“Pr-proper status?”

After Huan Zong agreed to be with her, Kong Hou’s brain lost its normal thinking ability. When speaking her feelings, she hadn’t considered what would happen if Huan Zong rejected her. At this moment, her mind hadn’t even had time to fill with joy before blurting out what was in her heart.

Having spent over a year together with Huan Zong, she had long developed the habit of telling him whatever was on her mind. So at this moment, her habit reacted faster than her brain.

“Being together secretly—you mean keeping everyone from knowing we’re together?” Huan Zong’s eyes looked at Kong Hou with melancholy. He didn’t say much, but this gaze was worth a thousand words.

“That’s not what I meant. What I meant was…” Kong Hou’s voice grew smaller and smaller, feeling like she was scum who played with feelings but didn’t want to take responsibility. “What I meant was, for the elders to accept us being together, there always needs to be a gradual process. If we rashly let them know we have romantic feelings for each other and they voice opposition, wouldn’t that hurt each other’s feelings?”

“My master likes you very much and won’t oppose us being together.” Huan Zong looked at Kong Hou. “You don’t need to have such concerns.”

Kong Hou somewhat guiltily licked the corners of her lips: “I mean the elders on my side. I’ve only been in the sect for less than ten years. Within three generations of my sect, no one has found a dao companion. I need to find time to let them accept you.”

“I understand.” Huan Zong nodded and gently stroked the top of Kong Hou’s head. “How could I bear to make things difficult for you?”

The hand on top of her head was warm and broad. As scum who had made the other person suffer grievance right after confessing, Kong Hou felt both guilty and sad. She hugged Huan Zong’s arm and vowed: “Don’t worry, I definitely won’t make you wait too long.”

Once these words left her mouth, didn’t they sound even more like a heartless man deceiving the female protagonist in second or third-rate story books?

“All right.” Huan Zong reached out and pulled Kong Hou into his embrace. This movement was somewhat careful, like a drought-stricken traveler who had finally found his own oasis—both joyful and afraid this was just an illusion.

“Huan Zong, your heart is beating so fast.”

Huan Zong’s ear tips turned crimson, but the hand embracing Kong Hou didn’t loosen: “You heard wrong.”

“Really?” Kong Hou rested her chin on his chest and looked up at him. She saw that Huan Zong’s neck was white tinged with pink, looking especially touchable, especially… delicious.

“Really.”

Kong Hou giggled and extended her demonic claws to quickly touch Huan Zong’s neck twice. It felt very good.

Huan Zong hurriedly covered his neck with one hand while holding Kong Hou with the other: “Don’t be mischievous.”

“You already agreed to be with me. How is touching your neck being mischievous?” Kong Hou had originally felt somewhat embarrassed, but seeing Huan Zong’s neck becoming redder and redder, the awkward feeling in her heart not only disappeared without a trace, but she even reached out with both hands and wrapped them around Huan Zong’s neck. “Or are you saying that agreeing to be with me was a lie, and you don’t actually like me at all?”

Hearing this, Huan Zong immediately clasped Kong Hou’s waist in a fluster: “It’s not like that. You… if you want to touch, then touch.”

He raised his chin high, like a warrior about to heroically sacrifice himself.

Kong Hou laughed while unceremoniously extending her finger to hook Huan Zong’s Adam’s apple. Huan Zong was tickled by Kong Hou’s action and leaned back, but thinking of Kong Hou’s earlier words, he stretched his head back.

This was exactly the scene of a virtuous civilian man being molested by a female tyrant yet not daring to resist.

“Kong Hou Junior Martial Sister, what… are you doing?” Wu Chuan was carrying a basket of spiritual fruits. Seeing that Zhenren Zhong Xi’s courtyard gate wasn’t closed, he directly stepped onto the stairs. Just as he was preparing to call out to Zhenren Zhong Xi at the entrance, he saw Zhenren Zhong Xi with a conflicted expression, face flushed and ears red, being pinned down by Kong Hou Junior Martial Sister. A perfectly fine elegant gentleman, shrinking back with hands and feet, looking extremely aggrieved.

