Back in my cave abode, I was still fuming. I even stamped my feet twice, but it still didn't soothe my anger.
The more I thought about it, the more annoyed I got.
I couldn't hold back and finally complained.
Seriously, was there something wrong with Ye Qingxian?
I was the one giving birth, so what was she doing coming to keep me company!?
What, was she trying to take advantage of me?
I pulled out my little black book and furiously wrote down Ye Qingxian's name.
One grudge.
One grudge,
One grudge.
Just you wait. Don't let me, Ye Xiaoyao, turn the tables and sing the song of the triumphant peasant, or you'll be in for a world of hurt.
With the system's help, I didn't have to give birth the way ordinary people did.
The system provided a special channel.
I had to go through it once so I could copy a spiritual root from the experience.
Put simply, I didn't have to go through an ordinary person's birth canal. I only had to endure some of the pain to complete the entire process of childbirth.
And yet Ye Qingxian had to come see what giving birth was like.
I was completely numb. The key thing was, I couldn't refuse her.
The next day.
An outer sect disciple knocked respectfully on my door. "Junior Sister Xiaoyao, Senior Sister Qingxian invites you to go boating on the lake. Please meet her by White Cloud Lake."
I had just opened the door to my cave abode when I was struck by a bolt from the blue.
White Cloud Lake?
Wasn't that where the crabs came from?
I stared blankly for two seconds, then decided to go see for myself what kind of place could produce such delicious giant crabs.
I planned to walk there.
The messenger disciple suddenly handed me a teleportation talisman. "Senior Sister Qingxian specifically asked me to give this to you. She said Junior Sister is feeling unwell and shouldn't have to walk, and that you should have someone personally look after you at all times. Senior Sister Qingxian is already waiting at the location marked by the talisman."
My red eyes blinked.
Wait—
Even I, Ye Xiaoyao, could use a teleportation talisman?
The Supreme Heaven was no ordinary world. The Great World was absurdly stable, and tearing through space came at a staggering cost.
To put it bluntly, this tiny talisman was worth at least a hundred Ye Xiaoyaos.
I was looking at a talisman worth a hundred times my own price, and before I could have any other thoughts, this "loyal" outer sect disciple tore it open for me. She even gave me a kind smile that made my heart ache. "Senior Sister Xiaoyao, Senior Sister Qingxian really cares about you. Starting the talisman is such a small thing, so let your junior sister do it for you."
Grinding my teeth, I arrived just outside Heavenly Sword Peak at the cost of a hundred Ye Xiaoyaos.
White Cloud Lake was no longer in Bright Moon Peak territory. It was much closer to Beast Taming Peak.
The cultivators of Beast Taming Peak prided themselves on having spirit beasts with unrivaled bloodlines. They competed with one another to an almost absurd degree.
As I arrived near White Cloud Lake, a young woman at the highest point of Beast Taming Peak suddenly wrinkled her nose. Her nose, sharper than that of the number-one hound yao, immediately caught a scent she adored.
It was still a little indistinct, though. It didn't smell much like a yao beast.
Maybe she had smelled it wrong.
But she was still incredibly excited. She threw her arms around the woman beside her. "Mommy, I hereby announce that your precious daughter is in love starting today." No matter what, she might as well say it first.
"I have to find this yao!"
"I want to form a pact with her."
"No, I want to marry him. I want him to become my Dao Companion."
"Who would've thought that one day I, Hua Bubai, could go from being a young Beast Tamer to becoming the greatest Beast Tamer under heaven?"
The woman's tone was hard to read as she replied, "What if she's the same sex as you?"
"I've told you to stop daydreaming."
"No matter what kind of yao beast you find, it won't change the fact that a cultivator in the Supreme Realm could slap you into a meat pie."
The girl: "..."
"The same sex?" She began pacing back and forth. "Right, Mommy, are there any cultivation techniques in the Cultivation World that can turn me into a male cultivator?"
"No!" The woman finally lost her patience. She punched the girl on the head, raising a huge lump. "Stop spouting your stupid nonsense."
"If you have any more thoughts like that, I'll kick you right out of Beast Taming Peak."
The girl touched her short hair, which just reached her ears, then felt the magnificent horn on her head, as big as a fist. "Since there aren't any, if we're the same sex, I can only blame your daughter for being unfilial. I'll leave you, at your age—at several million years old—without a descendant."
The woman's brow twitched. With a casual spell, she hoisted the girl up and beat her.
