Morning the next day.

Feng Xiaoran suddenly discovered that, after completing his usual routine of cultivating, washing up, and eating breakfast, Su Yi planned to do something out of the ordinary. This time, instead of returning to his room to continue his cultivation, he was actually going out!

“Big Brother Su Yi, what are you going to do?” she couldn’t help but ask. Feng Xiaofeng and Huang Qianjun were confused too.

Su Yi laughed and tousled Feng Xiaoran’s hair. “I’m going to take half a day off from my busy life and visit a certain someone.”

“Oh!” Feng Xiaoran nodded. 

“Brother Su, do you need a carriage?” Huang Qianjun couldn’t help but ask.

“No need. You can each just attend to your own affairs.” Su Yi waved farewell, then left without a second look. Soon, he’d already strolled out of the courtyard.

“Senior Apprentice Brother Su looks happy today,” said Feng Xiaofeng, sounding a bit surprised. He now carried a wooden crutch. After several days of spiritual medicine and recovery, he could walk again, albeit with great difficulty.

“He’s definitely going to see a close friend,” said Feng Xiaoran seriously.

“A close friend?” Huang Qianjun racked his brains before suddenly recalling a certain someone—

Wen Lingxue!

……

Blueriver Sword Manor.

The sect occupied over a thousand acres, and contained row after row of buildings. It was a sight to behold.

In a sense, Blueriver Sword Manor was the holy land of this generation of Cloudriver Prefecture’s cultivators. It gathered talents from all nineteen cities.

The morning sun was gentle, and numerous young men and women poured through the sect gates. All of them seemed vibrant and full of life. Most were about sixteen or seventeen, in the prime of their youths.

Su Yi walked with his hands behind his back, and when he saw that familiar gate, numerous memories rose unbidden in his mind.

At just fourteen years of age, he’d made the long, bitter journey to Blueriver Sword Manor all on his own, all for the sake of cultivating here. Three painful years followed, but when he thought back to them now, they had an entirely different flavor.

“Eh? Which apprentice brother is that? He’s so handsome!”

“Shh! Restrain yourself!” Not far away, a group of girls noticed Su Yi, and their eyes lit up. They began chatting amongst themselves.

It was undeniably true; this new skin of Su Yi’s was rather exceptional. He was tall and lean, with fair, handsome features.

Add that to his distinctive, aloof and transcendent air, and he was extremely attractive to certain naive young women.

“Restrain myself? Why should I? The good-looking senior apprentice brothers have practically all been snapped up already. If I don’t make my move, I won’t get so much as a single sip of the broth.” A girl in an ornate dress puffed up her chest, then took the initiative to stroll up to Su Yi.

“Senior Apprentice Brother, my name is Tian Yao,” she said, sounding confident and poised. “How about we get to know each other?”

The girl had almond-shaped eyes and peach-colored cheeks, with a slender waist and long legs. As her beautiful eyes looked him up and down, she had an enchanting air about her.

Su Yi shook his head. “I haven’t been a Blueriver Sword Manor disciple for quite some time. There’s no need to get acquainted with me.”

As he said this, he continued strolling further into the sect. 

Tian Yao was stunned. Did I just get rejected? She heard her companions giggling from not far away, and her face went rigid.

Although she was cheerful and generous, under ordinary circumstances, she usually disdained getting to know her male sectmates; most were beneath her notice. Now, she’d finally found someone who made her eyes lit up. Who’d have thought he’d refuse her as if it were nothing?

“Hey! Stop right there!” Perhaps this was her self-respect acting up, or perhaps she just wasn’t convinced. Either way, Tian Yao bit her lip, turned, and chased after him.

Blueriver Sword Manor’s interior was just as Su Yi remembered; it was still all densely packed buildings, courtyards, and training grounds. The scenery hadn’t changed much at all.

With Lingxue’s talent, plus the Abstruse Spiritual Essence Pearl Incantation I gave her, she’s likely already seized a place as an inner sect disciple… Su Yi was already headed directly toward the inner sect.

“Hey!” Meng Yao caught up to him, then said in a huff, “You’re way too rude, you know! You embarrassed me in front of all my friends!”

But then, she flashed him a radiant smile. “But you’re good looking, so I’ll forgive you. Tell me, what’s your name? How about we grab a bite to eat?”

Su Yi was stunned despite himself. He laughed, “A meal? No need for that, but might you do me a small favor?”

Tian Yao laughed gleefully. “Go ahead and say it! If I can help, I will, but you have to tell me your name first!”

Su Yi nodded. “Can you tell me where to find Wen Lingxue?”

Wen Lingxue!

Tian Yao’s expression froze, then she rolled her eyes irritably. “Again? You’re after her too?”

Su Yi’s eyebrows shot up. “What do you mean by that?”

Tian Yao pursed her lips. “You don’t know? Ever since Senior Apprentice Sister Lingxue entered Blueriver Sword Manor, she’s become our publicly acknowledged number one beauty. It’s not just our apprentice brothers; even the disciples of the city’s other clans and factions come running on account of her reputation.”

As she said that last part, her tone carried a trace of envy.

Su Yi thought about it, then nodded. “With her talent and good looks, it’s indeed easy to attract lascivious men. It’s to be expected, even.”

“And aren’t you just another lascivious man?” Tian Yao snorted.

“No, I’m not like them.” Su Yi shook his head. “Right, you still haven’t told me where she is.”

Tian Yao said irritably, “I’m pursuing you, and here you are, asking me about other women? Don’t you know that’s no different from sticking a knife in my heart?”

“Then forget it.” Su Yi started walking off.

