After Crossdressing and Provoking Long AoTian

“All right.”

“It’s a deal.” Ye Chenyan tapped Yu Qingtang lightly on the forehead, his eyes curving with a smile. “So next...”

“Cultivate properly.”

Yu Qingtang had expected something else. The moment he heard that, he flopped onto the floor and shut his eyes, pretending to be weak.

“You cultivate. I’m going to rest for a while.”

Ye Chenyan stared at him.

Guiltily, Yu Qingtang rolled over to avoid his gaze and cleared his throat. “I need to work myself into the proper mood before I practice the new piece. I need to find the feeling.”

He put on a grave expression.

“For us qin cultivators, emotions are an important part of it too.”

Ye Chenyan shook his head with a laugh. There was nothing he could do with him.

“Rest a little, then. Just don’t slack off too much.”

“They say the Cultivation Tower retained a trace of the aura of antiquity, which is why its spiritual energy is so abundant.”

“Once we leave here, even if you sat directly on a spirit vein, you might not find spiritual energy this—”

His expression shifted.

He had just been about to warn Yu Qingtang to watch out for a surge of spiritual energy when Yu Qingtang abruptly sprang upright, settling into position with a grave expression.

At the center of a vortex of spiritual energy fierce enough to tear someone apart, Yu Qingtang sat still with his eyes lowered.

The golden lotus throne bloomed beneath him. In that instant, he seemed free of sorrow and joy, like a divine Buddha seated high among the clouds.

Ye Chenyan’s heart inexplicably tightened.

Yu Qingtang was right in front of him, yet he suddenly felt impossibly far away.

When the spiritual-energy surge ended, Yu Qingtang slowly opened his eyes and looked down at his wrist.

At some point, Ye Chenyan had taken hold of his hand.

Yu Qingtang blinked, then looked up at him.

Ye Chenyan released him at once and gave a light cough. “I was worried you wouldn’t be able to handle it...”

“I’ve improved a little too.” Yu Qingtang sat up straight, rare pride showing on his face. Then he fell thoughtful. “And when those eight hundred old monks were chanting in my head before, I think I saw that the farther one cultivates the Lotus Realm, the bigger the lotus throne becomes. Eventually, it can cover other people too. Once it reaches mastery, it can even protect a whole stretch of heaven and earth...”

He came back to himself and shrugged.

“But it has nothing to do with me. Once I run into someone from the Dharma Academy, I’m giving the Lotus Realm back.”

“You truly intend to return it?” Ye Chenyan raised a brow. “Now that you’ve seen how powerful it is, you won’t be reluctant?”

“It is powerful. Aside from the karmic fire, it’s extremely convenient.” Yu Qingtang rested his chin on his hand. “But I said I’d give it back.”

“If I saw how useful it was and decided not to return it, wouldn’t that just make me a hypocritical poser?”

A flicker of amusement passed through Ye Chenyan’s eyes.

“Not bad. A firm heart.”

He smiled and cupped his hands. “I admire you.”

“Heh heh.” Yu Qingtang proudly accepted the compliment, lifting his chin. “A person can’t be too greedy. It’s already helped me plenty. Every time I get to use it, I come out ahead.”

“Don’t worry.” Ye Chenyan smiled. “Even without the Lotus Realm later, I won’t let you get hurt.”

“Mm-hm.” Yu Qingtang patted his shoulder with complete confidence. “I know you’re strong.”

Ye Chenyan was about to smile when Yu Qingtang stretched lazily and added, “Besides, I usually don’t go looking for trouble.”

Most of that trouble had only been forced onto him because he got tangled up in Long Aotian’s plotlines.

Yu Qingtang had long since accepted it.

“Once I’m back at Biehe Sect, the greatest trouble I’ll have is the Wild Boar King in the back mountain. And now, it probably isn’t my match anymore.”

He waved a hand.

“No need for you to step in!”

Ye Chenyan’s smile slowly faded.

His gaze flickered, and he hesitated before asking, “Once the Golden Core Competition is over... you’re going back?”

“Mm.” Yu Qingtang looked up, smiling with genuine delight. “This journey has been thanks to you. Heh, I’ve made out pretty well too.”

“It’s been exciting enough. Later, I can tell the new junior brothers and sisters all about it...”

