As I settled into my courtyard, savoring the peace and quiet that had become all too rare, I heard a knock on the door. Soft, but deliberate. I didn't need to hear the voice to know who it was, but, of course, the inevitable followed.
"Senior apprentice brother Yue Phaelo, it's me, Ling Xueying."
I sighed heavily. ChiChu, perched on my shoulder, gave me a knowing look. "Here we go again," I muttered, my mind already preparing for the impending headache. Ling Xueying, the Sky Above Realm's golden girl, was relentless. Beautiful? Sure. Talented? Undeniably. But her one fatal flaw? Me.
I opened the door just as she was mid-bow—one of those exaggerated bows she probably practiced in the mirror. Her long white robes, trimmed with gold, billowed dramatically in the breeze. Her eyes, wide and shining like she'd just seen the sun for the first time, locked onto mine.
"Brother Yue Phaelo, help me master the Dao of the Heart!" she proclaimed, as if this were a perfectly reasonable request for someone who'd been pestering me for years. And what was worse—this was the one hundredth time the past past years.
I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Ling Xueying, stand up. This... again?" I tried not to sound exasperated, but I'm sure it slipped through.
She popped back up from her bow, and before I could take a breath, she was already closer—dangerously close. Her eyes were practically sparkling with adoration, like she expected me to sweep her into my arms or something. It was unsettling.
"But you're the only one who can help me!" she said, as if this argument held any merit. Her persistence was legendary. A bit like a mosquito you just can't swat away, no matter how many times you try.
"I don't even practice the Dao of the Heart," I said, stepping back casually, trying to regain some space. "How exactly am I supposed to help you with that?"
"You don't need to practice it! You're you! I'm sure just being around you will help me master it." She said this with such sincerity it almost made me laugh. Almost.
"Right." I nodded slowly. "Because I radiate profound insights in the Dao of the Heart." I glanced at ChiChu, who was barely holding back a snicker. "Aren't you lucky, master?" she teased in my mind. "Radiating Dao without even trying."
I rolled my eyes. 'Not helping, ChiChu.'
Ling Xueying, completely unaware of my internal monologue, beamed at me. "Please, brother Yue Phaelo. I know you can help me. You're the most beautiful and powerful cultivator in the entire sect!"
Ah yes, the beauty angle again. I swear, if I had a spirit stone for every time someone complimented my looks, I could retire and open a tea shop. Somewhere far, far away from here.
"Look," I tried again, "there are plenty of qualified masters in the sect who specialize in the Dao of the Heart. Elder Wei in the Elder's Hall—"
"Elder Wei?" She recoiled in horror, as if I'd just suggested she jump into a vat of molten lava. "He's like... like a mountain! So old, so... boring." She made a dramatic gesture with her hands. "But you, brother Yue Phaelo... you're like the moon! Soft, gentle, beautiful." She batted her lashes as if this analogy made perfect sense.
I blinked. "The... moon?"
"Yes!" she declared triumphantly, as though she'd just made the most profound observation in all the realms.
I stared at her, trying to piece together how comparing me to a celestial body was supposed to convince me to help her. "Right. The moon. Makes sense."
ChiChu practically choked on her laughter this time, sending a mental wave of amusement my way. "Master, you're now the moon. How poetic."
Ignoring her, I decided to take a different approach. "Ling Xueying, as flattered as I am by your... persistence, I really think you should consider talking to someone else. There are other ways to master the Dao of the Heart."
She didn't even flinch. Instead, her face took on that unnerving determination I'd seen too many times before. "No. It has to be you."
I could feel my patience thinning like a thread stretched too far. "Why does it have to be me?"
Her smile softened, and she clasped her hands together in front of her, tilting her head slightly. "Because you're the most beautiful person I've ever seen. And powerful too. How could I go to anyone else?"
Ah, there it was again. The beauty thing. Not that I was a stranger to it, but for heaven's sake, my preferences were a little more... complicated than she could ever understand.
She was talented, sure, but not the kind of woman I was interested in. My interests lay elsewhere—specifically with women I was related to. It's just how things worked for me. Ling Xueying, no matter how many compliments she showered me with, simply didn't fit the bill.
But of course, she didn't know that.
"Right, well, Ling Xueying, I appreciate the sentiment, but—"
Before I could finish, she was stepping closer again, this time tugging lightly at my sleeve. "Please, brother Yue Phaelo. I'll do anything to improve."
"Anything?" I raised an eyebrow. I had to admit, there was a certain irony to this whole situation.
"Anything!" she affirmed, her eyes sparkling with that same obsession she always carried.
I took a deep breath, scanning the sky for some divine intervention. "Ling Xueying, I really think—"
"You'll change your mind," she interrupted, with a sudden, calm certainty that sent a chill down my spine. "I know you will. I'll wait."
I blinked. "Wait? For what?"
"For you to realize we're meant to be," she said with a soft, ominous smile, before turning to leave. "I'll be here. Waiting."
I watched her walk away, trying to decide if I should be flattered or frightened. ChiChu was no help, laughing in my mind. "Looks like she's not giving up anytime soon, master.'
I rubbed my temples, already feeling the onset of another headache. "Let's just get inside before this gets any more ridiculous."
As I made my way back to my residence, I couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't the last time I'd have to fend off Ling Xueying's over-the-top advances.
*****
Hey guys, now here I demand for some power stones.