Chapter 31: He looks like a human but is Acting Like a Dog

(T/N: the title actually came from an idiom (rén mó gǒu yàng) which can be translated as (in the shape of a person but with the demeanor of a dog). The idiom implies that the person is merely putting on a façade of respectability or decency but lacks true character or integrity.)

“Your Majesty, this…” A few of the men hesitated, frightened by the sight of Yin Buqi, and looked to Tang Xuanye for guidance.

Tang Xuanye watched as Jieyou carried Tang Murou away.

His worried expression faded, and he looked at the two standing before him with a cold tone: “Ignore him.”

The cultivators nodded, drew their swords, and pointed them at Jiang Niannian.

“Miss Jiang, please come with us. Otherwise, don’t blame us for being rude!”

Jiang Niannian was usually good-tempered, but now she was irritated.

“I’ve already said I didn’t poison anyone! What gives you the right to throw me in the water prison?”

She drew her sword and attacked them, her movements swift.

To the untrained eye, only the flashing sword light could be seen, not the actual strikes.

However, these cultivators were Tang Xuanye’s elite, each more powerful than Jiang Niannian.

After just a few moves, she was overwhelmed.

A long sword struck toward her, but someone intercepted it with their hand.

Yin Buqi glared at the attacker, blood dripping from his clothes.

His side, cut by sword energy, bled heavily, making his pale skin seem even more sickly.

His red eyes blazed with bloodlust, as though something caged deep within him was about to break free.

“Buqi!” Jiang Niannian’s eyes widened in shock.

Yin Buqi seemed to snap out of it at the sound of her voice, his killing intent subsiding.

The cultivator, intimidated by the aura Yin Buqi emitted, instinctively withdrew his sword.

Jiang Niannian rushed over to him, looking at the wound on his hand, tears of anger welling up.

“Buqi…”

“Niannian, it hurts,” Yin Buqi coughed weakly, his face even paler than before.

Jiang Niannian’s heart ached, and she turned angrily to Tang Xuanye.

“You’ve gone too far!”

Tang Xuanye replied coldly, “You hurt my sister. As her brother, it’s my duty to seek retribution.”

Brother?

Right! My brother!

Jiang Niannian quickly used her Flying Message technique to send a message to Baiqi Peak.

Tang Xuanye casually adjusted his sleeves, speaking with an air of superiority.

“Let’s go. I don’t have time to waste here—I need to check on Murou.”

The cultivators moved forward to seize Jiang Niannian, preparing to take her away.

“I’d like to see who dares to touch my sister!!!”

With a booming voice, the cultivators were all shaken back a step, their spiritual energy unstable, and several coughed up blood on the spot.

In the audience, many onlookers were knocked over.

They muttered among themselves, “Damn It! Why do this two Mahayana cultivators always like to unleash their spiritual pressure? Can’t they consider us small shrimp’s lives?”

The newcomer was Ji Yufeng.

He withdrew his powerful spiritual energy and descended from the sky.

Ji Yufeng stood over 1.9 meters tall, with a broad and imposing figure.

Holding a Halberd, he resembled a fierce beast, his presence intimidating all around him.

【The young miss has arrived—make way!】

Jiang Niannian: “…Get lost!”

“Big Brother! They bullied me!”

Jiang Niannian, still holding onto Yin Buqi, tearfully recounted what had happened.

“Don’t worry. Your big brother will make this right!”

Ji Yufeng patted her shoulder and looked at her sword, then turned to Tang Xuanye.

“This sword, I gave it to her. The hilt is made of bamboo vine and jade, and the blade is made of clear spirit iron. If there were any poison, it would turn black. But look—it’s still shining bright, so there’s no poison. And since when do outsiders get to call the shots here in Rimuli?”

Ji Yufeng had never liked participating in the Immortal Alliance Conference. He was usually at home crafting weapons, but when he got a distress signal from his long-lost little sister, he rushed over immediately. No one was going to bully his sister!

Tang Xuanye, though a powerful figure as the Northern Wolf King, feared Ji Yufeng somewhat.

