Invincible Soul Emperor

Chapter 138: Chapter 138 The unhappy Li Zongrui

Hei Ze watched Xiao Xiao’s small figure retreat and shook his head helplessly. While his residence wasn’t in the most concentrated area of Spiritual Energy within the Qingyun Sect, it was still far superior to the Inner Sect Disciple district. How had it become a dilapidated straw hut in her words?

However, Hei Ze didn’t dwell on it. Since he had made a promise to Xiao Xiao, he wouldn’t hesitate to keep it. After tidying up his house, he sat down to meditate and wait for dawn, when he would move to Ye Qingchen’s residence.

Ye Qingchen, I hope you don’t disappoint me! he thought, closing his eyes and focusing completely on his meditation.

Meanwhile, Zou Mei stumbled all the way to Li Zongrui’s residence. After a series of knocks, an impatient Li Zongrui opened the door. When he saw it was Zou Mei, the woman who had once tried to seduce him, his impatience grew.

Although Li Zongrui admitted that Zou Mei was exceptionally beautiful and could be considered a top-tier beauty, he prided himself on not being a lecher, much less a casual person. Therefore, Zou Mei throwing herself at him only made her seem cheap in his eyes.

Zou Mei naturally sensed Li Zongrui’s impatience, even his disgust, but she didn’t care. Just as she was about to mention Ye Qingchen, Li Susu walked out of Li Zongrui’s room and stood beside him.

Li Susu herself was stunningly beautiful, with a curvaceous figure that appeared all the more captivating under the boundless moonlight.

The moment Li Zongrui saw Li Susu, the impatience vanished from his face, replaced by eyes full of deep affection.

As a fellow woman, Zou Mei could instantly tell that Li Zongrui was utterly smitten with the woman before him.

No wonder the Young Sect Master rejected me. He already had his eyes on such a stunner. So be it, it seems I never had a chance!

Her feeling of resignation deepened when she spotted the True Disciple Token on Li Susu. The status of a True Disciple was leagues above her own as a mere Inner Sect Disciple.

”Zongrui, what’s the matter?”

Li Susu’s feminine intuition immediately told her something was off about Zou Mei, but she knew exactly how to manage a man’s heart. Instead of causing a scene, she acted even more gently, all while maintaining a slight distance between them.

Hearing Li Susu’s gentle voice, Li Zongrui felt as if his very bones were melting. He explained, ”She’s the Inner Sect Disciple I sent to deal with Ye Qingchen last time. I’ve already paid her the reward, so I don’t know why she’s here again.”

After explaining, Li Zongrui turned to Zou Mei, his voice turning cold. ”Junior Sister Zou, is there something you need?”

Zou Mei nodded. Realizing she had no hope of seducing Li Zongrui, she paradoxically felt less nervous. She explained, ”Young Sect Master, I ran into Ye Qingchen today!”

”What?” Li Zongrui and Li Susu exclaimed in unison, their faces masks of astonishment.

Li Zongrui took two steps forward until he was right in front of Zou Mei and demanded furiously, ”Didn’t you tell me Ye Qingchen was trapped by a Fire Rock Beast tide and would certainly die? Why are you telling me you saw him now? What kind of game are you playing?”

Zou Mei felt a pang of guilt, as she had received twenty low-grade Spirit Stones from Li Zongrui for this matter. This was a considerable fortune. Even Ye Qingchen had only received twenty low-grade Spirit Stones for winning the prospective alchemist tournament, and that was with special consideration from Sect Leader Li Qingfeng.

Now that Ye Qingchen was alive, those twenty low-grade Spirit Stones felt like they were burning a hole in her pocket.

With this thought, Zou Mei retrieved the Spirit Stones Li Zongrui had given her from her storage ring and presented them to him. ”Young Sect Master, I failed in my duty. Please punish me!”

Li Zongrui stared at the Spirit Stones in her hand and sighed inwardly. Even for him, the Young Sect Master, giving up twenty low-grade Spirit Stones was a painful loss. However, to ensure Ye Qingchen’s death, he had been willing to pay the price. Now that Zou Mei had failed her mission, it was only right for him to take them back.

But then a second thought struck him. Li Susu was standing right there. If he took the Spirit Stones back, wouldn’t he look incredibly petty? He was the Young Sect Master of the Qingyun Sect. How could he take back something he had already given away?

At this, Li Zongrui waved his hand at Zou Mei and said impatiently, ”What’s the point of talking about Spirit Stones now? Do you really think I care about them? Just tell me in detail, what’s going on with Ye Qingchen?”

Li Susu had remained silent. One moment she had been secretly delighted that her sworn enemy was dead and her revenge was complete, and the next, she was told he was still alive. This emotional whiplash filled her with rage, and she internally cursed Li Zongrui for his incompetence.

However, when she saw him refuse the twenty low-grade Spirit Stones, a vicious thought took root in her mind.

It seems there’s still plenty to squeeze out of this Young Sect Master. He gives away twenty low-grade Spirit Stones just like that, but he’s never been so generous with me! I’ll have to find a chance to squeeze him some more.

Poor Li Zongrui had no idea that his recent act of posturing would soon cost him dearly. He couldn’t spare a thought for it at that moment, however, as he was listening to Zou Mei’s story with his full attention.

Zou Mei recounted how her group had been exploring the Heavenly Pond Sea of Fire, emphasizing how she had destroyed the passage. She insisted she had seen with her own eyes Ye Qingchen and Zhao Jiehui being swarmed by innumerable Fire Rock Beasts; by all logic, there was no way they could have survived.

Then, she described her recent encounter with Ye Qingchen and Zhao Jiehui. With some artistic embellishment, the story of her and Zhou Quan trying to cause trouble for Ye Qingchen was twisted into a tale of Ye Qingchen and Zhao Jiehui arriving to bully her.

Li Zongrui listened with growing indignation, cursing Ye Qingchen as a scoundrel in his heart, though he was helpless to do anything.

Li Susu discreetly gestured to Zou Mei, who took the hint and quickly departed.

As she left, Zou Mei was gloating inwardly. She had expected Li Zongrui to take back the Spirit Stones, but they had ended up in her hands after all. As long as she had the stones, what did it matter to her if Ye Qingchen was dead or alive?

”Hmph! I can’t believe Ye Qingchen was so fortunate. To think he survived even that!” Li Zongrui said, shaking his head with a look of pure displeasure.

Once Zou Mei was gone, Li Susu walked to Li Zongrui’s side, gently took his hand, and looked at him with a soft gaze.

Li Zongrui’s face flushed slightly. He stopped his fuming and said to Li Susu with a hint of dejection, ”Susu, Ye Qingchen is still alive. You don’t blame me, do you?”