Li Qiuyun’s sharp gaze was fixed on Chen Ye.
She was noncommittal about Chen Ye’s explanation, but her tone suddenly shifted, becoming a bit colder:
"Taoist Friend Chen seems to wash his hands quite clean of this. But how come I’ve heard that some days ago, Kong Hongxuan injured you outside the Market? Do you hold a grudge against him because of this and harbor killing intent?"
Hearing this, Chen Ye’s heart skipped a beat.
He never imagined that the investigation by the Lingyin Sect would be so meticulous, uncovering even the brief conflict between him and Kong Hongxuan outside the Market!
Chen Ye smiled bitterly, spreading his hands: "Taoist Friend Li, you see things clearly, Hall Master Kong is such a figure, with profound cultivation. I, Chen, am just a mere Loose Cultivator; how would I dare to hold a grudge against Hall Master Kong, let alone harbor killing intent? This really puts me in a bind!"
He spoke these words with a sense of sincere fear, placing himself in a very low position.
Pointing out that his strength is inadequate, there is no way he could be involved with Kong Hongxuan’s death.
After all, while Kong Hongxuan was crippled,
he still had many subordinates protecting him; with Chen Ye’s apparent Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer, it would be impossible for him to assassinate Kong Hongxuan.
Li Qiuyun casually glanced at the two little girls peeking from the house.
The two children, one with black hair and the other with silver hair, were both exquisitely beautiful, although their expressions were timid.
"Taoist Friend Chen, you better remember what you said."
Li Qiuyun gave a cold warning and then asked a few routine questions that were of no consequence. Seeing that she couldn’t extract any valuable clues, she didn’t linger,
"If you think of anything suspicious, be sure to report it immediately. Farewell."
With that, she turned and left, her sky-blue Taoist robe cutting a sharp arc through the wind and snow, without a second glance at Chen Ye.
Li Qiuyun did not wish to probe deeper.
Kong Hongxuan had many enemies; he was arrogant and domineering, with foes everywhere. Many people wanted his life.
Now, with the Celestial Tribulation anomalies causing undercurrents in Yunxi District, the sect usually turns a blind eye to gang vendettas within the Market as long as sect interests aren’t affected.
Walking out of Chen Ye’s courtyard, Li Qiuyun’s steps subconsciously slowed a bit.
Recalling Chen Ye’s terrified demeanor, and his Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer.
She shook her head, no longer suspecting,
but her expression became more irritated.
Those fellow disciples making fun of her with people like him, it was an insult!
"Still, it’s a shame for a good facade..."
Li Qiuyun mused.
Today, she carefully examined Chen Ye and found that Bai Susu’s words that day weren’t unfounded.
But... how did she miss it before?
...
Chen Ye remained bent, watching Li Qiuyun’s figure disappear beyond the courtyard gate.
Not until he could no longer hear her footsteps did he slowly straighten.
He closed the courtyard door, and the previous look of fearful sincerity vanished instantly, replaced by a look of gravity and contemplation.
"The Lingyin Sect... they even know about Kong Hongxuan injuring me."
Chen Ye muttered to himself.
On that day, besides him, Hee Qi, Gao Ming, and Kong Hongxuan, there was no one else!
It either means Hee Qi is a traitor, or someone within the Jade Lizard Association leaked the information.
He walked to the window, looking at the two small figures underneath the eaves, whispering together.
Qing Jun still looked carefree, tugging on Zhiwei’s sleeves, curiously asking about Li Qiuyun’s purpose.
But Zhiwei’s delicate brows were slightly furrowed, her small face displaying a worry that belied her age, occasionally glancing in his direction.
Seeing the worried eyes of his disciples, the gloom from the interrogation dissipated considerably in Chen Ye’s heart.
"Master, that lady just now was so fierce." Qing Jun pouted, complaining softly.
"No worries, it’s just a routine inquiry." Chen Ye smiled, reassuring, "In the future, when you see disciples of the Lingyin Sect, just be polite, there’s no need to be scared, and don’t provoke them."
Zhiwei, however, tugged on his robe, gazing at him with serious, dark eyes: "Master..."
She didn’t speak further.
But Chen Ye understood the unspoken meaning in Zhiwei’s words.
He neither confirmed nor denied: "Some things you don’t need to know, just focus on your cultivation."
Zhiwei looked steadily at him, her intelligence beyond her years, perceiving the man’s concerns: "Zhiwei can help Master..."
It seemed as if to prove the point.
The girl’s black hair fluttered slightly, revealing underneath her steady, cold eyes.
And at her pale fingertips, a water sphere was forming!
"Sister is amazing!" Qing Jun clapped in admiration.
"Whoa—" Chen Ye drew a sharp breath.
Why is his eldest disciple so imposing?
Could it be that the Purity Glaze Body is even more monstrous and powerful than he thought?
Zhiwei was unmoved by the reactions of the two,
she looked towards the flying birds in the sky, calmly saying: "Go!"
Qing Jun immediately fixated on the sky’s birds.
"Whoosh!"
The next moment,
the water sphere hit Qing Jun in the face.
The White Furred Ball was stunned.
Droplets trickled down her silver strands, wetting her small face and the collar of her rabbit-fur coat.
She blinked her watery eyes, seemingly not fully processing what had just happened.
"Sister... you... hit me?"
Qing Jun touched her damp cheek incredulously, her mouth slightly agape, her tone filled with grievance.
She had just been immersed in the admiration for her senior sister’s ability to cast magic, and in the blink of an eye, the magical water sphere splashed her face?
Chen Ye was also caught off guard by the sudden turn of events.
He looked at his elder disciple, whose face remained calm but whose mouth seemed to curve upwards almost imperceptibly.
Then he looked at his soaking wet, bewildered young disciple, feeling both amused and helpless for a moment.
Is this still his aloof, taciturn, serene elder disciple?
She actually used newly learned magic to tease her sister?
"Ah. It was a mistake."
The black-haired girl’s pale face showed no sign of remorse.
Even Qing Jun didn’t believe this explanation!
"Boohoo! Sister bullied me!"
Qing Jun finally realized.
Her lips pursed, and her eyes instantly reddened, crystalline tears welling up without falling.
Pouting, she softly pounded on Zhiwei with tiny fists.
Seeing his disciples like this, the frustration from Li Qiuyun’s interrogation completely dissipated in Chen Ye’s heart.
He crouched down, took a clean cloth from his Storage Bag, gently wiping away the water from Qing Jun’s face: "There, there, your senior sister didn’t do it on purpose, right, Zhiwei?"
The black-haired girl blinked, and after a moment,
she gave a barely audible response.
"Insincere!" The white-haired girl’s cheeks were almost puffed up to bursting!
Seeing the smile on Chen Ye’s face,
the black-haired girl’s eyes dimmed slightly, feeling a little happy, and a little sorry.
Of course, the happiness came from teasing Qing Jun!
But...
Did this count as helping Chen Ye in some way?
Even though, it involved sacrificing Qing Jun...