Chapter 11: This Generation’s Master of Penglai Island Has a Serious Problem

That posturing deserves full marks.

Cheng Huan had been in this world for a very long time, so long she could no longer keep track of the days.

Perhaps it was because of years spent on missions, constantly on edge, terrified of rule violations or mission failures. So, during missions, Cheng Huan was somewhat mentally and physically exhausted.

Now that she was retired, Cheng Huan’s first priority was simply to rest well.

She had slept for a long time on Penglai Immortal Island, listening to the sound of the ocean waves and the cries of seagulls. It was quite comfortable, and she felt relaxed from the inside out.

Cheng Huan wasn’t currently sleep-deprived, nor did she feel particularly tired; she was simply resting her mind and recuperating her spirit.

So she could clearly sense the state of the person beside her at this moment.

Hearing a soft, faint panting breath next to her, Cheng Huan opened her eyes. She turned on her side to look at Lu Qing’an, whose eyes were wide open. “Just breathe normally. Why are you always suppressing it?”

Lu Qing’an hadn’t expected Cheng Huan to still be awake. Startled by her voice, she choked on her breath and coughed several times.

Seeing Lu Qing’an cough until her face and neck were red, Cheng Huan raised her hand and placed it over her chest, without actually touching her body. Spiritual power flowed from her palm, like a gentle stream of water, lightly soothing Lu Qing’an’s violently heaving chest.

“Better now?” Seeing Lu Qing’an calm down considerably, she asked, “Why did you start coughing? Did you catch a chill?”

After nightfall in the Oracle Mystic Realm, the temperature dropped significantly compared to the daytime.

An ordinary person likely couldn’t withstand such a temperature difference, but cultivators had spiritual power to protect their bodies; they shouldn’t be affected.

Lu Qing’an felt as if a clear, flowing stream had been injected into her chest, dissolving and cleansing the stifled blockage in her heart.

She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “Better. I didn’t catch a chill.”

Cheng Huan withdrew her hand, looking at Lu Qing’an with clear eyes. “Can’t sleep?”

Lu Qing’an bit her lower lip. “Mm.”

“Scared?”

The Oracle Mystic Realm was perilous and unpredictable. They had just entered the secret realm, and in less than a full day and night, the three thousand cultivators had already been reduced by more than half. Its danger level was comparable to the Ghost Flood Dragon Abyss.

Lu Qing’an was still young; she had hardly experienced life-or-death crises growing up.

Having just escaped from the Ghost Flood Dragon Abyss, and now coming to this Oracle Mystic Realm, saying she wasn’t scared would probably be just bravado.

Cheng Huan looked at her seriously. “Don’t be afraid. With me here, your life won’t be in danger.”

Lu Qing’an’s lashes fluttered lightly, her eyes swirling with complex, unreadable emotions. “Why do you want to protect me?”

Cheng Huan patiently repeated, “Didn’t I say? If you die, I won’t survive either.”

Lu Qing’an blinked, the edges of her eyes softening with a gentle, faint light. She looked at Cheng Huan’s hand resting on the blanket and tentatively grasped her fingers.

Seeing Cheng Huan didn’t pull away, she held her breath and, emboldened, interlaced their fingers, holding tight.

A faint smile touched the corner of Lu Qing’an’s lips. Her voice trembled slightly, but her tone carried a thread of certainty and seriousness. “…Okay.”

Cheng Huan looked at their clasped hands, thinking the female lead was indeed scared and seeking some comfort from her.

Truthfully, Cheng Huan wasn’t fond of physical contact with others. In the past, when missions required contact with world vessels, she felt considerable discomfort. But the mission had to proceed, so she could only grit her teeth and bear it.

Yet now, feeling the softness in her hand, Cheng Huan found it somewhat difficult to let go.

She had known for a while that Lu Qing’an’s hands were exceptionally soft, plump and fair, the skin delicate and smooth, like a piece of flawless, exquisite tofu.

Her fingernails were pinkish, rounded, and smooth; her knuckles were small and distinct; the veins on the back of her hand were clearly defined to the touch; her wrists were slender and thin, like sections of newly sprouted bamboo shoots.

Lu Qing’an buried her burning face into the pillow, the trembling within her chest intensifying.

Clearly, Cheng Huan was just stroking her hand, yet it made her feel as if her entire body, inside and out, was being caressed.

