“I said it—you just want to destroy all of this!” Gu Ting roared. “Being so malicious, aren’t you afraid of divine retribution?!”

“I’m not afraid,” Xuan Yi smiled lightly. “Because I didn’t do it. Senior Brother Gu Ting, this won’t do. You’re all so much older than me, and you’ve listened to Master’s teachings at his feet for so much longer than I have. Don’t you know that grievances have their source and debts have their owner? Venting anger on others goes against Master’s teachings. Where is your benevolence, elegance, and propriety?”

“…” Gu Ting couldn’t restrain himself. His divine power surged—he almost wanted to pierce through that icy gaze of hers that concealed mockery with a spell.

This won’t do. If this continues, something terrible will happen sooner or later.

Tai Yao frowned and gave instructions in a low voice. “Zhi Xi, take little junior sister away. Fucang, if Gu Ting makes a move, stop him immediately.”

Zhi Xi immediately came forward, shielding Xuan Yi behind her. She stared at Gu Ting with furrowed brows and said in a deep voice, “Junior Brother Gu Ting, please calm down! Even mortals in the lower realm know that accusing someone of a crime with baseless words is slander, let alone we gods of the upper realm.”

She grasped Xuan Yi’s shoulder, about to lead her away from South Garden, but who knew this princess of the Zhuyin Clan would grab her hand and say in a sweet, soft voice, “Senior Sister, I haven’t finished watching yet.”

Zhi Xi was infuriated. What on earth was going through her head all day long?!

“Gu Ting?”

Fu Luo’s voice suddenly rang out from the lakeside. The gods’ gazes all fell on her in unison with a swish. She was clearly completely unaware. While looking around in confusion, she came walking over gracefully, examining the tense situation before her with alarm and uncertainty. When she met Gu Ting’s blood-red eyes, she said in a low voice, “…What’s wrong?”

Gu Ting stared at her in a daze. The white prince’s-feather grass ornaments tied to her belt—he had made them himself and given them to her. There had been eighteen blossoms. Now less than half remained.

That’s right, he had seen it with his own eyes. During her dispute and pleading with Shao Yi, those white flower petals had shattered into pieces, sliding down from her skirt like falling snow.

He suddenly smiled miserably and took two steps back. “Where were you just now?”

Fu Luo froze for a moment. “I… I found Shao Yi to discuss the matter Master assigned yesterday.”

“Shao Yi?” Gu Ting’s laughter grew louder and louder. “You were just with Shao Yi?”

Fu Luo pressed her lips together, looking around with vigilance and unease. She first saw Yan Xia’s tear-streaked face and her heart sank. Then she saw the averted gazes of Zhi Xi, Tai Yao, and the others, the spectator gazes of the crowd of disciples, and Xuan Yi’s almost mocking gaze. Her heart immediately plummeted.

“Did Princess Xuan Yi say something to you?” Fu Luo struggled to maintain her composure. “Gu Ting, the time we’ve been engaged is longer than the time you’ve known this princess. You believe her divisive words but don’t believe me? Shao Yi and I are completely innocent. Our interactions are aboveboard. I have a clear conscience.”

Gu Ting stared straight at her as if he didn’t recognize her.

“No one said anything about you and Shao Yi.” His voice was extremely low. “Don’t tell me you guessed it.”

Fu Luo froze for an instant. Tears welled up in her eyes, utterly aggrieved. “What do you mean by this? You truly doubt me? Ever since we became engaged, we’ve always been together. You know what kind of person I am, don’t you?”

Gu Ting nodded miserably. “You’re right. I trusted everything here too much. Master taught us benevolence, elegance, and propriety, so I wishfully regarded every disciple here as a gentleman, regarded you as a kindred spirit and sincere match. I never thought the most foolish one was me… Fu Luo, I’ll only ask one question. You and him—when did it start?”

“I don’t want to explain to you anymore. The pure will purify themselves!”

Gu Ting’s face was pale as he slowly shook his head. “…For the sake of how well I’ve treated you, tell me the truth.”

Fu Luo covered her face with her sleeve, not answering a single word. She turned to leave. Yan Xia, who had been silent in the back the whole time, suddenly spoke. “Senior Sister Fu Luo, every word and action between you and Shao Yi just now was projected onto Hege Lake by Junior Sister Xuan Yi using a cloud and mist illusion spell… For the sake of Senior Brother Gu Ting being so heartbroken, can’t you answer him directly?”

Fu Luo lowered her sleeve, her face ashen as she stared at Xuan Yi.

