The Sturdy Beauty and the Terrifying Sect

“Sister, you have a really… strong physique, huh?”

In the center of Luofeng City, the world-famous immortal sect, the Xuan Nv Sect, was setting up a stall to recruit disciples.

Huang Ya, the disciple responsible for registration, stared in astonishment at the young woman registering before her stall.

In terms of looks, this sister was absolutely stunning; even after years spent within the Xuan Nv Sect, Huang Ya would be hard-pressed to find someone whose beauty could rival hers.

Yet, her physique was a touch too… imposing. It was as if that exquisite face could be detached at will and placed upon a robust, powerful body.

The overly snug silk and satin robes strained taut against her muscles, hinting that with any vigorous movement, the garment might just tear.

Considering this, a flicker of anticipation stirred within Huang Ya. Books often described a maiden’s demeanor as either slender or voluptuous, but this sturdy woman possessed a different kind of charm altogether.

A peculiar urge, a desire to reach out and touch, began to blossom in Huang Ya.

‘Ahem, ahem…’ Fortunately, Huang Ya snapped back to her senses. As a disciple of the Xuan Nv Sect, how could she be so impolite? Clearing her throat, Huang Ya lowered her head, feigning disinterest, and, picking up her brush, inquired, “This sister, your name, place of origin, and age, if you please.”

“I—”

“Eh?” Huang Ya froze, a startled expression crossing her face. Had she just heard a decidedly rough voice? She snapped her head up, her eyes wide with astonishment. ‘Wasn’t it a woman standing before her?’ she wondered.

“Uh… this one has a cold, so sometimes her voice gets a little rough~” The voice turned saccharine, yet still sounded oddly off. However, the face was beautiful enough to instantly dispel any strangeness. “This one is called Lin Wan’er~ This one is twenty years old, and is—”

“Find that bastard for me!”

A furious roar echoed, and a young woman, clad in a moon-white ruqun embroidered with gold thread peonies, her shoulders draped with a silver fox stole, her blue hair flowing, stormed in, frantically issuing commands to her subordinates.

“Lin Mo! Don’t you dare let me find you! Or I’ll make your life worse than death! How dare you betray me! You actually betrayed me! I’ll make you… I’ll make you regret it!”

“How crude,” Huang Ya muttered, displeased. Such a hysterical roar was a stark contrast to the gentle elegance and unhurried composure that were the hallmarks of a cultivated young woman. This demeanor truly stripped a woman of her dignity.

She frowned slightly, clearly disapproving of the blue-haired young woman’s shouting.

Yet, she immediately recognized her: this was Qiu Yue, the younger sister of the Lord of Luofeng City, a person her sect had specifically warned them not to offend.

All she could do was pretend not to notice, continuing her inquiry, “Let’s continue, sister, where are you from…?”

For some reason, the sturdy ‘young woman’ before her was trembling violently.

‘Had she been frightened by that shout?’ Huang Ya mused. ‘Despite her robust appearance, she turns out to be quite timid.’

“Don’t be afraid, sister,” Huang Ya offered in comfort. “That shrew isn’t looking for you.”

‘How could I not be afraid?’

‘I’m the one they’re looking for!’

He had been woken early by Yang Po Po, who had given him a hairpin as a token, dressed him in women’s clothes, and sent him early to the rendezvous point.

He could only conclude that the sect Yang Po Po had recommended seemed to have something special about it; there was already a crowd of people queuing so early in the morning, though he couldn’t fathom why they were all women.

Lin Mo, holding the hairpin, had tried to cut in line, but the queuing women possessed an astonishing strength! He, a grown man, couldn’t push past a single one of them!

When Lin Mo tried to step forward to explain his situation to the recruiting disciples, someone mistook him for being unruly and forcefully dragged him back, telling him to queue properly.

Commotion began to ripple through the line. Even though time was pressing, Lin Mo had no choice but to patiently wait, terrified of causing a scene and attracting attention.

Moreover, these women were exceedingly formidable. Lin Mo simply couldn’t comprehend how their slender arms could pull back a strapping young man like himself.

Much time was wasted, so much so that Qiu Yue had quickly discovered his escape and immediately dispatched people to search for his traces.

Thankfully, Yang Po Po’s skills in dressing and makeup were superb; his appearance—in Yang Po Po’s words—was femininely beautiful, and with his long hair down, dressed in women’s clothes, and with makeup, he was practically a natural beauty!

Not to mention others, even Lin Mo himself almost didn’t recognize himself—’I can actually be this beautiful?’

