I woke up to find myself as the villain's older sister.

Ci Gui remained silent, his indifferent gaze sweeping lightly over Lu Ran, a barely perceptible glint of coldness flashing in his eyes.

His tone was gentle, yet it carried a strong sense of sarcasm: "For the Xuanmiao Sect? They're just trying to atone for their sins."

Upon hearing this, the disciple beside him was filled with gossip and listened intently.

Sensing that his disciples were eavesdropping, Immortal Venerable Changqing said urgently, "Ci Gui, don't talk nonsense. How can Ranran stay in this sect if you keep talking like this?"

"Everything I said is true. It was something my elders did, and I should bear the responsibility for it," Ci Gui said calmly.

"You! Ci Gui! She's your junior brother's grandson!"

"Oh." Ci Gui remained unmoved, her cool voice ringing out again:

“If she weren’t Lu Yi’s granddaughter, she would be dead by now.”

"you!"

"How could you...how could you become so ruthless?" Upon hearing this, the Immortal Venerable Changqing's face was filled with disbelief.

"including you."

Ci Gui looked at him with icy eyes.

Upon hearing this, Immortal Venerable Changqing's heart skipped a beat, startled by Ci Gui's appearance. He then pointed angrily at Yun Qingyi beside him and said, "You did this all for this outsider..."

“She is my personally accepted disciple.” Ci Gui interrupted Changqing Immortal Venerable, coldly saying, “To me, you and Lu Ran are outsiders.”

"I'm letting you go today because of Lu Yi."

"Don't test my patience again and again, or I will throw your corpses back to the barbaric demon race."

After saying this, Ci Gui didn't look at Changqing Immortal Venerable's expression again, and left on his sword with Yun Qingyi who had come to his side.

After Ci Gui left, the Qingyue Sect Master didn't even glance at Changqing Immortal Venerable again, and pulled Yun Qingrou away as well.

Seeing that there was no excitement to watch, the crowd quickly dispersed, some still analyzing what had just happened.

"Tsk tsk, who among you knows what happened back then? It seems like something more complicated than it appears."

"I heard that Lu Ran was brought back from the desolate wilderness by the Immortal Venerable Changqing."

"Lu Ran usually relies on the protection of the Evergreen Immortal Venerable to cause trouble everywhere. Now look what happened, he's kicked a hornet's nest."

"Exactly, Aunt Qingyi is such a good person, I don't know what she's thinking."

"Shh—stop talking, Immortal Venerable Changqing is looking over here."

……

Changqing listened to the whispers of his junior disciples with a gloomy expression, feeling a strange sense of shame rising in his heart. Looking at Lu Ran, who was still unconscious in his arms, he lovingly touched her cheek.

She murmured, "Don't worry, Ranran. Your grandfather told me to take good care of you. I absolutely cannot let you be affected by these rumors!"

“If your parents were still alive, you would be the pride of the entire Xuanmiao Sect, instead of being overshadowed by that Yun Qingyi.”

Thinking of Yun Qingyi, a fierce glint flashed in Changqing's eyes.

Back at Guimiao Peak, Yun Qingyi followed Ci Gui silently.

"Come, sit down," Ci Gui said with a faint smile, bringing out a table and chairs.

The familiar pavilion, the familiar lotus pond—Yun Qingyi sat down with Ci Gui, but remained silent.

After brewing the tea, Ci Gui pushed the teacup in front of Yun Qingyi and said gently, "Why aren't you saying anything? Don't you have many questions?"

Yun Qingyi took a sip of tea and said, "I thought Master didn't want to talk about it, but since Master has asked me, I won't be polite."

"What's the deal with that Immortal Venerable Changqing and Lu Ran?"

“Hmm…this matter…” Ci Gui hesitated for a moment, then lowered his head to think.

"Is Master in a difficult position?" Yun Qingyi couldn't help but ask.

“No, that’s not it.” Ci Gui raised her eyes, her voice soft: “I was just thinking about how to tell you about it.”

"This happened about ten years ago, when the barbaric demon race invaded the heart of the Northern Spirit Continent, slaughtering all living beings they encountered along the way. The situation was so tragic that it aroused the wrath of both heaven and man."

At that time, all the cultivation sects and aristocratic families across the Cangling Continent sent people to participate in the campaign against the savage demon race. After three years of struggle, the savage demon race gradually withdrew.

"Then what does this have to do with Immortal Venerable Changqing and Lu Ran?" Yun Qingyi was still puzzled.

"Don't worry, I'm not finished yet."

"Oh."

Then Ci Gui took a sip of tea and continued, "Among those who represented the Xuanmiao Sect to fight against the barbaric demon race were my junior brother Lu Yi and Lu Ran's parents. They fought alongside the army and eventually died in the barbaric lands."

“Changqing Immortal Venerable is my junior brother’s good friend. He went through many obstacles to bring Lu Ran, who had just been born in the wilderness, back to Xuanmiao Sect.”

“Then…” Yun Qingyi opened her mouth, but hesitated to speak.

"Do you think that because Lu Ran's family all died in battle on the Cangling Continent, I should treat their children better?" Ci Gui asked.

Yun Qingyi shook her head and said seriously, "You have already been very good to them without a master. The deaths of Lu Ran's family members were not caused by you. You have already done your duty as a senior brother."

During her time at Xuanmiao Sect, Yun Qingyi had heard a bit about Lu Ran.

She caused a ruckus at Guimiao Peak to force Ci Gui to accept her as a disciple, and launched a night raid on the back mountain, setting it on fire and causing the sect to lose a large number of rare and precious materials. From childhood to adulthood, she has always wanted to have what she has her eye on, no matter what, even if it is not hers.

Ci Gui nodded in agreement: "Indeed, I have been merciful enough to them."

After saying that, a cold glint flashed in Ci Gui's eyes, and he said indifferently, "After all, the reason why the Savage Demon Clan was able to break the seal of the Savage Land was largely due to the efforts of Lu Ran's parents."

"Huh?" Yun Qingyi was a little stunned. This turn of events came unexpectedly. It turned out that what her master said in front of the Merit Pavilion was that Lu Ran's family was atoning for their sins. They really were atoning for their sins.

In that case, Master has indeed been too lenient towards Changqing Immortal Venerable and Lu Ran all these years. Considering what Lu Ran did, all the old ties must be exhausted.

However, Yun Qingyi was still a little confused. Thinking of this, she asked Cigui, "Master, are Lu Ran's parents really that powerful? They were actually able to break the seal of the Wilderness Land."

You should know that it was specially created by the ancient god-emperor to defend against the barbaric demon race.

"They certainly don't have that ability."

"Even though the seal on the desolate land has gradually weakened due to the passage of time, it is still not something that ordinary people can break."

At this point, Ci Gui's face remained expressionless as he calmly said, "The reason they possess such power is because it has been bestowed upon them by the current Heavenly Dao."

“Those who are bewitched by the Heavenly Dao, no matter how unwilling they are, will gradually fall into the trap that was set in advance. Lu Ran’s parents were the ones who were bewitched and opened the seal.”

"Fortunately, they returned to the sect in time after regaining consciousness, which prevented more casualties. In order to make up for their mistakes, they volunteered to go to the front line. My junior brother felt that he had not managed his son and daughter-in-law well, so he also volunteered to go to the front line."

"In the end, it's just as you know: three out of the four family members died in battle, and Lu Ran was taken back to the Xuanmiao Sect."