Encounter with the Past

In that moment, Qiu Yue couldn’t tear her gaze away, staring intently at the love of her life who walked towards her.

Her heart seemed to miss a beat.

In an instant, all her anger dissipated, and his escape, his betrayal, no longer mattered in that moment.

The Lin Mo before her, dressed in women’s attire, had his long, ink-black hair meticulously tied back, flowing like a waterfall down his straight spine to his slender yet powerful waist. With each gust of cold wind, his hair swayed gracefully, intertwining with the silent, enveloping chill of the Profound Yin energy that surrounded him.

His attire, perfectly tailored, accentuated his unexpectedly slender yet upright figure, enhancing a captivating allure that transcended gender.

His features, both familiar and strange, were unmistakably Lin Mo’s, but the deliberate makeup and the chill that permeated his skin gave him a breathtaking, almost suffocating, precision to his appearance.

He should have been a man, but in that moment, he resembled a fallen celestial being from the Moon Palace, beautiful beyond reason, shocking to the eyes.

Qiu Yue had always known Lin Mo was handsome, but she had never imagined he could be so captivating in women’s clothing.

She gazed at him, entranced, and reached out her hand. Her sweet smile: “It’s such a surprise to see you here, Miss Wan’er. It’s been a long time since we last met. How has your uncle been? We still have some time before the morning class.”

She wanted to be alone with Lin Mo, to cherish him, to hold him tight, to bind him, to strip him of his freedom, and to entwine with him passionately.

Despite the biting cold and the wind that cut into her hands, turning them red and causing her knuckles to turn slightly blue, her smile remained unchanged.

Although her lips curved into a gentle, kind expression, her eyes still held a deep terror for Lin Mo.

Fear.

Lin Mo longed to run away, to wail and scream hysterically, to abandon everything just to escape this demon.

But that was the past.

Now, he was the heir to the Bright Jade Profound Yin, a direct disciple of the Xuan Nv Sect’s Master, Mu Qingli.

He had the means to face his own fears.

He reached out and gently grasped the girl’s outstretched hand. The rampant chill immediately dissipated, his energy became internal, and his tense expression softened, becoming equally gentle.

“Miss Qiu, your invitation is tempting, and if Wan’er doesn’t accept, it would be rude.”

Seeing Lin Mo’s composure, Qiu Yue’s mouth twitched, and her eyes flashed with a glimpse of surprise.

“However, please wait for a moment.” Lin Mo released Qiu Yue’s hand and stepped down the platform.

“I need to clear the name of the Yi-grade disciples. Please wait for a moment.”

Lin Mo’s steps were light, but each footstep landed with a resounding echo, like the deep tones of a bell, clearly heard by everyone present.

She could feel that Lin Mo… was different.

No longer the Lin Mo she knew.

A mix of irritation and joy swirled in her heart.

Lin Mo walked down the steps, his mind racing with questions.

‘Why was Qiu Yue here?’ The facts no longer mattered.

‘What was important was why she hadn’t exposed him?’

‘Had she reached an agreement with Qing You?’

‘No… impossible…’

Qiu Yue could get along with others. Her brutal side only showed when she was with him.

In the eyes of others, she was always the kind, gentle, and well-mannered young lady.

During their time in Luofeng City, Qiu Yue had a playmate, a girl.

The girl came from a wealthy family, the daughter of a renowned merchant in the city. Her parents, who had her late in life, doted on her, cultivating her spoiled and unreasonable behavior—she would buy anything she liked, and if she couldn’t get it, she would take it by force.

For her, it seemed there was nothing she couldn’t obtain.

Even Qiu Yue had been robbed of her toys by her a few times. But Qiu Yue didn’t mind, remaining as graceful and poised as ever.

She was mature, stable, and her wisdom far surpassed her peers, earning everyone’s praise.

Until… the girl set her sights on him.

She wanted to buy him.

Qiu Yue refused.

She wanted to take him by force.

Qiu Yue refused.

The girl returned home crying.

The result?

The next day, a family disappeared from the city without a trace. The mansion remained intact, showing no signs of bloodshed, only the unfinished meals on the dining table, the pans still warm on the stove, the wet clothes soaking in the basin, and the glowing embers in the stove.

It was as if the ten or more people, along with their unfinished lives, had been gently licked, swallowed, and erased by some immense existence.

Although Lin Mo never understood why Qiu Yue would become so violent when it came to him, this trait undeniably saved him a lot of trouble.

