"You... what nonsense are you talking about!" Bai Murong's pupils contracted sharply, her expression changing.
Bai Shengyi chuckled, "If you want no one to know, you shouldn't have done it in the first place. Do you really think this 'Xingjin' can't be removed?"
Seeing Bai Murong's pale and flustered expression, she felt greatly pleased and stepped forward, saying, "Tell me, if your Sister Li knew the truth of that year, could you still cling to her?"
In reality, Li Shiqing already knew the truth, but Bai Murong didn't.
Bai Murong had always believed she had hidden it quite well.
For so many years, she had taken advantage of Li Shiqing's life-saving grace, believing it was her right, and was certain that given Li Shiqing's nature, she wouldn't fall out with her over her demands.
But what if Li Shiqing knew that Bai Shengyi was the one who saved her back then…
No! That couldn't happen! Li Shiqing must not know!
Bai Murong's mind raced, but when she looked up, she found Bai Shengyi had already left!
"Bai Shengyi! This is you forcing my hand! Since you are unrighteous, then go to hell!"
A vicious glint erupted in Bai Murong's eyes. When she looked up again, she was once again gentle and elegant.
Meanwhile, Bai Shengyi, thinking of Bai Murong's expression, happily returned to her courtyard.
"Huh? Did I take a wrong turn?"
Bai Shengyi stepped back and looked again. No, it was correct. The annoying Bai Murong was still standing next door!
But how had her courtyard become like this in just one afternoon?
Bai Shengyi walked in again, full of confusion, and heard Little Teng Ye cheerfully remind her: "Master, Master, it's already this time, hurry and eat dinner. Little Teng Ye heard that not eating on time is bad for the stomach. Little Teng Ye helped feed the cat."
"Little Teng Ye, did you do all this?"
Bai Shengyi pointed at the courtyard in disbelief. Had she contracted a water snail vine?
The once simple little courtyard was now surrounded by blooming flowers, planted with some Starlight Willows, and a new vine-covered swing. The flowers were vibrant, and the willow branches glowed with a soft radiance in the dim sunset, exquisite and beautiful.
"Yes, Little Teng Ye helped tidy up a bit," Bai Shengyi said, dumbfounded, watching Qingmeng Teng coil around an iron stick, skewer fish, and say obediently, "Master, help me light a fire."
Bai Shengyi dazedly started a fire for it.
"Thank you, Master, Little Teng Ye likes you the most."
As Qingmeng Teng spoke, a vine shot out towards Bai Shengyi, sprouting several flower buds, and then, crimson flowers bloomed one after another.
"For Master," Qingmeng Teng said.
Counting carefully, there were exactly eleven flowers!
Good heavens!
My word!
This great-aunt had been single for so many years, and the first bouquet of flowers she received was from a vine?
Bai Shengyi was utterly numb.
Then, she became happy again, taking the flowers, "Then I'll trouble you, Little Teng Ye. I like you too, you're so well-behaved."
Qingmeng Teng covered its vine with two leaves, looking shy.
It wanted to make sure its master couldn't leave it, so that its master wouldn't abandon it.
"Flatterer!" the cold voice of the Samsara Brush sounded, "Master, don't be fooled by it, it's just guilty and slept for so long."
Ever since they came out of the Flowing Light Secret Realm last time, Qingmeng Teng had been in a state of intermittent sleep.
However, its true form was a vine. Bai Shengyi saw that its form was lush and vibrant, and it said it was fine, so she planted it in the courtyard, occasionally giving it sunlight, watering it, and feeding it some wood spiritual energy.
"Boss, I like you too," Qingmeng Teng said weakly.
Bai Shengyi calmly said, "Little Samsara, I think Little Teng Ye is quite well-behaved. If you also slept for so long due to guilt, doing more would be good."
Samsara Brush: ...To hell with that! Brush brush is not guilty!
Bai Shengyi simply reheated the leftover lunch from noon. At first, she had packed an extra portion because of what Qin Si had said, but now it had become a habit. One portion at noon and one at night, and the day passed like this.
While eating, she watched Qingmeng Teng feed the Crescent Moon Cat, finding it quite amusing.
