Chapter 13: What right does she have to be jealous now?

Three hours passed in a flash.

Bu Xiwei didn’t even blink, staring intently at Yu Xiu the entire time.
And Yu Xiu, under the nearly blatant gaze of the Demon Lord beside her, managed to ignore it completely. Aside from reserving a bit of attention for any unexpected accidents, all her focus was concentrated on cultivation.

This level of focus, perseverance, and even courage was worthy of the title Head Senior Sister of the Five Elements Sect.

Bu Xiwei, midway through, actually had the impulse to take out a formation with a hundredfold spirit-gathering effect from her storage bag and throw it on the ground around Yu Xiu—but in the end, she didn’t.

Just when Bu Xiwei thought she would continue staring and Yu Xiu would continue pretending not to notice until they reached their destination, she sensed a figure rapidly approaching from the distance—heading straight for their spirit boat.

Bu Xiwei’s expression instantly darkened.

…Which blind fool is running over to disturb her private time with Yu Xiu?!

Seeing Bu Xiwei, seated on her jade bed, about to make a move—and clearly not a gentle one—Yu Xiu finally opened her eyes and said calmly,
“Your Excellency Demon Lord, the person approaching is a fellow sect member, likely here to meet me regarding the Han family’s evil cultivators.”

If she didn’t step in, Yu Xiu had no doubt this Demon Lord would make that poor Five Elements Sect disciple suffer an unjust catastrophe.

Yu Xiu had reported the Han family’s actions—targeting Tianshuang Peak disciples—three hours ago. The Five Elements Sect was not inefficient. After receiving her report, this was just enough time for someone already nearby to be dispatched.

This person was someone Yu Xiu was very familiar with—connected through a life-and-death bond. Both had methods to find one another if needed.

She knew he liked taking on high-difficulty missions to temper himself and often remained outside the sect. Running into him by chance wasn’t unusual.

Since Yu Xiu had clarified things, Bu Xiwei finally reined in her desire to attack. But the annoyance and resentment remained plainly visible between her furrowed brows.

Seeing her expression, Yu Xiu felt a bit relieved—but also a faint sense of regret.

Such a beautiful and flawless face should be wreathed in smiles, not carrying such a troubled expression.

Bu Xiwei recalled that Yu Xiu had always been popular among righteous cultivators and had many friends… but she herself had seen very few of them.

Her divine sense detected that the approaching cultivator was a young man who had only recently formed his Golden Core. Judging by his robes… some peak’s disciple uniform?

Bu Xiwei couldn’t recall which one. At least it wasn’t black—so he wasn’t from Xuanji Peak.
That peak’s disciples, elders, even the Peak Master, all wore black—as if they needed to hide in the dark to commit crimes. First glance, and you’d mistake them for evil cultivators.

Recalling certain unpleasant memories, Bu Xiwei’s frown deepened.

Just then, the approaching figure reached the spirit boat.

He stood upon a spiritual sword of simple but sturdy design. With no protective barriers around him, his whole body was exposed to the pressure of high-speed flight.

For ordinary people, this would at least leave them windblown or injured.
But he stood tall and composed in the roaring wind, long hair and robes fluttering, posture straight, graceful and unshaken.

He was tall, with rare handsome features—sword-like brows, starlike eyes, his aura cold, heroic, and commanding.

Yu Xiu had already walked out to the deck, greeting him with a smile.
“Senior Brother Jiang.”

The newcomer was none other than the cold and handsome senior brother—one of the two main romance targets promoted in Five Elements Immortal Domain: Jiang Hanxing.

If players chose to join Cangling Peak during character creation, they would grow up with Jiang Hanxing as either childhood friends or close companions.
As one of the poster characters of Five Elements Immortal Domain, Jiang Hanxing maxed out in appearance, aptitude, and family background.

He was the sole personal disciple of Master Cang Ling, the current Cangling Peak Master, and only two years older than the player.
He was the most powerful among the younger generation of the Five Elements Sect.

Before Yu Xiu stunned the world by reaching Foundation Establishment at age twelve, the youngest disciple to do so had been Jiang Hanxing—at thirteen.

Just as all low-level disciples respectfully called Yu Xiu Head Senior Sister, they also wholeheartedly called Jiang Hanxing Head Senior Brother.