As he pictured that future, Yu Qingtang casually rubbed his lower abdomen.

That proper kind of dual cultivation still made him feel strange, but he truly did feel lighter all over now. When he examined himself closely, even his malted-chocolate-ball-sized Golden Core seemed to have grown a little.

Ye Chenyan lowered his eyes and looked away.

“Oh.”

He answered in a tone that did not sound especially pleased. Then he picked up his meditation cushion, turned away from Yu Qingtang, and began cultivating on his own.

Yu Qingtang was rather baffled.

A Long Aotian’s thoughts could be as impossible to fathom as a needle at the bottom of the sea.

Still, this was a good opportunity.

He quietly took out the jade token Tianji Zi had given him, changed the inscription on it to “mid Golden Core,” and slipped it back into his pocket.

...He had been at mid Golden Core for several days already, but he had never found a chance to update it. The information had been slightly out of date.

Hopefully, hopefully, no one had noticed.

...

Five days later, nine bells rang across the sky above the Ancient Academy Realm.

Heaven and earth churned. A great hall emerged from behind the hidden clouds, drawing everyone in the Ancient Academy Realm into the floating palace.

Yu Qingtang had cultivated diligently these past few days, so he no longer had to worry about karmic fire burning his backside. He had been eating and drinking with abandon.

When he was dragged into the great hall, he still had a piece of barbecue in one hand and cheeks puffed out with food. Among the surrounding prodigies standing on high alert, he looked completely out of place.

The teleportation came without warning.

Yu Qingtang quietly ducked behind Ye Chenyan, swallowed the barbecue with difficulty, then took advantage of everyone’s distraction to slip the remaining meat into Flamelet’s mouth.

Pretending to admire the scenery, he discreetly wiped his hands clean and made conversation for the sake of it.

“This hall is really huge.”

Ye Chenyan gave him a long look.

“Wipe your mouth.”

Yu Qingtang hurriedly turned his head and wiped at his lips.

Ye Chenyan looked away with a low laugh. Without making a show of it, he shifted slightly to shield Yu Qingtang more thoroughly from view.

Once Yu Qingtang had cleaned himself up, he looked around curiously. Sure enough, he spotted several familiar faces in the crowd.

Wen Rubing stood in the center of the hall with the other Guiyi Sect disciples, sword in hand and aura restrained. Every movement carried the faint bearing of a master.

Behind him, Li Ling’er caught sight of Yu Qingtang and Ye Chenyan. She waved excitedly before squeezing through the crowd to reach them.

“Where did you two disappear to?” Li Ling’er was both happy and annoyed. “I couldn’t find you anywhere!”

“Don’t even mention it.” Yu Qingtang sighed mournfully. “I was in the Cultivation Tower. Day after day after day!”

He had not even had the chance to go looking around the Cultivation Tower for bald heads. Under Ye Chenyan’s supervision, he had been forced to grind.

Ever since arriving in this cultivation world, he had never worked so hard.

A slacker like him had actually cultivated all the way to late Golden Core.

Of course, he still could not compare with Long Aotian in talent.

Ye Chenyan had reached full Golden Core, mastered Heavenly Wolf Tribulation perfectly, and even begun combining that domineering technique with his spear techniques to raise their power even further.

The walls of their cultivation chamber were pitted and battered beyond recognition. Good thing the Cultivation Tower had no caretaker now. Otherwise, they would definitely have had to pay damages when checking out.

Li Ling’er looked sympathetic.

“You cultivated with him? That really is miserable...”

She nodded fervently.

“When he cultivates, he acts like he’s fighting for his life.”

“Ahem.” Ye Chenyan smiled. “You two slackers certainly have plenty in common.”

He deliberately asked, “Little Junior Sister, how is your cultivation? Have you been slacking off? Even though no one can see inside the Cultivation Tower from outside, you still shouldn’t—”

“You, you, you!” Li Ling’er retreated two steps in shock. “We haven’t seen each other in days, and that’s the first thing you ask?”

“Exactly!” Yu Qingtang chimed in. “You should ask whether she ran into danger, whether she’s eaten enough, whether she’s sleeping well.”

“Look at you! Do you even know how to talk to people? No wonder you can’t—”

Li Ling’er widened her eyes and angrily tried to stomp on his foot. She missed, so she could only lower her voice and threaten, “Just you wait!”