His current disguise was largely responsible for him blending into the queue and not being dragged out.

Secondly, Qiu Yue’s subordinates seemed hesitant to thoroughly search the people in this particular line, merely glancing roughly before moving on to other places.

At this moment, the most dangerous place was, ironically, the safest.

‘As expected of Yang Po Po! Was this also within her calculations?!’

Lin Mo’s respect for Yang Po Po deepened even further.

Yet, the sheer number of people was overwhelming; an hour passed before he finally neared the registration desk, but Qiu Yue was also close by.

However, still concerned about something, she only gave the area a cursory glance before hastily recalling her subordinates to search elsewhere.

Once she left, Lin Mo finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He had escaped; now, he just needed to show the hairpin to the person at registration and then—

“How dare you!”

A shout, infused with true qi, exploded like a clap of thunder amidst the crowd.

The sound was not loud, yet it roared in Lin Mo’s mind, making him dizzy and almost causing him to fall. Fortunately, Huang Ya, with her quick reflexes, steadied him.

“A mere man, daring to dream of infiltrating the Xuan Nv Sect!?”

There were two queues, and the person next to Lin Mo was another man similarly dressed in women’s clothing. However, his rugged cheeks and simple attire made him easily discernible at a glance.

He was seized by the neck in mid-air and slowly lifted aloft until everyone in the vast plaza could see him.

“Immortal Lady… please…”

The man was given no chance to explain; his head was instantly crushed. Before blood and flesh could even splatter, they were completely incinerated by a bright flame, leaving not even ashes behind.

A person, just like that, vanished.

A second ago, his voice, his breath, his appearance still lingered in the world, but now, nothing remained.

This scene before him utterly horrified Lin Mo.

‘Just being discovered as… a man meant death? Then what about me…?’

Lin Mo’s legs went weak; if not for the female disciple supporting him, he would surely have collapsed onto the ground.

‘The difficulty Yang Po Po spoke of… was it this difficult…? If my true male identity is discovered… I’ll die?’

Lin Mo’s breathing grew rapid, and cold sweat poured down his back.

‘Yang Po Po… she must have messed something up, recommending me here! No… no, that’s not right!’

‘Oh! I understand now. Yang Po Po is using an àn dù chén cāng (TL Note: A Chinese idiom meaning ‘to pretend to do one thing while doing another,’ or ‘to feign an attack in one direction while making a surprise move in another.’) strategy!’

‘This sect clearly has no fondness for men, even hostility. As long as I’m queuing here, that yandere brat [Qiu Yue] will absolutely never think I’d be here!’

‘What’s the best way to hide a tree? Hide it in a forest!’

‘Moreover, due to the Immortal Sect’s prestige, she wouldn’t dare to investigate too closely.’

‘At that time, I just need to show the hairpin to one of these two, match the secret signal! Then Yang Po Po’s friend can secretly take me out!’

‘Then the other contacts will bring me into the sect for cultivation! To become an immortal cultivator!’

‘This way, it won’t seem abrupt, nor will I be stopped and inspected.’

‘Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! I thought Yang Po Po was just a gambling addict and a drunkard, but I never expected her to be so deeply scheming, so strategically profound!’

‘Marvelous! Marvelous!’

At this thought, Lin Mo’s face couldn’t help but betray an almost irrepressible excitement.

“Sister, are you alright?” Huang Ya asked, her voice filled with concern.

Observing Lin Mo’s constantly shifting complexion and the cold sweat pouring from him, she seemed to understand something and said, “Were you startled by that pest? Don’t be afraid, sister; my senior sister has already cleaned it up for you.”

‘Pest? Wasn’t that a person?’

Lin Mo glanced around; the faces of the surrounding people merely showed indifference, disdain, and a sense of course, with no one finding it amiss.

A chill ran through his heart; he didn’t understand why these people could be so indifferent to life… to this extent?

‘Could it be… that the lives of mortals truly aren’t considered lives?’

“What’s wrong?” The female disciple who had killed the man seemed to notice the anomaly and walked over, intending to inquire.

However, upon witnessing Lin Mo’s face, she couldn’t help but freeze in a daze for a moment. After a while, she snapped back to her senses, instantly donning a kind and amiable smile, and softly said, “Why is this sister so pale with fright?”

As she spoke, she stepped forward and naturally took Lin Mo’s hand, gently stroking it.

