Urban Extraordinary Immortal Doctor
Chapter 1378: So Scared

Chapter 1378: Chapter 1378: So Scared

Ever since joining the Ruoshui Palace, Dongfang Rushi and Baili Mingyue noticed that almost all disciples of the palace maintained solemn expressions all day long, rarely cracking a smile.

The atmosphere of the entire Ruoshui Palace was akin to the weather before a storm—stifling and oppressive.

Especially the Ruoshui Palace Master Zhou Qingyan, who, regardless of when she appeared in public, always wore a taut face, an air of deep resentment and bitterness, as if the entire world had wronged her.

Dongfang Rushi and Baili Mingyue overheard a few Ruoshui Palace disciples gossiping in private, saying that the palace master Zhou Qingyan hadn’t always been like this. It was only after she suffered heartbreak and turned love into hatred that her demeanor drastically changed.

To the vast majority of Ruoshui Palace disciples, Palace Master Zhou Qingyan was cold, ruthless, and unbearably strict. Even the smallest mistake, if discovered by her, would result in merciless punishment.

Dongfang Rushi and Baili Mingyue had once been harshly scolded by Zhou Qingyan just for exchanging a few lighthearted jokes. She berated the two for being frivolous and improper in their conduct.

Dongfang Rushi took it in stride, but Baili Mingyue fumed inwardly, secretly cursing Zhou Qingyan as a "cranky old woman."

What baffled Dongfang Rushi and Baili Mingyue even more was that Ruoshui Palace strictly forbade female disciples from casually interacting with men from the outside world, let alone falling in love with them.

If a female disciple was found to be romantically involved with an outsider, it wasn’t just bad luck for her; it would also implicate the man. The outcome was that the female disciple would have her cultivation crippled, and the man would be killed.

Dongfang Rushi and Baili Mingyue had once witnessed with their own eyes an external courtyard female disciple who had fallen in love with a loose cultivator. The two were caught and brought to Ruoshui Palace, where Palace Master Zhou Qingyan, in front of numerous disciples, struck the male martial artist dead with a single palm and then destroyed the female disciple’s cultivation entirely.

In the end, the female disciple, unable to bear the humiliation, committed suicide on the spot.

Witnessing this, Dongfang Rushi and Baili Mingyue trembled with rage, but they dared not voice their anger, fearing they might face the same tragic fate as the pair of Martial Dao lovers.

What disheartened them even more was that all the Ruoshui Palace disciples, from top to bottom, appeared indifferent to the matter, as though utterly numb to it.

From that moment on, Dongfang Rushi and Baili Mingyue harbored a deep aversion toward Palace Master Zhou Qingyan and increasingly felt no sense of belonging to Ruoshui Palace. They longed to leave as soon as possible.

However, at that time, the two young women lacked sufficient cultivation strength to recklessly leave Ruoshui Palace, so they secretly conspired to wait until their cultivation levels were strong enough before finding an opportunity to escape.

From then on, the two women cultivated with doubled effort, advancing their skills at an astonishingly rapid pace.

Of course, this was partly thanks to the guidance from the higher-ups of Ruoshui Palace and the abundant cultivation resources provided by the palace. However, the main reason for their rapid progress was that they had been secretly practicing the martial arts techniques Fang Bai had taught them long ago. Otherwise, their cultivation levels could not have advanced so quickly.

In their daily sparring matches with other Ruoshui Palace disciples, the two women were careful never to reveal the martial arts techniques Fang Bai had imparted to them, lest they attract unwanted trouble.

Before the arrival of the Heavenly Champions Ranking, the two women had already advanced their cultivation to the high rank of the Universe Level, believing they now possessed sufficient power to protect themselves. They planned to take advantage of this opportunity to leave secretly during the mission to the Heaven-Reaching Mountain for the Heavenly Champions Ranking and reconnect with Fang Bai and other friends and family in the secular world.

