Chapter 21: They’re All the Same in the Dark
The night before the competition, participants were allowed to stay overnight at the manor.
Since her return to the inn, Xiang’er had been acting strangely. When asked what was wrong, she wouldn’t say, only muttering “tired, want to rest” before retreating to her room.
Chen Yin knew she was still sulking.
Back in his room, Chen Yin listened to Luo Luo’s account of the day’s events, lost in thought.
“Changli Palace… Yin Mengwan…”
He had no recollection of this sect. It was clearly not a prominent one, and he had no idea what had happened to it.
But since Xiang’er had chosen this sect and name, it couldn’t be a random fabrication.
He made a mental note to inquire about it if the opportunity arose.
“Right now, the most important thing is tomorrow’s preliminary round at the Fairy Conference.”
Chen Yin whispered a few instructions to Luo Luo. She nodded, then vanished into the void.
After a moment of hesitation, Chen Yin got up and slipped out under the cover of night.
He walked to Xiang’er’s door and knocked gently.
“Xiang’er, are you asleep?”
“…Yes.”
“I’m coming in.”
“I said I’m asleep, why are you still coming in, stinky Senior Brother?!”
“Because Xiang’er is asleep, that’s why Senior Brother is coming in for a night raid.”
A moment later, the door creaked open, revealing Xiang’er standing at the entrance, dressed in a thin white silk nightgown, her head lowered.
“What do you want?” She tried her best to sound indifferent.
But Chen Yin could still hear the underlying hint of grievance in her voice.
“Tomorrow is your first match, Xiang’er. Senior Brother is worried you might not be able to sleep, so I came to warm your bed.”
“No. You’ll just make my bed smell.”
“…Don’t be ridiculous, I bathe every day.”
Chen Yin looked around. “Want to go for a walk? It’s good to relax before a big test.”
Xiang’er’s eyes flickered with interest, but she still turned her head away.
“I don’t need your concern.”
“You’re my dearest Junior Sister, who else would I care about if not you?”
“There are so many beautiful girls out there, and I can’t compare to them. Why care about me?”
“Maybe Xiang’er is just lucky to have met a man with such discerning eyes like Senior Brother.”
Chen Yin said with a chuckle, “I’ve been planning to make Xiang’er my wife since we were little.”
Yu Xiang’s breath hitched, and a blush crept onto her cheeks under the moonlight.
“I-I told you, I don’t want to be your wife.”
“Then I might have to resort to force.”
“Bah. Bad Senior Brother, you pervert, shameless.”
“Ah! That’s it! I love it! Say it again, Xiang’er.”
Yu Xiang stomped her foot in frustration and walked out on her own. Chen Yin smiled to himself and followed her.
The night was cool and refreshing. Their shadows stretched along the corridor, connected from one end to the other.
Xiang’er walked with her hands behind her back, lightly stepping on the shadows cast by the corridor pillars, a troubled expression on her face.
Chen Yin, unusually, didn’t tease her but simply walked beside her in silence.
“…Why does Senior Brother always care so much about me? I can take care of myself.”
“Really?”
“Of course. I’m not a child anymore.” Yu Xiang pouted.
Chen Yin shook his head. “I don’t believe you.”
“Unless you let me touch you.”
“No! Way!”
Xiang’er stomped on his foot angrily. Chen Yin just grinned and remained silent.
“But I can’t help but worry about you.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re silly.” Chen Yin said seriously.
Yu Xiang puffed up her cheeks, indignant. “I’m not silly!”
“If you weren’t silly, you wouldn’t keep so many things bottled up inside, refusing to tell Senior Brother, and trying to deal with everything on your own.”
Xiang’er stopped walking. She looked down at the pebbled path beneath her feet.
“If you weren’t silly, you would know that the purpose of a Senior Brother is to help and care for his Junior Sister.”
He said calmly, “You refuse to tell me anything. Either I’m truly that annoying, and you dislike me.”
“Or, you’re a hopeless fool.”
Yu Xiang turned her back to him, biting her lip to stop herself from making a sound.
“But I guess I’m just unlucky to have such a silly Junior Sister.”
Chen Yin sighed softly. “As a Junior Sister, you can be willful, act spoiled, and throw tantrums at your Senior Brother.”
“But since I’m the Senior Brother, no matter how much you throw tantrums or how unhappy you are…”
“I have to coax you.”
Treat her like a treasure. Hold her in his palm.
He couldn’t bear to see her suffer even a little bit.
“There’s nothing I can do, you’re my only Junior Sister.” Chen Yin smiled helplessly.
Yu Xiang opened her mouth slightly, then quickly covered it with her hand.
…She almost couldn’t hold back.
Almost blurted out everything she wanted to say.
Almost wanted to throw away the System and its missions, and be his little Junior Sister forever.
But in the end, she held back.
She didn’t say anything. She just turned around, her eyes red, and hugged him gently.
“Senior Brother, I…” she said, her voice choked with tears.
