Even though nothing could precede the important of his own future in Qin Lingyu’s heart, yet when he saw the pale-faced Yu Wanrou slumped against a tree with splotches of blood strewn all over her clothes, the scene still tugged at his heartstrings. He hastened his steps and walked over in large strides.

“What happened here?” Qin Lingyu furrowed his eyebrows. His usual solemn look was now fortified with a chilling gaze.

Yu Wanrou was one of the people he truly cared about. Even though they could not publicly express their feelings for each other, he had already considered her as part of his inner circle of people to protect. Therefore, when he noticed how serious Yu Wanrou had been injured, how could he not swell up with ire! This was clearly a provocation to him!

Hearing the indignance in Qin Lingyu’s voice, Yu Wanrou’s displeasure for him also gradually subsided. She lifted her head and looked over at Qin Lingyu with her deeply emotive watery eyes. At this moment, she could be said to be the embodiment of sorrow and distress.

“Brother Qin.” Yu Wanrou softly said, her mellow voice was extremely gentle and pleasant, as though someone brushed the softest silk across one’s ears.

It was as though Yu Wanrou’s voice had just gently strummed at Qin Lingyu’s heartstrings. His originally roiling emotions were instantly soothed by Yu Wanrou’s voice, and he composed himself once again.

“Tell me what happened here. I will make sure justice is served.”

These woods near the Sect were surrounded by a huge formation array. If outsiders passed through these woods without carrying any Dawn Sect identity tokens, then this formation array would immediately be activated. Therefore, the only logical explanation was that the person who had injured Yu Wanrou must have been an insider from Dawn Sect!

Yu Wanrou lowered her head and avoided Qin Lingyu’s gaze. She bit down on her lower lips and looked as though she had just been put in the spot.

Seeing this, Qin Shanshan sighed with resignation. She truly resented Yu Wanrou’s inability to stand up for herself! Qin Shanshan stood up, stamped her foot on the ground and swiftly ran over to Qin Lingyu’s side. Clinging to her brother’s arm, she said, “Big brother, you must vindicate Sister Wanrou! It’s all that Jun Xiaomo’s fault. She thinks that she can do anything she wants just because her father is a Peakmaster. She even beat up Sister Wanrou and left her in such a sorry state!”

Qin Lingyu grimaced, “Jun Xiaomo did this?”

“She did!” Qin Shanshan declared with such certainty as though she had witnessed the entire incident.

Even though the few male disciples following Qin Lingyu were not from Heavenly Peak, they were nevertheless highly reverent and fearful of the authoritative Peakmaster from Heavenly Peak, as well as secretly afraid of that tyrannical daughter of his! After all, Jun Xiaomo had long gained herself a reputation from being vastly different from the stereotypical gentle and considerate female disciple. Just a little while ago, she was severely punished for rashly entering the Sect’s forbidden grounds. Who would have thought that even before fully recovering from her injuries, she would yet again court trouble by injuring a fellow disciple?!

Of course, they would not conclude that Jun Xiaomo was at fault simply based on the words of Qin Shanshan and Yu Wanrou. Therefore, one of the male disciples suggested, “Shall we report this to the Sect Leader and the Sect Elders and let them investigate this matter?” 

This male disciple’s suggestion was in fact the most reasonable in the circumstances. However, Yu Wanrou could tell that the underlying meaning of his suggestion was that he did not fully believe Qin Shanshan’s words.

Yu Wanrou therefore decided that she had to find a way to give Qin Shanshan’s words more weight. She secretly manipulated the spiritual energy in her meridians, causing her own injuries to become even more severe.

I’ve got the spirit spring in my spectral demiplane anyway. These injuries aren’t enough to threaten my life.

“Cough cough cough…” Yu Wanrou began to cough violently again. Fresh blood flowed out from her lips, dribbling all over her clothes. The juxtaposition of crimson red blood on her light-pink clothing was striking and chilling.

