"Junior Sister Shen, you've just woken up. Your body is still weak. Don't worry about these things for now..."
Qi Nian was afraid that if Shen Qing knew about this, it would be bad for her recovery. So she winked at Hong Chaoyang, signaling her to wait.
But Hong Chaoyang wore her emotions on her sleeve. Her cheeks were puffed up in anger, looking like a spiky pufferfish.
Qi Nian helplessly tugged at her sleeve while carefully observing Shen Qing, fearing that she might get so aggrieved that she'd choke.
To be fair, Qi Nian was the direct disciple of Elder Feiyun. She had inherited Elder Feiyun's temperament and couldn't stand unfair things the most.
On weekdays, she always heard Elder Feiyun say that the Sect Master was an upright man. But in this matter, Qi Nian also harbored resentment towards the True Lord Honghua.
Shen Qing moved her body and didn't feel any discomfort. Now she felt relieved.
"Elder Yaoyue is back. The spiritual medicine that Elder Yaoyue brought back from the Qingmu Sect was used on the wound on your back. Not even a scar was left."
"However, Elder Yaoyue said that it was fortunate that you have a special constitution. Otherwise, an ordinary disciple would have been crippled long ago."
Qi Nian patted her chest in fear. At that time, she was standing by. The incident happened so suddenly that she didn't even have time to react.
When Hong Chaoyang rushed forward, Qi Nian's first reaction was also to follow.
But she was ultimately a step too late...
When the smoke cleared, Shen Qing was lying on the ground covered in blood. Qi Nian felt as if she was suffocating. Fortunately, Shen Qing was okay.
"I heard a bit of what Senior Sister Hong just said. It's just that the Sect Master has let Pei Xuanjing and the others go."
Shen Qing's expression was calm. Qi Nian couldn't figure out Shen Qing's attitude at the moment.
Did Shen Qing still have feelings for the people on Nianbai Peak, or was she disappointed with the True Lord Honghua's actions?
In fact, there weren't many ripples in Shen Qing's heart. Because she knew that Lin Yibai was the female protagonist of this world, while she was just an insignificant supporting character.
If she wanted to break away from the original plot, she had to pay a huge price.
Even though she almost lost her life at the hands of the True Lord Hengling in order to break away from Nianbai Peak this time, she didn't regret it.
Shen Qing slowly clenched her fists, with determination in her eyes.
The plot arrangement wanted her to be a stepping stone for Lin Yibai, but she refused. Even if she had to pay a huge price in the future, her life could only belong to herself.
"Junior Sister Shen, don't be too sad. The Sect Master... maybe has his own considerations. The punishments for Pei Xuanjing and the others will still be carried out, just after the Secret Realm trial. The Sect Master is still just..."
Shen Qing nodded. She knew the power of the plot. She was already very happy that she could change some of it.
She couldn't be hasty in trying to bring down Lin Yibai. If she fought too hard, who knew what other accidents would happen.
"Senior Sister Qi, don't worry. No matter what, the True Lord Hengling was the first to achieve great merit in the battle a thousand years ago. Without him, the Qingyun Sword Sect might not have reached where it is today. If I were the Sect Master, I would also not be too harsh on him because of this merit."
Qi Nian nodded, but Hong Chaoyang didn't have such a good temper.
She turned around and glared at Shen Qing, which made Shen Qing laugh and cry.
"Senior Sister Hong, I know you're indignant for me. But my personal grudges shouldn't involve the Qingyun Sword Sect. We should trust the Sect Master."
Seeing that Hong Chaoyang was still stubborn, Shen Qing didn't know for a moment whether the person who was hurt by Nianbai Peak was her or Hong Chaoyang.
To divert Hong Chaoyang's attention, Shen Qing mentioned the Secret Realm trial half a month later.
"Oh! Shen Qing, you should thank me for this. The registration for the Secret Realm trial ended long ago. If it weren't for me signing you up, you would have missed this opportunity."
Seeing that Hong Chaoyang was successfully distracted, Shen Qing smiled.
"Then Shen Qing thanks Senior Sister Hong. I will surely repay this kindness with a generous gift."
Hong Chaoyang was stared at seriously by Shen Qing. Her face immediately blushed with embarrassment. She laughed awkwardly and pretended to be nonchalant, "There's no need for repayment. In the future... in the future, you can come to me more often... and do more things for me. That'll be considered repaying the favor."
Qi Nian covered her mouth and smiled gently.
Watching Shen Qing coax Hong Chaoyang like a child, Qi Nian found it really funny.
Before in the sect, Elder Feiyun was serious and rarely smiled. Even the senior brothers and sisters in the same sect always looked solemn.
The days of cultivating were dull and long. Qi Nian originally thought that the days would pass by uninterestingly like this.
But from the moment she took on the mission until she was saved by Shen Qing in the dense forest and then helped Shen Qing stand up for herself, her fate seemed to change in an instant.
In just a short period of time, she experienced things that she hadn't experienced in a hundred years since she entered the sect.
Life seemed to come back to life. She vaguely felt that from the very beginning, her life should have been like this.
"Senior Sister Hong means that she wants Shen Qing to come and play with you. I can tell."
Hong Chaoyang's already blushing face turned even redder. She pounced on Qi Nian and poked the soft flesh around Qi Nian's waist. Qi Nian begged for mercy, but only received more intense "attacks" from Hong Chaoyang.
Shen Qing watched the two of them making a ruckus and laughed from the bottom of her heart.
"Hey, sure enough, young people are full of energy. My cave has become much livelier."
The True Lord Hongdie was still dressed in a bright red robe. It seemed that since the estrangement with Hong Chaoyang had been eliminated, the obsession and pain in her eyes had disappeared, and she looked radiant.
Behind the True Lord Hongdie, there was a woman in a crescent-white robe. The woman had a calm face, with a jade hairpin on her head. Her cold face had a gentle smile on the corner of her mouth.
Shen Qing recognized that this was Elder Yaoyue.
The two of them stood in front of Shen Qing. One cold and one hot, they had completely different kinds of beauty, looking extremely pleasing to the eye.
"Disciple pays respects to Uncle Yaoyue."
"Disciple pays respects to Elder Yaoyue and True Lord Hongdie."
Hong Chaoyang and Qi Nian stopped playing around and seriously bowed to the two of them as disciples.
Shen Qing lifted the quilt and wanted to get out of bed to pay her respects, but was stopped by the True Lord Hongdie.
"You don't need to be so polite. You've saved Chaoyang twice. In my heart, you're like half of my daughter. In the future, I'll treat you just like I treat Chaoyang."
Shen Qing was a bit surprised. In the forest, she had saved Hong Chaoyang by chance. But the time in the Law Enforcement Hall...
Hong Chaoyang was in danger because of her. If it weren't for her, the True Lord Hengling wouldn't have taken action, and Chaoyang wouldn't have rushed forward. If we were to talk about kindness, it should be she, Shen Qing, who owed Hong Chaoyang.
"True Lord Hongdie, you're being too kind. Senior Sister Hong rushed forward to save me. It should be I who owes Senior Sister Hong a debt of gratitude. Shen Qing is extremely grateful."
The True Lord Hongdie was even more satisfied when she saw that Shen Qing knew the rules.
She was just about to open her mouth to praise Shen Qing a few more times when Elder Yaoyue beside her pushed her aside.
Elder Yaoyue impatiently glared at the True Lord Hongdie, "What are you babbling on about? It's so wordy. Hurry up and get out of the way for me."
"Little Shen girl, let this elder take a look at how you've recovered. Do you still feel uncomfortable?"