Chapter 239: Chapter 234: You Covered for It
Elder Tianxuan had defeated Ji Lingguang and thwarted the schemes of Feng Manlou, proving herself to be unmatched in both strength and cunning, standing at the pinnacle of her life.
But it was at this moment that two wayward disciples brought her crashing down into an abyss.
Jiang Li’s words were still somewhat veiled, but Gongsun Qingyue was almost straightforward—how could Tianxuan not understand?
The always composed expression on her face froze, and behind the veil, her pretty face turned numb as if made of wood.
Even if she had narrowly escaped defeat by Ji Lingguang all those years ago, it was nothing compared to the emotional shock she felt now.
It was in that very instant that Feng Manlou seized the opportunity to act, successfully connecting Jiang Li and Elder Tianxuan with a red string of fate as the Karma Collection immediately updated its text.
["Jiang Li’s karmic ties silently resonate with Tianxuan; in the mysteries of fate, the marriage lines of the two are joined together."]
To be honest, there was no feeling.
There was neither the birth of love nor the fluttering of a young deer’s heart, not even the urge to glance at Tianxuan involuntarily. This red string connection seemed to have no direct effect—all remained as before.
Of course, it might also be that Jiang Li’s sincere and filial heart toward his master drowned out any sensations the red string might have brought.
’The Matchmaker’s grade is definitely not fourth-rank; it shouldn’t be powerful enough to directly stir feelings of love...’ Jiang Li speculated in his mind, ’I’ll have to spend some time testing it later.’
Although the burden was still heavy and the road ahead long, at least there was now a good beginning, and the days ahead seemed more hopeful.
And then...
["A red string silently winds around Jiang Li’s right foot; his karmic ties are pulled, and the marriage line stretches out..."]
The familiar text refreshed again, but this time, it was the right foot, different from the left foot that was tied before.
["Jiang Li’s karmic ties silently resonate with Gongsun Qingyue; in the mysteries of fate, the marriage lines of the two are joined together."]
One leg for each, as if straddling two boats.
Even though Jiang Li was willing, he remembered from the myths of a past life that the Matchmaker’s red string was supposed to match one-on-one, and if it were one-to-many, trouble would ensue.
’Feng Manlou!’
Jiang Li abruptly turned towards his good brother.
He had never expected Feng Manlou to pull such a move on him.
"Madam," said Feng Manlou as he pressed down on Ji Lingguang’s shoulder.
Ji Lingguang instantly understood the cue and huffed coldly, "This isn’t over."
After speaking, flames flickered around her body, and a Fire Phoenix morphed into being, circling her and Feng Manlou before transforming into a streak of red light that tore through the sky.
Although Ji Lingguang was curious about what had caused Tianxuan’s sudden mental turmoil, she knew when to quit while she was ahead. Having achieved her goal, she decided to exit for now and wait quietly for the seed to take root and grow.
Her and Feng Manlou’s departure seemed to bring Elder Tianxuan back to her senses.
One saw Tianxuan slowly turn around, her sluggish movements akin to those of a mechanical puppet, her once extraordinary and unrivaled figure now seemingly carrying an apocalyptic gloom.
"Indeed, I have taken on two fine disciples," Tianxuan murmured.
The waveless voice betrayed no anger, yet it sent an involuntary chill down one’s spine.
Jiang Li immediately shut his mouth and stood up straight, stiff as a stone statue.
He hadn’t been her disciple for long; it was best to remain silent at such times.
Gongsun Qingyue, on the other hand, stood her ground bravely, directly confronting Tianxuan, "Disciple has said I will not disappoint Master."
When Tianxuan first noticed Gongsun Qingyue’s ambition, Qingyue had said she would not let Tianxuan down. At the time, Tianxuan hadn’t taken it seriously. Now it seemed that Tianxuan had been naive.
She had never expected this disciple, whom she had always suppressed, this disciple who could even let a duck slip from her mouth, to actually manage such a step, to deliver such a direct blow.
Furthermore, Gongsun Qingyue’s timing was impeccable, striking a painful blow just when Tianxuan had suppressed Ji Lingguang and was feeling triumphant, allowing Tianxuan to experience the stark difference between peaks and valleys.
"Heh, you’ve grown bold wings," Tianxuan sneered, the veil fluttering and her charming face becoming cold, "Daring to talk back to your master now."
The dignity of a master radiated, seeking to suppress the defiant disciples.
But the recalcitrant disciple remained unmoved, simply stating lightly, "You stumbled."
"Do you think that’s enough to make your master lose her composure?"
"You stumbled."
"Naive!"
"You stumbled."
"How did you find out?"
"You stumbled."
She may be strong when she’s strong, gentle breezes brushing the hills; she may be imposing when she’s imposing, but I persist with a single "you stumbled."
Back and forth with just these three words, rebuffing the master’s dignity and also causing the jade hands concealed in Tianxuan’s sleeves to clench furiously.
Gongsun Qingyue knew that in terms of cunning, she was no match for her old demon of a master, so she clung fiercely to this one point of attack to ensure she didn’t fall into Tianxuan’s rhythm.
She took a step forward, confronting head-on as her lofty peaks collided with a similarly scaled snowy mountain, yet creating different ripples.
Feeling the sensation against her chest, Gongsun Qingyue couldn’t help but display a trace of a victorious smile.
Indeed, it was a staged setup.
And Jiang Li, who was close by, had already tightened his grip on his mind, striving to maintain the Wise Man’s Heart, even silently reciting the Calming Incantation.
