A useless person with five spiritual roots? I sacrificed the proud daughter of heaven.

"It's my fault. How could someone as insignificant as me dare to dream of being friends with Junior Sister Zhao? I've always kept this bracelet safe, but since Junior Sister Zhao is unwilling to exchange it, in front of all my fellow disciples, I will return it to her today. I only ask that Junior Sister Zhao also return the things left to me by my widowed mother, which would also be a kind of..."

Tears streamed down Sheng He's face, and her voice trembled with sobs, making her look utterly heartbroken and pitiful: "This can be considered a way to fulfill my longing for my mother!"

After Sheng He finished speaking, he bent down deeply, handing over the white jade bracelet with one hand and opening the other, looking very sincere.

In a secluded corner where no one was watching, Sheng He quietly curled her lips into a smile. This tactic of retreating to advance was something she had learned from Zhao Yanran.

The entire Discipline Department fell silent; the disciples here had all heard rumors about the new disciples.

It is said that a new disciple with five spiritual roots was a relative. Not only did he bully his fellow disciples and plunder them on the flying boat, but he also became a disciple of Elder Tianyu of Sword Peak on his very first day of school. While other disciples went to the Hall of Inquiry to receive instruction, this disciple simply left through the back door with the elder.

Those who cultivate immortality, which one didn't hone their strength bit by bit through their own efforts? Therefore, they hate those who use connections the most.

But now it seems that the situation is different from what was rumored?

Shenghe is seven years old this year, but he is shorter than other children his age, and his hair is dry and dull. He is obviously a child from a poor family.

Looking at Zhao Yanran, she has fair skin and a tall figure, and her body and hands are covered with various magical artifacts. It is said that she is a child from the Zhao family, a family of cultivators.

Would someone like that be bullied?

In an instant, everyone present looked at Zhao Yanran differently.

Even Chu Heng frowned and looked at Zhao Yanran with a questioning gaze.

Only Mu Yao stared wide-eyed, her face filled with disbelief.

She glanced at Sheng He, who was crying bitterly, and then at her own hands, which were still covered with black ash from grilling the fish.

So, she must not have seen wrong, right?

Junior Sister Shenghe has always been with her, so it's unlikely that she's been possessed, right?

Can anyone tell her who this person is who is faking tears and acting pitiful?

Where did Mu Tou Shi Mei, who practiced swordsmanship like crazy last night to become the King of Swords, go?

Mu Yao shook her head, then poured out a handful of calming pills from the small porcelain bottle she carried with her and put them in her mouth.

Hmm... she must have gotten confused while practicing swordsmanship with her junior sister last night and started hallucinating. A few pills will calm her down.

"Yanran, what exactly is going on?"

Chu Heng looked down at Zhao Yanran, his tone questioning yet carrying an unyielding force.

Zhao Yanran's lips parted slightly, her face full of confusion. She shook her head desperately, "Senior brother, I...I don't know..."

Chu Heng frowned deeply. Yesterday, his master told him that among the newly recruited disciples, there was one with a single fire spiritual root. He had excellent aptitude and a special connection with Chu Heng, and his master had decided to take him on as his last disciple.

Master brought Zhao Yanran back early this morning. Chu Heng saw that Zhao Yanran was well-behaved and sensible, and after hearing about the humiliation she suffered on the flying boat, he originally felt very sorry for his junior sister.

But now that I've seen Sheng He, I suddenly realize that I was too hasty. How could I condemn my fellow disciple based on just one side of the story?

A hint of confusion appeared in Chu Heng's eyes; something like this had never happened before...

Having heard no sound, Sheng He raised her head and looked at Zhao Yanran with grief: "Junior Sister Zhao, if you have any prejudice against me, you can hit me or scold me, I only ask that you return the things that my mother gave me before she left."

"Junior Sister Yanran, why don't you return it to her? After all, it was a gift from Mother."

"Yes, Junior Sister Yanran, didn't you say you really liked this bracelet? Now that she's returned it to you, you shouldn't hold it against her."

"You cried so bitterly in front of us yesterday, I thought someone was really so audacious as to take something from someone else. I never imagined that you yourself had taken something from someone else. Since they are willing to exchange it back, you should exchange it back too."

"Exactly, are you using us as a cover so you can actually seize what belongs to others?"

Originally, when people heard that Zhao Yanran had become a disciple of Immortal Venerable Xuanxiao, they were quite polite to her. However, with Senior Brother Chu Heng's outstanding achievements as an example, they felt that Immortal Venerable Xuanxiao's judgment was really not very good.

Chu Heng naturally sensed the disdain in the disciples' tone. Since it concerned his master's reputation, he absolutely could not let it go lightly.

Chu Heng's face hardened, and he asked sternly, "Yanran, what exactly happened? If you really took someone else's things, return them now!"

"I...I..." Zhao Yanran's eyes darted around in a panic. If she still had that piece of tattered hemp rope, she could have taken it out on the spot. Perhaps some disciples would have been unhappy to see her exchanging a bracelet for a tattered hemp rope and would have spoken up for her.

The problem is, Sheng He got that piece of hemp rope from somewhere. It had a foul smell, and she threw it off the flying boat the night she got it. Now, where is she supposed to conjure up another piece of hemp rope?

Master Xuanxiao hasn't taught me the magic to conjure objects yet!

"System! System, what should I do! Why does Shenghe always ruin my plans!"

Zhao Yanran frantically called for the system in her mind.

The system's voice carried a hint of helplessness: "I told you to kill the female lead back then, but you refused for the extra three times the points, and even said you wanted to trample her into the mud..."

"Alright, let's not dwell on the past!" Zhao Yanran's voice was now tinged with exasperation. "Tell me what we need to do now!"

"The only way out now is for you to find a scapegoat to help you escape this calamity."

scapegoat?

She only joined the Qingyun Sect yesterday, where is she going to find a scapegoat?

Zhao Yanran's eyes searched anxiously through the crowd.

Suddenly, she saw a familiar figure—it was Wu Yan!

Among the newly initiated disciples, only she and Wu Yan had successfully guided Qi into their bodies, which is why they came to the Discipline Department early in the morning to collect spirit stones.

Although Wu Yan is a very obedient dog, you can get more points by winning over Senior Brother Chu Heng!

One hundred points can't even buy a Charm Pill, what good are they?

Besides, didn't Wu Yan say yesterday that he wouldn't let anyone bully him? Now that he's in trouble, it's time for him to step up.

Zhao Yanran's almond-shaped eyes were slightly moist, with a tear hanging from the corner of her eye. She looked pitiful and looked at Wu Yan as if she had suffered a lot of grievances but dared not speak out.

Wu Yan had noticed this place long ago. When he saw that Junior Sister Yanran was being bullied by Sheng He again, he wished he could rush forward immediately to tell the truth. However, Junior Sister Yanran was surrounded by many senior brothers, all of whom were his personal disciples and had high cultivation levels.

As for himself... he was just an inner disciple, how could he possibly stand beside Junior Sister Yanran?