Seeing that nothing had actually happened, the prioress spared Long Yifei only one extra glance before returning to what she had originally been doing. Long Yifei was left alone in the exhibit hall, shock and fear turning to indignation and anger, with many pairs of eyes in her direction. Some were filled with interest, others with disdain.
She clenched her fists, trying to calm the storm in her mind. She felt irrational fury like she had never before. It threatened to overwhelm her stoic demeanor. No man had treated her like that before. No one had dared to blatantly touch her in public, like she was some easy woman.
She had always stood alone on a pedestal. At Glacier Palace, she was the master's most prized disciple. She was always surrounded by elders and disciples, protected like a precious flower. No stray man had ever dared to disrespect her.
That Immortal Bamboo Wave Yang Gehu disregarded all propriety. He treated her like a common woman, a toy for him to touch and play with. Merely thinking about that person brought another surge of anger.
Even her master hadn't treated her like that. Chen Wentian was sometimes lustful but he was kind and respectful. He also had enough self-control when it was proper. He treated her so well, unlike this rotten slag of a man. So this was what the best of the Martial Brilliance Continent could offer?
What made it worse was that the multitude of immortals nearby probably knew what Yang Gehu would try to do. Yet nobody stood up for her. That prioress only intervened after Chen Wentian's earrings had done all the work. Long Yifei didn't know what she would have done if she didn't have her master's protection.
With her mood thoroughly ruined, Long Yifei rushed out of the dancing exhibit. She spent the rest of the evening wandering the halls. Even when she reunited with her group of acquaintances, she remained silent and followed them around until they returned to the dorms.
As the evening drew to a close, everyone apart from Long Yifei were still excited. They chatted loudly about what they had seen, heard, and experienced during the Gift Exhibit.
The most discussed topic was Ye Landou's performance during the Gift Exhibit. She had managed to attract the attention of a potential acolyte with a fearsome background. He was the middl-aged man that Long Yifei had seen talking to Ye Landou. Apparently, they had chatted for most of the evening and their pairing had become widely known.
He was known as Immortal Bronze Tiger Wu Lao. He was a member of the Beast Mountain Alliance, one of the Seven Potentates of Jiannan and one of the most powerful factions in the Martial Brilliance Continent. Even if his appearance wasn't the much to brag about, his status as an immortal of such a powerhouse meant that he was man of standing.
Ye Landou was a pretty maiden without an acolyte. Wu Lao wanted to be an acolyte. To many at the school, including the teachers and students, they were a perfect match. Nobody could see any flaw if their relationship progressed and he actually became her acolyte. Many Sacred Daughters were even jealous of her good fortune and ability to entice him.
"Hehehe, you guys are overstating my ability!" Ye Landou complained, though the smile on her face couldn't be erased, "I didn't do anything special. It was all thanks to Sister Wei's help that I was introduced to Lord Wu."
"Impossible!"
"How did that happen?"
Some of the more envious women in the group demanded.
Ye Landou quickly hid behind Wei Shuangshuang and hugged her arm, "Sister Wei, tell them. I really didn't do anything improper!"
Wei Shuangshuang flipped her hair back in an arrogant manner and waved her hands to calm the others, "Sister Ye is telling the truth. I did introduce her. My Wei Clan is also a member of the Seven Potentates of Jiannan. We have a close relationship with the Beast Mountain Alliance. Immortal Bronze Tiger Wu Lao is even my in-law. I originally wanted to introduce Sister Ye to a member of my own clan but no immortal was looking to take on a Sacred Daughter at the moment. So, I asked around and got some assistance from the Beast Mountain Alliance."
"Wa!"
"So lucky!"
"Sister Wei, do you know any other immortals? Please introduce us!"
The group dissolved into excited shouts. Among those shouting the loudest was Zhao Linmei, who already had an acolyte from the Western Wumu Subcontinent.
This caused Long Yifei to frown. She caught up with Zhao Linmei and pulled her aside.
"Sister Zhao," She said in a soft but firm voice, "You already have an acolyte, don't you think your words are a little improper? What would he think if he heard you?"
Zhao Linmei shook off Long Yifei's hand, "Oh, come on, Sister Long. It's not that serious. So, what if I talked to some other men other than my acolyte. He doesn't own my mouth. It's just harmless fun!"
She then rejoined the group of giggling women, "Right, everyone? A lot of the men here tonight were so handsome! My legs went weak more than a few times!"
This was met with more laughter and plenty of agreement.
Long Yifei followed them helplessly. Zhao Linmei left many words unsaid but her stance was clear. Some people were simply like this and they couldn't change. They lacked moral integrity. They had difficulty keeping promises. They were inconsistent and easily swayed.
It wasn't just Zhao Linmei. Many women in the group thought this way as well. It was an ugly, dirty side of human nature.
And Long Yifei was completely against such conduct. She could never act like that, treat her man with such disregard. She could never do anything that would betray Chen Wentian's trust.
"What about you, Sister Long?" Zhao Linmei countered. She pulled Long Yifei back into the group with a sly smile, "I heard that a lot of Sacred Daughters came away of the Gift Exhibit empty handed because of you."
"Me? Why?" Long Yifei asked.
"Hahaha, you don't know? The word is that many of the guests had been captivated by your unnatural beauty. They were all hoping to get a chance to talk to you. But after you rejected Immortal Bamboo Wave Yang Gehu so bluntly, nobody dared to approach you for fear of receiving the same mistreatment."
Long Yifei was stunned speechless. How did the narrative become like this? She was blunt? She mistreated him? Preposterous!
"Don't look so surprised." Wei Shuangshuang chimed in, "I'm sure the whole school knows by now. Though, I have to commend Sister Long on one thing, she certainly has peculiar tastes. Hehe, even members of the Seven Potentates of Jiannan are beneath her. How can anybody compare? Is anyone good enough?"
Seeing the varying expressions of those around her, they all had similar thoughts. It was pointless trying to argue, not with such obvious barbs towards her master.
Long Yifei palmed her face, let out a long sigh, and then stormed off towards her room, leaving the gossiping group of women behind. She always disliked befriending women and tonight reminded her why.
---
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