CSMCDB - Chapter 97
Chapter 97
"Alright, alright, I was just saying." Wen Yuncheng quickly left the office building and headed off campus. Who knew what the future held? For now, all she could do was her best to live in the present. If- if there was a chance, or if she really couldn't hold back, it wasn't impossible that she might let it slip or that Lin Jinyu would figure it out.
Wen Yuncheng was a little impatient to see Lin Jinyu. The little ice mountain was busy, and she felt it would be an imposition to go directly to the Flowing Cloud Sect. So, she could only continue her daily routine at the Dueling Arena, cobbling together Star Cannons to arm herself. Then she would occasionally have meals with Zhou Xuan and the others. After the new students enrolled, she watched their placement battles, and time trickled by just like that.
She was already a fourth-year student. As a member of S-Class, she didn't need to worry about the possibility of being thrown into Z-Class and held back. As for the future… Wen Yuncheng looked at the property prices in the Imperial Capital. They were quite high. But she was just one person and didn't have high requirements for a house; with her current assets, she could completely afford one. However, Wen Yuncheng didn't make an immediate decision. She planned to figure things out after graduation.
It wasn't until the autumn Beast Tide began that Lin Jinyu returned to the academy from the Flowing Cloud Sect.
Having passed her trial, Lin Jinyu could now begin to take over the duties and authority of the Flowing Cloud Sect's master. As long as she wanted, she could become the next sect master after graduation. But clearly, Lin Jinyu had no such thoughts for the time being. Her talent in cultivation was outstanding, and Sect Master Lin also hoped she could continue to cultivate and advance further.
As for impatiently giving Wen Yuncheng the position of guest elder the moment she passed the trial? Sect Master Lin didn't inquire about these things. He only instructed her to focus on her cultivation, saying that they were both still young, and as for everything else… it wouldn't be too late to think about it in a few years.
Severing ties with the Wen family, traveling alone to Star Academy to study, and now winning first place in the Youth Tournament… It was very clear that Sect Master Lin's opinion of Wen Yuncheng had changed slightly.
In Lin Jinyu's view, her father must have misunderstood something. But she was the only one who knew that Wen Yuncheng was a girl, so she didn't say much, maintaining her silence as always.
Lin Jinyu had used the Beast Tide as an excuse to rush back to the academy. When she requested leave, Sect Master Lin stared at her silently for a good while before waving his hand and letting her go. What she didn't know was that after she left, Sect Master Lin sighed and asked the elder beside him, "Given how things are now, that annulment back then…"
"The younger generation will have their own fortunes. Perhaps if the engagement hadn't been annulled, they wouldn't have ended up together," the elder replied.
Sect Master Lin said no more. He thought about the recent marriage proposals from many sects and then about the Wen family brat who had never once set foot in the Flowing Cloud Sect's territory. A bitter taste filled his heart.
"At the very least, she must advance to the Star King rank…" The current Lin Jinyu was still very weak, Sect Master Lin thought. It was too early for her to take over the sect's affairs at the Star Lord rank. She was only nineteen and had limitless potential for growth. It would be a disservice to let other matters hinder her cultivation.
That Wen family brat had never made his intentions clear from beginning to end, nor had he come to the Flowing Cloud Sect to propose marriage or even just to make his face known. Sect Master Lin wanted to take "him" down a peg but couldn't find the opportunity. It was truly infuriating.
"The Wen family is far too shortsighted. Letting a genius from their own family go has now made them a laughingstock in the eyes of others," the elder lamented. However, the Wen family was located in a remote little city. For the people in these major hubs to call them a laughingstock was more out of jealousy than anything else: Why didn't my family produce such a genius? "If the young miss likes her, a marriage with Wen Yuncheng would be a wonderful thing."
"We'll talk about it in a few years," Sect Master Lin said with a wave of his hand, no longer wishing to discuss the topic.
Wen Yuncheng got her wish and saw Lin Jinyu. After nearly half a year apart, seeing Lin Jinyu again, Wen Yuncheng felt that she had become even more beautiful and possessed an even greater air about her.
Just looking at her from a distance, Wen Yuncheng felt that Lin Jinyu was like a sharp sword. A cold, clear sword intent swirled around her, paired with a peerless, icy, and expressionless face. It was a direct hit to Wen Yuncheng's aesthetic, making the little deer in her heart nearly knock itself out.
"Lin Jinyu!" Wen Yuncheng couldn't help but walk up and call out to her. Lin Jinyu stopped and looked toward her.
Wen Yuncheng thought that Lin Jinyu actually resembled Sect Master Lin a little. Lin Jinyu always seemed to be tense; she had no lazy or casual side. No matter the time, she was always serious and earnest, never joking… Of course, it was also possible that no one dared to joke with her. But it was precisely this Lin Jinyu, who was so endearingly proper and serious at all times, that had caused Wen Yuncheng's heart to sink completely, never to be retrieved.
"I missed you so much," Wen Yuncheng complained in a low voice. The imposing aura around Lin Jinyu immediately weakened. Walking over to Wen Yuncheng, Lin Jinyu finally responded, "I missed you too."
"Did you receive the token?" Lin Jinyu asked immediately after. She looked at Wen Yuncheng, a hint of conflict in her eyes. "Are you willing to be a guest elder of the Flowing Cloud Sect?" Although Wen Yuncheng had agreed before, that was then, and this was now. If Wen Yuncheng was no longer willing, then she would be forcing her.
