After Crossdressing and Provoking Long AoTian

Yu Qingtang had barely tasted a hint of salt when Scholar Xiao cried out in alarm, “Fire! It’s on fire!”

Yu Qingtang hurriedly sat cross-legged and began cultivating the Scripture of Awaiting Good Fortune. A golden lotus throne bloomed beneath him, and within a few breaths, the karmic fire quietly went out.

“It works!” Scholar Xiao beamed. “It really works!”

As he spoke, he pulled a pouch of spirit stones from his pocket and handed it over.

“So Miss Yu really did not deceive me. Here—these one thousand spirit stones, I’m paying them back now!”

Yu Qingtang opened his eyes, and his gaze toward Scholar Xiao softened.

In this cold cultivation world, only the sweet gleam of spirit stones carried even a trace of warmth.

“Ahem.” Ye Chenyan intercepted the pouch midway, then handed it over to Yu Qingtang beneath his expectant gaze. Once Yu’s attention had been successfully redirected, he quietly let out a breath of relief. “Since it works, there is no need to worry too much. Just cultivate your method a few more times before you eat meat in the future.”

He pulled Yu Qingtang to his feet. “After this, I’ll take him to find the people from Dharma Academy. As for the rest of you—”

Dot Star Formation clasped her hands to them. “I was only dragged here to rescue someone by my useless junior brother. Since Miss Yu is unharmed, I should regroup the Chess Academy disciples. Farewell.”

Scholar Xiao glanced back toward Sage-Hearing Schoolhouse. “I plan to stay here for a few more days. If I see any Dharma Academy disciples, I’ll send a transmission.”

Then he lowered his voice and gestured to Ye Chenyan.

“Brother Ye, although the road ahead is difficult, I still have faith in you. Trust me, this draft will definitely come in handy someday.”

Ye Chenyan: “...”

He cleared his throat and pretended not to hear. “In that case, we’ll part here.”

“Wait!” Chi Yantian stepped forward and positioned himself beside Yu Qingtang. “I’m coming with you.”

Ye Chenyan paused, narrowing his eyes. “The spirit boat is too small. It will be inconvenient with too many people.”

“No problem.” Chi Yantian patted the Blazing Rhinoceros at his side. “I have a mount.”

Ye Chenyan: “...”

Yu Qingtang eyed him suspiciously. “Why are you following us?”

“I’m following you!” Chi Yantian’s eyes lit with a peculiar excitement. “I want to see whether karmic fire can be used for artifact refining!”

Yu Qingtang: “...”

He quietly took a step back, tugged Ye Chenyan’s sleeve, and whispered, “Run.”

Ye Chenyan acted immediately. He seized Yu Qingtang’s hand, steered the spirit boat into the air, called out, “Until we meet again!”—and fled.

“Hey—wait!” Chi Yantian hurriedly mounted the Blazing Rhinoceros and chased after them.

He pursued them all the way until he finally ended up aboard the spirit boat.

Yu Qingtang lay sprawled across the deck. Behind him, Ye Chenyan sat cross-legged, completely blocking Chi Yantian’s line of sight.

Chi Yantian propped himself up and tried to speak to Yu Qingtang. “Why are you still lying around? It’s a secret transmission, isn’t it? You should cultivate it more.”

“Leave me alone.” Yu Qingtang rolled over like a salted fish. “I’m upset right now.”

Who could have imagined that the day he wandered down Shanyuan Peak in ignorant innocence would be the day his wonderful, carefree life began its irreversible decline?

Ye Chenyan poked him, trying to coax him. “We found a solution. You just need to cultivate more—”

Yu Qingtang wailed, “I have to meditate for an hour before I can eat one bowl of meat! How am I supposed to live like this?”

Having to cultivate before eating meat—was that any kind of life for a person?

They were forcing an idle fish to grind. This was shameful oppression of an innocent slacker!

Everyone said immortals lived carefree lives. But how could anyone be carefree in a cultivation world that demanded this much grinding?

Chi Yantian scratched his head and tried to comfort him. “A bowl of meat keeps the fire burning for an hour? That’s more useful than an ordinary furnace!”

Yu Qingtang shot upright in fury. “You’re still thinking about using karmic fire to refine artifacts? You like it so much, why don’t I give you the Lotus Realm? You can go to Dharma Academy and become a monk!”

Chi Yantian clenched his fist.

Yu Qingtang immediately rolled behind Ye Chenyan, clutching his robes and surrendering. “I admit I may have been a little loud just now, but—”

Chi Yantian slammed his fist into his palm. “That actually might work.”

