After Crossdressing and Provoking Long AoTian

Ying Wujue raised a hand and caught the blow.

His cultivation level far surpassed his opponent’s, so he had not taken the attack particularly seriously. To his surprise, however, the strike was far harder to withstand than he had expected.

Ying Wujue retreated two steps, pivoting as he landed on a green bamboo stalk and bent it beneath his foot. His brows drew together slightly, a trace of gravity flashing through his eyes.

He closed his eyes briefly, suppressing his anger and doing his best to speak calmly. “I have no intention of exchanging blows with you. If you are willing to apologize for your reckless words just now, I—”

“Enough talk.”

Ye Chenyan was already pressing the attack again.

“I meant every word. The Esoteric Sect is exactly who I was insulting.”

The two clashed at close quarters once more. Ye Chenyan lowered his voice, a vicious glint flashing through his eyes.

“Tell those stubborn old bastards to leave him alone.”

“You!”

Ying Wujue’s white hair lifted slightly. At last unable to contain his fury, he raised a hand and summoned his weapon.

A White Feather Bow appeared in his grasp, silver-white from end to end, flowing radiance rippling across its surface.

He flew backward to open the distance between them, using spiritual power as his arrow. His detached expression made him appear all the more emotionless.

“My apologies.”

Yu Qingtang found the safest place available—from behind Tianxin’s wheelchair—and watched the battle with some concern.

The plot had gone off course far more than once or twice already, and Ye Chenyan had never once disgraced the name of Long Aotian. Even so, this senior brother had appeared far earlier than he was supposed to.

Because he had appeared earlier, his cultivation level was a little lower as well. Yet this was still a peak Nascent Soul cultivator suppressing someone at early Nascent Soul. This fight would probably be difficult.

Yu Qingtang quietly appealed for help. “Senior Sister...”

“Do not worry.” Tianxin inclined her head slightly. “If things go too far, I will intervene.”

Spiritual power gathered around the White Feather Bow. A keen point of light formed at the arrowhead, so piercing that merely looking straight at it made one’s eyes ache.

The long arrow shot from the string.

Tianxin’s expression shifted. Just as she prepared to help, the armrest of her wheelchair opened and the Star-Fixing Wood emerged—but in the end, she did not act.

The violent surge of spiritual power subsided, and the clouds of dust dispersed.

Ying Wujue’s eyes remained as still as an ancient well.

“That arrow was not intended to take your life. Consider it a warning, so that you will learn to watch your words in the fut—”

Before he could finish, the ground vanished beneath his feet.

Startled, he had no time to leap away before Ye Chenyan seized him and dragged him underground.

“You!”

Ying Wujue immediately tried to break free, but the restraints slowed him by a fraction. Ye Chenyan burst out of the earthen tunnel and drove a fist into his face.

“Hiss—” Yu Qingtang sucked in a breath.

Fortunately, Ying Wujue was a cultivator. If he had been an ordinary mortal, that eye would have remained black and blue for days.

Ye Chenyan raised his fist again.

Tianxin laughed softly and stopped him. “Enough.”

“The point has been made.”

Ye Chenyan was still gripping Ying Wujue by the collar. At her words, he pursed his lips, released him, and dusted off his hands before returning to Yu Qingtang’s side.

Yu Qingtang first gave him a thumbs-up, then leaned close to his ear and whispered, “Never hit a man in the face.”

Ye Chenyan leaned toward him and lowered his voice as well. “Couldn’t help it. His face was a disgrace.”

Yu Qingtang: “...”

You just had to make it rhyme, didn’t you?

“Ahem.” The corners of Tianxin’s mouth curved upward as she reminded him, “Junior Brother Ye, please let him out.”

Yu Qingtang turned to look.

Ying Wujue was struggling continuously inside the earthen pit, but the spiritual power around it appeared to have altered the ground itself. It behaved like quicksand—the more he struggled, the deeper he sank.

Ye Chenyan snorted. “And he calls himself an Esoteric Sect disciple. He can’t even climb out of a dirt hole.”

“You!” Ying Wujue’s chest rose and fell. He could no longer suppress his emotions. “You clearly used an unusual divine ability. This ground—”

Yu Qingtang recalled the totem that had unfolded behind Ye Chenyan when he burst from the earth. Realization dawned, and he clapped his hands.

“It was that hairless wild boar from just now!”

The smugness on Ye Chenyan’s face froze.

He became somewhat exasperated. “It was an Earth-Tunneler! What wild boar?”

Yu Qingtang widened his eyes innocently. “I said the totem was a wild boar. I never said you were one.”