Xuan Yi lowered her head with a smile, speaking without hurry. “Hold on now. Don’t talk as if I really did this. How about this—let’s call Master here and have the old man see for himself who actually did it.”

As soon as these words were spoken, Yan Xia let out an “ah,” then felt she had lost composure. She quickly lowered her head and said softly, “This kind of matter… why trouble Master? It’s not a respectable affair anyway… Besides, his health is poor.”

Xuan Yi turned her head to look at her. “I’m not happy about taking the blame. Even the most delicious pastries aren’t worth it.”

Yan Xia’s face turned pale. She bit down hard on her lower lip, saying haltingly, “What… what do you mean… Why must you trouble Master? Hasn’t Senior Brother Gu Ting received enough of a shock? Must you pour another handful of salt on his wound?”

“You’re right,” Xuan Yi said with a smile. “Pouring salt on wounds is something I love to do most.”

Yan Xia stamped her foot anxiously. “Don’t go! You mustn’t go find Master!”

“Why not?” Xuan Yi asked.

Sweat covered Yan Xia’s forehead, yet she couldn’t fabricate a reasonable excuse. Fu Luo on the side finally saw the truth and said sternly, “Yan Xia! Are you here spreading lies to confuse the masses?! I have no grievances or enmity with you—why would you frame me?!”

Yan Xia bit her teeth and simply steeled her heart, saying coldly, “You know what you did yourself.”

Fu Luo walked quickly to stand before her, her voice hoarse. “I know you’re devoted to Shao Yi. He treats everyone equally. You feel upset, so you come to frame me. We’ve been disciples together for thousands of years, yet you show no regard for our friendship, disregarding Master’s teachings and doing this unconscionable thing!”

Yan Xia said urgently, “Nonsense! You clearly have an engagement with Senior Brother Gu Ting, yet you seduce Shao Yi! I do like Shao Yi—we’re both unmarried and unbetrothed. I stand upright and proper! What about you?! Where does that leave Senior Brother Gu Ting?!”

It looked like these two were about to have a major fight. Xuan Yi refilled her tea and sat back down to continue watching the drama.

Gu Ting opposite her was ashen-faced. After being stunned for a long while, he looked all around. Yan Xia and Fu Luo were quarreling fiercely. Apart from Tai Yao, Zhi Xi, and Fucang, all those other colleagues he had regarded as close friends were watching everything with the eyes of spectators enjoying a show.

He suddenly let out a long sigh and turned to bow deeply to Xuan Yi.

“I did indeed vent my anger wrongly—first for betrayal, second for shattered dreams. Princess Xuan Yi, I actually must thank you for letting me see all this clearly.”

Having finished speaking, he turned and left South Garden without hesitation.

The disciples became a noisy mess. Tai Yao looked at Xuan Yi helplessly and lowered his voice. “Little junior sister, why must you push things to this point?”

“What do you mean?” Xuan Yi drank her tea and asked back.

“We entered Master’s tutelage, believe in the Way of Nature, and abide by his teachings. For nearly ten thousand years, our bonds as fellow students have been deep. Breaking this trust is too cruel.”

Xuan Yi was astonished. “What does this have to do with me? They didn’t abide by Master’s teachings—how is that my fault? I’ve only been here two days.”

Tai Yao was left speechless. Actually, what she said wasn’t wrong. Originally within Mingxing Hall there had been various undercurrents surging—like a pot of soup about to boil dry. Xuan Yi’s arrival was merely adding a handful of salt. He had no reason whatsoever to blame her.

He had thought that Mingxing Hall would be unsettled for a while afterward, but he hadn’t expected it to happen this quickly, with the situation this bad.

Turning to look at Yan Xia and Fu Luo, these two goddesses who were normally elegant and dignified had almost started pulling hair and tearing at each other’s faces. Tai Yao shook his head and called out loudly, “Everyone stop! This is too unseemly! Making such a spectacle—what kind of behavior is this! I will report this matter to Master and let him decide how to handle it. Everyone disperse for now!”

The excitement was over.

Xuan Yi felt it was quite a pity. She lingered reluctantly for a while. After those two goddesses who had almost come to blows quietly departed, only then did she rise and walk back leisurely.

She had just returned to Ice Snow Hall when she saw sitting on the ice chair before the hall a divine lord dressed in flamboyant attire, propping his chin and gazing around in boredom at the countless palaces, flowers, grass, and trees piled with white snow.

Seeming to hear Xuan Yi’s return, he turned his head and looked at her with a half-smile.

“Little loach, this matter really wasn’t handled beautifully.”