There were too many eyes and ears here. She did not dare ask directly, only shooting Yu Qingtang meaningful looks and trying to communicate with her eyes.

Ye Chenyan pretended not to notice. He withdrew his gaze and pulled Yu Qingtang back just as Scholar Xiao was about to wave him over.

He had discovered something about this guy.

Yu Qingtang was genuinely too well liked. If Ye Chenyan looked away for even a moment, some “friend” would call him off to chatter away together in intimate little clusters.

Scholar Xiao had reunited with the people from Four Books Academy. Smiling faintly and lightly fanning himself, he now carried a touch of the unfathomable air of a leading prodigy.

Maybe it was only an illusion, but he seemed stronger than before as well.

The moment he saw them, he hurried over with a smile.

“Brother Ye, Miss Yu!”

“Did you find anyone from the Dharma Academy?” He gave a bitter smile. “I waited at the schoolhouse for a long time and never saw a single Dharma Academy disciple. Later, I went inside to learn a divine ability. The people there told me that the moment I entered, the Dharma Academy disciples all arrived.”

“Ah!”

He snapped his fan shut in regret. Then he changed the subject with a smile.

“But I anticipated something like this might happen, so I left a message at the entrance. They know the Lotus Realm is with Miss Yu, and I told them you aren’t trying to keep it for yourself. You sincerely intend to return it.”

He leaned closer to Yu Qingtang’s ear.

“The Dharma Academy has always had a good reputation. This is a good deed. They won’t make things difficult for you. They might even give you something in return.”

Yu Qingtang finally relaxed.

“As long as they know!”

He lowered his voice too.

“I don’t need anything in return. Even if they invite me to a meal, it can only be vegetarian...”

“That’s where you’re mistaken.” Scholar Xiao lightly waved his fan. “The Dharma Academy’s vegetarian cuisine is exceptional.”

Seeing the two whisper together without end, Ye Chenyan finally lost patience and cleared his throat.

“Tired of dry rations these past few days? I’ll take you out for something good later.”

Scholar Xiao quickly joined in, “Together, then!”

Ye Chenyan was about to refuse when someone called Yu Qingtang toward another part of the hall.

Ye Chenyan hurried after him and caught hold of him, sounding helpless.

“Where are you going now?”

“Look!” Yu Qingtang’s face lit up. “It’s Miaoyin Xian!”

He had just been standing on tiptoe, searching the crowd for gleaming bald heads, when he unexpectedly spotted Miaoyin Xian and her group.

Miaoyin Xian smiled gently and nodded to them from afar.

“It has been a long time, Miss Yu, Young Master Ye.”

Yu Qingtang tugged on Ye Chenyan’s sleeve.

“Come on, let’s go say hello.”

Ye Chenyan was rather helpless.

Everyone here was braced for battle, the atmosphere ready to ignite as they awaited the announcement of the Academy’s great exam rankings.

Yet Yu Qingtang treated it like a reunion between friends. He said a few words here, laughed a little there, drifting through the crowd like a carefree fish flicking its tail through shallow water.

Ye Chenyan followed behind him, guarding against the malicious gazes around them while also making sure this fool did not get too close to anyone.

“Miaoyin Xian!” Yu Qingtang squeezed excitedly toward the Heavenly Music Sect. “Last time, you left before I woke up...”

Miaoyin Xian laughed softly.

“Everyone was heading toward Qingzhou. I had planned to travel with you as well, but I had junior brothers and sisters in the sect who needed my care.”

“Was your journey well?”

“Very well!” Yu Qingtang hurriedly answered. “After the competition, are you going back to Jinzhou? Could Fifth Senior Brother and I travel with you?”

Ye Chenyan abruptly turned his head.

“Ahem!”

Still smiling, he caught Yu Qingtang by the collar and tugged him back slightly. He cupped his hands toward Miaoyin Xian.

“There’s no need to trouble you. After this, I plan to take him around Qingzhou to try some good food. I’m not sure when we’ll be returning.”

“Hm?” Yu Qingtang’s eyes widened. “What else is there to eat?”

“There’s plenty you haven’t tried yet.” Ye Chenyan raised an eyebrow and lowered his voice. “I’ll take you to try it all. What are you rushing for?”

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