“The totem isn’t a wild boar either,” Ye Chenyan protested. “You’re coming with me tomorrow to meet the representatives of the seventy-two divisions. If you call it a wild boar in front of them...”

“I would never be that tactless.” Yu Qingtang nodded sincerely, then pointed at Ying Wujue. “Let’s pull the wild boar out first—ah, no. Let’s pull out this Esoteric Sect disciple.”

Ye Chenyan pursed his lips and reluctantly lent a hand.

The instant he hauled Ying Wujue out, he released him, as though unwilling to touch him for even a moment longer. He dusted his hands off in distaste.

“You lost. Stop bothering him from now on, and quit using grand principles to browbeat people.”

Ying Wujue looked somewhat disheveled, but his gaze remained unwavering. “When Heaven begins to collapse—”

Yu Qingtang sighed. “Here we go again. How many times did you memorize this speech?”

Ying Wujue turned toward him and attempted to speak. “You—”

Before he could begin, Yu Qingtang stepped backward and raised a hand to stop him.

“Do not try to morally blackmail me.”

He proudly puffed out his chest and raised his head.

“Because I have no morals whatsoever! No ambition and no conscience either!”

Ye Chenyan raised an eyebrow, amusement flashing through his eyes. “Who are you talking about?”

“Me.” Yu Qingtang pointed solemnly at himself. “Do I not look ruthless and heartless?”

“Hmm...” Ye Chenyan [N O V E L I G H T] knitted his brows as though deeply troubled.

Yu Qingtang lowered his voice and threatened him. “Don’t undermine me. At least let me keep up the act in front of outsiders.”

Ying Wujue grew anxious. “How can you—”

“I am simply that ruthless and heartless.” Yu Qingtang nodded gravely. “Saving the world starts with you—and some other fellow.”

He pointed at himself.

“Do not count on me.”

Ying Wujue clenched his fists.

“Everyone has their own aspirations,” Tianxin said calmly. “He has committed no crime against Heaven or humanity. He simply refuses to follow the path arranged for him by the Esoteric Sect.”

She laughed softly, as though she had seen through him long ago.

“Young Master Ying repeatedly claims that everything he does is for all living beings beneath Heaven. But can you truly face your own heart without shame? Is it really only for the sake of all living beings, without the slightest selfish motive?”

Ying Wujue froze.

For a fleeting instant, panic appeared on his face. He turned away in embarrassment.

“I naturally... Naturally, it is for all living beings beneath Heaven!”

He furiously swept his sleeve aside and departed, no longer lingering in the Immortal-Bewildering Forest.

“Hey—” Yu Qingtang reminded him. “You can’t get out without Senior Sister Tianxin guiding you!”

Tianxin shook her head slightly. “I will escort him out.”

Yu Qingtang breathed a sigh of relief. He could not help complaining to Ye Chenyan.

“Listen, that Esoteric Sect disciple definitely has something wrong with his eyes. He actually said I was born supreme!”

Ye Chenyan raised an eyebrow slightly. “Oh?”

Yu Qingtang sighed deeply. “Pure alarmist nonsense.”

Ye Chenyan turned to look at him, amusement flashing through his eyes. “Truly horrifying.”

“After all, I am the one who will become supreme beneath heaven. You can only settle for...”

He closed his eyes and considered the matter seriously, trying to come up with a suitable title for Yu Qingtang.

Yu Qingtang watched him expectantly. “For what?”

Ye Chenyan nodded with great solemnity.

“The World’s Foremost Heart-Stealing, Flower-Plucking Scoundrel and Great General of Finding Time to Slack Off and Enjoy Life.”

Yu Qingtang: “...”

Half of that sixteen-character title was clearly Ye Chenyan smuggling in his own grievances.

“I’ll gladly accept ‘Great General of Finding Time to Slack Off and Enjoy Life.’ We can forget the first half.”

Ye Chenyan muttered, “You’d better forget it...”

Yu Qingtang poked him. “Are you ready? Tomorrow is the final battle. Each challenge has been harder than the last, and this time you’re fighting the Flying Serpent division, the strongest of the seventy-two divisions at present. It’ll be even more difficult.”

He was a little worried.

“You may have brought this trouble upon yourself by manually turning up the difficulty, but...”

Ye Chenyan laughed and tilted his head at him. “What? You think I can’t win?”

“Of course not,” Yu Qingtang denied without hesitation.

Ye Chenyan smiled, his eyes shining brilliantly. “As long as you believe in me.”

He stretched. “Whew. With the battle this close, I really can’t sleep. Forget it. I’ll cultivate properly tonight.”

