CHAPTER 47

— The Third Wheel —

Circulating her energy to assess her condition, Su Yan found that most of the poison had been purged, and her stagnant true essence was no longer a major issue. Yet, she felt as if a heavy stone were lodged in her chest, making her unbearably stifled.

—This silly girl! Why hadn't she been this dedicated when she taught her swordsmanship back then?!

Her eyes darkening as she watched Tong Tong practice with single-minded focus, Su Yan snorted inwardly and raised a hand to touch her left shoulder. Her arm was still numb and aching, but it was no longer immobile as before. The lingering sweetness of the pill liquid remained in her mouth... Glancing at the alchemy furnace nearby, she narrowed her phoenix eyes, lost in thought.

Just as Tong Tong was struggling to memorize the sword forms, she suddenly felt warmth behind her. A gentle force took hold of her wrist, guiding it through a sword movement. "Huh?"

"The sword moves with the mind, its aura like a rainbow." Lu Xianrou's voice was soft, yet her warm breath brushed past the ear and the nape of the neck, sending shivers across the skin. "With the spirit's return, one breath endures, one energy persists..."

The faint scent of orchids drifted through her long exhale, brushing against the cheek. Tong Tong instinctively held her breath—she didn't dislike the fragrance, yet she avoided it almost instinctively, a reaction she herself hadn't even noticed. But her wrist was firmly held, making her too embarrassed to struggle forcefully.

Her body moved involuntarily with Lu Xianrou's guidance, and Tong Tong passively felt the other's graceful curves. A mix of shyness and frustration welled up in her heart: Little Rou, your figure is just too perfect... Do you even know how much trouble this causes your senior sister? There's a kind of insecurity called an A-cup!

And that chant or whatever—it was so profound she couldn't understand a word of it. How was she supposed to figure it out?

Though Lu Xianrou was only correcting her movements with pure intentions, and Tong Tong was busy with her inner complaints—to the sole observer, it appeared as an intimate, affectionate moment...

"Cough! Cough, cough—" Su Yan clutched her chest, coughing violently while glaring fiercely at the two "heartless junior sisters who don't care about their senior brother's well-being." Unexpectedly, her feigned coughing turned real, sending sharp pain through her lungs, nearly suffocating her. "Cough, cough..."

"Ah! Senior Brother, you're awake?" Startled by the series of heart-wrenching coughs, Tong Tong immediately broke free from Lu Xianrou's grip and hurried to Su Yan's side. Worriedly, she helped her sit up, asking repeatedly, "What's wrong? Are you uncomfortable? Does anything else hurt?"

Su Yan, resting her head on Tong Tong's lap, had a pale face now tinged with a faint flush from the violent coughing. Her beautiful eyes glistened with moisture, her pink lips slightly parted, and her hair remained neatly in place. Tong Tong couldn't look away, her heart pounding uncontrollably. She had to remind herself fiercely—This person is a man! He's seriously injured! He's incredibly skilled...

But what was with this coy, half-resisting demeanor?

Why did she feel like this guy—the top genius of Chonghua, the infamous fierce deity, the top-ranked youth talent—was actually... flirting with her?

—Take a deep breath, snap out of it, Tong Tong!

After mentally slapping herself twice, she finally regained a normal heartbeat.

Just as her hand was about to reach out and pat Su Yan's chest to soothe her, the person in her arms slapped it away coldly, saying, "Mind your own business!"

"Huh?" Was this the classic "use and discard" move?

Tong Tong watched with resentment as Su Yan stopped coughing, pushed her away, and slowly sat up straight. Meanwhile, Jiya, who had been playing with Cookie nearby, immediately trotted over obediently and nestled behind Su Yan as a backrest—somehow managing to look almost fawning with those golden eyes...

Tong Tong couldn't help but twitch her lips—Little Jiya, you're way too good at reading the room!

Don't you know that interfering with someone's romance is asking for divine punishment...

"Who is she?" Su Yan asked expressionlessly, tilting her chin toward Lu Xianrou, who was silently tidying the alchemy furnace.

Tong Tong's brow twitched, and she averted her gaze, unwilling to meet Su Yan's deep, dark eyes.

— Su Yan, that's enough!

What are you trying to prove by acting like you've met a rival in love in front of your own junior sister? She refined the pill that saved you—is it really right to be so ungrateful? It'll damage your cultivation, you jerk...

"Junior Sister Little Rou came with us for the trial, remember? Or did the poison not get cleared in time and seep into your brain..." Tong Tong glared at Su Yan with a look of exasperation, accidentally voicing her thoughts aloud. By the time she realized her mistake, it was too late.

"Junior... Sister... Little... Rou?" When did this silly girl get so close to her? How long was I unconscious for her to start confiding in an outsider? She'd probably help count the money even if someone sold her out...

Unaware that Su Yan had completely missed her sarcasm and fixated on the wrong point, Tong Tong forced a dry laugh and quickly changed the subject. "Ahaha, Senior Brother, are you feeling better now? Thanks to Junior Sister Little Rou's Suying Pill, your poison was neutralized..."

—Why does Su Yan's expression look even darker than before? Was my attempt to change the topic too clumsy and obvious?

"Um... oh right! Senior Brother, Young Master Ding and the others were captured by bad guys—we need to hurry and save them!" Suddenly remembering the long-forgotten matter, Tong Tong's expression turned serious, but the undisguised worry on her face still irritated Su Yan.