Tian Yao fell silent. He left, just like that? He seriously just left?

She was so angry, her chest heaved, and she felt the urge to take a bite out of him.

But a moment later, for some inexplicable reason, she chased after him again and said in a huff, “I’d like to see just what’s ‘different’ about you! Come on, let’s go! Follow me!”

Su Yi smiled faintly. He wasn’t at all upset. On the contrary, a beauty was a beauty, regardless of whether she was happy or angry.

Bashfully lowering her charming head was a type of beauty, but so was flying off the handle in a mad fury. All had their own unique charms.

As a man, all he had to do was admire them.

On their way, Tian Yao chattered nonstop. “I’m not afraid to tell you that countless young talents and disciples of prominent clans are all trying to pursue Senior Apprentice Sister Wen Lingxue, including countless young men of noble birth! Yet to date, not one of them has won her heart. Not one!”

Su Yi instantly burst into laughter. “Her standards ought to be that high! How could any ordinary man be worthy of her?”

Tian Yao instantly felt stifled. She’d planned to convince Su Yi to hurry up and give up on his impractical thoughts. Who’d have thought this had no effect on him at all? 

“And you think you can win her over?” Tian Yao couldn’t help but ask.

“Who said I’m trying to woo her?” Su Yi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Tian Yao snickered. “Don’t even try and lie to me. When it comes to matters like this, all men are liars. You’re just saying that because you’re worried about embarrassing yourself; this is a pre-emptive excuse for when she rejects you.”

Su Yi instantly fell silent. The more you argued with a woman, the worse you looked. He'd learned that from experience.

As expected, when she saw Su Yi fall silent, Tian Yao smiled triumphantly. “Hit the nail right on the head, huh? Right, you still haven’t told me your name.”

Su Yi casually told it to her. 

 “Su Yi?” Tian Yao was stunned for a moment. Then, she suddenly recalled something, and her pretty eyes widened. “You mean the one who lost his entire cultivation? You’re… that Su Yi?” 

Su Yi nodded. “That’s me.”

He couldn’t help but feel a bit confused. It was only yesterday that he defeated Sect Leader Mu Cangtu and the Qingding Military Drill Grounds. It was easy to understand why the sect might cover that up.

But Zhou Huaiqiu and the others had already returned. They didn’t even tell anyone that he’d recovered his cultivation or taken first place in the Dragon’s Gate Banquet?

But then, that actually makes sense too. They suffered such an enormous shock that night at the House of Prosperity. I’m certain they’d love nothing more than to never bring me up ever again….

Su Yi was vaguely starting to understand. 

In other words, throughout Blueriver Sword Manor, only the higher-ups knew what he’d done or what had happened to him. The others were completely in the dark.

“So, it turns out you’re….” Tian Yao seemed a bit despondent, but then, her tone turned gentle, and she said comfortingly, “Senior Apprentice Brother Su, I heard about your misfortune, but you needn’t worry. I don’t mind if you don’t have a cultivation. You just have to remember that good looks are a type of capital too. Most people would love to just sit around looking pretty, but few can.”

As she spoke, she patted him on the shoulder, as if trying to encourage him. “Your looks are quite the asset! In any event, I took a liking to you at first glance!”

“.....” Su Yi suddenly recalled Wen Lingxue joking that the reason she treated him well was because he was good-looking.

She…. don’t tell me she only cares about my appearance too?

That’s a bit shallow, isn’t it?

I have to find an opportunity to make sure she knows that her brother-in-law isn’t just good-looking. I’m incomparable with mundane men in other ways too….

As they conversed, they suddenly heard enthusiastic cheering from far away.

When they looked over, they saw a spacious sparring ground. Two people were fighting there, and a sea of people had gathered to watch and cheer them on.

One of the combatants was a graceful young woman. Most of the young men were focused on her.

Her hair was tied up, her brow was delicate, her skin snowy, her waist slender, and her teeth pearly white. She wore a pale blue dress, as as the gentle light of the sun washed over her, she looked as if she’d walked straight out of a painting. 

“Well fought, Senior Apprentice Brother Wu.” On the sparring grounds, the young woman gently clasped her fist.

“Junior Apprentice Sister Lingxue, you’re getting stronger and stronger. Losing to you is my honor.” Her opponent, a young man in gold, flashed her a carefree smile. However, when he looked at her, his gaze was loving and tender.

“Enough! Hurry up and leave. Don’t think you can get close to Senior Apprentice Sister Lingxue just by losing to her!”

“Feh! You aren’t here to spar at all, are you? You’re obviously just here for her. Don’t you have any shame?”

The square instantly burst into uproar. The youth in gold went rigid, then left, looking rather pathetic.

This scene made many of the female onlookers jealous, but there was nothing for it. It had been like this ever since Wen Lingxue showed up at Blueriver Sword Manor. Anyone who attempted to pursue her became the other guys’ common enemy!

Her popularity was immediately obvious.

When Su Yi saw this play out from a distance, he couldn’t help but smile.

Thinking back to her time in Pinecloud Sword Manor, she was the publicly recognized number-one beauty then too. Who’d have thought she’d keep her position even after advancing to Blueriver Sword Manor?

“You saw it too, right? Senior Apprentice Sister is so popular that if you dare pursue her, no, if you dare even get close to her, countless people will see you as an enemy. I urge you to give up on her now and save yourself some humiliation,” grumbled Tian Yao. When she looked at the peerlessly beautiful young woman standing on the sparring grounds, she couldn’t help but feel jealous too.

But more than that, she felt helpless and a bit bitter.

Without sufficient confidence in their appearance, what girl would dare compete with Wen Lingxue?