Chapter 28 The Incident Has Occurred:
By dusk the next day, Shen Bingsi still hadn't returned.
The third day, the fourth day... I don't know what kind of trouble it was that even he, the adjudicator of the cultivation world, couldn't make a decision about.
Rong Xie prepared meals for him every day, but they all ended up in the bellies of the three children. By the fifth day, Shen Bing Si still hadn't given a definite answer. Rong Xie finally couldn't take it anymore and decided to take the three children out to eat at a restaurant.
The four arrived in Yingbin Town, chose the most expensive restaurant, had a delicious meal, and put the bill on Shen Bingsi's tab.
After eating and drinking their fill, the four of them left the restaurant and wandered the streets.
When Shen Bingsi built the ranch, she gave the three children some spirit stones in advance. Now they are people with money in their pockets. When they go out, they can't help but look around.
“You’re usually so busy with things at the manor that you don’t get to go shopping properly. Now that you’re out, go look around and buy something you like,” Rong Xie said.
The three little ones cheered.
"Thank you, Brother Rong!"
Rong Xie arranged a time and place for them to meet, and then announced the disbandment.
The three children scattered in a panic.
Rong Xie watched them dash out, running and jumping, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart. Young people are so energetic; they even have to run to go shopping.
The streets were quiet in the afternoon, and Rong Xie strolled around slowly, pondering what the house still needed. He needed to replenish the cinnabar for drawing talismans, and he hadn't found a suitable replacement for the large mirror that Shen Bingsi had broken in the study. The bed curtains on Shen Bingsi's bed were old and needed to be replaced...
There were quite a few things to buy, so Rong Xie went to each shop one by one. Apart from cinnabar, he had to pick out the other items, which had to be better than what he already had, otherwise it would be better not to buy them at all.
"Brother Rong!" A loud voice called from behind. "Is that Brother Rong?"
That voice… Rong Xie turned his head and saw a child dressed as a waiter, wearing a headscarf, running towards him like a cannonball. He quickly stopped the child and asked, “Wang Mu, what are you doing here?”
“Brother Rong,” Wang Mu scratched his head, “I’m working odd jobs at an inn in town. Didn’t Brother Yanzi tell you?”
Only after Wang Mu mentioned it did Rong Xie remember.
Why didn't you go home with your mother?
"Brother Rong, can we not bring this up anymore?" Wang Mu's face fell.
"So how's your work at the inn going?" Rong Xie asked with a smile.
The inn's kitchen is no easy place; it requires someone to be on standby all day long. That inn is the largest inn in Yingbin Town, and almost everyone who comes and goes chooses to stay there. There are people to eat breakfast in the morning, extra meals at night, and of course, lunchtime... There are only a few chefs in the kitchen, so the innkeeper can only hire more general helpers to reduce the workload of the chefs.
Wang Mu's face grew increasingly bitter: "Let's not bring this up anymore."
"Can you write the characters now?"
"..."
Rong Xie laughed, suddenly finding the fun in Shen Bing Si's provocative questioning style.
"Brother Rong, none of that matters. I have something more important to tell you," Wang Mu said mysteriously. "It's extremely important!"
"What?" Rong Xie didn't believe him. "I'm busy right now. If you have something to say, go talk to Shen Yan and the others. They're on the street right now."
"No, I'm only talking to you." Wang Mu grabbed two of Rong Xie's fingers and lurched forward. Although Wang Mu was short, he was incredibly strong, and Rong Xie was dragged along for a few steps.
"Where are we going?" Rong Xie asked helplessly. "Can't we say it here?"
"No!" Wang Mu turned around and gave Rong Xie a look that often appeared on Wang the wet nurse's face, usually indicating that she was about to talk about someone's misdeeds or romantic affairs. "It's about the Grand Master!"
Rong Xie was taken aback, but stopped struggling and followed Wang Mu.
Wang Mu led the way, and the two passed through a series of winding alleys until they arrived at a secluded and deserted place under a broken wall. Further ahead was the foot of the mountain.
