Chapter 151: The Human Heart Cannot Be Indulged (Part Two)

Bai Qi temporarily set this matter aside. He had intended to seek out the Great Elder once more for an explanation, but found that the Elder was nowhere to be found within the sect. After searching for a long time, many people claimed they had not seen him. He wanted to ask the Third Elder, as the Third Elder knew best the places the Great Elder frequently visited, but the Third Elder had not yet returned from investigating the incident at Binhai River. Meanwhile, the Second Elder was entirely occupied with matters concerning the alliance's forces. Consequently, Bai Qi had no choice but to suppress the issue for the time being.

For an entire day, Bai Qi drank alone, sitting in a daze beneath the pavilion in the small bamboo grove outside Liu Xiaojie's courtyard, drowning his sorrows.

Suddenly, a voice drifted down from the bamboo-lined path: "Well, well! Drinking your sorrows away all by yourself here, and you didn't even bother to invite us?"

The speaker was naturally his closest friend, Liu Xiaojie. But when Liu Xiaojie said "us," could there be someone else accompanying him?

Turning his head toward the direction of the voice, Bai Qi saw that Liu Xiaojie was indeed accompanied by another person. Squinting slightly to look closer, he recognized the newcomer as Junior Sister Lu Yao, the very same young woman he had previously treated and diagnosed.

In Bai Qi's mind, Liu Xiaojie and Lu Yao were practically like siblings. Since the Third Elder had no children of his own, Liu Xiaojie had been brought in as an infant after being abandoned, and the same was true for Lu Yao. Their fates bore a striking resemblance, so it was hardly surprising that they addressed each other as brother and sister.

Looking at Lu Yao, who resembled a fresh water lotus emerging from the clear waves, Bai Qi had to admit that she was indeed a natural beauty. With her wide, watery eyes and a purity that seemed to stem directly from her very soul, she truly looked like a little fairy.

Without getting up, Bai Qi simply replied, "If you brat have a craving for wine, just drink. What do you mean by bringing the Junior Sister along? Did you get drunk and fear a scolding from the Third Elder, so you brought the Junior Sister to share the blame?"

"Heh, haha! Oh, Old Bai, look at what you're saying. I simply noticed you were missing all day and knew you must be right here. On my way over, I happened to run into Junior Sister. She didn't even know you had come, so she just tagged along to look for you," Liu Xiaojie laughed dismissively. Bai Qi merely smiled faintly and shook his head, then picked up his jar of wine, tilted his head back, and took a long, fierce gulp.

Watching Bai Qi in such a desolate state, the two of them felt a deep sense of sympathy and sorrow.

Liu Xiaojie understood all too well that loving someone you cannot be with turns a person into something neither human nor ghost. In his eyes, back when Xie Tu had slaughtered the sect's disciples and elders, he had only been an insignificant novice at the Yellow Realm. His master had hidden him away, and he had crouched beneath a cabinet, watching flesh and blood fly everywhere as the sect members manipulated by Xie Tu—already reduced to mere puppets—slaughtered one another. That horrifying scene remained a haunting shadow in his heart to this day.

Yet, as the years passed, looking back on that event still brought tears to the sect. No one wished to dredge up the past; it was not that they had forgotten, but rather that a lingering pain remained buried deep within their hearts.

Liu Xiaojie knew that Bai Qi's current actions were no different from ripping open old scars on the bodies of those in the sect who had suffered, sprinkling salt upon their wounds. Therefore, he deeply understood the immense anger of the Great Elder.

The two of them sat down directly, their relationship being far too close for such formalities.

Bai Qi retrieved some fine wine from his storage bag, producing two entire jars. While Liu Xiaojie was accustomed to it, for Lu Yao—a little fairy who never touched a drop of alcohol—this was a prospect she instinctively wanted to refuse. However, watching her sworn brother unhesitatingly break the mud seal, pick up the jar, and drink directly without a shred of feminine restraint, she hesitated.

Seeing this, Lu Yao imitated his actions and broke the seal. But being a maiden after all, she lifted the jar with utmost elegance, and lightly sipped a mouthful against the rim with her cherry-like lips.

Instantly, her originally tender, pinkish oval face flushed bright red, a reaction that sent the two men into a fit of laughter.

Lu Yao hastily placed the wine jar back onto the stone table, used her delicate hand to wipe her lips, and shot Liu Xiaojie a sidelong glare, as if to say, *How could you laugh at me too?*

The previously heavy atmosphere was instantly lightened by Lu Yao's adorable display.

Bai Qi let out a long sigh and said flatly, "Sigh, tell me: if I were to forcibly bring her here, would everyone turn against me and point their swords in my direction?"

Hearing such a daring and reckless idea from Bai Qi, Liu Xiaojie spat out the wine he had just been drinking and hurriedly asked, "Cough, cough! My brother, you surely can't be planning to actually do that, are you? Aren't you afraid the Great Elder will strike? If that happens, especially with those stubborn traditionalists in the sect, they will certainly refuse to forgive your actions. They'll kill her first and then deal with you, and they won't show the slightest mercy!"

Liu Xiaojie warned Bai Qi with a solemn gaze. Perhaps in his heart, he harbored a shred of understanding regarding Xie Tu's situation as well. If he himself were controlled and forced to turn his blade against his own martial brothers and sisters, would he ultimately receive the forgiveness of the sect? Such emotional torment could only truly be comprehended by those who experienced it firsthand. Moreover, Xie Tu was a member of the Ghost King Sect, and coupled with the hostile stance between the two major alliances at this critical juncture, no matter who was in her shoes, they could never commit such an "absurd" act.

Seeing Bai Qi's entangled expression, an idea struck Liu Xiaojie. He leaned in and said, "Brother Bai, you don't necessarily have to bring Xie Tu back right away. After all, a great war between the two sects is about to erupt. If Xie Tu does not participate in this battle, then naturally those aligned with the sect won't say anything. At that time, the Great Elder will also reconsider—after all, the true mastermind was Gui Dai, not her."

Hearing this rather crooked piece of advice from Liu Xiaojie, the gloom on Bai Qi's face instantly vanished, replaced by a radiant glow, as if spring had arrived in the dead of winter, overflowing with a joyful smile.

Liu Xiaojie continued, "During this sect war, a vast, immense quantity of pills will undoubtedly be required for healing and rescue. Aren't you an alchemist? When the time comes, besides providing necessary relief to your fellow disciples, you must also actively rally them through both words and actions. That, however, will depend entirely on your own capability."

Watching Liu Xiaojie spout such "solemn nonsense," Bai Qi stared at him blankly, as if he were re-evaluating this sworn brother of his.

On second thought, what Liu Xiaojie said was not entirely unreasonable. The crooked scheme he had just suggested might sound a bit manipulative toward his fellow disciples, but at that critical moment, injured people would certainly not overthink things. Furthermore, Bai Qi himself would be the one actively and diligently saving them. Just think about it: the members of the Pill Hall were usually rather "arrogant," habitually looking down at people through their noses, but Bai Qi was different. He was the personal disciple of the Great Elder and would not be tainted by the unsavory reputation of the Pill Hall. Coupled with Bai Qi's unsparing generosity in providing relief, it was truly a case of "eating someone's food makes your mouth soft, and taking someone's gifts makes your hands short."

Bai Qi's eyes rolled as he turned the idea over in his mind. After careful consideration, he decided the plan was viable. Right now, the most crucial thing for him was to wait for an opportunity.

However, as for waiting for this opportunity—well, for Bai Qi, it would be as easy as turning over his hand.