Chapter Five: The Enchantress

"You can set your mind at ease. While I may not boast of much, when it comes to slaying demons and eliminating evil, I am well-versed and can handle it with the greatest of ease." As Lin Chen spoke, he patted his chest firmly, his face brimming with such absolute confidence that it seemed as if there were no evil in this world he could not subdue.

Hearing Lin Chen’s resolute guarantee, Xiao Yunyao finally released her tight grip on his sleeve, looking slightly embarrassed. A faint blush crept onto her cheeks as she apologized, "Forgive me, Daoist. I lost my composure just now; I hope you will not take offense."

"It is of no consequence. Do not trouble yourself over it," Lin Chen replied calmly, waving a hand to indicate it was nothing.

A moment later, Lin Chen keenly sensed the aura of the woman approaching them. He lowered his voice, asking quietly, "Do you sense anything approaching us?"

"No..." Xiao Yunyao replied instinctively, and as she spoke, her hand involuntarily grasped Lin Chen’s again.

But the moment her hand touched his, Lin Chen felt a chill radiate from his fingertips through his entire body, causing him to shiver uncontrollably. He knew all too well that the hand gripping his was certainly not Xiao Yunyao’s; it was as cold as millennial ice, a chill that seeped into his bones as if it could freeze his very soul.

Lin Chen forced himself to remain calm, silently reciting the Heart-Cleansing Mantra in his mind, trying to settle his agitated spirit to deal with this sudden, eerie situation.

As for the real Xiao Yunyao, witnessing this scene, her legs turned to jelly, and she collapsed to the ground. She wanted to shout a warning to Lin Chen, but her throat felt as though it were being tightly throttled; no matter how hard she tried, she could not utter a sound. Fear engulfed her like a rising tide.

The "Xiao Yunyao" turned toward the real one and offered a twisted, eerie smile—a look so sinister and horrifying that beads of cold sweat erupted on Xiao Yunyao’s forehead. The sweat trickled down her cheeks, and her back was already soaked, the clammy sensation making her feel increasingly wretched.

Then, the woman’s face began to shift violently, changing shape constantly. In the span of a few breaths, countless faces flickered across her own. To Xiao Yunyao, every single one was painfully familiar, for they were the faces of her own kin. Finally, the shifting stopped on a handsome visage—the face of the Xiao family’s prodigy, Xiao Yunchao.

***

At Peach Blossom Temple, on the main peak.

Ye Ling’er lowered her head and spoke cautiously, "Master, I have searched everywhere, but there is no sign of Junior Brother Lin. He must be hiding intentionally."

"I see. You may go back. He is merely sulking; he will return on his own in a few days. Pay him no mind," Liu Ruohan said with an impatient wave, her expression weary.

Recalling the filthy beggar, Old Huang, whom she had seen earlier, Ye Ling’er felt a flicker of unease. She worried that Lin Chen might do something to disgrace the Taoist sect.

She could not help but urge her master again, "Master, Junior Brother Lin’s conduct shows a lack of respect for his teacher and the school. If he is not disciplined, it may bring shame upon us."

Hearing this, Liu Ruohan frowned slightly, a faint, imperceptible murderous intent flashing in her eyes. Truth be told, she harbored resentment toward that "waste." So many days had passed, yet he had not returned to beg for forgiveness, preventing her from focusing on her cultivation.

In the past, whenever she was restless, she only needed that waste to recite the Heart-Cleansing Mantra once, and she could find peace for years. Now that he had vanished, her anger grew. She wondered to herself, "What have I ever done to him? He was caught red-handed stealing, and not only did he refuse to admit it, but he dared to threaten his teacher. It is absolutely outrageous!"

After a long while, Liu Ruohan suppressed her anger and said coldly, "Very well, you may go. I have my own plans."

"Yes, Master," Ye Ling’er bowed respectfully and turned to leave.

"Senior Sister, has Senior Brother Lin returned?" Qin Hao asked eagerly, his face wreathed in smiles.

