Chapter 58 The Masked Man Was Among Them
For some reason, Wen Yao felt an inexplicable familiarity with Jiang Li.
Could it be because her eyes resemble Ah Li's?
No, not just the eyes, but also the way they talk.
Especially the back view.
If he hadn't known beforehand that it was Jiang Li, he would have thought it was A Li who had returned just by looking at her back.
Could she be Ah Li...?
Realizing what he was thinking, Wen Yao gave a bitter smile.
It's true that longing can be so intense that it leads to such absurd thoughts.
Since learning of Ah Li's death, he has been unable to sleep at night.
I often dream of Ah Li being tormented, and every time I wake up, I am covered in a cold sweat.
He wished he could just go with Ah Li like that.
But Ah Li's body has not yet been found, and he still holds onto a sliver of hope.
Perhaps, Ah Li still has a breath left.
As long as she is still alive, no matter what she becomes, he is willing to marry her and take care of her for the rest of his life.
But……
Wen Yao looked into the distance.
Ah Li, where are you...?
-
Lotus Gate
Looking at Lu Ziting, who had been absent-minded since returning, Su Ying'er tentatively asked, "Senior Brother, are you worried about Senior Sister?"
Lu Ziting snapped out of his daze, his expression complex. "You mean, Ah Li is really gone?"
Whether it was because he finally calmed down, or because Jiang Li's words as an observer made him realize the truth, he belatedly realized that Ye Li really couldn't come back.
He and Ye Li grew up together, cultivated together, and practiced swordsmanship together.
Spending every day together, feelings naturally develop over time.
Ye Lisheng, despite her extraordinary talent, was never arrogant. Although she was taciturn, she meticulously managed the Lotus Sect, respected her teachers, and took care of her fellow disciples, making her the best candidate for a Daoist partner.
Until... Ying'er appeared.
Compared to Ye Li, who is powerful and independent, Ying'er is delicate and frail, making people feel sorry for her.
She always followed behind him, sweetly calling him "Senior Brother," and would secretly watch him practice swordsmanship. Every time she looked at him, her gaze was one of admiration and shyness, filled with girlish feelings.
Unconsciously, his gaze habitually followed that charming figure, and his dreams were filled with her delicate smiling face.
After kissing Ying'er without thinking, he realized that he had fallen in love with this cute little girl.
Unfortunately, he was already engaged to Ye Li, and breaking his promise is not the behavior of a gentleman.
He intended to keep his affection to himself, but he unexpectedly saw those disgusting things in Wen Yao's room.
Upon seeing those intimate garments, he felt an urge to immediately kill the adulterous couple.
It was Ying'er who persuaded him to stop.
“Senior Brother, Ying’er knows you’re angry, but if this gets out, it will tarnish your reputation. Why don’t we think of a way to make Third Senior Brother give up the idea? Then, after some time, you can break off the engagement with Senior Sister, and no one will know.”
Su Ying'er gave him an idea: to write a letter in imitation of Ye Li's handwriting.
Sure enough, Wen Yao went into seclusion not long after that.
After eliminating the potential troubles, he had no more reservations and began to be inseparable from Ying'er.
At the same time, he also received support from his junior brothers, who even helped them cover for him, making Ye Li look foolish.
Because of this incident, he truly harbored resentment towards Ye Li.
Otherwise, given their years of friendship, he wouldn't have turned a blind eye when she asked for help.
But he never expected that Ah Li would die like this...
The hatred had nowhere to go in that instant, and my heart felt half empty...
Lu Ziting suddenly grabbed Su Ying'er's arm, as if she had grasped her last lifeline.
"Ying'er, when did you say A-Li died? Is it really true, as Jiang Li said, that she died on the day of the apprenticeship ceremony?"
Su Ying'er's wrist hurt from his grip, so she pulled it back, saying, "Senior Brother, you're hurting me."
At this moment, Lu Ziting couldn't care less about anything else. He was extremely anxious. "Was it because I ignored her cries for help that she died? Was it because of that?!"
