Chapter 60 - Girls in a Matriarchal World Are Just Too Scary

“Damn it! What is this all about? If I had known, I wouldn’t have been so curious!” Ling Ling was silently vexed in her heart. When she saw Su Yan again at noon, her gaze was far from friendly. Due to her inability to wash clothes properly, she struggled greatly, and because she poured too much detergent, she ended up with a small mountain of white suds. Looking at the foamy water and thinking about the detergent residue on the clothes, she felt as though both her hands had been sullied. “Why does Shijie keep staring at me?” Su Yan noticed Ling Ling’s sharp gaze and was utterly confused. Deciding to keep his distance, he thought it best to stay away from her; she seemed unusually strange today. Thus, Su Yan chose to stay here temporarily, unable to complete Bai Shuixin’s task. He wasn’t in a hurry because if the stalemate continued, the impatience of their mentor would end up troubling someone else, not him. Ling Ling couldn’t contain herself as she noted his idleness; this wasn’t what she imagined. In her memories, Su Yan was a lecherous person who couldn’t stand a day without intimate interaction with women. Yet, it's been three days, and he hadn’t sought her out even once. Moreover... “It seems like he’s avoiding me.” Ling Ling noticed that whenever Su Yan saw her, he would promptly leave, as if she were some fearsome creature, making her decidedly uncomfortable. “He is definitely avoiding me.” Realizing and repeatedly confirming this, Ling Ling found it incredibly strange. Given Su Yan’s personality in her memories, this was completely out of character. “Could it be a strategy of playing hard to get?” Ling Ling speculated, but soon abandoned the idea. Su Yan truly seemed to be avoiding her, showing no desire to be near her. The thought made Ling Ling feel a bit downcast. She couldn’t quite articulate it, but seeing Su Yan’s attention elsewhere, intentionally distancing himself, left her chest tight with an unspoken discomfort. “No, this can’t go on. I must find him!” Another day passed, and finally, Ling Ling could bear it no longer. She told herself it wasn’t about wanting to see Su Yan, nor about worrying that their relationship was drifting apart. Being out here, it was her duty as a Shijie to show concern for her Shidi. That’s what was expected of her. “What do you want with me?” Seeing Ling Ling appear, Su Yan shivered, startled by her unpredictable demeanor. He was wary of when she might have another outburst. “What are you saying? As your Shijie, is it wrong for me to come see you?” Ling Ling said somewhat awkwardly. “Of course, you can. This is your home after all.” Su Yan sat upright, maintaining a composed demeanor and refraining from further speech. Ling Ling found a place to sit, not quite knowing what to say as she observed him. Honestly, she regretted how their once-friendly relationship had deteriorated to this state. “It’s not my fault.” Ling Ling thought about her memories, the scenes in her mind that still lingered, unable to be easily laid to rest. Returning to how things were seemed impossible, yet severing ties was something she couldn’t bring herself to do. She was at a loss as to what she truly wanted. “No matter what I want, it shouldn’t be like this.” Taking a deep breath, Ling Ling told herself that if she wasn’t content with the current situation, she should do something about it. Start by breaking the silence, initiate a conversation. But... “What should I say?” With a flicker in her eyes, Ling Ling said, “The weather is nice today, isn’t it?” Su Yan looked up at her. Ling Ling pressed on, “By the way, are you hungry? Have you eaten today?” “I have.” Su Yan replied blandly. And with that, the conversation ended, leaving cold sweat trickling down Ling Ling's forehead. Damn, what’s wrong with me? Why am I asking such foolish questions? I need to find a proper topic quickly! Wait! I’ve got it! Ling Ling’s eyes lit up as she said, “This time, Shizun sent you down the mountain to find me as a side task. The main purpose was to give you some real-world experience. You’ve improved a lot in these past few months.” This comment served as both an excuse for conversation and an expression of her own sentiments. A few months ago, Su Yan was merely at the early stage of the Foundation Building realm. Now, he had advanced through two stages, which she found remarkable. “It was just a sudden enlightenment.” Su Yan explained. In this cultivation world, there was little that couldn’t be explained away by a sudden enlightenment. So many breakthroughs in history were due to such awakenings, that his case was relatively insignificant. “I see.” Ling Ling smiled gently, yet inside she felt anxious. Was the conversation about to end again? That wouldn’t do! “Having such opportunities is due in no small part to your own intelligence, Shidi. I used to underestimate you. By the way, you’ve been out for half a month, right? Have you sent Shizun a message to ensure your safety?” “Of course I have.” Su Yan nodded, saying, “I used a message talisman several days ago to have a brief exchange with Shizun, explaining the situation here. Shizun told me to let you know that when you return, you’ll face a severe spanking.” Hearing Su Yan’s words, Ling Ling’s mouth twitched slightly. She could practically feel a painful phantom sensation in her posterior, making her dread going back. “Is that so? Didn’t you explain to Shizun that there’s a reason for my stay here...” “What reason?” “Uh, well...” Ling Ling’s eyes darted nervously, unable to come up with a suitable excuse. She couldn’t possibly reveal the truth—it was too shocking. “Shijie is certainly lying.” Su Yan sighed, increasingly convinced that something was off with Ling Ling. Previously, Shijie Ling Ling had been so obedient, never defying Shizun’s orders, nor would she act so unpredictably toward him. “Could it be that she’s being influenced by a heart demon?” Su Yan recalled hearing that higher-stage cultivators sometimes faced trials of heart demons, which could drastically change a person’s temperament, or even drive them mad. Was Shijie Ling Ling in such a predicament? “I’m not lying, there are reasons I can’t speak of.” Ling Ling hurriedly changed the subject, “By the way, have you heard? Something major happened in the city recently. The disciple of the Hehuan Sect got into a fight after flirting with men.” “Facing the demonic sect, most people would avoid confrontation. But the man in question had a special status as a direct disciple of the Yushu Sect, blowing the incident out of proportion with a street fight ensuing.” The gossip about cultivators piqued Su Yan’s interest immediately. “What happened then?” “Then the enforcement team arrived and broke up their fight. One would think it ended there, but they started fighting again yesterday.” Learning the details from Ling Ling, the whole affair began from a chance encounter half a month ago, escalating from verbal sparring to physical confrontations, and still causing a ruckus. Wait, half a month ago? Su Yan suddenly realized that the timeframe matched when he arrived here. He had witnessed cultivators flirting with a man; could it have been them? “Good thing I didn’t step in.” Su Yan shuddered, relieved he hadn’t intervened. Who knew disciples of the Hehuan Sect were so brazen, even daring to make moves in broad daylight?