The Art of Subduing Dragons

Chapter 82

Ruan Li watched as Luo Qingci, dressed in white, disappeared before her eyes. A thought unlike any she had ever had before surged within her—what kind of person was her master truly?

Cold and unfeeling, aloof and reticent, a genius of the immortal sects, the slayer of dragons, the icy flower of the cultivation world—there were countless descriptions of Luo Qingci.

You didn't need to know her personally. Just ask a few people from the immortal sects, and you'd get a variety of adjectives, both good and bad.

However, no matter how she was viewed, almost everyone agreed on one thing—her coldness. Being of the ice spiritual root, coldness seemed to be inherent to her. Those who knew her described her as solitary and reclusive, always dressed in plain colors, further solidifying the impression that she was cold as ice.

Moreover, in her cultivation, she followed the path of the emotionless dao. Over the years, she had gained renown in the cultivation world through her mastery of the ruthless sword techniques, making her synonymous with coldness and indifference.

As a result, even the disciples of Ze Courtyard, who were closest to her, didn't dare to look her in the eye. Despite Luo Qingci never once scolding or punishing them, they still found her difficult to approach.

Like now, her words, devoid of warmth, were delivered with her usual indifference, and even her departing figure was upright and rigid, exuding a sense of desolate coldness.

Yet Ruan Li and Su Yu were not like the other disciples who only dared to admire Luo Qingci from afar. They were her disciples, and though their relationship was not as close as that of typical master and disciple, they had experienced Luo Qingci's unique form of care firsthand.

Especially Ruan Li, who had never reflected deeply on her past due to the weight of her hatred. But now, influenced by Chi Qing's teachings, she clearly sensed the protection hidden in Luo Qingci's words and actions during this critical moment.

She couldn't help but recall how, during her inheritance trial, Chi Qing had fought to protect her despite being severely injured. At the time, she only understood the danger she was in but was unaware of the sacrifices Luo Qingci had made to save her.

Chi Qing had once said that words without actions were meaningless, but Luo Qingci, who rarely spoke kind words, acted more than anyone else.

She couldn't understand why Luo Qingci treated her so well. Was it just because she was her disciple? But compared to Su Yu, she had been far more troublesome as a disciple.

Luo Qingci, unaware of the turmoil her actions had stirred within Ruan Li, arrived at the Nine Kun Hall. There, Gu Zhaochao, Qin Jian, Jiang Yuebai, and the other peak masters were already present.

Her gaze swept past her fellow sect members and landed on another group of people who were solemn and exuded a chilling air.

At the head of this group sat a middle-aged man with a long beard, dressed in a simple gray robe, holding a dust whisk in his hand. His attire was that of a pure-hearted cultivator, with only a white jade pendant at his waist and a green jade hairpin adorning his hair. However, his current expression and gaze were far from serene; his dissatisfaction was plainly directed at Luo Qingci.

"Huai Zhu Lord." As Luo Qingci stepped into the Nine Kun Hall, the disciples lined up on both sides bowed in unison.

Luo Qingci glanced at Gu Zhaochao. This was quite the display—clearly, her senior brother had some cunning up his sleeve.

"It's been many years, Nephew Huai Zhu. I hope you've been well," Yun Hua Sanren said, forcing a smile that didn't reach his eyes, fully aware of the situation.