The Third Elder's Invitation

The Third Elder was very fond of drinking.

At first, I just thought that drinking like others would make me look cool, but as I drank more and more, it gradually became a habit, to the point that I fell in love with that feeling of being light as a feather and forgetting myself, and I liked to have a sip whenever I had the chance.

She liked this feeling because it helped her alleviate the boredom of life.

Perched atop the mountain, knowing there was no hope of breaking through to the Heavenly Awakening Realm, there was no point in continuing arduous cultivation; after hundreds of years of cultivation, famous mountains and rivers no longer seemed novel, and planting flowers and trees no longer posed a challenge. He felt that life was utterly boring, as if he could see the end of everything at a glance.

Since that's the case, why not just get drunk and wake up to exclaim, "Wow, I slept for three more days!"

Ordinary wine couldn't intoxicate immortals, and other immortal wines were too expensive. In order to get herself drunk, she painstakingly brewed a fine wine that could intoxicate immortals, and thus Bihua Residence came into being.

It can be said that Bihua Residence exists solely to support the Third Elder's decadence and complacency.

But Bihua Pavilion was completely different. Bihua Pavilion was something that truly interested the Third Elder, and it gave her some enjoyment in life. She couldn't remember the last time she had devoted Heart's Blood to something so much, and she found it endlessly enjoyable.

After the Bihua Pavilion's business got on track, the Third Elder rarely drank alcohol anymore, and he no longer drank to the point of being drunk as often as before.

It wasn't that she was actively quitting drinking; rather, she simply had no intention of even thinking about drinking anymore. Today, she rented a mountain near Henggao City specifically to grow cotton of her choice, thus solving the material supply problem for the Bihua Pavilion.

Feeling relaxed and in high spirits, she finally remembered that there was such a good thing as wine. On a whim, she came to Bihua Residence to have a couple of drinks to relax and, at the same time, admire the vibrant spirit of the female disciples of the Xuanxiao Sect.

Just as he was reminiscing about how wonderful it is to be young, his attention was drawn to a strange female cultivator.

"This female disciple is tall and has a dashing air about her, and her cultivation level is also quite high. How come I haven't seen her before? Is she here to see a friend?"

The Third Elder frowned, leaned against the window, and kept her gaze fixed on the unique girl in the crowd.

Of all her female disciples, apart from her eldest disciple who had been traveling and had not yet returned, there was no other woman with such a heroic spirit. And her favorite was, of course, this eldest disciple. The Third Elder had a special fondness for such a graceful and spirited woman.

"Wait a minute, why does this woman look both familiar and unfamiliar?"

The Third Elder found it increasingly strange. If a normal woman had such good physical attributes, she would walk with graceful steps and full of confidence.

This female cultivator clearly stood out from the crowd in terms of appearance, figure, and cultivation, so why did she walk with a hunched back and a swaying gait, as if afraid of being noticed?

The Third Elder rubbed his chin, gazing intently, determined to see what was going on.

"Aren't these shoes... a little too big?" the Third Elder muttered to himself.

The female cultivator was a bit taller than her, but her embroidered shoes were several sizes too big.

This was definitely not normal; a glint suddenly flashed in the Third Elder's eyes.

"This is a man dressed as a woman!"

Her brows furrowed, and her natural aversion to men made her begin to suspect the intentions of this man dressed as a woman.

"I'd like to see which man dares to disguise himself as a woman and infiltrate my Xuanxiao Sect!"

You Su walked nervously through the crowd, silently praying that he would safely reach the remote foot of Lotus Peak.

In fact, although many people pay attention to his appearance, few dare to approach him, as his height can still create a sense of intimidation.

This gave him a slight sense of relief, but the next second he was blocked by a handsome man.

"This junior sister looks unfamiliar. Which peak are you from?"

A gentle voice rang out, and the newcomer, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, dressed in fine clothes, was none other than Ye Qingchen, the second disciple of the Third Elder.

You Su frowned. He already disliked this person, so how could he let him see through his disguise as a woman? Otherwise, he would become a laughing stock.

He had no choice but to speak in a strained voice, "Greetings, senior brother. I am not a disciple of the Xuanxiao Sect; I am here to find a friend."

"I see, no wonder I didn't recognize your face, Junior Sister. Don't be nervous, Junior Sister, I stopped you because I have a small request."

Although Ye Qingchen also felt that his junior sister's voice was a bit rough, he didn't pay much attention to it.

"A request?" You Su lowered his head slightly. "Senior brother, please speak freely."

"My master invites my junior sister for a cup of tea."

"Your master?"

You Su was secretly surprised. Why would the Third Elder send Ye Qingchen to invite him for tea? Could it be that he recognized him?

"Thank you for your kind invitation, Senior Brother and Master, but I am here to visit a friend, so I'm afraid it's inconvenient..."

