Chapter 4: Coughing Up Blood from Rage

"I dare not."
"I refuse."
Yun Zhao and Qi Yan spoke in unison.
Song Zhiyuan pressed further, "Why? Are you feeling guilty?"
Yun Zhao shielded Qi Yan behind her like a mother hen protecting her chicks. "Who is feeling guilty? You claim A-Yan is of the demon race, so he must look into the Mirror of Truth just to prove himself?"
"By that logic, I could say you are of the demon race. Should you also have to produce evidence to prove you aren't?"
Yun Zhao’s rapid-fire retort left Song Zhiyuan’s expression looking increasingly sour.
True Monarch Guiyuan coughed. "Enough, enough. Zhiyuan, I have not sensed any demon aura from Fellow Daoist Qi. Are you suggesting that you do not even trust my judgment?"
Song Zhiyuan felt indignant, yet he dared not defy the True Monarch. "Master, I would not dare."
True Monarch Guiyuan then turned his attention to Qi Yan, inquiring about his background.
Qi Yan replied that he only knew his own name and nothing else.
"True Monarch, ever since I can remember, I have been locked in a dungeon. I have never seen my parents or kin."
"I see," True Monarch Guiyuan mused.
No wonder he had detected not a shred of spiritual energy when checking Qi Yan’s aura; it turned out he had never been taught how to cultivate.
Yun Zhao seized the opportunity. "Sect Leader, why not let A-Yan join our Qingyun Sect? My father always wanted to pass on his unique cultivation techniques before he passed, but since I have a fire elemental root, I couldn't fulfill his wish."
True Monarch Guiyuan was surprised. "Fellow Daoist Qi has a supreme wind elemental root?"
Yun Zhao poked Qi Yan. *Answer quickly!*
Qi Yan nodded. "Yes."
True Monarch Guiyuan was overjoyed. "My junior brother’s greatest wish before his passing was to take on a disciple with a wind elemental root. Fellow Daoist Qi, are you willing to join our Qingyun Sect?"
Yun Zhao poked him again, and he reluctantly replied, "I am willing."
As this exchange unfolded and it became clear that Qi Yan was about to join the sect, Song Zhiyuan—who knew Qi Yan better than anyone—realized that Qi Yan’s cultivation speed was more than twice as fast as his own.
Once Qi Yan became a disciple of the Qingyun Sect, wouldn't his own title as the First Senior Brother be transferred to him?
Song Zhiyuan’s eyes darkened.
He would not allow it!
Under the cover of his own body, Song Zhiyuan used a communication talisman to signal his clansmen waiting outside to barge in.
"What are you doing! You cannot enter!"
The event happened so quickly that the outer disciples could not stop them, and neither True Monarch Guiyuan nor the various peak masters inside could react in time before Song Zhiyuan’s clansmen rushed in and tossed the Mirror of Truth to him.
Song Zhiyuan caught it and thrust it toward Qi Yan—
Yun Zhao’s face changed drastically. "Stop!"
Song Zhiyuan ignored her, gloating, "Qi Yan, reveal your true form—"
The Mirror of Truth... had vanished.
Song Zhiyuan’s smile froze on his face. He turned his head mechanically toward the door.
Yun Zhao called for the system to stop, and Qi Yan also ceased using his secret arts. Everyone followed Song Zhiyuan’s gaze.
Standing outside the door was a woman in green, holding the Mirror of Truth in her hand.
"I’ve only been in seclusion for a month, and already someone is bullying my Zhao-Zhao?"
"Song Zhiyuan, were you just using this broken mirror on Zhao-Zhao?"
The voice of True Monarch Hanyue made Song Zhiyuan jump. He opened his mouth, but before he could speak a word, he was sent flying by a palm strike from the True Monarch.
True Monarch Guiyuan hurriedly caught his disciple and explained, "Junior Sister, it is not as you think. Zhiyuan was only—"
True Monarch Hanyue made a "hush" gesture. She walked slowly to Yun Zhao and patted her little head. "Zhao-Zhao, tell me, has Song Zhiyuan been bullying you?"