"Of course I'm willing. I received the token, too. Here." Wen Yuncheng took out the token to show Lin Jinyu. Mentioning this, she remembered what she was concerned about. "Did Sect Master Lin agree to let you make me a guest elder? He didn't punish you?"
"Father is a man of rules. Since I passed the trial, I naturally have the right to do these things. He agreed." Lin Jinyu paused for a moment before adding, "And he didn't punish me."
The little ice mountain was only now realizing belatedly that Wen Yuncheng seemed to be very afraid of her father. But upon serious thought, it was probably a shadow left from that Beast Tide. Lin Jinyu wasn't particularly close to Sect Master Lin, but he was her father, after all, and also the sect master of the Flowing Cloud Sect. She was just doing what she was supposed to do. "As a guest elder… you were brought in by me. You don't have to listen to the sect master's orders."
"Is that so…" Wen Yuncheng scratched her head. Putting that matter aside, she remembered other things. She and Lin Jinyu had been apart for too long, and Wen Yuncheng had many things she wanted to share with her. "For the three rewards from the Youth Tournament, I chose three defensive Profound-rank Spirit Treasures. They're all very good!"
"I went traveling during this break and learned a lot. The Starry Sky Continent is huge. I think I can slowly set foot in every corner of the continent in the future. The sunrise on the mountains is quite beautiful, and some places have fireflies. Do you know Chengnan Mountain? There's a big lake there, incredibly clear. If you camp by the lake at night, the stars and moon are reflected on the surface. When you enter the lake, it feels like you're soaking in a starry sky."
Wen Yuncheng chattered on, picking things she could talk about to share with Lin Jinyu. As for the matter of the bounties, it wasn't that she was afraid Lin Jinyu would leak the secret or anything; she simply didn't want to tell Lin Jinyu about her killing people. Besides, there were sixteen bandit strongholds, and each had at least a dozen bandits. Her hands were stained with a lot of blood.
Wen Yuncheng didn't know if Lin Jinyu would mind these things, but she didn't want her to know.
The little ice mountain listened obediently, strolling casually with Wen Yuncheng on campus. When Wen Yuncheng finished, she briefly spoke about her trial. Because she was only a Star Lord, the corresponding difficulty of the trial was reduced to a certain extent. It mainly tested her control of Star Power, movement techniques, attack methods, and comprehension abilities. Then there was a stage that tested her character, as being a sect master required a certain moral standing.
After the two agreed to train together during the Beast Tide, Lin Jinyu mentioned some of the secret realms controlled by the sects. "There are some secret realms suitable for the Star Lord rank that might open in the coming years. Do you want to try?"
"…That would take up one of your Flowing Cloud Sect's spots, right? You should probably forget about giving it to me…" Although she was a little tempted, Wen Yuncheng felt this would put Lin Jinyu in a difficult position. It was obvious that such spots were limited. A guest elder was, after all, a "guest." Taking up a spot in the Flowing Cloud Sect's secret realm without having joined the sect was hard to justify.
"I can fight for one for you," Lin Jinyu said seriously. "Don't you want to go?"
"But, the benefits of a secret realm for me…"
[Mission Issued: Secret Realm Harvester]
[Mission Requirement: As a Long Aotian, you are naturally fated to encounter secret realms! Host, please actively participate in various secret realms and seize the opportunities!]
[Mission Reward: For each type of secret realm entered, receive 8000 EXP and 500 points.]
The words were on the tip of her tongue, and Wen Yuncheng almost bit it. But she quickly recovered and continued, "The benefits of a secret realm for me aren't that great. Even if I wanted to enter one, I can't let you be put in a difficult position. You've only just passed the trial and haven't officially become the sect master. Doing this would be bad for your reputation."
A hint of confusion appeared in Lin Jinyu's eyes; she clearly didn't understand why it would be bad. But Wen Yuncheng's attitude was firm, so she didn't bring up the topic again. Not that great of a benefit? Lin Jinyu thought about it. Perhaps the things that could be obtained in the secret realms already controlled by the sects were indeed very limited for Star Lord rank cultivators. Especially since these secret realms had been opened too many times, passed down for hundreds or even thousands of years. Aside from certain things that required specific opportunities to obtain, most of the valuable items had likely already been taken by others. The advantage of such secret realms was their safety; there would be no accidents. They naturally couldn't compare to the mysterious secret realms that appeared randomly in various places.
"After you graduate, will you come to the Flowing Cloud Sect?" With that topic closed, Lin Jinyu moved on to the next. She was a little apprehensive, as she knew Wen Yuncheng was also supported by the First Princess and Yan Ling. And her own usefulness to Wen Yuncheng… seemed very limited. After all, she had only just begun to take over the Flowing Cloud Sect's affairs. Not only was what she could offer extremely limited, but Wen Yuncheng had just rejected her offer of a spot in a secret realm.
Wen Yuncheng shook her head, not thinking too much about it. "I'll probably stay in the Imperial Capital, but I won't be a teacher at the academy either. I haven't decided on the specifics yet. I'll probably decide after graduation." She needed experience to level up, and that experience came from constant battles and slaughter. Staying within the Flowing Cloud Sect clearly couldn't satisfy her needs. Fight the disciples who disliked her? Challenge Sect Master Lin? …None of that was very realistic.
Lin Jinyu bit her lip. She hadn't expected Wen Yuncheng to refuse so directly.
Comments
Post a Comment