Chapter 9: Senior Sister, Isn’t Your Favorability Acting a Little Weird?

The moment Lin Que’s past words were brought up, Qin Qian’er clenched her teeth in hatred, her beautiful eyes brimming with resentment.

As if Lin Que were her mortal enemy.

To this, Qin Wanyuan couldn’t help but feel a little awkward.

What Qin Qian’er had just said were indeed words Lin Que had spoken himself, but the truth of the matter wasn’t quite as she had imagined.

In fact, Lin Que’s initial condition really had been just to watch the moon together. However, Qin Wanyuan couldn’t bring herself to believe that something so good could exist in this world.

Anything that appeared free usually came with a heavier price.

So Lin Que didn’t even bother trying to convince her to trust him. Instead, he bluntly laid everything out. He said he was, in fact, threatening her to come to his cave dwelling and obey his every command.

As for what those commands entailed? He didn’t say. But anyone with a bit of sense could guess.

And Lin Que had also frankly stated that he was the only one in the entire Sword Seeking Sect capable of curing Qin Qian’er’s illness.

In order to save her sister’s life and under the weight of Lin Que’s words, Qin Wanyuan eventually gave in.

Later, Qin Qian’er’s illness really was cured, and Qin Wanyuan kept her end of the deal, going alone to Lin Que’s cave late at night.

However…

The terrible scene she had expected didn’t happen. When she arrived, Lin Que was dressed in white robes, sitting alone in a pavilion, brewing a pot of tea.

“You’re just in time. Sit with me and watch the moon.”

Yes, when Lin Que summoned Qin Wanyuan to his cave dwelling, saying she must obey his every command…

Qin Wanyuan had already prepared herself to make a personal sacrifice, but in the end… he really just wanted her to watch the moon with him?

Throughout the entire encounter, Lin Que behaved like a refined gentleman. Not only was there no physical contact, he even kept a full person’s distance between them as they sat.

In short, nothing happened that night. The two of them simply sipped tea in silence, admiring the full moon in the sky, barely exchanging a few words.

As she watched Lin Que tilt his head to gaze at the moon, his sharp side profile illuminated in the moonlight, Qin Wanyuan slowly narrowed her eyes. She found herself becoming curious about this man.

And curiosity toward the opposite sex is often the beginning of affection. This was a truth Qin Wanyuan didn’t understand at the time. It wasn’t until she had fallen deeply for him that she finally came to realize it.

“That’s how it all happened. Lin Lang never truly threatened me. And… to be honest, I was the one who fell for him first.” Speaking of how her relationship with Lin Que began, Qin Wanyuan couldn’t help but grow a little shy.

“…How could this be?” Qin Qian’er blinked. She had never imagined that the secret she had kept buried in her heart for so long… was all just a misunderstanding?

“If only you had told me sooner, we could’ve avoided so many misunderstandings with Lin Lang,” Qin Wanyuan said as she gently stroked her sister’s head. “From now on, make sure to get along well with him, okay?”

“..…”

Qin Qian’er didn’t respond. She simply buried her head and resumed eating the breakfast Lin Que had made.

Since Qin Wanyuan had to head out, she didn’t stay much longer.

After tidying herself up a bit, she left with Lin Que by her side.

She didn’t head straight to Senior Sister’s cave dwelling but instead planned to first visit her master, An Xiaoyao.

It wasn’t because she intended to make her master one of Lin Que’s potential romance targets but simply to have her act as a go-between to introduce this newly inducted junior sister and perhaps also inquire whether Jiang Moqing was still in the sect.

Both she and Jiang Moqing were direct disciples under An Xiaoyao, one of the six elders of the Sword Seeking Sect. Their residences were located on Drunken Jade Peak, a place rich in spiritual energy.

Qin Wanyuan’s cave was situated midway up the mountain, while Jiang Moqing’s was positioned a bit higher.

It only took a short moment riding her sword to arrive.

An Xiaoyao’s cave dwelling wasn’t grand or extravagant like those of other elders. At the peak of the mountain, it was surrounded by bamboo groves, with birds chirping melodiously and a gentle fragrance in the air.

Though lacking any worldly adornments, the setting resembled more of a heavenly realm.

Qin Wanyuan stopped at the entrance, gently knocked on the door, and respectfully called out, “Disciple Qin Wanyuan requests an audience with Master.”

As soon as her voice fell, the gate swung open on its own. Following the bamboo path forward, she soon reached a modest bamboo pavilion. There, a woman dressed in a plain white qipao sat elegantly, brewing tea.

The subtle white qipao hugged the woman’s slender waist, revealing not a trace of excess flesh even as she sat. In contrast, it accentuated her full chest.

The slit of the qipao was cut to just the right height, revealing glimpses of fair, supple thighs through the opening. She was graceful yet undeniably seductive.

Yes, she was wearing a qipao.

