Chapter 110

“I didn’t do anything,” Ye Qiao replied defiantly to Shen Ziwei’s questioning. “I went to steal their storage bags. I played dumb during the day and sneaked around at night. Do you know what I’ve been through these past few days?”

Shen Ziwei was speechless.

This person must be crazy.

Stealing storage bags with such confidence.

But Ye Qiao wasn’t wrong. If she didn’t take them, the other disciples, tied up as they were, wouldn’t be able to either.

Shen Ziwei asked his final question, “Why can you use the spiritual bow from the Bishui Sect?”

She was a sword cultivator who never used her sword, always waving around some stick, and now she could even use a spiritual bow? It seemed like she was proficient in everything except swordsmanship.

Ye Qiao winked at him and modestly said, “I’m not an expert in anything, but I can do a little bit of everything.”

Shen Ziwei’s mouth twitched. “I can see that.”

She could draw talismans and refine pills. Though he wasn’t sure about her skill level, she undeniably knew a lot.

Previously, Ye Qiao had wandered alone in the secret realm, finding it quite boring without anyone to chat with. She waved the spiritual bow in her hand and addressed the onlookers, “Let me show you what it means to shoot down the ‘heavenly wolf’ from the northwest.”

Several cultivators laughed at this.

“As long as you can rescue them, you’ll be my hero, Ye Qiao!” someone from another sect shouted excitedly.

“The higher-ups from the Five Sects should investigate Yun Que. Who does she think she is? The Moonlight Sect is a reputable sect, and even Song Hansheng has more integrity than her.”

Song Hansheng, despite his arrogance and disdain for rogue cultivators, showed the proper spirit of a righteous disciple when it mattered most.

“A little girl being scared is understandable.”

“Isn’t Miaomiao also scared? Yet she hasn’t said anything.”

“Maybe those from the mortal world lack this awareness. After all, she’s a halfway disciple.”

Apart from Ye Qiao, Yun Que was the only other halfway disciple, but Ye Qiao had grown up in the Moonlight Sect, making her a legitimate sect disciple. Yun Que was the only one truly from the mortal world.

Every direct disciple was sent to their sects at a young age, bearing the heavy responsibilities that came with it. They had to be willing to sacrifice for the greater good, a mindset every righteous disciple needed.

The sects and the cultivation world provided resources, and in return, these disciples had to live up to their responsibilities.

That’s why direct disciples were considered the future of the cultivation world.

Though the cultivators spoke softly, those in the Nascent Soul stage and above could easily hear them. Other elders felt embarrassed for the Moonlight Sect, “Can we still keep such a disciple?”

Their harsh words held some truth. Their sect didn’t need a disciple who would betray their comrades at a critical moment.

The elders of the Sword Inquiry Sect gritted their teeth. “At least she’s a supreme spiritual root. We have to endure it.” Supreme spiritual roots were rare, and nurturing one required immense effort. It was impossible to abandon her entirely; perhaps she could be reformed.

Yun Hen’s face was also troubled. “I’ll educate her properly when we return.”

Yun Que had been a constant source of embarrassment for him since the competition, disgracing the sect and subjecting him to ridicule.

Yun Hen valued his reputation highly. He wouldn’t have stolen a disciple’s spiritual plant for Yun Que otherwise.

Now, instead of earning him respect, she had placed the sect in a difficult position.

Just hearing the discussions around him darkened Yun Hen’s expression.

“Considering the atmosphere in the Moonlight Sect, anyone thinking of joining might reconsider, with Yun Que as a direct disciple. Who knows, she might sell you out in the secret realm someday.”

“Sell us out? She probably thinks friends are for selling.”

“I was considering the Moonlight Sect for the next disciple recruitment, but now I think the Changming Sect is a better choice.”

Yun Hen still refused to give Ye Qiao a direct disciple position. Despite her talent and triple cultivation expertise, the cultivation world valued spiritual roots. With her low-grade roots, even breaking through would be challenging.

Ye Qiao was still in the Foundation Establishment stage, so he couldn’t consider her for a direct disciple position.

Yun Hen regretted not stopping her from going to the Changming Sect. She had been a disciple of his sect originally!

“Are you crazy?” Song Hansheng was furious as Yun Que spoke, feeling the urge to spit blood. “Capturing Ye Qiao and the others—what good does it do you?”

He believed that with Ye Qiao’s cautious nature, she would have escaped by now. But what if she hadn’t?

Yun Que argued, “It won’t cause any loss.”

“And I grew up in the mortal world,” she continued, her eyes glistening as she bit her lip. “I didn’t have the top resources you all had. My spiritual roots were damaged from the start…”

Chu Xingzhi, unable to tolerate her betrayal, exploded. Her betrayal justified nothing.

Though his hands were tied, he still had his feet.

With a fierce kick, he pinned her to the ground. Staring into her eyes, he sneered, “Your spiritual roots were damaged? Well, I have a mental illness! Yun Que, apologize to us all right now!”