Chapter 82: Dual Cultivation and Spectral Ripples

Ye Xingchen’s words had already been spoken; some things, unlike magic, could not simply be retracted. He could only find a way to continue fabricating.

“Indeed, she’s my sister, but not a blood relative.”

Not a blood sister? Could she be a sworn sister, then? And the esteemed Chief Su, of all people, is the sister of the student ranked last in their year? Chixiao found Ye Xingchen’s words profoundly intriguing.

“A cousin? Or an adopted sister?” he pressed.

Evidently, his gossip-loving spirit had ignited into a blazing inferno.

“In any case, both our families know each other. She’s called me ‘brother’ since childhood, and I’ve always called her ‘sister’.”

Ye Xingchen wove his half-truths, deliberately affecting an expression of helplessness.

“Who knew she’d perform so well after enrollment? Now, it feels more like she’s my elder sister.”

With that, he shrugged, adopting a ‘go ask her yourself if you don’t believe me’ demeanor.

‘There’s no way I can let my female self be the “elder sister,” right? By birth order, I was clearly born first. Even if it’s me, I can’t suffer that indignity.’

“No wonder the aloof Chief Su seems so familiar with you, Brother Ye. So there’s this underlying connection.”

While Chixiao spoke thus outwardly, his mind churned with other thoughts.

‘Given the level of understanding between you two, if you’re not blood siblings, wouldn’t it be an even greater advantage for a romantic development?’

‘And judging by their interactions, perhaps they’re even carrying on a secret affair. After all, Su Liyue has so many admirers, and Ye Xingchen isn’t considered outstanding in the academy.

Yet, none of that truly matters; if two people genuinely like each other, then it’s merely a matter of breaking through a thin barrier—much like him and Lin Yueyao…’

“So, Brother Ye, do you like Chief Su? She is, after all, both beautiful and intelligent.” Chixiao figured that since he had already gone this far, he might as well take another gamble and press on.

Ye Xingchen raised an eyebrow. What kind of question was this? Asking if he liked himself? How was he supposed to answer that?

“I can’t really say…”

‘This question was indeed difficult to answer, yet regardless, after graduation, both families were set to arrange their marriage.

Moreover, Ye Xingchen would never allow Su Liyue to be with another man; that would be utterly repulsive, even more terrifying than some novel plots filled with unexpected twists.’

‘”Can’t really say” means he hasn’t truly recognized his inner feelings, lacking confidence,’ Chixiao mused inwardly.

“It’s alright, Brother Ye. Chief Su’s popularity is immense, so it’s natural for her to have many admirers. However, it’s clear that her demeanor towards you is distinctly different from how she acts with other boys. As someone who’s been there, I dare say that is the premise of love.”

Chixiao felt he had made his meaning quite clear; most people should be able to understand.

‘The premise of love? What, is he trying to learn the Dual Cultivation methods of the Joyous Union Sect from me?’

‘Wait… mentioning Dual Cultivation, Ye Xingchen suddenly recalled something. He remembered that Master Xuantian had left him a cultivation manual, the “Yin-Yang Qiankun Art,” before his demise.

He hadn’t paid it much mind at the time, as he was already practicing the “Qimen Dunjia Art.

Ye Xingchen’s gaze unconsciously drifted towards Su Liyue.

‘Now that he possessed two bodies, perhaps he could find an opportune moment to test this cultivation method? If Su Liyue could cultivate it, it would undoubtedly be beneficial for her rapid increase in strength.’

After all, the cultivation world inherently emphasizes the principles of Yin, Yang, and the Five Elements.

Furthermore, his female body, Su Liyue, was Yin in gender, while his male body was Yang. The harmonious coexistence of Yin and Yang was, in itself, a natural mode of operation.

“Brother Ye?” Chixiao’s voice pulled him back to reality. “Why is your face suddenly so red?”

“Huh? Is it? Perhaps… it’s just too hot.” Ye Xingchen replied somewhat unnaturally, failing to notice that Su Liyue, behind him, had also quietly flushed at the tips of her ears.

“Hot?” Chixiao wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. Though it was night, the summer temperature was indeed unbearable.

“It is quite warm. These school uniforms are good in every aspect, except for lacking a cooling array.” As he spoke, he fanned himself with his hand.

“Exactly! Men get tanned like Bao Qingtian, and women get tanned like the Dark Enchantress,” Ye Xingchen swiftly changed the subject, casually reciting a jingle that had been popular in his previous life.

“Bao what ‘Qingtian’? Black what ‘Enchantress’?”

Chixiao wore a bewildered expression. It sounded quite catchy, yet he couldn’t grasp its meaning. Could it be some kind of forbidden curse magic? But such magic wasn’t something students of their level could access, was it?

“How to put it… it’s a common saying from my hometown, describing someone who’s gotten extremely tanned,” Ye Xingchen explained with an unperturbed expression.

“I see…” Chixiao nodded thoughtfully. Though still somewhat perplexed, seeing Ye Xingchen’s calm demeanor, he decided against pressing further, lest he appear ignorant.

Observing that the topic had successfully shifted, Ye Xingchen continued, “Have you noticed? There don’t seem to be as many magical beasts at night as one might expect. We’ve been walking for quite a while, yet we haven’t found any traces of them around.”

“Perhaps the academy introduced too few magical beasts this time. After all, most are Bronze-tier, and weaker beasts tend to group together for safety.”

Chixiao scanned their surroundings. Indeed, apart from a few small animals foraging for food, they hadn’t encountered a single magical beast along the way.

“Shh.” Ye Xingchen suddenly raised a hand to signal, his gaze fixed on the water source ahead.

“Something’s moving.”

Chixiao immediately understood, turning to gesture for silence to the group behind them.

Su Liyue, too, knew that Ye Xingchen had sensed something, and immediately ceased her conversation with Mu Wanqing and Lin Yueyao.

As for the two wind mages at the very back, who resembled NPCs, it went without saying that they had already nervously raised their magic staffs.

“Could it be a swarm of demon frogs?” Chixiao whispered, his brows tightly furrowed.

Though merely Bronze-tier magical beasts, their sticky, long tongues and habit of ambushing from underwater were a nightmare for a fire mage like him.

Flames striking water would have their power drastically reduced, while those slippery creatures could deftly evade by utilizing the water.

Ye Xingchen gently shook his head, perceiving the abnormal magical fluctuations within the pool. He murmured, “Unlikely. It might be a spirit-type Bronze-tier magical beast.”

“Spirit-type?” Chixiao’s heart tightened.

The mere thought of ghost-type magical beasts was enough to send shivers down one’s spine, especially since night was their most active period.

Their ethereal bodies could easily pass through physical attacks, and low-tier magic struggled to inflict effective damage.

What was even more troubling was that spirit-type magical beasts rarely acted alone; once one appeared, an entire swarm was likely to follow!

The ripples on the surface of the pool grew more intense, as if some unseen entity was rising from the depths…