Soon, the matches on the various platforms began.
Xiang'er's match wasn't scheduled for a while, and she made an excuse about wanting to meditate and prepare herself, slipping away early.
Of course, Chen Yin knew it was because she had to compete first under her alias, Yin Mengwan.
Conveniently, Yin Mengwan's platform wasn't far from where Chen Yin had placed his bets, so he wandered over to wait.
The platform was surrounded by quite a crowd, evidently made up of disciples from Xuanyun Sect cheering on their fellow sect member, Zhang Qing.
Chen Yin watched them silently, saying nothing.
Before long, the young bookmaker from earlier also came over and sat beside him, piquing Chen Yin's curiosity.
"Hey? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you still be manning the betting booth?"
"Shift change—I don't need to be back until the afternoon," the bookmaker replied with a smile. "After seeing you place that bet earlier, I got curious, so I came to watch for myself."
"Do you really think this Yin Mengwan girl has a chance?"
"Who knows?" Chen Yin shrugged.
"Sometimes, when luck's on your side, the money comes whether you want it or not."
As the two chatted, the contestants entered the platform.
Zhang Qing, though not extraordinarily beautiful, was fair and delicate. The cheers from the crowd below made it clear she was quite popular within her sect.
In contrast, the black-clad, veiled Yin Mengwan exuded a far more mysterious aura.
After stepping onto the platform, Zhang Qing murmured, "Changli Palace… never heard of that sect."
"If you concede now and step down, you'll save yourself the pain of injuries that swords and blades bring."
Xiang'er responded coldly, "Noisy."
Zhang Qing's face flushed with anger, and she raised her sword to strike.
But Xiang'er simply raised her hand and made a grasping motion in the air. With an overwhelming surge of spiritual energy, Zhang Qing was immobilized, as though an invisible hand had seized her by the neck. She dangled helplessly, her face turning bright red.
In the next moment, Zhang Qing was tossed aside like a piece of trash, landing off the platform.
For a moment, there was utter silence from the spectators.
The Xuanyun Sect disciples froze in shock before scrambling to check on their senior sister. Even the referee stood dumbfounded for a while before slowly declaring the winner.
From start to finish, Xiang'er—posing as Yin Mengwan—didn't say a single word. After the victory was announced, she silently turned and disappeared without a trace.
In the stands, the bookmaker stared in disbelief, taking a long moment to swallow and turn to Chen Yin, his face full of astonishment.
"By the heavens… You really struck gold, my friend! That black-clad girl turned out to be a total powerhouse!"
"Her pressure just now—what kind of level is she at? I'm low-leveled myself, but I could barely breathe. I couldn't even tell how high her cultivation was."
"Twelve to one odds! You're going to make a fortune!"
"Just luck, just luck." Chen Yin laughed it off, his gaze flickering briefly before he casually added, "I've got something to take care of. Make sure to credit my winnings to my account."
With that, he swiftly left the stands.
<+>
As Xiang'er claimed her first victory as Yin Mengwan, someone inconspicuous slipped away from the crowd below the stands.
The man hurriedly avoided the bustling areas and made for a secluded path.
"Hey, hey, hey! Hold up, my good sir!"
He turned, only to see Chen Yin approaching with an enthusiastic smile, throwing an arm over his shoulder like they were old friends.
"You, sir, have an extraordinary air about you—clearly a young hero from a renowned sect."
"Fate has brought us together. Say, would you be interested in some candid photos of the competing fairies?"
Chen Yin grinned mischievously, looking every bit the shady peddler. "I've got the good stuff. Satisfaction guaranteed."
The man seemed stunned for a moment before frowning in disgust. "No, I'm not interested in that. Leave me alone!"
"Ah, don't be so hasty to refuse. Let me show you a couple to whet your appetite. You'll change your mind for sure."
Still holding the man, Chen Yin subtly led him toward a quieter area.
"Cut the nonsense! I said I'm not interested. Who the hell do you think you are? Do you want me to beat you up?"
The man's tone grew irritable and harsh.
"Whoa, whoa, no need to get so worked up. Prices are negotiable, you know," Chen Yin said cheerfully, his grin widening.
"If you think it's too expensive, I can offer you a friendly discount."
"…Your life for it. How about that?" His voice suddenly turned icy.
The man's eyes widened in shock. He abruptly realized that his dantian and meridians were already blocked by an invisible sword energy, leaving him completely at Chen Yin's mercy.
Any attempt to resist would spell his death, rendering him utterly voiceless.
As he began to stir, Chen Yin's cold voice interrupted him.
"Don't move if you value your life."
"I ask, you answer. No unnecessary words."
The man nodded hastily.
"Name."
"W-Wang Wei."
"Age."
"Thirty-one."
"Gender."
"…Do you really need to ask?"
Chen Yin kept his expression neutral as he said, "If you don't answer properly, I can change your answer for you right now."
Wang Wei immediately clamped his legs together tightly and stammered, "M-male."
