Chapter 70

Shen Zheyan was stunned when she saw Jun Zishu's foreign behavior, her heart becoming a mess. She couldn't believe that the girl who had been so intimate with her only a moment ago could change so drastically in the blink of an eye.

In Shen Zheyan's mind, Jun Zishu was an innocent, cute, and enthusiastic girl. Yet, the Jun Zishu in front of her currently looked at everyone around her with a calm and contemptuous expression.

Moreover, the truth Jun Zishu revealed also surprised Shen Zheyan.

Even though they were seemingly standing on opposing factions now due to their identities, Shen Zheyan still firmly believed in Jun Zishu's words. Even though she knew that Jun Zishu was a little liar, she still couldn't help but trust in the girl's words.

Meanwhile, if the situation really was like how Jun Zishu described it, the current situation truly was absurd.

"What nonsense are you saying?" the old sect leader said, doing his best to avoid showing a guilty expression.

The Autumn Water Palace's Palace Lord, on the other hand, revealed a slight look of surprise when he heard Jun Zishu's words. This was because everything she said was true.

"Your so-called righteous faction is nothing more than a group of hypocritical dogs. While there might be many good people in it, it also has no shortage of scumbags. I have to thank you for reminding me of this, Palace Lord. As for Xiang Bugui, I don't know when he had defected to the Demon Cult. If he did defect, he is a traitor that deserves death. If he didn't defect, what you said is nothing but a beautiful lie, Palace Lord," Jun Zishu continued with her rant.

"Your ability to sow discord is extraordinary. The sword was obviously stolen under your instruction," the Palace Lord said. Now that he had already thrown the dice and chosen to pin the blame onto the Demon Cult, he had no choice but to continue with this charade even if he already knew the true masterminds behind this incident.

"How do you know if I did it?"

"You're the Demon Cult's Witch. Isn't your presence here evidence enough?" the Palace Lord said, snorting in disdain.

"She doesn't have an invitation of her own. She is only attending the banquet with me," Shen Zheyan expressionlessly said, moving her gaze away from Jun Zishu. At this moment, her body also radiated a chilling aura.

Jun Zishu glanced at Shen Zheyan, the smile on her face gradually disappearing.

"Does that mean you admit to associating with this Witch?"

"Sophistry."

Shen Zheyan suddenly felt great disgust for the people in front of her. Even though Jun Zishu clearly wasn't related to this incident, these people were desperately trying to blame Jun Zishu. They were even trying to drag her down as well.

"It is a fact that the Coldwater Blade is gone, and the Demon Cult's Witch is here. Various clues point to the Demon Cult being the culprit of this crime as well. Are you still insisting on protecting the Witch, Miss Shen? I used to think of you as a brave and righteous warrior, but I never expected you to be part of the Demon Cult."

Creating rumors was an easy task that cost nothing whatsoever.

In a situation where the majority of the people present were unaware of the truth, one could even invert justice with mere rumors.

"I already said that the sword isn't with me. If you don't believe me and are adamant about finding the sword's whereabouts, feel free to turn this mountain upside down. Once you find the sword, I promise you'll be surprised. You people from the righteous faction are simply disgusting. Not even one of you is interesting," Jun Zishu said, shaking his head. Then, she swept her gaze across the Martial Arts Alliance's Alliance Master and the sect leaders of the several top sects.

"What a load of nonsense. Hurry up and hand over the Coldwater Blade!"

"Everyone, catch her! I refuse to believe that she can grow wings and fly out of this place!"

The various sect leaders incited the crowd one after another when they noticed Jun Zishu's gaze.

Hearing this, Shen Zheyan raised her hand and readied herself to help Jun Zishu. Although she was still confused by the present situation, she believed in Jun Zishu's words. She also believed that Jun Zishu had nothing to do with this incident.

However, before Shen Zheyan could take action, Jun Zishu suddenly walked around her hand and looked at her, the girl's tranquil eyes making it difficult to see through her thoughts.

