Chapter 9: Are You Gay, Friend?

Upon arriving at the right answer, Ye Wenxin was a little relieved, but she still did not ask about it.

By now, night had fallen deeply, and as a lone girl accompanied by another in this wilderness, Ye Wenxin felt drowsiness creeping in. She murmured to Ling Jue that she was going to sleep.

Ling Jue naturally could not refuse. She held a book in her hands, seemingly intending to spend the long night with it.

As Ye Wenxin had offended many people in her time as the Demon Lord, she never slept deeply. Now, being in the wilderness, she naturally had to be more cautious.

About half an hour passed like this. Suddenly, Ye Wenxin caught a whiff of fragrance. She held her breath, refusing to inhale the scent, maintaining her sleeping posture.

If she guessed correctly, this was probably Medicine King Valley’s hypnotic drug. Perhaps afraid that she would not sleep soundly enough, Ling Jue used this drug.

After a few more minutes, Ling Jue stood up from her place, put up a defensive formation before walking towards the cave entrance. Ye Wenxin also opened her eyes, stealthily slipped out without disrupting the formation, and secretly followed Ling Jue.

Ye Wenxin’s tracking skills were exceptional; Ling Jue never noticed the petite tail behind him. After several twists and turns, they eventually reached the riverside.

She was still clad in white, but as she untied the sash, her originally handsome face softened, radiating an indescribable feminine charm.

Her enchanting beauty, with soft eyes and delicate brows, struck Ye Wenxin’s heart, leaving her speechless. No words could describe the awe she felt upon seeing this beauty.

Yet, the young woman’s brows were furrowed as she gazed at her reflection in the water, emitting a faint sigh. She seemed to carry countless sorrows, unable to share them with others.

Although she could not display her beauty in public, it must be said that Ling Jie was truly deserving of the title ‘Peerless’.

Ye Wenxin silently left the area, not wanting to disturb Ling Jue’s solitary contemplation under the moon. In this martial world, everyone was burdened with their own struggles. Perhaps even this Peerless Gentleman had significant troubles, which led to her disguising herself as a man.

Amidst her thoughts, Ye Wenxin returned to the mountain cave. She sat back in her original position, maintaining her previous pose before she left, her mind filled with the very recent image of Ling Jue.

Although she had seen beauties like her best friend and the Saintess before, Ling Jue was in no way inferior to them. But if such beauty could only be ranked fifth in the world, then how breathtakingly beautiful would Fairy Fengya be?

Ye Wenxin did not dare to continue this thought and just continued to rest.

After a moment, footsteps sounded nearby, indicating Ling Jue’s return from her reverie.

Her face had returned to its handsome appearance, but still bore a melancholic expression, as if deeply troubled. Ye Wenxin wanted to open her eyes and ask what was bothering the young woman, but she could not reveal that she had been pretending to sleep.

“How wonderful it is to live so simply.” A woman’s voice escaped Ling Jue’s lips, filled with endless resignation. Ye Wenxin’s heart ached in sympathy.

This was the inevitability of the martial world, where everyone was unable to live according to their own ideals. Ye Wenxin sighed inwardly, allowing her thoughts to drift as she fell into a deep sleep…

Early the next morning, Ling Jue woke Ye Wenxin up and they went searching for herbs in the mountains together. Along the way, she explained the special properties of various herbs to her.

Ye Wenxin proved to be a quick learner, not only because of her previous experience in alchemy but also because her parents, after she transmigrated, ran an herb shop. If it had not been for the forced marriage and her village’s massacre, she would never have embarked on the path of cultivation.

Decades repeatedly passed, and more than fifty years had slipped by without Ye Wenxin realizing it.

However, for cultivators, there were even longer stretches ahead—another hundred years, a thousand years, or even ten thousand years. Ye Wenxin diligently cleared her mind of these cluttered thoughts and continued learning about herbs with Ling Jue.

Noticing her quick learning, Ling Jue also provided her with books to read. The two of them roamed the forest for about a month before Ling Jue brought up the matter of going to the Azure Wings Sect.

“Actually, I arrived early as well, so I wanted to wander around nearby, but I didn’t expect to run into you.” Ling Jue confessed somewhat sheepishly about why she was wandering alone deep in the mountains. Perhaps because cultivators lived for a long time, their concept of time became quite vague.

But she must admit, thanks to Ling Jue’s arrival, she actually spent such a long month without realizing it.

“You’re really smart. It’s a pity that our Medicine King Valley only accepts male disciples, otherwise, I would definitely take you back.” Ling Jue became much more talkative too, her womanly charm always inadvertently leaking out.

With only the two of them, Ye Wenxin could not be bothered to remind Ling Jue not to break character while in her male disguise. Instead, watching her frantic behavior out of concern for revealing herself was quite amusing.

They became both mentor and friend to each other, making their time together this past month very enjoyable.

“Why don’t you accept women?” As Ling Jue discussed Medicine King Valley’s frustrating rules, Ye Wenxin followed up with her own question.

