ALL NOVEL Chapter 302: Shades of Jealousy. A Sect in Bloom.
In the cultivation world, it was common for cultivators to go into seclusion for long periods.
Some patriarchs would stay in seclusion for a hundred years, and some for so long that their names became forgotten.
However, Mu Zhihao was different when it came to his children, especially after his troubles with his wife, Mu Suyin. He preferred to keep a close watch on them and never let them stay in seclusion for too long.
Even when they did, he sent his personal disciples or servants to check on them regularly.
When Mu Lingxi went into seclusion for over 20 years, it was an exception.
Mu Zhihao allowed it because he knew her breakthrough to 2nd-path cultivation was almost certain.
However, reaching the Immortal Realm, or 3rd-path cultivation, would take much longer. Due to this, Mu Lingxi's seclusion, which she used to cope with her depression, didn't last more than a month.
Mu Zhihao made sure of that.
He suspected Mu Lingxi might be angry because she possibly loved Yang Wei, who was with Mu Lin instead. But after talking to Mu Zhong, he wasn't entirely convinced and thought there might be another reason.
In a warmly lit room, sunlight streamed through the windows, casting a soft, golden glow.
Yun Feiyan, dressed in a blue robe with a dark blue sash, stood behind Mu Lingxi, arranging her hair.
Mu Lingxi sat in front of a wooden vanity with an oval mirror.
The vanity was simple yet elegant, with a small drawer unit beside it. On either side of the vanity were wooden stands holding potted plants with white flowers, adding a touch of nature to the peaceful room.
As Yun Feiyan helped Mu Lingxi prepare for the day, she decided to make some small talk to spark a discussion.
"It seems Grand Elder Yang's fame is spreading even more across the Northern Continent. Many women now see him as the ideal standard for a husband. If a man hasn't achieved at least a quarter of what Grand Elder Yang has, then he isn't considered worthy to serve women in their homes."
"I see…" Mu Lingxi responded, uninterested.
She applied rouge made from safflower petals to her cheeks for a healthy glow. Then, she dipped a small fabric in a special blend of plant-based dyes used for coloring the lips. When she dabbed the fabric on her lips, they turned a bright red color.
Yun Feiyan noticed that Mu Lingxi seemed uninterested in everything these days. Although she didn't know Mu Lingxi as well as she knew Mu Lin, she doubted jealousy was the cause of her mood.
She decided to dig deeper.
With a mischievous smile, Yun Feiyan added, "Also, many women have been handing him love letters. I believe the Fate Defying Elder is looking to take in more wives. He'd be the first man in the Mashyan World to have more than one wife. Quite surprising, right?"
Just as Yun Feiyan had hoped, her words stirred something in Mu Lingxi, causing the beauty to fumble while trying to line her eyes.
It was the reaction Yun Feiyan wanted.
Mu Lingxi didn't want to seem like a terrible person whose mood would sour anytime she heard the name of her sister's "husband". With that in mind, she used a small fabric to wipe away the mark her eyeliner had mistakenly traced across her face.
"Well, I do recall Grandmaster Lin Feng having about six wives, and three of them are from the Mashyan World, so it's nothing impressive," she said, with a slightly prideful look.
For some reason, the idea that someone outclassed Yang Wei in that department made her happy.
Yun Feiyan placed a finger on her chin and said, "Hmm, isn't his marriage a sort of proxy polygyny? I don't recall."
Not wanting to discuss it any further, Mu Lingxi cleared her throat and said sternly, "Can you just fix my hair for me?"
Her tone made it clear that another word about Yang Wei would upset her.
Naturally, Yun Feiyan respected this and opened Mu Lingxi's ornate wooden box of hair ornaments. Inside were intricate hairpins, combs, and other accessories made from jade, gold, silver, and precious stones.
"Which would you like to use today, Young Miss?" Yun Feiyan asked.
Mu Lingxi looked at the choices in the box and reached for a random one, but then her brown eyes shifted to the side, catching sight of the headpiece Yang Wei had given her before his year-long seclusion.
Her cheeks turned red as she pictured Yang Wei's smiling face in her mind.
