CHAPTER 58

— Millennial Dream —

"Senior... senior brother..." Tong Tong tugged pitifully at Su Yan's sleeve, who responded with a cold glance and remained silent.

—Hmph, weren't you chatting quite happily with that person surnamed Lu just now?

Your face was smiling like a blooming chrysanthemum, so why do you look so timid and hesitant in front of me now? Are you afraid I'll eat you or something?

Tong Tong awkwardly withdrew her hand, her heart fluttering with anxiety: Why is he giving me that look again... It's not like I did anything wrong, right?

"Ahem... senior brother, are your injuries healed yet?" Tong Tong's thoughts shifted, and she cautiously asked.

—Could it be that something's wrong with senior brother down there, making him unable to... "perform"? Is that why he's so moody?

Come to think of it, eunuchs in the palace all seem to be quite like that...

Su Yan could tell from Tong Tong's expression that she was thinking something absurd. She frowned slightly and flicked her smooth forehead with her finger: "Put away those messy thoughts. I've already formed my Nascent Soul, so old injuries and ailments are naturally no longer an issue... But you, how come your cultivation is still so weak even after forming your Golden Core?"

—What she didn't say was that while this silly girl's cultivation hadn't improved much, her appearance had become much more refined than before. Hmm, much more pleasing to the eye...

As she thought this, Su Yan's fingers seemed to move on their own, brushing across Tong Tong's fair and tender cheek, causing both of them to tremble lightly—"Hiss—" They gasped in unison, their eyes meeting briefly before immediately looking away, inexplicably flustered.

Su Yan's face flushed with a faint pink hue, while Tong Tong had already turned into a ripe apple, the spot where he touched her burning as if on fire.

—It was just a muscle cramp in my hand, that's all. I didn't intentionally touch that silly girl's face to test whether it was as smooth as I imagined, nor did my fingers act on their own accord following my subconscious desires!

Well, even Nascent Soul cultivators aren't perfect. Muscle cramps and such are perfectly normal!

...Or so Su Yan thought.

—Holy crap! Was I just teased? Teased? Teased? Teased? Teased...

Is this guy still my iceberg, expressionless senior brother?

Could he have been possessed by a demon halfway through forming his Nascent Soul?

...Or so Tong Tong thought.

Before Su Yan could react, Tong Tong pressed a finger against the Yangguan acupoint on her lower back and asked fiercely, "Speak! Are you a spy sent by the demon sect? What have you done to my senior brother?"

Su Yan's eyebrow twitched violently as she glanced sideways at Tong Tong, who was putting on a show. The corners of her lips curled into a faint, ambiguous smile, but she said nothing, simply staring at her until her face flushed, her heart raced, and her mouth went dry. Embarrassed, she withdrew her presumptuous hand: "Hehe, I... I was just joking..."

—Oh my god, this terrifyingly cold aura is definitely Su Yan, no doubt about it!

From an angle Tong Tong couldn't see, Su Yan's beautiful eyes curved gently, and she let out a helpless, soft smile before quickly returning to her usual serious and stern demeanor. However, her hand, hidden behind her back, lightly supported Tong Tong's waist to prevent her from losing her balance.

For a moment, only the howling wind on either side of the flying sword could be heard. The two of them quietly lost themselves in their own thoughts, yet a unique warmth and sweetness flowed through their hearts.

After escorting Tong Tong to the hot spring at the peak of Luoxia Peak, Su Yan thought to herself that since she cared about her, it was time to tell her some things...

Just as she was about to speak, she received a summons from Ye Zhiqiu—a small paper crane circled lazily around her before dissolving into characters that vanished into the air.

"Stay here and be good, I'll be back soon." After a moment's thought, Su Yan retrieved a few plates of pastries from her Qiankun pouch. Looking at Tong Tong's sweet, innocent face, she couldn't resist ruffling her hair. When Tong Tong stared back with an expression that seemed to say, "Senior brother, have you lost your mind?" Su Yan glared at her in flustered annoyance before wordlessly turning and striding away.

—What an oblivious fool.

Su Yan muttered under her breath.

Staring blankly in the direction she had left, Tong Tong's jaw hung open as if dislocated, frozen in the same position for a long time.

—My senior brother could never be this gentle!

First, she was utterly shocked.

—But such tsundere behavior must mean it's really my senior brother...

Then, she nodded to herself in affirmation.

—Does that mean... senior brother might actually like me a little?

Holding her favorite pastries, Tong Tong happily daydreamed, a silly grin spreading across her face, startling a flock of innocent seagulls lingering nearby.

