Senior Sister Qingyue

"What? This pile of scraps... he's supposed to clean them up?"

The moment Zhao San heard that, he was scared out of his wits.

This stuff was no joke. If he had to clean up this pile of poison, wouldn't that cost him his dog life in minutes?

With a thud, Zhao San dropped to his knees and slid before Qingyue, kowtowing as he begged for mercy.

"Granny, spare me! I really wasn't the one who made this senior clean up these scraps. Please, spare me just this once!"

Qingyue stood with her hands on her hips, her expression icy.

"Spare you once? Watch your words. You make it sound as if I've done something to you. Didn't you arrange this work for my little brother? Why can he do it while you can't? Enough nonsense. Hurry up and clean it!"

Seeing this, the way Li Ping'an looked at the girl could not help but change.

He had originally seen her fail at pill refinement again and again, leaving herself grimy and bedraggled every day. Even when the people around her mocked her, she never got angry. He had thought she was simply a harmless little girl.

But now, watching Qingyue's methods of ordering people about, it seemed this girl was no simple character either.

Still, Qingyue was standing up for him right now, and he was more than happy to see Zhao San fall flat. He folded his arms and silently stood to the side, watching this fine show unfold.

When Zhao San continued begging without pause, Qingyue's brows suddenly drew together as she said sternly,

"Why haven't you started yet? Are you trying to force my hand?"

Zhao San's legs went weak at her words.

A lofty inner sect disciple was giving him orders. If he dared refuse, that would be defying orders. And within the sect, defying orders was an extremely serious crime—one that could very well get him executed.

After struggling with himself for quite some time, Zhao San took a deep breath and gritted his teeth as he stood up.

Looking at the poisonous fumes churning inside the crate, Zhao San hesitated for a moment before finally reaching toward a piece of rotten flesh.

The instant he touched it, Zhao San sprang up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, letting out a miserable scream.

The poisonous fumes instantly corroded the flesh of his hand. His fingers turned charred black, and the searing pain made Zhao San break out in a cold sweat.

"Keep going!"

Seeing him stop, Qingyue raised a brow and said,

"Keep cleaning. I didn't say you could stop, so don't stop."

As she spoke, Qingyue suddenly released her spiritual energy, and the power of the Qi Refining realm burst forth.

Zhao San shuddered in fright, even forgetting some of the pain in his hand.

Compared to pain, his life was more important.

So he could only grit his teeth and continue clearing away those highly toxic scraps. The process was agonizing to watch, and Zhao San cleaned while screaming in pain.

Just then, Li Ping'an suddenly spoke. "Senior Sister, perhaps we should let it go. This gentleman has such delicate skin and tender flesh; he can't withstand these toxic miasmas. Let me do it instead."

Qingyue could not help but feel somewhat surprised upon hearing Li Ping'an's words.

She had come specifically to stand up for Li Ping'an, deliberately punishing this disciple and making him suffer a little. She had never expected Li Ping'an to speak up for him instead.

For a moment, an unusual light appeared in Qingyue's eyes as she looked at Li Ping'an.

Repaying resentment with virtue—such a disposition was truly rare!

There was still someone in this sect with such a pure heart.

What she did not know was that Li Ping'an had only tried to stop her because he was afraid Zhao San would clear away all of his cultivation nourishment. How the hell was he supposed to cultivate then?

To him, this was all essence. He could not let anyone else have it.

As for Zhao San, after cleaning so much of the waste, he had already suffered enough. The flesh on his face and hands had been poisoned into a bloody pulp.

As for the rest of the debt, Li Ping'an could settle it with him slowly after growing stronger. There was no need to waste his own nourishment now.

"Little brother, are you sure you want to let him go?"

Qingyue asked doubtfully.

Li Ping'an remained calm, even showing a trace of righteous solemnity on his face as he cupped his hands in salute.

"Senior Sister, I, Li Ping'an, appreciate your goodwill. But let me personally handle the remaining scraps. This is my line of work to begin with."

Seeing Li Ping'an persist so stubbornly, Qingyue stopped insisting and nodded to Zhao San.

"Today, my little brother is letting you off. But remember this: if you dare bully him again, I absolutely won't spare you. Do you hear me? Now get lost!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao San felt as though he had been granted a pardon. He even shot Li Ping'an a grateful look before immediately fleeing without further delay. Rolling and scrambling, screaming all the while, he ran out of the hall in a sorry state.

After Zhao San left, Qingyue patted Li Ping'an on the shoulder and said with some emotion,

"Little brother, I never expected you to be so kind. He bullied you like that, yet you let him off so easily."

Li Ping'an remained impassive, speaking earnestly and with lofty righteousness.

"After all, we are fellow members of the same sect. There is no need for such fighting and killing. As the saying goes, spare others when you can, and do not drive people into too tight a corner. That is the proper way to conduct oneself."

As he spoke, Li Ping'an's aged face actually showed an expression of pity. He looked every bit like a man who truly possessed a compassionate heart.

Seeing this, even Qingyue could not help but feel admiration for Li Ping'an.

This old man truly was a kind person.

"Alright, don't clean up these scraps anymore. I'll speak to them later, and you won't have to deal with this waste again."

She had thought Li Ping'an would surely feel grateful after hearing this.

Unexpectedly, Li Ping'an's face darkened, and he hurriedly stopped her.

"Senior Sister, that absolutely won't do! I, Li Ping'an, appreciate your kindness, but please let me handle these scraps myself in the future. Also, if you truly have that authority, it would be even better if you could tell them to let me clean up any scraps they have from now on."

Hearing Li Ping'an's words, Qingyue froze where she stood.

Did this old man have some strange hobby? Everyone avoided this garbage and waste like the plague, yet he seemed to enjoy it all day long, as though this trash were sweet rain and jade dew, something he treasured beyond measure.

This truly was strange.

For a moment, Qingyue looked at Li Ping'an with an even stranger expression, growing more curious about the old man.

"Fine, have it your way."

Qingyue stopped insisting, and an excited expression appeared on her face instead.

"Actually, I came to see you today for something else as well."

"What is it?" Li Ping'an asked.

"Pill refinement, of course!"

The moment pill refinement was mentioned, Qingyue's tone became full of excitement.

"I thought about it, and you were right before. Refining pills every day is actually my way of contributing to the sect. I believe that as long as I practice diligently and persist day after day, there will surely come a day when I succeed!"

Qingyue spoke as though she were cheering herself on. She clenched her little fist, her face full of determination.