Volume 1, Chapter 16 – What? Junior Sister is Still in Seclusion (Part 2)

Ruan Lingyu’s legs were long and her strides nimble, so her movements carried a natural grace without the slightest affectation. She strode confidently into the Honghua Sect without even bothering to show the immortal’s token at her waist.

“Junior Sister Ruan!”

The two male disciples guarding the gate bowed their heads in deference, not daring to stop her.

Ruan Lingyu nodded in acknowledgment and passed through the entrance unimpeded. Clearly, her face alone was her pass here.

As she walked deeper into the sect, voices greeting her rose intermittently from all sides. It proved that women’s status in an immortal sect wasn’t necessarily low—if you were outstanding enough, you could still rise above others.

Weaving through rows of buildings, Ruan Lingyu soon arrived at the “Orchid Courtyard” in the back mountains, the residential area for the Honghua Sect’s female disciples.

She stopped before a small cottage and called out respectfully, “Master, I’ve returned.”

“Ruan Lingyu, come in.”

Xu Mei’s voice drifted from inside.

With permission granted, Ruan Lingyu gently pushed the door open and entered. There, she saw her master sitting cross-legged on the bed, eyes still closed—clearly in the midst of cultivation.

“Forgive me, Master! I’ve disturbed you.”

Ruan Lingyu hurriedly apologized.

“It’s fine. Was the mission successful?”

Xu Mei asked casually. Her complexion was rosy, her lips full and red, her skin free of wrinkles—she looked like a beautiful woman in her thirties. Such were the benefits of immortal cultivation. While it couldn’t grant eternal youth, it slowed aging significantly. In truth, she was nearly fifty.

“Very smooth. It was just a weak wraith, not even capable of materializing.”

Ruan Lingyu answered respectfully.

“Good.”

Xu Mei’s expression remained unchanged as she asked, “What about the cat’s tears I gave you? Any left? The sect leader has assigned us another task—we’ll need to send someone.”

The “cat’s tears” she mentioned were essential items for low-level cultivators when exorcising spirits. Only by applying them to one’s eyes could ghosts be seen.

“Uh…”

Ruan Lingyu’s face stiffened, and she weakly explained, “That wraith was weak but cunning. I… used up quite a bit of the cat’s tears to track it down…”

“Never mind. I’ll figure something out.”

Xu Mei sighed deeply, her expression turning grave.

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Guilt gnawed at Ruan Lingyu. Items like “cat’s tears” were in high demand in the cultivation world, often becoming priceless whether in finished form or as ingredients. How easy would it be to find more now?

“Go rest for now. You’ve worked hard these past days.”

Xu Mei then considerately dismissed her.

“Yes!”

Ruan Lingyu cupped her hands in acknowledgment and turned to leave.

“Ah, one more thing—your junior sister Hongling is in seclusion. Though you two haven’t seen each other in a while, it’s best not to disturb her.”

Xu Mei suddenly added as a reminder.

“What?”

Ruan Lingyu’s body jolted, and she spun around in disbelief.

“What’s wrong?”

Xu Mei slowly opened her phoenix-like eyes.

“You said… Junior Sister Hongling is in seclusion?”

Ruan Lingyu repeated, seeking confirmation.

“Yes. Is there a problem?”

Xu Mei’s willow-leaf brows furrowed slightly in displeasure.

“That can’t be! Just two days ago, when I returned, I saw her in Ping’an County!”

Ruan Lingyu explained.

“Impossible. She’s been in seclusion since the martial competition a month ago. How could she have gone out wandering?”

Xu Mei shook her head.

Ruan Lingyu was utterly baffled. Her lips parted slightly as she stood frozen for a moment before blurting out in frustration, “But Master, I really did see Hongling in Ping’an County! I even repaid the twenty taels of silver I owed her!”

“Perhaps you mistook someone else for her?”

Xu Mei suggested.

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“Mistook her?”

Ruan Lingyu murmured, replaying the scene in her mind. A trace of doubt crept onto her face before she said, “Now that I think about it, she did seem different—her hair was dry, her palms rough. I thought she’d just neglected her appearance from overtraining.”

“Then you definitely mistook her. Hongling may train hard, but when has she ever let herself become so unkempt?”

Xu Mei concluded firmly.

“But… how could there be two people who look exactly alike?”

Ruan Lingyu still couldn’t believe it.

“Indeed, there shouldn’t be. Which means only one possibility remains—that person was impersonating your junior sister.”

Xu Mei’s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, an unspoken pressure radiating from her.

“Impersonating my junior sister?”

Ruan Lingyu’s beautiful eyes widened, a flash of killing intent passing through them. “How dare she impersonate a disciple of the Honghua Sect? She’s seeking death! And she even swindled twenty taels from me!”

