Seated around a round table, Yang Wei, Huo Zirou, and Guo Xiaomei sipped on calming tea that Guo Xiaomei had freshly prepared. By now, Guo Xiaomei had provided a thorough explanation for why Yang Wei was here and why Huo Zirou had walked in on them in such an... intimate position.
Huo Zirou turned to both of them and clarified, "So, let me get this straight. You're telling me that you're here just to refine a pill, nothing else?"
Yang Wei took a sip of his tea and nodded calmly. "Exactly," he affirmed.
Huo Zirou slammed her fist on the table in frustration. "What a load of nonsense! Do you really think I'm wretchedly stupid enough to believe such a ludicrous story?" To her, their poorly thought out "lie" was an insult to her intellect.
Guo Xiaomei stirred her tea leisurely, replying with a hint of amusement, "Yes, we do." She blew gently on her tea before taking a sip, seemingly unfazed by Huo Zirou's outburst.
Huo Zirou clenched her teeth, glaring at Guo Xiaomei who was sipping her tea with a smug expression. It was clear from the way her face reddened and her veins bulged that her anger was escalating into frustration.
Hmm, you can tell by the way she's looking at Xiaomei that she just wants to strangle her... *nod* I don't want to get involved, but it seems I have no choice. Yang Wei sighed.
She was about to let out another outburst, "How dare y--"
However, Yang Wei quickly picked up on the tension and forcefully set his teacup down, causing a loud bang that grabbed the attention of both Guo Xiaomei and Huo Zirou. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then exhaled before saying, "Let's calm down." He gave Huo Zirou a blank stare and said, "Zirou, first off, Sister Guo tried to seduce me into joining her peak, and..."
Guo Xiaomei's smug expression quickly turned to shock as she faced Yang Wei. Interjecting, she said, "How dare you betray my trust like that?!" she exclaimed. "And besides..." she folded her arms and glared at him, "I wasn't really planning on sleeping with you."
Yang Wei remained composed. "So, you admit you were trying to manipulate me then?" he countered sipping his tea innocently.
Guo Xiaomei's words got stuck in her throat; she couldn't speak because she realized he had seen through her deception. Instead, she cleared her throat, folded her arms, and muttered frustratedly, "You're quite arrogant for a Spirit Gathering cultivator."
Tell me about it... Huo Zirou thought.
Yang Wei remained unfazed, simply taking another sip of his tea and exhaling slowly, finding solace in its taste.
Huo Zirou, now calm, chuckled at Yang Wei's explanation. "So, she tried to seduce you into joining her peak," she giggled a bit. "Well, that level of shamelessness sounds like her... and the fact that she failed makes it even funnier."
The two shared a brief laugh.
Guo Xiaomei got a bit annoyed by their laughter and loudly cleared her throat to remind them she was still present. She grabbed her teacup and saucer, then shrugged and said, "Feel free to say whatever, but it won't change a thing." Then, she turned to Yang Wei with a serious look and said, "If I get the chance, I'll make sure you join my peak.
Apparently, the White Serpent Sect has some form of leverage that could swing negotiations with us in their favor."
Huo Zirou relaxed into her chair, crossing her arms and legs elegantly. "Hmm," she mused. "It's the first time I've heard of an upper-class sect like ours having issues with a middle-class one. Honestly, it's a hit to our reputation. Sigh~ it's even more surprising that the Heavenly Court is involved ."
Guo Xiaomei shrugged. "Well, we're all in the dark. I only know what the matriarchs decide to spill to us peak chiefs, and they've been tight-lipped. None of us have had a chance to rest or cultivate properly. The second matriarch even hinted it might stay this way until the peace talks conclude."
While they chatted, Yang Wei remained silent, lost in thought as he sipped his tea. It was clear he was mulling something over from the way he furrowed his brow.
Hmm, it's jarring to see that only a handful of people know that the two sects were once the Celestial Serpent Sect. The matriarchs did a good job of keeping that information hidden, but why? Sigh~ well, I don't really intend to get involved unless Suzhen's in hot water, but I don't think anything serious has gone down yet.
Huo Zirou and Guo Xiaomei stopped chatting and turned their attention to Yang Wei, who had been unusually quiet. It took him a moment to notice the intense scrutiny from the two women.
"What?" Yang Wei asked innocently, pretending he had no clue what was going on.
Guo Xiaomei flashed him a smile. "Just an important reminder, don't say anything about what we discussed here. Both sects' disciples aren't supposed to know about the White Serpent Sect's actual reason for visiting."
"Tch." Yang Wei closed his eyes and took a sip of his tea. "Do you take me for a gossip? I know better than to blab about sensitive stuff like that."
Guo Xiaomei chuckled softly. "I hope so," she said, giving him an affectionate side-eye.
Yang Wei then shifted the conversation. "So, how are the peace talks going?"
Guo Xiaomei shrugged. "Honestly, there's not much to tell. The first matriarch is dragging her feet, refusing to start the meeting while everyone else is pushing for it to begin."
Yang Wei suggested, "Why don't they just put it to a vote and start? If the majority agrees, it's game on. That way, even if the first matriarch objects, she'd be outnumbered."
Huo Zirou looked a bit skeptical. "Well... it's not that simple. The first matriarch holds a ton of influence. Her word carries the most weight at that table, regardless of any vote. In the end, she calls the shots and decides how the meeting goes."
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"I see."
Yang Wei already knew that the biggest obstacle for both sects now, truly was Liáng Xīnyuè.