Chapter 12 : Chapter 12
Chapter 12: Potential Danger
After leaving the area where the Entry Disciples lived, Ye Liuyun suddenly felt much more relaxed.
“Ah, that feels better. At least those guys are no longer looking at me with the kind of gaze that gives me goosebumps.”
Ye Liuyun draped her arm over Lin Aoxue’s shoulder, looking extremely pleased.
“Behave yourself. You are a girl now. Stop acting like you did when you were a man. If you keep behaving strangely, people will start to suspect something. I do not want others to know that the man belonging to Lin Aoxue turned into a woman,” Lin Aoxue said as she slapped the back of Ye Liuyun’s hand.
Feeling the sting, Ye Liuyun instinctively withdrew her hand.
“Sigh… it is always about your reputation. At least think about my feelings too. Do you really want me to become more and more like a woman?” Ye Liuyun complained.
“I do not want that either. But I also do not want you to obsess over it too much. After all, people still have to live their lives. You cannot simply give up on yourself because your gender changed,” Lin Aoxue said helplessly.
Ye Liuyun did not refute that statement.
However, there was something she wanted to say.
Right now, she could not even die even if she wanted to.
Unless she refined an antidote that could turn her back into a man, there was absolutely no way for her to regain a male body.
When the two of them walked together, they formed a beautiful sight.
Especially after they reached crowded areas.
Whenever disciples with lower status than Lin Aoxue saw them, regardless of whether they knew them or not, they would stop and bow respectfully.
In the cultivation world, strength ruled above all.
But hierarchy and status were also extremely strict.
In Yunxia Sect, even if someone’s cultivation level was higher than Lin Aoxue’s, if they were not a direct disciple, they still had to greet her respectfully.
Of course, if someone had a particularly powerful background, that would be a different matter.
Because the two of them had only joined the sect yesterday, Lin Aoxue’s identity had not yet been publicly announced.
Everyone only knew that she was a direct disciple.
They did not yet know that she was the Sect Master’s personal disciple.
What did it mean to be the Sect Master’s direct disciple in Yunxia Sect?
It meant being the future Vice Sect Master—and eventually the future Sect Master.
“Hmm? Junior Sister, you must be a newly accepted direct disciple, right? Nice to meet you. My name is Jiang Hong. I am the eldest disciple under the Third Elder. May I ask which elder has accepted you as a disciple?” a direct disciple approached them as they walked.
Lin Aoxue and Ye Liuyun examined him briefly.
He was also examining them.
However, Lin Aoxue’s sharp and imposing aura easily caused resistance in others.
Because of that, Jiang Hong’s gaze lingered more on Ye Liuyun.
To be honest, for an ordinary man, Ye Liuyun’s delicate appearance and seemingly fragile temperament were far more attractive.
Not to mention that Ye Liuyun unconsciously revealed a hint of shyness.
That shy aura gave people the impression of innocence—something that needed protection.
“Damn it, what are you looking at?” Ye Liuyun felt goosebumps from being stared at like that and instinctively stepped behind Lin Aoxue.
Lin Aoxue noticed her reaction and cleared her throat.
“Ahem. Hello, Senior Brother Jiang. I am Lin Aoxue. This is my elder sister, Ye Liuyu. I am the Sect Master’s newly accepted direct disciple,” Lin Aoxue quickly introduced herself, deliberately redirecting Jiang Hong’s attention.
When Jiang Hong heard that she was the Sect Master’s disciple, his expression changed slightly.
His gaze finally withdrew from Ye Liuyun and returned to Lin Aoxue.
“Oh? A direct disciple personally accepted by Sect Master Martial Uncle? Then I was truly discourteous earlier,” Jiang Hong said politely.
“I only joined yesterday. My master has not yet announced the matter to the entire sect,” Lin Aoxue explained.
Jiang Hong nodded.
“I see. In that case, we shall wait for the official announcement tomorrow. I still have some matters to attend to, so I will not disturb the two junior sisters any further,” Jiang Hong said with a smile.
After saying that, he quickly left under the puzzled gazes of Lin Aoxue and Ye Liuyun.
“Damn… that guy’s gaze was really sharp,” Ye Liuyun muttered.
“You will have to get used to it. Who told you to look so delicate and pure after turning into a woman? It is normal for people to look at you,” Lin Aoxue replied.
