Pre-Match Reflections and Hidden Fears

It was halftime.

The next match was scheduled for the afternoon, promising quite a spectacle, as it pitted Qin Yan, the senior disciple among his peers at Yanqing Sect, against a disciple under the Second Elder.

He, too, was a male cultivator.

One had to remember that male cultivators were exceedingly rare in this realm, making a contest between two of them inherently a topic of fervent discussion.

Even more so, when it involved a disciple of the First Elder against one of the Second Elder.

While the disciples of Yanqing Sect knew little of Qin Yan, they were far more familiar with the male disciple under the Second Elder. He enjoyed mingling freely with his senior and junior sisters, a veritable darling of the sect.

“You needn’t be nervous, Junior Brother. That fellow is really nothing special.”

Inside a pavilion, Yu Qingxuan sat opposite Qin Yan. A tea set rested between them, and taking a sip, she spoke.

She had observed the male disciple under the Second Elder before. While he appeared affable to everyone, even approaching her to pay respects on occasion.

However, Yu Qingxuan harbored no fondness for such a ‘human sun’ personality. She much preferred her junior brother’s quiet demeanor, one who rarely ventured out, maintaining an air of serene cultivation.

Consequently, Yu Qingxuan typically kept her distance from other male cultivators in the sect, fearing any misunderstanding on her junior brother’s part.

‘Cultivators,’ she mused, ‘should emulate her junior brother: dedicating their peaceful days to cultivation. To knowingly exploit the scarcity of male cultivators in this world by constantly mingling with their senior and junior sisters in the sect was merely to leverage their looks and gender for emotional gratification.’

After all, as the Second Elder’s disciple, he lacked neither food nor clothing, and his cultivation resources were abundant.

Yu Qingxuan simply couldn’t tolerate such a character.

“I am not particularly nervous.”

Qin Yan lifted the teacup from the table, taking a small sip. An unmistakable fragrance instantly filled his mouth.

This was Spirit Tea, cultivated in the sect’s spiritual fields; a single sip could invigorate any cultivator, leaving them feeling refreshed and revitalized.

“That puts my mind at ease, Junior Brother,” Yu Qingxuan said with a palpable sigh of relief, then eyed Qin Yan mischievously. “By the way, Junior Brother, you must have some understanding of that fellow’s cultivation technique, his spiritual treasures, and his weapons, right?”

These words, however, left Qin Yan feeling somewhat bewildered. He only knew his opponent’s cultivation level and wasn’t entirely certain if it had been concealed.

“Junior Brother, a competition isn’t simply about standing on a stage. In truth, it begins long before the actual match. Knowing your opponent’s background and investigating them is a crucial step.”

Yu Qingxuan addressed Qin Yan in the authoritative tone of a ‘Senior Sister,’ not bothering to keep him in suspense.

“The Second Elder’s disciple wields two long swords, called the ‘Male and Female Twin Blades.’ One is unyielding and fierce, while the other is as pliable as water. Together, they complement each other perfectly, like a tiger given wings. Junior Brother, you must be careful!”

‘These weapons certainly sound peculiar.’

Unlike his Senior Sister, Qin Yan knew very little about such matters within the sect, be it about senior or junior disciples, even those from other peaks who were also true disciples. His entire focus was solely on cultivation.

“Thank you for the reminder, Senior Sister!”

Qin Yan nodded slightly, replying earnestly.

“You needn’t trouble yourself with such minor matters, Junior Brother,” Yu Qingxuan declared, grandly patting her chest, which caused a noticeable swell. “Should that fellow dare to wrong you, even if he is a man, your Senior Sister will avenge you!”

Qin Yan gazed steadily at the scene, then nodded.

****

Time swiftly advanced to the afternoon.

Within the competition arena.

The surrounding stands were utterly packed, with even some hall masters holding important positions within the sect having come to witness the event. It seemed that even cultivators were eager to partake in such spectacles.

“Senior Brother Qin! Your esteemed name has long preceded you. To meet you today truly confirms your extraordinary reputation.”

The speaker was a man standing opposite Qin Yan.

Clad in white robes, he appeared rather dashing, though he was slightly shorter than Qin Yan. His features were remarkably soft, yet his demeanor subtly exuded a hint of effeminacy.

‘His looks were certainly presentable; it was no wonder he moved so effortlessly among the sect’s senior and junior sisters.’

Qin Yan gazed at the man before him. Though he didn’t often socialize within the sect, he had occasionally heard of him through Yu Qingxuan.

‘How to put it? Truthfully, he felt a twinge of envy. After all, he was a normal male; who wouldn’t want to spend every day surrounded by a bevy of female cultivators, each one like a fairy?’

‘Flirting here, flirting there, and no one could fault him. After all, this was a matriarchal immortal cultivation world.’

However, Qin Yan also knew his own identity as a transmigrator. This was an immortal cultivation world, where powerful cultivators could discern another’s divine sense, even their past and present lives, in a single breath.

He couldn’t be sure if his Master knew of his true identity, or if some sort of barrier prevented them from knowing.

Such a matter was impossible to inquire about. After all, the concept of  ‘Outer Realm Demonic Devils’ carried significant weight in a world where immortal cultivation was possible.

This was why he had always lived a reclusive life, diligently cultivating. Otherwise, a constant sense of crisis lingered: if his true identity were ever exposed, who knew if he would be captured and his very soul tormented?

He knew that paper couldn’t wrap fire; many things could be discerned from details, especially through human interaction.

“Junior Brother Zhao.”

Qin Yan then politely responded to the junior brother surnamed Zhao.

Junior Brother Zhao gazed at the cold-faced Qin Yan before him. The name Qin Yan, much like his own words just now, was one he had heard of for a long time, but this was their first meeting.

Regarding this ‘Fairy Qin’ who always resided on the First Peak, busybodies inevitably compared him to her. Although they had never met, an inexplicable urge to compete and ‘determine who was superior’ had arisen in Junior Brother Zhao’s heart.

‘Perhaps this was the jealousy between fairies?’

Junior Brother Zhao didn’t quite understand such emotions himself. However, whenever he heard the female cultivators around him mention Qin Yan’s name, seeing the smiles on their faces, he felt a slight discomfort.

Especially now, looking at the ice-cold expression on Qin Yan’s face.

‘Hmph! What an act! Is he going for the ‘aloof fairy’ persona?!’

To some extent, Junior Brother Zhao was indeed correct.

“The match begins!!!”

At that moment, the referee’s voice rang out, and the surrounding spectators instantly held their breath.

Qin Yan and Junior Brother Zhao each drew their weapons and activated their cultivation techniques. Junior Brother Zhao then eyed the flaming spear in Qin Yan’s hand, a flicker of apprehension stirring within him.

For him, a man who valued his appearance, having his face or hair singed by those flames was utterly unacceptable.

But as a true disciple, could he simply concede defeat?

Clearly, that was impossible!