No matter how much Ye Li wronged him, the years they spent together could not be severed overnight. Thinking of how A Li's limbs were broken and her inner core was dug out, he still couldn't help but feel heartbroken.
The belated grief came on strong and intensified.
Seeing this, Su Ying'er disregarded her aching wrist and gently comforted her, "Since Senior Sister's body hasn't been found, no one knows the truth. What if Sister Jiang Li is lying..."
"How could that be?"
Lu Ziting retorted without hesitation, his face full of disapproval, "Junior Sister Jiang Li has no grudge against us, why would she tell such a lie? Ying'er, you think too badly of people."
Su Ying'er was stunned. She was just a junior sister she had just met, so why was Lu Ziting protecting her like this?
She said aggrievedly, "I'm sorry, Senior Brother. It was Ying'er who talked too much. It's all my fault. If you think I offended Sister Jiang Li, I can go and apologize to her."
Seeing the beauty shed tears, Lu Ziting realized he had spoken too harshly and pulled her into his arms to comfort her.
"I acted rashly in a moment of panic, Ying'er, be good, don't cry."
He absentmindedly coaxed Su Ying'er; it seemed that only by finding Ye Li's body could he learn the truth.
As for Junior Sister Jiang Li...
Thinking of those eyes that resembled Ye Li's, he felt a strange mix of emotions.
Tomorrow happens to be the day of the disciple assessment, so he can apologize to her in person; he shouldn't have doubted her.
-
The Heavenly Gate disciples' assessment is held once a year, consisting of three sessions: one for inner disciples, one for outer disciples, and one for registered disciples.
The assessment consists of two rounds, the first of which is the assessment of the sect leader.
Each disciple can choose a sect leader or elder to spar with, and the elder will score the disciple based on their moves.
The second round is a group elimination tournament, where one disciple defends their position while another attacks. The earlier a disciple is eliminated, the lower their score; the later they are eliminated, the higher their score.
If you can hold out until the end, you can be promoted directly to the next level.
"Heavenly spirits, earthly spirits, I, a devout believer, wish for a balanced diet of meat and vegetables, and that you protect me from drawing Jiang Mengyao."
During the drawing of lots, Sangsang muttered to herself.
When she pulled it out, her round face instantly gained eighteen more wrinkles. "Ah! What grudge do you hold? It's Jiang Mengyao! I'm doomed!"
Ye Li was getting a headache from her nagging, so she simply handed over her own signature and asked, "Will you exchange it or not?"
"ah?"
Sangsang hesitated, "Let's forget it. Jiang Mengyao already dislikes you. If I go, I'll at most get a beating. If you go, I'm afraid you'll lose your life."
"Won't."
Ye Li left after writing those two words and took her signature.
Sangsang stared blankly at Ye Li's dashing back, her eyes filled with confusion. Wait, did Xiao Li forget that her cultivation level was lower than hers?
It must be because Xiaoli couldn't bear to see her get beaten up.
Wow, Xiaoli is so good.
"clang-"
With the sound of a gong, the first round of assessments began.
The five sect leaders and elders in charge of the assessment each took their positions, waiting for their disciples to come forward and attack.
There should have been six, but Master Qingyu was seriously injured and had not yet woken up, so his position was replaced by Lu Ziting.
He is now at the early stage of the Golden Core realm and is also a direct disciple, attracting a lot of attention.
However, Ye Li did not give him a second glance. While waiting in line, she carefully examined the five sect leaders.
The Tianmen Sect is divided into the Shuiyun Sect, Chiyan Sect, Jinxiao Sect, Qingmu Sect, and Kongshan Sect.
The "Six Paths Purification Technique" can only be practiced by sect leaders and above.
The First Elder and the Green Wood Sect Elder are both women, which means that the Masked Man is among these four sect leaders.
Ye Li frowned, comparing the masked man's figure to her memory.
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