“All right!” Yu Qingtang loyally thumped his chest. “Since tomorrow is so important, I’ll stay up and train with you all night, even if it kills me.”

Ye Chenyan looked surprised. “Really?”

Yu Qingtang vowed confidently, “Really!”

“Good.” Ye Chenyan smiled and led him to the stream, where they sat cross-legged. “Then I’ll take you at your word.”

Less than an hour later, Ye Chenyan heard the slow, steady breathing beside him. He opened his eyes and looked over helplessly.

Yu Qingtang’s head was bobbing like a chick pecking at grain. He was already too sleepy to keep his eyes open.

He abruptly swayed, lost his cross-legged posture, and toppled sideways.

Quick as lightning, Ye Chenyan slipped a pillow beneath his head.

Yu Qingtang jolted awake. He opened his eyes blankly, then stared in shock at the pillow beneath his head.

“You’re awake?” Ye Chenyan propped up his chin and smiled at him. “I thought you might simply continue falling and go straight to sleep.”

Yu Qingtang pointed at the pillow in astonishment. “How did this get under my head?”

Ye Chenyan’s eyes curved with laughter. “It probably noticed you were tired, thoughtfully grew a pair of legs, and ran over by itself.”

Following his lead, Yu Qingtang closed his eyes. “Thank you, Pillow. What a good pillow.”

“Who am I to reject such heartfelt hospitality? I’ll just rest my eyes for a moment.”

Ye Chenyan narrowed his eyes and poked his cheek. “You’re actually going along with that? Pillows don’t have legs.”

Yu Qingtang rolled over and opened his eyes to look at him.

“Did you bring a blanket? Thank you, Junior Brother Ye Chenyan, born supreme—who is even better, more thoughtful, and more obedient than the pillow—”

Ye Chenyan could not hold back his laughter. He took a blanket from his storage ring and covered Yu Qingtang with it.

“I knew you couldn’t stay awake. Why force yourself? Go back to your room and sleep.”

Yu Qingtang yawned. “You don’t understand.”

His eyes half closed, he clenched his fist.

“I’m the overnight-cultivation morale team. My cultivation may not be up to standard, but my support has to be.”

He peacefully closed his eyes and left behind one muffled sentence.

“You just need to know my heart is with you.”

Ye Chenyan paused.

Lowering his gaze, he took Yu Qingtang’s hand.

“Really?”

He bent down and asked softly, “You didn’t just say that to coax me, did you?”

Yu Qingtang slept peacefully and smacked his lips.

Ye Chenyan: “...”

He extended a hand and gestured at Yu Qingtang’s face. In the end, he could not bear to wake him again.

He could only sit cross-legged once more, let out a long sigh, and mutter, “What is love, that all beneath Heaven should ask...”

He shot Yu Qingtang a sidelong glance.

“A thing that sets the heart yearning and the teeth grinding.”

...

The next day.

After sleeping soundly through the night, Yu Qingtang was bursting with energy.

He turned his head and saw Ye Chenyan, who had cultivated all night yet remained full of fighting spirit without the slightest sign of fatigue. He could not help marveling.

“People truly are built differently. Some people have apparently transcended the need for sleep altogether.”

“Who said that?” Ye Chenyan’s aura was restrained, but his eyes burned with even fiercer fighting spirit than usual.

His words carried a clear implication.

“Of course I still have needs.”

Candle Nine Yin stood outside the bamboo grove with his hands clasped behind his back. Only when he saw them approaching did he slowly turn around.

“I will remind you one final time.” His expression was indifferent. “If you fail the last challenge, then no matter how astonishing your previous performance has been, you will not be able to bear the title of Demonic Sovereign.”

“But should you withdraw now, seventy-one victories are already enough to command the people’s respect. As for the few dissenting voices that remain, I will silence them myself.”

He fixed his gaze on Ye Chenyan.

“Have you thought it through?”

Across from him, Yu Qingtang and Ye Chenyan wore peculiar expressions.

Yu Qingtang raised a hand and gestured toward his own forehead.

Candle Nine Yin did not understand. He lifted a hand to touch his forehead and came away with his palm smeared in vivid crimson rouge.

Candle Nine Yin considered this for a moment, then raised his eyes and nodded.

“I angered Green Snake last night. She must have done this deliberately to make a fool of me. My apologies for the spectacle.”

Author’s Note:

Yu Qingtang: The bigger a shot I become, the more titles I collect. I, AKA Little Idle Cultivator Awaiting Good Fortune, have now evolved into AKA Great General of Finding Time to Slack Off and Enjoy Life! [coolly pushes up sunglasses]

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