Her presence here, entering the Hall of Clarity, meant… she already knew he was here.

He wasn’t sure when she arrived or how long she had been here, but she must have searched for a long time.

The fact that he hadn’t been found out yet and could still enter the Hall of Clarity meant that Qiu Yue hadn’t told anyone about his gender, or perhaps she planned to find him secretly.

She must have searched through all the ordinary disciples, and now she was expanding her search.

This would require someone backing her.

Currently, with the Sect Master sidelined, the most powerful person in the Xuan Nv Sect was undoubtedly Qing You.

And Qing You needed people at this time.

Now, the Foundation Establishment Miss Qiu was delivered to her doorstep, and Qiu Yue undoubtedly gained an additional card to expose him fully in the Hall of Clarity.

Qiu Yue’s presence here already provided Lin Mo with a lot of information.

Qiu Yue didn’t know who she was supposed to deal with, and she never imagined that he could rise to the position of the Sect Master’s direct disciple, so she agreed to Qing You’s request.

Qing You didn’t reveal any of his information, likely only mentioning that she needed to deal with a female disciple.

Both hid the truth from each other, leading Qiu Yue to realize only when she entered the Hall of Clarity that the Sect Master’s direct disciple was him.

Qing You must have told her, and there were undoubtedly spies in the Hall of Clarity.

That’s why she chose to “call” him Lin Wan’er.

Qiu Yue, the strong-willed Miss Qiu, was willing to compromise, which meant… the Hall of Clarity was dangerous for her as well.

She wasn’t sure she could take him away.

She needed him alive.

Thinking this, everything became clear.

There was no need to consider other possibilities; there was only one path forward.

No longer a cowering rat in the shadows, no need to survive by hiding in the darkness.

This time, the path before him was clear!

Walk into the light, endure all the admiration, and become a true hero, with every action under everyone’s watchful eyes.

His light and honesty!

Lin Mo stepped onto the platform and addressed everyone with a deafening shout:

“Jia-level direct disciples, do you have the guts?!”

“Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding levels, thinking you’re descendants of the Great Emperor? Ridiculous! Disgraceful!”

“Jia and Yi levels are only used to distinguish the disciples’ proficiency in cultivation methods!”

“The difference in treatment is only to encourage those ranking lower to strive harder! This wonderful opportunity is waiting for you all!”

“But in your eyes, you think you’re noble.”

“Everyone knows I was the last to ascend, yet now I’m ranked Yi. You must have disdain, discontent, or even doubt!”

“You think I’m a direct disciple with special treatment! Special favors!”

“Then today, I’ll show you what it means when I say I wanted to be low-key, but you won’t let me!”

“Jia-level disciples, step forward! I’ll take on ten of you one by one!”

‘There’s no mistaking it,’ Lin Mo thought to himself. ‘She’s here because of me.’

He felt a mix of fear and anticipation as he looked at Qiu Yue, her presence both terrifying and alluring. The way she stared at him, with a mixture of anger and longing, sent a shiver down his spine.

‘What does she want?’ he wondered. ‘And why now, after all this time?’

Lin Mo’s mind raced, trying to piece together the puzzle of Qiu Yue’s sudden appearance. He knew her well enough to understand that her presence here was no coincidence. She had a plan, a purpose, and he was determined to find out what it was.

As he stepped forward, his steps echoing with a newfound confidence, Lin Mo knew that this encounter was just the beginning of something much larger. The path before him was clear, and he was ready to walk it, no matter the consequences.

Qiu Yue watched Lin Mo with a mix of emotions, her heart pounding in her chest. She had come all this way, searching for him, and now that she had found him, she wasn’t sure what to do next.

‘He’s changed,’ she thought to herself. ‘He’s not the same person I once knew.’

But despite the changes, she could still see the Lin Mo she had fallen for, hidden beneath the surface. And she was determined to uncover the truth, no matter what it took.

The hall fell silent as Lin Mo finished his speech, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air. The disciples exchanged glances, some with doubt, others with a newfound respect.

Lin Mo stood tall, his eyes scanning the crowd, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. He knew that this moment would define his future, and he was prepared to embrace it, no matter the cost.

‘It’s time,’ Lin Mo thought, his heart racing with anticipation. ‘Time to face my fears and become the person I was always meant to be.’

And with that, he took a deep breath and stepped forward, ready to face the world with a newfound courage and determination.