—Hmph! Young Master Ding again...

If it were me, would this silly girl be so anxious?

"Oh? What happened?" Su Yan leaned against Jiya, half-closing her eyes as she gazed into the distance, asking lazily.

"It's... well... uh..." Once again, Tong Tong was stunned by Su Yan's unintentionally alluring demeanor. Her eyes widened, and she completely forgot what she was about to say, her mind filled only with the sight before her.

"Hmm?" After waiting a moment without hearing her speak, Su Yan glanced over in confusion, only to see someone staring foolishly at her profile. The inexplicable frustration in her heart eased slightly. She snorted coldly, shooting a sharp glance her way, though a hint of smugness flickered in her eyes. Casually, she reminded her, "Wipe your drool."

"Wha—what?" Tong Tong instinctively pulled up her sleeve to cover her mouth, wiping the corner of her lips, only to suddenly notice the teasing in his eyes. Embarrassed and angry, she retorted, "Y-you're messing with me! There's no drool!"

Raising an eyebrow, Su Yan tilted her head and blinked lightly at Tong Tong, clearly conveying the message: "I am messing with you—what are you going to do about it?"

—Jerk.

Tong Tong refused to admit that this guy blinking and pretending to be cute was absolutely adorable...

"Let me explain the specifics." A clear, cool female voice interrupted their interaction—it was Lu Xianrou, who had been silently observing nearby and couldn't help but "step in to help."

Su Yan's lips curled slightly, but she remained silent.

Seeing that she didn't object but still wore an arrogant expression, Lu Xianrou paid it no mind. Standing straight as bamboo, her delicate brows slightly furrowed like misty clouds, she spoke calmly and softly, recounting the events.

Tong Tong listened intently, her little ears perked up, while discreetly observing the seemingly calm yet intensely charged exchange of glances between the two beside her. Her hand gently stroked the fur along Cookie's neck and back—the tired little creature now nestled in her arms—but inwardly, her heart was bleeding: Could this be the destined encounter? How ridiculously cliché! Stop making eyes at each other, you two! At least pay a little attention to me, the third wheel here...

D@mn it, she had actually become the third wheel! Why wasn't this going according to the script?

Shouldn't it have been Senior Brother weakly opening his eyes, seeing her as his savior, then being moved to tears and immediately offering to pledge himself to her?

Why did Senior Brother seem more interested in Junior Sister Little Rou? From the moment he woke up until now, he hadn't taken his eyes off her—not even a blink! Could he really have taken a liking to her?

Then what about me! Wuwu... Am I destined to end up with nothing before I even get to experience a passionate romance?

I refuse to accept this!

I must find a way to stop them!

—But, Junior Sister Little Rou is also a good girl. Wouldn't this be too...

—Oh, isn't there an old saying that love is inherently selfish? If you keep giving way, you'll only regret it later!

—That's true too! After living for so many years, I've finally felt my heart flutter. If I don't fight for it, even I'll look down on myself!

Look at Su Yan—he has the qualities of a tall, rich, and handsome man, yet also possesses the traits of a fair, wealthy, and beautiful woman. Aside from his neurotic facial paralysis, frequent tsundere behavior, and occasional chuunibyou tendencies, he's practically the perfect lover in every girl's heart. If I miss this chance, there won't be another!

—Ahhh, I'm so conflicted! Someone tell me what I should do!

While Tong Tong was battling internally, the historic meeting between Su Yan and Lu Xianrou was also nearing its end.

"Once the trial is over, I will immediately report this matter to Master and ask for her decision," Su Yan said with the serious demeanor of the senior disciple, but then suddenly shifted the topic, asking casually, "As far as I know, Qinglian Peak doesn't have any high-grade alchemists. May I ask where Junior Sister Lu learned her skills?"

"I merely flipped through a few alchemy books in my spare time. I'm afraid I've embarrassed myself in front of Senior Brother," Lu Xianrou deftly sidestepped the question, but her words carried an implication—this young lady is self-taught, and I casually brewed the pill that saved your life. Don't be too grateful to me!

"Junior Sister is truly a prodigy," Su Yan praised casually, her true feelings impossible to discern.

"Senior Brother flatters me. I dare not claim to be a prodigy. These are just trivial skills—how could they compare to Senior Brother's grace?" Lu Xianrou humbly returned the compliment, her expression calm and equally inscrutable.

"That's true," Su Yan smiled slightly, graciously accepting Lu Xianrou's flattery.

—Who else but me is worthy of the title "prodigy"? Hmph!

"..." Stunned by his response, Lu Xianrou's composed mask seemed to crack for a moment—before quickly returning to her calm demeanor, as if it had all been an illusion.

—As expected of the senior disciple... truly shameless! In this regard, she really had to admit defeat...

Thus, Tong Tong, who had finally resolved to protect her first love, was horrified to discover that, unbeknownst to her, the two beside her had been chatting happily, successfully progressing from mere acquaintances to laughing and joking together, seemingly completely excluding her, the "third wheel," from their circle...

Dejectedly hugging Cookie in her arms, Tong Tong hung her head in self-reflection: My dear, come back... I can't bear it anymore... Come back...

The two, who had been engaged in a silent battle of glances, suddenly noticed that Tong Tong beside them had inexplicably sunk into a low mood. They exchanged a look, both at a loss.

"Oh, what a coincidence!" Another soft, melodious female voice rang out. The three of them turned to look, each with a different expression.

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