“I know. I am just not used to it yet. By the way, something about that guy’s gaze was off. He was hostile toward you,” Ye Liuyun warned.
Lin Aoxue had noticed it as well.
Although Jiang Hong appeared polite on the surface, there had been a trace of displeasure hidden in his eyes.
It seemed her appearance had made other direct disciples uncomfortable.
Why?
Because of Yunxia Sect’s succession system.
The first in line was the Sect Master’s personal disciple.
After that came the direct disciples of the other elders.
Previously, Yunxia Sect had no Sect Master’s personal disciple.
That meant the direct disciples of the various elders all had a chance to inherit the position of Sect Master.
But now that Lin Aoxue had appeared, the balance had been broken.
She had become the first successor.
Naturally, Jiang Hong’s dissatisfaction was understandable.
Once the other direct disciples learned of this news, they would likely have their own opinions as well.
“My master already warned me about this. She said that many direct disciples are jealous of my position. She told me to stay low-profile in the sect and avoid conflicts with them whenever possible. If I can endure it, I should endure it,” Lin Aoxue said.
After hearing this, Ye Liuyun thought for a moment and sighed.
“Sigh… it seems your position is not as comfortable as it looks. Forget about it. Do not think too much. Whatever comes, we will deal with it together,” Ye Liuyun said with a smile.
With those words from Ye Liuyun, Lin Aoxue felt fearless—even if she had to climb a mountain of blades or plunge into a sea of fire.
“Well said. As long as you are by my side, I do not need to fear anyone. Come on, let us go to the marketplace. My master gave me her identity token. It contains her sect contribution points. She told me to spend it however I like,” Lin Aoxue said with a cheerful smile as she took out a white jade token.
When Ye Liuyun heard this, she immediately became excited.
“Really? Then we must not save your master’s money. I also need to buy a large number of medicinal herbs to research pills that can turn me back into a man. Help me buy plenty later,” Ye Liuyun said eagerly.
“No problem.”
The two of them walked hand in hand toward the marketplace.
They browsed shop after shop.
First, they visited shops that sold weapons for cultivators.
Since Lin Aoxue liked swords, she purchased the two most expensive swords in the store—one for herself and one for Ye Liuyun.
Among the treasures available to Yunxia Sect disciples, the highest grade was only peak-grade Spirit-tier items.
In the cultivation world, treasures were divided into the following ranks: Mortal Tier, Spirit Tier, Profound Tier, Earth Tier, Heaven Tier, Divine Weapon, and Emperor Weapon.
Each rank was further divided into four grades: low, middle, high, and peak.
Mortal-tier weapons were the weapons used in the mortal world.
In fact, most ordinary disciples in Yunxia Sect still used weapons of the Mortal Tier.
A peak-grade Spirit-tier treasure in Yunxia Sect cost one hundred thousand contribution points.
Entry Disciples certainly could not afford such a price.
Even ordinary disciples would need to save for many years to buy one—and most of them could only afford low-grade Spirit-tier weapons.
Peak-grade Spirit-tier treasures were extremely expensive.
Even direct disciples might not necessarily possess one.
As for cultivation techniques, they were divided according to realms: Wheel Sea, Dao Palace, Four Extremes, Divine Transformation, Nirvana, Divine Path, and Heavenly Abyss.
Each category was further divided into low, middle, high, and peak grades.
The strongest cultivators in Yunxia Sect had only reached the Dao Palace Out-of-Body Realm.
Therefore, the strongest cultivation techniques in Yunxia Sect could only reach the Dao Palace level.
However, Ye Liuyun’s cultivation technique likely did not belong to any of these classifications.
It probably did not even originate from the mortal world.
Finally, regarding the alchemy path Ye Liuyun pursued:
Pills were divided into White Grade, Green Grade, Blue Grade, Purple Grade, Yellow Grade, Divine Grade, and Emperor Grade.
Each grade was also divided into low, middle, high, and peak levels.
Medicinal herbs corresponded to the same grading system as pills.
After buying the weapons, Lin Aoxue purchased many medicinal herbs for Ye Liuyun.
Whatever Ye Liuyun wanted, she bought it without hesitation.
After all, it was not her own money.
She felt absolutely no heartache spending it.