Chapter 57
It was Jiang Li.
At the sight of him, the Zuiyin Sect disciples who had been chattering around Yu Tai suddenly fell silent as though someone had poisoned them mute. They all retreated to the side.
Yu Tai raised an eyebrow.
Interesting. It seemed Jiang Li did not have a very good relationship with his fellow disciples.
Without looking to either side, Jiang Li walked directly toward Yu Tai, appearing not to see the Zuiyin Sect disciples at all.
They belonged to the same sect, yet he seemed more familiar with Yu Tai.
“The scent is much fainter,” Jiang Li said.
Everyone else found the statement inexplicable, but Yu Tai instantly seemed to understand what he meant.
The first time Jiang Li met her, he said she smelled wonderful. But when he later saw Shu Li, he said the scent on him was much stronger.
Now, he said the scent on her had faded.
There could only be one reason…
She had not replenished her righteous qi once over the past few days.
Could Jiang Li actually smell righteous qi?
Although countless thoughts turned through Yu Tai’s mind, her face remained expressionless. She merely asked coldly, “Our match is tomorrow. Are you ‘prepared’?”
Jiang Li nodded. “You’re skilled. I look forward to it.”
The moment he finished speaking, someone called Jiang Li’s name from nearby, and Xiao Xin ran over.
When she saw Yu Tai, she visibly stiffened before greeting her. “Sister Yu Tai.”
Jiang Li raised an eyebrow at the form of address.
This was probably the first time since Xiao Xin met Jiang Li that he had lowered his head and looked at her seriously.
Staring at the handsome face so close to hers, Xiao Xin felt oddly lightheaded, yet also sensed a faint resistance within herself.
*Ah, Sister Yu Tai won’t misunderstand, will she…?*
“J-Jiang Li, what is it?” She put on what she considered an obedient smile.
But Jiang Li said, “You’re the same age as her. Your birthday is even earlier than hers. Why do you call her Sister?”
Xiao Xin: “…?”
*Was I blind before? Who is this damned, hopelessly straightforward man?*
At that moment, the image Xiao Xin held of Jiang Li as a cold and taciturn man with a gentle heart collapsed completely.
Yu Tai regarded Jiang Li with a little more respect.
*He even knows my birthday?*
“Something happened. The elder is calling for you…” Xiao Xin’s expression darkened.
Faint snickers came from the crowd. So this was how Jiang Li of the Zuiyin Sect normally spoke to female cultivators.
At the mention of the elder, Jiang Li frowned slightly. After telling Yu Tai, “See you tomorrow,” he turned and left.
Xiao Xin awkwardly said goodbye to Yu Tai and hurried after him. She appeared to want to chat, but some urgent matter prevented her.
When the other Zuiyin Sect disciples heard that something had happened, they hurried after them as well. Yet every one of them remembered to say goodbye to Yu Tai before leaving.
Like a teacher at a nursery, Yu Tai saw the group of problem children off one by one.
The surrounding crowd looked at her differently yet again.
Honestly, Sister Tai, are you sure you aren’t a spy sent from the Upper Realm to infiltrate the Middle Realm?
Never mind everyone else-why does even Jiang Li seem so familiar with you?!
…
Jiang Li assumed that what the elder called “something happening” would merely be another tedious matter. But the instant he saw the elder’s expression, he suddenly realized something.
“Did something happen in the sect?”
The elder wanted to praise Jiang Li’s sharp instincts, but he was in no mood to do so now.
He looked toward Li You, who stood in the crowd with no idea what had happened. “Li You, something happened to Elder Li.”
Li You froze for a moment. He understood every word the elder had spoken, but his mind seemed unable to keep pace.
Only when his companions’ clumsy words of comfort reached his ears did he finally process the sentence.
The name Elder Li was not unfamiliar to him, but Li You knew the man better by another title-
“Father.”
The cultivators of the Zuiyin Sect rarely used the word *death*. When they said something had happened to someone-
It usually meant that person was gone.
Nearly every disciple present was Li You’s friend and knew Elder Li well.
This was not the first time the young men and women had encountered death, but the pale helplessness that came when a living cultivator close to them suddenly died was terrifyingly unfamiliar.
Jiang Li was the calmest among them.
Mindful of Li You’s feelings, the elder took Jiang Li aside. “He died inside the sect. A demonic cultivator did it.”
At the words *inside the sect*, Jiang Li raised an eyebrow. His first thought was, “There’s a demonic cultivator hiding in the Zuiyin Sect.”
The elder’s expression turned complicated. “We can’t rule that out. But according to the news, Elder Li was still playing chess with the sect leader on the night of his death. The sect leader merely stepped away to handle an urgent matter. When he returned, something had already happened to Elder Li.”
Now Jiang Li showed some interest. “Elder Li died at the sect leader’s residence?”
That made the matter even more incredible.
This demonic cultivator had chosen to attack Elder Li right beneath the sect leader’s nose. How was that any different from slapping the Zuiyin Sect across the face?
“We have concealed the matter, but there is still a risk of the news leaking. Return to the Upper Realm immediately after tomorrow’s match.”
“If the situation is this serious, is there any need for tomorrow’s match?” Jiang Li asked.
The elder stared at Jiang Li for a long time, a sharp light bursting from his eyes. “Yes.”
Jiang Li sneered inwardly, but merely nodded. “Understood.”
Before taking the dazed Li You and the others away, the elder left Jiang Li with one final sentence. “Jiang Li, the sect was the one that found you.”
So he had better obey and repay their kindness.
Understanding the implication, Jiang Li remained where he was and watched them leave.
Xiao Xin did not follow them. She stayed behind.
“Can you refrain from attacking Yu Tai tomorrow?” Xiao Xin asked through gritted teeth.
Jiang Li gave her a surprised look. “Aren’t you deeply in love with me?”
Xiao Xin’s eyes widened.
He had actually known all along!
“You… you… you…” Xiao Xin stammered the word three times but could not form a complete sentence.
Jiang Li glanced at her impatiently, then turned and walked away without mercy.
Watching his back, Xiao Xin’s vision suddenly blurred.
She had never noticed it before, but why did Jiang Li’s back resemble Sister Yu Tai’s just now?
How strange. Never mind that they were different genders-there was nothing similar about them at all.
Thinking she must have become dizzy with anger, Xiao Xin stamped her foot and bit her lip.
Should she go warn Sister Yu Tai?
Jiang Li’s temperament was unpredictable. He appeared to bear Sister Yu Tai no ill will, but who knew what he truly thought?
Not long ago, Xiao Xin had still believed Jiang Li cold on the outside but gentle within. Without realizing it, her loyalties had now shifted completely.