Chapter 236: So It Was for Her...
No matter how much the others scorned him, Xie Ningyuan remained perfectly composed. "If there are no Spirit Stones, I’m going up to rest. It’s up to you whether you pay or not."
The group felt a surge of frustration, but they couldn’t suppress their curiosity.
While they were hesitating, Lu Sangjiu decisively tossed out ten Mid-grade Spirit Stones. "Here, take them!"
With her breaking the ice, the others no longer hesitated and generously opened their wallets.
Only Gu Jue looked a little awkward... because he had given basically all his Spirit Stones to Lu Sangjiu, leaving him with only five Mid-grade Spirit Stones intended for his inn lodgings.
So, even though he was desperate to hear about his master’s past, he couldn’t produce that many Spirit Stones.
Noticing everyone’s gaze turning toward him, Gu Jue’s face grew warm. He pursed his lips and stood up. "You all carry on."
A slight smile touched Xie Ningyuan’s lips. He was inwardly pleased.
’I knew that guy had to be broke.’
However, just as Gu Jue was about to leave, Lu Sangjiu suddenly called out to him, then took out ten Mid-grade Spirit Stones and placed them in front of Xie Ningyuan.
"Gu Jue, I’ve paid your share. Sit down!"
Xie Ningyuan’s face instantly darkened. "Paying for him... Are you that rich?"
Lu Sangjiu didn’t understand. "You’re doing this for money. What does it matter who pays?"
"Gu Jue just gave all his Spirit Stones to me, so it’s only right that I cover for him."
Xie Ningyuan: "..."
’Gu Jue, Gu Jue. She says his name so affectionately!’
Meanwhile, Gu Jue was also a bit embarrassed by her words. "Mr. Lu, please, don’t. How can I let you pay the Spirit Stones for me..."
"Why not?" Lu Sangjiu said magnanimously. "We’re all friends, there’s no need to be so formal. Come on, sit!"
A warmth spread through Gu Jue’s chest. Hearing Lu Sangjiu tell him to come and sit, his gaze fell involuntarily to the empty seat beside her.
’I was sitting on the other side just a moment ago. But since Mr. Lu is telling me to come over, it wouldn’t be... strange for me to go, would it?’
A faint smile appeared on his face. Just as he was about to move, Xie Ningyuan suddenly raised a hand and used a Spell to push the chair on Lu Sangjiu’s other side further away.
Under the group’s baffled gazes, Xie Ningyuan stated calmly, "Paupers should sit a little further away from me. I’m afraid it’s contagious."
Everyone: "..."
Gu Jue pursed his lips, a flash of embarrassment crossing his face, but he said nothing. He silently turned and sat back down in his original spot.
Lu Sangjiu, however, couldn’t hold back. "Xie Ningyuan, that was out of line. Gu Jue didn’t do anything to you, why are you targeting him?"
Xie Ningyuan shot her a sidelong glance. "What, you got a problem with it? Do you still want to hear the story or not?"
Lu Sangjiu: "..."
’So frustrating.’
But she really did want to listen, mainly because she wanted others to know. Otherwise, she’d feel like she was about to burst from keeping it to herself.
Just then, Gu Jue also spoke in a low voice, "It’s alright, Mr. Lu. You don’t need to get angry on my behalf."
Lu Sangjiu felt a tiny bit guilty, because even if Gu Jue hadn’t said anything, she had been about to compromise for the sake of the gossip.
Letting out a soft cough, she shot Gu Jue a reassuring glance. "Don’t stoop to his level. He’s just being passive-aggressive."
A faint smile touched Gu Jue’s lips. "Mm, it’s fine."
Compared to being the target of Xie Ningyuan’s passive-aggressive remarks, the fact that Lu Sangjiu had chosen to speak up for him was what made him happier. That little bit of awkward helplessness was nothing.
Seeing the two of them exchanging glances, Xie Ningyuan rapped his knuckles on the table in irritation. "Quiet down. Do you want to hear this story or not?"
