Chapter 147 Lu Ziting Empathizes and Regrets His Past Actions

Hearing Lu Ziting's self-righteous question, Ye Li glanced at him and said, "If we're talking about fellow disciples, Ye Li is a disciple of the Lotus Sect just like you, and you were even engaged to each other. What were you doing when she was facing a life-or-death situation?"

"you!"

Lu Ziting offered no explanation and turned his face away, saying, "Ye Li betrayed me first and embarrassed me, so it's understandable that I'm ignoring her."

Ye Li frowned. "Who told you she betrayed you? Did you see it with your own eyes?"

"The evidence is conclusive, and she cannot deny it."

As he spoke, Lu Ziting took out the woman's belongings that Wen Yao had given him to identify from his storage pouch that day. "This is irrefutable evidence!"

Although this item wasn't hers, it still had her name embroidered on it, and Wen Yao just casually took it out like that?

What would people think if they saw this?

In an instant, anger surged in Ye Li's heart, "How did this thing end up with you?"

Lu Ziting was worried that keeping these things would damage his gentlemanly image, so he immediately distanced himself from the matter, "Do you think I would keep these filthy things? It's Wen Yao who won't give up, saying that someone is impersonating Ye Li. We have decided to ask our master to identify them. Until then, we will keep them ourselves to prevent them from being stolen."

Master Qingyu...

Yes, Master Qingyu has the hem of her clothes that Dahei carried back on the day she was murdered.

Ye Li understood what was going on and glanced at Lu Ziting. "So you didn't even compare the embroidery before concluding that Ye Li betrayed you?"

"I……"

Lu Ziting was speechless.

When he learned of Ye Li's betrayal from Ying'er, he angrily went to Wen Yao's residence to search for the items. Upon seeing these things, his blood boiled, and he almost lost his mind and wanted to fight Wen Yao to the death. He no longer cared about deciphering the handwriting.

So when Wen Yao took it out last time, it was the first time he had carefully examined the character "璃" on it.

Therefore, they noticed the strangeness of the character "璃" (lí)...

When he spoke again, his tone was less forceful than before, softening slightly, "But Wen Yao has already admitted it, and Ying'er said she saw the two behaving intimately, it can't be false, Ying'er..."

He suddenly realized something.

Could it be... Sakura?!

In the past, he would never have doubted the "kind and lovely" Su Ying'er. But these past two days, whenever Su Ying'er encountered difficulties, she would hide behind him, not only disregarding his safety and hindering him, but even when life and death were at stake, she did not care about his life or death.

This blow brought Lu Ziting, who had been immersed in Su Ying'er's gentle embrace, back to his senses and made him somewhat suspicious of her.

If this thing doesn't belong to Ye Li, then who is impersonating Ye Li?

If Ye Li did not show goodwill to Wen Yao, then where does Su Ying'er's claim of seeing Ye Li and Wen Yao behaving intimately come from?

The various speculations almost overwhelmed Lu Ziting. He dared not think about them in detail, fearing that he would not be able to bear the consequences.

He spoke again, his expression complex, "You said before that you could communicate with spirits and see people's ghosts. What did Ah Li tell you about me? Was she very sad that I didn't save her? Did she... blame me?"

This question had been buried in Lu Ziting's heart for a long time, but he didn't want to think about it, nor did he dare to.

He was afraid that if he opened a crack, those emotions would engulf him and he would never be able to extricate himself.

At first, he was able to control himself, but now, having experienced the pain of being abandoned at the brink of death, he felt even more empathetic towards Ye Li and couldn't help but ask.

Looking at Lu Ziting's deeply affectionate face, Ye Li felt as if she were seeing him a few years ago, when he had made the same vows to her.

He said he would never let her down, and that she was the only woman he ever loved in his life.

Yet, with the same face, he maintained his engagement to her while having his fellow disciples cover for him so he could be intimate with Su Ying'er.

A group of people made fun of her like she was an idiot.

And now, he actually has the nerve to act all heartbroken and ask her if she's sad?

Ye Li gave a mocking smile. "Heartbroken? In your eyes, such a life-or-death matter is just a matter of whether you're heartbroken or not? She's already dead, and you still expect her to forgive your fickleness and refusal to save her before she dies?"

"I did not mean that."

When Lu Ziting spoke again, his tone carried a hint of pleading, "I just hope that A-Li can understand my predicament and know that I didn't mean to not save her."

"Oh."

Ye Li sneered, "No need to explain so much. Have you forgotten what I said? After Ye Li died, she saw everything you did. How you used the twin swords she risked her life to retrieve to woo Su Ying'er, and how you whispered sweet nothings to each other in private—she saw it all."

Ye Li's words completely tore away Lu Ziting's fig leaf, and for a moment, he opened his mouth but couldn't utter a single word.

Ah Li saw it, she saw everything...

When he heard last time that Ye Li's ghost had been around them, he was shocked, but he also held onto a sliver of hope that Ah Li might not have seen those things by sheer coincidence.

But now, the truth has been laid bare in his face.

He could no longer maintain that gentlemanly composure; his hand holding the sword was trembling.

He closed his eyes, his face filled with grief, "Ah Li, she must hate me to death."

"It's not hatred."

"Really? Ah Li doesn't hate me?"

A glimmer of hope appeared on Lu Ziting's face, and he looked at her with the gaze of a prisoner awaiting judgment.

Ye Li replied calmly, "It's disgusting. I'm disgusted that I almost became a Daoist partner with someone like that. I'm disgusted that you two were having an affair behind my back while pretending to be virtuous gentlemen on the surface. If she were still alive, it wouldn't be you who wants to break off the engagement, but her."

The last three words were like sharp arrows, piercing Lu Ziting's heart one by one.

So, it's not that he doesn't want Ah Li, it's that Ah Li doesn't want him anymore...

Lu Ziting felt as if a piece of his heart had been emptied. In an instant, all the beautiful memories of the past came back to life, playing out before his eyes frame by frame.

The smile they exchanged when sheathed their swords during a sparring session while cultivating together with Ye Li.

When she played the zither with Ye Li, her delicate hands plucked the strings, and the two played in perfect harmony.

And the way she looked at him, cold and aloof, yet her eyes curved slightly when she saw him.

Ah Li.

My Ah Li.

The emptiness in Lu Ziting's heart quickly turned into excruciating pain, which, combined with the pain from his injuries, caused him to faint from the pain.

Seeing Lu Ziting faint again, Ye Li didn't even bother to go over and take a look, and continued to search through the study.

Judging from the items here, the owner of the house was very particular about his clothing, food, housing, and transportation.

Thinking of the title "Lord" that Su Ying'er kept mentioning...

Ye Li's gaze paused slightly.

Could this be the mansion of that ghost-faced man?

In that case, she can piece together the clues here to figure out who is hiding behind the ghost mask...

Just then, the previously quiet study began to shake again.

Perhaps Ye Li had destroyed the array in the study, so the tremor came from the wall connected to the study.

After it quieted down, a window appeared on the ground.

Looking at the window lattice that faintly shone with light, it was not the glow of candlelight at all, but more like sunlight.

Ye Li had a gut feeling that this room must be of great importance.

She bent down, pushed open the window, and nimbly leaped inside.

The next second, she froze on the spot.