Fusang Sword Heart Diagram

Chapter 43 Assessment and Evaluation
Ning Fusang had basically understood the situation. She turned to look at Aquan and said, "There will be evidence."

She said seriously, "I will delay Lu Cong's actions and make him hand you over to the Qiushuang Sword Sect only after we leave Qingbo Cave Lake. At that time, my senior brother and I will rob you and your clan on the road. With the evidence, Lu Cong will have no way to deny it."

Of course, it's impossible to bring down a sect elder with just this. If you want to succeed, you need to add fuel to the fire.

Yang Ruo was the perfect target. After all, robbery always involves some friction, and the crime of murdering a disciple is far more serious than trafficking merfolk. Moreover, Lu Cong was colluding with the Autumn Frost Sword Sect.

Because of Wei Shaoqing's matter, the entire sect harbors great hatred towards the Autumn Frost Sword Sect, and there are not many people who would speak up for Lu Cong.

Since Ning Fusang has intervened in this matter, she is determined to make sure Lu Cong can never recover; she will not leave any trouble for herself.

Upon hearing this, Yang Ruo's eyes lit up excessively. He praised, "Junior Sister Ning, you've thought of everything so thoroughly. What do I need to do?"

Ning Fusang glanced at him: "The time is not yet ripe, so don't do anything and just don't alert them."

She turned her head again to look at A-Quan: "A-Quan, you too."

Ah Quan nodded.

Ning Fusang remembered the patrol schedule for the guards at Qingbo Cave Lake. She estimated that it was almost time and called Yang Ruo to leave.

During the upstream journey, Yang Ruo recalled a question: "Junior Sister Ning, how can you guarantee that Elder Lu will only sell the Aquan people after we leave?"

Ning Fusang smiled and raised her eyebrows: "I'll have to trouble you, Senior Brother."

Yang Ruo pointed to herself: "Me?"

Didn't Junior Sister Ning just say that he didn't need to do anything, just focus on collecting the mermaid silk and completing the mission?

"I'll trouble you to work a little harder each day, but don't go back to the camp to rest at night." Ning Fusang added, fearing he might not understand fully, "After you've retrieved the mermaid silk, you can meditate and cultivate by the lake."

Lu Cong would naturally choose to sell merfolk late at night when all was quiet. If Yang Ruo didn't return to his tent to rest, they wouldn't be able to make their move. Ning Fusang could guarantee that the merfolk trade would take place after they left.

Yang Ruo suddenly realized and nodded like a chick pecking at rice: "Don't worry, Junior Sister Ning, I understand."

After getting ashore, Ning Fusang circulated her spiritual power to dry off the water on her body. Her clothes, which had been heavy from being soaked in water, became light again after a short while.

The sky was beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn.

A summer breeze stirred the lake, creating ripples. One by one, disciples emerged from their tents to begin their daily work of dredging yarn.

Ning Fusang instructed Yang Ruo to keep their secret about going down to Donghu Lake at night.

Yang Ruo's pretty face tightened as he seriously agreed. He knew a little about Junior Sister Ning, and he didn't dare to say anything casually.

"But Junior Sister Ning, why are you so kind as to help them?" Yang Ruo asked, a look of confusion in her eyes.

Mingming Ning, she's not a good person at all. She's always been indifferent and doesn't care about the troubles others face.

Ning Fusang said leisurely, "Didn't my senior brother say it was because I meant well?"

Yang Ruo looked at her suspiciously for a few moments, still appearing somewhat skeptical.

A graceful figure landed on the duck-shaped islet, her voice light and cheerful: "Senior Brother Yang Ruo, Junior Sister Ning, you're up so early to collect mermaid silk!"

Ning Fusang smiled and said modestly, "The early bird catches the worm, and diligence makes up for lack of talent, so I got up a little early." Hua Yue covered her mouth and smiled, her smile bright and natural.

Even the naive Yang Ruoran recognized that the "clumsy bird" was himself. His fair and tender face flushed red, and he stammered out, "I'm quite skilled at catching shark fin now."

Hua Yue nodded in agreement and even praised him politely before leaving on her flying sword to find her sister, Hua Qian.

Ning Fusang didn't want to stay with Yang Ruo while she was fishing for yarn, as it would slow her down, so she chose to leave in another direction.

The lake's surface changed from a cool, clear blue to a shimmering gold, then gradually dimmed, mirroring the rising and setting of the moon.

After a day of shark catching, Ning Fusang returned to his camp to rest.

Yang Ruo sat cross-legged by the lake, without closing his eyes, sitting like a stone statue.

In the distance, Lu Cong stared at Yang Ruo's retreating figure, frowning: "Where did that idiot come from? It's so late, why isn't he going back to his tent?"

Dou Yuan squinted and looked at the person, finding him particularly unfamiliar: "He doesn't seem to be a disciple of Qingbo Cave Lake..."

He was speaking when he realized that if he wasn't a disciple of Qingbo Cave Lake, he must be a disciple from a sect.

Luo Dujun looked at Lu Cong: "Elder Lu, when will you fulfill your promise to sell us the merfolk of the Autumn Frost Sword Sect?"

Lu Cong's eyes were deep and unfathomable: "Wait a little longer. Now is not the best time. With too many people around, things could easily go wrong. Once the group of sect disciples who came to do the mission leave Qingbo Cave Lake, you will have all the merfolk you want."

Luo Dujun was not very satisfied with the answer, but he did not show it on his face. He maintained the demeanor of a junior and said with a smile, "Then this junior will wait a little longer."

Lu Cong was very pleased with his tact, and the slight offense he felt towards Luo Dujun during the negotiations dissipated considerably.

The young man just wanted to complete the task well so he could show off when he got back; he understood Luo Dujun's approach.

His offense stemmed from being a bit too assertive in negotiations, aiming to maximize his own interests. It wasn't directed at me personally. As a senior colleague, he still possessed that much tolerance.

Yang Ruo was unaware that his every move was being observed by others.

On the sixteenth day after arriving at Qingbo Donghu, the group finally met Dou Yuan, one of the officials in charge of Donghu.

He held a stack of papers in his hand, which contained their performance evaluations. Ning Fusang, Dong Fangfei, and Hua Qian all received an "A" grade.

Except for Yang Ruo, who damaged the mermaid silk and was penalized with many points, receiving only a B rating, the others were all A-level and completed the task excellently.

"Elder Lu and I both stamped this evaluation form. Keep it safe. When you return to the sect, just take it to the Mission Hall to hand in the mission."

Dou Yuan added, "Elder Lu has been preoccupied with many matters and has not been able to see you in person these days. However, he has seen your performance. The comments at the bottom of the evaluation form were all written by Elder Lu himself, with great care. You can take a look."

Yang Ruo was still heartbroken about only getting a B-level rating. His first mission had been a blow.

He absolutely didn't want to see that big, glaring, vermilion "B" on the performance evaluation form. Therefore, Yang Ruo didn't take Dou Yuan's words to heart; he was afraid that if he saw them, he would have a heart attack.

Ning Fusang glanced at the few lines of small print, then folded the paper and put it away.

(End of this chapter)