Chapter 722: Duanmu Yao reveals the truth (2/2)

The sword sect master knitted his brows. What was he to do between his two disciples? One was like a spoiled child, while the other was extremely stubborn. He’d always let Yao Yao’s personality act as she pleased, while he both admired and felt indignant at Long Feiye’s bullheaded ways.

“Enough, this matter ends here!” Who could the sword sect master punish? He couldn’t bear to penalize Duanmu Yao, but even less did he want to punish Long Feiye. After all, there was a heavy burden the man had to carry in the coming months. Now was not the time to talk about a maiden’s private vows. Duanmu Yao had her own guilty conscience. She knew that master would have handed her over to the Abstinence Courtyard ages ago if not for her similarities with shimu. This attitude made her relent before going too far. And yet, Long Feiye wasn’t willing to drop the matter here.

“My imperial mother is still stuck in a coma. Duanmu Yao, just what did you do to her?” he asked coldly. “If you don’t explain things today, this…won’t be over!”

Chu Xifeng had been cruelly torturing the Leng Clan captives for answers over the past few days, but gotten nothing in the process. There had to be something fishy with Grand Concubine Yi’s kidnapping. For example, who was the other poisons expert that had shown up in the maze? If Duanmu Yao wasn’t going to give him answers, how was Long Feiye supposed to present an account to Han Yunxi?

“Grand Concubine Yi was simply scared witless. How could she be in a coma?” Duanmu Yao retorted.

“That’s why I have to ask! You were the one who kidnapped her,” Long Feiye harrumphed icily.

“I…I didn’t do a thing! I wasn’t the one who kidnapped her, but Lady Leng Yue! I didn’t even touch Grand Concubine Yi!” Duanmu Yao explained hastily. “By the time I reached Lost Void Lake, Lady Leng Yue had long brought Grand Concubine Yi with her.”

“You employed Leng Yue. Why wouldn’t you know what she did to Grand Concubine Yi?” Long Feiye asked next.

The sword sect master listened to them both in silence without interruptions. The customs of the mercenary line meant that assassins did exactly what their employers requested. Reversely speaking, they wouldn’t do anything that wasn’t specified by their employers. It was impossible for Duanmu Yao to not know about Grand Concubine Yi’s coma.

“I don’t know!” Duanmu Yao averted her gaze as she denied everything.

“Yao Yao, you still won’t tell the truth?” the sword sect master suddenly grew angry.

Scared by his reaction, Duanmu Yao had no choice but to confess. “Actually… Actually, it wasn’t I who hired Lady Leng Yue. She was the one who kidnapped Grand Concubine Yi first and then found me. Senior brother, you must have some vendetta with Lady Leng Yue for her to retaliate like that!”

Long Feiye immediately figured something out after her words.

“When you and Cang Qiuzi escaped from the matrix pathway, someone secretly dispelled to poisons to help you out. Did you know?” he asked.

“You mean that person who secretly ambushed us? It might be Lady Leng Yue’s helper, I’m not sure,” Duanmu Yao admitted honestly.

“Your lordship has no grudge nor enmity with Lady Leng Yue. But perhaps I do have a deep-seated hatred…with that high level poisons expert!” Long Feiye declared coldly.

Duanmu Yao didn’t understand, nor did she want to. She just wanted this whole thing to pass. The sword sect master rapped her upside the head with his knuckles.

“Look at you, lass. When will you ever grow some brains? Someone used you to hurt your senior brother, but you still didn’t realize a thing.”

“Master, Yao Yao knows her wrongs. Master, won’t you help Yao Yao? Yao Yao still didn’t complete the Xuan Nǚ Swordplay,” Duanmu Yao seized the chance to earn favor. She knew that master looked calm, but he was actually feeling even more sorrowful than her. No matter what, he’d find all methods possible to save hr.

The sword sect master only wished that iron could turn straight into steel when it came to Duanmu Yao. He wiped away her tears and said, “Go back and rest. Master will think of a solution for you.”

Thrilled, Duanmu Yao quickly rose to pay respectful thanks. Before leaving, she turned and added, “Senior brother, Yao Yao knows her wrongs. Yao Yao apologizes to you.”

Long Feiye ignored her as she expected, but she’d done that for their master to see. Aggrieved and sad, she left with her head hanging. As soon as she was gone, the sword sect master began to coax with an earnest tone, “Feiye, Yao Yao is still–”

“It’s extremely fortunate that master was able to control your emotional demons today,” Long Feiye changed the topic.

“It came very close,” the sword sect master was very clear about his condition. Just then, he’d almost exposed his weakness in front of Cang Qiuzi.

“Duanmu Yao’s martial arts is already destroyed. Master, why don’t you seize this chance to stop your reminiscing? With Duanmu Yao here, it’s even less likely that you’ll recover. Why torment yourself like this?” Long Feiye asked.

It was a long period of silence before his master finally spoke. “Feiye, you don’t understand.”

Long Feiye wanted to urge him further, but the sword sect master’s voice suddenly grew cold. “Since Yao Yao made a big mistake this time, master won’t haggle with you over the details. But if you hurt her again, don’t blame master for being merciless! Everything about this ends now!”

Long Feiye had expected his master to take this stance, but he was still stunned by the implications in his words. “Master can save her?”

If Duanmu Yao could be saved, what about Gu Beiyue?

Translator’s Note: Long Feiye, since when have you been treating GBY as a bro? Even if it’s for your own end goals, that’s a nice call…

1. shimu (师母) – literally “master mother,” in this case used to refer to the master’s wife. Although the sword sect master never officially married, he did have his former disciple turned lover.