In a world that should have followed the aesthetics of classical fantasy cultivation, this sudden appearance of modern attire from Lin Que’s past life felt oddly out of place….and yet, this style had only begun trending in recent years.

He suspected there were other transmigrators like himself, but he had never bothered to investigate.

Originally, Lin Que had thought that even if there were other transmigrators, it had little to do with him. Everyone could just live their own lives. But now, this unknown crisis was making him feel increasingly on edge.

He couldn’t afford to overlook anything suspicious. Even if that other transmigrator bore no ill intent, he should still find time to investigate their background.

One should not intend to harm others but must never let down their guard.

“Wanyuan, you’ve come.” Seeing her arrive, An Xiaoyao smiled and gestured for the two of them to sit, then personally poured them each a cup of tea.

“This spiritual tea was gifted by an old friend of mine from Heartless Valley. It calms the mind and nourishes the body. It should be of great benefit to the both of you.”

“Thank you, Master.”

“Thank you, Teacher.”

After accepting the tea, taking a sip, and praising its wonderful effects and their master’s discerning taste which brought a smile to An Xiaoyao’s eyes, Qin Wanyuan finally brought up the real reason for her visit.

“Master, I have a small request. I hope you can help me.”

“Speak freely.”

“I’d like to visit Senior Sister. May I ask if she has returned from her training? And… could you perhaps make an introduction for me?”

An Xiaoyao was clearly taken aback by the request.

“Qing’er has indeed returned. However…”

As she spoke, An Xiaoyao instinctively glanced at Lin Que. Seeing him give a slight nod, she let out a quiet sigh.

“If you want to see Qing’er, just go. I’ve already mentioned you to her. However, Qing’er has a naturally aloof temperament, and after spending several years training in Heartless Valley… I’m afraid she won’t give you the warmest of welcomes.”

“Heartless Valley?”

As the name suggests, Heartless Valley is a sect founded by cultivators who have severed all emotional ties and desires. At some point, it even became an all-female sect.

It’s said that most of the women there were once hurt by love.

And Senior Sister had spent several years training in that place…

“I understand, Master. But I believe that, as fellow disciples, some bonds should still be upheld. Whether in terms of emotion or reason, I should at least pay Senior Sister a visit.”

“Very well, as you wish.” Once Lin Que nodded, An Xiaoyao didn’t try to dissuade her further. She simply urged them to have another cup of tea.

After finishing the tea and bidding farewell to An Xiaoyao, the two of them flew down the mountain on their swords and arrived at Jiang Moqing’s cave residence.

Standing before the door, Qin Wanyuan felt a little nervous.

After all, she was about to meet Lin Que’s former dao companion. Not to mention, the woman had just returned from her training in Heartless Valley. Winning her over was likely going to be incredibly difficult.

In any case, she’s the target I chose to pursue….I can’t back out now.

Truthfully, she didn’t have any other options.

It’s not like she could let Lin Que try to win over her master or her little sister. That was something Qin Wanyuan absolutely couldn’t accept.

On top of that, a broken mirror is hard to restore. Lin Que and Jiang Moqing had already broken up once. The difficulty in winning her over also meant that even if he succeeded, cracks would likely remain between them.

Which also meant they could easily break up again.

That too was part of Qin Wanyuan’s hidden calculation.

After knocking on the door and announcing their names, the gate to the cave residence opened shortly thereafter.

The one who opened it was a woman around twenty-four years old. Tall and strikingly beautiful, her face seemed covered in a layer of ice that had remained unmelted for ten thousand years. It was completely devoid of expression.

Just making eye contact made Qin Wanyuan instinctively avert her gaze.

So this was her Senior Sister… and Lin Que’s current target Jiang Moqing?

“Greetings, Senior Sister.” She greeted her politely but received no response. Jiang Moqing only stared at them coldly.

I’m doomed… Senior Sister Jiang is obviously not going to be easy to win over. And the system task said I need to visit and stay for at least half an hour, but it already looks like we’re going to be turned away at the door. What should I do…?

“Um, Senior Sister…” Qin Wanyuan racked her brain, trying to find a way to steer the conversation toward something like getting invited inside for tea.

At the same time, she glanced at Jiang Moqing’s status panel, hoping to find some kind of opening.

In the end, her eyes settled on Jiang Moqing’s favorability level toward Lin Que.

So this is what a 5% favorability rating looks like? As expected of someone who trained for years in Heartless Valley. She’s truly severed all emotion and desire… Wait a minute, something feels off.

Right before Qin Wanyuan’s stunned eyes, Jiang Moqing’s favorability toward Lin Que suddenly began to rise and it kept rising.

Favorability +1, Favorability +1, Favorability +1…

In no time at all, Jiang Moqing’s favorability had passed the 40-point mark, reaching the level of “friendly”.

Yet on the surface, Jiang Moqing remained as cold and expressionless as before, staring at the two of them without a hint of change.

Qin Wanyuan blinked in disbelief.

Senior Sister, isn’t your favorability acting a little weird?!