Xie Yuyan’s Death

The Azure Nether Sect, by any measure, was the second largest in Jiang Country. The young man before them, named Zhuo Zhen, was considered the strongest among the Azure Nether Sect’s disciples.

Possessing a top-grade Lightning Spirit Root and a unique physique, he had effortlessly broken through to the Cavern Heaven Realm, then achieved Great Perfection in that realm, before successfully condensing his spiritual essence into the Spirit Transformation Realm.

Currently, he was at Great Perfection in the Spirit Transformation Realm, having also cultivated the Azure Nether Sect’s technique, the Qinglei Shenxiao Gong.

The aura emanating from his very being clearly marked him as a formidable Spirit Transformation Realm cultivator.

Zhuo Zhen was among the Azure Nether Sect’s current batch of competing disciples, each of whom wore an excited expression.

Jiang Yao narrowed her eyes, and having shaken off her opponent’s persistent attacks, she made her way to Yan Yun and Su Muyu’s side.

“You managed to dissuade those people so quickly? Impressive, truly.” Jiang Yao first complimented Yan Yun.

Yan Yun chuckled softly.

“They were merely a rabble of amateurs,” Yan Yun remarked, her gaze fixed intently on Zhuo Zhen, “but this fellow before us, he won’t be easy to deal with.”

The trio—Jiang Yao, Yan Yun, and Su Muyu—simply stared at Zhuo Zhen. While they certainly wouldn’t fear him if all three attacked together, confronting him individually was another matter entirely. Jiang Yao, for one, held little confidence in her ability to defeat him alone. Although the fundamental difference in their cultivation realms was slight, Zhuo Zhen was an entire major realm stronger than them.

To the disappointment of the Azure Nether Sect disciples, Zhuo Zhen showed no intention of making a move.

“Truly splendid battles should be reserved for later,” Zhuo Zhen stated, his voice calm. “The three of you, why not retreat for now?”

“Senior Brother Zhuo, you—?” The Azure Nether Sect disciples, having initially assumed Zhuo Zhen was intimidated by Jiang Yao and her companions, exchanged bewildered glances.

Zhuo Zhen instantly shot a glance at the speaker.

His gaze was perilous, as if silently warning, ‘Utter another superfluous word, and you’ll regret my lack of courtesy.’

Startled by Zhuo Zhen’s intimidating stare, the disciple swallowed the words he had been about to utter.

After exchanging a glance, Jiang Yao and her two companions decided to retreat together. Though they harbored no fear of a true confrontation, they sensed that the current skirmish had run its course. It seemed prudent to save their full strength for a later, more significant event.

Observing the trio’s departure, Zhuo Zhen settled back into a meditative posture.

“It seems the truly formidable characters have yet to reveal themselves,” Jiang Yao mused aloud to Yan Yun and Su Muyu.

“That’s only natural,” Su Muyu agreed. “All these sects are holding back, likely unwilling to expose their trump cards so early in the Immortal Dao Assembly.”

Upon their return to the Yunhua Sect’s encampment, Yan Yun paused, surprised to find that Xie Yuyan and Xie Guangding’s battle was still ongoing. However, their exchange resembled a sparring match more than a deadly confrontation; though seemingly intense, neither was truly aiming to inflict serious harm.

‘What in the world is happening here?’ Yan Yun wondered, utterly bewildered.

Since Su Muyu and Jiang Yao had departed earlier, they, too, were oblivious to the unfolding situation.

****

“Big Brother, Little Sister, isn’t that enough?” Xie Guangyuan shouted, his voice carrying across the field. “If you have something to say, calm down and talk it through properly. This endless fighting isn’t getting us anywhere.”

Xie Guangding, at that moment, was suffering immensely. He certainly wished to cease fighting, yet his fierce younger sister stubbornly refused to listen, leaving him with no choice but to continue the prolonged exchange.

****

“Little Sister? This? Esteemed Fellow Daoist, are you Xie Yuyan’s elder brother?” Yan Yun inquired, flying over to Xie Guangyuan with a curious expression.

Hearing a pleasant voice near his ear, Xie Guangyuan instinctively turned his head. His gaze fell upon three stunning beauties, all watching them with peculiar expressions.

