Chapter Twenty-Six: The ship we're shipping finally gave us some sweet moments!

Just two or three days after the Cloud Mist Valley Secret Realm closed, the inner and outer sects of the Sword Sect were like a pot of hot oil thrown into a boiling pot, with countless topics popping up.

Among them, the most talked-about and the most outrageous is the secret story about Fang Li and those three influential figures.

As the story is passed down by word of mouth, the facts have been distorted beyond recognition.

Xie Chen's timely guidance turned into a story that Senior Brother Xie had been paying attention to Junior Sister Fang Li all along, and that he had been waiting for her in the maze, speaking gently and leading her personally.

Ji Qianqiu's brutal and overwhelming rescue turned into a scene where Senior Brother Ji, seeing Junior Sister Fang in danger, flew into a rage, like a god descending to earth, punching back a Foundation Establishment cultivator and fighting a bloody battle for her.

Shen Yunzhou's cold and abrupt sword strike was portrayed as Senior Brother Shen appearing cold and stern on the surface, but inwardly anxious, and making a ruthless move at the critical moment, his sword flashing coldly, all to protect her.

This even led to an absurd version of the story: three senior brothers confronting each other by a cold pool, their auras clashing, sand and stones flying everywhere, all vying for the favor of junior sister Fang Li.

The rumors and gossip intensified, embellishing the story with sensationalism and ambiguity.

On this day, Fang Li had just finished listening to a lecture at the Transmission Hall and was about to go to the Mission Hall to see if there were any suitable missions when Xiao Tao, who was running over excitedly, grabbed her arm.

"Senior Sister Fang! Senior Sister Fang!" Xiao Tao's face was flushed, and her voice, though low, was brimming with barely suppressed excitement: "Have you heard? The latest news!"

Xiao Tao's eyes shone like searchlights, her face beaming with excitement that my favorite couple was finally getting some sweet moments.

Fang Li's heart skipped a beat when she saw her like this, and she had a bad feeling: "What breaking news?"

"It's you, Senior Brother Xie, Senior Brother Ji, and Senior Brother Shen!" Xiao Tao blurted out, "It's all over the place! They say you were besieged by villains in the secret realm, and your three senior brothers happened to pass by. They were immediately seized by the urge to be heroes! Senior Brother Xie used all his wisdom to break through the illusion for you! Senior Brother Ji was incredibly brave and swept away thousands of enemies for you! Senior Brother Shen was so devoted that he drew his sword against his fellow disciples for you! In the end, the three senior brothers even got jealous of you and almost fought each other by the cold pool!"

She was speechless, her lips twitching uncontrollably.

What is all this nonsense? Clever schemes? Sweeping through armies? Love that doesn't last? Jealousy and rivalry? What do these words have to do with those three guys even a single spirit stone?

These people are truly wasting their talents by not writing storybooks!

Fang Li felt her temples throbbing. She took several deep breaths before she could barely suppress the urge to pack up these rumor-mongers and throw them out along with the overly excited rumor-monger in front of her.

“Xiao Tao,” Fang Li tried to interrupt her rambling, “it’s not like that, it’s just a coincidence! Let me explain!”

"Oh, Senior Sister, don't be shy!" Xiao Tao was completely absorbed in the truth she had just heard, cupping her face in envy: "All three senior brothers are so outstanding, and they all... Ahhhh! Senior Sister, you're a celebrity in the sect now! So many senior and junior sisters are secretly asking about you!"

Fang Li felt a wave of weakness wash over her.

Previously, she was just an outer disciple with little presence.

Now look what's happened! She's become a regular on the sect's gossip headlines, and the kind of woman suspected of cheating on her boyfriend with multiple men! This level of fame is something she absolutely doesn't want!

All she wants is to cultivate quietly! To grow stronger quietly! To make a fortune quietly (although that seems a bit difficult at the moment)!

She dismissed the still excited Xiao Tao perfunctorily, rubbed her throbbing temples, and just wanted to get back to the courtyard for some peace and quiet.

These rumors are harder to deal with than monsters.

However, what you fear most is what happens.

Just as they stepped onto the path leading to the disciples' living area, they were met by Elder Qin Meng, a man with a serious expression, sharp eyes, and deep nasolabial folds.

Fang Li sighed inwardly and stopped politely: "Elder Qin."

Elder Qin Meng stood before her with his hands behind his back, his sharp eyes scrutinizing her from head to toe with a deep gaze that carried undisguised scrutiny and disapproval.

"Fang Li," he spoke, his voice like muffled thunder, carrying a stern admonition: "Recently, there have been many unbearable rumors circulating about you within the sect! You joined the sect for cultivation, so don't spend your days thinking of crooked paths and causing trouble! You must be careful with your words and actions, strictly abide by the sect rules, and lest you misbehave, damage your own reputation, and further corrupt the sect's atmosphere! If you cause any more trouble, don't blame the sect rules for being ruthless!" Qin Meng's tone was a stern warning.

Fang Li was bewildered by this barrage of warnings, and felt a surge of anger rush from the soles of her feet to the top of her head!

crooked ways? Provoking trouble?

What did she do?!

Isn't she just going through normal training, self-improvement, and striving to enhance herself?!

She raised her head, her gaze calm and direct as she met Qin Meng's serious eyes. Her voice was clear and neither humble nor arrogant: "Reporting to Elder Qin! Since entering the sect, my only thought has been to diligently cultivate and improve my cultivation, hoping to serve the sect as soon as possible and live up to the sect's expectations! My daily routine is regular. Apart from cultivating, doing tasks, and consulting books in the library, I rest in my courtyard. I have never been lazy in the slightest, nor have I ever engaged in any crooked or evil deeds!"

She paused, recalling the unpleasant rumors of the past few days and those persistent senior brothers, her tone becoming sharp and helpless: "If the elders feel that the rumors are disturbing and damaging to the sect's atmosphere, instead of warning the disciples to behave themselves now, they should go and manage those senior brothers, tell them to restrain their behavior and stop always coming to the disciples' side."

After saying that, she bowed respectfully and said, "This disciple must return to cultivate and will take her leave now."

Without waiting for Qin Meng's reaction, Fang Li turned and left, her steps steady and swift, leaving Elder Qin Meng standing there frozen, his stern and serious face seemingly shrouded in darkness.

He... he got roasted by an outer disciple?

As a senior inner sect elder in charge of the Discipline Hall, which disciple wouldn't be trembling with fear and obsequious in his presence?

He actually got shoved in the face by some lowly outer sect girl today?! And she expects him to go and manage those patriarchs?!

Are those people someone he can just boss around as he pleases?!

Elder Qin Meng felt a tightness in his chest and almost couldn't catch his breath.

He watched Fang Li's figure disappear at the end of the road, his face as black as the bottom of a pot, his beard trembling with anger.

This is outrageous! Absolutely outrageous! This girl is even more difficult to deal with than those ancient ancestors!

Fang Li didn't care what Qin Meng was thinking. She quickly returned to her courtyard, closed the door, and shut out all the noise from the outside world.

It's quiet now.

She sighed, feeling utterly exhausted.

Rumors are more ferocious than tigers, especially when they involve those few people.

It seems that the days ahead are destined to be anything but peaceful.