"Stop talking nonsense! Stop talking nonsense!"
Afterward, she was put under house arrest for two months and never got the chance to look for the Great Yao bloodline she had been dreaming of.
Near White Cloud Lake.
"Does Hua Bubai not plan to come?" Ye Qingxian's gaze was cool.
A disciple respectfully replied, "In response to Senior Sister Qingxian, Senior Sister Hua Bubai was just placed under house arrest for two months by the Beast Taming Venerable. She probably won't have a chance to come to the gathering."
Hua Bubai.
The Senior Sister of Beast Taming Peak, and a prodigy in her own right.
I silently repeated her name. In the story, she was a ridiculous female supporting character who eventually became the Female Protagonist's first little minion. Together, they dealt with other named female cultivators. Even when the Female Protagonist didn't personally step in, Hua Bubai could still fight Yue Wuhua and Bai Qixing to a standstill. She was a pretty formidable cultivator.
Naturally, going boating meant taking a Treasure Ship.
White Cloud Lake was a little different from what I'd expected. It wasn't a lake on the ground at all.
It was a brilliant starry lake in the sky.
The scenery we saw while boating was no different from stargazing at close range.
This was my first time attending a boating event, and these rich young ladies immediately left me gnashing my teeth in shock.
How many Ye Xiaoyaos was this worth?
Just like at the flower-viewing banquet, there were tables, and food was served.
I didn't quite understand how such an elegant activity as boating could involve a meal.
Ye Qingxian met my confused gaze and chuckled. "I prepared it."
Now you know what real thoughtfulness looks like, right?
"I know you like to eat, so I prepared this especially for you."
Hmm, what did you say?
Even without looking closely, I could feel the envious gazes.
I felt a little ill at ease.
There were too many people trying to suck up to the Female Protagonist.
Don't drag me into this. Wasn't this just drawing another wave of hatred toward me?
There was no shortage of polite flattery. "I've long heard that Junior Sister Xiaoyao is as clever as snow and ice, with eyes as enchanting and delicate as a sprite's. Her beauty is enough to astonish an entire generation. Seeing her today, I find the rumors more than true."
My hand froze as I munched on sunflower seeds.
Your flattery is so unoriginal. Even I could come up with that. It's just the usual "I've long heard" and "seeing you today" formula.
This was the first time I'd seen someone flatter the Female Protagonist by taking such a roundabout route.
A hint of a smile appeared on Ye Qingxian's face.
Just one glance from her was enough to make someone feel honored.
Ye Qingxian's standing in the Cultivation World was like getting to meet someone from a history book in person.
A young woman whose talent rivaled that of every great powerhouse throughout history.
Who could meet her at close range and not feel excited?
"My junior sister certainly deserves that praise."
Ye Qingxian calmly sipped her tea. "You're very good."
My hand froze again.
I couldn't understand Ye Qingxian's recent behavior at all.
Was she raising me up high so she could smash me into a meat pie?
I'd only said a few nasty things. Surely she didn't have to torment me like this.
Ye Qingxian met her junior sister's shocked gaze, quite pleased with how things were going. Her plan was almost complete.
Whether you truly cared about someone was revealed in the little things woven into everyday life.
That was what made the perfect contrast.
Ye Qingxian put up a soundproof barrier, then said to me, "I invited you out boating to help you relax. Senior Sister knows how hard childbirth is, and I don't want you to suffer from prenatal anxiety. Going out and looking around can take your mind off it, too."
She'd spent all those days being cursed out by me, and she was still caring about me?
My whole face flushed red. I had no idea what Ye Qingxian was up to.
Could she—could she actually like me?
I simply set down my juice and, with the air of someone throwing caution to the wind, asked, "Ye Qingxian, do you like me?"
Oh my god, I couldn't hold it in any longer.
Having someone slowly whittle away at you with a dull knife was downright cruel.
Just give it to me straight, please.
I had to ask her again, seriously.
Ye Qingxian froze for a second, then explained even more earnestly, "I'm straight." She had already convinced herself of that yesterday.
"It's only natural for a Senior Sister to care about her junior sister."
Hearing her firm, confident words, I was finally reassured.
Thank goodness, thank goodness. What a scare.
I'd almost thought the Female Protagonist had developed some new obsession and had taken a liking to a cannon-fodder female supporting character like me.
Hahaha, it was pretty awkward to ask her outright.
So I put on a serious face and decided to get a little of my pride back. "Hahaha, what a coincidence. I'm straight, too."
Before you continue