Chapter 32
After many years, has this white phoenix finally returned to its true nature and started wearing white again?
Everything was silent.
Sheng Ningyu suddenly didn't know what she was thinking.
She didn't speak, nor did she feel afraid. Relying on the mask covering her face, she allowed herself to openly drift off into her own thoughts.
Rationally, Sheng Ningyu knew that her own safety should be her priority, but a thought in her heart was clamoring for her to look up.
My old friends are now thousands of miles away.
In a fleeting moment of distraction, it felt like returning to a dream from the dust of the past.
In that moment of silence, the person standing there finally ran out of patience.
However, just as Feng Xiaosheng was about to remove the disciple's mask, a tremendous spiritual force, as vast as mountains and seas, surged forth. Feng Xiaosheng spun around and flicked his sleeves, his flowing robes fluttering in the wind, a crimson hue flashing like a shooting star, defusing the sudden attack.
However, she didn't have time to investigate the disciple below.
Because the owner of the Yin-Yang Mirror has arrived.
Chu Jiye descended from the sky. Looking at the miserable state of the Chu family members, his expression grew increasingly somber, carrying a sense of impending doom.
Raising his left hand, Chu Jiye caught the Yin-Yang Mirror and said in a chilling tone, "Using numbers to bully the few and relying on strength to oppress the weak, we urge the academy to give our Chu family justice in this matter."
Feng Xiaosheng put away his feather fan, clasped his hands over his abdomen, and said in a calm and gentle tone: "The academy has strict rules and will give the innocent justice."
Sheng Ningyu, who was trying to minimize her presence, was taken aback and lifted her eyelids in slight surprise.
How could Feng Xiaosheng, a guy who can't tolerate any nonsense, actually say such polite words?
In the past, that arrogant little phoenix princess would probably have just sneered and turned her back on them. It would have been considered kind of Feng Xiaosheng not to unleash another "Nirvana Phoenix Fire" with her feather fan.
Now, she can actually be insincere and diplomatic with people, and even have give-and-take interactions?
Sheng Ningyu found it somewhat amusing at first, but then felt a pang of melancholy.
Amidst old joys and new dreams, I find myself pondering in quiet moments.
She sighed inwardly, lowered her eyes and head, and made no further move.
They have all changed so much.
Hearing Feng Xiaosheng say this, Chu Jiye's tone was impatient, revealing a hint of annoyance: "It seems that Young Master Feng is going to protect these disciples?"
Feng Xiaosheng remained unmoved: "This matter involves many disciples. How to handle it should be discussed after all the elders of the palaces have gathered."
Chu Jiye glanced indifferently at the disciples present, then said coldly, "Why aren't you coming over here?"
Chu Le walked over like a quail, and Chu Jiye flicked his sleeve, directly using the "Sleeve Universe" technique to take away all the Chu family members.
Once the dark blue figure had left, all the disciples breathed a sigh of relief.
They had no doubt that if Feng Shaojun hadn't been there, the head of the Chu family would have gone on a killing spree.
Even the disciples who were just starting out have calmed down now, realizing they have caused trouble, and dare not say a word.
Elders and instructors from various sects in the academy rushed over upon hearing the news, but were delayed by the matter and arrived a step too late. They could only stand at the front with dark faces. The chaotic battle finally came to an end. Logically, the next step should be the time for reckoning. However, Feng Pianpian, who was behind Feng Xiaosheng, felt that something was wrong.
She stepped forward and asked, "Young Master, shall we take the person back to the main hall now?"
Feng Xiaosheng glanced at the Phoenix Clan disciples standing behind her, and when she saw Feng Jiutian's bruised face, her expression was unreadable: "Can they still leave now?"
Feng Pianpian: "..."
It turns out we forgot about that.
Sheng Ningyu breathed a slight sigh of relief. Taking advantage of the moment when everyone's attention was not on her, she gave Xie Qianjing a signal and quickly slipped into the crowd.
Feng Xiaosheng was probably just acting on a whim, and now that he has more things to do, he naturally doesn't have time to pay attention to her.
On the other side, Yuan Bushu nodded slightly to Yuan Shu.
"Steward Feng," Yuan Shuhe said, cupping his hands. "Our Yunwang Palace is mostly staffed with healers. If you need any help, we are willing to heal you."
The other disciples who had been enduring the pain looked up, their eyes shining with joy!
That fight just now really gave me a huge sense of relief, but the injuries I sustained really hurt!
Unable to resist the pitiful looks of their disciples, the elders pleaded with Feng Xiaosheng, and finally decided to throw all the people into the back room of the main hall, ordering the disciples of Yunwang Palace to treat their injuries. As for the stewards and representatives of various palaces...
During this time, disciples would occasionally be summoned to the main hall for questioning.
With nothing to do, Sheng Ningyu strolled over to Xie Qianjing's side.
"How do you think Young Master and the former Palace Master will punish us?"