These past few days had been miserable for Qin Hao. He had been on the verge of breaking through to the Ninth Realm, but because of Lin Chen’s insistence on leaving the sect, he found himself stuck firmly at the Eighth Realm. No matter how hard he tried, he could not advance, and the thought infuriated him.

"No. Perhaps he is dead. Better if he is; then we won't waste any more time looking for him," Ye Ling’er snapped, walking away in a huff.

"What? De... dead?" Qin Hao was stunned, as if struck by a lightning bolt. The smile vanished, replaced by terror and despair. "If he’s dead, what am I to do? How could that waste just die? Absolutely not! I haven't reached the Grandmaster level yet; he cannot just die like this! What do I do? What should I do?"

Qin Hao paced anxiously until his eyes lit up. "Right, I’ll go to Master. I’ll plead with her to send someone to search again. If that fails, I’ll go myself."

With a trembling heart, he went to Liu Ruohan’s quarters. Before he could speak, Liu Ruohan said dotingly, "You are here for that waste, aren't you? Go tell your Senior Sister: if he refuses to return, break his legs and drag him back."

Qin Hao paused, a thought flashing through his mind: If he couldn't find Lin Chen and his own cultivation regressed, would Master treat him the same way? He dismissed the thought quickly. With how much she favored him, how could such a thing happen? Besides, he could not let Lin Chen leave.

He feigned a worried expression and said, "Yes, Master. I will go find Senior Sister."

Outside, the sky was heavy with dark, suffocating clouds. Soon, rain began to pour in torrents, accompanied by howling winds. The world seemed shrouded in a violent storm, signaling that an even greater tempest was approaching.

Qin Hao looked at the ominous sky and muttered, "It seems I cannot search for him today. Damn it, what about my cultivation? It’s all that waste’s fault. If I had known he was this petty, I wouldn't have slandered him."

He hurried to Su Xiangling’s cave dwelling. Drenched by the rain, he wiped his face and gasped, "Senior Sister, Senior Sister! Master commands you to go and bring back Senior Brother Lin."

Su Xiangling suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood, her face as pale as paper. She responded weakly, "I understand. Go back. I will leave once the rain stops."

For some reason, ever since Lin Chen left, her mind was constantly plagued by memories of the times she had abused him. Each time these images appeared, she felt as if thousands of needles were piercing her heart, causing her Daoist foundation to waver.

Qin Hao frowned, surprised, and asked with concern, "Senior Sister, what is wrong?" He helped her to a stone stool.

Su Xiangling shook her head weakly. "It is nothing. A minor hitch in my cultivation; I will be fine once I meditate."

In truth, she knew her condition, but she refused to admit it. To admit it would be to acknowledge she had abused Lin Chen, and in the depths of her heart, she felt she had done no wrong. In her eyes, Lin Chen was an unmotivated waste who constantly provoked her; as his senior sister, punishing him was only right. Was it her fault if she broke him or hurled insults? He had brought it on himself.

"Very well, Senior Sister, rest well. I won't disturb you further," Qin Hao said, turning to leave.

Outside the cave, he looked at the changes in his own aura with disdain. He scoffed, "Useless. This luck is not even one percent of Lin Chen’s, even after I fawned over him so much. I must make that waste return, or else..."

Meanwhile, on Jade Bamboo Peak, a girl of about seventeen or eighteen looked at a cave with a complex expression. She was Mei Xiulan, the fourth disciple of Peach Blossom Temple. If anyone in the temple still harbored a shred of concern for Lin Chen, it was her.

However, she never dared to show any goodwill toward him in front of her senior sisters. Even when they bullied him, she could only watch silently, lacking the courage to intervene. People were often followers; when everyone around them held the same opinion, few had the courage to stand against the crowd.

Fortunately, while Mei Xiulan lacked the courage to defend him, she had never bullied him either. When Lin Chen was injured, she had even secretly sent him elixirs to aid his recovery. Now, hearing he had been expelled, her heart was filled with a complex mix of emotions, and she could not help but come to see him.