It was less like a comforting gesture and more like the lecherous touch of a host at a business KTV (TL Note: Business KTV is a type of karaoke bar often associated with professional entertainment where hostesses may engage in physical contact with clients.)

‘No… sister, your touching is… too professional, isn’t it?’

Lin Mo tried to pull his hand away, but alas, the other party’s strength was too great; he couldn’t extract it at all!

He could only allow her to take advantage of him.

“Ahem! Senior Sister Lin Lin!” Huang Ya cleared her throat, offering a subtle reminder, which prompted Lin Lin to withdraw her hand.

Huang Ya continued, “It’s all because of that pest. Although this sister is a bit robust in build, her temperament is quite like a rabbit’s; she must have been startled.”

“How pitiful,” Senior Sister said, her face full of sympathy. “Who would have thought there’s such a fool in the world today, doing something as idiotic as dressing in women’s clothes to infiltrate the Xuan Nv Sect? But don’t worry, sister, you won’t find a second idiot like that.”

‘Excuse me… there’s another one right here…’

Lin Mo took a deep breath, then produced the hairpin and handed it to the two women.

He had to quickly match the secret signal and get out of here.

This was an exquisite hairpin.

Its main body was crafted from warm, yáng zhī bái yù (TL Note: Mutton-fat jade, a highly prized type of white jade known for its smooth, waxy texture and pure, creamy color.), its jade color like the purity of fresh snow after winter’s first fall, flawless white and exuding a soft luster, as if it could gently absorb all the surrounding light.

In an instant, it captivated the gazes of both Huang Ya and Lin Lin.

Such beautiful, expensive, and exquisite material immediately made both women gasp in astonishment.

This was likely something they couldn’t afford.

This sister was not only beautiful but also generous and very sensible! She even knew to offer a bribe.

Lin Lin, quick-eyed and quick-handed, directly snatched it away with such speed that Huang Ya was left dumbfounded, able only to bite her lip and silently accept this loss, secretly vowing to diligently practice her hand speed when she returned!

Lin Mo’s heart swelled with joy as he looked at Lin Lin, thinking she must be his contact person!

“Junior Sister, I usually study physiognomy with Master. This sister not only has an outstanding appearance but is also quite intelligent! She must definitely possess immortal aptitude! In that case, no need for testing; just register her directly.”

Lin Lin waved her hand grandly, and the hairpin vanished.

‘What immortal aptitude? It’s clearly a bribe!’

Everyone understood, but who dared to speak out?

“Yes, Senior Sister Lin Lin.” Huang Ya returned to her seat and bent over the desk, recording.

“Th-thank you, big sister!” Lin Mo couldn’t be happier, smiling sweetly.

‘As expected of Yang Po Po’s friend, her thoughts are also so meticulous.’

‘This way, my escape plan will surely be foolproof!’

Lin Lin stepped forward, supporting Lin Mo and leading him to her seat. In just a few steps, Lin Lin’s small hand was not well-behaved; the hand that should have been on his waist kept moving downwards, as if searching for something.

However, if she kept touching him like this, she might genuinely find a treasure there.

Fortunately, Lin Lin knew her limits and didn’t go too far. After bringing Lin Mo to her seat, she said to him, “Sister, take this.”

An iron token appeared in his hand.

“This is…?”

“A teleportation token. It can directly teleport you, sister, into the sect.” As if remembering something, the senior sister smiled and added, “Sister seems a bit afraid of men, doesn’t she? Don’t worry, the Xuan Nv Sect has no men at all. Any male who steps into the Xuan Nv Sect will be instantly annihilated by the sect-protecting formation.”

“Huh?”

Lin Mo froze, and before he could react, he was pulled away by a beam of light.

This beam of light attracted the attention of everyone in Luofeng City.

It signified that someone had been chosen by an Immortal Sect, directly teleported into the sect to become a sect disciple, rather than first entering as a menial laborer.

Envious gazes were constantly cast skyward until an angry shout broke the brief pause.

“Who allowed you to stop?” Qiu Yue was furious beyond measure. “Continue searching for me! Turn Luofeng City upside down, but find Lin Mo for me!”

They searched until late into the night, searching every household in Luofeng City, yet found no trace of Lin Mo.

Qiu Yue stood on the city wall with a dead heart, looking down at the heavily guarded city gates, staring intently at the people exiting, terrified of missing or overlooking something.

But until the curfew, when the heavy city gates slowly closed with a dull thud, no news about Lin Mo had arrived.

“Little Mooncake, he’s just a male servant. Can’t big sister just find you another one?” Qiu Qinglian, the Lord of Luofeng City, walked to Qiu Yue’s side and comforted her.