"Sexual orientation?"
"?"
"Kinks?"
"???"
After a series of outrageous and sweat-inducing questions, Wang Wei's brain felt completely scrambled.
Who was this guy? He had subdued him without warning and was now asking these bizarre questions.
He had heard rumors of rogue cultivators in the immortal world with strange preferences for men... Could it be his bad luck to run into one today?
As Wang Wei's face turned ashen while he contemplated how to protect himself, Chen Yin casually threw out another question.
"Which branch altar do you report to?"
Wang Wei's pupils shrank at once.
"I... I don't know what you're talking about."
"That's fine. I can help you remember."
Chen Yin extended a finger and pressed it lightly against the back of Wang Wei's neck. In an instant, Wang Wei's eyes bulged as though they were about to pop out of his skull.
"Gah—!"
"You have one more chance. Next time, it won't just be the nerves in your spine—it'll be your head that breaks."
Wang Wei nodded frantically, his eyes filled with fear and terror.
"It's... the Xiang City branch altar."
"There's a demonic faction branch in Xiang City? Where is it located?"
"In the well in the backyard of Youya Pavilion on East Street."
Chen Yin tilted his head slightly, nodding to the empty air as if in silent acknowledgment before continuing his interrogation.
"Why were you in such a hurry? Did something happen that you needed to report?"
"Is it about your so-called 'Saintess,' Yin Mengwan?" he asked directly.
Seeing how much Chen Yin already knew, Wang Wei dared not hold anything back. Trembling, he replied, "...Yes."
"The headquarter ordered that if her whereabouts were discovered, we must immediately report back."
Chen Yin pondered for a moment before asking, "Where's your communication tool?"
"Here," Wang Wei stammered, handing over a communication jade.
Chen Yin took the jade and, after ensuring no one was watching, led Wang Wei into a secluded area behind some artificial hills.
An hour later, Chen Yin emerged alone, having asked everything he wanted to know.
—Just a small fry—he didn't know much.
But for Chen Yin, it was enough.
He stretched lazily, his nonchalant demeanor returning as he strolled away, hands tucked into his sleeves.
<+>
Meanwhile, Yu Xiang had changed back into her usual clothes and was waiting near her platform for her own match. She occasionally glanced around, looking for someone.
After some time, a hand tapped her shoulder. Turning around, she saw Chen Yin's grinning face.
"Seriously, lazy Senior Brother, you're late!"
Xiang'er scrunched up her nose in displeasure. "Where did you run off to?"
"Oh, there were two female cultivators fighting fiercely inside. I heard they exhausted their spiritual energy but still couldn't determine a winner. So they ended up grappling instead—ripping their clothes and everything."
Chen Yin clicked his tongue in mock amazement. "Such an intense fight between women—uh, I mean, sparring between cultivators—isn't something you see every day. I had to witness it for myself."
Seeing the growing disdain and reproach in Xiang'er's gaze, Chen Yin awkwardly coughed and softened his tone.
"Hey now, isn't your Senior Brother here? I wouldn't miss your match for anything, Xiang'er."
"Go for it! Crush your opponent!" Chen Yin raised a thumb in encouragement.
Xiang'er pouted and rolled her eyes at him. Even her slight annoyance had a unique charm to it.
"Then... Senior Brother, you'd better cheer for me from the stands!"
"Of course, I'll cheer louder than everyone else combined."
"No need to go that far… That's so embarrassing!"
Yu Xiang took a couple of steps toward the platform, then turned back to flash Chen Yin a sweet smile.
"Senior Brother, I'm heading up now!"
Chen Yin chuckled and nodded.
Watching Xiang'er bounce onto the stage, he smiled warmly.
"Our little Xiang'er is just so adorable."
<+>
A short while later, Xiang'er came back down, looking utterly defeated.
"Ugh... I lost right away," she mumbled, pouting with tears welling in her eyes as though she was about to cry.
"Don't say that," Chen Yin said seriously, patting his chest. "Clearly, our Xiang'er is like a heavenly fairy descended to earth, forcing her opponent into a corner with no chance to fight back."
"If not for that sneak attack at the crucial moment, our Xiang'er wouldn't have lost!"
Seeing her still dejected, Chen Yin gently ruffled her hair in comfort.
"Alright, don't be sad anymore. Senior Brother will take you shopping for clothes in Wanxiang Pavilion as a reward for our Xiang'er's efforts."
"Really?" Xiang'er's eyes lit up.
"Of course."
"Yay!" she cheered softly. "Senior Brother is the best!"
Watching her excitedly hop about, Chen Yin chuckled silently, hands tucked into his sleeves.
"But... the clothes at Wanxiang Pavilion are really expensive. How did Senior Brother suddenly get so much money?"
"Well… that's a secret. Heh heh."
<+>
Tn: If you want to see more chapter of this story, please join my Patreon, for $5 each month, you can read all of the available chapter.
Patreon Account:
Latest Chapter In Patreon:
Link to the latest chapter: