Dragged to this Dragon-Riding Lane in the small town, the Jade Liquid River Water Goddess felt a despair beyond tears.

Truly, it was a fate worse than death.

The group at the table seemed to be a family, harmoniously enjoying a simple meal.

This Water Goddess, however, was like holding a bowl of executioner’s meal, except it was empty, not even a morsel given to her.

Once they finished eating, everyone except Shi Rou, who was clearing the table, moved to the shop.

Ruan Xiu was selecting pastries.

Pei Qian, with Zhou Mili at her side, stood behind the counter, both perched on small stools, otherwise Zhou Mili would be too short to even show her head.

Zhu Lian sat on a long bench, smiling as he said, “A street brawl, how much pain does a punch inflict? Compared to a clash between immortals, what’s it like to be struck by a magical treasure? The principle is the same. If you really scrutinize it, there’s no difference in the truth, no high or low. Water Goddess, do you understand?”

The Water Goddess nodded.

She pretended to understand, and even if she did, she didn’t agree. But circumstances forced her hand, what else could she do?

If Zhou Mili wasn’t a disciple of Fallen Peak, if Fallen Peak didn’t have “her” to teach you a lesson, none of this would have happened.

In the end, both sides were the same, using power to suppress others.

Ruan Xiu, her back to the crowd, frowned slightly.

Zhu Lian smiled and said, “Pei Qian, take Mili to the back.”

Pei Qian said “Okay,” and patted Mili’s head.

The Water Goddess immediately knelt on the ground, facing the counter, “I was wrong.”

Pei Qian scratched her head, helplessly saying, “Why is it so difficult? Isn’t it just sincerely admitting your mistake? Is it that hard?! Why do you think that enough formalities and superficial efforts are enough for everything?”

Then Pei Qian leaned wearily on the table, “I don’t like this. It was such a simple matter, the officials of the Water God’s Temple could have just apologized to Mili and said ‘I’m sorry,’ wouldn’t that have been enough? But that old hag and the officials, they scheme and calculate so much, refusing to admit their mistake, their malicious thoughts stirring like a murky swamp, trying to scare people, what’s the point of that?”

Zhu Lian laughed, “You’re wrong. This is precisely where we make things most difficult for others. If others saw or heard this, they would think we are being unforgiving, making a mountain out of a molehill, and being overly aggressive. And what makes you even more upset is that these outsiders’ sympathy is not entirely a bad thing. On the contrary, it’s the bottom line that prevents the world from becoming too terrible.”

Pei Qian listened with a headache, sullenly saying, “But we can’t just blow this up, can we? Killing a Water Goddess, how will outsiders view our Fallen Peak? You said yourself that outsiders would side with the Jade Liquid River. Besides, even if this Water Goddess refuses to admit her mistake, she doesn’t deserve to be killed, right? If Master were here, how would he handle this?”

Zhu Lian thought for a moment and said, “Probably, young master would help the entire Jade Liquid River Water God’s Temple sort things out, from top to bottom, inside and out. The rights and wrongs, no more, no less.”

But there were some things Zhu Lian wouldn’t tell Pei Qian yet.

For example, the involvement of the Xu family of Clear Wind City, the Righteous Sun Mountain, and even more distant secrets.

A dazed Zhou Mili had already quietly bent her knees, secretly hiding her head behind the counter.

I don’t know anything, I’m not in the shop, nobody can see me…

Zhu Lian wasn’t in a hurry.

All of this could help Pei Qian cultivate her heart.

Otherwise, Zhu Lian would have acted with Miss Ruan long ago.

Just like Pei Qian knew, the real enemy of the Jade Liquid River Water God’s Temple was actually Pei Qian’s sister Xiu.

Perhaps she would directly shatter the Water Goddess’s golden body, or refine the entire Jade Liquid River, leaving only the Water God alive. If she liked to think small matters and big matters were all the same, then she could use her own logic to talk to the Great Li Dynasty.

Replacing her with a more dedicated river god would be easy for the Great Li Dynasty.

As for certain possibilities, ordinary people wouldn’t consider them, like a little monster being kidnapped, being reported, and an entire mountain being destroyed. In any case, as long as something hasn’t happened, it’s not a matter of truth. It’s always been difficult to balance judging intent and judging actions.

Pei Qian tentatively asked, “Old Chef, why don’t we just forget about it? I don’t understand. When Master comes home…”