“Hahaha, three great beauties, aren’t they?” Such was Xie Guangyuan’s initial, unthinking reaction.

However, he quickly realized that these three were disciples of the Yunhua Sect, prompting him to swiftly compose his expression.

“Ahem, ahem, you are indeed fairies from the Yunhua Sect,” Xie Guangyuan awkwardly began. “Yes, I am Xie Yuyan’s second elder brother, Xie Guangyuan. This girl ran away from her marriage three years ago, and I never expected her to join the Yunhua Sect. We just happened to stumble upon her today. It’s just that her temper, well, it’s truly too volatile.” He spoke with a resigned sigh.

Yan Yun and her two companions exchanged bewildered glances.

“Oh, and who might this be?” Yan Yun asked, her curiosity now directed towards Fan Chuyang.

Fan Chuyang promptly introduced himself.

“Oh, I am Fan Chuyang, and I suppose I am considered Little Sister Yuyan’s fiancé.”

The moment these words left his lips, both Jiang Yao and Yan Yun were struck dumb with astonishment.

“Ah…?”

Their expressions were priceless, for they both knew that Xie Yuyan had been a man in a previous life.

“Is something amiss, esteemed fairies? Is there a problem with what I said?” Fan Chuyang inquired, his face a picture of innocence.

After exchanging a glance, Yan Yun and Jiang Yao simultaneously burst into roaring laughter, clutching their bellies.

“Hahaha… Old Xie has finally met his match today! No, wife, I can’t take it anymore!” Yan Yun exclaimed, tears streaming from her eyes from laughter.

“I can’t either!” Jiang Yao chimed in, barely able to speak through her mirth. “No wonder this fellow was always so reluctant to talk about family matters; now it all makes sense!”

Their unrestrained amusement, however, only served to confuse Su Muyu, Fan Chuyang, and the others.

“What are you two laughing at? Is it really that funny?” Su Muyu asked, utterly perplexed.

Yan Yun and Jiang Yao simply couldn’t stop their uproarious laughter.

Meanwhile, Xie Yuyan, still locked in battle with Xie Guangding, instinctively glanced over upon hearing the boisterous laughter nearby. Seeing Yan Yun and Jiang Yao standing beside Xie Guangyuan and Fan Chuyang, her expression immediately crumpled.

‘It’s over,’ she thought. ‘Those two definitely found out something.’

She could no longer continue the fight.

She kicked her elder brother, sending him flying.

“Scram! I’m not fighting anymore!”

Xie Guangding’s face darkened considerably.

“You stinking girl, you think you can just quit whenever you want? I’m furious right now!”

Ignoring Xie Guangding, Xie Yuyan instead glared at Yan Yun and Jiang Yao, letting out an angry shout.

“What’s so funny? Is there anything to laugh about? And you, Fan Chuyang, are you out of your mind? What did you tell these two?” Xie Yuyan fumed, storming over to Fan Chuyang and glowering at him in exasperation.

Seeing Xie Yuyan’s furious expression, Fan Chuyang instinctively shrank his head back.

“I, Little Sister Yuyan, I didn’t say anything much,” he stammered. “I only mentioned that you are my fiancée, and then these two fairies suddenly started laughing uncontrollably.”

His explanation only caused Yan Yun and Jiang Yao to laugh even harder, completely unable to stop.

“Yan, you third-ranked old-timer, if you laugh one more time, I’ll choke you!” Xie Yuyan finally snapped. With a swift teleportation, she appeared behind Yan Yun, employing a coercive move to clamp her arm around Yan Yun’s neck, forcibly cutting off her laughter.

“Hey, cough, cough, gently, gently! I won’t laugh anymore, mercy!” Yan Yun pleaded, struggling.

Beside them, Jiang Yao immediately cleared her throat a few times, stifling her own laughter.

“Let me tell you,” Xie Yuyan explained, “I have absolutely no interest in this fellow. This marriage is entirely a one-sided wish between my old man and his family.”

“Alright, alright, whatever you say,” Yan Yun hastily agreed. “Just let go of me first. So many people are watching, and I need to save face, you know.”

