Lu Qingyun and Lie Xingyuan were happily appreciating the Heavenly Lotus Tea in their abode when a beautiful voice greeted them from outside the room, "Senior brother, your junior sister Ouyang Xue is here to pay you a visit. May I step in?"
They were both startled that Ouyang Xue was actually here.
Lie Xingyuan took a wry look at Lu Qingyun as she said quietly, "It seems that your future fiancée is here to see you."
Lu Qingyun smiled awkwardly to Lie Xingyuan as he shouted out loud, "Please come in."
He was thinking of finding an opportunity to return her the precious sword. Now that she was actually here, it was the perfect time to do so.
Ouyang Xue gracefully walked into the room and she took great care to be respectful. When she saw them, she smiled. "Senior brother, junior sister, how is your day today?"
Although she still looked astonishing beautiful but she looked tired and her eyes were slightly red.
Lu Qingyun politely said, "I am good. I like to thank Elder Ouyang for bring me to the Heavenly Lotus Teahouse yesterday."
However Ouyang Xue was not paying any attention to him. She was gasping softly when she had realized that they had the Heavenly Lotus Tea spread out on the table and she could sniff its aromatic fragrance.
"This is…the Heavenly Lotus Tea? You actually have it?" Ouyang Xue asked bewilderedly.
Lu Qingyun smiled weakly, "My master gives it to me yesterday." He quickly said, "There is more than enough for all of us. Please have a seat while we chat."
Ouyang Xue slowly nodded. Sect Leader Qin was at the Heavenly Lotus Teahouse yesterday so it was very likely that she had brought it for Lu Qingyun. She was really a nice master to him. Did he know how expensive these Heavenly Lotus Tea Leaves were?
Lu Qingyun asked, "Maiden Ouyang…erm…junior sister, what brings you here today?"
Ouyang Xue inhaled a soft sigh, "Actually I am here to…" She looked extremely awkward and suddenly it was difficult for her to express it out.
Lie Xingyuan smiled bitterly as she looked at her, "Let me guess. You can't sleep well last night because something is troubling you. So you want senior brother to mediate with Sect Leader Qin and you?"
Ouyang Xue gave a faint smile as she nodded gently, "Junior sister, you are indeed smart. I didn't sleep well at all last night."
Lie Xingyuan returned her a weak smile. It seemed that the two of them had the same nightmare of offending the sect leader. Ouyang Xue had more to lose as she may even lose her status of core protégé.
They were literally caught red-handed by the sect leader for conspiring to bribe her disciple.
Ouyang Xue was trembling lightly and she had lost her usual calm demeanour. She knew that she had done a terribly shameful thing and that was to offer herself to Lu Qingyun in marriage so that she could study his golden roc flame. Not only was she rejected by Lu Qingyun but she was caught red-handed by the sect leader.
Lu Qingyun quickly said, "I'm sure the sect leader is not so petty…"
Ouyang Xue and Lie Xingyuan were looking bitterly at him when he had said that. He did not understand women and he did not understand that people in power did not like their influences to be undermined by anyone.
Lu Qingyun had thought that Qin Keqin was so far quite generous to him and was not a petty person. He continued, "So don't worry. Everything will be alright."
Suddenly he said, "Oh yes. I've almost forgotten about this." He had taken out the heaven-step precious sword from his spatial ring. "Junior sister, please take back this precious sword."
Ouyang Xue was almost brimming with tears, "It is just a token of our appreciation. You don't have to return it…"
Lu Qingyun said solemnly, "I was too blind by greed when I had accepted this. Actually I know how precious this sword is. I am sure that it is not easy for you to obtain this precious sword for me. Moreover my master has said that I should return the sword. You ought to use this precious sword for yourself."
Ouyang Xue nodded gently with woeful regret as she took back the sword, "Since it is the sect leader wishes then I shall oblige."
Lu Qingyun said, "I really appreciate Elder Ouyang gesture for this sword. If junior sister does not mind, you can study my golden roc flame with me."
Ouyang Xue smiled weakly, "Senior brother thank you for putting this matter in your heart. However, I've come to tell you today that it won't be a necessary anymore. Also, I won't be coming to your abode in the future. It is better that we don't ever meet again unless it is completely necessary."
Lu Qingyun was a little startled that Ouyang Xue was actually coming here today to have a clean break with him.
She added quietly, "I hope that sect leader will really forgive us for the transgression yesterday. My foster father is only trying to help me."
When she had said to this point, she got up slowly and bowed with her hands respectfully. "Senior brother, I will greatly appreciate you for speaking on my behalf to sect leader. But if she thinks that there is a need to melt out any punishments then let it be upon me. My father is innocent and he is a good man."
With that she had swiftly left the room. When she had left, it was with a heavy heart. He could never know how she had felt and she was not going to let him know…
Lu Qingyun turned to Lie Xingyuan and smiled weakly, "Ouyang Xue seems to be so afraid of sect leader."
Lie Xingyuan said quietly, "I understand how she feels about it. She is afraid of landing her foster father into trouble. Moreover she may even lose her core protégé position too. Losing the core protégé position will mean that she will be cut off from all the clan's resources. If she were to join another lesser celestial clan, she may not get the same amount of allocated clan resources as the Heavens Ridge Villa. After all, the Heavens Ridge Villa is one of the four powerhouses in New Empyrean City. Therefore she has everything to lose."
Lu Qingyun nodded, "Actually she may be just thinking too much. Sect Leader Qin isn't that petty."
"I hope you are right." Lie Xingyuan said ruefully. She suddenly added, "It seems that Ouyang Xue really likes you."
He almost dropped his cup when he had heard her as he quickly muttered, "Don't joke about this matter."
"I am not." Lie Xingyuan lowered her glances and said, "I saw her looking at you during the core disciple examination. Back then before you are even selected as a core disciple, she has already noticed you."
Lu Qingyun was startled, "She is there as well?"
"I was looking at you because I was hoping to strike the lottery if you can be a core disciple. Then I've noticed that she was also secretly looking at you." Lie Xingyuan had suddenly turned to look at him and said, "Why do you think that she is willing to throw herself at you? Just because she is all too eager to become a fourth realm expert? She only did that because she has a good impression of you in the first place."
Lu Qingyun just smiled awkwardly, "It is not possible between us…"
"Because in your heart, you like the sect leader?" Lie Xingyuan asked.
Lu Qingyun nodded. It was not a great secret between the two of them. Lie Xingyuan had heard him calling out for her name in his sleep. Moreover on their first meeting, he was already asking Lie Xingyuan on the whereabouts of Qin Keqin.
Lie Xingyuan smiled bitterly, "Sect Leader Qin isn't what you think she is. She is a terrifying person. You ought to be wary of her."
Lu Qingyun smiled, "Xingyuan, you think too much. Keqin is the nicest maiden in the entire world. Do you know that she is the one that had given me the golden roc flame? Moreover I am just a lowly cultivator and I have nothing for her to make use of."
"I really hope so," Lie Xingyuan smiled bitterly. At the teahouse when Qin Keqin had suddenly appeared outside the room, she had clearly felt her oppressing aura on her. It was really terrifying and she had almost broken down.
Lu Qingyun was thinking secretly, "Why did the two of them ask me to be wary of each other…"
He said as he began to think of Qin Keqin again, "I will protect her with my own life."
When Lie Xingyuan heard him, she almost choked on the tea that she was drinking and rolled her eyes. She was thinking, "You have better worried about yourself instead."