Could it be that I am the cruel villain?
Chapter 267 - 182: Talented Man and Beautiful Woman, A Match Made in Heaven

Chapter 267: Chapter 182: Talented Man and Beautiful Woman, A Match Made in Heaven

"That little girl Lin Jiangxian..."

"You’re only less than two years older than her."

A single sentence brought him back to reality.

Embarrassed, he touched his chin, which was slightly prickly; he was only eighteen this year, but his youthful face had already acquired a hint of world-weariness.

"Cough, so how does Senior Sister view this new Junior Sister I’ve just brought into the sect?"

Changing to a more formal address, his eyes hinted at hopefulness, but Liu Xianzi only glanced towards Lin Jiangxian’s residence.

The young girl had a weaker constitution compared to Jiang Feng, exhausted in both mind and body from prolonged travels and battles, coupled with a frail body, and traces of the Scarlet Pill still lingered within her.

She could tell at a glance that this must have been her Junior Brother’s doing.

"Somewhat peculiar but with decent talent, her Sword Heart is clear and her will is strong and resilient. To say she’s timid, yet shows no fear on the path of cultivation; to say she’s brave, yet she’s inherently honest and simple."

"Appearances are reflections of the heart. Though I don’t possess Yu Ying’s proficiency in the Mind-Reading Skill, I can still discern that the child is sincere inwardly and outwardly, even muttering your name in her sleep yesterday."

"The care you’ve shown her along the way naturally makes her see you as kin; such earnestness is endearing. Moreover, she resembles you in some ways—only the cultivation technique she practices within her body..."

The young man’s face was serious.

This so-called resemblance, of course, referred to the exploration of the path of cultivation. The more he cultivated, the more he realized how fortunate he had been to have not perished from a rash action in his early days.

He had started manipulating Spiritual Energy without even going through Body Refining, and Lin Jiangxian did the same. After a detailed examination, Liu Tangxi had uncovered her secret.

The latter part of the statement left Jiang Feng frozen in place.

"It’s the Nine Yin Profound Darkness Art from the Xuanyin Sect."

"What!"

His eyes were filled with disbelief, and for a moment he felt the notion was absurd.

In fact, when Lin Jiangxian first made a move, he had observed that her cultivated technique had an impressive origin, stable and enduring in breath, and particularly domineering in her manipulation of Spiritual Energy. This was why he had chosen to sit on the sidelines and watch that day.

Initially, he merely intended to test the depths of the girl. He had not expected that Miss Lin, only at the fifth level of Qi Refinement, would fight more fiercely as the battle went on, managing to barely hold her stance for a quarter of an hour even against a peak Qi Refinement opponent.

Her speed in circulating Spiritual Energy was getting faster, on par with the Purple Cloud Divine Technique. At that moment, he began to suspect that this girl, who remembered everything she saw, might have stolen someone else’s cultivation technique, leading her family to become implicated and she had to wander.

But he never imagined it would be the Xuanyin Sect.

"Again?"

He showed a bitter smile; Jiang Feng’s first reaction was that he had heard about this before from Yu Ying and had kept an eye out, but he hadn’t expected to encounter it here.

"I’m sorry, Senior Sister, it was my oversight; I didn’t expect the Xuanyin Sect to resort to their old tricks again..."

But Liu Tangxi shook her head.

"No, you don’t need to worry about her being a disciple sent by the Xuanyin Sect. Have you forgotten that Yu Ying stood watching in the corner during the induction ceremony? For the past twenty years, she has been returning every five years for the wide recruitment, naturally to eliminate any hidden dangers."

"That’s a relief, that’s a relief."

He breathed a sigh of relief; if Miss Lin had passed Yu Ying’s scrutiny, then there shouldn’t be any issues; he had almost scared himself to death.

If it really was a snitch sent by the Xuanyin Sect to pull the same old trick, Jiang Feng would have his defenses shattered on the spot, the kind that would keep him from sleeping for seven days straight – even if he managed to fall asleep at night, he’d probably wake up in shock and then slap himself in the face.

You should know that he has been pouring his heart into this girl for a month, playing both brother and father, guiding her in cultivation every day, helping her with her Body Refining, perfecting her cultivation techniques... He could finally understand why the former Peak Master of Heavenly Power Peak was literally agitated to death.

If he remembers correctly, that Xuanyin Sect disciple had been in the sect for several decades, and their relationship was probably closer than that of father and son, with half a lifetime’s worth of effort spent on him.

And it turns out to be a snitch sent by a rival sect, not only backstabbing you but also causing the nurturing sect to suffer heavy losses, taking decades to recover.

To be honest, if it were him, he’d probably just close his eyes and jump off Swordmaster Peak on the spot.

"It seems you’ve been getting along well with Yu Ying these past days, since she was willing to share this with you."

"Don’t even go there, I argue with her every day in Tianquan state, and don’t let her fool you by never cursing. Her insults are strong; each word is like ripping off a scab and pouring chili oil on it. My interactions with her? It’s just a never-ending cycle of small fights every three days and big rows every five days."

"Mm, not bad, not bad."

Who knows when, but Liu Xianzi, having finished her sweets, elegantly poured herself some tea from thin air and began sipping with such ease that she managed to make her own junior brother blush on the spot!

"Golden boy and jade girl, a match made by heaven, distinguished talents and stunning beauty, a couple of talents and beauty, a pair of immortals in love. How about tomorrow I, as your older sister, take you to propose at Heavenly Power Peak? It just so happens that your eight characters are compatible. You could get married next month and consummate the union in the bridal chamber – it would make for a wonderful occasion."

"..."

His fists clenched so tightly from the increasing tension that they became rigid.

He realized that his elder sister’s tongue had gotten sharper.

Turning his head sideways, Jiang Feng still caught the slight curve of Liu Tangxi’s lips, clearly holding back a laugh. When he first met her, she was this aloof fairy who seldom smiled.

Now, what in the world has changed you? Was it me?

"Okay, just kidding, don’t take it too seriously. If I really let you two mix, I’m afraid neither Heavenly Power nor Swordmaster Peak would have peace. But if you are interested, you could try to improve your relationship with her."

"The Scarlet Sun Infinite Heavenly Thunder Art you got must be from her. Don’t underestimate Heavenly Power Peak; it has been the birthplace of three Sect Masters, its foundation is still there, and when it comes to the collection of techniques, even I’m no match for her."

"The things you’ve got from her should be very suitable for you. Oh, right, since you’re interested in Lin Jiangxian, I will personally guide her swordsmanship. You don’t have to worry about the Body Refining; I’ll get her a Body Tempering Pill."

"As for guiding her cultivation technique..."

The young man immediately puffed out his chest proudly!

"I’ll do it!"

"Don’t lead others astray, lest you teach an Evil Cultivator who’s gone berserk. Then we’d be in for a heap of trouble."

Rejected on the spot.

But Liu Xianzi spoke in a calm and composed manner.

"Don’t worry, there won’t be just a few of us here at Swordmaster Peak. I’ve brought some Outer Disciples from outside. After all, we need some people to serve us, siblings of the peak."

"Another thing, they can also help take care of the Disciples. They can support your cultivation and reduce my burden, given that you know I’m someone who can’t stay still for long."

"Of course, I’ve also arranged a nice side task for you. Are you willing to hear it?"

He nodded eagerly.

He knew all too well that with his half-baked realm, teaching others would just delay the girl’s progress. Liu Tang pointed towards the base of the distant stairs, and the young man looked on with anticipation, following the direction of her finger.

"Fuck! Why is it you!"