Chapter 124: A Beauty Rescues a Beauty

Kong Shan nodded in agreement and turned to leave the private room. It had to be said—the efficiency of the Spirit Ghost Realm’s operations was truly impressive. Utilizing a dispersed information network, within just ten minutes, Kong Shan was back before Leng Bingyan. Along with him came the details of this mission’s target, Cen Yongtian.

Leng Bingyan took the note containing Cen Yongtian’s recent activities and frequented locations, nodded, and cast her gaze over it, instantly committing the information to memory. Then, with a gentle pinch, the paper suddenly burst into flames in midair. “Alright, we’ve nearly finished our meal. It’s time to go.” Saying this, she walked with Long Xian’er and Long Mingxi toward the exit of the private room. At the door, she turned to Kong Shan. “Thanks again for your help this time!”

Kong Shan was both grateful and anxious, quickly replying that no thanks were necessary. Though he did not know Leng Bingyan’s exact identity, the orders from his superiors in the Spirit Ghost Realm were to fully cooperate with her, which suggested she was no ordinary person. Kong Shan was a clever man; he never mentioned her identity in her presence but served her diligently nonetheless.

Practitioners often faced hardships in their destinies, all hoping for powerful assistance on their path of cultivation. When dealing with someone far stronger, maintaining a friendly relationship was always the best choice. Occasionally flattering them, Kong Shan thought, was necessary.

Watching Leng Bingyan and the others leave, Kong Shan stood alone, pondering her true identity. A mysterious figure disguised as a man, with a strong backing in the Spirit Ghost Realm—who exactly was she? After a moment’s thought, he shook his head, amused at himself for digging so deeply. No matter what, he would never link Leng Bingyan to the title of “Emotionless Immortal Emperor.”

Instead of returning to Fenglan Clinic, Leng Bingyan bid farewell to Long Xian’er and prepared to return to the small shared dwelling where the three of them lived. Long Xian’er had intended to drive her part of the way—after all, Long Xian’er was now a “successful woman” with a car, hardly unusual. But Leng Bingyan refused. For reasons unknown, she actually boarded a city bus.

Beijing’s buses were notoriously slow, especially during the evening rush hour. Buses and private cars crowded the roads in ceaseless flows, and the bus stops teemed with waiting passengers. Often, one bus would arrive, fill to capacity, and still leave many stranded outside, waiting helplessly for the next.

Luck was on Leng Bingyan’s side. With a click, the bus stopped precisely in front of her, the doors swinging open with a snap. When had her fortune improved so much? she thought, as the crowd pushed forward and she was half-pushed, half-walked onto the bus.

In March, northern China was still cold. The bus’s air conditioning worked tirelessly, and stepping inside brought a sudden chill, a fleeting sensation of warmth and cold intermingling.

Leng Bingyan instinctively moved toward the rear, grasping a horizontal bar. The bus was already full—no seats remained. As more people climbed aboard, the space grew cramped. She regretted refusing Long Xian’er’s car; the luxury sports car, the comfortable seat, and most importantly, the absence of this slow crawl through traffic.

Not thinking much further, she took out her phone from her jacket pocket during the brief lull and began to scroll. She found two unread messages. One was from Ling Xin’er, a senior who claimed to be her “older sister,” scolding her for standing her up today and threatening serious consequences.

Reading Ling Xin’er’s threatening tone made Leng Bingyan smile. She hadn’t even confronted her yet—who had spread the false rumors about her and Long Tianyu? There were limits to teasing. Yet she wasn’t truly angry. Ling Xin’er, Long Tianyu, and Fang Yanbin—these were friends who liked to tease each other, though their pranks never crossed into real conflict.

The second message was from Long Tianyu, whom Leng Bingyan considered a “younger brother.” He was usually scatterbrained, absent-minded, and somewhat eccentric—his behavior often defying normal classification. In short, he was quirky and disorderly.

But, according to Leng Bingyan, Long Tianyu was far from simple. Behind his childlike exterior lurked a calm and composed intellect, occasionally glimpsed in his wise eyes. Such moments, however, were rare.

His message asked where she had gone. Leng Bingyan smiled inwardly. Life like this was truly pleasant—several friends got along well, giving her a warmth rarely felt in childhood.

Thinking of her childhood stirred complex emotions. Hadn’t she already abandoned those past ties? Why did the pain resurface now? The faint ache felt as if she were reliving the moment she was expelled from the Han family, her name erased from their genealogy, and the death sentence from the Thirteen Courts.

Suddenly, the bus’s interior grew colder. The people nearby shivered, wondering why the air conditioning was on but the chill persisted.

A faint unease spread from Leng Bingyan’s chest. She startled herself, thinking she was overthinking again. “Stand tall as a cliff, desireless and strong!” Now, at mid-Immortal Emperor cultivation, such attachments should not exist. Yet this lingering melancholy buried deep within—what future might it bring?

