This was the first time Kong Hou had heard such an absurd and laughable statement. She turned to look at Huan Zong, then at the Joyous Sect female cultivator. Her mind buzzed as if someone was constantly beating gongs and drums beside her ears in a chaotic cacophony.

Seeing Kong Hou remain silent, the female cultivator assumed she was still bothered by what she had said earlier and added, “This fellow daoist and Miss are truly a match made in heaven. I was blind just now.”

She hadn’t paid attention before, but now she realized that although this young lady was young, her cultivation level was already on par with her own. A cultivator with such talent absolutely couldn’t be a disciple from a small sect.

No matter how good-looking a man was, he wasn’t worth offending a great sect disciple over.

Kong Hou waved her hand dismissively. With such unreliable words from the other party, she feared that if she continued listening, she would truly blush in front of everyone.

She turned to look at Huan Zong, then lowered her head to look at her hand grasping his sleeve. Her index and middle fingers slowly, slowly released their grip…

Noticing her action, Huan Zong’s eyes dimmed slightly.

However, in the very next moment, Kong Hou grabbed his sleeve again.

“Huan Zong, let’s go.” Kong Hou’s cheeks were rosy pink, carrying the innocence and vitality unique to young women.

How others saw things was their business. In any case, she was very happy being with Huan Zong, and this way of interacting was also very comfortable. If she started changing her attitude because of a few words from others, that would be wronging herself.

Master had said that life itself was a long cultivation journey. If one wronged oneself and those around them because of outsiders’ gazes, even cultivating to immortality would be meaningless.

Hearing the two words “Huan Zong,” the female cultivator’s heart stirred. She had heard that Liuguang Sect’s Zhenren Huan Zong and Yunhua Sect’s Kong Hou Xianzi traveled together and had helped many people.

Although Zhenren Huan Zong was from Liuguang Sect, no one had ever heard his great name before, so no outsiders had seen his true appearance. But the man before her eyes was simply too perfect—so perfect that she unhesitatingly concluded he must be Liuguang Sect’s Zhenren Huan Zong.

So Zhenren Huan Zong and Kong Hou Xianzi actually had such feelings for each other. Thinking of how so many people just now had gossiped about Liuguang Sect and Yunhua Sect in front of them, she felt somewhat embarrassed. Secretly whispering about matters circulating in the streets was called joining in the excitement. But facing the people involved and unscrupulously discussing their sects—that was asking for trouble.

Fortunately, these two were broad-minded. Even after hearing all this, they didn’t lose their temper. Only after someone spoke vulgar words did Zhenren Huan Zong’s expression darken.

“Are you two Zhenren Huan Zong and Kong Hou Xianzi?”

“No, you’ve mistaken us for someone else.” Not wanting to invite trouble, Kong Hou directly shook her head. “We’re just passing through.”

The female cultivator: “…”

“Ha.” Among the crowd downstairs, someone laughed. “Seeing people with decent looks, you assume they’re great sect disciples. Could it be that great sects only recruit disciples based on their faces?”

The female cultivator thought—who had such audacity? Having seen this young master attack someone, they still dared to speak up?

She turned to look back and saw four men and women enter through the doorway. They wore robes of uniform style, all embroidered with phoenix patterns. She immediately didn’t dare say more. Looking across the entire cultivation world, the only sect that would embroider phoenix patterns on disciple robes was Jiufeng Sect—no other sect would do so.

Jiufeng Sect’s power was immense, ranking alongside Zhaohan Sect. Their disciples were all proud and arrogant, placing great importance on their sect’s reputation. These people dared to secretly gossip about Yunhua Sect as after-dinner conversation, but didn’t quite dare to discuss Jiufeng Sect.

Years ago, someone had spoken ill of Jiufeng Sect and was chased by a Jiufeng Sect disciple through several cities, finally caught and beaten severely before the matter ended. Most terrifying was that this sect’s people had more than just this one quirk—they were usually very particular about their words and actions, and felt duty-bound to maintain the glory of the ten great sects.