As the Changhong Sword shot through the sky, Su Yan's eyes sharpened. Without slowing her sword's momentum, she cast a quick glance toward a certain direction—this aura... she had never sensed it before, yet it carried an eerie familiarity. Remembering her master's summons, Su Yan pushed aside her dwindling curiosity and steered the Changhong Sword toward the Jiuhan Palace.

—Not only has that infiltrator Xiang Wu slipped in, but there are even suspicious figures near the main peak. Do they really think Chonghua's defenses are so lax? Hmph, Fourth Brother is getting far too negligent!

If Yan Zichu, who was in charge of maintaining order on Qiuye Peak, knew that his respected senior brother had so effortlessly pinned the blame on him, who knows how many pieces his fragile heart would shatter into?

Meanwhile, the woman who had just passed by Su Yan leisurely rode a deep purple auspicious cloud, drifting lazily toward Luoxia Peak. Her silver-white hair shimmered under the radiant sky, yet her figure remained hidden within the clouds, indistinct and unclear.

Her frosty, snow-like face showed little expression, but when a streak of crimson light flashed across the sky, she unconsciously twitched her nose like a curious puppy. A flicker of confusion passed through her clear eyes. Tilting her head slightly, she seemed to catch a scent, her gaze brightening as she urged the auspicious cloud to double its speed toward the peak of Luoxia.

......

"Jade pearl dumplings, purple glutinous rice pastries, golden horse-hoof strips, and a plate of Mingyu cakes, exclusive to the Qingyun Hall—life is complete, isn't it?" Arranging the pastries Su Yan had given her on the white jade table, Tong Tong propped her chin in her hands, admiring her artistic display with a look of pure bliss. Internally, she wrestled with the final decision: which one should she eat first?

—This is a rare reward from Senior Brother, filled with commemorative value and epoch-making significance!

She had to choose the most fitting order and the most elegant posture to enjoy them, so as not to waste such a precious gift!

Hmm, but it's so hard to decide... Maybe I should draw lots?

While she hesitated, she was horrified to discover that two of the Mingyu cakes on the table had suddenly vanished, and a slender, beautiful hand was reaching for a third pristine and adorable pastry.

"Stooooop—" Tong Tong shrieked in despair, lunging forward and grabbing the hand that looked as if it were carved from the finest jade. Torn between "bite it" and "bite it hard," she wavered in indecision.

"Hmm?" The hand's owner did not take offense at her rudeness—which Tong Tong considered justified self-defense—but merely expressed puzzled confusion. "A bit too sweet. Not Auntie Liu's handiwork."

—Liu Jiaojiao, known as Auntie Liu, was the great-great-great... great-grandmother of Liu Qiaoqiao, the pastry master of Qingyun Hall in the Chonghua Sword Sect.

"Little girl, why are you grabbing me?" She seemed to have only just noticed the scoundrel clinging to her hand. Seeing it was merely a young woman, she didn't flare up in anger, but her expression remained cool and unreadable, giving off an elusive chill.

"You... you, you, you! Give me back my Mingyu cakes!" Tong Tong wailed, too distraught to pay attention to the other's appearance, lost in the misery of having lost two precious pastries.

"Tastes awful." Despite saying this, she moved with lightning speed, breaking through Tong Tong's defenses to swiftly and precisely snatch the remaining two cakes and pop them into her mouth. She then cast a cold, condescending glance at the heartbroken, tearless Tong Tong, a flicker of triumph in her eyes.

—D@mn it!

Suppressing the urge to curse, Tong Tong's temples throbbed with anger as she glared hatefully at the "thief," only to be startled by her appearance—

Is this the real-life version of the White-Haired Witch?

Has hair dye technology advanced, or is cosplay already popular in this era?

Wait a minute... this girl looks just like Su Yan!

Tong Tong's eyes widened in shock as she compared the two in her mind: aside from the hair color, the woman before her was clearly the First Senior Brother dressed in women's clothing!

Heavens! What in the world is going on...

Tong Tong was utterly bewildered, her mind swirling with wild guesses, but none were as shocking as the woman's next words: "Little girl, do you know the way to the Heavenly Demon Sect?"

—If I remember correctly, that's a Demonic Path sect, isn't it?

Is it really okay to ask a disciple of a righteous orthodox sect for directions to a demonic sect?

Tong Tong's face twitched, and she decisively shook her head.

"Hmm? If you don't know, I'll k!ll you." The silver-haired woman frowned delicately, a truly pitiable sight—yet the words that spilled from her crimson lips were cruel and merciless.

