Chapter 86: Ling Jue’s Pounding (Sixth Update)

Ye Wenxin had a funny feeling, but turning her head, she noticed Ling Jue was still smiling softly at her.

“What’s up?”

“Little Sister Wenxin is really coveted.” Ling Jue’s tone was a bit sour. Unfortunately, Ling Jue was still dressed as a man, and Ye Wenxin was still unable to adapt to this effeminate contrast.

However, Ling Jue could not possibly undo her Yin-Yang Transformation while they were currently on the road. Ye Wenxin had to swallow back her witty criticism as she continued, “Coveted? Not at all. If it weren’t for Xiao Zhang’s help, the outer disciples would be jumping at the chance to devour me now.”

Recalling the situation back when she was still new to the outer sect, Ye Wenxin could not refrain from smiling wryly. Yet, over the past few months, her image had started to rise among the outer disciples.

No one suspected her of conquering several little brothers through beauty, and no one dared to disseminate scandalous gossip of Ye Wenxin anymore.

“It turns out things are still like this. Long Qing’er really takes good care of you.” Ling Jue assumed Xiao Zhang was someone arranged by Long Qing’er to guard Ye Wenxin, and felt even more sour in her heart.

“No, I befriended Xiao Zhang at first sight. She happened to be on vacation, so she helped me out with some things out of boredom,” Ye Wenxin clarified one of the reasons in half-truth. Ling Jue was the most knowledgeable among all the people Ye Wenxin cared about, but Ye Wenxin had a lot more hidden secrets.

The secret of Ling Jue being a woman disguised as a man, Xiao Zhang’s Shape-shifting, even Huang Hanyan and Fairy Fengya had some vague, inexplicable secrets.

Those secrets were known only to her, and if spoken aloud, they could even ruin someone.

“Oh, so bored she helped you set up an organization?” Ling Jue’s voice lowered. Judging from her expression, she seemed a little unhappy. Ye Wenxin was bewildered, not understanding what she had said to cause it.

“No, that was because of her high charisma, so over time…” Ye Wenxin thought the number of little brothers had less to do with her. Rather, Xiao Zhang’s sociability was the key to her success.

Not only did she expand Ye Wenxin’s power base, she even opened up the Azure Wings Sect’s pill trade.

“Mm, the Xiao Zhang you mentioned is indeed a beautiful woman, men much prefer that type.” Ling Jue did not deny Ye Wenxin’s statement this time, yet her tone was slightly stifled, as if displeased about Ye Wenxin giving the woman such a high evaluation.

Ye Wenxin was a woman, naturally she knew what women loved to hear. Seeing that Ling Jue seemed truly upset, she hastened to say, “But I know a beautiful lady who’s much more impressive than Xiao Zhang.”

“Fairy Fengya?” The first person that came to Ling Jue’s mind could only be the woman Ye Wenxin had always liked the most.

“Why is it her that you think of?” Ye Wenxin was flabbergasted. But upon consideration, with the way Ling Jue was currently dressed, it was inconceivable that Ye Wenxin was complimenting her, so instead of directly exposing the truth, she showered Ling Jue with extravagant praise.

“This beautiful lady I’m speaking of is kindhearted, gentle as water, treats me especially well. She dotes on me, loves me, cherishes me…”

Ling Jue started to rack her brains for the names she knew, but the more she listened, the more unfathomable it sounded.

“How come I can’t remember such a person?” Watching Ye Wenxin praising this woman with a deluge of heavenly flowers¹, Ling Jue grew very nervous.

“I’m still not done… She’s amazing in Alchemy, can even make medicated diet, and she’s steadfast, brave…” At the end, Ye Wenxin could not tell whether she was doing this right. Glancing again at Ling Jue’s gaze, it seemed she finally noticed who Ye Wenxin was singing praises of.

“Is this person honestly that great?” And then, Ling Jue’s face bore a slightly abashed expression, her voice softening.

Ye Wenxin let out a breath of relief at the sight, “Without a doubt, she’s the most beautiful lady in my eyes, absolutely unmatched by Fairy Fengya.”

In order to express her own sincerity, Ye Wenxin surreptitiously grabbed Ling Jue’s hand.

There were few disciples around, but even in an immortal sect, one very rarely see men and women holding hands like this. Ling Jue, who was dressed entirely like a man, naturally knew Ye Wenxin was being overly bold.

More hope gushed from her heart.

Ye Wenxin’s eyes were sincere, her words earnest. However, this earnestness lacked any element of admiration. After experiencing Fairy Fengya’s company, Ye Wenxin found that chatting with anyone else was much more enjoyable than chatting with Fairy Fengya.

Yet for some unknown reason, when she brought up Fairy Fengya just now, she felt an insistent coldness down her back, as if something was watching her, making Ye Wenxin almost assumed that Fairy Fengya had made a timely appearance when she was badmouthing her.

“Big Brother Ling, are you alright?” With that kind of guilty conscience, Ye Wenxin worried that their conversation was overheard, and changed the way she addressed Ling Jue.

This ‘Big Brother’ title also calmed Ling Jue down.

“I’m fine. I can’t believe after not seeing each other for a few months, you, girl, have become even sweeter with your words.” But because of these words from Ye Wenxin, Ling Jue’s mood improved considerably. She could not help feeling that Ye Wenxin would definitely become a calamitous fairy.