Liking to maintain their own sect’s glory was human nature, but who knew what relationship the other nine sects had with them that they also couldn’t tolerate others gossiping about them.

“Zhenren Huan Zong is Liuguang Sect’s outstanding disciple, and Kong Hou Xianzi is Yunhua Sect’s genius disciple. How could they be all clingy with romantic entanglements?” The four Jiufeng Sect disciples walked to an empty table and sat down. The disciple who spoke was the youngest among the four. The leading woman had a slender waist and long legs, her expression extremely cold, as if she had no interest in anything in the outside world.

Unlike most female cultivators in the cultivation world, she didn’t wear beautiful skirts or style elaborate hair buns. Instead, she dressed very neatly, her dark hair bound up with a jade crown. At first glance, she actually looked like a male cultivator. However, her features were extremely delicate, and anyone with some discernment wouldn’t mistake her gender just because she dressed as a man.

Hearing her junior brother say the words “clingy romantic entanglements,” she looked up to glance at Kong Hou and Huan Zong, then coldly withdrew her gaze. How could a sword cultivator from Liuguang Sect possibly appear before others in such an intimate posture with a female cultivator from Yunhua Sect?

These two were probably cultivators with excessive vanity. However, since they hadn’t done anything harmful, she had no need to speak up and make them lose face.

For a woman who embodied both beauty and handsomeness like this, if Kong Hou had encountered her on any other day, she would definitely have been amazed by her appearance. But today, having been shocked by the female cultivator’s words, her heart was preoccupied with Huan Zong, this great beauty, and she had no spare attention for other lesser beauties.

“Immortal Lords and Xianzi, you must uphold justice for me.” The cultivator whose tooth had been knocked out earlier covered his mouth and said, “These two relied on having higher cultivation than me and attacked me without warning…”

“Please stay away from me.” The Jiufeng Sect female cultivator who embodied both handsomeness and beauty placed her hand over her teacup, using an expression of calm indifference to display her coldness.

The male cultivator covering his mouth was so stimulated by the other party’s obvious attitude of disdain that his cheeks flushed red. After a long moment, he said, “I’ve long heard that Jiufeng Sect cannot stand injustice in the cultivation world. Please, Xianzi, uphold justice.”

The Jiufeng Sect female cultivator glanced at the male cultivator, then turned to look at Kong Hou standing on the stairs. Although she disliked these two for impersonating great sect disciples, both had clear eyebrows and attractive features, and their cultivation levels far exceeded this man’s. If they truly intended to deal with him, would he still have the chance to speak now?

“For disputes, you can report to the local City Lord’s Manor.” The Jiufeng Sect female cultivator withdrew her gaze. “Although my Jiufeng Sect cannot stand to see injustice, what does injustice have to do with you?”

Someone couldn’t help but laugh aloud. The Jiufeng Sect female cultivator glanced at the person who had laughed, and they immediately stopped.

The hall suddenly quieted down, with invisible embarrassment rolling through the silence.

“Senior Sister, I wonder if Zhenren Zhong Xi will appear at Daoist Cheng Yi’s Nascent Soul ceremony this time?” The junior brother quietly asked Ling Yue. “Zhenren Zhong Xi hasn’t appeared in many years. Could he have already reached Divine Transformation stage great perfection and be preparing to impact Void Refining realm cultivation?”

Hearing the two words “Zhong Xi,” Ling Yue frowned. When she had just entered Jiufeng Sect years ago, she heard fellow sect members mention a person called Zhong Xi who had already reached Foundation Establishment cultivation just a few years after joining the sect. From then on, she constantly heard news about Zhenren Zhong Xi.

This model disciple from someone else’s family was either forming his core or slaying evil demons, or discovering some secret realm—as if all the most dazzling achievements under heaven had been accomplished by him alone. She thought news of Zhong Xi advancing to Void Refining realm would emerge in the past two years, but instead Zhong Xi seemed to have disappeared, with no new information coming out. Meanwhile, Zhaohan Sect’s Lingbo and Yunhua Sect’s Kong Hou were currently in the spotlight.