Ye Qingchen shook his head and smiled, "Junior sister, don't worry, it won't take up too much of your time. You should know that my master is the renowned Bihua Venerable of the Five Continents. Chatting with her for a few minutes will be nothing but beneficial to your Dao Path."

You Su was about to decline, but Ye Qingchen noticed the difficulty on his face and whispered, "Junior Sister can even refuse Bihua Venerable's invitation, which will inevitably arouse suspicion."

You Su felt a chill run down her spine, vaguely sensing the threat in Ye Qingchen's words.

He was truly helpless. If the investigation were to uncover his true identity, it would inevitably be exposed. He increasingly regretted using He Kongyue as a shield. The happier He Kongyue was when she strutted through the streets arm in arm with him, the more embarrassed he felt now.

"Then I'll trouble you to lead the way, Senior Brother..." You Su had no choice but to compromise.

Ye Qingchen smiled calmly, feeling smug about having once again perfectly completed his master's task.

"Junior sister, please come with me."

Ye Qingchen withdrew consciously, while You Su stood nervously by the door frame, hesitating to take a step, especially since he didn't know whether the woman opposite him recognized him.

He didn't use any Law Treasure, just simple disguise and makeup, so it's unlikely that he could have fooled a Void Glimpse Venerable.

Since things had come to this, he simply accepted his fate. It was better to be recognized by the Third Elder in private than to be exposed in public, although he would inevitably have something to hold over Third Elder in the future.

"This junior pays respects to Bihua Venerable."

You Su bowed deeply, still intending to make a final stand.

The Third Elder didn't reply to him, but stared blankly at You Su's upper head.

She caught a glimpse of the woman's face as she entered, and she was secretly startled, finally understanding why the 'woman's' appearance felt both familiar and strange.

She never imagined that the man dressed as a woman was actually You Su.

"Bihua Venerable?"

Seeing that no one responded, You Su whispered a reminder.

"Hmm? You've arrived."

After realizing it was You Su, the Third Elder completely forgot her initial indignation at someone being dressed as a woman. After all, You Su must have had a reason for dressing like this, right?

Without realizing it, she had also begun to favor You Su. More than investigating the reason, she seemed to care about You Su's appearance, secretly thinking, "He's absolutely to my liking..."

She often thought that You Su was perfect in every way, except for having an extra X.

This made it impossible for her to be truly frank with You Su. If You Su were a woman, she would probably treat him as well as she would her eldest disciple, even if he were someone else's disciple.

Faced with You Su like this, perhaps under the influence of alcohol, the Third Elder actually felt quite fond of him, finding You Su's evasiveness rather endearing.

"Please sit down, don't be shy."

"This junior dares not presume. Bihua Venerable, please speak freely if you have any instructions."

You Su remained standing outside the door, not daring to approach.

"There's no need to be so afraid. All the female cultivators of the Xuanxiao Sect know that I, Bihua Venerable, am the most approachable. I saw that you were a stranger, so I wanted to invite you in for a chat. Come, sit down."

The Third Elder's voice was indeed gentler than You Su had ever heard before, which made him lower his guard a little.

The Third Elder was quite popular among the female disciples of the Xuanxiao Sect because of her extreme generosity. She would often invite female disciples to visit her, and those disciples would always leave with a lot of good things to do.

Even You Su had heard about this. Could it be that he, too, had become one of the lucky ones chosen by the Third Elder?

He thought the Third Elder recognized him but didn't say anything, wanting to tease him on purpose, but the tone was too sincere.

He twitched his nose slightly, sensing that the tea room was filled with the smell of alcohol; just smelling it made him feel lightheaded and intoxicated.

Could it be that the Third Elder is drunk?

You Su dared not disobey the Venerable One's wishes, otherwise, if the Third Elder woke up in a panic, he would still be unable to escape the misfortune of being discovered.

"Then I'll take my leave."

You Su slowly stepped forward, knelt down on the couch, and kept her head bowed.

"You're not from our Xuanxiao Sect, are you?" the Third Elder asked suddenly, shaking the wine cup in his hand.

"Indeed not. I came to the Xuanxiao Sect to find a friend."

"Looking for a friend, huh?" The Third Elder said thoughtfully. "Most people who come to the Xuanxiao Sect looking for someone are brought in from outside the sect. Why isn't your friend with you?"

You Su's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly came up with a solution, saying, "She had something urgent to attend to and went to her master's place, so she told me to just wander around the Xuanxiao Sect."

"Hmm... it seems you don't have anything urgent. I was worried it would delay your business." The Third Elder nodded slightly, seemingly believing You Su's words, and then suddenly asked, "You're Sword Cultivator, aren't you?"

"That's true, but I figured it out on my own, without any formal training or school of thought."

As soon as he finished speaking, You Su regretted it. The Third Elder hadn't even asked him where he came from, and he had answered first. It seemed a bit too deliberate.

"Sword Cultivator. If a woman had a sword, I wonder how many troubles she could cut away."

