Chapter 19: Unexpected Reward

As the next day came, Ling Jue, tormented by the side effects, could not even get up. Every move brought a pain in her abdomen, as if pricked by needles. But at the thought of having to teach class today, Ling Jue stood up despite the pain, got dressed, and used the Yin-Yang Transformation Technique to change her appearance.

Finished putting herself in order, Ling Jue went to the next room and knocked lightly.

“Wenxin, are you up?”

No response came from beyond the door. Very odd. Ling Jue gave a subconscious push and the door opened, however, the covers were neat and tidy and Ye Wenxin herself could not be seen anywhere.

Ling Jue was even more confused. She walked further into the room to check and noticed a piece of parchment placed atop the table, with “I’ve gone to alchemy class” written on it.

Ling Jue’s mouth corners could not refrain from rising in a wry smile. Yesterday, Ye Wenxin could not even walk due to overusing her qi, yet today she started practicing alchemy again.

As Ye Wenxin’s half-master, Ling Jue must set an example. She walked out of the small courtyard without the slightest hesitation and headed for the Alchemy Workshop.

At a glance, there was not only Ye Wenxin, but several other students had come as well. There was no chit-chat, as everyone was focused on refining. Upon closer look, Ling Jue found that these students were ones who had made deals with Ye Wenxin the day prior. Clearly, they had established a long-term arrangement with Ye Wenxin.

Ye Wenxin, absorbed in alchemy, also noticed Ling Jue’s presence. She simply nodded slightly and continued to focus on refining. Ling Jue did not disturb her either. She sat in the lecturer’s seat, and randomly saw the pastries on the table.

No need to ponder; it was the early-rising Ye Wenxin who not only went to the dining hall for breakfast but also thoughtfully prepared it for her.

Feeling even warmer in her heart, Ling Jue could not help but entertain the thought: if Ye Wenxin were a man, perhaps Ling Jue would be moved enough to offer herself in marriage in a few years. However, they were both women…

With these thoughts in mind, Ling Jue’s heart grew even more melancholic, her gaze unconsciously drifting towards Ye Wenxin.

However, given the current situation, as long as Ye Wenxin was willing, she could absolutely be wed to Ye Wenxin officially. Ling Jue’s mood improved once again, feeling that it would be fine to live like this for the rest of her life.

Unfortunately, Ye Wenxin was unaware of Ling Jue’s peculiar thoughts. She was still working hard, striving to master all eight types of first-grade pills as soon as possible, hoping to free up some time to gather information about Fairy Fengya.

A day passed like this, but unlike yesterday, due to the increased difficulty in refining pills, Ye Wenxin only managed to refine two types of pills for the day. On the third day, Ye Wenxin’s progress slowed down even further, only refining one type of pill.

On the fourth day, Ye Wenxin failed to refine pills for the first time. Ling Jue advised her to take a day off. By the sixth day, Ye Wenxin finally returned to normal.

There were a total of eight types of first-grade pills. Despite the stops and starts, Ye Wenxin spent about half a month refining all the pills. But for Ling Jue, Ye Wenxin’s performance already far exceeded her expectations.

After meeting the target, Ye Wenxin slept for a whole day until midnight, when she quietly made her way to Ling Jue’s room.

“You scamp, why are you here?” Ling Jue, still in the Yin-Yang Transformation Technique, was startled. However, seeing that Ye Wenxin had come alone, she instinctively lifted the technique, revealing her true appearance.

Ye Wenxin’s smile looked a bit forced, as if apprehensive about appearing so late at night like this. How could the perceptive Ling Jue not notice Ye Wenxin’s unease? Still, Ling Jue welcomed her with a smile, brewed tea, and watched as Ye Wenxin hesitated, seeming to have something on the tip of her tongue.

“What’s wrong? Wenxin, to come running over here so late, it can’t simply be for a chat, hm?” Although restraint was warranted at this moment, Ling Jue could not help but broach the topic first.

After a few seconds of internal struggle, Ye Wenxin finally voiced her reason for coming over.

“Big Sister Ling, don’t you think I deserve a reward for working so hard?”

“A reward.”

Ling Jue’s cheeks flushed slightly. She was already an adult, naturally understanding the implications of a “reward,” but Ye Wenxin, who was still just a child, seemed even more direct and proactive than she, the adult.

Ye Wenxin seemed a bit embarrassed too, her gaze slightly lowered, feeling somewhat restless. “You see, although it took me a bit longer to achieve the goal, I still did it in the end. Shouldn’t you…” Ye Wenxin steeled herself and continued, her restless demeanor stirring up even more of Ling Jue’s indulgent desires.

Ling Jue was on the verge of agreeing outright, but she felt it was not right to indulge Ye Wenxin’s whims. She nodded slightly, “Indeed, you did well. As your big sister, I should reward or punish accordingly.” She spoke slowly, trying not to let Ye Wenxin notice her own nervousness.

But if Ye Wenxin was actually asking for this kind of over the top reward, Ling Jue was unsure whether she should agree. She feared if she agreed, because she had lived as a man for too long, an infatuation towards the fairer sex would form.

While she was struggling with herself, Ye Wenxin eventually raised her head and said, “About that, I want to know about Fairy Fengya.” Finally mustering up her courage, she voiced out her desired reward, and her single sentence shattered the bravery Ling Jue had difficultly gathered.

Ling Jue was still smiling, but there was no hint of humor in that smile.