Single-mindedly wanting only to tease Huan Zong, her ears closed to matters outside the courtyard gate, Kong Hou had no idea Wu Chuan was standing at the courtyard entrance. So after hearing Wu Chuan’s voice, she turned her head to look at the grave-faced Wu Chuan and released her hands, jumping down from Huan Zong.

Wu Chuan’s mood was extremely complex. He had thought the Dragon-Phoenix Cauldron would make Zhenren Zhong Xi harbor improper designs toward Little Martial Sister. As it turned out, Zhenren Zhong Xi was an upright gentleman. Instead, it was Kong Hou Junior Martial Sister who had done such a shocking thing. Looking at Zhenren Zhong Xi’s awkward and troubled expression, one could tell he had been forced by Martial Sister.

Liuguang Sect’s most promising disciple, youngest peak master, the Zhenren Zhong Xi admired by countless cultivators in the cultivation world, was actually being treated like this by Martial Sister. He had failed in teaching his martial sister.

In front of Zhenren Zhong Xi, Wu Chuan couldn’t say anything to Kong Hou. He could only say with a forced smile: “Zhenren Zhong Xi, these are spiritual fruits newly produced on the mountain. They’re nothing rare. Please don’t disdain them, Zhenren.”

“Brother Wu Chuan is too polite.” Huan Zong’s expression was somewhat uncomfortable. He hadn’t expected that the scene of him and Kong Hou playing around would be discovered by Wu Chuan. He stood up and straightened his somewhat wrinkled outer robe, taking the basket Wu Chuan handed over. He couldn’t help but reach up to touch his neck—it felt tingly and numb. He wanted to touch it.

Noticing Zhenren Zhong Xi’s action, Wu Chuan took advantage of his inattention to turn and glare at Kong Hou. Simply lawless—even daring to molest Zhenren Zhong Xi!

Kong Hou silently covered her face, wanting to pretend nothing had happened.

Wu Chuan sighed helplessly. After exchanging courtesies with Huan Zong for a few sentences, seeing Zhenren Zhong Xi wanting to speak but hesitating, his heart grew increasingly anxious. Unable to sit still any longer, he found an excuse to take his leave.

“Kong Hou Junior Martial Sister, you come with me too.” Wu Chuan stood up and glanced at Kong Hou, who still had the mood to drink tea. He bowed to Huan Zong: “Zhenren, I have been lax in teaching my martial sister. I apologize.”

“Brother Wu Chuan need not be like this. Kong Hou and I…” He wanted to say that he and Kong Hou had mutual feelings for each other, but suddenly remembered that Kong Hou had said they couldn’t let others know about their relationship for now. So he could only say ambiguously: “Brother Wu Chuan need not be angry. Kong Hou and I are close friends. Playing around in private need not be taken seriously.”

Hearing this, Wu Chuan felt even more ashamed. Zhenren Zhong Xi was truly worthy of being Liuguang Sect’s outstanding disciple—graceful in conduct. Even at this moment, he still considered Kong Hou Junior Martial Sister’s dignity. Wu Chuan couldn’t help but want to glare at Kong Hou again. He treated her as a good friend, yet she harbored improper designs toward him. Didn’t her conscience hurt?!

Kong Hou followed behind Wu Chuan. When about to leave, she secretly made a blowing kiss gesture to Huan Zong. Huan Zong’s face turned red as evening clouds once again. His right hand formed a fist, pressed against his lips as he coughed lightly, then made a small, gentle, almost imperceptible blowing kiss gesture back at Kong Hou.

Seeing his action, Kong Hou smiled with her eyes curved into crescents. When Wu Chuan turned back to look, she had returned to her obedient, well-behaved appearance.

Seeing her like this, Wu Chuan was both angry and amused. But this matter could be big or small. He couldn’t let Martial Sister always act according to her nature—that wasn’t caring for her, but harming her.

“Senior Brother…” Seeing Wu Chuan’s unpleasant expression, Kong Hou followed behind him, not daring to speak carelessly.

“You, oh you…” Wu Chuan sighed. He wanted to scold Kong Hou a few times, but seeing her pitiful little appearance, he couldn’t bear to speak harsh words to her. Examining the matter carefully, this had to be blamed on Master. If he hadn’t given Kong Hou the Heaven-Earth Harmonious Yin-Yang Dragon-Phoenix Cauldron, how could Kong Hou have developed such thoughts?

