Was it you that night?
Chapter 172 - 170: Wuya Publicly Asserts His Sovereignty over Qinghe

Chapter 172: Chapter 170: Wuya Publicly Asserts His Sovereignty over Qinghe

Dongfang Wuya also had the same concerns.

Wu Ke, looking at Shen Qinghe with lecherous eyes as if he had never seen a woman in his past life, and Shen Qinghe, the simpleton, had no guard against others. What if Wu Ke played a dirty trick on Shen Qinghe during the big competition, and Shen Qinghe fell into Wu Ke’s romantic trap? What then?

He put away the Xuantian Mirror, weighed down by worries.

Initially determined to keep his distance from Shen Qinghe, he had refrained from visiting the Simple Residence Courtyard to offer his congratulations on her advance in level.

He felt like Shen Qinghe’s own mother, wanting to meddle in everything concerning her, which was not a good sign.

While Dongfang Wuya was lost in his thoughts, Xiao Bai couldn’t help but pick up the Xuantian Mirror again and continue to spy on the situation in the Simple Residence Courtyard.

Upon seeing Yan Changsheng present a carefully prepared congratulatory gift, he sneered with derision: "What treasure doesn’t Fairy Qinghe have that she would fancy a gift from Yan Changsheng?"

At these words, Dongfang Wuya looked into the Xuantian Mirror and saw the moment Shen Qinghe received the gift, a white rabbit suddenly popped out.

Shen Qinghe couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of such an adorable little bunny.

This scene caused Xiao Bai to frown deeply, and the furrow between Dongfang Wuya’s brows twisted like a braid.

"Yan Changsheng really is cunning, with deep schemes... Master..."

Xiao Bai stopped midway, suddenly remembering he should no longer try to bring his master and Fairy Qinghe together, and suddenly he was at a loss for words.

The room fell into an eerie silence. Xiao Bai dared not look at Dongfang Wuya, who in turn was coldly watching the scene in the Xuantian Mirror.

After receiving the little bunny, Shen Qinghe’s beaming smile and naïve demeanor annoyed him.

Then came Xiao Chen’s turn to give a gift. As Shen Qinghe received it, Xiao Chen kindly helped her open the wooden box. When everyone saw the gift inside the box, they all paused and stared.

With meaningful glances, everyone looked from Xiao Chen to Shen Qinghe and back again.

Even though everyone was a cultivator, they knew the customs of the mortal world, and a man giving a woman a hairpin was a token of commitment.

Shen Qinghe, of course, knew the significance of the hairpin. To accept it felt presumptuous, but to decline it suggested she might be overthinking things.

Xiao Chen, however, said confidently, "Don’t overthink this hairpin; it’s actually a Magic Artifact. Qinghe, shall I help you pin it up?"

The silence became even more awkward, and Xiao Chen’s words caused everyone to look back and forth between him and Shen Qinghe with all the more ambiguity.

But at that moment, Shen Qinghe made up her mind, placed the hairpin back in the box, and handed it back to Xiao Chen: "Big Senior Brother is thoughtful, but since I have the Red Lotus Shield Armor, I probably won’t need this Magic Artifact. Why don’t you give it to another fellow disciple who might need it?"

Xiao Chen had seemingly anticipated Shen Qinghe’s response and let out a wry chuckle: "What’s given cannot be taken back. If you don’t like it, you can just discard it. Next time, I’ll find something else you might like more to give you. Still, if you ever consider taking a Daoist companion, think about me."

No sooner had he finished speaking, than the Simple Residence Courtyard erupted into murmurs.

The suggestive gazes moved back and forth between Shen Qinghe and Xiao Chen, but no one saw the tears flickering in Nan Sheng’s eyes.

How could Xiao Chen treat her this way?

Even though their marriage engagement had been dissolved, how could Xiao Chen propose to Shen Qinghe right in front of her?

He knew well that she and Shen Qinghe were sworn enemies. Yet, there he was, in front of everyone, and in front of her, making overtures to Shen Qinghe—wasn’t this tantamount to humiliating her in public?

She felt both shame and jealousy, yet she was powerless to do anything.

