Chapter 462: Lies
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In the Main Hall of Lingxian Hall, Li Shiyu stepped over the red lacquered threshold adorned with gold, took Dongfang Jue's hand, and moved toward the center of the hall.
Smoothing the hem of her robe, she knelt properly and offered her respects with a formal bow.
"Shiyao pays respects to Master."
"Jue'er, pays respects to Master."
As always, the Master stood before the desk, practicing calligraphy as usual. Today, however, Su Cheng ground the ink himself.
"If you wish to know anything, feel free to ask your master."
Su Cheng's tone was neither warm nor cold, revealing neither anger nor joy.
Though Su Cheng didn't tell them to rise, Second Grandma stood up on her own.
She drew close to the Master, where three bold characters stood out on the paper: Ye Qinghan…
"Um… Master, shouldn't your robe be washed?"
"What? Is it dirty?"
As if! Su Cheng had transcended worldly concerns—how could his clothes possibly get dirty?
"Um, Shiyao just thinks… Master, you've been wearing this for days now. It might be time for a change…"
Su Cheng understood perfectly well. All his clothes were prepared by Ye Qinghan. Except for the one he was wearing, the rest were locked away in a cabinet by Ye Qinghan…
Normally, Shi Yao or Yu Lan would take over caring for the Master when he went out, but this time was different. Ye Qinghan had been knocked unconscious by Xiao Ai and taken away directly.
"I understand what you mean, Shiyu. You miss Senior Sister Qinghan, don't you?"
Li Shiyu hadn't expected the Master to state it so plainly, but since he'd spoken up, it was naturally better.
"Yes… Did you send Senior Sister away?"
As the words fell, Su Cheng slowly lowered the pen in his hand. After deep contemplation, he nodded.
"Yes, I sent her away."
"Why? Did Senior Sister commit some unforgivable offense?"
"Don't rush to conclusions. Hear me out first."
Don't rush? Second Grandma pushed past First Grandma and strode right in front of Su Cheng, her fierce demeanor suggesting she might grab his collar any second!
"No! Shiyao gets to speak first!"
Su Cheng: …
"Master, even if Senior Sister made a mistake, surely it doesn't warrant banishing her?"
"Senior Sister has always told Shiyu that in everything we do, we must prioritize the Master before Qinghan. Master, Senior Sister didn't mean to…"
"Alright, Senior Sister did mean to do it, but she meant well…"
"Senior Sister said it's love!"
"Shiyao doesn't understand what love is, but Shiyao knows Senior Sister likes Master!"
"Master, why aren't you speaking? Senior Sister may have done it intentionally, but she meant no harm!"
As if exhausted from speaking, Li Shiyu glanced at Dongfang Jue beside her. Her gaze was like that of a wife looking at an unambitious husband: Sigh! So useless…
"Jue'er, why are you kneeling there? Come say something too!"
Su Cheng: …
Dongfang Jue: …
"Master, is it wrong to want to sleep with someone you love?"
"Of course not! Senior Sister just used the wrong method!"
"Master, you can't just kick Senior Sister out because she wants to sleep with you, can you?"
"Shiyao has slept with you too, Master. That's why I want to help Senior Sister overcome her shyness and sleep with you as well…"
"So, Master, do you understand now?"
"Sleeping together is no crime! Senior Sister is innocent!"
Su Cheng: …
Su Cheng performed a full set of eye exercises before snapping back to reality: "Is Shiyu done speaking?"
"Yes, Shiyuo has finished. Is Master willing to call Senior Sister back now?"
"Saying so much at once must have been tough on you…"
Li Shiyu shook her head, seemingly mistaking her master's tone for praise, her expression tinged with shyness: "It's no trouble at all. Shiyu is only doing this for Master's sake, and for Senior Sister's sake!"
"Master, you've been so gloomy these past days, Shiyu didn't even dare speak to you."
"With you so gloomy, the entire Lingxian Hall feels lifeless—it's like the thief crying 'Stop thief!' or Sima Guang smashing the water jar!"
Su Cheng gave a wry smile: "So Shiyu's implying this is all my fault?"
"Huh? No, that's not what I meant…"
To be honest, Shiyu would normally dare to tease her master a bit. But with her senior sister absent, she feared getting beaten. Besides, her master was clearly in a foul mood—he'd just mentioned feeling gloomy these past days!
Su Cheng pulled over a chair beside him, then waved for Jue'er to rise as well, gesturing for both of them to sit down and talk.
"What do you think, Jue'er? Do you also blame this entirely on your master?"
"Um, I wouldn't dare say that, but I do think that even if Senior Sister made a mistake, it wasn't some unforgivable sin. It shouldn't warrant expelling her from the sect."
Su Cheng nodded. "You both have valid points. But I have a question—when did I ever expel Qinghan from the sect?"
Li Shiyao and Dongfang Jue exchanged glances, but it was clear Li Shiyao's mind was racing!
"But Master did drive Senior Sister away!"
"Yes, but I never said I didn't want her. Qinghan went to take the exam."
Li Shiyao and Dongfang Jue exchanged another glance. The exam?
What examination?
How could they know nothing about it?
"Regardless of whether she passes or fails, I guarantee your senior sister will return safely and unharmed."
"The reason I didn't mention it is because this is also part of the examination."
Li Shiyao was completely dumbfounded!
Dongfang Jue clearly didn't understand either!
But… if Master says Senior Sister will return, then she must come back…
"Shiyao trusts Master. Shiyao knows Master cares for Senior Sister too. Otherwise, Master wouldn't have been so gloomy these past days, worrying she might fail the exam."
"I believe in Qinghan. She will pass the exam."
Though whether that person would still be Qinghan after passing the exam… well, that was another matter entirely…
Dongfang Jue stepped closer, scooped up a cup of cool tea from the side, and handed it to the Master, asking.
"Master, what kind of exam is it? Why is it so secretive that even Senior Sister and Jue'er can't be told?"
"The Valkyrie's Quenching Trial."
Li Shiyao was filled with questions: "Quenching? What is that?"
Dongfang Jue knew the answer: "It's one of the steps in blacksmithing. It refers to quenching the forged steel ingot in cold water to cool it down."
"Wait, Master, you mean this is the Valkyrie trial?"
Su Cheng nodded. "You could say that, but it's stricter and more brutal than the Valkyrie trial."
The two direct disciples exchanged glances, their interest piqued!
"Master, Shiyu wants to go too! Shiyu doesn't want to be a Holy Maiden anymore! Shiyu wants to be a Valkyrie! Valkyrie sounds so cool!"
Dongfang Jue thought to himself, So that's it—they've misunderstood the Master!
"Master, Jue'er! Jue'er wants to be a Valkyrie too!"
Su Cheng merely smiled, thinking to himself that if it were possible, not a single one of Xiao Ai's Valkyries would likely want to work…
After all, if given the choice, who would willingly gamble with their own life?
These little fools actually clamoring to become Valkyries? Times really have changed…
"Valkyries aren't easy to be. They undergo brutal training—to put it bluntly, they're no longer human. Their training is grueling."
"You guys in the Eastern Region spent over half a year with thousands of people in that hellhole. It only took Crane Light half an afternoon to handle it."
"They crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood—they're not like you lot~"
Dongfang Jue immediately bristled!
"Master, don't look down on us! Jue'er can endure hardship too!"
"That's right! Shiyao can endure hardship too… a little bit…"
Su Cheng chuckled: "Then when Xiao Ai arrives in a few days, ask her if she'd be willing to mentor you~"
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