Devil Venerable Also Wants to Know

Beset by Rumors

A lofty position as an elite healer, contempt for others, so-called dedication to his Xiao Yi, and disdain for other women made up the character of Yao Jiaping. Yin Hanjiang wasn't a particularly good actor, but along with Wenren È transmitting treatments to him, he could play the part well enough.

Seeing how Baili Qingmiao still acted so docile even though Yao Jiaping was grabbing her, Hè Wenzhao was trembling in rage. Pointing a finger at Yao Jiaping, he said, "I can't believe, that after I treated you as a good friend and sworn brother, you would do this to me! Plus, your heart is stuck on your Xiao Yi, so what do you want my shimei for?"

"Oh," Yin Hanjiang said slowly, enjoying Hè Wenzhao's expression. He grabbed Baili Qingmiao's dress and used it to wipe the hand he had just touched Elder Qingyue with. "This woman might be suited for being a rag."

"Shimei! Are you happy being treated like this?" Hè Wenzhao shouted at Baili Qingmiao.

If it was Shu Yanyan playing the part, at this point she would probably be crying, unable to speak, putting on a no-holds-barred performance of a purehearted girl forced to dishonor herself for the sake of her sect. Too bad it was Wenren È here, though. Watching Yin Hanjiang play the part of Yao Jiaping, he was seeing another side of the man.

He was no longer grieving, but still as unrestrained.

So this was Yin Hanjiang's true nature. He... truly wasn't suited to be a sword cultivator. A sword cultivator needed to be bold in the beginning and reserved later on, until they reached the point of being a sword in of themselves, so that a blade was hidden in their every move and glance. Yin Hanjiang was only bold, so he had advanced quickly through the earlier stages, but became stuck at Void Boundary. Yet when he gave up the sword, he instantly broke through to the peak of Mahayana.

Wenren È simultaneously thought that he had gotten in the way of Yin Hanjiang's growth, and felt this was quite a refreshing sight. Seeing how Yin Hanjiang put on a glove to grab Baili Qingmiao's neck, he seemed so polite and cute, so how could Wenren È put up an act of being coerced?

Wenren È could only raise a sleeve to block the smile that he couldn't hold back, turning his head aside and acting too ashamed to let Hè Wenzhao see his face, even though he was grinning inside.

He barely managed to stay in character. Hè Wenzhao believed that Baili Qingmiao had been broken after being abused, thinking she was unworthy of him and unable to look directly at him.

"Yao Jiaping, this marks the end of our—"

Before Hè Wenzhao could finish, the Sect Master moved before him with a flap of his sleeves and bowed to Yao Jiaping. "My shidi sustained this injury while saving Wenzhao and me, so I must repay him. Even if I can only give him five hundred years of life, he might yet find opportunities to advance. As the only Mahayana cultivator of Shangqing Sect, naturally it falls to me to save my shidi."

The Sect Master looked at Baili Qingmiao, and after a moment of thought, said, "As for Sir Yao's fee, in my humble opinion, Baili Qingmiao is unacceptable. She is a disciple of Shangqing Sect, and even if she has gone down the wrong path before, Shangqing Sect cannot give her away like an object. I've watched Baili Qingmiao grow up. She's a kind and pure-hearted girl, and even if she's a bit gullible, she would never do anything immoral. If Sir Yao needs a test subject or a rag, this lowly Daoist will do his best, but Baili Qingmiao cannot be given to you."

Hearing his words, Yin Hanjiang and Wenren È sobered up again. Yin Hanjiang was naturally dark and a bit vicious, but he had been influenced by Wenren È since his youth, and approved of people who could give their own lives to protect others. Of course, if he didn't know Wenren È was still alive, he wouldn't have shown any mercy no matter how much he approved of someone. Knowing of Wenren È's survival had mellowed out Yin Hanjiang a lot.