The place was deserted, the residents on both sides had long since moved away, the windows were broken and drafty, and even Rong Xie did not know that there was such a place in Yingbin Town.
Wang Mu mysteriously beckoned with his finger, gesturing for Rong Xie to come closer and listen.
"Who is the master of the manor you're talking about?" Rong Xie asked uncertainly.
"Who else could it be but—" Wang Mu gestured towards Huanxue Manor.
Wang Muzhen truly lived up to his reputation as Wang the wet nurse's biological son; his demeanor and appearance were exactly the same. Rong Xie had the illusion that he was talking to Wang the wet nurse.
"What's wrong with him?" Rong Xie asked.
"Hey, what else could it be? It's just...that kind of thing between adults." Wang Mu twirled his fingers, looking like he knew a lot.
"What exactly happened?" Rong Xie frowned.
"Oh dear, it's the head of the manor! He and that fairy named Xing or Yue, their affair has been exposed!"
"ah??"
Rong Xie almost thought he had misheard.
But how did Wang Mu know the name "Star Seed Fairy"? He must have heard it from someone else, and what did that person say...?
"I heard it from the guests staying at the hotel," Wang Mu said smugly, seeing Rong Xie's reaction. "When I brought foot-washing water to the room at night, I heard all sorts of rumors. I've already heard three groups of guests talking about this."
"What did they say?" Rong Xie asked.
"The Ruthless Dao Nascent Soul cultivator, one of the three great adjudicators of the cultivation world, the Demon-Slaying Sword Saint Shen Bingsi, actually had a thing with that Star Moon Fairy!" Wang Mu had heard Shen Bingsi's titles since he was a child, and his ears were calloused from hearing them. Now he recited them fluently, with a subtle sense of irony.
Rong Xie's brows furrowed once again.
He didn't believe the rumor at all.
If it were when he first had the precognitive dream, he might have wavered a bit, but now he had already met Cui Xingmiao in person. Rong Xie knew that Cui Xingmiao was no different from the others; they wouldn't receive any extra pity from Shen Bingsi. He himself was no exception.
Shen Bingsi had no romantic feelings in his heart. Even when he hugged or held hands, he was thinking about cultivation. In his opinion, private conversations between Daoist partners were only valuable when discussing dual cultivation experiences.
For someone like Shen Bingsi to have an affair with Fairy Xingmiao, it would be impossible unless the sun rose in the west.
However, he did not deny or criticize Wang Mu.
This news wasn't fabricated by Wang Mu after all, so denying Wang Mu's claims would be pointless and would only make him afraid to speak up.
"Who is spreading this? Could there be some misunderstanding?" Rong Xie asked calmly.
Wang Mu had expected Rong Xie to be very surprised, or at least show some emotion, but nothing came of it, leaving him somewhat disappointed.
Then, he embellished the story further, describing how the guests spread this scandal that shook the cultivation world—it started when someone saw that the so-called Star Moon Fairy and the Demon-Slaying Sword Saint Shen Bingsi had a big fight. The fairy had always had a good reputation in the cultivation world, and there were countless outstanding peers who pursued her, but she had never been seen to treat anyone differently, nor did she ever argue with anyone. However, the Sword Saint Shen was the first one.
It must be that Shen Jiansheng did something to offend that fairy. According to those who saw it, when the fairy left, she even covered her face and cried, saying that she never wanted to see Shen Jiansheng again.
"..." Rong Xie felt that the person he saw on the spot had outstanding observation skills, and it was a pity that he was not a storyteller in a teahouse.
However, there is some useful information: Shen Bingsi and Miss Cui had a fight.
Why would Shen Bingsi argue with Miss Cui? Wasn't he there to thank her? Could it be that they disagreed on how to treat him, and their thanks turned into a quarrel?
Shen Bingsi cultivates the Path of Ruthlessness, and for the sake of her pride, she wouldn't reveal the method of dual cultivation. So what could they possibly be arguing about? Could it be something Rong Xie doesn't know? That's more likely, after all, they've shared over three thousand chapters of camaraderie, so it's quite normal for some grudges or conflicts to arise outside that Rong Xie is unaware of.
Seeing Rong Xie's face finally darken, Wang Mu felt relieved. Sure enough, he still had some value, at least in terms of being a gossip, Shen Yan and the others were no match for him!
“There’s more to it,” Wang Mu gestured, “After Shen Jiansheng angered the so-called Star Moon Fairy and drove her away, he wouldn’t let it go. He chased after her and followed her for three whole days, not caring whether there were people around or not. He insisted that she promise not to tell anyone about what happened between them, and he even made her swear an oath. The people traveling with him couldn’t stand it anymore, but they couldn’t beat Shen Jiansheng, so they were so angry that they shouted that they were going to go to the main peak of the Spirit Mirror Sect to complain to the old sect master Xue Baoshan!”
"..." Not to mention others, even Rong Xie would find the man's behavior in this matter too despicable after hearing this. He couldn't imagine how serious the damage such rumors would do to Shen Bing Si's reputation.
Of course, this was a rumor. Hearing this, Rong Xie had no doubt that Shen Bingsi and Miss Cui might have indeed quarreled over something. However, the following details could not possibly be true. First of all, it didn't make sense logically. If Shen Bingsi really wanted to hide something, why would she force Miss Cui to swear an oath in front of others? Wouldn't that just make things worse? Even an eight-year-old like Wang Mu knew that you should whisper in private. Wouldn't Shen Bingsi know that?
Although the cultivation world sounds lofty and unattainable, the cultivators within are still human beings. Humans have a penchant for gossip, especially for those high-ranking and influential figures. Listening to their gossip always gives one a sense of satisfaction in bringing these powerful figures down from their pedestals. A young cultivator like Shen Bingsi, with a plethora of titles and a spotless reputation, is undoubtedly the perfect target for gossip.
On the other hand, adding Star Seed Fairy... it was an explosive piece of news that could ignite at any moment. In just a few days, three groups of hotel guests from Shengjing to Yingbin Town were discussing this matter.
"..."
What to do? Could this be the trouble Shen Bingsi said he needed to deal with? This is indeed a troublesome matter, and it doesn't sound like something Shen Bingsi could handle alone. Knowing his personality, the more he tries to solve it, the more chaotic things will become…
"No way." Rong Xie thought of Shen Bing Si's repeated postponements of her return, and he seemed to understand something.
Rong Xie didn't have time to continue shopping. He told Wang Mu to go find Shen Yan and the others, and that he had to go back to the manor first. He told them they could continue shopping, as long as they came back before dark.
"Brother Rong, don't worry, I will definitely pass on the message." Wang Mu patted his chest.
"Thank you very much." Rong Xie thought of something and took out a spirit stone and gave it to Wang Mu. "Take this first, and I'll treat you to a meal another day."
"Thank you, Brother Rong!" Wang Mu's eyes lit up, and his voice became even louder.
Rong Xie used a flying talisman to return to Huanxue Manor, took out a communication jade pendant, and contacted Shen Bingsi.
As he stepped onto the steps in front of the gate, he suddenly felt someone watching him.
He turned around, but didn't see anyone.
Just then, the communication jade pendant connected, and Shen Bingsi's anxious voice came from the other end. He seemed to be arguing with someone.
Seeing that he was busy, Rong Xie didn't say much, only telling him to remember to call him back when he was alone.
"What is it? Wait for me, I'll be right out." Shen Bingsi noticed Rong Xie's unusual tone.
"Hmm...it's about you and Miss Cui," Rong Xie hinted.
"You know? Who's so foul-mouthed, running over there to spread rumors? Wait, I'll be right back!" Shen Bingsi cursed angrily, cutting off the telepathic communication.
Rong Xie originally wanted to tell him that if there were important matters outside, it was fine not to come back. But then he thought that those people outside might not be able to fully consider things from Shen Bing Si's perspective. He had some ideas on how to eliminate the impact that might help Shen Bing Si.
With a heavy heart, Rong Xie put away the jade pendant, pushed open the door, and walked across the threshold.
Just then, a slightly hoarse voice called out from behind: "Brother Rong, please wait."
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