Gu Yinchen saw that the people from the Profound Heaven Sect remained seated where they were, showing no intention whatsoever of rising to admire the flowers. After hesitating again and again, he finally forced out a smile and walked over.
Reaching them, Gu Yinchen gave a slight cupped-fist salute and asked, "Was I negligent? Are these spirit flowers too commonplace to catch your esteemed eyes?"
Upon hearing this, True Person Yu Qing remained as calm and composed as ever. He slowly said, "Not at all, not at all. Valley Master Gu may not know this, but although these spirit flowers are delicate and beautiful, we have been in the Fasting Realm for a long time. Today, having suddenly tasted the spirit fruits and spirit wine so carefully prepared by Medicine King Valley, we unknowingly became greedy for these pleasures of the palate. It is truly difficult to move away."
After saying this, he lifted the wine cup from the table and took a light sip, a contented expression appearing on his face.
Gu Yinchen immediately knew this was merely True Person Yu Qing's excuse, but he did not expose it. The smile on his face was nearly impossible to maintain as he hurriedly turned and gestured to Gu Yueyao, who had been following behind him. "In that case, let my daughter entertain you all in my stead. I hope you will not stand on ceremony."
After a few more polite exchanges with the group, he quickly turned and left.
Shen Yuxi stared at his retreating figure and somehow discerned a trace of flustered panic in it.
Valley Master really has it rough. He is clearly socially anxious, yet he has to grit his teeth and entertain guests. I thought he had completely given up and handed everything over to Gu Xiaoyue. Looks like the Valley Master truly cares deeply about his daughter's marriage.
As the saying went, water flowed downward, while people climbed upward. The Valley Master wholeheartedly hoped his daughter would find a good home, so naturally, when choosing a son-in-law, he wanted someone outstanding among outstanding men.
For other guests, having his eldest disciple receive them would have been enough. But when facing the Profound Heaven Sect, the Valley Master had still gathered his courage to come personally—though he had not lasted more than a few minutes. Still, for a shut-in who had been socially anxious for half his life, that was already no easy feat.
As for why he valued the Profound Heaven Sect so highly... Shen Yuxi was not boasting, but whether in cultivation, background, or wealth, the other sects present truly could not be mentioned in the same breath as the Profound Heaven Sect.
What was more, the Profound Heaven Sect had always been renowned for its strict sect rules, and its disciples' character was praised by all. It was not as though black sheep did not exist at all, but they were indeed few and far between. At the very least, among this generation's direct disciples, there were no such people.
Alas, Medicine King Valley has passed down a single line from generation to generation. Along with their medical arts, they also passed down social anxiety. That is why the Valley Master dotes on his daughter so much.
After so many generations of socially anxious people, they finally produced a social butterfly. The Valley Master, the old Valley Master, and the departed old old Valley Masters: "Spoil her! Spoil her rotten!"
Shen Yuxi acted it all out vividly in his mind.
The senior and junior brothers beside him heard it and could not help finding it amusing. They could only clench their fists and endure with all their might to keep from laughing aloud.
True Person Yu Qing had not expected Medicine King Valley to possess such a secret history.
Social anxiety... could actually be inherited?
True Person Yu Qing did not understand. True Person Yu Qing was greatly shaken.
Gu Yueyao moved with lotus-like steps, her bearing so graceful that she resembled an immortal maiden among flowers. She approached the group and gave a graceful bow. "If any seniors or senior brothers require anything, simply instruct Yueyao."
After speaking, she very naturally seated herself beside Wen Jian, who was surrounded by a circle of Medicine King Valley disciples.
Shen Yuxi:!!!
Wen Jian:!!!
Wen Jian was badly startled, his entire body stiffening. Why had this young valley master ignored so many empty seats and chosen the one beside him?
At that moment, his palms were sweating from nervousness. He could even clearly sense the intense resentment radiating from his second senior brother, seated in front of him.
