The moment those words were spoken, everyone’s attention was immediately drawn over. The way they looked at Luye turned strange.
“Oh ho ho, this is getting interesting.”
“See? Didn’t she run out on her own? Just didn’t expect it would be her.” Lin Huanhuan took on the posture of someone watching a good show, just short of pulling out sunflower seeds.
Shangguan Muqing’s gaze sharpened. She reacted instantly and shouted sternly, “No wonder you spoke up earlier. On the surface you were pleading for Ye Jinxiu, but in reality you were pointing the finger at her. So you were the one framing her!”
“I don’t care what grudge you have with her, but you dared to use me today. I’ll make sure you pay the price!”
Luye panicked and waved her hands repeatedly. “You’ve misunderstood. I just suddenly had a stomachache and needed the restroom. It wasn’t me!”
“Cut the nonsense. Then prove it!”
Shangguan Muqing strode forward without hesitation. With lightning speed, she seized Luye’s wrist, and spiritual energy surged straight into her body.
Immediately afterward, white smoke began to hiss out from Luye’s hands.
Shangguan Muqing was so furious she laughed instead. She had never regarded Luye as a threat, yet today she had learned a lesson because of her—and had even been viciously humiliated by her longtime rival. How hateful.
“Now the evidence is undeniable. What else do you have to say?!”
Luye collapsed onto the ground, despair written all over her face. She had never expected that all her painstaking schemes would fail because of this.
Once it was certain the matter would not reverse, the others began kicking her while she was down, eagerly distancing themselves.
“So it really was her. Look at Luye’s shifty face—she never looked like a good person. She must’ve been jealous of Ye Jinxiu’s talent and popularity, so she framed her. I’d only heard of things like this before. Didn’t expect to see it with my own eyes today.”
“When we repaired the formation together before, I already thought Luye wasn’t right. Smiling at us while moving slow as death—pretending to work without putting in effort. I thought it was normal then. Turns out she’s rotten to the core.”
“How vicious. No matter what grudges you have, you can’t frame someone like this. Isn’t this basically ruining Ye Jinxiu’s life?”
Each sentence struck like a boulder smashing into her heart, driving Luye deeper into despair. Even so, she desperately searched for a way out.
Her gaze first fell on Huyan Yazhi. If Huyan Yazhi would speak up for her, it would likely help.
But Huyan Yazhi looked completely detached, as if the matter had nothing to do with her. Luye cursed inwardly.
‘Damn that woman! I was scheming for your benefit too, and you’re just ignoring me.’
Although Huyan Yazhi had a hand in the framing, Luye didn’t dare drag her down. Even if she exposed her, the result would only be both of them punished. But if she kept the secret and held that leverage, Huyan Yazhi would surely help her in the shadows to avoid exposure.
She then turned to Ye Jinxiu, rushed forward, grabbed the corner of her robe, and pleaded, “Jinxiu, please let me off this once. I was just blinded for a moment. I swear there won’t be a next time. Please forgive me.”
Ye Jinxiu stared at her coldly. “I’ll only ask you one thing. I believe I’ve never offended you. Why frame me?”
Luye hurriedly said, “If you don’t pursue this, I’ll tell you everything immediately. Please.”
Ye Jinxiu let out a soft sigh, pulled her robe back forcefully, and turned away.
“Since you’re unwilling to speak, then keep your secret and take it to the Punishment Hall. I don’t wish to involve myself further. For the sake of our past relationship, I won’t ask them to sentence you heavily—but I won’t plead for you either. What happens next will depend on their judgment.”
Luye fell again.
Shangguan Muqing stepped forward to add the finishing blow. “Her not pursuing it has nothing to do with me. But you used me—that’s another matter. I’ll definitely make arrangements with the Punishment Hall to ensure you receive the maximum punishment.”
Hearing this, Luye seemed to grasp her final lifeline. She scrambled to her feet, ignoring her disheveled state.
“Miss Shangguan, could we speak privately? I have some secrets to tell you. I guarantee you’ll be interested.”
“What secrets could you possibly have?”
“I’m already a turtle trapped in a jar—completely powerless to resist. What harm is there in hearing me out? As for me making a desperate attack, you don’t need to worry. We may both be at the peak of Qi Refinement, but how could an ordinary disciple like me possibly defeat you?”
Shangguan Muqing found the reasoning sound and nodded. “Very well. I’ll give you a chance to speak. Let’s see what secrets you can spit out.”
The two walked off to a distant spot.
Luye spoke quickly. “I know Miss Shangguan has always wanted to defeat Lin Huanhuan, right?”
Shangguan Muqing raised a brow, slightly surprised—but after a moment’s thought, it wasn’t really a secret. Given how she and Lin Huanhuan usually interacted, anyone observant could tell.
“If that’s all you wanted to say, you can leave.”
Luye’s heart tightened. She hurried on, “I can help you. I can help you defeat her. As long as you let me go, I’ll do anything you ask. I won’t refuse.”
“I can handle dirty work, exhausting work—anything. You wouldn’t even need to pay a price. Isn’t that a good deal?”
After saying this, Luye relaxed slightly, feeling the situation should be manageable.
From the beginning, she had known about the hostility between Shangguan Muqing and Lin Huanhuan. That was precisely why she had stolen Shangguan Muqing’s artifact to frame Ye Jinxiu.
Given how desperately Shangguan Muqing wanted to defeat Lin Huanhuan, she likely wouldn’t abandon such assistance. Everything Luye said was sincere, and she truly had no power to resist Shangguan Muqing. She couldn’t think of any reason Shangguan Muqing would refuse.
In truth, her original target for cooperation had been Shangguan Muqing. But after careful consideration, she felt Huyan Yazhi was more suitable, so she switched targets.
Now it seemed she had chosen wrong.
‘But it’s not too late. Even though Shangguan Muqing has leverage over me now and I’ll have to serve her, this can still be considered cooperation. She holds my life-threatening secret, so she’ll definitely make heavy use of me. I won’t need to worry about betrayal.’
‘As for being used forever, I’ll find a solution later. First I have to get through today’s crisis. No matter what, I must climb to the peak of the Immortal Path!’
After hearing her out, Shangguan Muqing narrowed her eyes—then suddenly laughed.
“Hahaha… how interesting.”
Luye laughed as well, thinking the matter was settled.
“Miss Shangguan, when we reach the Punishment Hall later, please put in a good word for me so I can come out sooner and work for you—”
She hadn’t finished speaking when Shangguan Muqing’s slap cut her off.
Smack—
The blow landed heavily across her face. A burning pain spread across her cheek, her ears ringing. Luye clutched the struck side of her face in disbelief.
Shangguan Muqing stared straight at her, as if she had suffered unprecedented humiliation. Her voice rang firm and powerful:
“I am a direct descendant of the Shangguan family. Even if I wish to defeat Lin Huanhuan, I will do so through proper means.”
“You not only used me—you even tried to make me frame others alongside you. Your audacity knows no bounds!”
“So unrepentant… you deserve death a thousand times over. I must have been mad to listen to your nonsense.”
Shangguan Muqing stormed off in fury, leaving Luye standing there, covering her face in shock.
‘How… how could this be? Why is her reaction so different from what I expected? She had no reason to refuse… why?’