As I slipped out of my abode, I felt a bit of satisfaction at successfully dodging my grandmother. You see, Bao Zhenhua has this uncanny ability to show up exactly when you least want her to.
I could already imagine her storming through my courtyard looking for her beloved "little devil" and huffing when she realized I wasn't there. But, while dodging one storm, I stumbled upon another.
I was heading toward the medical hall—honestly, more for some peace and quiet than any real medical need—when I caught sight of Ling Xueying and Long Zhen, right in the middle of one of their classic encounters.
Now, as much as I had no interest in Xueying's endless pursuit of me, I couldn't deny that watching her fend off Long Zhen's relentless advances was endlessly amusing. Long Zhen, son of Duke Long, the "great hero of the Sky Above Realm," was more of a comedy act than a serious suitor.
The way he chased after Ling… it was like watching a rooster try to court a phoenix.
But let's be honest here—I knew exactly how Ling felt. I had my own share of obsessive admirers, Ling Xueying being the foremost among them. Not that I was flattered. No, far from it.
The only women who truly captured my interest were those tied to me by blood. A little weird? Maybe.
But it was my preference, and it saved me from the clutches of girls like Ling, who chased beauty and status rather than understanding what I actually desired.
Anyway, back to the scene at hand....
Long Zhen was trying, for the umpteenth time, to convince Ling that they were meant to be together. His cultivation aura flared dramatically, making the leaves of the nearby trees tremble as if even nature itself was rolling its eyes at him.
"Ling Xueying, you cannot keep running from fate!" Long Zhen declared, his voice echoing with enough bravado to scare away a flock of birds overhead. "The power of my family could elevate you! Imagine the strength we would have together, ruling the Sky Above Realm as equals!"
I could hear Ling's sigh all the way from where I was standing. She was magnificent, even in her frustration, dressed in her white robes trimmed with gold.
Her Earth Foundation aura hummed around her like an invisible wall, keeping Long Zhen's overblown energy at bay with ease. That was the thing about Ling Xueying—she was strong, really strong, even though I never found myself particularly drawn to her.
"I told you, Long Zhen, I'm not interested!" she snapped, waving a hand dismissively. Her power radiated from the gesture, causing the ground beneath them to tremble slightly.
Long Zhen, of course, took this as some kind of encouragement. "Ah, but your resistance only makes me want you more! You are like the unattainable moon in the sky, and I—"
"Oh please, not this again!" Ling Xueying cut him off, clearly at her wit's end. She crossed her arms, staring him down. "Why don't you just go chase someone who actually likes you?"
I had to stifle a laugh as I continued to observe them from the shadows. This was the same pattern every time. Long Zhen would throw himself at her, she'd resist, and in the end, they'd both walk away no closer to resolving the situation.
But it was like watching a well-rehearsed play, one where you knew all the lines but couldn't help but be entertained.
As I leaned casually against a tree, taking in the show, I sensed another presence nearby. It didn't take me long to realize who it was.
On the opposite side of the path stood Bai Lifen, the son of one of the wealthiest men in the Sky Above Realm. The "wealthy prodigy," as he liked to call himself some times, one of his many names, had also found his way here, his sharp gaze locked onto the pair in the distance.
Unlike Long Zhen, Bai Lifen wasn't the type to throw himself headlong into ridiculous proclamations. He preferred subtlety, manipulating events from behind the scenes, much like a spider weaving a web.
I could tell that Bai Lifen was just as entertained as I was, though for entirely different reasons. He had his eyes on the prize as well, and Ling Xueying was just one of the many potential prizes on his list.
"Enjoying the show?" I asked casually, stepping out of the shadows.
Bai Lifen smirked, his cold eyes flicking toward me. "Oh, I wouldn't miss this for the world. Watching Long Zhen flounder like a fish out of water? It's priceless." He folded his arms, his own aura barely noticeable but sharp, like a blade hidden in silk.
Bai Lifen's cultivation was in the Earth Realm, but unlike Long Zhen, he didn't need to flaunt it. His power was felt in the subtlety of his every move.
"And here I thought you were more the type to step in and steal the show," I commented, glancing back at the ongoing drama. Ling Xueying had now drawn her sword—more out of frustration than any real intent to fight—and Long Zhen was babbling about "true love" and "destiny" again.
"Why ruin a perfectly good comedy?" Bai Lifen replied smoothly. "Besides, as much as I enjoy playing the hero, this isn't the time for me to get involved. Let him dig his own grave. He's doing a fine job without my help."
I couldn't help but chuckle at that. For once, Bai Lifen and I were on the same page. Watching Long Zhen embarrass himself was far more entertaining than getting involved. Besides, it wasn't like Ling Xueying was in any real danger—if anything, Long Zhen should be worried about his own safety.
"Think he'll give up this time?" Bai Lifen asked, though there was no real curiosity in his tone. He already knew the answer.
"Not a chance," I said, smirking. "He's like a spirit beast that doesn't know when to stop chasing its prey."
As the two of us stood there, watching the scene unfold, I felt a rare moment of camaraderie. Sure, Bai Lifen and I weren't exactly friends. We were both too ambitious, too self-serving to truly get along.
But in that moment, as we watched Long Zhen make a fool of himself, it was hard not to feel a bit of unity. After all, if nothing else, we could both agree that watching someone else's misfortune was infinitely more amusing than dealing with our own.