Shen Yuxi could only scream madly in his heart, What are you doing?! Wrong! Not over there—over here! How could you possibly miss such a huge, handsome male lead sitting beside me?! Sister-in-law, stop fixating on that Outer Domain medical knowledge! Isn't our handsome and dashing eldest senior brother, as elegant as jade in the wind and absurdly powerful, appealing enough?!
Gu Yueyao was completely unaware of the turmoil in their hearts. Smiling, she gazed at the group with bright eyes and softly asked, "I heard that everyone has been discussing medicinal principles. Might I have the good fortune to join you?"
The Medicine King Valley disciples seated around them were immediately overjoyed. Their senior sister was deeply revered within Medicine King Valley. Not only was her status noble, but her attainments in the medical arts were so high that others could only gaze after her in admiration.
Now that they had the chance to discuss medicine and medicinal principles with their senior sister, it was something they could only dream of! At once, everyone nodded repeatedly, excited smiles filling their faces as they said in unison, "With Senior Sister joining us, it could not be better!"
Wen Jian was so embarrassed he wished he could find a crack in the ground and crawl into it. He was no fool; naturally, he would not naively believe that the young valley master had deliberately approached him because she had fallen for him.
According to his second senior brother, this young valley master was a medical fanatic. The Outer Domain medical arts they had mentioned some days ago must have piqued her interest.
He secretly lifted his eyes and glanced at Shen Yuxi. He did not know whether it was merely his imagination, but the increasingly agitated second senior brother seemed to be giving off colder and colder chills, enough to freeze the surrounding air.
"Do you all feel like it suddenly got a little cold?" A Medicine King Valley disciple beside them could not help rubbing his arms as he asked in confusion.
"Mm, it does feel a little cold," another disciple echoed.
Soon, someone noticed where the chill was coming from. When he inadvertently met Shen Yuxi's indifferent gaze, it was as though someone had dumped a basin of icy water over his head. His entire body shuddered, and he hurriedly turned away, not daring to look at Shen Yuxi again.
Then, that person cautiously leaned close to Wen Jian's ear and asked in a whisper only the two of them could hear, "Senior Brother Wen, is your senior brother... in a bad mood?"
What bad mood? He is clearly frantic because Eldest Senior Brother and Sister-in-law still have not had any contact.
Wen Jian thought this, but how could he say it aloud? He could only maintain a proper smile and say, "Second Senior Brother has always been like this. He bears no dissatisfaction toward any of you, so please do not take it to heart."
For a great sect with deep foundations like the Profound Heaven Sect, obtaining knowledge of the Outer Domain was no difficult matter. Yet for a small sect like Medicine King Valley, the Outer Domain was as distant and unreachable as another world. If they missed this opportunity, who knew when they would have another chance to encounter it?
With this thought in mind, Gu Yueyao was full of designs to secretly learn from them. Once seated, she silently began making her plans.
Knowledge, in a sense, was equivalent to intelligence.
Gu Yueyao knew that expecting Wen Jian to casually reveal intelligence about the Outer Domain was simply a fantasy. If it were truly so easy, rumors concerning the Outer Domain would likely have spread everywhere like snowflakes filling the sky.
After all these years, how could Lingshu Heaven Domain possibly remain in a state where the vast majority knew almost nothing about the Outer Domain? Some even doubted whether the Outer Domain existed at all.
After some consideration, she decided to pursue two paths at once. On one hand, she would subtly employ a beauty trap, using her own advantages to make Wen Jian lower his guard. On the other, she would use her profound foundation in the medical arts as bait, hoping to draw information about the Outer Domain from Wen Jian.
She turned slightly toward Wen Jian and gave him a gentle, captivating smile. Her eyes were bright and clear like a pool of spring water, gazing at him with deep affection.
"Regarding the spirit medicine matter last time, thank you for lending a hand, Junior Brother. Junior Brother is so learned; you must know much rare knowledge, I imagine."
Her voice was soft and melodious, carrying a faint, almost imperceptible allure.