“I only want Lin Mo.” Qiu Yue’s voice was a bit hoarse, tinged with a hint of a sob.

She didn’t understand why Lin Mo had to escape.

She loved him so much; she ensured he had no worries about food and clothing, allowed him to serve by her side, let him see every part of her body, let a mere servant touch her body…

They had spent so many happy times together; weren’t the deep feelings cultivated over these ten years enough?

‘Why…’

The firelight in the dark night could not conceal her misty eyes, the whites of which were bloodshot.

On the sultry summer night, only Qiu Yue trembled by the bonfire.

“Little Mooncake…” Qiu Qinglian’s heart ached for her younger sister; she didn’t understand what was so good about Lin Mo. “He’s just good-looking, Little Mooncake, why bother being so fixated on him? The Qiu family is a prominent family; are we afraid of not finding a better male servant than him?”

‘Lin Mo wasn’t just good-looking, he was also—’

Suddenly, a single word awakened her from her dream. Qiu Yue abruptly realized there was still one place, one blind spot she hadn’t searched.

Because she hadn’t thought, no, no one would have thought, that Lin Mo would be bold enough to hide there, in the place that hated men most in the world—the Xuan Nv Sect.

“Heh… Hahahahahahahahahahaha!”

“Li-Little Mooncake?” Qiu Qinglian was startled by the sudden maniacal laughter.

“As expected of you; as bold as ever, always bringing me surprises. I like you more and more~”

“Qiu, Qiu Yue…?” Qiu Qinglian looked at Qiu Yue before her, feeling a sense of unfamiliarity. Where had that round-faced little darling, like a mooncake, from her childhood gone?

Who was this person beside her, smiling so sickly?

“Sister, I’ve decided.” Qiu Yue turned around, her expression serious. “I’m going to the Xuan Nv Sect to enter for cultivation.”

Meanwhile, in the Qiu family’s servants’ courtyard, Yang Po Po was currently staggering as she pushed open the main gate.

As soon as it opened, she shouted at the top of her lungs, “Little Lin, g-give me a bowl of hangover soup! This time I— Oh, right. Look at my memory; Little Lin is gone. No one will brew it for me anymore.”

Yang Po Po smiled, taking another gulp of wine. Only with bitter wine down her throat could she be choked by its bitter and spicy taste, unable to think of anything else.

Yet, even after several consecutive gulps, her eyes, barely open a slit, still revealed an unmistakable loneliness.

‘Ah, well, it’s good that he’s gone.’

‘It’s good that he’s gone.’

Yang Po Po staggered back to her room and suddenly discovered that the jade slip she always kept in the corner was flickering with a faint light.

A message had arrived.

‘He probably ran out, reporting his safety.’

Yang Po Po dropped her wine gourd, walked closer, picked up the jade slip, and looked. Instantly, a chill spread throughout her body, and most of her drunkenness sobered up in an instant, her face full of terror.

“Li…Little Lin…today he went…to…the Xuan Nv Sect?”

However, they weren’t the only ones to discover a problem; two others had as well.

“Senior Sister Lin Lin… where did that teleportation token for direct disciple selection… go?”

“Isn’t it in the bag? Stop talking, Junior Sister Huang Ya; let Senior Sister show you what ‘God’s hand’ is called. Quick, quick, quick, take off your clothes! I’ll give you a good massage!”

“No, it’s not! It’s that token that allows direct participation in the Elder’s personal disciple selection! You, you wouldn’t have given it directly to that Lin Wan’er today, would you…?”

“Ah? No way? Search carefully! What I gave should have just been a regular teleportation token, right?” Lin Lin no longer dared to be playful and immediately got up to ransack drawers and cabinets.

“If, if… she was given it, and it turns out she has no aptitude… we…”

For them, who engaged in favoritism and fraud, only one word could describe their fate: “miserable.”

Playing petty tricks in front of the Elders, losing so much face, causing such a big disaster, wouldn’t their master skin them alive?

Just as they were anxious and uneasy, the door was suddenly knocked, followed by an unexpected voice: “Apologies for disturbing the rest of you two. I am Qiu Qinglian, Lord of Luofeng City, here specifically to discuss my younger sister Qiu Yue entering the Xuan Nv Sect.”

In an instant, hope descended upon them once more.

“Quick!” Lin Lin transmitted her voice. “Cross out Lin Wan’er’s name and write Qiu Yue’s name!”