Don't Talk Nonsense

Don't Talk Nonsense

Under the "Saintess's" orders, Chen Cheng quickly prepared everything needed for a bath—from the bathing tub and hot water to flower petals, nothing was lacking.

However, Lin Fan keenly sensed that something was wrong. Chen Cheng's expression was rather strange.

Could it be... the Saintess did not usually bathe, and now that she suddenly said she wanted one, Chen Cheng had noticed something was off?

Lin Fan's heart skipped a beat.

Even now, he still did not know "his" own name. After all, he had not interacted with outsiders, and Chen Cheng and the other Protector Disciples addressed him as "Saintess" every time. He could not exactly ask them, "What's my name?" But now, it was no longer a matter of names. It was... had he been exposed? As Lin Fan prepared to undress and enter the bathing tub, his expression remained unchanged as he coldly said, "Speak."

This was a "pattern" he had discovered over the past two or three days.

The colder he acted, the more natural these Protector Disciples seemed. If he was kind and pleasant, they instead appeared somewhat ill at ease.

That was enough to prove that the previous "Saintess" had been just as cold.

So Lin Fan had continued facing them with the bearing of an icy, beautiful woman. Only... cough, cough, cough—a man's soul, an icy beauty... sigh!

"Ah? Saintess, I... I wasn't thinking of saying anything."

Chen Cheng shuddered all over...

You weren't thinking of saying anything? Like hell I believe that.

Lin Fan's expression turned even colder, like frost itself. "I do not wish to repeat myself."

"Please forgive me, Saintess."

Chen Cheng's face went pale. "It... it is because there are some rumors about you outside."

Just say it.

Chen Cheng only wanted to slap herself twice...

Serves you right for having such a loose tongue. Now look what happened. Although the rumors outside were all false, there was no smoke without fire... What if the Saintess thought she had spread them? She was on the verge of tears.

But at this point, she had no choice but to speak. In her view, if she refused to say anything, could the Saintess not simply go outside and hear it for herself, or ask someone else? Thus, she could only tell her everything, from beginning to end.

"Many Servant Disciples and Outer Sect Disciples, even Inner Sect Disciples, are spreading rumors that Saintess, you failed to break through, suffered qi deviation, and lost all your cultivation... Then, after leaving seclusion, you flew into a rage."

"And even... even..."

Even what?

"They say your entire body is covered in ice, that your life hangs by a thread, and that at any moment you might..."

"Please forgive me, Saintess."

Chen Cheng directly dropped to her knees. "This definitely was not spread by us Protector Disciples."

Lin Fan: "..."

What the hell!

How was his life hanging by a thread now?

His gaze turned distant.

Who was spreading these rumors? It was unlikely to be the Protector Disciples. Over the past few days, he had more or less figured things out: Chen Cheng and the other women numbered twelve in total, all of them his Protector Disciples. Put simply, they were the Saintess's standard attendants...

These people were utterly loyal. Their fortunes rose and fell with his, so naturally they would not do something like this.

Then perhaps the person who spread the rumor was that Servant Disciple who had repaired the door earlier? What a headache!

Originally, he could have taken more time to slowly learn about the Purple Mansion Holy Land. But now, with rumors springing up everywhere, it would be fine if they remained among the disciples. If they reached the Saintess's master or someone else, and they believed them and came to investigate...

The odds of him being exposed were through the roof! What was he supposed to do? "You may leave first."

Feeling rather vexed, Lin Fan sent Chen Cheng away, then sat there with a face full of worry.

"What the hell am I supposed to do? Who the fuck knew cultivators were this gossipy? And that they loved spreading rumors?!"

As he brooded, he saw steam drifting from the bathing tub, its fragrance rich and pleasant, and could not help stretching lazily.

"Forget it. I'll take a bath first and relax."

He loosened his robes and untied his sash.

Not long after, looking at his own skin—smooth as congealed cream and incomparably fair—Lin Fan could only manage a bitter smile.

"Fuck, I'd better not end up benefiting some bastard in the future."

He entered the bathing tub.

The slightly hot water wrapped around his entire body, and a wave of comfort instantly washed over him.

"Ah, this feels good."

Lin Fan narrowed his eyes in comfort. Though bathing in a woman's body was a first for him, the sensations in certain places...

Cough, cough. It was very strange.

The fellow could not help letting his imagination run wild.

Then, as he soaked, he suddenly froze, his consciousness growing hazy...

Elsewhere, Qi Zixiao, who had been running, also stopped dead in her tracks.

Then...

Qi Zixiao: "..."

Splash! In a flash, she shot out of the bathing tub.

Without making any visible movement, the gown placed nearby flew over on its own, covering that incomparably alluring body in an instant.

Then, her face turned as cold as ice.

"I'm back?"

"But why am I bathing in a tub?"

"Could it be..."

No one knew what she had thought of.

Boom!!!!

Terrifying killing intent swept out. In an instant, the entire palace trembled violently. The Guardian Array activated at once, sparing the palace from disaster.

Yet even so, that astonishing killing intent still shot straight into the heavens, stretching across hundreds upon thousands of miles! Outside the door, Chen Cheng and the other Protector Disciples underwent a drastic change in expression and trembled like leaves, but none dared make a sound. They could only communicate with their eyes.

"See? I told you it was a rumor!"

"This is called qi deviation and losing all her cultivation?"

"Sure enough, Your Highness Saintess is still angry..." Chen Cheng's face was full of bitterness.

Elsewhere, Snow Maiden Peak.

As the Eldest Senior Sister of the Purple Mansion Holy Land, Snow Maiden held an extremely high position. Had Qi Zixiao not suddenly emerged and displayed peerless talent, she would have been the leading candidate for the current Saintess. Unfortunately, there were no what-ifs.

Recently, upon hearing that Qi Zixiao had likely failed her breakthrough and lost all her cultivation, Snow Maiden's thoughts began to stir.

Today, she had even summoned several junior sisters close to her to discuss matters here.

"If you ask me, Eldest Senior Sister is the foremost candidate for Saintess."

"Indeed. Now everyone is saying Qi Zixiao has lost all her cultivation. We should help Eldest Senior Sister ascend to the position of Saintess."

"In my opinion, we should be more cautious and test the waters first. If Qi Zixiao has truly become a cripple, it will not be too late for Eldest Senior Sister to act..."

Watching these junior sisters offer plans and strategies, Snow Maiden's face remained expressionless, but she was quite pleased inwardly.

"What you said..."

Snow Maiden spoke. She had intended to praise them for speaking well, then have them arrange a test, when...

Boom!!!!

Purple Qi Comes From The East for three hundred miles, and killing intent swept across Snow Maiden Peak.

"What nonsense are you talking about! Do not spout nonsense!"

Snow Maiden's expression shifted slightly. "What kind of person is the Saintess? How could she permit the likes of you to question her? Do not speak such wild nonsense again!"

Her heart pounded wildly.

Qi Zixiao had failed her breakthrough and become crippled?! Crippled my ass!

That killing intent, that Purple Qi Comes From The East... Did she think I was unfamiliar with Qi Zixiao's aura? At this moment, she even suspected that some fellow disciple with a grudge against her had deliberately released these rumors to set her up!