The Art of Subduing Dragons

Chapter 96

The prison of the You Sect was much better than the water prison of the Tianyan Sect. Since Luo Qingci had been so protective of Ruan Li, and it was clear that Ruan Li was also worried about Luo Qingci, Gu Zhichao believed that Ruan Li had not committed the crime of murdering her master and betraying the sect.

Moreover, due to Luo Qingci's insistence, although Gu Zhichao was suspicious of Ruan Li's identity, he merely imprisoned her without interrogating her.

Jiang Yuebai was guarding outside, frowning. Every time she thought of Luo Qingci in that state, her heart ached. Over the years, Luo Qingci had changed significantly compared to before, becoming more compassionate.

Luo Qingci was inherently a very charismatic person. If not for her overly cold personality that made her hard to approach, she would likely be the ideal figure in the hearts of those in the immortal sect.

When someone who is usually as cold as ice shows warmth, it's like glaciers melting in the sunlight—an awe-inspiring and almost worshipful sight.

Jiang Yuebai clearly felt that Ruan Li's arrival had melted Luo Qingci's icy demeanor. She finally saw all the emotions that people should have in Luo Qingci, even though she still appeared cold and distant. Yet in every move, the warmth hidden beneath that cold exterior was more intense and profound than in most people.

While Jiang Yuebai was lost in thought, Gu Zhichao returned.

"How is Huaizhu?" he asked, frowning as he stared at the tightly closed door.

"The cold poison hasn't subsided yet; she'll have to endure a bit longer," Jiang Yuebai replied, then thought of Ruan Li. "Senior Brother, Ruan Li shouldn't have anything to do with the Dragon Clan. I've treated her injuries and didn't sense anything unusual. Moreover, if she really were part of the Dragon Clan, the Dragon Subduing Wood should have reacted much earlier, not just now."

Gu Zhichao's expression darkened. "I know that, but do you remember the information sent back by Xiao Yun?"

Jiang Yuebai frowned. "You mean the Dragon Clan members who can disguise themselves as humans and blend into the immortal sects?"

"Yes." Gu Zhichao nodded, his face full of concern. "I didn't think much of it before, but the Dragon Subduing Wood doesn't make mistakes. And Ruan Li encountering that demon on the cliff..."

At this, Gu Zhichao took a deep breath. Jiang Yuebai's face also changed. They both recognized the broken sword Luo Qingci had handed them earlier—it belonged to their master, Tianjizi. Luo Qingci's meaning was clear...

"Someone who could injure Huaizhu like that must be as powerful as her," Gu Zhichao paused, hesitant to draw conclusions about the demon, but clearly uneasy.

He continued, "And the fact that Ruan Li survived such a situation raises suspicions. I'm worried that she has been hiding her strength all along and was forced to reveal it today, triggering the Dragon Subduing Wood."

Jiang Yuebai shook her head. "That doesn't make sense. Ruan Li has been diligent and well-behaved all these years. She has never done anything out of line. During the Zhuochen Ceremony and in the Shifang Secret Realm, she got along well with Xu Wan, Bai Jing, and the others. They even faced life and death together, and she never did anything to harm the sect's interests. Besides, if she were hiding her strength, why would she work so hard in the sect? She also suffered a lot under Huaizhu's training."

Gu Zhichao fell silent for a moment, then frowned even more deeply. "You make good points, but that only makes me feel more uneasy."

Jiang Yuebai was surprised. "Why do you say that?"