Elder Liu swept into the back hills of Huiyuan Gate with her two disciples in tow, fury radiating off her in waves.
Had her gaze been capable of killing, the flowers and trees lining the path would have withered and died on the spot.
Su He and Li Miao trailed behind their master with their heads hanging low, looking for all the world like a pair of quails being marched to the chopping block.
When they reached the entrance to the guest courtyard, Elder Liu didn't bother knocking. A single sweep of her wide sleeve sent both heavy rosewood doors flying open with a thunderous bang, raising a cloud of dust from the ground.
"Where is Elder Ren?"
The shout rang out sharp and clear, saturated with dense spiritual energy. Leaves rained from the courtyard trees. The spirit crane that had only just been coaxed back down gave a startled shudder, spread its wings, and vanished into the sky.
Ren Wencai heard the commotion. Rather than taking offense, he rose at a leisurely pace, dusted the soil from his hands, and arranged his face into that signature grin of his — the infuriating, fist-inviting kind.
"Well, well — if it isn't Junior Sister Liu! What brings you all the way out here? Rare guest, rare guest indeed!"
He sauntered over with exaggerated ceremony, his gaze sweeping over the two disciples behind Elder Liu — pale-faced, eyes darting everywhere but forward — and understood the situation in an instant.
So that kid Liu Enchuan wasn't wrong. They've come to file a complaint right at our doorstep.
Elder Liu let out a cold snort, completely unmoved by his act.
"Wipe that smirk off your face! Ren Wencai, what fine disciples you've raised!"
"Now, now, Junior Sister, what do you mean by that?"
Ren Wencai put on a wide-eyed look of perfect bewilderment.
"Every last one of my disciples is well-behaved and obedient. How on earth could they have upset you?"
"Well-behaved and obedient?"
Elder Liu gave a laugh of pure, incredulous fury. She pointed at Su He and Li Miao behind her.
"Look at them! Look at what your disciples have done to these two girls — one with an injury to her neck, the other with damage to her internal organs! Is that your idea of well-behaved?!"
Ren Wencai followed her gesture and clicked his tongue twice, arranging his expression into one of deep, pained concern.
"Good heavens, who did this? What kind of person doesn't know how to treat a lady with care? They absolutely deserve to be punished!"
"Drop the act!"
Elder Liu stepped forward, pressing her advantage.
"If you don't give me a satisfactory answer today, I will tear this shabby courtyard of yours apart brick by brick! Hand over that disciple of yours named Jiang Lu — and that accomplice Gu Chengming along with him!"
"Jiang Lu?"
Ren Wencai blinked.
He had assumed they were here to make trouble for Gu Chengming. But from the sound of it, the main culprit had somehow become Jiang Lu?
Sharp as ever, he let his gaze drift over Su He and Li Miao, taking in the way both girls were practically trying to sink through the floor with guilt. Understanding clicked into place immediately.
So... they couldn't bring themselves to admit they'd been beaten by Gu Chengming, and dumped the blame on Jiang Lu instead?
Ren Wencai choked back his laughter and arranged his face into a suitably grave expression.
"You're saying Jiang Lu was the one who struck them?"
"Obviously!"
Elder Liu seethed. "If that Jiang Lu hadn't used his First Realm Seventh Layer cultivation to gang up and ambush them, how could my two disciples have suffered this badly? Two grown men bullying two helpless young women — have they no shame?!"
"Ahem, ahem..."
Ren Wencai cleared his throat to cover the violent twitch at the corner of his mouth.
Gang up and ambush. First Realm Seventh Layer.
Junior Sister Liu had been thoroughly played by her own disciples.
But he saw no reason to set the record straight. Instead, he followed Elder Liu's lead with seamless ease.
"In that case, we certainly need to get to the bottom of this. Someone — go fetch Jiang Lu and Gu Chengming!"
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A short while later.
Gu Chengming and Jiang Lu were brought to the courtyard.