The crazy idea from earlier became increasingly stronger in her mind, but Ling Jue, who had never been in love, knew not how to make Ye Wenxin acknowledge that these feelings harbored towards her were no longer so pure.

She wanted to hold Ye Wenxin’s hand, to embrace her, even to take one step further with her…

Be that as it may, Ling Jue dared not show such avaricious eyes, controlled her thoughts, and the two continued walking forth, eventually reaching the Alchemy Workshop.

As they entered through the door, there were still several disciples refining pills inside.

Ye Wenxin felt quite familiar with this. Those people simply glanced at Ye Wenxin and Ling Jue before resuming with their work, none of them saying anything.

As for Ling Jue and Ye Wenxin’s relationship, the first generation was well aware that Ye Wenxin was Ling Jue’s assistant.

But the second generation, because they never saw Ling Jue with Ye Wenxin, had no clue about this relationship.

From the Alchemy Workshop they entered the backyard. The bamboo forest remained so lush, with a light bamboo fragrance, yet also in line with the artistic ambiance of this hinterland.

The small courtyard stood solitarily over there. Ling Jue opened the gate and noticed the fallen leaves on the ground.

Except for Ling Jue, few people would come to this courtyard.

“Wenxin, will you come back to live here?” Going into the room, instead of undoing the Yin-Yang Transformation, Ling Jue posed such a question.

Ye Wenxin was a little moved, but thinking of the too many secrets she now held, it was unsuitable for her to live with Ling Jue, so she contemplated on how to reject her.

“Forget it, it’s fine as long as you’re happy.” Seeing Ye Wenxin’s silence, Ling Jue assumed her asking this question was troubling Ye Wenxin, and thus immediately ceased this topic.

“I’m sorry, Big Sister Ling, this place is too far from my classes, and with my love for sleeping in, I’d definitely be late going to the martial arts training ground. That old fart outer sect elder would surely target me,” Ye Wenxin justified reasonably and fairly, hoping the information about her not attending classes at all recently had yet to reach Ling Jue’s ears.

Ling Jue did not press further and started boiling water for tea with practiced motions.

“I’ve bought some new tea during this trip down the mountain. Care to try it?” she said, conjuring up a tea pot and cups. The cups were emerald green with bamboo patterns etched onto them, giving them a highly elegant appearance.

This set happened to be Ling Jue’s favorite tea cups. It had been a while since Ye Wenxin had leisurely enjoyed tea like this. She sat down and watched Ling Jue skillfully handle the tea set.

It reminded her of the kung fu tea ceremonies she had seen on TV before, but with the added convenience of cultivation, the entire process of brewing and pouring tea was like watching a top-tier movie.

Ling Jue, dressed in white, moved with the grace of flowing water, making the whole process look captivating.

Watching Ling Jue was a delight for Ye Wenxin. If she were to return to her original appearance, she would be like a fairy.

“Big Sister Ling, why aren’t you changing back?” Ye Wenxin finally noticed something wrong. Before, as soon as the door was closed, Ling Jue would eagerly revert to her original appearance.

Now, a quarter of an hour had passed after they entered the room, but Ling Jue maintained her male disguise.

The moment she asked, the teapot in Ling Jue’s hand shook, causing a few drops of water to accidentally spill onto the table. In this world’s tea ceremony, it was a symbol of rudeness. Ling Jue halted her movements, wiped the table clean, and then restarted the tea brewing process.

Ye Wenxin felt somewhat awkward and remained silent this time until the teacup was filled. Ling Jue, though the gentlest in temperament among those she knew, was actually the most stubborn and had a certain degree of OCD.

Of course, Ye Wenxin dared not speak it out loud. She simply expressed her thanks, picked up the cup, and slowly savored the tea.

Though not knowledgeable about tea, the aroma that greeted her upon tasting made her realize the deliciousness of the tea leaves.

“Excellent tea.”

Hearing Ye Wenxin’s praise, Ling Jue’s lips curved upwards, and she also leisurely savored the taste of the tea, refraining from mentioning why she had not lifted the Yin-Yang Transformation.

Meanwhile, Ye Wenxin had other thoughts. She felt Ling Jue’s condition was more severe, which was why Ling Jue was unwilling to release the Yin-Yang Transformation, fearing Ye Wenxin would see her haggard appearance.

“Big Sister Ling, let me check your pulse,” Ye Wenxin suggested again, but Ling Jue shook her head.

“I know my own body well enough. You should focus on learning step by step.” Ling Jue appreciated Ye Wenxin’s tactfulness, which she found to be quite intelligent.

Dealing with intelligent people did not require much verbal persuasion, but the mental competition could be taxing.

“It’s precisely because of learning that we need more practice,” Ye Wenxin responded with a smile, grabbing Ling Jue’s hand.

Though Ling Jue struggled briefly, she eventually yielded and allowed Ye Wenxin to roll up her sleeve and touch her wrist.

Even though it was just a simple physical contact, Ling Jue’s heart could not help but feel a bit restless. As she looked into Ye Wenxin’s earnest eyes, it reminded her of the kiss they shared.

She never expected what had started out as a mere prank would drive her so crazy.

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1. fig. extravagant embellishments; hype ↩︎