After carefully stowing away the Cyan Cloud Sword, Xiao Chen followed Cangxuan out of the Outer Courtyard.
They journeyed to the rear mountains of the East Sword Pavilion, where Cangxuan resided, occupying an entire mountain peak by himself.
It was a very tranquil place.
At the mountain’s peak grew a grove of vibrant green bamboo, and in its center stood a simple wooden cabin.
Cangxuan had flown them here, and it was Xiao Chen’s first time experiencing the thrill of soaring through the sky.
The yearning for the Martial Dao in his heart flared even hotter.
‘This is what a true expert is.
With such power, one could go anywhere in this vast world!’
‘One day, I’ll reach Cangxuan’s level too,’ Xiao Chen thought.
Soon, the two landed outside the wooden cabin, where a young woman was practicing her swordplay.
Upon seeing the young woman, Xiao Chen froze for a moment before involuntarily muttering, “So…
so big…”
The young woman was about twenty years old.
As she was practicing her sword, with her movements…
She was a very beautiful woman, but upon hearing Xiao Chen’s words, she shot him an icy glare and snapped, “You lecher, are you looking to die?”
The woman shouted in anger, but her voice had barely faded before Cangxuan cut in to reprimand her.
“Yan’Er, be polite.
This is your junior brother…”
The young woman’s name was Qi Yan, and she was Cangxuan’s second disciple—in other words, Xiao Chen’s second senior sister.
After reprimanding Qi Yan, Cangxuan turned to Xiao Chen and said, “This is your second senior sister.
You two should get acquainted.”
After introducing them to each other, Cangxuan departed, apparently having other matters to attend to.
Once Cangxuan was gone, a teasing glint immediately flashed in Qi Yan’s eyes.
She smiled alluringly at Xiao Chen.
“So, you’re the new little junior brother Master just accepted.
Small Success in the Yellow Extreme Realm, tsk tsk.
Your cultivation is a bit low.
But you’re only eighteen, so it’s barely acceptable.
Since we’re now senior and junior brother, a meeting gift for our first encounter is a must.”
Qi Yan spoke with a smile, but Xiao Chen keenly sensed a dangerous aura from her words.
He subconsciously took a step back, a somewhat unnatural smile forming on his face.
“Second Senior Sister, there’s really no need for a gift.
I just remembered I have something to take care of, so I’ll be going now…”
One look at Qi Yan’s smile told Xiao Chen she was up to no good.
As he spoke, he turned and bolted.
But compared to Qi Yan, he was far too slow, and she caught up to him in an instant.
Blocking Xiao Chen’s path, Qi Yan smiled and said, “In such a hurry, little junior brother?
Don’t worry, it won’t be too late to leave after this senior sister gives you her meeting gift.”
‘There’s nowhere to run,’ he thought.
‘And she’s an Inner Sect Disciple—the acknowledged number one, no less!
Her cultivation has already reached Xuanyuan Realm Great Perfection.
I’m completely outmatched.’ Forcing a smile, he said, “Senior Sister, really, there’s no need…”
He desperately tried to think of a way to escape, but Qi Yan clearly had no intention of letting him go.
The moment his voice fell, she threw a punch, her smile instantly vanishing and replaced by a look of indignant fury.
“What did you just say was ‘big’?
You lecher!
Since Master isn’t here, I’ll take it upon myself as your senior sister to teach you some manners…”
‘So that’s what she was angry about,’ Xiao Chen realized.
‘But isn’t she being a little too petty?
It just slipped out.
Besides…
they *are* big…’
He had finally figured out why Qi Yan was angry, but it was too late.
Her fist was already hurtling toward him.
She had already deliberately held back her power.
Otherwise, with her strength, a single punch would have been enough to severely injure Xiao Chen.
This woman was not to be underestimated.
In the East Sword Pavilion’s Inner Sect, she was a figure so terrifying that her name alone struck fear into people’s hearts.
She had been given a nickname: the Mother Yecha.
She was gorgeous, but her temper was like a raging storm.
No one in the entire East Sword Pavilion dared to provoke this Mother Yecha.
It was Xiao Chen’s bad luck; being new, he didn’t know Qi Yan’s personality.
Otherwise, he would have held his tongue even if it killed him rather than say what he did.
It was, without a doubt, a thorough beating.
By the time Qi Yan stopped, Xiao Chen was lying on the ground, his face bruised and swollen.
Having vented her anger, Qi Yan’s mood had clearly improved.
A smile reappeared on her exquisite face as she looked down at Xiao Chen and said nonchalantly.
“Alright, this senior sister forgives your earlier disrespect.
Also, if Master asks about your injuries, you know what to say, don’t you?”
‘She beats me to a pulp and then forbids me from telling Master,’ Xiao Chen thought, a wave of indignation rising within him.
Seeing that he had no intention of answering, Qi Yan raised a small fist and said with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile.
“What, didn’t you hear me?
Or perhaps you didn’t like the meeting gift this senior sister gave you?
Do you want me to add a little something extra?”
‘A threat.
A blatant threat!’ He was furious, but what could he do?
He couldn’t beat her.
In the end, Xiao Chen could only nod pitifully.
“If Master asks, I’ll…
I’ll say I fell down on my own…”
“Mm, not bad.
You’re teachable,” Qi Yan said, nodding in satisfaction at his answer.
“Don’t worry, from now on, this senior sister will have your back.
If anyone bullies you, just tell me, and I’ll take care of them for you.” With that, she went back to practicing her sword.
What followed was a strange scene outside the wooden cabin.
Qi Yan practiced her sword, while Xiao Chen, like an aggrieved newlywed, constantly fetched her tea and water.
She was treating him like a personal servant.
When she was thirsty, he had to fetch her water; when she was tired, he had to massage her shoulders.
As he massaged Qi Yan’s shoulders, Xiao Chen cursed inwardly, ‘You little wench, just you wait.
One day, I’ll make you regret this…’
He had never been bullied so thoroughly in his entire life.
‘But what can I do?
I have no one to blame but myself for not being strong enough,’ he thought.
If he could actually defeat this little wench, Xiao Chen wouldn’t hesitate for a second to give her a brutal lesson.
After what felt like hellish torment, Xiao Chen finally endured until Cangxuan returned.
The moment he saw his master, Xiao Chen was so overcome with emotion that he almost cried.
He never imagined he would one day be so desperate to see Cangxuan.
The moment Cangxuan returned, Qi Yan’s entire demeanor changed.
She put on a demure and obedient face, serving him tea and water and fawning over his well-being.
It was as if she had become a completely different person.
Taking a shallow sip of tea, Cangxuan glanced at the bruised and swollen Xiao Chen and asked, “Chen’Er, what happened to your face?”
Hearing this, Xiao Chen instinctively glanced at Qi Yan, who shot him a threatening look in return.
Swallowing his grievances, Xiao Chen forced himself to speak.
“It’s nothing.
This Disciple was just careless and took a fall…”
“Hm?
You took a fall?” Hearing Xiao Chen’s reply, Cangxuan shot a skeptical glance at Qi Yan.
He was clearly well aware of his second disciple’s temper.
In response to his master’s stare, Qi Yan just stuck out her tongue playfully, as if trying to act cute for him.