"Yueyao is untalented, but I do possess some understanding of the medical path. Would Junior Brother be willing to exchange insights with Yueyao?" Without waiting for Wen Jian to refuse, she began sharing her own experiences and views on the medical arts with the group.
Her words flowed in an endless stream, from unusual applications of common medicinal herbs to the unique effects of rare spirit plants. She explained everything in detail. What she said was fresh and profound, making the Medicine King Valley disciples present nod repeatedly and occasionally voice their admiration. Wen Jian also benefited greatly.
She deftly guided the topic toward Outer Domain medical arts and said, "I have heard that the medical arts of the Outer Domain are distinctive, with many marvelous aspects we have never known. Has Junior Brother studied them?"
At first, Wen Jian had been deeply immersed in the charm of Gu Yueyao's vast knowledge. The two exchanged ideas about the medical arts back and forth, finding each other quite compatible.
However, when Gu Yueyao abruptly changed the topic and mentioned Outer Domain medical arts, he felt as though cold water had been splashed across his face and instantly sobered up.
Laughing bitterly in his heart, how could he truly know anything about Outer Domain medical arts? He could only show a troubled expression and helplessly say, "To be honest, although I usually enjoy studying all manner of ancient texts, records concerning Outer Domain medical arts are truly few and far between, and most are incomplete.
"The genuinely useful knowledge among them is even more scant. I am lacking in talent and learning, so I truly cannot piece together complete information from these fragmented words and phrases." His expression was sincere, his eyes filled with helplessness and apology. Anyone who saw him would feel that he was telling the truth.
Gu Yueyao fixed her eyes on Wen Jian's expression, carefully judging the truth of his words. Seeing how earnest he was, without even the slightest sign of pretense, she could not help feeling a trace of disappointment.
With a silent sigh, she understood that further questioning would be futile and could only give up regretfully.
She gently shook her head, maintaining the polite and proper smile on her face. "So that is how it is. It seems Yueyao was presumptuous. Still, being able to discuss the medical arts with everyone today has already benefited me greatly. This trip has not been in vain."
Though Gu Yueyao was unwilling to accept it, she knew she could not continue probing. Looking over the group from the Profound Heaven Sect, it was obvious that the others were far less interested in the medical path than Wen Jian.
Since even Wen Jian claimed not to know, asking the others would likely yield nothing either. It truly held little meaning.
This small interlude was quickly brushed aside, and Wen Jian and Gu Yueyao tacitly chose to treat it as though it had never happened.
Not long afterward, a faint sound of footsteps approached. A gray-robed young man, his steps steady, came before the group with a fellow disciple.
The gray-robed young man had firm features and heroic spirit in his eyes. He gave a slight cupped-fist salute to Gu Yueyao and said, "Forgive us for disturbing you so abruptly. Yesterday, my unruly junior brother was accidentally injured. Fortunately, the young valley master came to his aid. We will remember this kindness in our hearts, and we have come specially to offer our thanks."
Following the young man's gaze, Gu Yueyao saw the young disciple behind him, whose cheeks were faintly flushed. She instantly recalled the matter, and a light smile appeared on her face. "No matter. It was only a small matter, not worth mentioning."
"My junior brother is still young, rash, and ignorant of proper conduct. This time, he caused the young valley master much trouble, and we are deeply ashamed. In the future, I will certainly discipline him strictly and never allow such a thing to happen again."
The young man spoke earnestly. After speaking, he gently pulled the youth before him, signaling for him to apologize to Gu Yueyao.
The youth's gaze darted about somewhat evasively. He looked here, then there, but alone among everyone present, he did not dare meet Gu Yueyao's eyes directly.
After hesitating for quite some time, as though he had finally made an enormous decision, he suddenly raised his head and shouted, "Sorry, Young Valley Master! I should not have let others provoke me into fighting in the valley and disturbed Medicine King Valley's peace."