"Hrmm…" she groaned.
The beauty closed her eyes and hid her face as if to mask her shame. She pointed at Yang Wei's headpiece and mumbled, "That one…"
Yun Feiyan couldn't hear her and asked, "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you, Young Miss."
Frustrated, Mu Lingxi shouted, "THAT ONE!"
━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━
Yang Wei sat cross-legged in his cultivation room, focusing on his usual blood Qi cultivation. So far, he hadn't experienced any breakthroughs, but he wasn't planning to rush things.
"I can't keep doing this. It's too difficult to even step outside these days with all those thirsty female disciples hiding in plain sight!"
He may have sounded angry, but he just wanted peace to focus on his cultivation.
"If I get angry, I might just force them all to share a bed with me and use them to boost my cultivation!"
He sighed, lowering his head.
"I've become too soft. When did I start caring about things like this? In the past, I could sleep with a hundred women in one night without a second thought."
He leaned back, using his hands for support, eyes fixed on the ornately designed ceiling.
"Still, I'm grateful I've changed. I owe that to Mingyu… but that doesn't mean I'm ready to see her again. I'll stay in the Martial World for now."
The more he thought about it, the more it made sense to end his secluded meditation. Opening the door to his cultivation room, he stepped out into the open air.
Taking a deep breath, he looked around the Celestial Serpent Sect, feeling a deep sense of pride. Clasping his hands behind his back, he began to stroll through the sect, appreciating the sights as he went.
"Oh no…"
It hadn't even been a minute since he'd been outside Grand Elder Peak, and he already regretted it.
Up ahead, a crowd of mostly young women was in a state of excitement and admiration the moment they saw their dashingly handsome and capable grand elder.
"Ohhh~! It's him, it's Grand Elder Yang! ♡"
"Your smile, is like a thousand blooming lotuses."
"Eeeeek! To be noticed by you, Grand Elder, is my ultimate desire! ♡~"
"I love you, Grand Elder!"
"Your strength is unmatched in all realms!"
The women wore matching uniforms with light-colored tops, high collars, and dark belts or sashes at their waists. It was likely the women from the White Serpent Division.
Their expressions and body language showed how much they adored Yang Wei. Many had wide eyes, blushed, and made gestures like clenching their fists, covering their mouths, or pressing their hands together.
If it were possible, their love would be so strong that perhaps heart-shaped symbols would appear in their eyes and around them.
Out of nowhere, Wu Fengtian jumped into the scene, waving his folding fan back and forth as he soaked in some of the cheers that Yang Wei received.
A grand smile spread across his face, clearly ready to sell his Senior Brother to the crowd even more.
"Across the four continents, no one matches the peerless beauty of Yang Wei, the First Grand Elder of the Celestial Serpent Sect. With a flick of his sleeves, he can enchant all the beauties. And with just a blink of his eyes, he can annihilate every supreme sect in the Lower Regions!"
Wu Fengtian's shouting prompted the crowd of women to raise their voices even more.
"He's unrivaled in the world!" they chanted.
Yang Wei closed his eyes and sighed heavily. "This is so tiresome." Find more to read on empire
As the women praised him, Wu Fengtian smoothly moved closer to Yang Wei, using his folding fan to cover part of his face as he whispered, "Senior Brother, please, you have to let me use our friendship to score some women. Can I tell them that I landed a hit on you once?" A desperate smile appeared on his face.
Yang Wei dismissively waved his hand and walked in another direction. "Whatever, do as you may. I just want to properly cultivate in peace."
Wu Fengtian giggled happily, holding back tears as he looked up at the heavens and said, "Thank the gods for giving me a helpful Senior Brother like him!"
He then turned his attention back to the women, deciding this was the perfect time to tell them stories of his adventures with the Fate Defying Elder.
...
Meanwhile, Yang Wei wandered through the quieter parts of the sect.
It didn't take long before he spotted a familiar gray-haired beauty dressed in the Inkflow Spire's uniform. "Yuying?" he said, catching sight of her.
The beauty turned, and her pretty purple eyes met his crystal blue eyes.
"W-, Wei?" she stuttered.