"Huh?" Tong Tong froze, not for a moment doubting that the woman was joking—she genuinely felt the chilling murderous intent emanating from her.

—The mood shift is too abrupt... I can't keep up at all!

Only then did she believe that this seemingly harmless woman was a demonic cultivator who k!lled without batting an eye.

In an instant, she recalled the many exaggerated and half-true tales her senior brothers, especially Young Master Ding, had instilled in her about "demonic cultivators feasting on humans for power." A cold shiver ran down her spine, and her bl0od seemed to run backward.

After weighing her options for a long moment, she reluctantly pushed the remaining plates of pastries toward the woman, forcing a flattering smile. "Esteemed senior, why not try these? Though they may not be as exquisite as the Mingyu cakes, they're seasonal specialties—not something just anyone can taste!"

—A fed mouth is a softened heart. Please, noble warrior, spare my life for being so sensible!

"Hmm." The woman acknowledged with a haughty nod, her slender fingers picking up a translucent green jade dumpling. Her gaze toward Tong Tong softened noticeably. "Mmm... acceptable."

Tong Tong watched with longing eyes as the woman unceremoniously devoured the pastries she hadn't even had a chance to taste, her heart bleeding with every bite.

——Foodies truly are such peculiar creatures, both troublesome and simple...

......

"Master." Su Yan called out respectfully, bowing her head, but inwardly she wondered: Why does my master look so strange, even seeming somewhat sorrowful and desolate?

Was it just her imagination...

"Yan'er..." Ye Zhiqiu gazed intently at Su Yan's face, her eyes tracing the contours of her features inch by inch, as if she were seeing someone else through her. After a long while, she finally spoke, "In the blink of an eye, my disciple has already become a Nascent Soul cultivator... I am deeply comforted."

"..." Su Yan didn't understand why her master was suddenly waxing nostalgic and melancholic. Unsure how to respond, she remained silent.

Ye Zhiqiu didn't mind her aloofness. She chuckled softly, then set aside those tangled emotions, her expression turning serious. "It has been over a thousand years since the last conflict between the righteous and demonic paths. Recently, the demonic sects have begun to stir once more. Your junior disciples have been captured by them... Since the demonic sects have already come knocking at our door, our sect cannot simply endure this—I have decided to unite the five major sects and launch a joint crusade against the demonic sects!"

"Master..." Su Yan wanted to say something, but Ye Zhiqiu waved her hand to cut her off.

"Yan'er, there are some things that are not yet the right time. One day, you will understand." After uttering these meaningful words, Ye Zhiqiu gestured for her to leave.

Turning back to the secret chamber in her quarters, Ye Zhiqiu finally allowed a bitter smile to surface: As your master, I hope that the later you learn of certain things, the better...

Meanwhile, Tong Tong, who had reluctantly offered up her beloved pastries, secretly rejoiced that this silver-haired woman was finally preparing to leave Luoxia Peak and find her own way to the Heavenly Demon Sect.

"Farewell, Senior! May we meet again~" Not likely!

"Hmm, you're quite a good girl... When I find my daughter, I'll have her marry you." The silver-haired woman spoke with a calm expression, but her words were anything but calming.

"What?" Tong Tong stood there dumbfounded, allowing the woman to pat her head as if she were a puppy. Then, the woman rode off on an auspicious cloud. Even after she had disappeared from sight, Tong Tong remained stunned, unable to shake off the shock of those words.

Selling her daughter's happiness for a few plates of pastries?

Does gender not matter at all?

Can the distinction between righteous and demonic paths be ignored just like that?

...

—Goodness, there are just too many absurdities here, I don't even know where to start!

Tong Tong felt utterly bewildered.

When Su Yan returned to Luoxia Peak and saw Tong Tong for the first time, the latter rushed up and gave her waist a hard pinch.

"What are you doing?" Caught off guard, Su Yan gasped in pain, suppressing her anger as she glared at her.

"Does it hurt?" Tong Tong asked earnestly.

"..." Su Yan didn't answer. Instead, she responded with action—returning the favor in kind.

"Ow~ Ouch, ouch, ouch—" Tears immediately welled up in Tong Tong's eyes. "So it wasn't a dream after all!"

"Idiot." Though she didn't understand what had gotten into Tong Tong this time, it didn't stop Su Yan from reaching this conclusion—and suddenly, she lost the desire to tell her the truth.

—I'll tell her after the demonic sect matter is resolved.

Su Yan thought to herself.

If she had foreseen the consequences of this single moment of hesitation, would the outcome have been different?

Much later, she asked herself this question but found no answer.

BACK | TABLE OF CONTENTS | NEXT