“What worries me more is her motive for doing so. Ruan Lingyu, it seems you’ll have to make another trip—after all, you’re the only one who’s seen her.”

Xu Mei’s expression turned stern as she issued her command. “Relay my orders: Su Qingying, Shen Yuan, Yun Fei, and Miao Xiang will accompany you to Ping’an County. Tear the place apart if you must, but find that impostor and uncover the truth.”

“Understood. And then?”

Ruan Lingyu saluted with heroic vigor.

“Then? Execute her on the spot! The Honghua Sect has been too lenient in the past, allowing petty vermin to grow bold. This time, we’ll make an example of her.”

Xu Mei’s sharp gaze shot out like an arrow.

“Yes!”

Ruan Lingyu turned and strode out briskly.

Meanwhile, the pitiable Huang Qi was locked in a desperate struggle against sleep. His parents and family forbade him from doing any work, leaving him idle—and idleness bred drowsiness. But now that he knew sleep would turn him effeminate, he had no choice but to endure.

The day dragged on until evening. Just as Huang Qi finished washing up, his mother knocked and entered.

“Um… daughter-in-law! I came to chat.”

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Li Fen sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Ch-chat about what?”

Huang Qi recalled his parents’ earlier conversation and grew instantly uneasy.

“To be honest, our family must seem very poor in the eyes of a wealthy young lady like you, right?”

Li Fen probed cautiously.

“Uh… it’s… it’s alright.”

Uncertain of her intentions, Huang Qi answered haltingly.

“Sigh! Actually, every rural household is like this nowadays. With ghosts and spirits roaming outside, fields too far away can’t be farmed. We can only cultivate the two or three plots near the village. Add to that the cold weather slowing crop growth, and harvests are meager—it’s hard just to fill our stomachs.”

Li Fen sighed in explanation.

“I know!”

Huang Qi agreed.

“Oh? Did Huang Qi tell you about this?”

Li Fen’s eyes brightened.

“Yes.”

Huang Qi lied.

“Then… you wouldn’t look down on our poverty, would you?”

Li Fen ventured timidly.

“Of course not!”

Huang Qi affirmed at once, adding for emphasis, “I care about him, not money!”

“Wonderful! In that case… about the bride price…”

Li Fen seized the chance to sound out her “daughter-in-law”.

“So that’s what this is about.”

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Huang Qi was torn between laughter and tears. But to reassure his mother, he forced himself to play the role of the perfect bride despite his embarrassment. “The bride price? That’s completely unnecessary!”

“Completely unnecessary? Do you want Huang Qi to be a live-in son-in-law? Is this your parents’ idea?”

Li Fen paused, then jumped to conclusions.

“Huh?”

Huang Qi nearly had a stroke.

“Actually, being a live-in son-in-law isn’t so bad. Given his circumstances, finding any wife is a feat—let alone someone as exceptional as you. But I’ll need to discuss it with his father. You know how men are about pride.”

Li Fen forced a smile and stood to leave.

“No, no, no! My parents aren’t asking him to be a live-in son-in-law! I’ll… I’ll marry into your family, but we still don’t need a bride price. My family isn’t… isn’t short on money.”

Panicking, Huang Qi blurted out the words before realizing how mortifying it was for a man to say such things. He lowered his head, wishing he could vanish into the ground.

“Really?”

Li Fen never imagined such fortune would smile upon her. After triple-checking with her future daughter-in-law, she hurried off to share the joyous news with her husband.

Huang Qi’s face burned. How absurd this all was—a grown man discussing his own bride price with his mother!

He lay on the bed fully clothed, fighting sleep for fear of feminization. Every so often, he lit the oil lamp to inspect his left arm.

Time crawled by agonizingly. Huang Qi felt each day stretch like a year. Several times, he nearly succumbed to exhaustion, only to rouse himself by jabbing a needle into his skin.

After this torment, dawn finally tinged the eastern sky.

Bleary-eyed, Huang Qi forced himself up to wash. Fearing his parents might notice something amiss, he hurried back to his room after breakfast. Thankfully, daughters-in-law held exalted status in this world—otherwise, his behavior would’ve drawn scorn.

Slumping onto the bed, Huang Qi watched the hours trickle away. Eventually, his willpower crumbled, and he drifted into a hazy sleep.

This time, he slept like the dead—and, unusually, didn’t dream at all. When he opened his eyes again, the sun was setting outside his window.

“Damn it!”

Huang Qi jolted upright, instantly recalling his predicament. He scrambled to check his body, yanking his clothes aside.

“How… how can this be?”

A moment later, he muttered in utter disbelief.