Xie Qianjing understood her meaning and raised his hand to set up a soundproof array: "Perhaps it's just copying palace rules again, but this time there are too many disciples involved, and the commotion is too great. If it's just copying palace rules, the Chu family might cause trouble."
They were, after all, people sent by the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion. Even if they had impure intentions, they shouldn't have been rendered helpless after being struck by a disciple.
Especially since that talisman was nothing more than a low-grade Snow Melting Talisman.
Xie Qianjing's gaze lingered on her hand for a moment, then he said softly, "I didn't do anything, I just gave him a taste of his own medicine."
This elder of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion forbade other disciples from disobeying the Chu family, so he made him often suffer the pain of being unable to speak or walk.
Hearing this, Sheng Ningyu smiled even more brightly. She patted Xie Qianjing on the shoulder and praised, "Great minds think alike. You truly are my dear friend. You know what I want to do with just a glance. Haha, Xie Qianjing, I think you'll soon be promoted to my confidant."
"Is that so?"
Xie Qianjing suddenly smiled slightly. He took Sheng Ningyu's hand, cupped her fingers in his palm, and walked forward together. "Then I wonder how my status as a 'close friend' compares to those of the others from before?"
She still remembered the little fox she met in the mountains back then, which also liked to do the same. It would stay close to people all day long, and even if you ignored it, it would snuggle into your arms or under your paws, insisting on getting your attention.
Thinking about it, she couldn't help but laugh out loud. She used her spiritual power to draw a fox ear on Xie Qian's lens, which could be blown away with a breath. She chanted repeatedly, "Of course you are the best. You are the best. You and I are the best of friends in the world. I like you the most. I will choose you no matter what happens in the future."
Sheng Ningyu's words were just casual remarks, and she wouldn't really take them to heart, but some people did remember this scene.
Feng Xiaosheng stood on the forty-ninth step of white jade, his eyes filled with mockery, and the corners of his lips curled up in a sarcastic smile: "Is this what Patriarch Chu called 'extremely similar'?"
After saying that, Feng Xiaosheng sneered and left, leaving Chu Jiye alone on the spot.
The Chu family head, who had been aloof and taciturn in the hall just moments before, now seemed like a bewildered young man, lost in thought.
……No.
His sister Ningyu never told him who his favorite was.
Back then, Sheng Ningyu was an unparalleled genius, always surrounded by many people. Her lovers were as numerous as fish crossing a river, and countless people had even uttered the word "like" from her.
She loves flowers, beautiful scenery, sparkling jewels, delicate and elegant fragrances, and everything beautiful and interesting in the world.
She would praise his good looks and give him the courtesy name "Chang'an," but Chu Jiye knew that she had also praised mountains, seas, the spirit pets that galloped like flowing light between mountain peaks, and the gentle breeze that stirred the clouds like a dragon startled from a dream.
The name "Sheng Ningyu" represents the moon high above, dazzling and gentle, yet never lingering for anyone.
As her fiancé, Sheng Ningyu had of course told Chu Jiye "I like you" many times, but Chu Jiye knew that this liking was too cold and too easy, not as good as a falling pear blossom, much less as good as... the person she had truly liked.
Yes, Chu Jiye had always known that his sister Ningyu had someone she liked very much.
The elders were unwilling to say much, but Chu Jiye was able to find clues.
He knew he wasn't a smart person, much less talented than his third brother, but he still managed to sense it.
When you love someone, you're always this perceptive.
After painstakingly gathering various information, what he pieced together was something that Chu Jiye absolutely did not want to accept.
“That man was born with bad luck, and his family had already been ruined.”
His father sat in the head seat of the household, stroking the Yin-Yang mirror. After listening to his impassioned words, he simply smiled.
The laughter contained contempt, disdain, and even pity.
"The reason why the Sword Master Guihai arranged this marriage with us back then was to prevent his disciple from being entangled in that person's fate. My son, rest assured, Sheng Ningyu's former fiancé almost never shows his true face. Moreover, even those who knew about their past engagement have finished practicing their swordsmanship, so no one will discuss this past anymore."
"As long as you don't mention it, Sheng Ningyu will always be your fiancée."
Chu Jiye stared at his father in disbelief, feeling dizzy all over, and murmured, "Sword Master...it was Sword Master who touched Sister Ningyu's memories?!"
"Chu Jiye".
Chu Yuandao put the Yin-Yang Mirror into his divine sense, stood up, looked down at his son who was kneeling on the ground trembling under the suppression of his spiritual power, and said: "If you don't want this marriage, I can give you another son."
Chu Jiye... Chu Jiye dared not resist.
He wanted this marriage so badly.
But the proud young man's heart was like a raging fire, and he only regarded love and hate as black and white in the world. On the one hand, he liked the bright moon that was high above, and on the other hand, he was angry at her unfocused lowered eyes and annoyed by his own attention and favor towards her.
Gradually, Chu Jiye's emotions became distorted, and he felt that he hated Sheng Ningyu.
