Just as Lin Yun was leaving, Duan Heng arrived.
Why is he here?
Seeing Lin Yun, Duan Heng's eyes widened, and he felt a sense of emptiness in his heart, as if something that belonged to him was being lost. Duan Heng didn't have time to speak to Lin Yun before he was gone.
At that moment, all Lin Yun wanted was to get Qin Xiyan and Hongxiu to meet as soon as possible.
Aside from the inner sect, the female disciples of the Flowing Cloud Sect were all housed together on Baiye Peak, the largest mountain range in the sect. The scenery was beautiful, and its location was remote, making it a more suitable place for the female disciples. Male disciples rarely came here.
"Qin Xiyan, I'm not feeling well. Can you cover my duty for me tomorrow?"
In a small courtyard, Qin Xiyan, who was sweeping, looked up at the woman reclining on a long chair not far away.
"Senior Sister Zhan, I've already covered your duty several times. If the elders find out, I'll definitely be punished."
The woman's name was Zhan Ningyue, and she lived in the same courtyard. This was not the first time she had made things difficult for Qin Xiyan.
After Qin Xiyan spoke, she heard Zhan Ningyue sneer. "These days, the elders are busy with inner sect affairs. How would they have time to bother with us?"
Another lackey beside her added, "This year's Inner Sect Grand Competition was so interesting! Not only was the number of disciples who advanced to the inner sect the highest in years, but I heard that even Elder Hongxiu of Qingxia Peak wanted to take a personal disciple and was rejected."
Evidently, this matter had become the biggest gossip in the Flowing Cloud Sect recently.
"Shouldn't the elder of Qingxia Peak be Shangguan Wan?"
Zhan Ningyue snorted. "You wouldn't know, would you? Elder Shangguan is on Qingxia Peak, that's true, but her status and position are not in the same league as Elder Hongxiu's. Elder Hongxiu is someone even the Sect Master has to show respect to! I was right there in the crowd. That Senior Brother Lin was just so incredibly cool! He actually rejected Elder Hongxiu directly. Even the Sect Master was stunned."
As she spoke, her face took on a star-struck expression.
Lackey A said, "Senior Brother Lin is the first person in the history of the Flowing Cloud Sect to refuse to become a personal disciple."
Lackey B added, "As expected of the strongest dark horse. He doesn't even care about being a personal disciple."
"It's a pity, though. By refusing to become a personal disciple, the sect probably won't allocate him many resources in the future. His cultivation path will likely be even more difficult."
When speaking of Lin Yun, these female disciples all had infatuated looks on their faces.
Zhan Ningyue snorted. "What do you all know? Senior Brother Lin was unwilling to become a personal disciple simply because what Elder Hongxiu offered wasn't enough. Just think about Xiao Pingtian. How much effort did the Sect Master spend to recruit him back then?"
The group nodded, sighing in agreement.
This was the first time Qin Xiyan had heard news of Lin Yun since they had last parted.
"As expected of Senior Brother Lin. He's so amazing," she muttered.
Zhan Ningyue heard Qin Xiyan's whisper and sneered, "Qin Xiyan, what did you just say?"
"Nothing." Qin Xiyan shook her head.
Zhan Ningyue snorted. "Don't tell me you're thinking of latching onto Senior Brother Lin? He's someone who could be on par with the Sword Child, Xiao Pingtian, in the future. A woman like you? A toad lusting after a swan's flesh. In your dreams!"
Relying on her numbers, Zhan Ningyue often bullied this woman who was much prettier than her. Because Qin Xiyan had a gentle personality, she usually wouldn't resist.
But this time was different.
Qin Xiyan stood up. "Senior Brother Lin is not as shallow as you think! He has his reasons for not becoming a personal disciple!"
Zhan Ningyue raised an eyebrow. "Oh my, are you talking back now?" It was rare for the ever-obedient Qin Xiyan to retort, and it was because of Lin Yun.
"Qin Xiyan, don't tell me you've fallen for Senior Brother Lin?"
Hearing this, Qin Xiyan's face grew flustered, and she didn't know how to respond. When Zhan Ningyue saw this, she first froze, then burst into loud, mocking laughter.
"Do you even know Senior Brother Lin?"
"I have a distant cousin who came back from Five Yang Mountain with Senior Brother Lin. He knows far more than you do. Qin Xiyan, I advise you not to think too much. Recognize your own place. The most you'll ever be in this life is an outer-sect disciple. You want to latch onto Senior Brother Lin? Dream on!"
Qin Xiyan glared at Zhan Ningyue. Just as the tension between them was about to escalate, a man's voice came from the gate.
"Excuse me, does Qin Xiyan live here?"
Zhan Ningyue looked at Lin Yun standing at the gate, and her mind went completely blank.
Is... is that Senior Brother Lin? The dark horse of the Flowing Cloud Sect's future? He actually came to find me personally!
At that thought, Zhan Ningyue shot up from her long chair. She coughed, straightened her clothes, and walked toward Lin Yun with a beaming smile.
"Senior Brother Lin, are you here to see me?"
Lin Yun looked at the woman's amorous eyes and took two steps back. Damn, are all the female disciples of Baiye Peak this forward?
When Zhan Ningyue's two lackeys saw Lin Yun, they also began to strike flirtatious poses. Not even Zhan Ningyue's presence could make them pass up this opportunity. What if Lin Yun really took a liking to one of them? If they became Lin Yun's Dao companion, it would be a case of one person achieving enlightenment and their whole circle ascending with them. They would never have to worry about the hardships of the cultivation path again.
"Sorry, I'm here for Qin Xiyan." Lin Yun's heart trembled as he looked at the women's predatory gazes. Being stared at by beautiful women was a wonderful thing, but being stared at by wild beasts was terrifying.
Compared to these dinosaurs, Qin Xiyan was simply too beautiful.
When Zhan Ningyue heard that Lin Yun was actually here for Qin Xiyan, her expression darkened. "Senior Brother Lin, what are you looking for her for? If there's anything, you can just tell me."
Lin Yun was getting fed up with Zhan Ningyue, so he stopped talking and walked directly into the courtyard.
Seeing Lin Yun arrive, Qin Xiyan stood there nervously. She didn't know whether to stay or go.
Just then, Lin Yun directly grabbed her small, delicate hand. "Come with me."
At this, Zhan Ningyue and the others were completely dumbfounded. They had thought Qin Xiyan was joking before, but they didn't expect it was all true. This woman really knew Lin Yun, and their relationship seemed far from simple.
Seeing that Lin Yun was about to take Qin Xiyan away, Zhan Ningyue quickly blocked their path. "Senior Brother Lin, Junior Sister Qin has duty tomorrow. May I ask where you are taking her?"
Lin Yun had already seen Zhan Ningyue's panel and knew this woman was a bad seed.
"I need to report to you where I'm taking her? Which elder are you, more impressive than the Sect Master?"
Zhan Ningyue quickly explained, "Senior Brother Lin, I'm just worried about Xiyan being punished by the elders. The rules of the Flowing Cloud Sect are strict. You have to consider Xiyan's well-being, don't you?"
Lin Yun looked at her coldly. "You bully Xiyan all the time, but now you're suddenly considering her well-being? That's really opened my eyes."
Zhan Ningyue's expression changed. Her first reaction was that Qin Xiyan had tattled on her.