Chapter 578: 585 Women are all big jerks! (Fourth Update)
Ji Yourong looked at Yang Zhen with a smirk, nonchalantly.
Yang Zhen hesitated, then retorted, “Why are you so sure?”
Elder Mei, with a shocked expression, examined Ji Yourong and Yang Zhen, then queried, “Yourong, what’s going on?”
Ji Yourong didn’t immediately answer Elder Mei’s question, but instead countered, “How do you think of him, Elder Mei?”
Hearing this strange question, Little Fatty’s eyes ballooned out, and everyone else also gazed at Elder Mei curiously, apparently wondering how Elder Mei would assess Yang Zhen.
Elder Mei knitted her brows, uncertain what game Ji Yourong was playing, but she still replied, “Young Master Yang is undoubtedly a prodigy. He is generous and carefree, a rare upright person. Yet…why are you asking this?”
Yang Zhen wore a puzzled face, not knowing how he’d become a prodigy, so generous and carefree that he turned red from embarrassment. Only then did he realize, he couldn’t blush.
It finally dawned on Yang Zhen. Elder Mei’s high praise wasn’t because his charm had conquered this famously stubborn elder, but because he had helped GuanGuan break her bottleneck, successfully solving the difficulties of Dingyuan Pill making. That was what earned him the tag of “generosity”.
This cunning old woman, he almost fell for her ruse.
At the same time, Yang Zhen understood why Ji Yourong spoke this way. This big-eyed girl had a mischievous mind; she was digging a hole for Elder Mei.
As for why she had dug this hole, Yang Zhen speculated that Ji Yourong might reveal his identity.
This girl was crafty, exceedingly crafty. While Yang Zhen was still pondering how to reveal his identity to give the Heavenly Spring Sacred Land a piece of his mind, Ji Yourong had already arranged it. It seemed he needed to treat her to a meal sometime to express his gratitude.
Yang Zhen lightly coughed, posing with a courteous demeanor, slightly nodding at Elder Mei—so polite that anyone would think he was a gentleman.
Seeing Yang Zhen’s performance, Elder Mei, too, was well-satisfied, smiling and nodding in acknowledgment, her expression full of regret for any wasted talent.
“Because he’s Yang Zhen!”
When Ji Yourong’s statement came out, Elder Mei’s face froze, and Little Fatty almost choked.
“Yang…Yang…Yang Zhen?”
Little Fatty stared at Yang Zhen in surprise, then turned to Young Master Tian, pointing at Yang Zhen, he said, “See, Old Tian, I told you he was Yang Zhen. You didn’t believe me!”
Young Master Tian frowned in silence. Damn it, when did you say this?
Even if it was said, wasn’t it something like Yang Zhen definitely isn’t Yang Zhen, or how could Yang Zhen be so good looking, even slightly more handsome than you?
Still in a daze, Elder Mei turned to Ji Yourong with surprise clearly written on her face and her complexion darkening, “What did you say?”
“I said, he is Yang Zhen!” Ji Yourong asserted, smiling.
Everyone: “…”
Elder Mei’s face was a picture. Especially with a crowd of Heavenly Snow Holy Domain disciples behind her, their faces were a sight to behold.
It was not surprising though. Everyone knew that Elder Mei was the first to refuse Yang Zhen’s entry to the Heavenly Snow Holy Domain, and she was the most adamant. No one could sway her stubbornness.
Now, she was praising Yang Zhen to the high heavens in front of everyone, especially in front of those distinguished from the Heavenly Snow Holy Domain.
The humiliation was palpable, almost too much for Elder Mei to bear.
“He…he is Yang Zhen? How could this be…? How could Yang Zhen possibly possess such superior alchemy skills?”
“I had heard that this Yang Zhen is not only exceptionally talented in cultivation, but he’s also an Artifact Refining Master. Now he’s turned out to be an Alchemy Grandmaster too. Is there anything he can’t do?”
“This… what are we going to do? Who would’ve thought Yang Kaixin is really Yang Zhen. But Yang Zhen doesn’t seem to be the troublemaker as alleged in the rumors, at least he helped Little Miss Guan, you could even say he’s done a great favor for the Heavenly Snow Holy Domain.”
