Chapter 57 Lu Ziting develops feelings for "Jiang Li"

Upon hearing that someone from the Lotus Sect had come, Jiang Mengyao assumed it must be Wen Yao who had seen her beautiful face yesterday and was still thinking about her, so he had come specifically to find her.

She called out loudly, "Is it Senior Brother Wen who came to see me?!"

A disciple nearby asked in surprise, "You know Senior Brother Wen Yao?"

Jiang Mengyao had only seen Wen Yao a few times from afar, yet she boasted shamelessly, "Of course, I'm very familiar with Senior Brother Wen. He must have come to see me."

"My goodness, Jiang Mengyao actually knows a disciple. Could you introduce us?"

Jiang Mengyao smugly enjoyed the envious glances from the surrounding disciples, and snorted, "A personal disciple isn't someone you can just chat with casually."

Just then, Wen Yao arrived.

His gaze swept around and then settled on her.

"Junior Sister Jiang."

Jiang Mengyao's face lit up with joy, and she immediately swayed her slender waist to greet him, "Senior Brother Wen."

Unfortunately, Wen Yao didn't notice her and quickly walked towards her from behind. "Junior Sister Jiang Li, I have something I want to say to you. I wonder if I can take up a moment of your time?"

Jiang Mengyao's alluring eyes froze on her face. How could Senior Brother Wen have chosen that bastard born to a concubine? She was the eldest legitimate daughter!

After Ye Li and Wen Yao left, someone joked, "What's that saying again? You can't just chat with a personal disciple casually. It's so true, hahaha."

"..."

Jiang Mengyao's face turned a deep purplish-red, and she threw down her broom and ran away.

They went back to their room and started smashing things again.

She stared intently at Jiang Li's bed, blaming her for making her lose face!

She must expel her from the Heavenly Gate Sect!

-

When Ye Li went outside, she discovered that not only Wen Yao had come, but also a man and a woman.

The man, dressed in a blue shirt, was handsome and dashing, while the woman, in a pale yellow dress, was held delicately in his arms.

"Ying'er, you're just feeling better and you still insist on coming with us. What if you get tired again?"

Su Ying'er leaned against Lu Ziting's chest and said softly, "I'm worried about my senior sister. I also want to hear news about her as soon as possible."

Ye Li paused, then walked out.

Hearing the noise, Lu Ziting turned around and froze on the spot.

Those eyes look like Ah Li's...

They're not exactly the same.

Ye Li was too aloof and pure, like the bright moon in the sky, unapproachable. But Jiang Li was different; she was more like a peony within reach, a peerless beauty.

That familiar yet unfamiliar feeling left Lu Ziting momentarily lost in thought, until the other person spoke first.

"Is there something you need?"

Seeing that Lu Ziting was staring at Jiang Li, Su Ying'er tugged at Lu Ziting's sleeve, "Senior Brother."

Lu Ziting then came to his senses. He raised his hand in greeting and tilted his head slightly, saying, "Junior Sister Jiang Li, I am Lu Ziting, a direct disciple of the Lotus Sect. I have come today to ask you a few questions."

Fearing that this junior disciple might be intimidated in front of a direct disciple, Lu Ziting added, "You don't need to be nervous, we are all very approachable."

Ye Li's expression was indescribable. How come she hadn't noticed Lu Ziting's pretentious act before?

She suppressed her disgust and tried to use a normal tone, asking, "What do you want to ask?"

Before Lu Ziting could speak, Su Ying'er interjected, "We want to ask, do you know where Senior Sister Ye Li is? It's okay if you don't, since you've been unconscious all this time."

Ye Li noticed Su Ying'er's nervousness and smiled slightly. "Are you asking about the whereabouts of her body?"

"A corpse?"

Lu Ziting became agitated, "We clearly saw her alive when we went to that cave that day, how could she be a corpse?!"