Ever since she arrived at the Sky Pole Sect, she had been pampered and held in high esteem—wherever she went, she was lauded and revered like the shining stars and the moon.

Formerly, she was a once-in-a-millennium talented girl, and all the scions of heaven were her submissive followers. Now, not only had Shen Qinghe stolen her reputation as a talented girl, but she had also taken away all the men who loved her.

If she did not seek revenge, how then could she face anyone in the Sky Pole Sect ever again?

At this moment, Nan Sheng’s hatred towards Shen Qinghe reached an unprecedented height.

However, no one at the scene cared about Nan Sheng’s feelings, not even Wu Ke, who was initially stunned by her beauty—now, his attention was fully captured by the emotional tangle between Xiao Chen and Shen Qinghe.

Inside the Bixiao Tower, the atmosphere was heavy with tension.

Xiao Bai was furious because Xiao Chen shamelessly made advances towards Shen Qinghe in public. Subconsciously, he felt that Fairy Qinghe was his master, and he couldn’t stay calm when other male cultivators coveted her.

Fearful that Dongfang Wuya might overthink it, he consoled his master, "Xiao Chen is nothing but an indecent fellow unworthy of being on stage. Having hurt Fairy Qinghe before, how dare he present a token of love to her? Master, rest assured, Fairy Qinghe would surely not fancy Xiao Chen!"

Dongfang Wuya’s peach blossom eyes smoldered with suppressed rage, only to feel later that his anger was inexplicable.

If Shen Qinghe were foolish enough to choose Xiao Chen, then it was her own poor judgment. What did it have to do with him, an outsider?

He wasn’t Shen Qinghe’s birth mother, and even if Shen Qinghe was getting married...

The next moment, Xiao Bai’s vision blurred, and he realized that Dongfang Wuya’s figure had vanished from before him.

Inside the bustling Simple Residence Courtyard, a red figure appeared without warning—none other than Dongfang Wuya.

The once lively scene turned dead silent in an instant, as everyone stared at Dongfang Wuya in stupefaction.

Hadn’t it been said that Dongfang Wuya was unwilling to come to the Simple Residence Courtyard? How did he appear so suddenly and unexpectedly, startling everyone?

Yet Zuo An’s eyes narrowed into a smile—he had sensed that the owner of the Xuantian Mirror had been secretly spying on the Simple Residence Courtyard. He thought Dongfang Wuya could hold his breath and not come, but as soon as Xiao Chen and Yan Changsheng presented their gifts, the patriarch couldn’t sit still.

Undoubtedly, Dongfang Wuya was, jealous!

Only Shen Qinghe had the ability to easily stir all of Dongfang Wuya’s emotions.

While everyone was looking at Dongfang Wuya, Dongfang Wuya’s gaze was fixed only on Shen Qinghe... and the wooden box in her hand.

Seeing Dongfang Wuya staring intently at the wooden box in her hand, Shen Qinghe, thinking he liked it, curiously asked, "Do you like this wooden box, Uncle-Master?"

Dongfang Wuya reached out towards her, and Shen Qinghe passed the wooden box to him.

Dongfang Wuya didn’t even touch the box. With a flick of his wide sleeve, the wooden box and hairpin shattered into dust, clouding the vision of everyone present.

For a moment, the place was utterly silent, and everyone stared gobsmacked at the spectacle.

Everyone thought in unison, was Mr. Wuya publicly declaring his autonomy over Shen Qinghe?!

This was the advancement gift from Xiao Chen to Shen Qinghe, a hairpin symbolizing a token of love. Dongfang Wuya was originally not supposed to come, but as soon as he did, he destroyed the hairpin.

All disciples of the Sky Pole Sect knew that Dongfang Wuya owned the Xuantian Mirror, which of course could peer into the Simple Residence Courtyard. Hence, Dongfang Wuya must have seen Xiao Chen gifting the hairpin to Shen Qinghe and couldn’t help but reveal himself.

As soon as he appeared, he destroyed the hairpin Xiao Chen gave to Qinghe. Wasn’t this an obvious sign that he cared for Qinghe?