Mask Man's gaze shifted, but in the end, he suppressed his temper and regained his former gentle, refined air. "Since you're so eager to see the friend you abandoned, how could I refuse you?"
The others present had assumed that, as Su Jiu's friend, he must have been tied up. Who would have thought Qi Song would walk out of the room completely unharmed?
His clothes and face were clean, without the slightest sign of abuse.
Su Jiu looked bewildered. "Qi Song, you...?"
Yet Qi Song ignored Su Jiu. Instead, he turned and bowed respectfully to Mask Man. "As long as I help you finish this, you'll let me go back, correct?"
Mask Man nodded with a faint smile. "Naturally. But if you wish to continue testing your chess skills against mine, Fellow Daoist Qi, you're welcome to visit often."
At this point, what was left for the others to misunderstand? This friend of Su Jiu's had probably been won over by Mask Man long ago.
Ming Yun stared at Sui Ju with pity for a while before slowly speaking in an equally pitying tone. "Who would have thought that even a proud son of heaven from the mighty Azure Tide Sect would one day suffer betrayal?"
Su Jiu lowered her head and remained silent, as though she had no interest in disputing any of it.
But Ming Yun clearly refused to let the matter rest. Such a rare opportunity to trample an insufferably arrogant genius beneath her feet-how could she possibly let it slip?
"I wonder how you feel about having your fate pattern replaced any moment now, Fellow Daoist Su?"
Su Jiu smiled. "Are you so certain the exchange will succeed?"
Ming Yun's expression stiffened before her eyes narrowed again. "Are these words your final struggle?"
"Actually, I