Diligence System: From Servant to Martial King
Chapter 694 - 362: Li Xian Opens His Eyes, Aims at the Divine Bird, Heaven and Earth Shatter, the Jade Girl Is Shocked (Part 2)
Zhao Ranran slightly raised her eyebrows. Taishi Yuzhu said, "A miraculous escape of the five elements? The courtyard isn’t big, but its layout is profound."
Suddenly, the thick fog dispersed before their eyes, and a voice came, "Sister Bian?"
Nangong Liuli walked along the path, waved her hand, and the flower clusters retreated to the base of the wall, while the thick fog drifted back to the stream. The full view of the yard was revealed, a rather cozy and livable small courtyard.
The sunlight slanted, patches of shade formed under the trees, vibrant blooms glimmered, and the stream murmured gently. The tranquility was leisurely and serene.
Nangong Liuli exclaimed in surprise, "Why have you all come? Brother Xuanming, Senior Sister Zhao, Brother Taishi!"
Bian Qiaoqiao joyfully said, "Sister Liuli, isn’t it obvious? We came to rescue you."
Nangong Liuli, astonished, said, "Ah! Did you break through so fast? I thought the defense of the Flower Cage Sect was tight and that there were traps and obstacles outside, making it not so easy!"
Bian Qiaoqiao stepped aside and said, "That, of course, is thanks to Senior Sister Zhao’s divine power. If it were just us, we would likely have retreated in defeat."
Nangong Liuli bowed solemnly and said, "Senior Sister Zhao, thank you for the rescue!" Zhao Ranran waved her hand gently, saying, "It was just a small effort, not worth mentioning."
Nangong Xuanming smiled and said, "Little Sister Liuli, it’s been a long time." Nangong Liuli paused slightly, having only a shallow friendship with Nangong Xuanming. She was a direct descendant noblewoman, while Nangong Xuanming was from a collateral branch, always having open and secret conflicts. She thought, "He is involved in my rescue, yet it feels like he didn’t truly want to save me. He seems even more gleeful at my plight now." She smiled and said, "It’s been a while!"
Bian Qiaoqiao curiously looked around and asked, "Sister Liuli, do you usually live here? It doesn’t seem too bad."
Nangong Liuli said, "It’s indeed not bad." Then suddenly thought of something important and asked, "Ah! Little Sister Bian, since you’ve set foot on the island, what about those Flower Thieves? Were they all killed?"
Bian Qiaoqiao said mysteriously, "Sister Liuli, this matter, as I’ll tell you, will surely help you vent your anger." Nangong Liuli urged anxiously, "Hurry and tell me."
Nangong Xuanming noticed the strangeness in Nangong Liuli. Bian Qiaoqiao said, "We gave those Flower Thieves a good lesson. Last night, Sister Ranran sent a message, ordering them to shave their heads, strip their clothes, bind their hands and feet, and kneel overnight on the shore, only then sparing their lives."
"Those Flower Thieves are all cowardly, each wanting to save their lives, and none dared to resist. They truly knelt overnight, waiting for our disposal. Each one was completely bald, looking extremely ridiculous. But looking at them too long hurts the eyes."
Nangong Liuli turned pale, thinking, "This... this matter was something Li Xian never told me. No... no... I know him, he would rather die than do this kind of thing." In a rush, she asked, "How... how could it be like this, we, as a big family and sect, should act with grace and dignity, shaming others like this, isn’t it... isn’t it losing face?"
Nangong Xuanming snickered and said, "Talking about grace and dignity with a bunch of Flower Thieves." Bian Qiaoqiao nodded and said, "Yes, these Flower Thieves committed all sorts of crimes, harming women, their sins are extreme, utterly detestable. They should indeed be taught a lesson."
Nangong Liuli was not sympathizing with the Flower Thieves, she asked, "Was there anyone named Li Xian among them?"
Bian Qiaoqiao said, "He was not there, but he’s just as detestable, we definitely won’t let him off." Nangong Liuli shook her head and said, "No... no... you mustn’t harm him, things are not like what you think!"
Bian Qiaoqiao was confused. Nangong Liuli said, "He is a good person, completely different from other Flower Thieves. Little Sister Bian, if I may say, he has actually done you a great favor!"
Bian Qiaoqiao, irritated, said, "It was him who chased me off the Flower Boat, forcing me to jump into the river to escape, almost dying in the mouth of a fish. Hmph, if that’s called a great favor, I’d slash him to repay it."
Nangong Liuli said gravely, "You only know part of the story. The routes on the Flower Boat are winding and complex. If he hadn’t deliberately chased you, you would have run around in confusion, making it hard for you to escape the boat. And there was something smeared on the flower rope that attracted the Fish Beasts to bite. The Fish Beasts bit the ropes first, then would have bitten you, allowing you to break free from the ropes and escape unscathed. If it hadn’t been for Li Xian’s maneuvering, how could you have come away so well under your own abilities?"
Bian Qiaoqiao was skeptical and added, "Then... later, he thrived within the Flower Cage Sect, surely... surely harming many women."
Nangong Liuli said, "Quite the opposite. He was forced to join, never compromised, and if not for his protection, my situation would have been worse. Little Sister Bian, he owes us both a great favor. You can hate the other Flower Thieves, but you can’t repay his kindness with resentment against him."
Bian Qiaoqiao still hesitated. Nangong Xuanming said, "Little Sister Liuli, you’ve been brainwashed!"
Nangong Liuli was taken aback and frowned, "What do you mean by that?" Nangong Xuanming said, "Little Sister Liuli, you suffered at the hands of the Flower Thieves, and to save face, you beautify the Flower Thieves. It’s understandable, and I sympathize. But to excuse a rogue and let such a villain go unpunished, harming others in the future, that is a grave sin!"
Nangong Liuli said in a deep voice, "Nangong Xuanming, you’re making baseless accusations. Even if you’re my clan brother, don’t blame me for not respecting you!"
Bian Qiaoqiao intervened to mediate, "Sister Liuli, don’t be angry, Brother Xuanming did exert a lot of effort to rescue you. We shouldn’t be arguing over Flower Thieves."
Nangong Liuli, hearing "shouldn’t be angry over Flower Thieves," became very upset, thinking, "Perhaps the whole world shouldn’t care, but I do!" She said, "Nangong Xuanming, you know your intentions, don’t bring family disputes here."
Nangong Xuanming shrugged and said, "I’m stating facts. It seems Little Sister Liuli has truly been brainwashed, becoming unable to distinguish between friend and foe."
He continued, "That Li Xian joined less than a year ago, yet from a lowly Order Holding Disciple, he advanced to a Flower Embossing Disciple, and then to a Provisional Elder. To say he merely complied without truly aligning, I’m afraid that’s hard to believe."