Chapter 25: Two Fairies
“This mysterious Fairy Yin Mengwan is truly an unpredictable dark horse.”
“She hasn’t just won every match; she’s crushed her opponents with absolute dominance. Her cultivation alone overshadows her competition.”
“It’s a pity that Fairy Yin Mengwan always wears a veil and refuses to show her face. But just by looking at her figure, she’s every bit as alluring as the Frost Moon Sword Immortal and Luo Shang Fairy—curvaceous and stunning.”
“Who knows? Maybe she hides her face because she’s ugly.”
“I think she’s just low-key and aloof, unwilling to attract attention. Otherwise, with her remarkable cultivation, why has the cultivation world never heard her name before now?”
“Behind that veil, she’s probably a peerless beauty.”
<+>
As the tournament progressed, the mysterious veiled fairy Yin Mengwan garnered increasing attention. She was becoming a rival to Frost Moon Sword Immortal and Luo Shang Fairy in terms of popularity.
By this point, only these three remained undefeated and continued to dominate their matches effortlessly.
Discussions about the three grew more heated, and their matches drew massive crowds, leaving the viewing area packed with spectators.
Chen Yin had initially planned to place some bets to earn money, but as Yin Mengwan’s odds kept dropping, there was no profit to be made. He decided to skip it altogether.
The tournament was nearing its conclusion, and soon, the quarterfinals were over.
As expected, Shen Shuanglian, Luo Qiaoqiao, and Yin Mengwan all advanced to the semifinals. The fourth contender was a female disciple from Tianluo Sect, but her strength was clearly not on par with the other three.
When the semifinals schedule was announced, Chen Yin was happily munching on candied hawthorn skewers with Xiang’er, which they’d bought from the market.
“Senior brother, who do you think will win the semifinals?”
“Not sure… But from what the gamblers are saying, our senior sister, Luo Shang Fairy, and that veiled Fairy Yin Mengwan are evenly matched. It wouldn’t be surprising if any of them won.”
“Who do you hope will win?”
Chen Yin smacked his lips and lazily shook his head. “I don’t hope for anyone.”
“Since our Xiang’er didn’t make it to the semifinals, no matter who wins, I don’t think the victory carries much weight.”
Yu Xiang pouted, grabbed Chen Yin’s sleeve, and, ignoring his protests, wiped the sugary residue from her lips on it.
“Hey! You brat, I just washed this robe!”
“Annoying senior brother. That’s what you get for rubbing salt in my wounds.”
Amid the noisy crowd, the two sat on the steps, savoring their skewers.
Compared to the bustling surroundings, it was as if they were in a mirrored world of their own.
After a while, Xiang’er suddenly gazed at the last piece of candied hawthorn and let out a wistful sigh.
“Honestly, I hope that mysterious Yin Mengwan wins.”
“Why?”
“Don’t you think it’d be cool, senior brother?”
Xiang’er blinked her eyes. “A powerful and enigmatic woman, unknown to the world, suddenly appears out of nowhere, defeats the two revered fairies idolized by the orthodox sects, and claims the championship.”
“Just the thought of such a story is thrilling,” she said with an excited smile.
Chen Yin chuckled. “Why does that sound like the template for a villain in a story?”
Xiang’er’s smile froze.
She lowered her head slightly, her voice unconsciously softer. “Senior brother….”
“Can’t a villain ever stand in the spotlight?”
Chen Yin glanced at her subtly.
Xiang’er kept her head down, her fingers fiddling with the skewer, her eyes dim like dust-covered glass.
“Xiang’er, do you want the villain to win?”
“I don’t know… I just think villains are so pitiful.”
She spoke in a low, melancholic tone. “Many of them are forced into their roles. Does being labeled as a villain mean they’re destined to be nothing but stepping stones for the protagonist?”
Chen Yin was silent for a moment before he smiled and ruffled her hair roughly.
“Silly girl. Protagonists and villains are just creations of storytellers’ mouths and pens.”
There’s no such thing as absolute good or evil. Protagonists and villains are just the storyteller’s tools to craft intrigue.
Switch their roles, and it’s all the same.
—It’s just that stories of protagonists defeating villains are more popular.
Xiang’er didn’t reply.
She stared blankly at her toes, lost in thought.
“Actually, I’m more curious about why everyone cares so much about the title of the ‘Most Beautiful Woman in the Cultivation World.'”
Chen Yin sprawled lazily on the steps, chewing on the stick of his finished candied hawthorn skewer.
“Is being the Most Beautiful Woman in the Cultivation World really that important to girls?”
“What do you mean, to girls? Don’t you men get just as worked up about being the best in the world?” Xiang’er pouted in dissatisfaction.
Chen Yin thought about it and had to admit she had a point.
“Number one in the world… What’s so special about it, anyway?”
“I don’t know about others,” Xiang’er murmured, her eyelids drooping slightly. “But if a woman is willing to risk everything to claim the title of Most Beautiful Woman in the Cultivation World….”
“She’s probably not doing it for herself.”
She’s doing it for someone who wants her to be the Most Beautiful Woman in the Cultivation World.
