"True Yin Body..."
Jiang Ye's gaze settled on the young woman in the ink-black dress. A flicker of subtle surprise passed through his aged eyes, followed by a meaningful, amused glint.
He hadn't expected this girl's constitution to be so unusual.
Even more surprising, she was still a virgin. Her True Yin remained intact.
After all, judging by his extensive experience in "reading people," he'd assumed from her alluring eyes and brows, and the teasing way she carried herself, that she had long since...
Ahem. It seemed the saying "you can't judge a book by its cover" really was true.
He glanced at the young man beside him, still laughing up at the sky, and the pity in his eyes deepened.
Since time immemorial, treasures had belonged to the strong.
A young woman with a True Yin Body was a treasure that drew every eye. There was no way a fool like this, with only Dark Strength, could hold on to her.
If he didn't understand that, then a little suffering would be the least of his worries. He might even lose his life.
Jiang Ye looked away and didn't give them another glance.
Nearby, the two Azure Sky Sect disciples who had been testing bones had wiped the excitement from their faces. They shot the young man a cold glance.
One of them opened the register and spoke expressionlessly:
"Li Jianghua, eighteen years old, average bone structure, mid-stage Dark Strength."
He paused, closed the register, and continued in a voice devoid of emotion:
"You don't meet the Azure Sky Sect's selection standards. Go home."
The young man's wild laughter stopped dead, like a chicken whose throat had been seized.
"What?!"
His eyes widened in disbelief, and his voice broke as he cried, "I didn't pass? How is that possible? Did you make a mistake?!"
The two disciples ignored his protests. They couldn't even be bothered to look at him again.
The other turned to the young woman in the ink-black dress. His expression instantly warmed, and his voice softened, taking on a note of recruitment:
"Xu Qinghuan, eighteen years old, above-average bone structure, early-stage Dark Strength, and a True Yin Body."
He paused, emphasizing his next words. "Congratulations. You've passed the selection and may join the outer sect of the Azure Sky Sect. Please come with me to register."
"I... I can join the Azure Sky Sect?!"
The young woman, who had been baffled by the mention of her True Yin Body, was suddenly overcome with delight. She immediately started forward.
"Qinghuan!"
A hand shot out and clamped around her wrist.
Li Jianghua yanked her back, his face flushed as he cried in near hysteria, "Let's go! We're leaving! If the Azure Sky Sect won't take me, we'll go somewhere else! With my family background, I can find another sect to take me in!"
But when he tugged, she didn't budge.
Xu Qinghuan remained where she was. His grip had reddened her slender wrist, but she stood firm.
She turned her face slightly. A complicated emotion flickered in her captivating eyes. There was a hint of struggle, but above all, she was resolute.
A troubled look crossed her face. She bit her red lip and lowered her voice, yet every word came through clearly. "Brother Hua, I want to join the Azure Sky Sect..."
The color drained from Li Jianghua's face in an instant.
"Y-you said what?" His voice trembled, his eyes bulging. "Qinghuan! I'm your fiancé! Are you really going to leave me behind and join on your own?!"
"Brother Hua... listen to me..." Xu Qinghuan tugged at the corners of her mouth, forcing a sweet smile. Her voice grew even gentler.
"Don't rush. I'll go in first. Once I've found my footing, I'll figure out a way to bring you in too, all right? Then we'll both be in the Azure Sky Sect. Wouldn't that be better?"
Li Jianghua froze.
The anger and disbelief on his face gradually gave way to hesitation.
He looked at the familiar, yet somehow strange, face before him, and a thought suddenly flashed through his mind—
If he married Qinghuan as soon as possible, took her True Yin, broke through, and cleansed his body, his aptitude would surely improve by leaps and bounds!
Then he could join the Azure Sky Sect with ease!
His eyes suddenly lit up.
"Fine! Qinghuan, I'll listen to you!"
He nodded firmly, released her wrist, and clasped her hand instead. His gaze burned with startling intensity.
"You go ahead. I'll wait for you! In a few days, I... I'll come find you!"
He placed particular emphasis on the words "come find you."
A faint trace of disgust flickered in Xu Qinghuan's eyes, so slight she might not even have noticed it herself. Yet she kept that saccharine smile on her face and nodded to him.
"Mm! Brother Hua, just wait for me without worrying!"
She pulled her hand free, turned, and followed the Azure Sky Sect disciple through the mountain gate without looking back.
Her ink-black skirt trailed across the flagstones, leaving a graceful, bewitching curve as she disappeared into the distance.
Li Jianghua stood where he was, gazing after her with eager delight. He had no idea that countless eyes behind him were sweeping over him with amusement, mockery, or pity.
"Next, step up for the bone test..."
The Azure Sky Sect disciple had barely spoken when he saw a tall, lean old man with half-white hair approach.
A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. Then he shook his head helplessly. "Old man, the Azure Sky Sect doesn't accept—"
Before he could finish, Jiang Ye took the token from inside his robe and held it out to him. "Young man, I'm here for another matter."
"True Disciple Token?!"
He sprang to his feet. His chair scraped backward with a squeak, and the numb exhaustion vanished from his face, replaced by unconcealed shock.
He didn't cry out as he had when he discovered the True Yin Body, but the commotion was enough to draw plenty of sidelong glances.
He held the token in both hands, which trembled slightly, and examined it carefully once more. After confirming it was genuine, his expression changed at once.
His earlier impatience had vanished without a trace. In its place came deference and careful respect. "This is Senior Sister Wen's True Disciple Token. I didn't realize you were an honored guest, sir. Please forgive any offense I caused earlier!"
Jiang Ye gazed at the disciple, whose attitude had changed a hundred and eighty degrees, and a flicker of surprise passed through his aged eyes.
The disciple's aura was thick and powerful. He was clearly at Transformation Strength himself.
Yet faced with a mere token, he was this deferential...
It seemed that Wen Yueyao's status as a "True Disciple" carried far more weight than he'd imagined.
"Young man, there's no need for such ceremony." Jiang Ye waved a hand slightly, his voice hoarse and calm. "Miss Wen asked me to stay here for now and wait for her to finish her business."
"I see! Please wait a moment, sir. I'll take you to a guest lodge right away!"
The disciple didn't dare delay. He called over another fellow disciple on duty and quietly gave him a few instructions. Then he personally led the way, escorting Jiang Ye through the mountain gate.
Behind them, the people waiting in line exchanged glances, then suddenly understood.
"So the old man had connections!"
"Ah, no wonder he dared to get in line. I thought he'd lost his mind."
"A True Disciple Token! That's the token of an Inner Sect True Disciple. Who is this old man?"
"Who cares? Whoever he is, we can't afford to offend him."
Their buzzing chatter soon scattered on the wind.
Only Li Jianghua's face turned ashen.
He glared at Jiang Ye's retreating figure, his teeth grinding as his eyes filled with resentment and indignation.
"Damn it, that old bastard had connections too!"
He remembered how he'd just strutted around threatening people, and how he'd cursed the old man as an "old bastard" in front of everyone. His face burned as if he'd been slapped a dozen times in public.
But then he remembered that his fiancée, Xu Qinghuan, had also joined the Azure Sky Sect—and that she had the legendary True Yin Body!
As long as he married her as soon as possible, took her virgin True Yin, broke through, and cleansed his body, what would he have to fear?
At the thought, a twisted look of delight crept back onto his face.
Three days later.
Jiang Ye was in his guest lodge at the Azure Sky Sect, studying the Poison Control Scripture he'd obtained earlier.
A clear, lilting voice suddenly came from outside the door. "Old Man Jiang, are you there?"
It was none other than Wen Yueyao.
Before you continue