A single sentence struck the most critical point, and Jiang Luo, already panicking, grew even more flustered.
Her eyes darted back and forth as she struggled to think of an answer.
This scene was fully captured by Yang Yao’s gaze, confirming her suspicion was correct.
Jiang Luo couldn’t possibly know that spear technique without reason—someone must have taught her.
“It was him who taught you, right?”
Yang Yao asked.
In her previous life, Xu Lin had been that person’s guide, and that spear technique might have also been taught to that person by Xu Lin.
Neither name was spoken, yet both Yang Yao and Jiang Luo knew exactly who was being referred to.
“I…”
Jiang Luo was on the verge of tears.
“Just tell me the truth. I didn’t come here to hold you accountable.”
Using both soft and hard tactics—even though she had no connection with Jiang Luo in this life, Yang Yao remembered how Jiang Luo had provided aid in times of need in her previous life, and she had no intention of doing Jiang Luo any harm.
Jiang Luo bit her lip, hesitating for a moment.
“Yes, it was Mas—no, it was the Holy Son who taught me.”
In front of Yang Yao, she didn’t dare address Xu Lin too intimately, deliberately keeping her distance.
Even though she had long known this would be the case, Yang Yao still narrowed her eyes, her expression turning serious.
Just as her Master had said, even with the restriction placed on him, that guy still refused to behave.
A moment of silence made the entire atmosphere awkward—at least Jiang Luo felt it was awkward.
“Senior Sister, I didn’t know he was the Holy Son before. I didn’t approach him intentionally, and I’ll be more careful from now on.”
Jiang Luo spoke up on her own initiative.
But the moment she finished saying those words, she felt her heart tighten, becoming strangely empty. She realized she regretted saying them.
Yang Yao didn’t understand why Jiang Luo could say that so directly, but it was ultimately the answer she wanted.
“It’s best that you think this way.”
From their brief meeting and even from the memories of her previous life, Yang Yao could sense that Jiang Luo was simple by nature. Faced with someone as smooth-talking as Xu Lin, she could easily be deceived.
“You don’t understand him. He’s not a good person.”
When it came to understanding, Jiang Luo didn’t plan to say anything, though in her heart she thought she understood Xu Lin fairly well.
But upon hearing the latter part, she suddenly lifted her head, blinking blankly at Yang Yao’s resentful expression before her, thinking she must have misheard.
“Senior Sister, what did you just say… that the Holy Son is not a good person?”
Jiang Luo tested cautiously.
“That’s right, you heard correctly.”
Yang Yao’s tone was ice-cold.
“At least for our Sunset Sect, he’s not a good person—rather, he’s guilty of heinous crimes.”
In the previous life, if it hadn’t been for guiding that person, that person’s cultivation path wouldn’t have been so smooth. Yang Yao had even saved that person from danger several times, pulling him back from the brink of death.
This directly affected the subsequent Great Righteous-Demonic War, and even the situation of the Sunset Sect and other demon sects afterward.
“Huh?”
The more Jiang Luo listened, the more confused she became. Even she could sense that the conversation seemed to be heading in an unexpected direction.
“But isn’t he the Holy Son? How could he be guilty of heinous crimes?”
This threw Jiang Luo’s mind into complete chaos.
The Holy Son appointed by the Sect Master was not a good person to the Sunset Sect—anyone would struggle to process that immediately.
“It’s just the way it is, which is why I’m telling you to stay away from him. Don’t let him use or deceive you.”
Jiang Luo scratched her head. Xu Lin had said their relationship was one of mutual assistance, but that shouldn’t count as being used or deceived.
If anything, she had been the one unilaterally receiving Xu Lin’s help.
Looking again, Jiang Luo noticed that when Yang Yao spoke of Xu Lin, her face revealed obvious disgust.
This detail made her faintly sense that something was off.
“Then Senior Sister, there’s one more thing I’m curious about.”
“Go ahead.”
Toward Jiang Luo, Yang Yao displayed a patience she had never shown before.
If it were anyone else, she would likely maintain a stern expression from start to finish.
“It’s about what you said earlier. Can I understand it as—you really hate the Holy Son?”
“Hate isn’t even the word. I want him dead! And he must die by my hands alone!”
The words were like a fuse, igniting instantly. Yang Yao spoke with absolute finality, killing intent radiating from her very being—not a trace of jest in her words.
This startled Jiang Luo, her eyes widening as she instinctively trembled.
Although she knew Senior Sister Yang Yao was always serious, this was the first time she had seen her this angry up close—as if she wanted to devour someone whole.
Yang Yao let out a breath, steadying her mind. Thinking back, lately because of that guy Xu Lin, her Dao Heart had wavered several times.
Regaining her composure, she continued, “This time, I’m just warning you not to be deceived by that guy’s silver tongue. If he keeps pestering you, you can come to me. I’ll find a way.”
Jiang Luo stood frozen in place, unable to respond for a long while.
“Jiang Luo, do you understand?”
“Ah… oh, okay.”
Jiang Luo was deeply troubled by this matter.
“Senior Sister, then why do you hate the Holy Son so much?”
“That’s something I can’t explain to you in detail. Just remember—he’s not one of us.”
Whether it was Xu Lin serving as that person’s guide in the previous life, or her Master’s scheme in this life, it was destined that Xu Lin was not of the same kind as them.
When mentioning her Master’s scheme, Yang Yao paused but still decided not to tell Jiang Luo.
It involved too much, and it might drag Jiang Luo into the turmoil.
Jiang Luo only half-understood, gazing at Yang Yao’s earnest expression, and could only nod along.
“Alright, it’s getting late. I still have some matters to attend to.”
Yang Yao prepared to leave—she still needed to go see her Master.
“Then Senior Sister, take care.”
Jiang Luo proactively stepped aside to make way for Yang Yao.
Just as she was about to step into the air and leave, Yang Yao still felt uneasy. She glanced back at Jiang Luo from the corner of her eye.
“He may be the Holy Son of the Sunset Sect now, but he won’t be forever. The Holy Son is not what he seems. Aside from you and me knowing this, be sure not to mention it to anyone. And, remember what I said earlier.”
With that, Yang Yao finally stepped into the air and departed, heading straight for Xi Ranchen’s residence.
Jiang Luo, left standing in place, stared blankly as Yang Yao disappeared into the distance.
Even though she had asked a few questions, she still understood nothing but muddled fragments.
Jiang Luo reached up and touched her head, her expression pained.
What’s going on? My head itches—feels like I’m growing a brain.
Jiang Luo walked to the lake and crouched down, counting on her fingers as she sorted through the key points.
“Senior Sister didn’t come because she dislikes me for being too close to Senior Brother. Instead, she came specifically to warn me that Senior Brother is dangerous and that I shouldn’t let him deceive me.”
That was the gist of it, but having someone warn you not to be deceived just felt strange.
“Also, Senior Sister doesn’t like Senior Brother at all—she hates him, even to the point of wanting to kill him. So, the scene I saw that day—did I misinterpret it?”
Sorting through it all, Jiang Luo’s previously dejected heart suddenly recovered, even beginning to beat faster unconsciously.
Even though there was no one around, she still lowered her voice, afraid anyone might hear.
“Senior Sister doesn’t like Senior Brother, which means if someone else… likes Senior Brother, Senior Sister wouldn’t mind either.”
At that point in her words, Jiang Luo didn’t even notice that her reflection in the water was unconsciously curling up at the corners of her mouth.