Chen Yin glanced at Xiang’er curiously and propped himself up on one elbow.
“So, if Xiang’er became the Most Beautiful Woman in the Cultivation World, who would it be for?”
Xiang’er’s eyes darted mischievously before she flashed a playful smile, dimples forming on her cheeks.
“Certainly not for my stinky senior brother!”
Chen Yin collapsed dramatically onto the steps, feigning heartbreak, which sent Xiang’er into a fit of giggles.
Just then, the crowd suddenly erupted in gasps and exclamations.
The two of them looked over, and the semifinal matchups had been announced.
Yin Mengwan would face the Tianluo Sect female cultivator.
Luo Qiaoqiao…. would face Shen Shuanglian.
The crowd roared with excitement, buzzing with chatter about the upcoming clash of titans.
“Oh my goodness! Frost Moon Sword Immortal is up against Luo Shang Fairy in the semifinals? I thought they’d at least meet in the finals!”
“This is going to be incredible. Who do you think will win?”
“Of course, the Frost Moon Sword Immortal!”
“Nonsense! It’ll definitely be Luo Shang Fairy!”
—
Chen Yin watched the fervent crowd, smacking his lips in amusement. “Wow. Fanatic fans are scary no matter where you go.”
“Who do you think will win, senior brother?”
“Ahem, well…”
Chen Yin scratched his head awkwardly.
On one hand, there was his sect’s senior sister. On the other, the Luo Shang Fairy with whom he’d shared a night of ambiguous feelings.
It seemed like a no-win situation.
“Uh… I don’t really care who wins.”
He suddenly put on a solemn expression. “I just hope that this ultimate battle between the two most famous young fairies of the cultivation world lives up to everyone’s expectations.”
“I hope they fight with skill, with spirit, and with flair, upholding the ideals of higher, faster, stronger. They shouldn’t give up until the very end!”
“Best if it’s like that one match we saw where the two female cultivators ran out of spiritual energy and ended up tearing at each other’s clothes and hair on stage— Eh heh heh, eh heh—”
As Chen Yin’s grin turned more lecherous, Xiang’er rolled her eyes in disdain and gave him a scornful glare.
Suddenly, she seemed to remember something and leapt to her feet with a gasp.
“Oh no! I forgot I ordered some new rouge at the market! It’s going on sale this afternoon, and if I don’t hurry, it’ll sell out!”
“You watch the match first, senior brother. I’ll be back after I get my rouge.”
Before Chen Yin could respond, she dashed off.
Chen Yin: “—”
—She’s not even bothering to come up with proper excuses anymore, is she?
In any case, Chen Yin wasn’t too worried. Xiang’er’s opponent was clearly no match for her, so there wasn’t much cause for concern.
Like the rest of the audience, he was far more intrigued by the upcoming showdown of the two most celebrated fairies.
Misty Spirit Sect and Tianluo Sect were both prestigious orthodox sects with long-standing reputations in the cultivation world. Unlike Misty Spirit Sect, Tianluo Sect’s current leaders were a married couple famously known as an immortal pair.
Luo Qiaoqiao was their daughter.
Unlike Shen Shuanglian, most of what Chen Yin knew about Luo Qiaoqiao came from hearsay: that she was a stunning beauty with extraordinary talent, cherished as the apple of her parents’ eyes—a young mistress of the Tianluo Sect who enjoyed the love and admiration of many.
Shen Shuanglian, on the other hand, had risen to prominence purely through her own talent and effort, standing out among countless disciples to become the most exceptional prodigy Misty Spirit Sect had seen in nearly a millennium.
In terms of cultivation and achievements, the two were equally matched, dazzling in their brilliance.
Compared to them, the other female cultivators in the tournament seemed more like supporting players.
—That is, until the wildcard “Yin Mengwan” entered the picture.
The semifinals began soon after, and Chen Yin, following the crowd, made his way to the most popular match’s arena, securing a spot to watch the action.
As time passed, the competitors finally began to enter the stage, accompanied by their respective sect members.
Luo Qiaoqiao wore a striking red dress that highlighted her radiant beauty, with light makeup enhancing her already stunning features.
Shen Shuanglian, as usual, exuded an air of ethereal grace. But this time, she wasn’t wearing her sect’s uniform.
—She was wearing the outfit Chen Yin had chosen for her.
A refined, elegant blue palace gown.
The gown accentuated Shen Shuanglian’s otherworldly aura, making her look like a fairy from the moon palace.
Chen Yin watched from the stands, his eyes flitting back and forth between the two fairies, as if mentally comparing their qualities.
Just as he was thoroughly engrossed, the two onstage seemed to sense something and turned their gazes toward his direction simultaneously.
Luo Qiaoqiao smiled brightly at Chen Yin and waved enthusiastically.
Shen Shuanglian’s eyes widened slightly before she gave a subtle nod and quickly looked away, as if avoiding eye contact with him.
For a moment, Chen Yin didn’t know how to respond, so he gave both of them a goofy grin.
—Uh-oh.
Why did it feel like this match was taking on a strange undertone?