Only then did everyone turn their attention back to Xie Ningyuan, waiting for him to continue his tale.
"The Immortal Sword Fengming appeared in the world, triggering a celestial phenomenon. Many nearby Cultivators rushed over to investigate."
"And as fate would have it, among them... was the Palace Master of the Moon Palace at the time, the Demon Cultivator Gu Huang."
Although Gu Huang had been missing for a century, her name was still legendary in the Cultivation World.
At this, Chi Yan couldn’t help but exclaim, "The top-tier Demon Cultivator at the Transcendence Tribulation Stage, Gu Huang?!"
Feng Lin also showed a worried expression. "Legend says she kills without batting an eye and is utterly vicious. How did Sword Master Bu Gui and the injured Elder Hua survive their encounter with her?"
Hearing Feng Lin’s description, Xie Ningyuan’s lips curled into a faint, mocking smile.
"If she were truly that vicious, those people wouldn’t have had the chance to slander her like this."
Feng Lin froze, clearly detecting the undertone of mockery in his words.
’It didn’t seem to be aimed at me, though. Was it because of what I said?’
Even Chi Yan, who was beside her, looked puzzled. "Huh? Mr. Xie, are you saying... Gu Huang isn’t the merciless killer legend makes her out to be?"
Xie Ningyuan, however, had no intention of elaborating. After all, everyone’s preconceptions were firmly set. No matter what he said, he wouldn’t easily change their minds.
"What kind of person she was... you’ll know for yourselves after you hear my story."
It was only then that Lu Sangjiu suddenly realized something. She glanced at Xie Ningyuan.
’So... from the very beginning, the real reason he agreed to tell this story was for this?’
’They were all her friends. Sooner or later, they would have to choose a side after her identity was exposed.’
’Although she had never thought to ask for their help, if they misunderstood her and broke ties with her because of it, she... would be sad, wouldn’t she?’
’Xie Ningyuan was starting with Gu Huang’s past to subtly change their preconceived notions about Demon Cultivators, laying the groundwork for when her own identity would be exposed in the future.’
’Once they discovered that not all Demon Cultivators were as vicious as the legends claimed, it would naturally be less difficult for them to accept it when they found out she was a Demon Cultivator too.’
Lu Sangjiu gave Xie Ningyuan a deep look, then slowly lowered her gaze.
’As a companion... perhaps no one could have done better than Xie Ningyuan.’
Xie Ningyuan’s story continued.
"Although Gu Huang had arrived, she was a Demon Cultivator and had little interest in Immortal Artifacts. She simply hid in the shadows to watch the Cultivators fight over the Phoenix Cry Sword, purely for the entertainment."
"The area was not far from the Immortal Demon Battlefield, so several Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivators were also nearby. As they arrived one after another, they naturally began to fight endlessly over the Phoenix Cry Sword."
"Sword Bu Gui, carrying the heavily injured Hua Jianzhi, had no intention of joining the fray. However... Sword Bu Gui possessed an Innate Sword Body and had extremely high talent in the Sword Dao. Even if he had no desire for it, the Phoenix Cry Sword chose him."
Hearing this, Gu Jue couldn’t help but reveal a look of admiration. ’Even though I couldn’t see it with my own eyes, Master must have been a young genius who captured everyone’s attention back then, right?’
Feng Lin, however, was more curious about how things unfolded. "The Phoenix Cry Sword acknowledged him as its master on its own?"
"Not exactly."
Xie Ningyuan said, "Although Sword Bu Gui possessed outstanding talent in the Sword Dao at the time, he was unfortunately already at the Golden Core Stage and had his own Lifebound Magical Treasure."
"The Phoenix Cry Sword was likely unsatisfied with this, so it did not acknowledge him as its master. Instead, while everyone was fighting, it broke away from the battlefield and flew on its own before Sword Bu Gui, who was just about to leave with Hua Jianzhi."
Chi Yan was shocked. "With so many people watching, wouldn’t that mean Sword Master Bu Gui was in deep trouble?"