It was not hard to hear from the youth's words that he did not truly think his act of fighting had been such a great mistake. After all, he had been "provoked first." He merely understood that fighting in Medicine King Valley had indeed been inappropriate.
Gu Yueyao remained calm and waved her hand lightly. "Junior Brother need not take this matter to heart. It was only a small thing."
She did not judge who had been right or wrong. She simply wished to make a great matter small with an indifferent attitude and avoid further trouble.
Wen Jian looked carefully and—oh? Another familiar face. Was that leading youth not Tan Yin of the Heavenly Sword Sect? And the younger disciple was clearly that hot-tempered fellow who had made wild remarks outside the valley before.
With that, there was no need to guess who the other party in the conflict had been. He simply had not expected them to truly clash to the point of fighting.
Sure enough, they had barely exchanged a few words when the people from Azure Rock Sect came charging over with fierce momentum, as though they had caught wind of something.
A loud cry of "What a case of the villain filing the complaint first!" shattered the somewhat tranquil atmosphere.
Immediately afterward, Wang Rong came striding over with several disciples in tow. He held a folding fan in hand, looking elegant and refined yet carrying a hint of anger.
With a flick, he opened his folding fan and said sharply, "You injured several of my junior brothers and junior sisters. Before we could even seek an explanation from your Heavenly Sword Sect, you had the nerve to speak so glibly and turn black into white!"
Wen Jian took one look and thought, well, would you look at that. The Heavenly Sword Sect side kept insisting they had been injured, yet unless one came close enough to smell the medicine on them, there was not the slightest visible sign of injury.
But on the Azure Rock Sect side, every face still bore clearly visible purple-black bruises. They had obviously suffered no small loss.
The moment Wang Rong finished speaking, one disciple behind him hurriedly put on a pitiful expression and said, "Yes! We did not even say anything excessive, and he rushed over like a madman and started hitting people. He was utterly unreasonable!"
The other disciples also chimed in one after another. One said, "Exactly!" while another said, "They have gone too far!" For a time, the scene became rather chaotic.
"You...!" The Heavenly Sword Sect's young disciple immediately felt his anger surge again. He clenched his fists tightly, his face flushing red.
But this time, he had not forgotten the promise he had just made. At a stern look from Tan Yin, his senior brother, he forcibly swallowed his words. Still, his furious eyes continued to glare fiercely at the Azure Rock Sect disciples.
On the surface, the people from the Profound Heaven Sect appeared entirely composed. They seemed to keep their eyes straight ahead as they continued doing their own things, quietly conversing or calmly sipping tea. In truth, every one of them was secretly paying attention to what was happening here.
As Shen Yuxi drank his tea, he muttered inwardly, So your entire group got beaten by one person? He surrounded all of you by himself?
No wonder the Heavenly Sword Sect did not dare fight you. If they really fought, even the medical bills would not be enough to cover it. What kind of cultivation gap does it take for one person to fight many and still hold an absolute advantage? Aren't you in the same realm? And it does not look like there are any sword wounds either. What the hell is going on, brothers?!
Though Chu Shihan said nothing, a trace of doubt flashed through his eyes. In his understanding, even if cultivators of the same realm had a victor and loser, the difference should not have been this vast.
Lin Huaixu was even more incredulous and could not help muttering under his breath, "This is too absurd. A whole group was beaten this badly by one person."
For these disciples who possessed talent, had cultivated diligently since childhood, and had never been pressed down and beaten by opponents of the same realm, it was truly difficult for them to empathize with the feelings of the Azure Rock Sect disciples.
Fights between cultivators, especially contests between those of the same realm, were usually evenly matched. They relied on each person's own ability, skill, and perseverance. Seeing Azure Rock Sect in such a sorry state, they could not possibly relate. What they felt more than anything was genuine confusion.
The higher a cultivator's realm, the less overflowing sympathy they possessed. Not only did the Profound Heaven Sect group feel no pity for Azure Rock Sect's miserable state, they even felt that Azure Rock Sect simply had not worked hard enough.
Before you continue