Jiufeng Sect’s relationship with Zhaohan Sect wasn’t very good. When Jiufeng Sect produced a genius female sword cultivator named Ling Yue, they produced a five spiritual roots genius named Lingbo. It seemed like coincidence everywhere, yet made Jiufeng Sect feel they were being deliberately targeted.

“He won’t.” Ling Yue shook her head. Noticing the pair of man and woman on the stairs had already left together, she realized she had paid too much attention to them and withdrew her focus. “Zhong Xi is extremely cold and doesn’t value worldly matters. He’s like a heartless sword—how could a sword appear because someone else achieved Nascent Soul cultivation?”

“Oh.” The junior brother was somewhat disappointed. He had wanted to see what the legendary Zhenren Zhong Xi actually looked like.

People outside said Zhenren Zhong Xi was ugly. He had always been very skeptical of this claim—high cultivation and good looks were the standards for a heaven’s favored one.

Kong Hou and Huan Zong went upstairs. Seeing Kong Hou remain silent, Huan Zong spoke up. “Kong Hou, about those words just now…”

“Don’t take those words to heart.” Kong Hou said, “Also, don’t let their words affect the bond between us. That’s not worth it.”

Huan Zong: “…”

All his inner worries and anxieties transformed at this moment into speechlessness.

Seeing Huan Zong not speaking, Kong Hou tugged at his sleeve and shook it. “Well, although they mistook us for lovers, you might have suffered a bit of a loss, but you’re not someone who cares about such things, right?”

All-capable, with profound cultivation, outstanding appearance, considerate and gentle Huan Zong—after being with her, people mistook them for lovers. No matter how she thought about it, she was the one who had gained a huge advantage.

“I don’t care.” Huan Zong was stunned for a moment, then the corners of his lips curved upward. “Even if everyone in the world misunderstands, as long as Kong Hou you don’t mind, I will never care.”

Looking at the smile on Huan Zong’s face, Kong Hou felt her feet floating a bit, as if she had picked up the bargain of a lifetime.

Returning to her own room, Kong Hou reached up to pat her somewhat burning cheeks and walked around the room several times.

Was Huan Zong’s face good-looking? Good-looking.

Was Huan Zong’s cultivation high? Unfathomably deep.

Was Huan Zong’s character good? Incredibly good.

Huan Zong had long legs, an elegant temperament, countless magical treasures and spirit stones, came from a prestigious family, and was a graceful sword cultivator zhenren. Looking across the entire cultivation world, probably couldn’t find more than a few young male cultivators better than Huan Zong.

So for such a good male cultivator to be mistaken as her lover—wasn’t that too much of a loss for him?

Covering her face with both hands, Kong Hou sat down in a chair and stamped her feet. She hadn’t expected she was actually such a vulgar woman—she had truly begun imagining what the situation would be like if Huan Zong became her dao companion.

Ugh.

Huan Zong considered her a friend, yet she was secretly coveting his beauty. Such thoughts were so depraved, so shameless.

“Young master…” Lin Hu followed Huan Zong back to his room and said earnestly, “You should rein in your feelings a bit. I fear you’ll be able to go up Yunhua Mountain, but then won’t be able to come back down.”

Huan Zong looked at him without speaking, only tightening the corners of his mouth.

“Miss Kong Hou is only seventeen years old. How could she understand romantic feelings between men and women?” Lin Hu advised. “How about we take it slowly?”

“We?” Huan Zong frowned.

“I mean to say, you take it slowly, and I’ll help you from the side.” Lin Hu immediately corrected himself.

A knock sounded at the door. Lin Hu turned to open it.

Kong Hou stood outside the door holding a pile of things, smiling at him. “Senior Lin, is Huan Zong here?”