Coincidentally, there was someone else just like him.
So he teamed up with her and launched what he thought was a retaliatory act.
"Fairy Liuguang, it's been a long time." Chu Jiye turned his head and looked calmly at Ning Jiao standing behind him. "Or should I address you as 'City Lord's Wife' now?"
...
The final punishment was almost exactly what Sheng Ningyu had predicted.
First, capture the masterminds of each faction, have them copy the palace rules five hundred times, and the rest of the people copy them three hundred times.
Secondly, all disciples must go down the mountain with their master to remove obstacles before the Thousand Mountains Trial, regardless of sect or group.
Finally, due to the elder's indeed improper conduct, the elder was removed from his position as lecturer, and the Tianji Pavilion was notified to appoint another candidate.
"I really didn't expect this," Yao Youling muttered to herself, "that Patriarch Chu would actually bring out the Yin-Yang Mirror for such a trivial matter."
Ji Qingwu tugged at his sleeve and retorted in a low voice, "Actually, this is not a small matter."
Yao Youling covered his head and chuckled, "Putting everything else aside, this fight was really exhilarating! It was just copying some palace rules, but it was worth it!"
"Yes, yes, I heard that when the Yin-Yang Mirror was revealed, Patriarch Chu's expression was also quite unpleasant!"
Sheng Ningyu smiled as she looked at everyone, while Yuan Bushu's handsome face seemed frozen as he landed in front of them.
Yuan Bushu glanced at everyone. Unlike other sects, he skipped the interrogation process and strode past all the disciples. He stood in front of Sheng Ningyu and said coldly, "Master."
He didn't even want to use questions.
"It's me!"
Someone said what she wanted to say beforehand.
The key point is that it's not just one person.
Yao Youling, Ji Qingwu, Yuan Shuhe, and many other Yunwang Palace disciples that Sheng Ningyu was not very familiar with... even Jin Xianyao was among them.
Ji Qingwu: "Palace Master, you are wise. I was the first one to be injured, and I was resentful, so I plotted this."
Yao Youling: "Palace Master, I have a bad temper and have always disliked Chu Le, so I encouraged everyone to do this."
Yuan Shuhe: "Brother, no one would dare to do this without my permission. This is my fault, and I absolutely must not implicate others."
After this incident, Jin Xianyao's opinion of Sheng Ningyu changed drastically. He actually stood up and, trembling yet resolute, said to Yuan Bushu, "This was all because I was insulted and wronged by the Chu family. That's why I plotted this. I am the one who started it!"
In the end, Jin Xianyao's tone revealed a resolute determination as if he were ready to die.
Many disciples of Yunwang Palace stood in front of Sheng Ningyu, creating a sense of protecting their own.
What year is it tonight?
Yuan Bushu thought expressionlessly that this scene was all too familiar to him.
At this point, Sheng Ningyu sighed softly, tilted her head slightly, and said with a hint of sorrow, "The former Palace Master treated me very well and was willing to take me in at Yunwang Palace. That was already the greatest kindness she could show. How could I dare to make things difficult for her again?"
Instantly, dozens of pairs of eyes, including those of the passing disciples, turned to look at Yuan Bushu.
Yuan Buqi: "..."
Over the years, her ability to exonerate herself has only improved.
He said blankly, "If you want to stay with her, then everyone will be punished by copying this five hundred times."
That won't do.
Sheng Ningyu immediately became anxious.
She has Xie Qianjing, but they don't have Xie Baijing or Xie Wanjing. It would take them forever to copy it five hundred times.
Sheng Ningyu made a quick decision and said, "It was my fault. I should take responsibility for my actions. There's no need for you all to argue anymore!"
But this time, she hadn't anticipated it.
"No! We are willing to be punished together!"
"Exactly! We were supposed to be working together, how could Fellow Daoist Wang be left to bear the burden of the wood all by himself!"
"I don't care about others, Palace Master, I request to be punished by copying it five hundred times."
The more they refused, the more their blood boiled. They truly longed for the days when those immortal cultivators were "heroic and courageous, traveling thousands of miles with heroes." Once they put themselves in that position, no one disagreed with the five hundred repetitions.
Yuan Bushu made the final decision: "In that case, all those in Yunwang Palace who participated in this matter shall be punished by reciting the palace rules five hundred times."
He looked at the teenagers, a very faint smile appearing on his lips.
Youthful days are fleeting and never return.
There will always be young people coming.
Facing the crowd, Sheng Ningyu was unusually both amused and exasperated.
Xie Qianjing had disappeared without a trace. Sheng Ningyu made an excuse to say goodbye to everyone and also slipped out.
She caused a scene, but she didn't miss the chance to gather information.
"Young friend."
A gentle voice came from behind, with a soothing rhythm that felt like a spring breeze, making one unconsciously lower their guard.
Have you seen my junior sister?
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Author's note: Yes! The second senior brother has arrived!
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