全程露脸东北老女

"Nearly succumbing to one’s inner demons is no small matter. Since Junior Brother Xuan Ling is willing to have you stay here, taking a lot of trouble to ensure your cultivation is not damaged, you should accept this rare chance!"

Seeing his master’s disapproval regarding his request to return, Sui Yuan really wants to scratch the wall in frustration. "Disciple...doesn’t dare trouble Elder Xuan Ling too much..."

A faint smile pulls at the sect leader’s lips, a hand patting Sui Yuan’s head comfortingly. "Master understands you are a thoughtful child, but Junior Brother Xuan Ling personally requests that you remain here for the time being, and emphasises that you wouldn’t be a trouble. Perhaps he noticed your talent and intelligence, thus resulting in something good that is beyond even Master’s expectations. With him helping you to pass this obstacle, Master’s heart is at ease."

With all reasoning already laid out in the open, Sui Yuan naturally cannot continue objecting. Inwardly restless but outwardly serene, he gives his master a verbal agreement. In his heart, he swears to recuperate quickly in the Heavenly Blade Peak in order to leave as soon as possible.

Concerns pacified, the sect leader strokes his beard, glancing towards Shen Jiayi, who is currently walking in and out, busying herself with tidying Sui Yuan’s room. Eyes twinkling, he laughingly says, "Congratulations on entering the Core Formation stage so shortly after commencing your cultivation. Indeed worthy of being Junior Brother Xuan Ling’s succeeding disciple."

Overwhelmed by favour, Shen Jiayi promptly bows deferentially. "Sect leader over-exaggerates."

Sweeping his gaze up and down Shen Jiayi, the sect leader’s gaze shifts to Sui Yuan. "For this short period of time, I will trouble you to take care of Minghui."

"Senior Brother Liu has helped this disciple countless times before. This disciple is only doing what I ought to do," Shen Jiayi replies humbly, shooting Sui Yuan a soft smile.

Nodding his head in satisfaction, the sect leader converses with Shen Jiayi for a little longer before allowing her to return to her task. When she departs, he addresses Sui Yuan, "What do you feel about this woman, Shen Jiayi?"

"Junior Sister Shen is naturally good," Sui Yuan praises, slightly puzzled as to why this one sentence causes his master’s smile to turn gentle. So gentle his scalp is fast becoming numb.

"Minghui, you are just half a step away from Nascent Soul stage. Have you ever given thought about who you wish to be your cultivation partner?"

Sui Yuan freezes, eyes widening slightly in shock. "Disciple...has never thought about it."

"How about pondering over this matter now?" The sect leader asks genially. "I feel that this Shen Jiayi is not bad. Independent and unyielding but still retaining a gentle disposition. Her potential is remarkable and is rather gifted. Being able to enter the Core Formation stage at such a young age, she will certainly be able to walk down the same path together with you as a cultivation partner. I see there is genuine friendship between the two of you. If you have intentions towards her, Master will be willing to bring this matter up with Junior Brother Xuan Ling. Once you have reached Nascent Soul stage, I will arrange for a dual-cultivation ceremony for the two of you, how does that sound?"

Every word falling from the Elder’s mouth is very clear, nearly causing Sui Yuan to break out in cold sweat the longer he listens. Even if the plot inevitably begins to derail from this point, it shouldn’t fall into such a mess right at the very start ah! The female lead has never taken a cultivation partner! Supposing she did, it will absolutely not be a villainous supporting male lead like him ah!

Of course, he also knows the sect leader has his own motives for proposing this. First of all, Shen Jiayi’s potential is indeed very good. One shouldn’t let one’s fertile water flow into another field^[1]. Rather than allow someone else to profit, it would be better to tie her with his beloved disciple. Secondly, Xuan Ling is a righteous man. No matter what ambiguous feelings he has towards Shen Jiayi, it will all be thrown away the moment she marries someone else. This way, he can gain two birds with one arrow. Hence, the Elder is making such an effort to facilitate this plan of his. Still, no matter how well thought out it is, he cannot force the unwilling to give consent.

