Her heart skipped a beat. She was hardly in the right mind to look at the person who had caught her. She bit her lips lightly and blushed bashfully.

There was only one person who had been within proximity.

That man...had really sturdy, strong hands.

"Why are you blushing?"

Upon hearing a sudden, familiar voice, Liu Qing gasped out loud and turned her head hurriedly.

"Father!"

It was Liu Chuandao.

Liu Qing's face turned a brighter shade of red instantly. She had mistaken him for...

She turned her head and looked. Jiang Ning was still seated at the same spot. He didn't seem like he was planning on standing up anytime soon. He looked relaxed, as if he had not witnessed her nearly falling.

"That asshole!" Liu Qing cursed secretly.

He didn't know how to take care of a lady at all.

She was a girl!

"Father, why are you here?"

Liu Qing was a little nervous. She had not expected Liu Chuandao to check on her so soon.

She had been lost in her training. She had not noticed when he had arrived and how long he had been watching her.

"How would I know how hard you're working if I didn't check on you? You worked so hard you nearly injured yourself."

Liu Chuandao's voice sounded gentle. Liu Qing was slightly taken aback. Was this the same man who had rebuked her for not working hard enough and criticized her on her slow progress?

She was momentarily dazed. She took another look to make sure that the stern man before her was Liu Chuandao, the sect leader of Qingshan Sect and her very own father.

This was too surreal.

"Father..."

Liu Qing's eyes turned red. All throughout her life, she had heard only words of disapproval and criticism from Liu Chuandao. She couldn't remember him ever uttering words of concern for her. She was about to say something when she remembered that Jiang Ning was still sitting there.

This man was being utterly disrespectful towards her father. Her father was the sect leader of Qingshan Sect, for goodness' sake.

The sect leader was here. How could he remain seated and not rise to his feet?

Before Liu Qing could yell at Jiang Ning, she heard a sudden commotion outside

the gates.

"We want to speak to the sect leader!"

"Let us in. We have an important matter to report to the sect leader. Don't stand in our way!"

"You won't be able to handle the consequences of holding us up!"

It was Zhu Qi and his gang.

This wasn't the time for Liu Chuandao to turn his attention to Jiang Ning. He turned towards the gates and frowned slightly. Who was causing a scene?

el.

It didn't take long for the guards to stand aside. They dared not stop Zhu Qi and his gang. Their threats had sounded serious and genuine The guards couldn't possibly shoulder the consequences of something happening because they had stopped Zhu Qi and his gang at the gates. This text is © NôvelDrama/.Org.

"Chief Liu!"

Zhu Qi and his gang marched briskly towards Liu Chuandao. It wasn't every day that they could see Liu Chuandao within spitting distance. Besides, they were about to make a fine contribution to the sect!

They gazed upon Liu Chuandao with anticipation in their eyes, then glanced at Jiang Ning. He was still sitting there. Their hearts filled with glee. "That idiot is actually not making a run for it? The sect leader is here! Is he trying to get himself killed?"

"He won't be able to run when the sect leader gets into a rage later. He's dead meat!"

"We'll trample on that fool's corpse. He's going to be the stepping stone that'll send us into the Portico!"

Zhu Qi and his gang were trembling with excitement. They walked right up to Liu Chuandao and greeted him deferentially. "Greetings, Chief Liu!"

Liu Chuandao frowned.

He had seen the emblem on their clothes. They were merely Inner Court disciples. A dark look settled on his face.

Inner Court disciples should speak

to the principal of the Inner Court if they had any dispute or grievances to address. They had barged into Liu Qing's courtyard instead. What was the meaning of this?

Did they think that Liu Qing was someone whom they could push around easily?

Liu Chuandao eyed Zhu Qi and his gang with a thunderous look on his face and his eyelid twitched. Zhu Qi was gripped by a sudden wave of nervousness.

"Chief Liu, we have something to report to you. It's...it's something really important!" Zhu Qi lowered his head and said respectfully.

He tilted his face as he spoke and stared at the unmoving Jiang Ning, who had been sitting there all this while and his lips curled upwards smugly. With a few words, he was going to send Jiang Ning from his chair onto the ground and onto his Knees!

Liu Chuandao caught Zhu Qi looking at Jiang Ning. He turned and stared at Jiang Ning too.

As soon as their eyes met, Liu Chuandao said suddenly. "You're here."