He responded, “I didn’t mean to make things difficult for Miss Jiang. My sister was poisoned and fell unconscious. The culprit is still unknown, so I had no choice but to…”

A hurried figure interrupted him, running over breathlessly.

“True Monarch Nanhua, Your Majesty the Wolf King, there’s no need for further dispute. Miss Tang has already awakened. Lord Sage Fuhua sent me to tell you both that Miss Jiang has nothing to do with it.”

Everyone exchanged confused glances.

Ji Yufeng snorted coldly.

“Hmph, you’re not the only one with a sister. Next time, make sure you know the facts before blaming someone—stop throwing baseless accusations!”

With that, the conflict ended abruptly.

Tang Xuanye rushed off to see Tang Murou, while Jiang Niannian hurried to take Yin Buqi for treatment.

Both were eager to go to Medicine King Pavillion, and the atmosphere grew cold, with neither party saying much.

In the stands, the audience, thoroughly entertained, munched on melon seeds, reluctant for the show to end.

Ji Yufeng snapped, “What are you all looking at? The Immortal Alliance tournament continues—get on with it!”

…

“Where’s my sister?” Tang Xuanye barely stepped foot into the Medicine King Pavilion before his eyes started scanning for Tang Murou.

“Brother, I’m fine now… cough cough…”

The delicate young girl struggled to sit up, tears brimming in her eyes, her soft lips bitten, her pale fingers clutching the edge of her robe.

She looked pitifully fragile.

No wonder she was the female lead.

With that look, who wouldn’t feel their heartbreak?

Jiang Niannian rolled her eyes internally.

“This is what you call fine? Lie back down and don’t strain yourself.”

Though Tang Xuanye rarely showed much expression, his worry was evident.

“What exactly happened?”

Jieyou stood nearby, his face clouded with displeasure.

He rubbed his head irritably and said, “It has nothing to do with her. There was a Soul-Nailing Spike left on the stage that wasn’t cleared. When Murou fell, she must’ve accidentally touched it, allowing the poison to enter her body.”

So, it turned out to be a misunderstanding.

Jieyou shot an annoyed glance at Jiang Niannian and said in a disgruntled tone, “But no matter what, you were the one who injured Murou. Don’t you have anything to say for yourself?”

I haven’t even blamed you for unjustly capturing me and injuring my little cub, but now you’re trying to force me to apologize? In your dreams!

Jiang Niannian helped Yin Buqi sit in a chair and tilted her head with a smile, saying, “Drink more hot water?”

Jieyou’s face flushed with anger, turning various shades of red and white, but he said nothing more.

“Ha!”

A burst of laughter came from the door.

Shen Yu entered, holding a bowl of medicine.

Clad in a pink-green spring robe, he wore a light yellow ribbon around his waist and a white jade flute he never played.

Anyone else wearing such colors would look garish, but on Shen Yu, it gave him a fresh, youthful appearance.

He hadn’t changed at all—neither in looks nor in his love for these soft, pastel-colored outfits.

Yep, still the same flamboyant guy.

Tang Xuanye took the medicine and spoon-fed it to Tang Murou.

Jiang Niannian handed a storage pouch to Shen Yu.

“These are the rare herbs I found in the Guiyuan Formation. Except for the Poison Demon Vine, I got everything from the scroll, complete with soil for planting.”

Shen Yu looked at the pouch, then back at Jiang Niannian.

The usually cold and sharp-tongued Lord Sage Fuhua hesitated for a moment, unsure.

“You really brought this back for me?”

“Huh?”

“All of it for me?”

Jiang Niannian was momentarily confused.

“Of course.”

Seeing Shen Yu’s hesitation, she smiled and placed the pouch in his hand.

“Buqi’s injured—please take care of him.”

“Buqi?”

Shen Yu finally noticed the man Jiang Niannian was holding.

The man rested weakly in her arms, his long, narrow eyes half-lidded.

His dark lashes trembled lightly, obscuring his expression.

His sickly pale skin contrasted starkly with his blood-red lips, which seemed to have been painted with blood, giving his frail face an eerie yet striking beauty.

Shen Yu immediately realized who he was.

He sneered. “Heh, it’s been years, but you’ve certainly turned into quite the pretty boy.”