“I don’t know much about Fairy Fengya. Change it to another.” Ling Jue refused. She wished Ye Wenxin would never get to meet Fairy Fengya for the rest of her life. This way, Ye Wenxin would only ever look at her.

The strong possessiveness took Ling Jue by surprise, even she found it unfathomable.

“Then I’ll change the question. When you met Fairy Fengya, how did you feel?” Ye Wenxin had not given up yet. In fact, what she wanted to know most was whether Fairy Fengya was as mighty and beautiful as in her expectations.

“Although I’m reluctant to say this, I can’t compare to her.” Seeing the anticipation in Ye Wenxin’s eyes, Ling Jue’s face darkened, but she confessed her thoughts regardless.

As Medicine King Valley was also one of the Ten Great Immortal Sects, the number of times Ling Jue and Fairy Fengya saw each other could not be considered small. But the curious thing was that as a woman, she was often fascinated by Fairy Fengya.

It was not a demon cultivator’s charm spell, but rather, a kind of captivating charm emanating from Fairy Fengya.

“No, although I haven’t seen Fairy Fengya myself, if you dressed up, Big Sister, you definitely won’t lose to her.” Seeing Ling Jue’s unnatural expression, Ye Wenxin began to comfort her.

“Thank you, Wenxin.” Ling Jue smiled lightly. Setting aside whether Ye Wenxin’s words were out of sincerity or politeness, they were enough to bring a brilliant smile to her face.

Feeling embarrassed by the praise, Ye Wenxin continued, lowering her head, “Big Sister Ling, may I change my reward?” Thinking that since Ling Jue was clueless, Ye Wenxin decided to investigate on her own, to find out where exactly Fairy Fengya was doing closed door training that she had no luck even after turning over every stone in the entire Azure Wings Sect.

“You may, just don’t go overboard.” The inner struggle just now was completely dispelled by the topic of Fairy Fengya, and Ling Jue’s tone returned to its usual gentleness, albeit with a hint of anticipation.

“Um, may I take a few days off? After all, the recruitment is about to start soon, and I want to do some research on the exam content.” It was a sensible reason, considering there was only two months left until the Azure Wings Sect’s recruitment.

“Haven’t I mentioned this before? I can help you get in directly.”

“The backdoor approach is going to be hard for everyone to swallow. I hope to rely on my own abilities.” Ye Wenxin spoke sincerely. Even though she was no longer the lofty Demon Lord and had lost her original cultivation, she had not become so weak so as to enter the Azure Wings Sect using such a method.

Seeing Ye Wenxin’s determination, Ling Jue was silent for a moment, but then proposed a strange request.

“I’ll grant your request to take a week off, but it’ll be next week.”

“Why next week?” Ye Wenxin asked, bewildered. Ling Jue’s lips curved with a hint of bitterness. “The Alchemy Workshop’s consumption has been too high as of late, and the items the Azure Wings Sect purchased are not up to par. So I’ve decided to personally procure some supplies and have you be my substitute for a week.”

Ling Jue really had not expected Ye Wenxin to ask for a break, and thus had not discussed this minor matter with her. But unexpectedly, plans could not keep up with changes.

“You want me to teach? I can’t do that.”

“Now that you’ve perfected all eight types of first-grade pills, you’re considered a junior alchemist. Teaching them shouldn’t be a problem.” Ling Jue was not worried about Ye Wenxin’s ability to serve as a lecturer, and the students also acknowledged Ye Wenxin’s abilities.

However, Ling Jue still held concerns that some people reliant on their high cultivation might bully Ye Wenxin.

“If anyone bullies you, just remember their names, and I’ll kill them once I come back.” Thinking that Ye Wenxin was not one to complain or gossip, Ling Jue was worried that she might suffer in silence, so she added this one sentence.

Ye Wenxin chuckled, “That shouldn’t be a problem, after all, I’m quite close with Senior Sister Long.” Besides, the Azure Wings Sect would not allow disciples to bully a rare alchemist like her, Ye Wenxin added in her mind, her smile growing wider.

“If possible, I wish you won’t get too close to Long Qing’er,” Ling Jue’s brows furrowed, not liking the idea of Ye Wenxin being too intimate with Long Qing’er.

“I’ll be mindful of boundaries, Big Sister Ling, don’t worry too much.” Ye Wenxin just assumed that Ling Jue simply disliked Long Qing’er and casually agreed to ease Ling Jue’s concerns.

Ling Jue did not bring up Long Qing’er anymore and instead chatted about some lighthearted topics. Laughter filled the room until late into the night…

Another day dawned, but Ling Jue was concerned about Ye Wenxin’s nerves, so she had her teach class two days in advance. To her surprise, Ye Wenxin showed no signs of nervousness at all. Her demeanor seemed as if she had long been accustomed to leading thousands of people.

Her speech was clear, her thoughts concise, and in some places, her explanations even made Ling Jue feel inadequate. However, knowing that she personally made Ye Wenxin into who she was now, Ling Jue felt immensely proud.

On the third day, Ling Jue went down the mountain, and Ye Wenxin began her formal teaching. It was a rare night of solitude for her.

“Ling Jue isn’t here, are you scared, Wenxin?” Knowing that Ye Wenxin would be living alone for a week starting today, Long Qing’er immediately started to pry into Ye Wenxin’s thoughts.

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TL note: I’ll be taking a break tomorrow to catch up on other work, so there will no update until the day after tomorrow. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding, and thanks for reading. Have a good weekend.