Chapter 30: Everyone Becomes the Person They Hate the Most

Chapter 30: Chapter 30: Everyone Becomes the Person They Hate the Most

"Twenty years ago, my grandfather was critically injured and on the verge of death. He needed a Spirit Medicine to save his life. Back then, the Nangong Family approached us, saying that if the Ye and Nangong Families formed an alliance, they would provide the Spirit Medicine.

"Ten years ago, my grandfather died, and the Ye Family’s standing plummeted. The mine we were jointly developing with the Nangong Family was stolen, so the Ye Family lost all its influence and was left at the mercy of others.

"Three years ago, the Second Young Master Nangong came to the Ye Family on business with his elders. He was overcome with lust the moment he saw me and demanded to take me as his wife. After we refused, the Nangong Family turned on us completely. The alliance shattered, the Ye Family lost the mine and had to pay a huge amount of Spirit Stones in compensation. And I became the sacrifice, fated to become Second Young Master Nangong’s concubine three years later."

In the Bamboo Garden, Ye Linglong spoke through gritted teeth. Ji Suyao didn’t understand how her friend had gotten so entangled in this affair, but she could keenly sense her hatred. ’What happened back then must have been even worse than she’s saying.’

"What does this have to do with Senior Brother?"

Ji Suyao spent a moment comforting Ye Linglong. Once her friend had recovered from her extreme emotions, she couldn’t help but ask.

"The Nangong Family is certainly powerful among the Noble Families, but they still can’t challenge the Three Immortal Sects. Senior Brother is an Inner Sect Disciple of Purple Cloud Valley. As long as he agrees to let me stay by his side, the Nangong Family won’t dare to lay a hand on me."

Ye Linglong felt a sense of relief. ’Senior Brother has already agreed. Even if he makes me a Maid or something, it’s a thousand times better than that disgusting Second Young Master Nangong. That man is clearly a hedonistic scion. Given how unpleasant he was back then, even death would be a luxury if I fell into his hands.’

"Have you considered becoming an Inner Sect Disciple yourself, just like Senior Brother?"

Ji Suyao couldn’t help but ask. Though she didn’t know the full situation, she felt something was off. If the Nangong Family wouldn’t dare to come to Purple Cloud Valley, then Ye Linglong could stay here for at least ten years.

’Previously, she hadn’t considered becoming an Inner Sect Disciple either. But Senior Brother is already an Inner Sect Disciple, and he’s the one guiding their cultivation. Ten years should be enough time for them to advance to the Inner Sect, right?’

"That’s why I approached Senior Brother in the first place—because he’s a Spirit Chef. Who would have thought fate would be so strange? A moment ago, he asked me about it directly. I couldn’t just pretend everything was fine."

Ye Linglong was quite candid. She had expected Ji Suyao to say something critical, but her friend merely gave her a few suspicious glances before leaning in to whisper, "Can you find a way to make Senior Brother let me stay, too? His cooking is just too good."

A bewildered look flickered in Ye Linglong’s eyes. ’At first, I thought Suyao had finally recognized her own predicament within the Ji Family, but it turns out this is about the Spiritual Cuisine. No, it’s not even because Spiritual Cuisine accelerates cultivation... it’s purely because of the taste.’

’But as luck would have it, this could be the perfect solution.’

"Is food all you ever think about~"

Ye Linglong tapped Ji Suyao on the forehead, her eyes filled with a helpless fondness. But she also felt relieved. ’I’m glad Senior Brother is a good person. If we had met any other Inner Sect Disciple, he might not have been much better than Second Young Master Nangong.’

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"If I’m not mistaken, you and the Patriarch of the Nangong Family are drinking buddies, aren’t you?"

Bai Qiulan remarked nonchalantly. Although Outer Sect Disciples weren’t typically considered true apprentices, Ye Linglong was the first disciple she had ever taken. Naturally, she planned to cultivate her into an Inner Sect Disciple, or perhaps even a True Disciple.

She certainly wasn’t going to allow certain things to happen.

However, since the younger generation wanted to handle this themselves, all she could do was watch quietly, ready to provide a safety net if needed.

"I’ve never met this so-called Second Young Master Nangong. However, the descendant Fellow Daoist Nangong is so proud of is named Nangong Ye. His Talent is impressive, and he has even joined Qingxu Hall."

Mo Xuan shook his head. He didn’t know the details of the Ye Family’s situation. Within the Great Xia Dynasty, there were more than a dozen great Noble Families, to say nothing of the lesser clans.

"How does he compare to Liu Chen?"

Bai Qiulan nodded. She had seen this sort of thing many times. The elders of a family would typically only care about the direct heir or the descendant with the most outstanding Talent, and wouldn’t spare a second glance for the others.

"He’s been at the Body Tempering Realm for five years and is about to reach the Perfection stage."

Mo Xuan said no more. He felt the Nangong Family might be in some danger. He had personally witnessed Liu Chen assassinate a bandit leader in the middle of the night. The disciple he had chosen was no merciful saint, but a truly ruthless individual.

Only someone like that could become a true powerhouse and survive in this Cultivation Realm, which appeared tranquil on the surface but was actually seething with hidden dangers.

’Even setting all that aside,’ Mo Xuan thought, ’in five years, with the Talent Liu Chen has displayed, he’ll probably be able to dominate my old friend’s children’s generation, let alone his grandchildren’s.’

"It seems we don’t need to worry about this after all. Let’s focus on how to help those two become Inner Sect Disciples. Even if I tell Linglong I’ll let her stay on Purple Bamboo Peak forever, she probably won’t believe me."

Bai Qiulan shook her head. It was obvious that for such a completely unreasonable marriage contract to have been finalized, someone inside the Ye Family must have sided with the Nangong Family. That was why Ye Linglong was now so unwilling to trust anyone.

If it weren’t for her childhood friend, Ji Suyao, to act as a buffer, she probably wouldn’t believe Liu Chen’s promise even now.

"We might not need to worry about that either," Mo Xuan said. "When Liu Chen has his Inner Sect Disciple initiation ceremony in three months, his identity as a Spirit Chef will inevitably cause a sensation. Do you really think the disciples who want his Spiritual Cuisine won’t find out he has two junior sisters?"

Mo Xuan shook his head. The identity of a Spirit Chef alone was enough for any disciple to be promoted to the Inner Sect. But when combined with the fact that he was also *his* disciple, it was a different matter entirely.

"There’s no limit on the number of Inner Sect Disciples. As long as you pass the assessment, you’re in. I’ve turned a blind eye to how those people conduct things in the past, but when those two girls take the assessment, those people should know what to do."

Liu Chen can handle the other disciples. We just need to wait until the girls are strong enough, then send them to the assessment.

"Weren’t you the one who used to hate this sort of thing the most?"

Bai Qiulan glanced at him. She vaguely remembered how Mo Xuan used to complain to her every day when he first took charge of Purple Bamboo Peak’s affairs. Yet now, the man was all but explicitly stating he would arrange for those two to enter the Inner Sect.

"Everyone eventually becomes the person they used to hate."

Mo Xuan shook his head. ’In the past, I had no disciples of my own, so I never understood why they would lower the standards when waiting another year would be fine. But now I get it. The only reason I’m not arranging for Liu Chen to become a True Disciple is because those in the Body Tempering Realm are ineligible. Otherwise, I’d do it in a heartbeat.’

’As for the other two, it would be too conspicuous for them to pass the Inner Sect assessment only three months after joining. With no justifiable reason, it’s better to have them wait a few years before taking the assessment.’

"That’s true enough. I used to despise all those senior sisters who fawned over you."