"Goodbye, Shen Zheyan. I'll stop pretending with you now," Jun Zishu said, smiling.

"What?"

Shen Zheyan grew confused as she looked at Jun Zishu. She would always feel happy whenever she saw Jun Zishu's smile in the past. Now, however, she only felt a chill crawl down her spine when she looked at the girl's smile.

"I was only toying with you. Did you honestly take everything seriously? Did you like playing sisters with me so much? I only approached you for the Heavenly Spirit Swordsmanship, to begin with. Looking back now, it's nothing special, so I'm done playing around with you," Jun Zishu said as she waved her hand dismissively, her behavior looking extremely arrogant.

"Yan Xi! You! After how Zheyan treated you, how can you say such a thing?!" Wei Zinan said, his voice filled with incredulity.

"I don't believe you."

Shen Zheyan felt as if someone had just ripped her heart into shreds when she heard Jun Zishu's words. However, despite the agonizing pain, she maintained a calm expression as she looked at Jun Zishu.

"I don't believe you."

Shen Zheyan repeated, her eyes fixed on Jun Zishu.

I don't believe you lied when you said you liked me. I don't believe you lied when you tried to get intimate with me. I also don't believe you lied when you said you would follow me and like me forever.

I don't believe a single word you just said.

How can I fully believe the little liar's words? Her words are always a mix of truths and lies. What she said just now must be lies.

They must be lies.

They must be.

"The only thing I did not lie to you about is probably my name. Had you never abandoned me all those years ago, the Demon Cult would've never kidnapped me. When I was going through hell and struggling between life and death, there was not a moment where I did not hate you and curse at you. I show you only a little intimacy, yet you fell for it so easily. You really are gullible, Shen Zheyan."

After leaving behind such words, Jun Zishu immediately executed her qinggong and fled the scene.

"Quickly catch her! She's trying to escape!"

"Catch me? You bunch? Come and try, then."

Jun Zishu laughed and ran out of the mountain with even greater speed.

Immediately, several dozen figures chased after Jun Zishu, the group quickly disappearing into the distance.

Meanwhile, Shen Zheyan stood still, looking as if she had just gotten her soul sucked out of her body. She couldn't even get a proper grip over her sword right now.

"Zheyan…"

Wei Zinan knew that he was no match for Jun Zishu when it came to qinggong, so he did not bother chasing after the girl. Instead, he hurriedly walked up to Shen Zheyan and tried to comfort her.

"I don't believe her. Everything she said to me just now was a lie, right?" Shen Zheyan asked, a dazed expression on her face as she looked at Wei Zinan.

"Zheyan… Members of the Demon Cult are incredibly cunning…"

"Even you think so?"

Shen Zheyan was disappointed. Then, she absent-mindedly walked out of the hall.

Jun Zishu said that she was a gullible person.

She also said that she hated her.

Hate…

Hate…

This word stabbed her heart like a sword.

However, Shen Zheyan still refused to believe that the situation was as Jun Zishu described.

How could Jun Zishu possibly lie to her?! How could Jun Zishu possibly be toying with her all this time?!

She refused to believe it!

Shen Zheyan clenched her fists tightly.

"Miss Shen!"

At this time, Meng Xu approached Shen Zheyan from behind and tried to offer some words of comfort.

However, Shen Zheyan simply walked away as if she did not hear him. Right now, the words Jun Zishu previously said fully occupied her mind.

When I was going through hell and struggling between life and death, there was not a moment where I did not hate you and curse at you. I show you only a little intimacy, yet you fell for it so easily. You really are gullible, Shen Zheyan.

You really are gullible, Shen Zheyan.

Unlike in the past, what came out of those beautiful lips were no longer words of affection and reliance. Instead, they became words of condemnation. As these words echoed in her mind one time after another, Shen Zheyan's expression grew darker and darker.