Who could endure such a shocking scene as a test of character?
The two women, one exquisitely beautiful and the other ethereally graceful, locked eyes, reflecting each other’s beauty, their peaks confronting each other. It was only because Jiang Li was well-tested that he managed to keep his composure, otherwise, he would have struggled to maintain his decorum.
Elder Tianxuan, faced with such a forceful collision, felt her mind severely shaken. Despite her Realm being far superior to Gongsun Qingyue’s, she now felt an almost retreating sensation, as if she could hardly stand firm.
She felt a bit panicked, her gaze flitting, and upon seeing Jiang Li, she immediately sent a telepathic message, "Jiang Li is still here..."
At this moment, the master-disciple pair’s stance was somewhat unseemly, or rather, it was too much of a test of character. Tianxuan intended to use this to temporarily avoid the sharp edge. She sent a telepathic message to Gongsun Qingyue, trying to use this to get Gongsun Qingyue to yield voluntarily.
On hearing this, Gongsun Qingyue’s pretty face blushed slightly, which made her even more radiant. She also realized her current unseemly posture, as well as the fact that she and her master were unintentionally giving Jiang Li a lucky break.
Logically speaking, this was the moment to step back to avoid further loss of grace, but doing so would undoubtedly give Elder Tianxuan time to regroup and counter.
This time, Gongsun Qingyue had seized the opportunity, catching Tianxuan off guard. Next time, she might not be able to impose such pressure on Tianxuan. The second time would not have the same effect as the first.
If Gongsun Qingyue wanted to wash away her previous humiliation and show her beautiful master her true power, she could not miss the opportunity today.
Thus, she gritted her teeth, courage born of desperation — not retreating but advancing, her peaks pressing to forge captivating curves. She was almost face-to-face with Tianxuan, only separated by a thin layer of gossamer.
A gentle breeze wafted by, fluttering the gossamer. Gongsun Qingyue closely observed the flush that spread over Tianxuan’s face, which did not escape her eyes.
’So, you can blush too.’ Gongsun Qingyue suddenly felt a sense of relief in her heart.
Her godlike master, her perfect master, was also a woman, capable of shyness, not so impeccably flawless.
Years of awe and the feeling of being unmatched had been torn slightly, making the master feel more approachable.
But now, it was time for you to lose.
With oppressive pressure, her large muscles erupted with astonishing elasticity. Elder Tianxuan swayed, nearly pushed back by the collision of peaks, the large globe bumping the smaller one.
Jiang Li’s eyes involuntarily widened...
Suddenly, the world spun around him, a gentle yet powerful force collided with Jiang Li, locking his Innate Qi with an extremely yin and soft Essence Qi, rendering him utterly defenseless as he was pushed by the great strength, falling down the mountainside from the platform.
[At the same time, with one bounce from the large globe, Elder Tianxuan retreated a step.]
[Unfortunately, Jiang Li missed this heart-stopping scene and could only imagine it through words.]
’No!’
Jiang Li cried out in his heart, powerless against his opponent, tumbling down from the slope until, close to the ground, the Essence Qi sealing his power was finally released.
Jiang Li waved his hand and unleashed a stream of True Qi, a strong wind rose, easing his descent, allowing him to turn and stand in mid-air, then lightly land.
"What a pity."
No sooner had he landed than Jiang Li couldn’t help but sigh wistfully.
Missing this chance meant he might not witness such an impactful scene again for who knows how long. Jiang Li wished he could run up the mid-mountain Stone Pavilion and ask Gongsun Qingyue and Tianxuan to perform once more.
Unfortunately, that was not realistic.
If he dared run up there, Tianxuan would dare to hang him up and beat him, and Gongsun Qingyue probably couldn’t restrain herself either. It would no longer be a master-disciple confrontation but rather a mixed doubles scuffle.
To recreate that scene, Jiang Li would have to make more of his own efforts.
...
...
The Fire Phoenix soared through the sky, covering thousands of miles in an instant, leaving Fufeng County behind in no time.
Ji Lingguang wasn’t in a hurry to return to Red Feather Palace, or rather, she was eager to know the answer, so she directed the Fire Phoenix to descend on the Yellow Earth Slope below.
As soon as they touched down, she asked anxiously, "How did it go? Did it work?"
"It worked."
Feng Manlou said with a smile, "The marriage line has been tied to Tianxuan."
And a lesser one was bound as well.
But this last sentence, Feng Manlou dared to say only in his heart, not aloud.
After all, Ji Lingguang and Gongsun Qingyue were aunt and niece, and it would be better for him not to speak his thoughts.
"From now on, it all depends on how deep the connection is between Tianxuan and Jiang Li," Feng Manlou said, "The marriage line has been tied; the rest we leave to fate. If their destinies run deep, we might see results soon. If not, it will be a longer wait."
Hopefully, the connection is strong to avoid Tianxuan from investigating him.
From their previous encounter, Feng Manlou had guessed that Tianxuan was beginning to suspect him.
That’s why he also tied a marriage line to Gongsun Qingyue, to ensure all three involved would have their hands full, keeping his junior brother occupied and preventing Tianxuan from further investigation.
"I can wait," Ji Lingguang replied with a satisfied smile upon hearing the success, "I’ve waited for decades; I’m not in a rush. Let her have the upper hand for now. Sooner or later, all of it will be repaid with interest."
The couple exchanged glances and simultaneously chuckled, both finding joy in their scheming.
’Dear junior brother, enjoy.’
’Tianxuan, enjoy.’
They thought in unison.