"Meow! There are thorns!"
"I'll pick them out."
"Meow! Delicious!"
"I'll bake more for you tomorrow if I have time."
The vine and the cat, for some reason, had started communicating.
"Little Teng Ye, you can understand Er Gou's words?" Bai Shengyi couldn't communicate with the Crescent Moon Cat, but she could understand the sounds Qingmeng Teng made.
"I couldn't before, but after waking up this time, I can understand. And now I can even bloom!" Qingmeng Teng said, "Master, I can help you with more things from now on!"
"Hmph!" the Samsara Brush snorted disdainfully, "Why haven't you advanced?"
A fourth-tier spiritual plant, a flatterer!
"It's only been so long since it advanced, how could it advance again?" Bai Shengyi's mouth twitched.
Seeing that Bai Shengyi was actually speaking up for Qingmeng Teng again, the Samsara Brush became furious and spun around, "Ah! This brush is so angry! Unfaithful master, I'm ignoring you!"
Bai Shengyi coaxed the Samsara Brush with a few placating words before it calmed down.
She glanced at Qingmeng Teng, "However, Little Teng Ye, you have indeed changed a lot."
The edges of its leaves seemed sharper, the color deeper, and there were many fuzzy little white thorns on the main vine.
"Daoist friend Bai, are you there?"
Li Shiqing's voice sounded from outside the door. Bai Shengyi went to open it.
"Murong said you were looking for me, what's up?"
Bai Shengyi told her about going to the Thousand Cloud Secret Realm. Li Shiqing readily agreed, "Okay, no problem, I'll be there on time. Thank you."
Li Shiqing had also been contacting people from the Li family during this time and knew that such secret realms were generally not accessible to new students who had just joined without being apprenticed. She was probably benefiting from Bai Shengyi this time.
Bai Shengyi waved her hand, "It's Senior Sister's intention. If you want to thank someone, thank her."
Li Shiqing paused, then smiled and bid farewell, "Then I'll properly thank Venerable Qianying when I see her next time."
Immersed in cultivation, two days passed in a flash.
Bai Shengyi had originally intended to leave Qingmeng Teng behind to look after the Crescent Moon Cat, but both the vine and the cat were unwilling, so she had to bring them along.
She didn't see that just as she and Li Shiqing left, Bai Murong emerged from her door, staring coldly at the two.
"Why is it a bit cold?" Bai Shengyi hugged the Crescent Moon Cat and looked back, but only saw Feng Wuya grinning foolishly.
"Ah, ah, Shengyi, that's great! I can go on an adventure with you again! I've refined a lot of pills this time and made thorough preparations..." Feng Wuya greeted Bai Shengyi cheerfully before noticing Li Shiqing standing beside her.
He gave a dry laugh, "Sister Li, long time no see."
Li Shiqing felt a pang of disappointment at Feng Wuya's distant attitude, but she responded generously, "Wuya, are you also going to the Thousand Cloud Secret Realm? Are Tianle and Feihua going?"
Feng Wuya replied, "They are not going."
After his brief answer, he turned back and excitedly told Bai Shengyi, "Shengyi, you don't know, Feihua has been taken notice of by Elder Zhonglou of the Beast Taming Peak. It's estimated that she'll be apprenticed by the time we get back. Chen Qiyang said an elder also wants to take him as a disciple, and Chu Tianle is currently undergoing a trial with Elder Yingse..."
Looking at their familiar interaction, Li Shiqing couldn't help but smile wryly. It was clearly her who had grown up with Feng Wuya and the others in the past.
"Shengyi, um, are you still angry with Chu Tianle?" Feng Wuya saw Bai Shengyi's smile gradually fade and lowered his voice.
"No," Bai Shengyi said.
Feng Wuya didn't believe her. He and Feihua had seen it clearly during this period. Ever since Chu Tianle's drunken proposal last time, the two had become somewhat distant. After Chu Tianle helped Bai Murong enter the main peak for studies, Bai Shengyi had no longer actively communicated with Chu Tianle.
However, he wasn't stupid, so he didn't pursue the topic further, instead asking, "Besides us, who else is going this time?"