Chen Yin shook his head. “I won’t force you.”
“Like I said, whenever you’re ready to talk, I’m always willing to listen.”
Yu Xiang nodded slightly, then rested her head against his chest.
Chen Yin didn’t speak, just wrapped his arms around her slender waist.
They hugged for a long time. Yu Xiang suddenly blushed and whispered:
“Senior Brother… don’t be naughty.”
“Cough. It’s a normal reaction.” Chen Yin’s expression remained unchanged, his thick skin unfazed.
Xiang’er looked up at him shyly, her eyes sparkling.
“The atmosphere is so nice… Senior Brother, don’t ruin it.”
“Then, what’s this atmosphere suitable for?”
“Hmm… Senior Brother, close your eyes.”
“Again? It’s not the first time. It’s already dark at night—”
“Close them!” Xiang’er’s tone was laced with a playful demand.
Chen Yin had no choice but to close his eyes.
Yu Xiang stared at Chen Yin’s peaceful face for a moment, lost in thought.
Then she closed her eyes as well, stood on tiptoe, and pressed her lips against his.
…Closing our eyes is like turning off the lights of the world.
In the darkness, we are free.
We can do what we want, love who we love, without restraint.
Because when we open our eyes and turn the lights back on, the world will continue its hustle and bustle.
No one will remember what happened in the dark.
—-
The next day, Ten Thousand Cloud Mountain was decorated with lanterns and streamers, bustling with excitement.
The square in front of the martial arts stage was packed with participating fairies and spectators.
From the front row, a loud voice could be heard: “Hey! Place your bets, place your bets!”
“Hey, hey, hey, young man, interested in placing a bet?”
Chen Yin, his mind still replaying the softness of Xiang’er’s lips from the night before, was suddenly pulled by the arm by a young man at a stall.
Seeing his enthusiastic expression, Chen Yin hesitated for a moment and asked, “What are you betting on?”
“The outcome of the matches, of course.” The young man replied. “Looks like you’re new to this, young man.”
“You see, we have odds for all the matches, big or small. If you want to have some casual fun, you can bet on your acquaintances, Senior Sisters, or Junior Sisters. If you want to go big, I can recommend some favorites to win the championship.”
Hearing about the favorites, Chen Yin immediately became interested. “Tell me more.”
“Well, the biggest favorites to win are undoubtedly Frost Moon Sword Immortal Shen Shuanglian from the Mist Spirit Sect and Silk-Robe Fairy Luo Qiaoqiao from the Heavenly Net Sect.”
The young man explained with a knowing air, “In terms of beauty, they’re both breathtakingly stunning, words can’t even do them justice.”
“In terms of strength, they’re both chief disciples of prominent sects, exceptionally talented, and both have already reached the Boundless Realm.”
“The Boundless Realm! In any sect, that’s the level of a junior elder. Countless cultivators spend their entire lives trying to reach that level, and they’ve already achieved it at such a young age.”
“It’s practically guaranteed that they’ll meet in the final. It’s just a matter of which fairy will emerge victorious.”
Chen Yin thought back to the confrontation between the two women in the forest and couldn’t help but cough lightly.
“Indeed, indeed… Then the odds for those two must be very stable.”
“They’re basically guaranteed wins.” The young man explained. “But since it’s a sure thing, everyone is happy to place a small bet.”
“So, which one are you betting on, young man? You can also bet on your friends or relatives who are participating.”
Chen Yin casually glanced at the list of participants and saw Xiang’er’s opponent, who was just an ordinary female cultivator. The odds for both of them were about the same, indicating that no one was really paying attention to their match.
After casually placing two bets on Xiang’er, Chen Yin’s gaze inadvertently fell upon another name.
Changli Palace. Yin Mengwan.
Her opponent seemed to be a relatively well-known female cultivator in the cultivation world.
Perhaps because no one had heard of Changli Palace, the odds were surprisingly high, reaching a staggering 1:12.
Such exaggerated odds were usually only seen for favorites like Shen Shuanglian and Luo Qiaoqiao.
“Have you made your choice, young man?” The young man asked eagerly.
“Yes.”
Chen Yin pointed to the name. “I’ll bet on this one.”
“Wow, you’re really going for a high-risk, high-reward bet. But that Zhang Qing is the second Senior Sister of the Profound Cloud Sect, and her cultivation is quite impressive. As for this Yin Mengwan from Changli Palace… I’ve never heard of her.”
“Maybe she’s a reclusive master.” Chen Yin smiled silently.
“All in. I’m betting everything on Yin Mengwan to win.”
“What boldness! Alright, I’ve got it down.”
After placing his bet, Chen Yin walked away, taking a deep breath.
…1:12 odds.
If Xiang’er was really hiding something, he was about to make a fortune.
He had just spent 200 spirit stones yesterday, practically bankrupting himself.
Xiang’er, my lucky goddess. He imagined himself showering Xiang’er’s portrait with kisses.
My path to riches depends on you, my dear Junior Sister.
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