The moment Shen Muzhi saw Leng Qingxue, he was undoubtedly the most troubled person among them all.
After all, others in the cultivation world knew Leng Qingxue's feelings for him. As the person involved, he wasn't foolish; he was perfectly aware of them.
He raised a hand and pressed his brow forcefully, then cupped his hands towards Leng Qingxue. He said, "Miss Leng, I am truly grateful that you are willing to attend my Dao Companion ceremony. However, I have never had much contact with you, Miss Leng, so I believe it would be best if you did not step forward for this matter."
"Physician Shen's heart is as clear as a mirror. Ever since you treated me, my feelings have never changed. So many years have passed; if Physician Shen claims not to understand, you are surely mocking me, aren't you?"
Leng Qingxue spoke, her voice as cold and pleasant as her name.
However, at this moment, it carried a hint of a young girl's coquetry towards the one she liked, making her usually mature voice sound somewhat incongruous, yet it seemed to possess a different kind of beauty.
Yet, Shen Muzhi was completely unfazed.
Shaking his head awkwardly, Shen Muzhi said, "Miss Leng, you are being too generous. I cannot possibly bear such words. I, Shen, have no other aspirations but to pledge myself to my beloved for a lifetime, one and only. I do not seek much; this is all I desire, and I will be content."
Shen Muzhi had spoken his mind unequivocally.
He thought that with his words, those women should understand the meaning of knowing when to stop.
However, he had overestimated them.
After all, they had liked him for so many years; asking them to give up directly was clearly not something they intended to do.
Especially Leng Qingxue.
Although the Leng family was not the foremost in the cultivation world, they were certainly a well-known aristocratic family. As the young lady of such a family, Leng Qingxue had always had whatever she desired. The only time she had ever conceded defeat in her life was when she fell in love with Shen Muzhi.
She had initially thought they were well-matched, and given enough time, Shen Muzhi would eventually marry her.
But she had never imagined that no matter how many times Shen Muzhi interacted with her, he would always maintain a distance. Now, before she had even had the chance to openly express her feelings, Shen Muzhi was getting married. And the one he was marrying was a man, something she found utterly unacceptable.
Anger festered in her chest, and the more Leng Qingxue thought about it, the more furious she became.
Finally, she raised the long sword in her hand and pointed it directly at You Siqi, whom Shen Muzhi held in his arms. She said, "If you consider yourself a man, you will duel me. Whoever wins will be with Shen Muzhi. If you dare not even do that, then I look down on you."
Hearing her declaration, Shen Muzhi's desire to spare her some face completely vanished. Frowning, a hint of impatience appeared on his face, and he was about to unleash a torrent of insults at Leng Qingxue.
But to his surprise, before he could say anything, You Siqi, whom he had been protecting in his arms, broke free on his own.
Glaring at Leng Qingxue, You Siqi said, "Leng Qingxue, your words are far too harsh! You say you like our Mu Zhi, and I can understand that. After all, our Mu Zhi is excellent – handsome, well-built, and with high cultivation. Many people like him, and I wouldn't mind if you joined the queue. But are the words you're speaking even human? We duel, and the winner marries Shen Muzhi. It sounds like we're fighting over him, but in reality, you're treating him like a prize, aren't you? Shen Muzhi is a person, not something you can manipulate as you please. Watch your tone, or don't blame me for not letting you off!"
His words were undeniably domineering.
Shen Muzhi was so pleased that he couldn't help but smile and say, "My wife truly cares about me, doesn't she?"
You Siqi raised his chin, his expression proud, implying that of course, he should care about Shen Muzhi.
As for Leng Qingxue, being so sharply rebuffed by him, she was momentarily speechless, unsure how to respond.
Her face flushed as she fumbled for a response for a long time. She finally ignored the earlier words and latched onto the last sentence, asking, "You say you won't let me off, what do you plan to do? Everyone here can see that you are a useless person with no spiritual power! At your level, you think you can defeat me? You're underestimating me a bit too much!"
The more she spoke, the angrier she became, as in her eyes, You Siqi was someone even less significant than an ant.
Yet, this ant had snatched away the person she loved most. She could not accept this fact, and the mere thought of it made her chest ache with discomfort.
However, in the face of her challenge, You Siqi remained as calm as ever. He raised his hand and conjured a small flame at his fingertip, earnestly refuting her, "What you just said has some issues, and I feel the need to correct you. I do have spiritual power, it's just a bit scarce, and my cultivation is a bit low. But living a long and prosperous life with my husband, reaching the same lifespan as heaven, is absolutely possible. So, no matter how jealous you are, there is no room for you to interfere. I advise you to give up."
Leng Qingxue's eyes widened. "You want me to give up, so I'll give up? Do you believe me if I say I'll take your life right here, and see if Shen Muzhi will look for someone else after you're dead?"
As she said this, she seemed genuinely prepared to make a move.
You Siqi, however, stood his ground and said, "Let me tell you, even if I were to die, he would absolutely not choose you if he were to look for someone else. Because you, woman, have a poisonous heart. I don't want someone like you at my wedding, so that's enough. Hurry up and leave, don't force me to drive you out."
Leng Qingxue's eyes widened. "You want to drive me out? Do you have the ability? If you have the ability, don't let Shen Muzhi help you, and let's see what you can do to make me leave!?"
"You said that, didn't you?" You Siqi asked, blinking.
Leng Qingxue let out a cold laugh and nodded vigorously.
You Siqi sighed and slowly walked over to Liu Buli. He patted the other person's shoulder and said earnestly, "Liu Buli, the show is over. She asked you to drive her out, isn't it time to act?"
...
(Tomorrow is the last day of the month. I will rest. I will continue updating the day after tomorrow!)