A Family of Hopeless Romantics, Except for the Evil Little Junior Brother

Chapter 65: Long-Planned Scheme

Lu Ziyin really felt like he was facing a life-and-death tribulation.

First of all, being trapped in the formation behind Mount Shushan for half a month was already bad enough.

Then he went on to study the tenth formation method for another two months.

By the time he finally mastered it,

Lu Ziyin wanted nothing more than to slap himself—how could the Peak Master of Silver Sword Peak be so negligent in his duties?

The disciple recruitment event at Mount Shushan had already ended.

Silver Sword Peak hadn’t received a single new disciple.

According to the rules, the other disciples of Silver Sword Peak weren’t qualified to accept new students.

Only he, the Peak Master, was.

Still, there was a piece of good news.

Li Xuanxiao had accepted Feng Liuli as a disciple on his behalf.

Was this fate?

Even without attending the recruitment event himself, Feng Liuli still ended up joining Silver Sword Peak.

Lu Ziyin understood now—this was his destiny.

A life-and-death tribulation he couldn’t escape.

Since that’s the case, then bring it on.

Li Xuanxiao was only a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator—training disciples should still be the Peak Master’s job.

Lu Ziyin prepared to personally instruct Feng Liuli.

And the moment he had that thought,

The next day, Lu Ziyin was poisoned.

Honestly, Lu Ziyin didn’t even realize he was poisoned at first.

Because while meditating, he ended up falling asleep.

He thought he’d reached some new state of enlightenment, only to realize the truth later.

Once he did, he quickly used his cultivation to purge the discomfort.

Then, Lu Ziyin accidentally got injured by the Mount Shushan Sword Formation.

It was, admittedly, an accident.

The formation core of Silver Sword Peak’s sword array was located right inside the Peak Master’s cave dwelling.

Maybe it was because the formation hadn’t been maintained in years, or perhaps because Lu Ziyin had only just taken charge of the sword array and wasn’t familiar with it yet.

Somehow, the formation was triggered.

In an instant, sword aura flooded the cave.

Lu Ziyin protected Silver Sword Peak from being harmed by the sword formation by quickly using his Peak Master jade token to shut it down.

But he himself was injured by the sword aura.

Not severely, but not lightly either.

Without at least a year or more of recovery, he wouldn’t fully heal.

Lu Ziyin started wondering if his birth date clashed with Silver Sword Peak’s fate.

Ever since he became Peak Master, he encountered a life-and-death tribulation, missed the disciple recruitment, and then got hurt by the sword formation.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that some invisible hand was controlling his every move, or some pair of unseen eyes were watching him.

Maybe it was just his imagination......

Lu Ziyin entered seclusion to recover, and there was no helping that.

The sword aura of Mount Shushan’s formation was extremely pure—any injury from it had to be taken seriously.

He ended up staying in seclusion for half a year.

“.........”

One year later.

Lu Ziyin finally came out—his injuries were fully healed.

The reason he ended up staying in his cave for an extra half-year

was because, during a casual conversation with Li Xuanxiao,

Li Xuanxiao said something offhandedly that sparked a new idea for the eleventh formation solution.

Offhandedly = meticulously planned.

Lu Ziyin had a eureka moment, and spent another half-year studying it—so his reappearance was delayed.

Now, one year since he’d last emerged, he stepped back out.

Silver Sword Peak hadn’t changed much.

Suddenly, Lu Ziyin paused, his gaze drawn to a figure in the distance.

Feng Liuli!!

After a year apart, the girl had grown even more stunning.

She wore a light blue dress, graceful and refined, with an air of purity and otherworldliness. Her figure was graceful, her long, jet-black hair cascading like a waterfall.

Her eyes were ethereal, her lips soft as cherry petals, innocent and untouched.

Lu Ziyin didn’t know why—this was supposed to be his life-and-death tribulation.

Yet he couldn’t help but want to get closer.

Just then, a few figures landed in front of Feng Liuli.

Huang Peiying pointed and said, “It’s her! She’s the one who stole the Seven-Treasure Gourd from our peak. I saw it with my own eyes.”

Lu Ziyin frowned slightly.

Didn’t he remember that Huang Peiying and Feng Liuli were on good terms?

Huang Peiying said smugly, “Feng Liuli, hand over our peak’s Seven-Treasure Gourd.”

“What gourd? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Still pretending!”

Huang Peiying’s little sidekick, another female disciple from the sect, chimed in:

“I saw it too! She’s the one who did it!”

Feng Liuli looked completely confused. “Me? What gourd? What are you talking about?”

“Still pretending!”

Huang Linqing raised a hand to stop his daughter Huang Peiying, then said:

“Feng Liuli, did you go to my Longshou Peak just now?”

Feng Liuli nodded. “Yes, Senior Brother asked me to deliver medicine to the herb garden at Longshou Peak.”

Huang Linqing: “It was during that time that the Seven-Treasure Gourd from one of our herb gardens went missing.”

“What’s going on? I didn’t take it.”

“Hmph!”

Huang Peiying snorted coldly. “You think saying you didn’t take it is enough? Let’s search her cave dwelling.”

“Yeah! Make her hand over her storage ring—what if she’s hiding it in her clothes?” her sidekick quickly added.

“I didn’t steal anything. You have no evidence—why are you falsely accusing me?” Feng Liuli looked utterly wronged.

Soon, the noise drew a crowd of disciples.

Some had come to Silver Sword Peak to collect medicine, some were just passing by, and some were just there for the drama......

“What’s going on?”

“Not sure, seems like they’re saying Feng Liuli from Silver Sword Peak stole something.”

“Huh? How could she do that?”

“Stealing a treasure really is too immoral. I heard someone saw it with their own eyes.”

“...........”

The truth was, the treasure was hidden inside Huang Peiying’s own sleeve.

Next, Feng Liuli would definitely take them to her cave dwelling to prove her innocence.

At that point, Huang Peiying would pretend to discover the treasure.

Then with all the gossip, Feng Liuli would be branded a thief.

Huang Peiying folded her arms triumphantly and looked at Feng Liuli with contempt.

Trying to fight me?

A country bumpkin like you, trying to get into Mount Shushan with me? You think you deserve to be one of the Final Four? You’re nothing!!

“.........”

Lu Ziyin frowned deeply as he watched from afar.

Then he looked at Feng Liuli.

She had her fists clenched, face flushed red under all the accusations.

Such a kind, simple girl—facing false accusations like this, she must be completely at a loss.

Of course, how could she have seen the dark side of human nature before?

She kept her head down, sniffling, like she was already crying.

Seeing the poor girl being condemned by everyone, Lu Ziyin felt something stir in his heart.

He was just about to step forward and speak up for Feng Liuli.

Then Feng Liuli suddenly looked up, pointed with her small hand, and shouted:

“Huang Peiying, you’re a bare butt on a wooden bench—talking like everything’s solid and in place. But I say you’re chili from the gutter—sneaky and spicy! Today I’ll be a tiny knife slicing your butt—just to open your eyes!!”

The moment she finished, everyone present went silent.

Lu Ziyin, who had been eager to step out and defend the pitiful girl, suddenly found himself stunned after hearing that whole string of colorful metaphors.