However, the two women were not heartless. They decided they would represent Ruoshui Palace in this year’s Heavenly Champions Ranking first, striving to win two spots for the palace to enter the Lotus Pool Secret Realm. Only then would they make their move to leave, feeling that this would at least repay Ruoshui Palace for saving their lives in the past. After that, they would part ways forever, never to meet again.

As for the prosperity or decline of Ruoshui Palace, they couldn’t care less.

After a round of Zhou Qingyan’s stern motivational speech, twenty of Ruoshui Palace’s most talented disciples set off under the lead of two elders, riding Swiftwind Horses toward the Heaven-Reaching Mountain.

At the very back of the group were four identical young maidens. If Fang Bai were there, he would have recognized them as the "Fortune’s Blessing" quadruplet sisters.

The four sisters, core disciples of Ruoshui Palace and standout members of the younger generation, were representing the palace in the Heavenly Champions Ranking battle for the first time. Their expressions were alight with excitement and anticipation.

The sisters, in the prime of their youth, were naturally lively and outgoing by nature. However, their personalities had been suppressed by the severe rules of Ruoshui Palace, forcing them to wear solemn facades at all times.

Only after passing through the palace gates did a hint of youthful exuberance return to their faces. Had the two elders ahead of them not been leading the way, they might already have burst into cheers and laughter.

In truth, the disciples of Ruoshui Palace feared only one person—Palace Master Zhou Qingyan. The other higher-ups weren’t nearly as cold or harsh. Toward them, the disciples felt more respect than fear.

After leaving the palace gates, one of the leading elders glanced back toward the Practice Battle Arena within Ruoshui Palace. Upon realizing Zhou Qingyan was no longer in sight, seemingly having returned to the Palace Master Hall, the elder breathed a sigh of relief.

"Once we’re outside the gates, there are fewer rules! Speak your minds, and laugh if you wish!"

The elder, now visibly at ease, said this to the "Fortune’s Blessing" quadruplet sisters.

After Zhou Qingyan’s temperament changed years ago, the entire Ruoshui Palace became stifling and oppressive. Even among some of the higher-ups, this atmosphere of severity was hard to endure. Yet, out of deference to Zhou Qingyan’s position as palace master and her formidable strength, they were compelled to mimic her demeanor, maintaining solemn faces at all times. Otherwise, Zhou Qingyan’s wrath would spare no one, not even them.

The two elders leading the team had long felt suffocated. For them, as much as for Dongfang Rushi and the other twenty disciples, this journey to the Heaven-Reaching Mountain felt like a kind of liberation.

The twenty talented disciples of Ruoshui Palace, all fairly young, were at an age where they loved amusement and play. Some even retained traces of childlike innocence. Seeing the two elders easing into smiles, they too shed the masks they habitually wore, revealing their true selves.

"Ah... so wonderful!"

"I wish we could always train in the outside world!"

"I still cherish the last time we went to train outside! I wonder where Brother Fang is right now... Do you think Brother Fang might someday come to Ruoshui Palace to visit us?"

"Shh... Keep your voice down! If the palace master hears of this, you’re dead!"

"I won’t say more... I’m terrified..."

"It’s better if Brother Fang doesn’t come. Otherwise, the palace master won’t spare him, and we’ll end up in trouble too!"

"You’re right!"

Upon hearing the elder grant permission to be lively, the "Fortune’s Blessing" sisters let out a cheer, like birds flying free from their cages. They spurred on their Swiftwind Horses, galloping ahead with joyful cries, using the Thread Condensation Sound Transmission Technique to converse.

"Junior Sister Rushi, Junior Sister Mingyue, come chase us!"

Within Ruoshui Palace, Dongfang Rushi, Baili Mingyue, and the "Fortune’s Blessing" sisters always shared a certain camaraderie. Occasionally, the six of them would sneak away to joke and play where no one could see. Now, without restrictions, the quadruplet sisters passed by the two women with bright laughter, calling out loudly.

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