"Miss Shen, I believe that you were fooled by that person as well. I—"

Before Meng Xu could finish his words, Shen Zheyan suddenly turned to him with a frightening expression and coldly uttered a word.

"Scram."

Meng Xu was stunned. Then, he watched as Shen Zheyan walked further and further away from him.

This was the first time Shen Zheyan had spoken so rudely to someone. Her mood had reached rock-bottom this time.

…

When Shen Zheyan returned to her room, the only thing she did was quietly sit down on a chair and ponder over Jun Zishu's words.

Shen Zheyan knew that since Jun Zishu had fled, the girl definitely wouldn't get caught. And even if the worst happened and Jun Zishu got caught, Shen Zheyan was confident she could bail the girl out.

Shen Zheyan still remembered Jun Zishu's every action and every smile as if the girl was standing in front of her right now.

Shen Zheyan still remembered the words Jun Zishu had said to her when they first reunited a few years ago.

Shen Zheyan also remembered that Jun Zishu wore a bright smile on her beautiful face when they got reunited.

The more Shen Zheyan thought about Jun Zishu, the more her heart hurt.

Jun Zishu had only approached her for the Heavenly Spirit Swordsmanship?

But Jun Zishu had never asked for such a thing all these years. The girl had never even brought up matters relating to the Heavenly Spirit Sect before.

Shen Zheyan gripped her chest and closed her eyes.

"Liar."

Shen Zheyan's voice echoed and faded in the room, her voice tinged by a hint of depression.

…

Sometime later, a rumor started circulating the world of martial artists.

The rumor stated that the Demon Cult's Witch had stolen the Coldwater Blade.

In reality, many people who had attended the birthday banquet had doubted the Autumn Water Palace's Palace Lord's story. This remained true even after Jun Zishu was revealed to be the Demon Cult's Witch. However, they couldn't afford to admit that the fault lay with the righteous faction and risk internal strife, either.

So, after weighing the pros and cons, everyone settled on this version of the story.

"Is it true? Did the Demon Cult's Witch steal the Coldwater Blade?"

"Those bastards from the Demon Cult should just keel over and die already! Ptui!"

"Didn't they say that the Demon Cult's Witch and Heavenly Spirit's Warrior Shen are close friends?"

"Heavenly Spirit's One Sword? The person who only needs one move to kill her enemies?"

"That's right. Not only did that Witch steal the Coldwater Blade, but she even tricked Warrior Shen. Tsk, tsk, tsk. I wonder what kind of expression Warrior Shen made when the truth finally got out? It must feel especially horrible to get betrayed by your close friend."

When Shen Zheyan heard the words of these passersby, she had the urge to draw her sword and cut off these people's tongues.

However, she knew she couldn't do such a thing, so she had no choice but to quietly leave with her sword.

Even now, Shen Zheyan still refused to believe the parting words Jun Zishu said to her that day.

Shen Zheyan also had no idea how the truth of the theft could be distorted to such an extent. Although she tried to seek an answer by herself, she did not know where to start her search. She also didn't know where the mysterious Demon Cult's main headquarters was, so she didn't know where Jun Zishu had gone.

With no better leads, Shen Zheyan decided to retrace her memories and revisit the places she had traveled to before with Jun Zishu. Meanwhile, her first stop was Hangzhou City.

…

By the time Shen Zheyan arrived in Hangzhou City, the winter weather had already reached its zenith, and the city had become covered in snow.

The courtyard they previously rented already had a new guest, and only the tree outside the courtyard remained the same as she remembered.

Shen Zheyan stood underneath the tree as she reminisced, the tree's barren branches reflecting the state of her heart.

Amidst her reminiscence, Shen Zheyan heard the sound of wheels grinding against snow coming from behind her. However, she did not bother looking back.

"Come over to my place for a while," Yun Sheng said, her voice as gentle as ever. "She's not here right now, but she visited my place before. I owe her a favor, and she asked me to pass you a message."

Shen Zheyan turned around, her eyes regaining some of their light.