When Qiao Bin made the suggestion, both Yun Zishan and Shi Xuanfei were tempted. They thought it might be a way to break the deadlock. But neither spoke first, as if the one to nod would be the one to lose.
Dong Xiaojie, standing nearby, had much the same thoughts as Qiao Bin. As a regular at Yang Ning's shop, she didn't want to see things escalate either. Qiao Bin's proposal of a "case competition" could indeed calm the dispute for the time being.
Besides, she could see that her master absolutely couldn't accept Eldest Senior Sister's "directly asking for a marriage" plan right now. So she stepped forward at the right moment and respectfully cupped her hands to Shi Xuanfei, offering her a way out with tact. "Master, how about I take you to the place where Boss Yang was attacked last night? There's also the patch of grass where the assassin hid. The traces might still be there."
Shi Xuanfei nodded along, her composure returning to her voice. "Lead the way."
Dong Xiaojie hurriedly answered and turned to guide her. The Lady Sword in Shi Xuanfei's hand, its red light flowing across the blade, quietly dissolved into specks of starlight. She straightened her sleeves and followed Dong Xiaojie with graceful steps, heading for the path down the mountain toward the Bamboo Forest.
Ouyang Biting, the eldest disciple who was as dense as a rock when it came to romance, had no idea how things had come to this, much less what her master was afraid of or hesitating over. But no matter what, she couldn't undermine her master in front of outsiders, so she followed along in silence.
Watching the group from Jade Maiden Peak recede into the distance, Yun Zishan turned her wrist. The Purple Cloud Sword