Before Sui Yuan, who is currently pale with fright, can open his mouth to refuse, a frigid, monotonous voice interrupts the conversation between master and disciple, leaving no leeway. "I don’t approve."

The sect leader’s expression stiffens as he turns to regard Xuan Ling as the other man walks through the room’s door. His face is set in its usual frosty countenance, but one can see the suppressed emotions rolling beneath the indifferent surface. Clearly indicating that if the sect leader pushes further, he will not give the other any face.

Never has the sect leader seen such an expression on Xuan Ling’s face before, and his heart can’t help sinking. His suspicions regarding Xuan Ling’s feelings towards Shen Jiayi has just been confirmed, and it is not as shallow as he had originally believed it to be.

"Junior Martial Brother..." The sect leader says, hoping to conciliate the other Elder, only for him to be interrupted.

"Senior Martial Brother do not need to be wordy. This proposal, I will absolutely not agree to."

The sect leader sighs heavily. "Then so be it. However, Junior Martial Brother, don’t forget that you practise a ruthless Sword Art. Deep emotions are something destructive to you ah... You are already nearing Immortal Ascension, and every step requires utmost caution. One small slip will relegate you to eternal damnation!"

Xuan Ling falls silent, eyes shifting away from the sect leader before he speaks slowly. "I am naturally aware. Don’t trouble yourself needlessly, Senior Martial Brother."

"As long as you are aware." Helpless in the face of Xuan Ling’s stubbornness, the sect leader can only sigh again and nod. Eyes falling on Sui Yuan who can’t quite conceal his rejoicing heart, he inwardly muses over nearly dragging this child into the mess. In the off-chance he suffers from Xuan Ling’s displeasure, then he as the Master has failed his duty. "I shall lay this matter to rest for the time being. Minghui, rest easy here and get well. I believe Junior Brother Xuan Ling will not give you a hard time."

Sui Yuan forces a smile on his face while Xuan Ling turns his head slightly in dismissal. Neither missed the sect leader’s jab at his Junior Martial Brother.

As this discussion is dropped, the atmosphere lightens again. Getting up from the chair in preparation to leave, he quietly comforts Sui Yuan. "Master knows you have always treated the Heavenly Element sect’s Shao Peiyuan as a rival. Now that he has entered the Nascent Soul stage before you, your heart is filled with grievance, hence prompting you to push yourself too fast. However, you must remember that advancing to the next stage also relies on Heaven’s will. It is useless to worry too much. The more impatient you are, the more your mental state will be unsettled, resulting in a more difficult progress. You must learn to master peace and tranquillity in all things."

Sui Yuan’s cheeks flush and he murmurs in a low voice, "Master’s teachings are valuable, disciple knows my wrong."

"That’s all I ask for. Cultivate at ease here. Master will wait for the day you step into the Nascent Soul stage," the sect leader chuckles fondly, patting Sui Yuan’s shoulder before walking out of the room.

Sui Yuan exhales, then notices Xuan Ling still standing at his bedside. Somewhat bewildered, he asks, "May I know what further advice does Elder Xuan Ling have?"

Eyelids at half-mast, Xuan Ling sits down on the edge of the bed, raising a hand to press slender fingers against Sui Yuan’s wrist.

Once the now-familiar trickle of ice-cold energy flows through his meridians, Sui Yuan knows the other is helping him heal, thus hurriedly closing his eyes. His subconsciousness lingers at his golden core for an entire week as he straightens out the frayed tendrils of power and ensure all blockages are slowly being eroded. When he next open his eyes, the first thing he registers is Xuan Ling’s somewhat paler than normal face.

"Elder Xuan Ling, you...?" Sui Yuan opens his mouth to inquire, but the man simply removes a jade bottle from within his robes and shoves it in his hands. The youth can’t help staring blankly at it.

Another bottle of expensive Jade Pearl pills worth five hundred points. Although Sui Yuan is thirsting for it, his skin is not thick enough that he can easily accept something like this without question. Feeling a little awkward, he mumbles, "This...Elder Xuan Ling, I am undeserving of this..."

