"Well... we're both cultivators with mutated spiritual roots, and some of our techniques aren't suitable for other cultivators to see. Heh heh..." Xue Bo stammered, scraping together an excuse that was hardly an excuse at all, then laughed awkwardly.
"Yes! Yes! I have a lightning spiritual root, and he has a wind spiritual root. Our cultivation levels happen to be about the same, so we were just exchanging pointers here. Please be generous and forgive us, Senior Sister! Let us off this once." Ouyang Ya caught on as well and hurried to back him up, her voice taking on a pleading note.
Although nothing had actually happened, if word of their unauthorized duel reached the sect's stewards, they would certainly face punishment and lose a month or two of their Spirit Stone stipend.
"Hmm..." Liu Xian'er frowned and lowered her head in thought, feeling rather torn.
"What's that supposed to mean? You girl nearly blasted the life out of your old-uh... me! I'm definitely reporting this to the steward of Heavenly Capital Peak! Hmph!" Li Xiaoya cut in angrily from the side. Somehow, he felt that swearing in front of Liu Xian'er would be improper, and forcibly swallowed his crude way of referring to himself.
"You!" Ouyang Ya choked with anger and glared fiercely at him. If he had not been gloating on the sidelines, she would never have flown into a rage and unleashed that devastating final strike. Whichever way she looked at it, this bastard was to blame. If looks could kill, her gaze would have torn Li Xiaoya into ten thousand pieces already.
"Heh, Senior Brother, we offended you just now. Please forgive us and don't stoop to quarreling with us!" Seeing this, Xue Bo glanced at Liu Xian'er, then at Li Xiaoya. An idea struck him,