That night, neither of them slept soundly.

One kept touching and stroking, as if afraid she wouldn’t get another chance. The other was in turmoil, the heart in her chest never beating steadily.

Morning came, sunlight flooding the land.

The blazing sun made the Oracle Mystic Realm seem like an idyllic paradise.

Had the crowd not experienced the terrifying, gloomy night before, seeing the Oracle Mystic Realm now would have made them think it wasn’t dangerous at all.

Rumors spread fast. It only took one night for everyone to know that the Penglai Island Master had spent the night in the tent of Lu Qing’an, disciple of the Primordial Pavilion.

Although no one detected what exactly happened inside the tent, everyone was inwardly convinced that something must have happened. Otherwise, why was Lu Qing’an’s face so red?!

You Luan watched his disciple walk out of the tent with a flushed face.

Although her clothes were neat, the unusual blush on her cheeks was highly suggestive.

Recalling the rumors about this generation’s Penglai Island Master, the expression on his face grew even stranger, even tinged with a barely perceptible sense of regret and guilt.

Gu Chuan clenched his fists, took several deep breaths, and walked up to Lu Qing’an. His eyes glared daggers at the tent before he spoke, his tone hostile and awkward. “Last night… did she… did she do anything improper to you?”

Lu Qing’an narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean by that?”

Gu Chuan examined Lu Qing’an from head to toe. Aside from her somewhat flushed cheeks, everything else seemed intact. It didn’t look like anything had happened.

“You clearly know the Penglai Island Master has those kinds of… proclivities, yet you still… shared a bed with her? Aren’t you afraid she might…”

Lu Qing’an was about to cut him off when she saw Cheng Huan appear behind Gu Chuan.

Panicked, she was about to explain Gu Chuan’s words when she saw Cheng Huan tap Gu Chuan and ask curiously, “What proclivities do I have? Tell me, let me hear them?”

Cheng Huan didn’t know much about the rumors concerning the Penglai Island Master. From the looks of it, she was definitely missing a lot of information.

Gu Chuan: “…”

Lu Qing’an: “…”

The Crowd: “…”

Seeing Cheng Huan shamelessly ask him about it, Gu Chuan was furious, his face and neck reddening. Stammering, he said, “You… you… how can a girl be so utterly shameless?”

Lu Qing’an’s gaze instantly sharpened. She snapped, “Gu Chuan!”

“I’m shameless?” Cheng Huan was baffled. “What did I ever do to you? You call me shameless?”

“I saved you from danger. I didn’t expect gratitude, but you turn around and insult me?”

Gu Chuan retorted, “Now I understand! You saved us solely for Lu Qing’an’s sake!”

That was actually true.

Cheng Huan had no reason to deny it. She nodded. “Indeed.”

Seeing Cheng Huan admit it so openly, Gu Chuan was stunned for a moment. Then he pointed at Cheng Huan, enraged. “You… you have wicked intentions!”

“Someone as devious and shameless as you—I will never hand Qing’an over to you!”

Seeing Gu Chuan’s words becoming more and more outrageous, Lu Qing’an’s brow furrowed deeply, a flash of annoyance crossing her eyes.

Cheng Huan genuinely didn’t understand what Gu Chuan was saying. It was first thing in the morning, and she’d just gotten up, only to be insulted repeatedly without knowing why. “Hold on. What’s your basis for calling me devious and shameless?” She folded her arms, her gaze imposing. “Making slanderous accusations without proof—is this how the Primordial Pavilion disciplines its disciples?”

Suddenly, everyone felt a terrifying pressure bearing down on them, making it hard to breathe. Their spiritual power was suppressed, unable to be controlled or mobilized.

In that moment, they finally truly felt just how terrifying the Penglai Island Master’s real strength was.

Even You Luan, whose realm had reached the Late Soul Projection Stage, could not resist the pressure Cheng Huan released.

He clasped his hands in salute. “It is my failure in discipline that has angered the Island Master. I beseech you, with your magnanimity, to not blame this ignorant child for his insolence.”

You Luan shot out a strand of spiritual power from his fingertip, forcing Gu Chuan to his knees in disgrace. “Will you not kowtow and admit your mistake to the Island Master?!”

Gu Chuan clenched his jaw, refusing to open his mouth and apologize.

You Luan was about to force the issue when Cheng Huan spoke. “The basis?”

