Chapter 69 - Girls in a Matriarchal World Are Just Too Scary

Su Yan held a genuine fondness for Tang Wan Er. It wasn't merely her appearance that drew him in, but rather her innocent and sincere disposition—traits that suggested authenticity and made him eager to befriend her. "You think she's just easy to deceive, don't you?" Ling Ling remarked with evident displeasure. Su Yan gave her a peculiar look. Ever since Tang Wan Er had awakened, Ling Ling had been acting quite strangely. Could it be that she was actually jealous? "I'm... I'm not jealous." Ling Ling exclaimed, her cheeks flushed, before scurrying away. Su Yan didn't run after her. He had matters to attend to. Recently, he had triggered several system options and received numerous rewards that he had yet to examine. "No need to mention attribute points. My spiritual power has indeed increased significantly. The herbal materials are for alchemy, meant for future use. Only the Water Transformation Technique stands out as truly practical." After conducting simple experiments, Su Yan roughly understood the changes in his skills. The energy cost of using the Water Transformation Technique had significantly decreased. While he still harbored some fear of fire, it was not as pronounced as it once was. These were extensions of his original abilities, but the biggest change was the emergence of a new capability. "I can now partially transform into water, granting immunity to a certain degree of physical damage." Su Yan stroked his chin thoughtfully. The partial water transformation consumed less spiritual energy and he speculated it could even mimic playing dead. After all, if a flying sword stabbed through him during battle, who would suspect he might still be perfectly fine? "If someone were to finish me off, that would spell trouble." Mulling over the various potential uses of this ability, Su Yan felt an exhilarating thrill surge through him. After all, only by surviving could he continue to exert his power. ... "You seem particularly cheerful today." Ling Ling commented with curiosity over lunch, her food-laden chopsticks poised in midair as she observed him. The youth's eyes crinkled into crescents, unable to conceal his delight, his mood clearly buoyant. "Do I seem happy? Perhaps it’s because I had a pleasant dream last night?" Su Yan responded with a smile, hiding the truth about his enhanced abilities. He couldn’t possibly explain their source and could only revel in them privately. "I see." Ling Ling nodded in understanding. Pleasant dreams, huh? She wondered if she had appeared in them. While Su Yan quietly savored his meal, he realized that only Ling Ling had been conversing, oddly noting the absence of another's voice. Turning, he saw Tang Wan Er absentmindedly pushing rice around her bowl, her chopsticks idly plunging into empty air. "Is something troubling you?" Su Yan inquired curiously. Tang Wan Er snapped back to reality at his voice, realizing her actions. She put down her bowl and chopsticks, took a deep breath, and said, "I've been here for two days, and my injuries have mostly healed. I wish to rescue my senior brother." These past couple of days had been a mix of pleasure and pain for Tang Wan Er. The joy arose from being cared for by a beauty and enjoying godlike delicacies daily. The pain came from her guilt at enjoying such comforts while her senior brother remained in danger. "In the hands of the Hehuan Sect, knowing those degenerate women, although his life isn't threatened, he'll undoubtedly face terrifying ordeals. He's been frail since childhood. Can he endure?" "I’ve heard the female cultivators of the Hehuan Sect enjoy engaging in group activities. What horrid state might he be in now? Could they have... drained him dry?" The mere speculation about her senior brother’s possible ordeal wrenched Tang Wan Er's heart painfully, rendering even the most delicious meals tasteless. "This is..." Su Yan bit his chopsticks, unsure how to console her. He wanted to say not to worry—that fate protects the virtuous—but it was evident to everyone that Tang Wan Er’s senior brother was likely undergoing unspeakable things. The Hehuan Sect was notorious, and failing to take advantage of the helpless was unthinkable. As they dined, her senior brother might be enduring untold humiliation amidst amorous festivities—a chilling thought. After considering for a moment, Su Yan asked, “What do you plan to do now?” Tang Wan Er replied, "I want to save my senior brother. This time, I'll be extremely cautious." Although she longed to return to her sect for reinforcements, there wasn't enough time; traveling both ways would take a month, by which time the culprits would be long gone. Tang Wan Er had been surprised that the Hehuan Sect cultivators hadn't left yet. Having committed their misdeeds without eradicating witnesses, they should have vacated the scene by now. Ling Ling said, "The Hehuan Sect has always acted recklessly. They probably don’t see you as a threat." "They underestimate me, not taking me seriously, and that’s exactly my chance. Only then might I save my senior brother and escape together," Tang Wan Er said through gritted teeth. From her initial impulse to storm the sect, to this newfound pragmatism, Tang Wan Er had matured significantly. "Are you sure you can do it?" Su Yan asked, a hint of skepticism in his tone. Tang Wan Er was only in the late Foundation Establishment stage, with many of the Hehuan Sect cultivators far surpassing her in strength. How could she infiltrate unnoticed? "I'll be careful." Tang Wan Er asserted, knowing full well the uncertain outcome. Ideally, she would find assistance to rescue her senior brother together. However, the Hehuan Sect’s power was formidable. Should she get into trouble, she would accept it, but implicating others would weigh heavily on her conscience. As her thoughts wandered, Tang Wan Er stole a glance at Su Yan. He had saved her life, a significant debt, and she couldn't ask for more. Others had no obligation to help her, and most importantly... "If anything happened to him, I couldn’t forgive myself!" Tang Wan Er had no wish for her savior to suffer such debasement. There was no comparison between Su Yan’s refined beauty and her senior brother. If the Hehuan Sect’s licentious women took notice, what then? If captured, the consequences would be unthinkable—incapable of leaving the bed for days. As for her senior brother... “Well, he’s already in their clutches, and whatever could be done has likely happened—I’ll avenge him,” she thought resolutely. Su Yan felt torn—a mix of pity and reluctance. Tang Wan Er’s actions bordered on courting disaster. With her recent severe injuries, how could she sneak in without detection? "She’ll get caught too, and the next time I see her, she might be... changed." The idea pained Su Yan—such a simple and pure girl turned into someone merely shaking hips was a tragic waste. Yet opposing the Hehuan Sect caused him to hesitate. [Choice One: Uphold justice and punish evil—I am the embodiment of righteousness. (Task Reward: Title—Righteous Hero)] [Choice Two: Her reckless behavior is none of my concern—bid farewell to Tang Wan Er and wish her well. (Task Reward: A herb)] When Su Yan saw the options presented by the system, his eyes widened in surprise.