Chapter 11: The Eldest Young Lady’s Escape and a Heartfelt Confession

“No, Junior Sister, we should focus on cultivating diligently, preparing to participate in the Eastern Sea Grand Competition a few months from now.”

“Oh! Senior Sister, you definitely have something, tell me quickly!”

He Xiaomeng, noticing Xian Yuan’s attempt to change the subject, immediately suspected something was amiss and loudly protested.

The best strategy among the Thirty-Six Stratagems was to flee.

Xian Yuan bolted immediately; the idea of being forced to confess by sheer numbers was a pipe dream!

“Hey! You stinky Senior Sister, tell me quickly! Wait for me!”

He Xiaomeng immediately gave chase to Xian Yuan, shouting as she ran, “Hey! Senior Sister Xian Yuan, I was wrong, please answer!”

Xian Yuan’s escape speed increased, but He Xiaomeng’s pursuit was relentless, and the distance between them steadily closed.

Just as He Xiaomeng was about to catch her, Xian Yuan suddenly halted.

He Xiaomeng joyfully cried out, “I finally caught you!”

Xian Yuan turned, a faint smile gracing her lips as she looked at her Junior Sister.

“Uh, Senior Sister, why are you making that face?”

He Xiaomeng was startled, wondering if her luck could truly be that bad.

“What do you think, Junior Sister?”

“Senior Sister, it’s not fair for you to bully me like this, boo hoo hoo~”

“What do you think, Junior Sister!”

****

Meanwhile, the Xian family was in utter chaos, thrown into disarray by their eldest young lady’s latest escape.

In the main hall, the atmosphere was heavy with tension; numerous elders watched the grim-faced Xian family patriarch and matriarch, none daring to utter a word.

“Patriarch, do you think we should try to bring the eldest young lady back?”

A trembling elder ventured, speaking with great trepidation.

“Bring her back?! Let her perish out there! Our Xian family’s reputation has been utterly disgraced!”

Xian Bei roared, seething with anger, lamenting that his devoted reputation was now in tatters.

“This, Patriarch, surely this isn’t appropriate? What if something happens to her?!” another elder voiced his concern.

“Nonsense! What could possibly happen to her? What could possibly happen to her?! Can’t you see this brat actually dared to do such a thing? Has she gone mad?!” Xian Bei bellowed, enraged.

“Enough. Since it has already happened, let it be.

My dear, we should still have Xian Yuan go and apologize,”

Yun Hezhui gently interjected at this moment.

“Alas!” the Xian family patriarch sighed.

Both of them felt incredibly conflicted, particularly Yun Hezhui.

She had never anticipated her daughter behaving in such a manner, especially provoking powerful figures and heaven’s chosen ones when there were so many others she could have chosen not to offend!

She could already foresee the wrath of those factions and the inevitable decline of the Xian family’s reputation.

****

Meanwhile, Xian Yuan was having an absolutely grand time, completely carefree.

That evening, at 8 o’clock,

Xian Yuan stealthily made her way to the outside of Shen Xiulan’s room.

To be honest, Xian Yuan was utterly panicked at the moment, knowing that Shen Xiulan might ask her to share a room!

The mere thought sent Xian Yuan pacing back and forth outside the door, the boudoir, so close, now seeming like a judgment from hell itself.

Just as Xian Yuan hesitated, the door suddenly swung open.

Startled, Xian Yuan looked up and froze.

Shen Xiulan stood there in a white nightgown, her cleavage subtly revealed, and she paused in surprise upon seeing Xian Yuan.

Shen Xiulan looked at Xian Yuan and gently inquired, “Why don’t you come in?”

Xian Yuan stammered, “I, I wanted to tell you something.

I didn’t mean to, I…”

Before Xian Yuan could finish her sentence, Shen Xiulan directly said, “Come inside to talk; it’s cold out here.”

“Wouldn’t that be improper!”

Xian Yuan’s heart twitched; as cultivators, they were all impervious to cold.

Yet, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief, for Shen Xiulan was so incredibly gentle!

“Come on, come into the room with me.”

Shen Xiulan gently grabbed Xian Yuan’s arm and pulled her inside.

A fragrant breeze wafted over them, and Xian Yuan felt a delicate, subtle aroma, leaving her slightly intoxicated.

Noticing Xian Yuan’s somewhat dazed and foolish expression, Shen Xiulan chuckled and asked, “What are you looking at?”

“Nothing! Master, did you need something from me tonight?”

Realizing her situation, Xian Yuan awkwardly rubbed her nose.

She had come here to find an excuse to avoid sharing a room tonight, only to walk straight into a trap.

“Of course, it’s to have you!”

Shen Xiulan gently covered her mouth with a hand, a soft smile gracing her lips.

Her mature charm, coupled with her exquisite beauty, was certainly not something an inexperienced youth could withstand.

It was a pity, however, that Shen Xiulan did not realize her beloved was a girl, not a boy!

“Wouldn’t that be improper? Shouldn’t we cultivators sever ties with worldly desires to achieve the Grand Dao?”

Xian Yuan watched Shen Xiulan, who had already settled onto the edge of the bed, her mind consumed by a single thought: ‘Run!’

“Cultivating by severing emotional ties? Everyone has their own method of cultivation.

To abandon emotions for the sake of oneself is not the path of a true powerhouse, wouldn’t you agree?”

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Shen Xiulan’s delicate hand idly toyed with her own soft fingers, her eyes, filled with tender affection, fixed upon Xian Yuan, who remained rooted by the door.

“Ah, this.”

Xian Yuan was stunned.

Though only eighteen, she was certainly not naive enough to miss the hidden meaning; it was clearly directed at her.

Xian Yuan gazed at Shen Xiulan’s smiling face, which seemed to ask, ‘What, do you also wish to become a scoundrel? To abandon your wife and become a powerful villain?’

In such a situation, how could Xian Yuan dare to declare herself willing to be a scoundrel?

“I, I…” Xian Yuan stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence.

“Haha, I was just teasing you! I only wanted to tell you that I like you! I’ve been watching you ever since you helped me out at Creation Mountain that first time, and you know what happened after that—I fell for you.”

Seeing Xian Yuan’s bashful expression, Shen Xiulan couldn’t help but playfully chide, “You little silly goose!”