Gu Chuan glared at Cheng Huan with red-rimmed eyes, a hint of incomprehension and confusion showing in his gaze.

Cheng Huan repeated, “The basis? Your reason for calling me devious and shameless?”

Gu Chuan frowned deeply and said hoarsely, “Everyone says the Penglai Island Master is an otherworldly and refined person, but I see otherwise. Someone like you not only frequents places of ill repute and common locales, but also swings both ways and never refuses anyone. Is that not devious and shameless?”

Hearing this, people lamented that this young man was surely doomed. Having offended the Penglai Island Master, probably not even the Primordial Pavilion’s Sect Master and Guan Zhengping combined could save his life.

You Luan’s expression changed drastically. He roared, “Gu Chuan, what nonsense are you spouting?!”

Guan Zhengping frowned deeply and shook his head.

Lu Qing’an’s eyes blazed with indignation, casting a reproachful glare at Gu Chuan. But after all, they had grown up together. She couldn’t bear to see him die and could only plead with Cheng Huan.

Panicked, she looked at Cheng Huan and quickly explained, “Gu Chuan didn’t mean it that way! He just believed the rumors. He had no intention of disrespecting you. Please, Penglai Island Master, don’t blame him.”

The camp was silent, so quiet one could hear the wind rustling the treetops.

Everyone waited for Cheng Huan’s reaction, to see how she would deal with this reckless, insolent youth who didn’t know his place.

Cheng Huan, unaware of what everyone else was thinking, instead understood, because of Gu Chuan’s words, the function of the third Persona Card.

When she had drawn the Persona Cards, she hadn’t understood the meaning of the third one: “Bisexual.” Now, hearing Gu Chuan’s words and seeing the way everyone looked at her and Lu Qing’an, Cheng Huan finally grasped the purpose of this third Persona Card.

It meant that no matter what powerful or humble status she held,

No matter how fantastical the rumors about her were, in the eyes of the world, the Penglai Island Master was a promiscuous libertine who “swings both ways.”

Coupled with the rumor that the Penglai Spirit Law was a Dual Cultivation Technique, it ostensibly corroborated the truth of this “bisexual” preference.

Now that Cheng Huan understood the function of the third Persona Card, a weight was lifted from her mind.

How the world viewed her—she naturally didn’t care.

After all, these people were just parts of the world vessel; their opinions were irrelevant to Cheng Huan.

This left only the first Persona Card whose function she hadn’t figured out. Could it also be related to her character’s background in this world?

Cheng Huan fell into thought, pondering for a long time, but still couldn’t understand the meaning of “Cross-Boundary King.”

Wait—

Since “Bisexual” was the world’s perception of her, could “Cross-Boundary King” also be how the world viewed her?

Thinking of this, Cheng Huan immediately decided to experiment.

She looked at Gu Chuan. With a slight lift of her finger, Gu Chuan felt his knees become light, his whole body seeming to float.

Thinking Cheng Huan was about to attack him, he prepared to summon his Natal Sword, trying to resist with all his might.

Everyone held their breath, watching Cheng Huan’s every move.

You Luan and Lu Qing’an both stepped forward, positioning themselves in front of Gu Chuan, trying to intervene.

Lu Qing’an didn’t want to fight Cheng Huan, but she also couldn’t stand by and let Cheng Huan kill Gu Chuan. Torn between two difficult choices, Lu Qing’an even considered: if she agreed to become Cheng Huan’s disciple, could it save Gu Chuan’s life?

After a moment of hesitation, Lu Qing’an gritted her teeth and said with difficulty, “I am willing…”

Before she could finish, Cheng Huan interrupted her. Staring intently at Gu Chuan with a studious, eager expression, she asked, “Do you know, aside from the rumor about me being ‘Bisexual,’ are there any other… proclivities?”

Gu Chuan: “…?”

Lu Qing’an: “…??”

The Crowd: “…???”

Seeing Gu Chuan stunned, Cheng Huan assumed he was thinking it over. She shared some of her own guesses to give him ideas.

“For instance, are there any rumors about me being ‘cross-species’?”

The Crowd: “…”

Whoa, she plays even wilder than we thought!

“Or perhaps, are there any rumors about me being some kind of ‘Supreme King’?”

The Crowd: “…”

Whoa, she’s really good at posturing!