She reached inside her chest and pulled out a jade pendant carved with a dragon motif. In critical moments, it was this pendant that offered a warning. Though an ordinary piece of jade, it was engraved with a dragon and imbued with a special energy that calmed the mind.

As Leng Bingyan focused on the pendant, a faint voice whispered into her ear: “Let go of me, you two hooligans!”

Leng Bingyan sighed at her keen hearing. Turning her head, she found the bus’s countless side characters still in abundance. At the rear, a strikingly beautiful girl, around twenty years old, sat upright with graceful features and deep, soulful eyes—a rare beauty. Yet she seemed troubled. Two rough-looking young men sat on either side, their hands creeping inappropriately toward her.

The girl’s face flushed red, glaring angrily at the two scoundrels. Nearby passengers noticed but made no move to intervene—none wished to get involved or risk trouble.

Leng Bingyan frowned. As a woman herself, she could not bear to see such injustice unfold before her eyes. She moved toward the back.

The two ruffians, emboldened by the crowd’s inaction, grew more confident. They looked at the beautiful girl as if she were their next meal. Just as they advanced further, one suddenly felt a sharp pain—a graceful hand gripped his wrist.

“Kid, you’d better be sensible and let go!” the captured scoundrel snarled. The other glanced at Leng Bingyan with cold eyes, sensing trouble.

If Leng Bingyan were ordinary, perhaps they might have been intimidated. But she was far from ordinary. Ignoring their threats, she showed no sign of fear.

Angered, the two thugs, used to bullying others, found their usual tactics ineffective against this delicate-looking “student.” Their faces flushed with embarrassment. With fists ready, one swung at her.

Leng Bingyan’s gaze turned icy. Her hand moved like lightning. The two men’s arms were instantly dislocated, the sharp pain causing cold sweat on their brows. At that moment, the bus stopped. With a flick of her hand, the passengers watched in stunned silence as she threw the two thugs out the window.

Without hesitation, Leng Bingyan exited through the rear door. Her stop had arrived. Only a short walk remained to the small apartment where the three shared a home.

Lu Ziyou stared blankly at the boy who had saved her as he got off, momentarily speechless.

***

Back at their shared apartment, Long Yiling had already left. Leng Bingyan was about to return to her room when Long Tianyu, who had been waiting, blocked her way.

“Ah? What is it?” Leng Bingyan looked at the sorrowful expression on Long Tianyu’s face, feeling a tingle on her scalp. Please! A grown man shouldn’t show such a face!

Long Tianyu said nothing at first, but stared at Leng Bingyan for a long moment. When she grew uncomfortable, he finally spoke. “What do you think I should do?”

“Do about what?”

“My reputation! Imagine me, a charming and handsome man, having my entire dignity ruined by you!” Long Tianyu was furious. How could he live with this? Now the whole school must be spreading rumors about his “improper relationship” with Leng Bingyan.

He could have ignored the gossip with a laugh or a shrug, letting it pass like air. But the real problem was Ling Xin’er’s misunderstanding. If she believed the rumors about him and Leng Bingyan, how could his courtship play continue? That was the crux of the issue.

Leng Bingyan twitched her lips. Long Tianyu’s pettiness was fully exposed before her. Although her Chaos Reincarnation Eye was no longer usable, her understanding of Long Tianyu made it easy to infer his thoughts.

The profound and wise side of Long Tianyu was difficult to fathom, but the innocent and adorable persona before her held no secrets.

“That’s not my problem, alright? I’m a victim here too!”

“How can it not be your problem? If you weren’t so… delicate-looking, and so close to me, would they misunderstand?” Seeing Leng Bingyan’s murderous glare, Long Tianyu hastily corrected himself to say “delicate.”

Leng Bingyan arched an eyebrow. “You mean our relationship is too close, our behavior too intimate? Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to keep clear boundaries from now on. That should stop the misunderstandings, right?”

Unexpectedly, Long Tianyu reacted even more strongly. He shouted, “That won’t work! People will think we’re trying to cover something up. They love stirring trouble, and if they add fuel to the fire, we’ll never clear our names, no matter what!”

“This doesn’t work, that doesn’t work. Do you think jumping into the Yellow River now would clear things up?” Leng Bingyan retorted. Watching Long Tianyu struggle, she smiled. She really enjoyed seeing him in a bind. Uh… that’s not good, she told herself, but having a “brother” like Long Tianyu was truly a blessing.

“Don’t worry. It’s clearly someone playing a prank. No need to take it to heart—just let things be,” Leng Bingyan consoled him like an older brother.

“A prank? Who?!”

“Of course, it’s the person you like!” she teased.

*Note: Regarding pronouns for Leng Bingyan, sometimes “she” is used, sometimes “he”—please interpret according to context.*

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