Chapter 144 – A Lie?

  Luo Feng’s expression darkened, his composure cracking beneath the weight of his wounded pride. His polite and flattering tone evaporated like the morning mist against the sun and was instead replaced by venom and spite.

  His fist clenched by his side, and he was nearly shaking with rage.

  “So that’s how it is.” Luo Feng replied, his voice low and cold.

  “You think a simple ruse as this, claiming you have a Dao Companion, will scare me off?” Luo Feng’s eyes flicked briefly toward Jun De, and his lips curled into a sneer. He looked Jun De up and down, taking in his blue Inner Sect robes that lacked any Clan symbol or accessories that would indicate a high status.

  “Please. I know a lie when I hear one. There is nothing between you and this nobody.” Luo Feng gestured sharply at Jun De. He had wrongly come to the conclusion that Jun De, while talented to have reached his current cultivation, was inadequate when compared to Bai Xuelian.

  Jun De refused to say anything in response to the insult; instead, he trusted that Bai Xuelian could handle the situation.

  Luo Feng stepped closer to her, and his composure unravelled further with every word.

  “You will see in time that our paths were meant to cross, that our fates are intertwined. I am the favoured Disciple of the Sect Master of the Ironvein Quarry Sect, while you are the youngest personal Disciple of Lu Qingchen of the Tranquil Mountain. No meaningless pretense will change the fact that we are suited for each other.”

  Bai Xuelian’s expression froze, and a deep chill crept into her voice.

  “Junior Brother Luo, you are forgetting yourself. There is nothing, and will never be anything, between us. I would suggest you apologize to Jun De for your insult. He is your Senior.” Bai Xuleian reminded him, drawing attention to the fact that Jun De was at the 9th Level of Qi Condensation, while Luo Feng was only at the 6th.

  Luo Feng shook his head.

  “He may be, for now. You will regret ever getting involved in this.” Luo Feng said, scowling at Jun De before turning and walking away. His robes swirled around him as he disappeared down the stone path, his footsteps echoing off the rocky hillside around them.

  For a moment, silence hung between the three of them before it was broken by Zhao Wuxian. He let out a long whistle as he clapped Jun De on the shoulder.

  “I am impressed, Junior Brother. Not only did you somehow form a relationship with Senior Sister Bai while I was unaware, but you have also managed to start a feud with a favoured Disciple of the Ironvein Quarry Sect.”

  Jun De sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. It was bad enough that he had been used in a lie against Luo Feng, but to be praised by Zhao Wuxian made it even worse.

  “You misunderstand, Zhao Wuxian. There is nothing between Senior Sister Bai and myself.”

  “Of course not.” Zhao Wuxian replied, utterly unconvinced. The muscular young man stared down the path where Luo Feng had disappeared, before shrugging his shoulders.

  “Still, I feared this place would be too peaceful. Some drama, the spilling of blood, it is exactly what is needed to demonstrate my prowess to Han Lian. I will head back to my residence to prepare for tomorrow.”

  He gave Jun De another pat on the shoulder before walking away.

  This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

  When it was just Jun De and Bai Xuelian alone, she exhaled quietly, and the tension seemed to drain from her shoulders.

  “Thank you for playing along, Jun De.”

  “I’m happy to help, Senior Sister, but why did you say that we were together?” Jun De asked quietly.

  For a long moment, she didn’t answer. Instead, she turned the box containing the Frostdew Crystal in her hands. She seemed on the verge of throwing it away before she carefully tucked it into the storage bag at her waist.

  “Because it was the simplest way to end the matter. He will learn that neither Sect will support his endeavours to win my favour, not when I have said that I am attached to another.” Bai Xuelian explained.

  “You think that will stop him? He seemed very determined, even after you told him about us.”

  “He will fume and complain, perhaps even act rashly for a time. But it will spread quickly that I already have a Dao Companion. Once it does, even Sect Master Feng will have to distance himself from Luo Feng’s obsession. I have met people like him before, but I previously lacked a plausible excuse to blunt their pursuit.”

  “So you decided to use me as your shield.” Jun De said after studying her for a moment.

  A faint smile touched her lips, and a glimmer of amusement softened her cool demeanour.

  “You make it sound unflattering, Junior Brother. You are handsome and talented, with a high status within the Tranquil Mountain Sect. Our pairing is plausible enough that neither Elder Wen nor Sect Master Feng would question it.”

  Jun De couldn’t help the small chuckle that escaped him.

  “You are remarkably calm about turning the personal Disciple of the Sect Master into an enemy.” He said after a moment, and Bai Xuelian shrugged while brushing her hair behind her ears to keep it out of her eyes. It had quickly dried in the heat, curling slightly at the ends.

  “He is ultimately powerless. His cultivation is weak and supported by pills.” Bai Xuelian replied dismissively. She had come to the same conclusion that Jun De had after sensing Luo Feng’s cultivation.

  Jun De gave a slight nod, although a frown appeared on his face.

  “I don’t like being used as a lie.” Jun De said finally.

  It didn’t sit right with him to lie, even to someone they didn’t like. He knew enough that even the smallest lie could snowball into something dangerous, especially when someone unstable like Luo Feng was involved.

  Bai Xuelian’s expression softened. Now that they were alone, she smiled, and whatever coldness that lingered about her vanished.

  “Are you suggesting that we make it the truth, Junior Brother?” She asked lightly. She shifted her stance slightly to accentuate her figure, and Jun De suddenly saw her in a different light. There was no doubt in his mind that Bai Xuelian was beautiful, but he hadn’t really looked at her in a romantic way before.

  Jun De was caught entirely off guard. His mouth opened to respond, but no words came out.

  Her laughter was soft and musical, echoing faintly around them. It was bright and effortless, reminding Jun De of the first thaw of spring after a long winter. He stood frozen as he attempted to process her words, but his mind was a tangle of disbelief and confusion.

  “You are far too easy to tease, Jun De.” She said, still smiling in amusement. She reached forward and touched her fingertips to the bottom of his chin, gently closing his still-open mouth.

  Jun De managed to find his voice again, although it came out a bit hoarse.

  “Senior Sister Bai..”

  “Good night, Junior Brother.” She interrupted gently. Bai Xuelian turned and walked toward her residence, her robes flowing around her in the moonlight. She swayed her hips gently, drawing his gaze and once again, Jun De was stunned into silence.

  As the door shut behind her, Jun De remained standing there beneath the quiet night sky. Eventually, he exhaled and shook his head.

  “This is going to cause trouble.”

  Jun De could imagine the chaos that would erupt once word reached the Tranquil Mountain Sect that Bai Xuelian, the aloof beauty of the Inner Sect and personal Disciple of the Sect Master, had publicly declared that Jun De was her Dao Companion.

  Lin Yue would probably stare at him with betrayal in her eyes. Mu Yanyu, on the other hand, would lecture him or want to study the effects of his Dao Body on Bai Xuelian.

  Then there was Shen Ruolan. Jun De winced at the thought.

  He could almost see her standing there, the three Azure Kingfisher swords floating around her while a storm brewed in her eyes.

  And that wasn’t even mentioning all the male disciples back home. Half the Inner Sect would want to duel him for daring to lay claim to their goddess, while the other half would plot behind his back.

  Jun De rubbed the back of his neck and sighed.

  “Maybe we can stay here longer than a week.”

  Elder Wen would remain here as long as it took to refine the pills necessary to extract the Blackiron Quartz. But Jun De wondered if he would extend their stay if he asked him politely.

  Luo Feng may be troublesome, but what awaited Jun De back at the Tranquil Mountain Sect was much worse.