“Investigating? For what?! Can’t you all see that Sister Wanrou’s injuries are so severe?!” Qin Shanshan forcefully dragged Qin Lingyu to Yu Wanrou’s side, saying, “Big brother, hurry up and check on Sister Wanrou! She was already coughing up a lot of blood when I first discovered her!”

Qin Lingyu was initially already very anxious and worried about Yu Wanrou’s condition. But he could not afford to show too much concern for her under the eyes of so many people. After all, Qin Shanshan even alleged that the person who hurt Yu Wanrou was his fiancée! It would certainly be suspicious if he seemed to favour Yu Wanrou and be biased against Jun Xiaomo. However, now that Qin Shanshan had dragged him forward, he could do as he wished under the pretense of obliging his sister. 

Qin Lingyu bent over, placed his fingers on Yu Wanrou’s wrist and sent a thread of spiritual energy through her meridians.

“Her heart and Dantian have been damaged.” Qin Lingyu concluded after thoroughly examining her body. His tone was frigid at this moment.

“Big brother, this time you absolutely cannot be biased to that Jun Xiaomo! Damaged her Dantian? That can cause Sister Wanrou’s cultivation level to fall! Jun Xiaomo is too vicious!” Qin Shanshan opportunistically added fuel to fire.

A few of the other male disciples heard this, and their initially indifferent attitude began to sway in favour of Yu Wanrou. No matter the justification, resorting to harming fellow disciples is just going too far. 

“Cough cough…Brother Qin, it’s not Sister Xiaomo’s fault. We only had a small misunderstanding.” Yu Wanrou feebly held Qin Lingyu’s rugged and sturdy palm. Her downcast look replete with quivering eyelashes caused everyone around her to can’t help but feel sympathetic towards her pitiful plight.

“It’s fine. If Jun Xiaomo had hurt you, even if she is my fiancée, I will still let the Sect Elders deal with this in accordance with the Sect’s rules.” Qin Lingyu supported Yu Wanrou by her shoulders, reassuringly patting her arms. He promptly took out a medicinal pill from his Interspatial Ring, “This Jadeheart Pill can help to repair your Dantian. Quick, take it right now.”

In this cultivation world, there were not many medicinal pills which could repair a person’s Dantian. Every pill was priceless and invaluable. Fortunately, Yu Wanrou’s cultivation level is only at the sixth level of Qi Mastery. Otherwise, it would be even harder to obtain a suitable Dantian repairing pill for her!

As one’s cultivation levels improved, suitable medicinal pills become correspondingly harder to refine. Of course, it can also be said that cultivators with higher cultivation levels also rarely sustain such serious injuries.

The fact that Qin Lingyu gave Yu Wanrou such a valuable medicinal pill was not strange at all. After all, the person who had injured Yu Wanrou was his fiancée. In their eyes, the gift of this medicinal pill was merely a form of recompense.

Yu Wanrou stretched out her hand to receive this pill, but before her hand could reach the pill, it flopped back down weakly.

She looked at Qin Lingyu with a bitter smile on her face. Her pretense was extremely convincing!

Left with no other options, Qin Lingyu promptly fed the medicinal pill directly to Yu Wanrou. This time, Yu Wanrou was satisfied. It wasn’t too clear whether her actions were deliberate, but when Yu Wanrou swallowed that pill, her lips briefly contacted with Qin Lingyu’s fingertips.

His fingertips momentarily felt a warm, moist sensation brush past. This caused Qin Lingyu’s eyes to brighten up, subconsciously shifting his gaze over to Yu Wanrou’s luscious lips. Even though they were slightly tarnished by bloodstains, Qin Lingyu’s mind briefly lingered in that moment when he had tasted Yu Wanrou’s lips – that sweet taste of cherry blossoms.

“Big brother, I think Sister Wanrou won’t be able to walk back herself. Why not you carry her back?” Qin Shanshan enthusiastically prompted.

Right now, she was still unaware that Yu Wanrou and Lin Qingyu had been having an affair. Her intentions here were only calculated to anger that darned Jun Xiaomo.