The Third Elder spoke with a sigh, then downed a cup of wine.

She clicked her tongue in savoring the taste, then casually waved her hand, and the jade bottle flew up on its own, pouring a cup for You Su as well.

The Third Elder, slightly tipsy, had a flushed face and eyes that seemed to hold the warmth of spring water as he looked at You Su with a smile.

"Young friend, there's no need to be nervous. I've been troubled lately and have been drinking alone here. I just caught a glimpse of you by the window and felt a connection, so I thought I'd invite you to come up and have a drink with me. Would you do me the honor?"

You Su thought to himself, "No wonder," and couldn't help but wonder what the Third Elder was troubled by.

He could tell this wine was extraordinary just by smelling it; it was probably not something he could drink casually. After hesitating, he still said:

"It is truly an honor for this junior to have gained the favor of Bihua Venerable. However, this junior is not a strong drinker and can only offer a small amount of wine to enhance the festivities."

After speaking, You Su picked up the teacup and took a sip. He immediately felt a burning sensation in his throat and his whole body felt hot and stuffy, so he quickly put the wine cup down.

His face was covered in white powder, but the alcohol from that sip made his cheeks flush red.

The Third Elder found it amusing and, squinting, drank another cup with himself.

"I'm glad you've come all this way, young friend. If you're not in a hurry, would you mind listening to my troubles? We're strangers, so there's no burden in telling you. I only hope you won't spread this around carelessly. If you can help me, I will certainly reward you handsomely."

"I'm afraid I can't help Bihua Venerable..."

"No, my troubles are related to young people. Perhaps you could offer some advice."

Sweat beaded on You Su's forehead; he felt the wine had an intense aftereffect, and just one sip had made him feel quite tipsy.

"Then this junior will respectfully comply."

The Third Elder smiled charmingly, then raised his wine cup towards You Su, as if to clink glasses with him.

Things discussed at the dinner table can only be talked about after a toast.

After hesitating for a moment, You Su had no choice but to raise his glass and clink glasses with hers.

The Third Elder downed his drink in one gulp, You Su forced himself to take a small sip, immediately feeling the alcohol rise straight to his head.

Do you hate men?

You Su hadn't expected this question and hesitated before replying, "Of course I don't dislike it."

"But for some reason, I really hate men."

The Third Elder held her teacup, and in that instant, her eyes became extremely sorrowful, as if she had remembered something bad.

"And my troubles are all related to men."

You Su's head was still foggy, but she listened attentively.

"By the way, I've been busy with a business lately, Bihua Pavilion. I wonder if you've heard of it?"

You Su nodded and said, "Everyone says that Bihua Pavilion is a masterpiece created with sincerity by Bihua Venerable, and it's very famous. I know that."

"That's the problem. Everyone thinks I poured my heart and soul into building this shop, but in reality, I contributed the least. Bihua Pavilion was facing bankruptcy when a disciple stepped forward and saved it from collapse. I'm very grateful to this disciple, but he just happens to be a man."

You Su shook his head, not expecting the topic to have turned to him.

"His contributions are so great that I don't know how to repay him. In addition, I have a dislike for men, so I have never made amends to him. Recently, however, I discovered that someone wants to poach this talent from my Bihua Pavilion, and I feel a chill down my spine. If my Bihua Pavilion were not with him, I fear it would decline again."

As she said this, the Third Elder glanced at You Su's expression without realizing it. Taking advantage of the alcohol and You Su's female body, she frankly expressed her high regard for You Su.

Normally, she probably wouldn't have been able to say it.

So what's troubling you?

"I want to ask, what do you think is the best way for me to make it up to him? I'm really worried that he'll leave my Bihua Pavilion because someone else has better prospects. Judging from his appearance, he's probably around your age. You're both young, so your thoughts should be similar..."

The Third Elder rested her jade-like hand on the table, half-supporting her head, her head and the wine cup hanging in her hand swaying as if she were drunk.

You Su was also feeling a bit tipsy when he realized that the Third Elder was worried that he had really been poached by Qianhua Venerable.

Under the influence of alcohol, You Su also opened up, "I am not him, how could I know what he is thinking? But I think that he helped the Third Elder not out of self-interest, otherwise why would he have gone to such lengths to help Bihua Pavilion?"

"So... you think he won't be poached?"

You Su smiled and said, "Instead of asking me, why don't you go and ask Bihua Venerable yourself?"

The Third Elder's face was flushed. He raised his cup to clink with You Su's, then drank it all in one gulp, his eyes glistening with tears as he looked at You Su.

"You're right, I should have just asked."

The Third Elder knew that there was no need to ask anymore, because she already had the answer.

You Su, also intoxicated, actually asked:

"I'm rather curious, why would Bihua Venerable dislike men?"

I was too busy working overtime today, so this was a bit difficult to write. I'll try to update more tomorrow.