Xuan Ling doesn’t reply. Sweeping a cold glance over Sui Yuan as though he can’t be bothered wasting his breath to explain, the Elder stands up and departs so swiftly that Sui Yuan cannot call him back to return the bottle even if he wants to.

"Since he gave it to you, then keep it. Such a good item. It’s a sacred healing panacea, you know?!" Unlike its partner, 5237 has no concept of embarrassment or shame, all but drooling as it stares at the jade bottle in Sui Yuan’s hand. "If you don’t use it all up in this world, just hand it over to me and you can use it in the later worlds too. This way, it will be impossible for them to go to waste!"

Sui Yuan eyes 5237 wordlessly, then tucks the jade bottle into his interspatial pouch. He intends to find an opportunity to return this after his injuries have recovered, or at least give him something of equal value in exchange.

"You are currently acting the role of a villain. What are you doing being so upright," 5237 mutters under his breath in resentment, but doesn’t say anything more as his attention is wholly drawn by Sui Yuan’s next words.

"How likely do you feel is the possibility for Xuan Ling to be Zhao Xihe?"

"Him?!" 5237 jumps in shock. "You feel he might be Zhao Xihe?"

Sui Yuan nods, somewhat distressed. "Although his every move doesn’t raise any questions, and any action that deviates from the plot has a plausible explanation, I still feel there is something odd."

5237 reflects on past events together with its partner, then nods after a while. "His attitude towards you is a lot better than the original text. After all, the script clearly shows beside the female lead, Xuan Ling will never initiatively help others, let alone bring you to Heavenly Blade Peak to recuperate. He even personally injected his own spiritual energy to straighten your meridians and gave you another bottle of precious Jade Pearl pills."

"On top of that, there is another problem." Sui Yuan frowns. "Do you still remember the descriptions in the text about Liu Minghui’s Nightmare beast and Xuan Ling’s Crystal beast?"

"Of course!" 5237 nods gravely.

"Don’t you think that Xuan Ling’s Crystal beast is much too haughty and doesn’t match the description at all?"

5237 gasps in realisation. "That’s right ah! It’s totally different! In other words..."

"In other words, if I am able to make the Crystal beast disguise as the Nightmare beast, he can naturally use the Nightmare beast to serve as the Crystal beast." He rubs his face with a hand, tone extremely depressed.

"So...we are exposed?" 5237 murmurs.

"Un, we have definitely been exposed. Both him and me."

The system predictably becomes distressed. "Then, his firm declination over the matter of your marriage to Shen Jiayi is not because of her, but you? To think I was overjoyed about it!"

Sui Yuan silently pats 5237 consolingly.

"So what should we do now?" It had been so proud of its perfect plans, but never did it expect that everything has been crumbling from the very beginning. Staring blankly at the wall, it feels it has ran out of ideas. "How about killing yourself right now, seizing the opportunity to escape first while he is away?"

Sui Yuan shakes his head after muttering under his breath for a while. "Since I have been entrusted with this role and have already entered this world, I will continue acting responsibly. I will not give up halfway just to avoid a certain someone."

"All right, since you insist..." 5237 also doesn’t like the idea of not seeing a mission to the end. "Then, do you plan on coming clean with him?"

"Since he hasn’t said anything, I will treat it as if I have no idea. Doing things this way might dissuade him from acting too out of character."

"...You are right. If the both of you acknowledge each other, he will definitely act recklessly again." 5237 nods in approval, bringing this heavy subject to a close.

"...That’s right," Sui Yuan speaks up again a while later as another thought strikes him. "I keep feeling as though I am forgetting something. And I simply imagining things?"

"Possibly?" The system answers uncertainly. "But I also feel like something is missing..."

Crystal beast: "You forgot about me, idiots! I’m completely lost! Oi! QAQ"

Footnotes:

[1] One shouldn’t let one’s fertile water flow into another field = One should keep all good things to themselves and not allow outsiders to snatch it away