Jinshui Lake Competition (1)
The single bed was already narrow and cramped. Xiao Lanle climbed onto the bed and lay down on the side facing Lin Qianshuang. Her arm, too small to fit comfortably, rested on Lin Qianshuang’s waist, and her foot pressed against Lin Qianshuang’s thigh. Warm breath blew against Lin Qianshuang’s cheek, sending a shiver down her spine. Xiao Lanle was so close, her body temperature high, radiating heat against Lin Qianshuang.
Did girls with Fire Spiritual Roots always have such high body temperatures?
Lin Qianshuang lay flat, unable to move, pondering this thought. Despite Xiao Lanle’s arms and legs wrapped around her, she didn’t feel suffocated. Her own body was cold, and Xiao Lanle’s felt like a furnace, warming her.
She distinctly remembered that in the original story, Xiao Lanle was extremely averse to others using her personal belongings. When she had shared a room with another junior sister at an inn, the other girl had accidentally sat on her bed, and Xiao Lanle had insisted on having the bedding changed.
Xiao Lanle always expressed her dissatisfaction directly, with a sharp tongue, when faced with things that annoyed her. But this time, she had climbed into Lin Qianshuang’s bed and silently burrowed into her quilt. Was she trying to make Lin Qianshuang feel guilty? Perhaps she was unhappy about something but couldn’t bring herself to speak, waiting for Lin Qianshuang to take the initiative to figure it out.
Just as Lin Qianshuang was about to turn her back on Xiao Lanle and think of some words of apology, Xiao Lanle’s arm suddenly wrapped around her neck, preventing her from turning over.
“Senior sister, I don’t feel safe sleeping alone, so I’m wanted to make do and squeeze in with you for the night. I don’t dislike you, do you still dislike me?”
Seemingly dissatisfied, Xiao Lanle snorted. She let go of Lin Qianshuang’s hand and rudely pushed her to the side, taking up two-thirds of the bed for herself. She then pulled the quilt over.
Lin Qianshuang was squeezed to the edge, barely a fingernail’s width from falling off. She turned her back to Xiao Lanle, organizing her words. Then, turning around, she said with a troubled expression, “Junior Sister Xiao, I offended you. Are you still blaming me?”
The air was quiet, only the sound of shallow breathing.
Lin Qianshuang turned to face Xiao Lanle, who was already asleep. Her face was peaceful and she looked very well-behaved.
Lin Qianshuang thought she must have been overthinking it. Perhaps Xiao Lanle didn’t care about the incident at all, and was simply frightened by what she had witnessed.
She closed her eyes, forcing herself to fall asleep. Tomorrow would be extremely dangerous, and she needed to conserve her energy.
In the middle of the night, a heavy rain began to fall. The noise from outside the window woke Xiao Lanle, who opened her eyes sleepily. Seeing the woman she had pushed aside, she pulled Lin Qianshuang back to her. Wrapping her arms and legs around her, she climbed on top of Lin Qianshuang and buried her face in her shoulder.
The person she was clinging to mumbled discontentedly in her sleep. In a daze, Xiao Lanle touched Lin Qianshuang’s soft hair and said, “Be good, don’t make trouble.” She then changed her position, holding Lin Qianshuang in her arms, and fell into a deep sleep.
Lin Qianshuang’s sleep that night was restless. Close to dawn, she dreamt she was being chased by three snakes. The largest, a python, caught up to her, wrapping her tightly. The intense heat was so strange that she even questioned in her dream, “Aren’t snakes cold-blooded? Why are they so hot?”
The door creaked open, and a man entered, another standing guard outside.
Sect Master Xiao Shen strode quickly into the room, relieved to find Xiao Lanle sleeping soundly on the bed. His gaze shifted from the empty bed on the left side to the woman Xiao Lanle was clinging to on the right bed, and he frowned.
Lin Qianshuang had woken up before Xiao Shen entered. Seeing his displeasure at Xiao Lanle, she scrambled to get out of bed and wake her.
“Junior Sister, the Sect Master is here.”
Xiao Lanle pressed Lin Qianshuang down, refusing to let go. She nuzzled her face against Lin Qianshuang’s cheek, whining, “Senior Sister, let me sleep a little longer. It’s still early to go to Jinshui Lake.”
