Gossip within the sect always spreads faster than spiritual energy.
"Have you heard? Senior Sister Lu Qingli actually fell for that guy Xiang Fan!"
"Is this true? That's impossible! Who is Xiang Fan? The nerd who spends all day crammed with theory books and hasn't gotten past the basics of swordsmanship after three years of practicing?"
"That's him! Yesterday at the flying boat stop, Senior Sister Lu took Xiang Fan's hand and left in front of Senior Brother Zhao Qingyue!"
The Dharma Hall, the martial arts arena, and even the corners of the Sutra Library were filled with the sounds of disciples' discussions. Some stared with shock, some with suspicion, and some were outright laughing.
"That Xiang Fan? God, I've disliked him for a long time! With his level, he can't even reach the fifth level of Qi training. What makes him so qualified?"
"I think Senior Sister Lu felt sorry for him and made up a random excuse to put Senior Brother Zhao off."
"Tsk, maybe Senior Sister Lu really likes this 'nerdy type'! A cool beauty and a shy scholar, sounds like a good match?"
When the Dharma Master heard the news, he was about to sip his tea when his hand shook, spilling it all over the table. He looked up at his disciples, bewildered. "How is that possible? That kid Xiang Fan... he hasn't even mastered the 36 Lingxiao moves yet." The Master shook his head and muttered to himself, "The world of young people is truly becoming increasingly incomprehensible."
Meanwhile, at a corner of the flying boat's dock, Zhao Qingyue stood high above, his face as gloomy as a thundercloud about to bring down a violent storm. His gaze swept over the disciples laughing and giggling below, and the petals of the Thousand Spirit Flower in his hand were silently crushed, scattering to the ground.
"Junior Sister Qingli actually rejected me in public for that loser..." Zhao Qingyue gritted his teeth, his voice filled with icy anger, "This is a great shame!"
His followers stepped forward cautiously and said in a low voice, "Brother Zhao, Xiang Fan is just a nobody at the fourth level of Qi training. Do you want us to teach him a lesson for you? Let him know his place."
Zhao Qingyue sneered and waved his hand to stop him: "No hurry. He's the type who usually hides in corners and is nowhere to be seen. If you want to touch him, you have to choose a more appropriate time."
He turned slowly, his eyes narrowed slightly, and his tone was cold and stern: "Let him have a good few days, give him a chance to breathe. When the time comes, I will make him understand that he can't even be a shield. Anyone who offends Zhao Qingyue must pay the price."
The followers nodded, and one of them asked, "Brother, what should we do next?"
Zhao Qingyue's gaze swept across the men like a knife. "Keep a close eye on him. Don't let your guard down. But remember, don't act rashly. I don't want this to end too soon." He paused, then added with a sneer, "I want him to wait patiently, and then when he thinks everything is over, I'll personally shatter his hopes."
At this moment, a dangerous glint flashed in Zhao Qingyue's eyes. His voice was low but carried an undeniable chill: "Xiang Fan, right? Since Junior Sister Qingli chose you... then be prepared to bear the consequences."
In contrast to the clamor of gossip outside, Xiang Fan was currently huddled in a chair in the corner of his hut, like a rabbit beset by its predators, his face a look of despair. He clasped his head in his hands, forehead resting on the table, muttering to himself, "Why has it turned out like this... I just want a quiet life, I don't even dare to make friends, how did I suddenly become the focus of the entire sect's news..."
The spiritual mirror communicator on the table was beeping frantically, the piercing sound almost like a death knell. Xiang Fan looked up cautiously, and the screen was filled with messages from "kind-hearted people":
"Xiang Fan, is this true? Senior Sister Lu really likes you?"
"Brother, if you have any secrets to picking up fairies, please teach me!"
"Xiang Fan! You're really good at hiding yourself! How could you win over a fairy as aloof as Senior Sister Lu?"
Xiang Fan glanced at the messages, took a deep breath, and then slammed the spirit mirror back onto the table, like he was dropping a hot potato. He was completely devastated. "Why do they all think that? It's obviously not true at all! Senior Sister Lu was just there to save the day!"
He recalled Lu Qingli's hand in his last night. The soft touch and gentle voice resurfaced in his mind. In the image, Lu Qingli smiled faintly and whispered, "Don't be nervous. Cooperate with me." His face suddenly flushed, and even his ears felt hot. He quickly shook his head, trying to get rid of these inappropriate thoughts.
"No, no!" Xiang Fan slapped his face and muttered, "Senior Sister Lu is just trying to deal with Zhao Qingyue! How could this be true? Wake up, Xiang Fan, you are an ordinary person, as ordinary as can be!"
However, the storm of gossip outside did not subside, but instead intensified. In the sect's martial arts arena, the Sutra Library, and even in the kitchen and backyard, the "legendary story" about Xiang Fan and Lu Qingli was fermenting everywhere.
"I heard that Senior Sister Lu and Xiang Fan were childhood sweethearts, and they have had a deep bond since they were young!"
"You're wrong. Senior Sister Lu was moved by Xiang Fan's 'low-key and reserved attitude'!"
"No, I heard that Xiang Fan is actually an orphan of a hidden family with a distinguished background. Senior Sister Lu already knew the truth!"
Each outrageous rumor was more fantastic than the last, and even the elders of the Dharma Hall began to join the gossip.
"Xiang Fan? The kid who can't even master the basic sword moves?"
"You can't say that. Lu Qingli has always had a unique vision. Maybe she really saw something special."
"Perhaps he has hidden some extraordinary qualities, who knows..."
Xiang Fan knew nothing about this, but he could feel that more and more eyes were watching him. Every time he cautiously walked out of the hut, he would hear the disciples whispering to each other, and some even deliberately looked at him with strange eyes.
He returned to the cabin and practically collapsed into a chair, as if all his strength had been drained away. He covered his face and muttered, "What the hell are these people trying to do... I'm just an ordinary person, there's really nothing special about me... Please let me go."
Thinking of this, his face began to heat up again, and his ears trembled uneasily. He tried to calm himself down, but the image became clearer and clearer—a slender figure in the mist, with lowered eyebrows and a faint smile, as gentle as a painting... Xiang Fan shook his head desperately, wanting to slap himself on the head. "No! I can't think about this anymore! If I keep thinking about it, I'm really doomed!"
Meanwhile, at the other end of the sect, Zhao Qingyue stood at the flying boat's dock, his gaze grim and distant. The Thousand Spirit Flower petals he had crushed scattered to the ground, a dangerous sneer on his lips.
"Xiang Fan, enjoy your present glory." Zhao Qingyue's voice was low and cold, like a lurking venomous snake. "Soon... you will know the price of offending me."
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