Everyone turned and saw the boy standing tall as a crane, looking like an expressionless Brother Yan. They all assumed expressions of understanding, and Jiang Yiner jogged over to Pei Ye.
The two left the Sword Cultivation Academy's seats. Pei Ye tilted his head and smiled. "True Disciple Jiang, what was I waiting for you for? You lied to get away. I'm reporting you to your master."
Jiang Yiner's eyes widened. "You lured me into it, Brother."
"What did I lure you into? I was only standing there. I never expected Daoist Jiang, who 'would never deceive her master,' to be quite so quick on the uptake."
Jiang Yiner was thin-skinned. He had finally caught her in one tiny act of dishonesty, and her face flushed. Slightly annoyed, she said, "Don't ask me to practice swordsmanship with you again."
But just as she finished speaking, she noticed an unfamiliar girl in a green skirt smiling at them beneath a tree ahead. Only then did she realize the boy had been leading her this way from the start.
She reacted faster than He Yaoyao, immediately composing her expression and turning to look at the boy first.
"I came to say goodbye, and rescue you while I was at it." Pei Ye gestured toward the girl. "I'm going out with someone for a while. Go back to the Sword Cultivation Academy yourself tonight. No need to wait for me."
"...Oh."
Li Piaoqing raised her sleeves and cupped her fist. "'Little White Dragon' Jiang Yiner, in person. I've long admired your name."
Jiang Yiner raised her hands blankly. A little embarrassed, Pei Ye said, "This is Li Piaoqing, sect master of Jadeite Mountain. We have some business to attend to."
Slightly startled, Jiang Yiner returned the greeting. "Sect Leader Li, I've also... long