Bai Sicheng was afraid, but seeing Bai Shengyi indifferent, completely unaware of any wrongdoing, his sense of responsibility as an elder brother overcame his fear.
"Ayi, big brother is just worried about you... Mmm..." The rest of his words were mixed with painful groans.
Large drops of sweat rolled down Bai Sicheng's forehead, and in a moment, his back was soaked with cold sweat.
He gasped for breath, struggling out of the sudden suffocation, and looked at Qin Si in alarm, then at Bai Shengyi.
"Qin Si."
Bai Shengyi turned sideways and held Qin Si's hand, subtly shaking her head at him.
Although Bai Sicheng's taste was not good and his actions were weak and easily compromised, Bai Shengyi honestly felt that besides the incident at Xiyuan Villa, Bai Sicheng had never truly harmed her.
Bai Shengyi was someone who repaid grievances with grievances and kindness with kindness. She had once forcefully entered the Grand Princess's mansion for Bai Sicheng, and later spared Bai Murong's life for his sake. She felt she had done nothing to wrong Bai Sicheng.
Therefore, she bore no strong ill feelings towards Bai Sicheng and would not actively seek to end his life.
"Let him go," Bai Shengyi told Qin Si.
Qin Si frowned but still released his suppression of Bai Sicheng.
He clasped Bai Shengyi's palm and said coldly, "On Ayi's account, I will not hold this against you. Get out."
Bai Shengyi's cold and distant demeanor, as if she wished to sever all familial ties with him, felt like a splash of cold water on Bai Sicheng.
He said dejectedly, "Ayi, big brother meant no harm. I just hope you don't take the wrong path and regret it later. With Mom and Dad gone, big brother has to consider more for you."
Upon hearing of their parents, whom she had never met, Bai Shengyi was slightly stunned.
But her momentary pause was interpreted by Qin Si as Bai Sicheng having upset Bai Shengyi again.
Qin Si knew about the disgraceful deeds of the Bai family and understood that Bai Shengyi had once held expectations for her elder brother, hoping for familial affection and for him to stand up for her. But what had Bai Sicheng done?
Thinking of this, Qin Si's gaze turned icy.
He sarcastically taunted, "Consider? You suspect your own sister of using me for resources? Is 'considering' letting Bai Murong bully Ayi repeatedly?"
Qin Si, too lazy to listen to Bai Sicheng's disingenuous words any longer, simply waved his hand, sweeping him out of Qianxiao Peak.
What nonsense.
He dared to call himself "Big Brother"!
If it weren't for Ayi, he should have been thrown into the pond as a feast for the swimming fish!
"Qianying, go investigate how he entered the peak," Qin Si frowned.
Entry to Qianxiao Peak required a token, and ordinary people generally could not get in. Bai Sicheng was merely an ordinary disciple of the Alchemy Peak; without assistance, how could he have entered?
Qianying had not appeared until now, wanting to see how Qin Si would handle the situation.
Upon hearing Qin Si's command, she still obeyed, though she felt he might just be trying to send her away.
"Qin Si."
"What is it?" Qin Si's gaze flickered, feeling that Bai Shengyi's address was too distant.
No, if there was an opportunity, he had to have a good talk with Ayi about this. They had already confirmed their relationship, so why was she calling him more distantly than before?
Bai Shengyi was unaware of Qin Si's thoughts; she had a headache at the moment.
Bai Sicheng's appearance made her suddenly realize something.
That was that there had been no news from her body's parents, and Bai Shishu, the only one who seemed to know something, had also disappeared since their farewell in Kyoto last time.
She actually wanted to ask Qin Si if he knew, after all, Qin Si was a prince of the Great Ning Dynasty. But then she thought, how could Qin Si possibly know about the Bai family's affairs?
"Nothing," Bai Shengyi smiled. "Are you finished with your work today? I just discussed some refining心得 with Shijie and have some new ideas I want to try. If you're done, would you accompany me to find some herbs on the peak?"
Qin Si was naturally delighted to have some alone time with Bai Shengyi.
The corners of his lips curved upward, and he happily agreed, leading Bai Shengyi outside. "What kind of herbs do you need? I know this Qianxiao Peak best. Tell me, and I'll take you to get them."
On the other side.
Bai Sicheng found himself standing outside Qianxiao Peak in the blink of an eye. When he tried to enter again, the barrier repelled him, sending him flying back to the ground.