Though they belonged to different peaks, their roles as personal disciples often brought them together on missions. They admired one another greatly.

Yu Xiu had entered the sect two years later than Jiang Hanxing, so it wasn’t strange that she addressed him as Senior Brother Jiang.

That name finally jogged Bu Xiwei’s memory.

—The once-famous favored son of heaven, the righteous path’s beloved Sword Saint.

Bu Xiwei had never met him in her past life. Her deepest impression of him was as Yu Xiu’s predecessor—the one everyone believed would become number one of the righteous path.

But Jiang Hanxing had died during his breakthrough to Soul Formation.
And the one who ultimately surpassed him… was Yu Xiu.

He wore the pale green robes unique to Cangling Peak and nodded to Yu Xiu, calm and collected.
“Yu Xiu.”

Inside the cabin—unseen by Jiang Hanxing—Bu Xiwei heard how he addressed her.

Only then did her frown finally relax a little.

She had really been worried he would call her something like Junior Sister Yu.

Just imagining it made her teeth ache with sourness, gave her full-body goosebumps, and very nearly made her storm out and attack him on the spot.

As for Yu Xiu calling Jiang Hanxing “Senior Brother Jiang,” that was nothing more than a polite form of address—Yu Xiu simply acted out of etiquette.

Anyway… Yu Xiu is a cultivator devoted to the Path of Emotionlessness. How could she possibly have any ambiguous feelings for anyone?

A barely audible “heh” slipped from between Bu Xiwei’s teeth.

It was half a sneer, half a bitter laugh.

Even in her past life—when Yu Xiu had been willing to sacrifice her life for her—Bu Xiwei knew all too well that Yu Xiu hadn’t felt anything more than friendship.
No… not even friendship in the full sense.

To be precise, Yu Xiu’s bond with her had always been faint.
It had been pity, sympathy for her suffering, and indignation toward her past encounters… but never affection.

Outside the spirit boat, Jiang Hanxing asked concisely,
“You’re going to Huangshi Town?”

He didn’t explain further, but Yu Xiu immediately understood—he had also received the same mission and was here to confirm which target she was taking. After that, he would split up and act separately to carry it out efficiently.

Huangshi Town was one of the four dens revealed during soul-searching. It had been the closest at the time she made her selection.

Yu Xiu nodded.
“Yes.”

Jiang Hanxing didn’t hesitate.
“I’ll go to Wuli Pu.”

Wuli Pu was the second-closest den from their current location.

His meaning was clear: first come, first served. Since Yu Xiu had already chosen Huangshi Town, he would avoid overlap and take the next target.

After speaking, he showed no intention of lingering and left immediately, soaring into the sky on his sword with practiced ease.

Yu Xiu was used to Jiang Hanxing’s style—and she rather liked this sort of communication with no unnecessary chatter.

As she watched his figure fade into the horizon, she suddenly had the thought that this Head Senior Brother might’ve been more suited to the Path of Emotionlessness under Chiyang Peak, rather than Cangling Peak.

But of course, Jiang Hanxing was one of the main romance targets in Five Elements Immortal Domain, so he couldn’t possibly be officially assigned to Chiyang Peak.
That peak was practically empty in the game’s lore—by design.

Even though Jiang Hanxing was extremely difficult to pursue, if players didn’t choose Cangling Peak and become his direct junior sister, they’d have no chance at all.

There were also a few crucial early-game events where players had to raise his initial favorability before age sixteen.
Otherwise… his affection bar wouldn’t even appear.

This Head Senior Sister Yu Xiu and Head Senior Brother Jiang Hanxing were considered a perfect pair by some disciples of the Five Elements Sect.
But in truth, their relationship was nothing more than a comradeship in arms—the kind of gentle friendship as plain as water.

They didn’t even have each other’s communication talismans.
Otherwise, Jiang Hanxing wouldn’t have needed to show up in person just to confirm her target.

Yu Xiu returned to the cabin—only to see Bu Xiwei’s expression… exceptionally ugly.

Bu Xiwei’s heart was in turmoil.

Was she jealous?

Of course she was.
Watching Yu Xiu interact with someone else so smoothly—hearing the natural ease in her tone—of course it made her feel envious.

Even jealous.

But…

In the end… what right did she have to be jealous now?