Xie Yuyan realized she was about to face social humiliation.

“Damn it,” Xie Yuyan muttered with a mournful expression, releasing Yan Yun. “I should have known better than to act so impulsively. If I had just stayed low-key and hidden, they never would have found me.”

The onlookers, observing Xie Yuyan and Yan Yun’s antics, were all filled with questions. They couldn’t shake the feeling that such behavior was more typical of men.

“This? Little Sister, is this young lady your friend?” Xie Guangyuan asked, puzzled.

Xie Yuyan nodded solemnly.

“Mm, my good brother.”

“Ah? Good brother?” Confusion once again clouded the faces of the others.

Yan Yun immediately rolled her eyes.

“Let me clarify,” Yan Yun began. “When she ran away from her marriage, I happened to meet her on the road. She told me she also wanted to join the Yunhua Sect, so we journeyed together and became sworn sisters after entering the sect.” Yan Yun offered this explanation to the group.

Only then did the Xie brothers and Fan Chuyang nod in understanding.

“I see. By the way, let me introduce myself. I am Xie Guangyuan.”

“And I am Xie Guangding, the elder brother who was just fighting,” Xie Guangding chimed in, stepping forward. “May I ask for the names of you three ladies?”

Yan Yun immediately adopted a serious demeanor.

“My name is Yan Yun,” she stated. “This is my mother, Su Muyu, and this one, well, though you might find it hard to believe, she is my wife, Jiang Yao.” Yan Yun introduced Jiang Yao and Su Muyu as well.

Upon hearing Yan Yun’s introduction, the group was utterly astonished.

“Ah? Your mother and your wife? This?”

Su Muyu’s identity was one thing, but Jiang Yao’s status left them speechless.

In their understanding, Yan Yun was also a woman; how could a woman have a wife?

“Stop looking so bewildered,” Xie Yuyan interjected, explaining immediately. “This fellow was originally a man, but because she cultivated a poison cultivation technique, she changed her gender.”

With her clarification, the three quickly grasped the situation.

“Oh, you mean the successor of the Heavenly Poison Maiden, Young Master Yan Yun, the third young master of the Yan family in Qifeng City? No wonder that name sounded vaguely familiar!” Xie Guangding suddenly realized.

Nevertheless, the three remained curious and astonished by Yan Yun’s experience of transforming from male to female.

Yan Yun, accustomed to such reactions, remained unperturbed.

“Alright, that’s enough,” Xie Yuyan declared. “Fan Chuyang, don’t overthink things. I’ve already told you many times, I have no interest in you whatsoever. You should go back and find someone more suitable. All these years, I’ve only ever considered you a brother.”

Xie Yuyan waved her hand dismissively at Fan Chuyang, clearly signaling him to leave.

Upon hearing these words, Fan Chuyang’s entire demeanor wilted.

The two of them had been childhood sweethearts, and their relationship might have been amicable if not for this arranged marriage.

“Hey, Yuyan, this matter isn’t up to you to decide! Old Fan, don’t listen to her,” Xie Guangding said sternly, patting Fan Chuyang’s shoulder. “She’s been hanging around men for too long, and her perception is flawed. She’ll realize she’s a woman eventually.”

Xie Yuyan’s face darkened once more.

“I’m too lazy to waste words on you all. I am now a disciple of the Yunhua Sect. If I’m unwilling, what can you do? Can you really come to the Yunhua Sect and drag me back? What a joke!” Xie Yuyan retorted, flinging the words over her shoulder before returning directly to the Huoyang Pavilion’s camp and sitting down in a huff.

Yan Yun and Jiang Yao sighed helplessly.

“Brother Fan, while I sympathize with you, I suggest you find someone more suitable,” Yan Yun advised. “This person isn’t right for you; there’s no way you two will have a future together.”

“Alright, I’m leaving first.” Yan Yun bid farewell to the group before returning to their Purple Abyss Pavilion’s camp.

Jiang Yao also looked at Fan Chuyang with a sympathetic expression.

The quota competition soon came to an end.

This second round of activities proved far less chaotic than the first.