The Grand Elder had never seen Su Luo wear an expression like this before.
Her eyes were slightly red, her expression forlorn, as pitiful as an abandoned kitten, which pained him deeply.
"Su girl, what's wrong? Tell Grandpa quickly, who bullied you?" the Grand Elder hurried forward, holding Su Luo's hand and asking with concern, his heart clenching.
Who would dare to bully such a likable and adorable girl in Qingxu Heaven and still want to live?
Su Luo bit her lower lip, shook her head, and said nothing.
The Grand Elder grew more anxious. "What happened? Weren't you going to the Resource Hall with Tian Jue today? How did you end up like this? Where is Tian Jue? Does he know someone bullied you?"
"Grandpa..." Su Luo's small mouth pouted, feeling even more wronged, her large eyes welling up with tears.
"With you looking like this, could it be that..." The Grand Elder suddenly realized, his expression a mixture of shock and curiosity. Then, he thought it was impossible.
Su Luo put on a great act, as if she had finally found a elder to confide her grievances to. With a sniffle and a sob, she said, "Senior Disciple Brother, he, he... bullied me... Grandpa, sob sob sob..."
Her emotions were welling up; she felt like applauding herself.
The Grand Elder's eyes widened. "Tian Jue? He actually bullied you? How is that possible?"
His first reaction was disbelief, but seeing Su Luo so sad and wronged, with her eyes red from crying, he couldn't help but doubt.
"How did Tian Jue bully you? Weren't you going to the Resource Hall..."
"It was in the Resource Hall."
"What? He actually bullied you in the Resource Hall? In broad daylight, that scoundrel..."
Su Luo nodded pitifully, on the verge of tears.
Yes, she hadn't said a single word out of place. Li Tian Jue had indeed bullied her in the Resource Hall, playing a trick on her.
She regretted falling for it, and she hated him!
The Grand Elder's eyes were about to pop out. He quickly looked around, afraid that passing disciples might overhear. He pulled Su Luo to a secluded spot before whispering, "Good girl, don't let this matter get out, or it will harm your reputation."
A surge of anger welled up in his heart. Seeing his beloved Su girl so distressed, the Grand Elder's mind filled with all sorts of unspeakable images.
"Tian Jue has always been steady and reliable, how could he do something so absurd?"
The Grand Elder couldn't fathom how Li Tian Jue, whom he had doted on and trusted for over twenty years, could commit such a monstrous act. Could it be because he had grown up and finally desired a woman?
Yes, it must be!
Su girl is so charming and lovely; it's normal for him to fancy her. But he shouldn't have been so reckless, scaring Su girl... Suddenly, another thought flashed through the Grand Elder's mind, and he immediately grabbed Su Luo's wrist to check.
After a moment, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness, thank goodness! No great mistake was made..." The Grand Elder was relieved to confirm that Su Luo was still a maiden. However, he was still furious, his beard bristling. "Su girl, don't cry anymore. Grandpa will stand up for you and will definitely teach him a good lesson."
"It's simply absurd. As the chief disciple of Qingxu Heaven, to do such a thing..."
"Su girl, you go back first. Grandpa will go and vent your anger for you!"
Only after Su Luo timidly nodded did the Grand Elder huffily head towards Li Tian Jue's courtyard.
A moment later, Su Luo burst into laughter.
Her eyes darted slyly, clear and bright. Su Luo pulled a blade of grass, put it in her mouth, and hummed a tune, not a trace of grievance on her face.
Li Tian Jue, you'll have to bear the consequences now!
Prepare to face the Grand Elder's wrath!
"You stinking man, how dare you trick this young lady? I won't rest until I've dealt with you." Su Luo walked along the small path, preparing to find the Second Elder and Third Elder to "complain." "I'll make sure you taste my power. Wait to endure the storm..."
Soon, Su Luo arrived at the courtyard where the Second Elder resided.
"Su girl is here? Come in quickly... Huh? Why are your eyes red? Who bullied you?"
"Second Grandpa..."
Su Luo put on a wronged expression and began her second act.
...
Meanwhile, Li Tian Jue had returned to the Purple Bamboo Residence.
Outside, bamboo leaves rustled, and a refreshing breeze blew. He cast aside the stress of recent days, feeling unusually cheerful, a slight smile playing on his lips.
That stinking girl Su Luo had finally fallen into his trap and suffered a setback!
Did she treat Qingxu Heaven as a retirement home, just eating, drinking, and playing all day? Only good at flattering with sweet words, neglecting her duties, and corrupting Xiao Guo and Xiao Bai, disturbing the peace of Qingxu Heaven, and even eating a lot of the spiritual beasts on the mountain...
He had assigned her a task, and now she wouldn't be able to have fun. She should honestly get to work!
Thinking of Su Luo's abilities, Li Tian Jue was still satisfied.
She was not only intelligent but also bold and meticulous, and her medical skills were decent. It took her eighteen years to discover that her fifth junior disciple was poisoned. Now, after taking her medicine twice, he had already improved, and his appetite was much better.
Except for Su Luo's mysterious abilities and the risk of her being overly familiar at any moment, Li Tian Jue was quite satisfied with her recent actions. She had no major character flaws, got along well with her fellow disciples, and even made several elders happy, which could be considered praiseworthy.
Otherwise, why would he entrust such an important matter as the Resource Hall to her?
"I wonder if she has the ability to solve Qingxu Heaven's biggest problem..." Li Tian Jue sighed and rubbed his temples, a hint of a headache returning.
He couldn't fully entrust this matter to Su Luo for now; he still had to keep an eye on it himself.
The vast Qingxu Heaven had enormous monthly resource consumption. He had to find ways to acquire more spirit coins, spirit herbs, and the like, to ensure Qingxu Heaven could continue to operate smoothly.
Also, the medicine for his fifth junior disciple's treatment could not be lacking...
Just as Li Tian Jue sat down at his desk, preparing to research bounties from other sects and hunt some malevolent demonic disciples to earn some spirit coins, the boisterous voice of the Grand Elder came from the doorway: "Tian Jue, Tian Jue, are you in there!?"
What happened?
Li Tian Jue leaped up and rushed out to meet him. "Grand Elder, I'm here. What's wrong?"
Upon seeing Li Tian Jue, who looked as if nothing were amiss, handsome, refined, and with an extraordinary demeanor, yet somehow... the Grand Elder's anger flared uncontrollably. He almost wanted to hit him with his walking stick. "You, you still have the nerve to ask? Tian Jue, after all these years of the old man trusting and valuing you, how could you do something so absurd? You've disappointed me so much!"
The Grand Elder beat his chest and stamped his feet, looking at Li Tian Jue with immense pain.
Li Tian Jue was bewildered, completely unable to grasp the Grand Elder's meaning. "Grand Elder, what is it exactly? What did I do?"
"You still have the nerve to ask?"
Seeing him feigning ignorance, the Grand Elder became even more indignant. "What did you do to Su girl? You actually bullied her... Tian Jue, what did your master and the rest of us old fogeys teach you? Have you forgotten? You actually... alas, Su girl is indeed lovely and a good person, but no matter how much you like her, you can't be so reckless!"
Li Tian Jue's mind felt like it had exploded.
What exactly was going on?!