Chapter 144: Facing the Storm

“Old Ji!”

“I never knew you actually read romance novels!”

“This all started during the last Grand Dao Sect genius competition. You have no idea—Chu Ling practically tried to dive into Lu Ye’s arms, Yue Hongling secretly looked at Lu Ye more than thirty times, and Junior Sister Bai kept glancing in his direction, only to forcibly turn her head away.”

“You tell me, Junior Sister Bai is Lu Ye’s master. If she looked at him openly, no one would say a word. Just a master showing concern for her disciple.”

“But the way she kept sneaking glances, like she wanted to look but couldn’t—now that’s suspicious. That’s when I started wondering: could it be that Junior Sister Bai also has... different feelings for Lu Ye?”

Ji Changming had been speaking quite animatedly—but the more he talked, the darker Liu Changfeng’s face became.

His voice grew quieter and quieter.

Crap.

He’d forgotten—

Liu Changfeng liked Bai Qiulan!

Him... he... he had just stirred up serious trouble.

Liu Changfeng’s smile turned ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ stiff and cold.

“Never expected that Vice Sect Master Ji not only cares about the disciples’ cultivation, but also about their love lives,” Liu Changfeng said quietly.

“Ahem... well, that’s... I...”

“Don’t worry. Since you have the time and energy to care about the romantic entanglements of disciples, it shows you’re diligent and have plenty of spare time. From now on, the sect’s external trade affairs will be handed over to you. You’d better make sure our profits rise steadily.”

“Sect Master, I was wrong!”

Ji Changming admitted his mistake instantly.

“Hmph. I never should’ve come out of seclusion. I should’ve left everything to you!”

Ji Changming: ...

Junior Sister Bai and Lu Ye are master and disciple! Junior Sister Bai is a traditional person. How could she possibly develop any improper relationship with her own disciple? Do you realize what you’re saying counts as slander?”

“I was wrong!”

“You’re fined one month of spirit stone offerings. If it happens again, the punishment will increase!”

“Yes, sir!”

Ji Changming shut up completely.

He even wanted to slap himself. How could he forget that Liu Changfeng liked Bai Qiulan?

He'd basically jumped straight into the fire pit!

They always said romance novels required you to leave your brain at the door—he must have done it way too often, to the point that now his brain was practically gone.

“Get out. I want to be alone.”

“Senior Brother, I’ll take my leave!”

Ji Changming fled in a hurry.

He couldn’t help it—he smacked himself. Got too full of myself. No brain!

Liu Changfeng sat alone in the Dao Inquiry Hall, his gaze distant and unreadable, lost in thought.

After a long time, he let out a sigh.

If he were someone else, maybe he could still compete.

But he—he was the Sect Master of the Grand Dao Sect.

At this moment, Shangguan Huanling had already carried the severely injured Chu Ling to the Grand Dao Sect.

Her whole body trembled lightly, her face pale as gold paper. Once at the peak of the Combined Dao Realm, her cultivation had now fallen to the seventh layer.

Demonic Blood Escape—this thing truly burned through cultivation like a one-time fuel charge.

“I wonder if Big Sis Bai managed to get away,” Shangguan Huanling muttered.

Chu Ling endured waves of unbearable pain. Her very foundation had been damaged—her cultivation might not even stabilize. She could drop out of the Combined Dao Realm entirely.

Gongzi still hadn’t come to save her.

He really, truly didn’t care about her anymore.

She thought of that moment from the start of her rebirth—when the contract ignited in flame.

That paper contract, once seen as a humiliation in her past life—

Now seemed like her strongest bond with Lu Ye.

And now, it had been burned to ash.

“...Thank you.”

Chu Ling’s voice was faint as she expressed gratitude to Shangguan Huanling.

Shangguan Huanling waved her hand. “Just give me some spirit treasures later. That’s the best thanks.”

“Okay. I’ll give them to you.”

Right now, Bai Qiulan was still fleeing at full speed.

Originally it had been Yue Hongling carrying her.

But now it was her turn to carry Yue Hongling.

Because Yue Hongling’s cultivation level was simply too far from the Tribulation Crossing Realm. If they kept letting her carry the weight, they’d be caught by the Eternal Teachings Sect in no time.

Although the Chaotic Yin Poison in her body had already begun rapidly condensing—

Using Chaotic Supreme Yin force at a time like this would only cause the power to swell even faster, accelerating the solidification of the Chaotic Yin Poison.

But Bai Qiulan could no longer afford to care.

One spell after another flew into the void. If a Tribulation Crossing Realm cultivator in pursuit happened to collide with one of them, they would instantly be turned into an ice sculpture.

Run.

Run with all her might.

The Grand Dao Sect was already in sight.

But Bai Qiulan couldn’t help but worry—if the Grand Dao Sect refused to let them in, then they would truly be dead without a doubt.

But what else could they do?

They were already at the end of the road.

People like them—had never been forced to such desperation before.

Lu Ye was always the one rushing ahead of them, shielding them from all the wind and rain.

And they had foolishly believed—

That Lu Ye had robbed them of the chance to admire the majesty of the storm.

Now they were finally facing it themselves.

All they could say was: they brought it upon themselves.

The Grand Dao Sect was already before them.

“Pfft!”

Yue Hongling and Bai Qiulan simultaneously coughed up blood, crimson staining Bai Qiulan’s snow-white dress.

“We’re disciples of the Grand Dao Sect! We’re being hunted—let us in, quickly!”

Yue Hongling shouted loudly.

The Sect Protection Formation instantly activated.

Shangguan Huanling and Chu Ling reunited with them, charging through the formation barrier. The great array immediately sealed shut.

“Boom!”

An attack slammed violently against the shield.

“Dong!”

The Grand Dao Bell rang—signaling the appearance of enemies.

One after another, the Tribulation Crossing Realm experts of the Eternal Teachings Sect pressed in toward the Grand Dao Sect. In the sky above, black clouds churned and roiled, blanketing the entire sect.

That was the force of so many Tribulation Crossing cultivators—it stirred heaven and earth into chaos.

Lu Ye opened his eyes. He received Liu Changfeng’s message.

“Your master and junior sister have returned to the sect—they’re at the mountain gate!”

Upon hearing this, Lu Ye vanished in an instant.

Shen Xitong also materialized, the two of them arriving at the gate together in the blink of an eye.

Tsk...

What a miserable sight. These four women looked like death.

Each one—pale as a corpse.

“Senior Brother, you’re here!” Yue Hongling looked at Lu Ye with joy.

The others, upon seeing Lu Ye appear so quickly, were filled with surprise and hope.

They had just barely escaped back to the sect—and Lu Ye had come in such a short time.

What did this mean?

It meant Lu Ye had been watching over them the whole time!

Lu Ye wasn’t truly heartless after all—he still cared about them.

“Gongzi, I’m sorry... I’m sorry... I’ve embarrassed you...”

“Lu Ye, don’t worry about me—I’m okay.”

“Lu Ye-gege, long time no see.”

“Senior Brother, the Eternal Teachings Sect bullied us. Can you kill them for us? We all know we were wrong. We’ll serve you properly from now on, we’ll never make you angry again.”

“We can even accept her joining us. Please...”

Lu Ye stepped before Bai Qiulan.

He stood above her.

His shadow cast over Bai Qiulan.

Two fingers formed a sword.

With a light stroke—

The slumbering Taiyin Marrow Worm egg instantly began to tremble.