“Huh?” Yu Qingtang poked his head out from behind Ye Chenyan.

“No, it won’t.” Chi Yantian furrowed his brow. “The karmic fire only burns beneath your butt. It isn’t convenient for artifact refining.”

Yu Qingtang angrily grabbed Ye Chenyan by the collar.

“So it’s convenient under my butt?”

Ye Chenyan swayed as Yu shook him. He could only pat Yu’s hand in consolation, turning his face away to hide his laughter.

“I think it could work.” Chi Yantian analyzed the matter with great seriousness. “We’d just treat you like a furnace!”

Yu Qingtang stared at him in disbelief, then shook Ye Chenyan and pointed at Chi Yantian with a trembling finger.

“Did you hear that? Is that something a person says? And who would use an artifact forged by karmic fire under my butt?”

“A hero is not judged by his origins. Artifacts are no different!” Chi Yantian declared righteously. “Right, Ye Chenyan?”

Ye Chenyan’s gaze drifted away. “Huh?”

Chi Yantian slapped his thigh. “Then tell me—would you use an artifact refined by karmic fire under her butt?”

Ye Chenyan: “...”

Yu Qingtang covered his mouth from behind.

“You cannot answer! If you answer now, you’ll fall for his trap!”

Ye Chenyan blinked innocently.

Chi Yantian suddenly pulled out a packet of dried meat. “We’ve talked this long. Are you hungry? Want some?”

Yu Qingtang: “...”

Even if he was trying to lure him in, the setup was absurdly short. Who would fall for a trap that obvious?

Ye Chenyan took the dried meat and held it out to Yu Qingtang.

“Want some?”

“No!” Yu Qingtang turned away with rare firmness.

“Tch.” Chi Yantian immediately formed another plan. “Then why don’t you two kiss? We still don’t know what happens when someone breaks the precept against lust. How badly would the karmic fire burn?”

“Cough, cough, cough!” Ye Chenyan choked on thin air. His ears turned bright red. He cleared his throat. “...I told you already. He cultivates the Dao of Emotionlessness.”

“He?” Chi Yantian’s expression became strange. “Then you should give up while you can.”

“I’ve met a few cultivators of the Dao of Emotionlessness. Every one of them was like a frozen stone. None of them had any life in them like you do.”

“Oh.” He gestured casually beyond the Flying Immortals Ranking. “You saw the Esoteric Sect holy maiden at the entrance, right? She stood there as though her very being had fused with the Dao. That is the Dao of Emotionlessness.”

Yu Qingtang knew that too.

He knew that Ji Ruxue, the Esoteric Sect holy maiden, possessed an innate Dao fetus and walked the path of the emotionless Great Dao. If she had not encountered Long Aotian in childhood, planting a small seed in her heart before her Dao heart had fully taken shape, she would eventually cast off the seven emotions and six desires.

She would walk the mortal world as an incarnation of the Heavenly Dao, then finally use herself to mend Heaven and become part of the Great Dao.

Yu Qingtang stole a look at Ye Chenyan.

That later part, where Ye Chenyan stormed the Esoteric Sect, endured the lightning tribulation of the Nine Heavens, and stopped her from harmonizing herself with the Dao, had been pretty stirring.

He wondered how that plotline would play out now...

Yu Qingtang suddenly froze.

He sucked in a breath.

“Everything that happens in here can be seen from outside, right?”

“Mm.” Chi Yantian nodded. “I found it strange at first too. But then I thought about it—most people are probably watching their own disciples. Other than the Heavenly Fire Cult, no one is likely to keep watching me all the time.”

He sat there with complete abandon.

“The Heavenly Fire Cult already knows exactly what I’m like. Let them watch.”

Yu Qingtang instantly drew up his knees and curled behind Ye Chenyan, his expression filled with dread.

“...When I get out, is the Golden Light Sect going to chase me to the ends of the earth?”

Chi Yantian scratched his head. “Probably not?”

Yu Qingtang guiltily rubbed his nose.

How should he put it?

In a modern setting, Jin Yangzi was like the perfect child an entire family had poured all its resources into. They expected him to enter one of the country’s top universities, sail through seven years of master’s and doctoral studies, rise to become a professor, and build a brilliant career.

Then Yu Qingtang came along.

After a round of talk therapy, Jin Yangzi had an epiphany, kicked open the door, and declared, “I’m not going to be a model student anymore! I’m going to find myself and play rock and roll!”

Even if Jin Yangzi might genuinely become a rock star someday, from the Golden Light Sect’s perspective, they would probably still want to twist Yu Qingtang’s head right off and give it a roll of their own.