Xiao Shen’s face darkened. “Le’er, what kind of behavior is this? You’re too old to be acting like this. Let your Senior Sister go!”
Lin Qianshuang quickly explained, “Junior Sister was frightened yesterday. I was afraid she might have nightmares, so I invited her to sleep with me. She’s probably just confused now. I’ll call her again.”
The conversation between the two woke Xiao Lanle up.
She saw the person before her clearly, her face breaking into a smile. Her hand instinctively moved under the quilt to protect Lin Qianshuang, but she shifted closer and said, “Father, why did you come so suddenly?”
“I heard a servant girl died in the Immortal Sect yesterday, someone close to you. It’s good that you’re alright.”
Xiao Shen, dressed in a navy blue robe, stood majestically with his hands behind his back. He looked at Xiao Lanle and said, “Le’er, today is the competition between our sect and the Lingxiao Sword Sect. You are my daughter, so you must perform well and not bring shame to my Penglai Immortal Sect.”
Xiao Lanle’s eyes curved into a graceful smile. “Father’s words, I will listen carefully and always keep them in mind.”
Xiao Shen nodded, satisfied with Xiao Lanle’s answer. He turned towards the door and said to the young man standing outside, “Senior nephew Jingxuan, accompany Le’er to Wanbao Pavilion to get the Star-Plucking Sword. This is the reward for this competition, keep it safe.”
Liang Jingxuan bowed respectfully, “Yes, Sect Master.”
The Star-Plucking Sword, an empty shell spirit sword that had been placed in the Wanbao Pavilion for over a thousand years.
But everyone who has read the original text knows that this is the sword of the first Penglai Sect Leader.
Lin Qianshuang’s eyes narrowed, her gaze deep. Liang Jingxuan used this sword to obtain the black dragon, the mount of the first Penglai Immortal Sect Leader, and even the high-grade fireworks guarded by the black dragon.
This competition is his opportunity, his first step towards becoming the next Sect Leader of the Penglai Immortal Sect.
Lin Qianshuang dressed and tied up her long hair, then looked at Xiao Lanle. Liang Jingxuan’s cultivation had progressed rapidly thanks to the system’s cheat, but his vitality was severely damaged in the Demon Realm.
Since Xiao Lanle had received the Shark Pearl that Liang Jingxuan should have gotten, and was not rejected by the Heavenly Dao, she should also be qualified to compete with Liang Jingxuan in this competition.
Lin Qianshuang was confident she could help Xiao Lanle in the competition, but this King’s Aura…
Lin Qianshuang looked at Xiao Lanle. Liang Jingxuan, having entered the room at some point, was squatting down, gazing at her with a tender expression, helping her put on her shoes.
Xiao Lanle didn’t refuse, but her face remained cold and distant.
Lin Qianshuang picked up her spirit sword from the table, her gaze still fixed on the engaged couple. “Junior Sister Xiao,” she thought, “you’ve seen the true nature of Senior Brother Liang. Even if his heart belongs to no one, he wouldn’t hesitate to use others.”
After carefully putting on Xiao Lanle’s shoes, Liang Jingxuan intentionally glanced at Lin Qianshuang, his eyes seeming to hold a deep longing.
Xiao Lanle noticed Lin Qianshuang’s gaze directed at them and then observed Liang Jingxuan’s affectionate expression. Her entire demeanor suddenly shifted, her mood darkening. She addressed Liang Jingxuan, “Senior Brother Liang, why are you constantly looking at Senior Sister Lin?”
Seeing Lin Qianshuang leave the room, Liang Jingxuan followed her out. He turned back to Xiao Lanle and spoke softly, “Lanle, Fairy Jinghua asked me to do something related to Senior Sister Lin. I’ll go talk to her first, and then we’ll go to Wanbao Pavilion together.”
“Asked to do something?” Xiao Lanle thought. “Senior Brother Liang is clearly going to see Senior Sister Lin to satisfy his longing for her after being apart for days.”
Xiao Lanle sat before the vanity, combing her thick black hair. The hand holding the wooden comb trembled, fueled by the jealousy burning in her heart.