Yun Zhao glanced at True Monarch Guiyuan and smiled. "Uncle-Master, Senior Brother Song wasn't bullying me. He just wanted to congratulate my father on taking a disciple and intended to give the Mirror of Truth as a congratulatory gift to my junior brother."
"Isn't that right, Senior Brother Song?"
Song Zhiyuan gritted his teeth. After receiving a subtle hint from True Monarch Guiyuan, he swallowed his pride and said, "Yes."
True Monarch Hanyue saw through their unspoken exchange but did not point it out, having already received a telepathic transmission from True Monarch Guiyuan.
Following Yun Zhao’s lead, she said, "Since it is a gift, is it not a bit stingy for Senior Nephew Song, as the First Senior Brother, to give only a broken mirror?"
Song Zhiyuan’s face darkened.
The Mirror of Truth was a broken mirror?
That was something his Song family had spent one hundred thousand supreme-grade spirit stones to acquire; it was an item exceptionally difficult to find, and he had even used up many personal favors to secure it.
"It is indeed stingy," True Monarch Guiyuan’s voice resonated in Song Zhiyuan’s ears. "I shall decide then: your First Senior Brother shall add fifty thousand supreme-grade spirit stones as a congratulatory gift for the new junior brother. How does that sound?"
Song Zhiyuan wanted to refuse, but a single look from True Monarch Guiyuan made him shut his mouth.
Yun Zhao pulled True Monarch Hanyue and Qi Yan along, beaming. "Then Zhao-Zhao thanks the Sect Leader on behalf of my junior brother!"
"And thank you, First Senior Brother," Yun Zhao added with a touch of exaggeration. "The First Senior Brother is truly generous; he is worthy of being the number one among the younger generation of our Qingyun Sect!"
"Pfft—"
Whether from the strike by True Monarch Hanyue or the sheer frustration caused by Yun Zhao, Song Zhiyuan spat out a mouthful of blood and fainted.
Yun Zhao hid behind True Monarch Hanyue, poking only her head out. "Um, Sect Leader, if there’s nothing else, we’ll be taking our leave."
True Monarch Guiyuan still wore a smile. "Very well."
Once out of the council hall, Yun Zhao walked between True Monarch Hanyue and Qi Yan. After a short walk, True Monarch Hanyue suddenly remarked, "Zhao-Zhao, you seem a bit strange today."
"I, I do?"
Yun Zhao instinctively asked, "Uncle-Master, in what way is Zhao-Zhao strange?"
True Monarch Hanyue looked at her seriously, making Yun Zhao feel a sense of dread. She frantically called out to the system, but before it could answer, she heard the True Monarch say earnestly:
"Strangely cute."
Yun Zhao: "..."
True Monarch Hanyue suddenly chuckled. "It has been a long time since I’ve seen Zhao-Zhao stand up for someone like this. I wonder who this is..."
True Monarch Hanyue possessed an aura as cold as ice and snow; she was a true ice beauty, usually keeping a cold face, meant only to be admired from afar.
Her sudden smile was like ice melting and spring returning to the earth.
Yun Zhao was momentarily stunned, and because the topic had shifted so abruptly to Qi Yan, she was caught off guard.
"A-Yan is, he is the disciple I took on behalf of my father."
Yun Zhao barely managed to swallow the words "the target of my quest."
Afterward, she said shyly, "He is also... he is also someone I like..."
True Monarch Hanyue looked at Qi Yan with an inscrutable expression. Qi Yan stood behind Yun Zhao, allowing her to inspect him.
"Not bad," True Monarch Hanyue said, withdrawing her gaze and tossing the Mirror of Truth to Qi Yan. "Zhao-Zhao’s taste has finally improved."
What a way to put it.
Yun Zhao felt embarrassed.
Was she implying that her "former self" was blind for liking someone like Song Zhiyuan?
Yun Zhao giggled. "Thanks to you, Uncle-Master, my eyes have been cured. Now, those weeds and rotten flowers won't catch my eye anymore; I only like those like A-Yan~"
She spoke so bluntly in front of an elder that Qi Yan moved slightly away from her.
This girl really had no shame.
Sigh, it seemed Yun Zhao truly liked him; otherwise, she wouldn't express her affection so openly in front of her only elder.