The moment Jiang Lu walked through the gate and saw Elder Liu's expression — black as the bottom of a cooking pot — and the two senior sisters who had very obviously been telling tales, his legs nearly gave out.
"Disciple... pays his respects to Elder Ren, and to Elder Liu."
Both men bowed.
Elder Liu didn't spare Gu Chengming so much as a glance. Her sharp eyes locked onto Jiang Lu and stayed there, as though she intended to swallow him whole.
"So it was you? Using your superior cultivation to ambush my disciples?"
Jiang Lu: "...What?"
He looked up in complete bewilderment, glancing from Elder Liu to Su He, then pointed at himself.
"Me? Ambush them?"
"And now you dare talk back!"
Gu Chengming thought: Junior Brother Jiang, you really are unlucky.
True to what he'd said earlier about not dragging the other man into this, he stepped forward and positioned himself in front of Jiang Lu, cutting off Elder Liu before she could continue.
His expression was calm. He clasped his hands toward Elder Liu in a respectful salute, his tone earnest.
"Elder Liu, this matter has nothing to do with Junior Brother Jiang."
"The situation called for quick action, and I acted alone. Junior Brother Jiang was merely standing nearby and did not raise a hand."
A beat of silence fell over the courtyard.
Elder Liu froze. Then, as though she had just heard the world's most absurd joke, her fury gave way to laughter — a cold, disbelieving laugh.
"You?"
A First Realm Fourth Layer cultivator? Defeated someone at the Fifth Layer and someone at the Sixth Layer?
Were all the people at Huiyuan Gate this shameless? The old one played the fool, and now the young one was spinning fairy tales!
"Let's all calm down, calm down."
Ren Wencai, who had been enjoying the show until now, finally decided to step in. He strolled forward with a smile and planted himself between the two parties like a mediator.
"Since both sides have their own account, this is a difficult matter to resolve on words alone. Here in Wenjian Sect, we believe in settling things with reason — and, on occasion, with force."
"Here is what I propose."
Ren Wencai showed his hand.
"Since Junior Sister believes my disciple was throwing his weight around, why not let them settle it right here, right now? Let young Gu Chengming spar with your two distinguished disciples — a proper exchange of pointers."
"If he loses, then he was lying through his teeth. The matter of Jiang Lu's ambush stands confirmed, and you may deal with them however you see fit."
"But if he wins..."
"Then that proves the boy genuinely had the ability all along, and any misunderstanding between us is cleared up. How does that sound?"
Elder Liu heard him out and laughed inwardly.
Crafty old Ren Wencai — so this is the trap you laid for me?
You think you can use this to get Jiang Lu off the hook? Do you really think so little of my two disciples?
Last time they were ambushed off guard. This time, face to face, with full preparation — how could they possibly lose to a First Realm Fourth Layer good-for-nothing?
This was a gift delivered straight to her door.
"Fine!"
Elder Liu agreed without hesitation.
Su He and Li Miao exchanged a glance, and saw identical despair reflected in each other's eyes.
But it was too late to back down now. They were riding the tiger.
Su He gritted her teeth and steadied herself inwardly: Last time she'd been caught completely off guard — and that lunatic shouting "rogue cultivators!" had rattled her composure, letting him close the distance and get the drop on her. That was why.
This time was different.
This was a face-to-face spar. She was prepared. She had range on her side. She was Fifth Layer against his Fourth Layer!
As long as she kept her distance and bombarded him with spell-arts, how could she possibly lose?!
"Disciple... will obey!" Su He clenched her jaw and stepped forward.
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Two breaths later.
Two figures lay stacked on top of each other, deeply unconscious.
A breeze drifted through the courtyard, sending a few dry leaves skittering across the ground.
The silence was excruciating.
Ren Wencai's shoulders were shaking. He was fighting very hard to keep a straight face.
And Elder Liu stood there, staring down at her two fallen disciples, then up at Gu Chengming — who had sheathed his sword and stood with perfect composure, expression utterly untroubled.
Her head was ringing.
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