Before Martial Sister emerged from seclusion, he had worried about Zhenren Zhong Xi doing something to Martial Sister. Now what he primarily had to worry about was what Martial Sister might do to Zhenren Zhong Xi.

“Senior Brother…” Kong Hou blinked at Wu Chuan, her face full of innocence.

Wu Chuan was silent for a moment: “Be more tactful in your actions. Although our cultivation world doesn’t place as much importance on propriety between men and women as the mortal realm, you’re being too obvious. What will the outside world say—that Little Martial Sister harbors improper designs toward Zhenren Zhong Xi? How embarrassing would that be?

Kong Hou was stunned. She had thought Wu Chuan would lecture her with a heap of principles. She hadn’t expected it to be this. “Senior Brother…”

“Don’t wrong yourself.” Wu Chuan said earnestly: “Everything in the world can be forced, except feelings. If you two aren’t suitable, don’t cling desperately. Follow your heart’s wishes. Don’t wrong yourself, and don’t do things that hurt others in the name of love.”

Wu Chuan had seen many tragic love stories. Some people couldn’t obtain what they sought and clung desperately, making themselves utterly wretched. Some people viewed the person they liked as a possession, using the banner of love to harm all members of the opposite sex who approached their dao companion. Still others loved without any bottom line, lost themselves, and did irreversible regrettable things.

He feared Kong Hou would follow in these people’s footsteps. Even though these words might not be pleasant to hear, he still had to say them.

Kong Hou was slightly stunned. She had thought Senior Brother Wu Chuan would say she had lost the sect’s face. She hadn’t expected him to instead remind her not to let herself fall into an awkward situation.

Seeing her staring at him blankly, Wu Chuan sighed: “I’m not opposed to you admiring Zhenren Zhong Xi. I only hope you can treat yourself well. If there’s anywhere Senior Brother can be of use, just speak up.”

“I’m sorry, Senior Brother Wu Chuan. Actually, Huan Zong and I…”

“Master Uncle Wu Chuan, Martial Uncle Kong Hou.” Several inner sect disciples came over. Seeing them there, they respectfully bowed.

Kong Hou smiled at them. After they walked away, Wu Chuan patted her shoulder: “Who hasn’t been young? There’s nothing wrong with having someone you like. But you must pay attention to propriety and methods. Don’t let people look down on you.”

The hand patting her shoulder was warm and firm. Kong Hou lowered her head and quietly thanked him.

Wu Chuan smiled: “Our Kong Hou is so wonderful. Surely many people like you.” If Zhenren Zhong Xi dared not to like her, then his eyes had problems.

In Liuguang Sect in Pei City, the personal disciples were all making preparations to welcome guests from various sects. However, the sect’s elders were all guarding outside the main sect hall’s entrance. Above the main hall, dark clouds massed and lightning flashed. The entire sky was a mass of oppressive darkness, as if it would collapse at any moment.

After the first tribulation lightning struck down, seven more quickly followed.

The construction materials of the main hall could be called heavenly treasures and earthly treasures. Under the force of the tribulation lightning, they had already turned charred black. People could only vaguely see a person sitting cross-legged in the open space.

Boom!

The ninth tribulation lightning struck down. The thick purple lightning, large as a dragon’s body, made even several guardian elders involuntarily step back several paces. The entire Liuguang Sect was enveloped in lightning.

The final tribulation lightning split the main sect hall into a pit before finally dissipating between heaven and earth.

At the city gate of Pei City, a Jiufeng Sect elder’s feet stopped. He looked up at the rain suddenly falling from the sky.

“Someone successfully passed their tribulation?”

This rain contained purple qi and spiritual energy. The person who successfully passed the tribulation had cultivation of at least Void Refining Stage. In all of Liuguang Sect, the person most likely to undergo tribulation was Sect Master Jin Yue. But Jin Yue’s cultivation had been stagnant for four or five hundred years. How had he suddenly had an epiphany?

**Author’s Note:** Wu Chuan [earnestly]: Martial Sister, I hope you’ll be a female tyrant with class, ideals, and prospects.