Qin Shanshan’s suggestion jolted Qin Lingyu back from his daydreaming state. Looking at Yu Wanrou, Qin Lingyu asked, “Do you think you can walk back on your own?”

Qin Lingyu’s tone was plain and simple, giving off an air of objectivity. Yu Wanrou knew that Qin Lingyu did not want others to grow suspicious of their relationship. Yet the presently injured Yu Wanrou truly wanted to rest in the embrace of the man she loved. She bit down on her lower lip and thought for a moment, before murmuring, “I think…I think I should be able to.”

Having said that, she struggled to stand up on her own. As she was clambering up, her legs suddenly gave way, and she lost her balance. At that moment, Qin Lingyu, who was standing just in front of her, reflexively pulled her into his arms.

“Brother Qin, don’t…” Yu Wanrou resisted, “It wouldn’t be good if Jun Xiaomo gets suspicious.”

“Suspicious?” Qin Lingyu lingered on this very word.

Hearing this, Qin Shanshan interjected with indignation, “Yeah exactly! That jealous hag Jun Xiaomo beat up Sister Wanrou just because she caught wind of some rumours of Sister Wanrou and you! As I see it, she is just jealous that Sister Wanrou is better with people that’s all!” Qin Shanshan speculated.

“Shanshan, silence! She is your future sister-in-law!” Qin Lingyu berated. He was not upset that Jun Xiaomo’s name was being tarnished. Rather, he was afraid of the speculations that might ensue if Qin Shanshan’s words got out.

Sometimes, Qin Lingyu really felt exasperated by this loquacious younger sister of his who rarely thinks before she speaks. Qin Shanshan clearly never understood the saying that “a loose tongue invites trouble”. Regardless of how Jun Xiaomo acts and behaves, it did not change the fact that her doting father is still a Peakmaster. If they incited trouble with Jun Xiaomo, even Sect Leader He Zhang might not be able to do much to protect them from Jun Xiaomo’s father. For this reason, Qin Lingyu and Qin Shanshan had to maintain civilities with Jun Xiaomo.

“Tch! A woman who would snatch away this little lady’s things? I’d rather not have this type of sister-in-law.” Qin Shanshan muttered under her breath. Apart from Qin Lingyu and Yu Wanrou who were closest to her, no one else heard what she said.

Qin Lingyu’s lips twitched again. When we get home, I really need to teach this unruly sister of mine a lesson. 

At this moment, a male disciple spoke, “Brother Qin, I think it might be good if you could quickly bring Sister Yu back so that the Sect Elders can quickly examine her injuries.”

“Yeah, that’s right. We can all see Sister Yu’s injuries are serious. We won’t go running our mouths off.”

These male disciples were neither from Heavenly Peak nor Pill Cauldron Peak, and did not normally interact much with Jun Xiaomo or Yu Wanrou to begin with. As they saw the attractive Yu Wanrou’s increasingly pale appearances, their hearts also softened. It would be inappropriate for them offer to carry Yu Wanrou back. On the other hand, Qin Lingyu was the highest-ranked disciple among all of them present, and already had an arranged marriage – others would not misunderstand his intentions. Therefore, they openly suggested for Qin Lingyu to carry Yu Wanrou back as he seemed to be the most appropriate choice.

It can only be said that Qin Lingyu’s present demeanor was truly indifferent. All who were present could never have imagined that he actually did have an affair with Yu Wanrou!

Qin Lingyu raised his eyebrows for a moment, as though he were pondering, before relenting, saying, “Then alright. Sister Wanrou, pardon my actions.” With that, he tenderly lifted Yu Wanrou in his arms.

“Let’s go.” Qin Lingyu casted a spell, and leading the pack, flew in the direction of where the Sect Elders usually resided. 

Seeing this, the other male disciples also pulled out their swords, including one who carried Qin Shanshan along with him, and followed Qin Lingyu on their swords.