He’s done a great favor for the Heavenly Snow Holy Domain!
Upon hearing this, Elder Mei heaved a deep sigh and said, “Let it be, since you are Yang Zhen, I have nothing else to say. Hearing is insubstantial, seeing is believing. I apologize for my previous attitude.”
Seeing Ji Yourong’s surprised expression, Elder Mei snorted and said, “What, though I may be stubborn, I am not completely ignorant. Did you really think I would expel him?”
A trace of a smile flashed across Ji Yourong’s face as she offered a subdued salute, “Your disciple wouldn’t dare.”
Humph!” Elder Mei cast a glance at Ji Yourong, “I can ignore Yang Zhen, but you as disciple of the Heavenly Snow Holy Domain, deceived everyone. Do you know your mistake?”
“I know my mistake!” Ji Yourong hurriedly admitted her fault, her attitude good enough to not give Elder Mei any room for complaint.
After sizing up Yang Zhen, Elder Mei shook her head and said, “Really, a young man turned hero. Besides, no matter your origin, for you to have made such a reputation, is no small feat. Have you decided to confront that Ghost Pill Master?”
Yang Zhen took a deep breath, turned to look at Ji Yourong. Even though his identity had been revealed, Yang Zhen didn’t want to be entirely passive. With a half-hearted smile, he looked at Ji Yourong, waiting for her to continue with their plan.
Ji Yourong glared at Yang Zhen and said, “Yang Zhen, stop pretending. You think nobody can see through you, let alone me?”
Her face was full of melancholy, as if she had taken a significant risk to vindicate Yang Zhen’s name. No doubt this ice doll was in difficulty, clearly aware Yang Kaixin was Yang Zhen, but having to keep it to herself.
Actually, if Ji Yourong had disclosed the truth about Yang Zhen the instant she saw him, Yang Zhen wouldn’t have minded at all.
Yang Zhen raised an eyebrow, asking in surprise, “What have you figured out?”
A smile flashed across Ji Yourong’s face as she looked at GuanGuan and said, “It looks like you were helping GuanGuan overcome her difficulties, but if I’m not guessing wrong, you probably gained from GuanGuan’s pill refining process, perhaps more than she did?”
“How did you know?” Yang Zhen was astounded, looking at Ji Yourong in disbelief.
“Don’t you have a count of your own conduct?” Ji Yourong gave Yang Zhen a glare that left the disciples of Heavenly Snow Holy Domain beside her wide-eyed in amazement.
GuanGuan was also gazing at Ji Yourong in disbelief, clearly, she had never seen this flirtatious side of Ji Yourong before. It was entirely different from her usual ice-cold persona.
Elder Mei was also looking at Yang Zhen perplexedly, marveling, “So that’s how it is! No wonder I always felt something was off. By his past conducts, why would he help little Miss Guan for no reason?”
Yang Zhen pursed his lips, “Elder, I must criticize you on this point, how could you be so quick to believe this ice doll’s side of the story? As for Miss GuanGuan, her accomplishments in pill refining are beyond compare in my eyes. When I saw her sitting on the ground with her brows furrowed in distress, I helped her out of pure righteousness, not for some personal gain.”
Ji Yourong pursed her lips, glanced at the agape GuanGuan, and said resentfully, “I believe you as much as I believe in ghosts!”
After speaking, Ji Yourong couldn’t help herself and burst out laughing, “Where did you come from for even your general comments to sound so amusing?”
Yang Zhen listened and grimaced. Women, they were all total jerks.
At this point, GuanGuan strode forward and said to Yang Zhen through gritted teeth, “Yang Zhen, that Ghost Pill Master… please leave!”
“Why?” Yang Zhen was taken aback and asked, “What happened to the Ghost Pill Master?”
Just then, a hysterical shriek suddenly came from nearby. Everyone subconsciously turned to look in that direction, only to see a mussy cat dashing towards them. The cat came to a halt in front Yang Zhen, meowed, clambered onto his shoulder, blinked its eyes, and tried acting cute.
Yang Zhen slapped the cat on the head, saying, “Enough, stop pretending.”
“Great grass! Yang Zhen widened his eyes, took in the curious expressions around him, and said, “Was my cover blown? Do I have to fight? I might have a few matters to attend to…”