Ye Li said, half-truthfully, "After Ye Li died, the masked man placed her on the altar and used an evil spell to prevent her soul from leaving after death. She was controlled by him like a puppet."

Her statement was consistent with Wen Yao's, which Lu Ziting found hard to accept. "So, Ah Li didn't collude with evil spirits? She really died for us?"

Wen Yao said angrily from the side, "I told you long ago that Ah Li could never associate with evil spirits. She saved us, and yet she has to suffer those infamy. How unjust!"

In an instant, everything Lu Ziting firmly believed in began to crumble.

Everything from the illusion of the misty camphor forest reappeared before him, if only it were all real.

Wouldn't that mean he'd just stand by and watch someone die...?

Seeing that Lu Ziting was beginning to waver, Su Ying'er suddenly looked at Ye Li with concern in her voice.

“Sister Jiang Li, I heard that you were unconscious for several days after being rescued from the Mist Camphor Forest. Could it be that you can’t distinguish between reality and hallucination? I heard that you haven’t yet cultivated your Qi. You are most susceptible to interference from evil spirits.”

Lu Ziting's face showed doubt. Yes, how credible could the words of a Qi Refining stage disciple be?

It might just be her own guess; how can we believe it?

"Jiang Li, are you sure you saw Ye Li's body?"

Ye Li frowned. "I've already made myself very clear. How many more times do you want me to say it?"

"Oh dear, Sister Jiang Li, don't be angry."

Su Ying'er affectionately took Ye Li's hand and said, "You've only just joined the Heavenly Gate Sect, so you don't know how cunning these demons are. Sometimes what you see may not be the truth. I'm afraid you'll be used without realizing it, and that wouldn't be good."

This is to force her to admit that what she said was all a lie.

Ye Li smiled faintly, then looked up at Su Ying'er and said, "Actually, I also have a question I'd like to ask you."

Su Ying'er was somewhat surprised, but she still asked in a friendly manner, "What's the problem?"

"I want to ask, was it me or you who got caught and taken to the camphor forest?"

Su Ying'er froze for a moment, "Uh, of course it's you."

"Since it's me, why do you speak so eloquently? Do you know that masked man better than I do? Or do you know something inside?"

When asked the last question, Ye Li's tone suddenly turned cold, and a chilling light flashed in her eyes.

"I-"

Su Ying'er was speechless, and said pitifully, "Senior Brother, did Ying'er say something wrong?"

Lu Ziting was somewhat displeased. "Junior Sister Jiang Li, Ying'er just wants to find out the truth. Do you have to be so aggressive?"

Ye Li sneered inwardly.

Countless times, Lu Ziting has done the same thing, siding with Su Ying'er without distinguishing right from wrong.

She had been putting up with it all before, but now she doesn't need to anymore.

She scoffed, "You want to find out the facts? To me, you seem more like you want to make up a fact yourself."

“I was imprisoned in the Mist Forest for several days and saw and heard everything with my own eyes and ears. You don’t believe the facts I’m telling you, but instead believe Su Ying’er’s speculation. So was it wrong of me to ask her if she knew anything inside information?”

"this-"

Lu Ziting was speechless.

Yes, it is Jiang Li who is imprisoned, so why does he not believe Jiang Li but instead believe Ying'er's guess?

Seeing Jiang Li's cheeks flushed slightly with anger, and her eyes resembling Ye Li's, Lu Ziting unconsciously lowered his voice, "Junior Sister Jiang Li, that's not what I meant. I'm willing to believe you."

Ye Li was somewhat puzzled by Lu Ziting's suddenly softened tone.

The sun has risen in the west; Lu Ziting has actually stopped siding with Su Ying'er?

"But this matter is of great importance, so we should be cautious. We will investigate the cause when we get back, and we won't bother Junior Sister Jiang Li for now."

Lu Ziting took his leave with an air of elegance.

Wen Yao, however, did not leave immediately. Instead, he stared at Ye Li's back for a long time, looking thoughtful.