“It’s just an outdated prejudice held by the older generation. Only men are considered as heirs, while women are seen as bargaining chips for marriage.” Ling Jue’s eyes revealed a hint of melancholy as she spoke of this harsh reality.

If given the opportunity, Ye Wenxin truly wanted to help Ling Jue change the culture of Medicine King Valley. However, she could not forget her original purpose for coming to the martial world, which was to find Fairy Fengya.

“Wenxin, if I ask you to come to my Medicine King Valley and be my disciple, would you be willing?” Ling Jue seemed to realize she had said too much and quickly changed the subject.

“Sorry, I wouldn’t want to stay in a place that discriminates against women like that.” Ye Wenxin shook her head in refusal. Ling Jue, however, smiled gently and spoke in a light tone, “Well, if someday you find yourself unable to stay at the Azure Wings Sect, the doors of Medicine King Valley will always be open to you.”

With that, Ye Wenxin agreed. Although she felt that she alone held disdain for the Azure Wings Sect, her resolve would not be shaken.

“It’s a deal then.” Ling Jue spoke this softly, but when paired with her masculine act it only made Ye Wenxin uncomfortable. She avoided looking at the young woman’s face and followed up with the conversation.

“Big Brother Ling treats me this well, of course I shall engrave this kindness upon my heart.”

“And not give it away?” Ling Jue teased, making rare small talk. Ye Wenxin’s face became unsettled as a shiver ran down her spine.

Ling Jue noticed but continued joking, “But I think if you marry me, our life together would certainly be interesting.”

Ye Wenxin could almost imagine their antics as two women pretending to be husband and wife, and she shook her head more decisively.

She, Ye Wenxin, was one hundred percent straight. Even if she felt her heart skip a beat a few times at Ling Jue’s natural beauty, she would never betray her own preference for the opposite sex.

“Ha ha ha, you should look for someone else…” Ye Wenxin let out a laugh devoid of emotion. Seeing her so nervous, Ling Jue laughed even harder, remembering the night when Ye Wenxin asked her if she liked men.

“Wenxin, we’ve known each other for about a month now, and we’re friends, aren’t we?”

“Of course we are.”

“But this past month, why haven’t you blushed or felt your heart race around me?”

“Because I’m still a child.”

Ye Wenxin squeezed out these few words, understanding perfectly well what Ling Jue meant. Her immunity to attractive beings as an ordinary person was just too strong.

“I don’t think that’s the issue. After all, when you asked me last time whether I liked men, I was wondering if it was because you have a preference for the same gender.” Ling Jue asked very honestly, trying to coax Ye Wenxin into speaking her mind.

During this month, Ling Jue naturally tried to flirt with Ye Wenxin, but the more she flirted, the more she found herself unable to sway the girl and was stunned by her instead, leaving her own heart racing several times.

“Same gender? What do you mean? Oh, I get it. You’re saying I like women. No, no, no, I was just awed by your beauty. I still really like your handsome face, Big Brother Ling.” Ye Wenxin quickly explained, lamenting her lack of acting talent to feign any infatuated expression.

“But weren’t you here specifically to become Fairy Fengya’s disciple?”

Ling Jue brought the conversation back to square one with a single sentence. Ye Wenxin felt she should admit it, but admitting it somehow seemed even more dangerous. After all, the Ling Jue in front of her, although disguised as a man, was ultimately a woman.

“Alright, don’t overthink it. These things should unfold naturally. Pack up, we’re heading up the mountain today.” Ling Jue was pleased to see that Ye Wenxin was genuinely puzzled by her question. She lightly patted the girl’s shoulder, reminding her of today’s plans.

Ye Wenxin nodded. Since she could not come up with a retort for the time being, she packed up her blanket. Turning around, she saw Ling Jue take out a flying magic item.

An elegant fan floated in the air, depicting majestic landscapes in ink wash painting, appearing grand and imposing.

“This is my flying magic item. I hope it didn’t startle you.” Due to their rarity, very few people had ever seen flying magic items. Assuming it was Ye Wenxin’s first time seeing one, Ling Jue gave a brief explanation.

“No, I’ve seen something similar before, so it’s not unfamiliar to me.”

“Oh? What was it like?”

Flying magic items were rare and never duplicated, often serving as symbols of one’s status and identity. Naturally curious, Ling Jue wondered what flying magic item Ye Wenxin had seen before.

“It was a jade flute adorned with a phoenix.” Ye Wenxin answered after a moment of thought. She expected Ling Jue to make some lighthearted comment, but instead, she furrowed her brows.

“Isn’t that Long Qing’er’s flying magic item? Where did you see it?”

Judging by her attitude, Ling Jue seemed to hold no fondness towards Long Qing’er. Ye Wenxin could only recount her encounters with Long Qing’er to Ling Jue, but the young woman seemed somewhat incredulous that the headstrong and willful princess would actually help Ye Wenxin.