him. But when I left the mountain, I realized I had left my hairpin there. I intended to return, but I got lost and happened to encounter you, so I thought to follow you down. As fellow cultivators, I naturally trust you all.”

Yu Wanqiao did not hide her strength and fabricated this lie.

“I willingly left my sect because of my love for my husband.”