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Finding the situation turning awkward, Murong Chun scratched his nose and tried to smooth things over. “Junior Sister Liu is concerned for you, that’s all. Concern often leads to confusion. Please don’t hold it against her. Go ahead and practice; Junior Sister and I will keep watch.”
Under their watchful eyes, Lin Jiu calmly channeled the aura back into the karma lotus, leaving a small portion to advance her cultivation to the mid-stage of the Foundation Establishment.
“…Well done, well done. You should have advanced at the main gate earlier, but doing it now isn’t too late.” Murong Chun’s face was full of pity. He had never seen someone with such poor aptitude!
Lin Jiu paid him no mind and steadily stabilized her cultivation, a satisfied smile playing on her lips as she ‘touched’ the solidness of the opened three petals. “Now then, it’s time to settle the score.” She turned her gaze to Xiong Yulian. “Didn’t you accuse me earlier that I ordered you to bring a love potion?”
Xiong Yulian’s face went pale. “Who… who knew you’d swap it for a gorse to harm me?!”
Lin Jiu pressed on, step by step. “So, you’re saying I deliberately asked you for an aphrodisiac, then swapped it for a grouse, put it in your master Liu Qingyin’s tea, and got caught on purpose… just to harm you? Who do you think you are? Do I even know you well enough to go to such lengths to harm you? What exactly could I achieve from this scheme?”
Xiong Yulian blurted out in desperation, “A-anyway, you just can’t stand seeing Master and Sword Monarch together! You wanted to frame Master, to push her toward Fourth Martial Uncle…”
“Oh?” Lin Jiu raised an eyebrow. “That’s not what you said earlier! Didn’t you claim that I told you the potion was for Sword Monarch? If you believed I was trying to harm your master and martial uncle, why did you so eagerly get the potion for me? So, who was really plotting harm—me or you?”
Murong Chun, who had been standing aside, gradually had a look of realization.
Liu Qingyin’s already sullen face grew even darker.
By now, the truth was clear as day—It was obvious that Xiong Yulian had tried to lure Lin Qiu into committing a crime, only to have Lin Qiu see through her plan and turn the tables on her.
Now things had reached this point, Liu Qingyin bit her lip hard, lowered her head, and bowed. “Allow me to apologize. The fault lies in my failure to discipline my disciple properly! I will make sure she is punished and reflect on my own shortcomings. When Master returns, I will relay the entire matter to him and accept any punishment he deems fit.”
With things framed this way, pressing the issue further would make Lin Jiu seem unreasonable. While she kept maintaining her smug demeanor, her gaze was firmly locked on Qin Yunxi.
‘Something’s off—very, very off! According to the usual cliche, Qin Yunxi’s abnormality would either involve transmigration or reincarnation. Yet, something feels strange…
Lin Jiu decided to keep her suspicions to herself and casually waved a hand at Liu Qingyin. “Forget it. I know many people think you and Wei Liang are the perfect match. Honestly, I think so too. You should talk to him; if he agrees to let me go, that would be for the best.”
Liu Qingyin took a deep breath and spoke through gritted teeth, “You’re mistaken. I have no inappropriate feelings for Master!”
To Lin Jiu’s ears, this sounded completely hypocritical. She merely gave a cool smile and waved it off. “You don’t need to say that to me. I’ve lost my appetite for today. When Wei Liang returns, I’ll invite you all over for a small dinner.” She cast a nonchalant glance at Qin Yunxi for the last time, then turned and left Liu Qingyin’s abode.
Qin Yunxi’s gaze remained fixed on Liu Qingyin, his eyes filled with a tangle of emotions.
…
Lin Jiu made her way back to the main peak and immediately collapsed onto the bridal bed. As she absentmindedly fiddled with the real love potion bottle, she mulled over her thoughts.
Being a seasoned office drone, she had come across plenty of people similar to Liu Qingyin. A senior once told her that true character isn’t revealed during times of ease. Liu Qingyin, blessed with extraordinary talent, had grown up surrounded by admiration and affection, and while her relationship with Wei Liang had many ups and downs, it was a mix of sweetness and bitterness. Moreover, whenever Wei Liang tried to harden his heart and distance himself, a high-quality suitor conveniently appeared at Liu Qingyin’s side, invoking his jealousy and forcing him to confront his true feelings.
Given such circumstances, it was very easy to remain pure-hearted.
In contrast, the side character Lin Qiu had a twisted mindset and went to great lengths with her malicious schemes, ultimately contributing to the growth of the main couple and further emphasizing Liu Qingyin’s image as a pure and flawless white lotus.
However, everything changed the moment Lin Jiu came into the picture. Unlike Lin Qiu, Lin Jiu was calm, composed, and always a step ahead. In the presence of such a clear mirror, the tiny, hidden darkness in the female lead’s heart had nowhere to hide.
But what good did that do? Everyone trusted Liu Qingyin, and every opportunity seemed to favor her. Going up against Liu Qingyin directly would be like an ant trying to shake a giant tree.
“Enough thinking!” Lin Jiu sighed, muttering to herself. “Before I leave, I should at least try to gain as many benefits as I can from Wei Liang!”
Just as the words left her mouth, she felt a sudden chill in the air.
Wei Liang had somehow returned to the room without her noticing and was now staring at her.
Lin Jiu was utterly bewildered. “Weren’t you supposed to be gone for three to five days?” she stammered, realizing awkwardly that she was still holding up the problematic jade bottle in her hand.
With a blank expression, Wei Liang reached out, snatched the bottle from her grasp, uncorked it, and examined its contents carefully.
Lin Jiu didn’t even dare to breathe—her mind buzzing as if filled with a swarm of bees.
After long torturous seconds, Wei Liang lazily shifted his gaze from the bottle, a meaningful look in his eyes. “If you want to gain ‘benefits’ from me, you don’t need to rely on this.”
“…” Lin Jiu screamed inside: ‘No, that’s not what I meant! Don’t jump to conclusions!’
The stunningly handsome man leaned down, his long arms encircling her on the bed seductively. “Do you want it now?”
Lin Jiu felt like the unluckiest person in the world. With a look of distress, she pleaded, “L-listen to me first! Let me explain the situation before you decide to punish me!”
Wei Liang stared at her for a moment, then leaned in closer, tilting his head slightly. His lips hovered just above hers, carrying a cold breath that softly brushed against her cheek.
“Alright, tell me,” he murmured, his lips lightly grazing hers.
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