Senior Sister Lin had said she no longer had feelings for Senior Brother Liang, but who knew if those words weren’t just spoken in anger?
The thought of Senior Sister Lin smiling in Senior Brother Liang’s arms, engaging in the same intimate gestures they shared at the grave, filled Xiao Lanle with a burning resentment.
She swept her hand across the vanity in a fit of rage, sending all the ornaments crashing to the ground in a shower of shattered pieces.
The sharp sound of breaking porcelain brought her back to reality for a moment.
Gazing at her reflection, her face contorted by jealousy, Xiao Lanle felt a wave of confusion. Who did she truly like? Why did the thought of Senior Sister Lin make her heart race even faster? Could it be that she had fallen for Senior Sister Lin?
“Junior Brother Liang, why are you following me instead of staying by Senior Sister Xiao’s side?”
Lin Qianshuang turned to face Liang Jingxuan, her expression tinged with a mix of annoyance and mock fondness. “You’ll make Senior Sister Xiao suspicious, Jingxuan. You can’t act on impulse. If you want to see me, we can find a time to meet.”
Ignoring her plea, Liang Jingxuan pulled her into a hug, his voice laced with concern. “Qianshuang, I miss you. I heard someone died in Senior Sister Xiao’s room yesterday, and I’ve been worried sick about you.”
Lin Qianshuang pushed him away, her tone sharp. “Senior Brother, this corridor is full of people. Aren’t you afraid of being seen? What will happen to your engagement with Senior Sister Xiao?”
“Huaixiang was killed by me. She betrayed me and conspired with Chen Shangqing to harm me. Qianshuang, you need to be careful in the sect. Be wary of everyone.”
Leaning close to her ear, Liang Jingxuan whispered, his words barely audible. He didn’t seem to care if she even heard him. “I reprimanded Zheng Zhiling yesterday. She has harbored resentment towards Senior Sister Xiao for a long time. She did something foolish that nearly frightened you. It was my fault for not considering the consequences.”
Lin Qianshuang silenced him with her fingertips, her voice a low murmur. “Jingxuan, walls have ears. You don’t need to say anything. I know you wouldn’t hurt me. I’ll wait, wait until you become the Sect Leader.”
She added silently in her heart, “I’ll watch how you, who always used others as stepping stones, become a ladder to the sky for Xiao Lanle.”
Liang Jingxuan pulled her hand from under her sleeve, pressing a kiss to the back of it. His eyes burned with intensity as he said, “Qianshuang, you’re the best. You always understand me.”
Lin Qianshuang smiled faintly, unable to deny his words. She noticed Xiao Lanle approaching, her face twisted with displeasure, having witnessed Liang Jingxuan’s kiss.
If she allowed Xiao Lanle to manipulate her now, she’d be a fool.
Lin Qianshuang turned and left Liang Jingxuan behind, her steps quickening. She intended to find Chen Shangqing, inquire about the Chen family, and see if she could glean any useful information.
“Xiao Lanle,” Liang Jingxuan began, worried about the implications of their interaction. He was about to explain, but she interrupted him.
“Senior Brother Liang, let’s go to Wanbao Pavilion to get the sword now.”
Xiao Lanle walked ahead, ignoring Liang Jingxuan. She thought back to Lin Qianshuang’s hasty departure, a touch of annoyance bubbling in her chest.
Xiao Lanle felt a pang of dissatisfaction. What was Senior Sister feeling guilty about? Didn’t she play Phoenix Seeks its Mate to court her? Why would she be afraid of misunderstanding because of her time with Senior Brother Liang?
Hmph, it’s not okay for her to be the only one annoyed and upset.
Xiao Lanle tugged at a loose strand of hair, twisting it around her finger. She wanted to make Senior Sister Lin uncomfortable, to force her to admit that she was the one she loved.
In the square before the Penglai Immortal Sect Hall, more than thirty junior disciples waited for the arrival of the sect leader.
Lin Qianshuang and Chen Shangqing stood together, their conversation light and casual.
Chen Shangqing remained tight-lipped, refusing to divulge any information to Lin Qianshuang. Instead, he seized the opportunity to boast about his exceptional younger brother, his matchmaking heart set on a specific goal.