Before he could recover, he heard someone running towards him.
"Bai Sicheng!"
It was Yu Shen.
He looked at Bai Sicheng's dejected appearance and frowned deeply, saying impatiently, "What are you doing? Didn't you say you were going to the mission hall to exchange spirit stones for cultivation? Why did you come here? Shen Jing and Shen Mo are still waiting for you!"
If Bai Sicheng's cultivation hadn't been good, and his character hadn't been decent, Yu Shen would have suspected him of intending to pocket the mission reward.
"Never mind, we can talk about that later. I have something to tell you. Your sister, what's her name, Murong, sent word asking for you, saying she can't survive in the outer sect..."
"How is that possible!" Bai Sicheng shot up.
Yu Shen said grumpily, "Why are you yelling at me? Did I deliver the message incorrectly? You can go to the outer sect yourself to see if it's true or not! Really!"
Despite having partnered with Bai Sicheng for a year or two, Yu Shen still looked down on his disposition. If Shen Jing and Shen Mo hadn't been taciturn and afraid of delaying things, he wouldn't have bothered to make this trip.
Seeing Bai Sicheng rush off to the outer sect, completely forgetting about the mission, Yu Shen frowned and followed him.
In the living quarters of the outer sect's handyman disciples, Bai Murong was applying medicine to herself, her face contorted with intense hatred!
After being swept out of Qianxiao Peak, Li Shiqing, that incompetent, couldn't even find her an antidote, causing her to suffer from constant pain and restlessness all these days.
Not only that, but Sun Yun, upon learning that she was not an inner disciple, immediately changed her demeanor and incessantly insulted and bullied her.
Bai Murong naturally couldn't swallow this insult. She instigated Qin Zhao to find Bai Shengyi, specifically to disgust Sun Yun and Qin Zhao.
Who knew that Qin Zhao was so useless that not only did he fail, but he also implicated her, leading to her being dragged to the Disciplinary Hall and whipped thirty times!
Not only had she lost face, but she was now in unbearable pain!
Bai Shengyi, Qin Zhao, Sun Yun, you bitches, just you wait!
Bai Murong gritted her teeth as she finished applying the medicine to herself. Just then, Sun Yun entered with two people, exuding an imposing aura.
Sun Yun scoffed, "Bai Murong, why are you so cheap? Can't you go a moment without a man? Li Shixiong and Zhang Shixiong aside, Tang Ying is the fiancé of Princess Ruyi. You actually dare to seduce him. You truly are a born slut!"
Jin Ruyi said coldly, "Why waste so much time talking to her. Sun Yun, Tang Xuanxuan, hold her down for me."
Sun Yun and Tang Xuanxuan, as if watching a show, pinned Bai Murong onto the bed.
"What do you want to do?" Bai Murong tried to break free, but her wounds would split open with any movement, so she could only endure the humiliation.
She gritted her teeth, "Don't you forget, even though I've been punished by the Disciplinary Hall, I'm still an outer sect disciple of the academy, not someone you handyman disciples can bully..."
"Slap!"
Jin Ruyi slapped her across the face.
"Still an outer sect disciple? You're dreaming! Bai Murong, you are now just the lowest-ranking handyman disciple. Even if this Princess were to kill you, no one would say anything!"
Before Bai Murong could speak, Jin Ruyi slapped her left and right, and soon Bai Murong was so beaten that she couldn't even speak coherently.
"Jiu Ru Yi! Don't go too far!"
Bai Murong was so enraged that she spat blood! This bitch!
"I'm going too far? I at least know about propriety and shame, and I don't seduce other people's fiancés!"
Her engagement to Tang Ying had been recent. Following her family's instructions, she had eagerly cherished Tang Ying, wanting to talk to him more. However, Tang Ying was indifferent and had turned to deliver medicine to the injured Bai Murong instead.
This made her feel like others were laughing at her every time she went out to do errands. When had she, Princess Ruyi, ever suffered such humiliation!
Thinking of this, Jin Ruyi angrily slapped her again.
"Stop!"
Bai Sicheng had just found his way here and witnessed this scene.
He saw Bai Murong's small face swollen high and said angrily, "How dare you fight privately? I will definitely report this matter to the Disciplinary Hall and have them deal with you!"