If I Were a Woman, How Would You Treat Me?

The senior sister and junior brother looked at each other in silence.

There were many words in their hearts, yet none could be spoken to the familiar person before them.

At last, Xiao Menglan broke the silence first.

“Why did you do this?”

Lu Jiansheng’s expression did not change as he replied calmly,

“Young disciples should gain more experience — it will do them good.”

“So by that logic, I should thank you, Junior Brother?”

Xiao Menglan looked deeply disappointed — this was not the answer she had hoped for.

It felt as though Xiao Menglan no longer recognized her junior brother.

She could still faintly recall when, hundreds of years ago, Lu Jiansheng had first entered the sect.

He had resembled the young disciple Cao Xueyan — shy, introverted, extremely gifted, but never arrogant.

Back then, everyone had taken care of the young junior brother,

for he was the last disciple accepted by their master before his life came to an end.

But at some point, Lu Jiansheng began to change.

Perhaps the death of Wen Ruyu had planted unrealistic dreams in him,

but feelings were never something one could force.

In the past, Xiao Menglan had sealed her heart, unwilling to let anyone else in.

Now, her heart was already filled by that child —

there was no longer room for another.

“Senior Sister Xiao.”

The warmth on Lu Jiansheng’s face faded a little,

and in his eyes appeared an emotion hard to describe.

“If I were a woman back then, would you have had a place for me in your heart?”

Wen Ruyu was a woman.

Cao Xueyan was also a woman.

Lu Jiansheng’s heart had long gone cold — he no longer held any hope.

From the moment he entered the sect, he had harbored faint feelings for Xiao Menglan.

He trained relentlessly, reached the Golden Core stage,

but no matter how strong his cultivation grew, he could never touch her heart.

“You truly think that way?”

Xiao Menglan was stunned, then shook her head.

“Who I love has nothing to do with whether they are a woman or not.

It just so happens that the one I love is a woman.

If you had been a woman, I would have treated you the same — as a junior sister. No more, no less.”

“I see.”

Lu Jiansheng’s quiet reply carried nothing but bitterness.

“Thank you for your honesty, Senior Sister.”

“I will not tell the Sect Leader about today’s matter.

Handle yourself wisely.”

There was coldness in Xiao Menglan’s tone.

She knew her junior brother had changed —

or perhaps, he had never changed at all and had merely hidden it well.

“If I have done wrong, I should be punished.

You needn’t show mercy just because we are from the same sect.”

“You think this is about mercy?” Xiao Menglan asked sharply.

“The Sect Leader bears the burden of the entire sect — how could we add to her troubles?

You and I are both at the Golden Core stage.

If discord arises between us, what will others think?

What will the disciples think?

The demonic cultivators run rampant — how should our sect stand firm if we are divided?”

With every word she spoke, Lu Jiansheng bowed his head a little lower.

The folding fan in his hand had long been put away, and the floral scent around him faded.

“If you truly feel guilty, go slay a few more demonic cultivators,

or train more talented disciples.

And as for this formation — whatever you altered, change it back now.”

Xiao Menglan looked at the formation below,

at the disciples avoiding each other, and felt an inexplicable sadness.

The demonic cultivators, though cruel and cold, could sometimes set aside grudges to cooperate.

But the righteous disciples kept their distance from one another.

How were they any different?

So much for calling themselves righteous!

Lu Jiansheng took out a formation plate and made adjustments.

After a short while, the formation was restored to its original state.

Elder Lin’s voice spread throughout the area.

The disciples were overjoyed, quickly finding partners to rest and meditate in turns, guarding each other’s backs.

Lu Jiansheng looked at the scene and murmured,

“When they go out to train, they won’t always have someone to protect them.

The demonic cultivators are far more ruthless — this overprotection will ruin them.”

Xiao Menglan glanced at him and said,

“We call ourselves the righteous sect. Naturally, we must act differently from the demonic ones.”

Lu Jiansheng sighed softly.

“If that’s the case, then perhaps being a demonic cultivator would be freer.”

He did not speak aloud — it was a thought buried in his heart.

“I’ll visit another day with an apology gift,” he said.

“No need,” Xiao Menglan replied coldly.

“My disciple doesn’t think well of you.

If you show up suddenly, you’ll only frighten her.”

“In that case, I’ll take my leave.”

After he left, Xiao Menglan remained standing.

She knew that between them, a crack had formed — one that could never heal.

Meanwhile, Cao Xueyan heard Elder Lin’s voice and finally joined her senior sister Danyao.

They decided to train together, ready to face the trials ahead.