Chapter 976: I’ve Gotten Too Many Confessions Lately

She opened her palm, revealing a beautiful ice crystal.

If Ye Wenxin wasn’t mistaken, this should be her core.

All cultivators, no matter their path or what they were, possessed a dantian. Various types of qi within the dantian would condense into a core, which was the lifeline of their cultivation. Destroying or absorbing a cultivator’s core would cripple that cultivator.

In other words, having Han Shanxue’s core was the same as holding the fate of her cultivation in her hands. Usually, only high-ranking figures did this to subordinates they didn’t trust.

Ye Wenxin sighed, unsure whether Han Shanxue was too earnest or deeply sentimental.

However, if she weren’t so sentimental, she wouldn’t have gone as far as to seize someone else’s body to avenge her master.

“Miss Han, with your personality, you’ll end up sold down the river and still thank the person for it.” Ye Wenxin turned to leave.

“Miss Ye, this is the only way I can feel at ease. I don’t want to owe anyone anything. This core is yours now. If you ever want to kill me in the future, you can just do it.”

Han Shanxue was starting to annoy Ye Wenxin. She clearly grew up on those stupid stories of chivalrous heroes and righteous vengeance.

Well, those too righteous tend to fall harder.

“I don’t need it. Just don’t refuse me if I ever need your help in the future,” Ye Wenxin finally revealed what she truly wanted from her.

Han Shanxue thought for a moment before finally withdrawing her core. Still, she waited for Ye Wenxin to say more. Unable to bear it, Ye Wenxin reached into her bag of holding and handed over some spirit stones. “Recruitment day is near. Take better care of yourself, Miss Han. I want to be able to count on you when the time comes.”

Han Shanxue glanced at the spirit stones. Eventually, she accepted them and quickly left.

Ye Wenxin couldn’t shake the feeling that she was the one who got played.

But a measly thousand spirit stones wasn’t worth fussing over. Now that her ears finally found peace, Ye Wenxin figured everyone else must be having breakfast and headed for the dining hall.

Sister Hong looked up from her meal when Ye Wenxin walked in. She stood and said, “Celestial Master Ye, you aren’t heading out again, are you?”

Ye Wenxin shook her head. “No, I just think I need to move on. The dead can’t come back to life, after all.”

Everyone exchanged glances. Young Master Lü anxiously asked, “Has something happened with Miss Yue, Celestial Master Ye?”

‘Crap, my chances would get even worse with Celestial Master Ye as my rival.’

Ye Wenxin held back a scoff. Glancing at an unbothered Han Shanxue out of the corner of her eye, she explained, “I had a brief chat with Miss Yue yesterday, and it cleared my mind. More importantly, the recruitment is about to begin. I’ve waited five years for this opportunity. I’d hate to miss it.”

Visibly moved by her lie, the others had begun fantasizing about the upcoming recruitment. It was a rare event, and word had it the Eldest Princess herself would grace the final selection with her presence, making this recruitment especially exciting.

Known as the world’s most talented woman, Long Qingyue had admirers beyond counting. Power, wealth, cultivation, talent—she had it all. Male cultivators even joked that she was the type of woman whose surname they’d willingly take upon marrying her.

Of course, these praises came from the storyteller. Ye Wenxin was too acquainted with Long Qingyue’s twisted humor to describe her in such glowing terms.

But the storyteller was a different breed. His job was to turn rumors into legends. Seeing he had everyone hooked, the storyteller sighed dramatically. “I once saw the Eldest Princess from afar during the Immortal Sect Grand Tournament. That one glance stayed in my memories ever since.”

Little did he know, he had met Long Qingyue and even spoken at length with her.

Ye Wenxin secretly chuckled. Having such an exceptional best friend was still something to be proud of. The Fang children began pestering the storyteller for more tales. Naturally, the topic shifted to gossip about Long Qingyue and Demon Lord Gu Qingcheng.

“Master, I’ve finished eating. Can you give me some pointers on my moves?” Fei Chai finally spoke. He had become comparatively quiet now. Among those present, Ghost Mother’s disappearance had affected him the most.

Han Shanxue looked at her disciple and nodded. The two left together.

Ye Wenxin didn’t want to be the third wheel while the storyteller worked hard to impress Sister Hong. She intended to watch how Han Shanxue trained Fei Chai.

But just as she stood up, Sister Hong immediately grabbed her.

“Celestial Master Ye, where are you going?” Sister Hong gave Ye Wenxin a look, not keen on staying with the storyteller.

“I wanted to take a walk nearby,” Ye Wenxin answered honestly. Sister Hong immediately got up. “I’ll come with you.”

Before the storyteller could react, Sister Hong grabbed Ye Wenxin and bolted. In the blink of an eye, they were out of sight.

Ye Wenxin was a little dazed. Since the storyteller had been the first person she met upon arriving at the Azure Wings Sect, she felt the need to get in a good word for him.

“Sister Hong, Senior Brother Mei’s not a bad guy.”

Sister Hong smiled and shook her head. “I don’t feel a spark with him,” she admitted, decisive when it came to matters of the heart.

“Oh? Is there someone else who stirs your heart, then?” Ye Wenxin asked curiously. She thought of her agreement with Long Qingyue. Having little experience with love, she wanted to understand whether feelings could grow over time.

Sister Hong glanced at her, face red, and said nothing.

However, her thoughts were an open book now that Ye Wenxin could read minds.

‘Crap, she hasn’t realized I have feelings for her, has she? Don’t be so impatient, Fang Hong. Celestial Master Ye just lost her would-be Dao partner. You can’t take advantage of her grief like this!’

Sister Hong kept mentally chanting self-restraint while Ye Wenxin was left stunned. If she hadn’t heard those thoughts, she never would have noticed Sister Hong had feelings for her. But she wasn’t disguised as a man, nor did she have any cheats. Why would Sister Hong fall for her?

Ye Wenxin understood love even less. Changing her approach, she asked, “If you don’t want to say who it is, can you at least tell me why you like that person?”

Sister Hong’s expression softened. She took her time before answering, “At first, I was just curious. When I realized it, my eyes were only on them.”

Ye Wenxin thought back on the time spent with everyone. Nothing matched what Sister Hong described.

Seeing her troubled look, Sister Hong tried to cover up her secret and quickly added, “But it’s just a crush. Who knows, maybe someday I’ll stop liking her.”