“Not necessarily.” Ye Chenyan lifted a brow. He sneaked a look at the worried Yu Qingtang, the corner of his mouth curling with quiet mischief. In a very serious tone, he said, “The Golden Light Sect is petty.”

Yu Qingtang wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

“But—” Ye Chenyan lightly bumped into him from behind. “You don’t need to be afraid. I’ll definitely help you.”

“I can’t beat the Golden Light Sect’s senior figures, but then there’s my master. And even if my master cannot handle them alone, Guiyi Sect still has so many elders.”

Yu Qingtang sighed and muttered under his breath, “It can’t be easy for all those seniors to have gotten saddled with you.”

Ye Chenyan lifted a brow. “Hm?”

Yu Qingtang pressed his palms together above his head and prayed devoutly toward the Flying Immortals Ranking.

“But I leave my little life in all your hands!”

Outside the Ancient Academy Realm, Fifth Senior Brother rubbed his face with a weary hand.

He had long since progressed from breaking into a cold sweat every so often to his current state of complete numbness, where nothing could surprise him anymore.

Tianji Zi laughed. “That brat really does not know how to speak.”

“The Golden Light Sect’s senior figures? How could they possibly be so petty? Hm?”

Elder Lieyang kept his face dark and said nothing. He stared at Jin Yangzi within the Ancient Academy Realm.

Jin Yangzi was truly heading for the exit, with no intention of continuing to seek opportunities.

The moment he emerged, Elder Lieyang hurried forward and asked anxiously, “Why are you leaving so—”

Jin Yangzi looked back deeply at the two figures aboard the spirit boat. Only then did he withdraw his gaze and close his eyes.

“My Dao does not lie here. This trial is of no use to me.”

“Let us return.”

“This...” Elder Lieyang was beside himself with frustration.

If Jin Yangzi left now, the Golden Light Sect would likely come away empty-handed from this Golden Core Competition.

Master Huiming watched Jin Yangzi and slowly closed his eyes.

“So that is how it is.”

“To gain, one must first let go. Elder, he has already awakened. Why continue trying to persuade him?”

“Hmph!” Elder Lieyang’s expression was grim. “They intend to return the Lotus Realm to Dharma Academy. You may not say it aloud, but I imagine you are laughing yourselves sick inside.”

Master Huiming remained calm and unyielding. “Those with affinity may obtain it. Those without it... do not.”

Tianji Zi chuckled gleefully and consoled Fifth Senior Brother. “I told you. Good people are protected by Heaven.”

“Little Yu is a sign of tremendous good fortune.”

Fifth Senior Brother forced a smile. “...I only hope he stays safe.”

Tianji Zi’s expression shifted slightly. Then he smiled.

“Of course. Of course.”

...

The three traveled through the Ancient Academy Realm aboard the spirit boat, looking for a needle in a haystack. They picked up quite a few miscellaneous artifacts and spiritual herbs along the way, but did not see a single monk.

“Strange.” Chi Yantian folded his arms. “I used to think those bald monks were everywhere—popping out around every corner to meddle in other people’s affairs. But now that we are seriously looking for them, we cannot find one anywhere.”

“Probably because Rongzhou borders the neighboring province, so people come and go between them often.” Ye Chenyan looked into the distance. “Hey. Are those people from the Heavenly Fire Cult?”

“Hm?” Chi Yantian sprang to his feet. “They are! Jiaojiao!”

The Heavenly Fire Cult group turned around. Tu Jiaojiao, the one dressed in the brightest red of all, was already riding toward them on flames.

“It’s you!” Her face lit up with delight. “Why are you three together?”

She pointed at Chi Yantian, her expression strange.

“Especially you. You’re the monkey who cannot sit still once his backside catches fire. You can actually travel with other people?”

“I thought you would spend your whole life with Flamelet.”

“What are you saying?” Chi Yantian folded his arms. “How could I possibly—”

“Miss Tu is right.” Ye Chenyan abruptly clasped his hands. “Please take this monkey away. Qingtang is nearly driven mad by him.”

The moment Yu Qingtang remembered Chi Yantian’s constant ideas about roasting his backside with karmic fire, he nodded furiously like a chick pecking grain.

“Yes! Yes!”

Tu Jiaojiao stared in shock and pulled Chi Yantian over.

“You finally developed some sense? You are actually chasing after a girl now? The elders do not need to worry that you will remain single forever?”

Then she looked at Ye Chenyan and Yu Qingtang.

She paused, disappointment appearing on her face.

“Tch. Looks like they still do.”

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