Zheng Xie wasted no time.
After bidding a quick farewell to his family, he departed immediately for the Seven Strike Martial Sect, his steps swift and unwavering. The thought of being late for the Examination gnawed at him. But as he crossed the courtyard and noticed the dense gathering of disciples still waiting in formation, a flicker of hope sparked in his chest.
He hadn't missed it.
Lining up quickly among the others, Zheng Xie tapped the shoulder of the disciple in front of him—a lanky boy with uneven bangs. "Did you hear anything about the exam yet?" he asked quietly.
The boy turned his head, shaking it. "No… not yet. Martial Master said we have to wait until someone from the Moonveil Palace arrives. They're the ones handling this year's examination."
He gave a quick nod. "Alright. Appreciate the info. Any idea when they'll get here?"
The boy sighed, shoulders sagging. "Nope. We've been waiting for hours. They're late. Probably making a dramatic entrance or something."
Zheng Xie offered a half-smile and thanked him before his ears picked up a familiar voice calling out across the courtyard.
"Zheng Xie! Oi! Get over here!"
Wan Ruo's voice was loud enough to stir some heads nearby.
Zheng Xie turned and spotted him waving, standing beside the usual trio: Liang Yu and Yun Shi.
He nodded in greeting to the boy and weaved his way through the formation, slipping past disciples. As he arrived, Liang Yu grinned wide and crossed his arms.
"Oh ho, the hero has finally arrived. Are you alright, Brother Xie? After all, you did bear so much pain just to save your woman. That's commendable… even poetic."
Zheng Xie narrowed his eyes, glaring at him without restraint. "How about minding your own business for once and worrying about your love life instead?"
Then, as if just realizing something, he snapped his fingers and added with mock sympathy, "Ah—wait. My bad. You don't have a woman."
Liang Yu looked as if he'd been stabbed. He clutched his chest, mouth agape. "Brother Xie! What the hell did I do to deserve this?! That's a low blow, even for you!"
He sniffled pathetically. "And why are you so mad, huh? Did I say something wrong? You're rubbing salt in my wounds, man—this isn't brotherhood!"
Zheng Xie sighed, looking away as he folded his arms. "You're right. Sorry. I shouldn't have snapped. It's just… that incident left a deep impression, alright? The pain was no joke."
Liang Yu blinked, then nodded slowly, face softening. "Ah. I get it now. Should've known better. Sorry for bringing up something you were trying to forget."
He gave Zheng Xie a gentle punch on the shoulder. "Anyway, congrats on your engagement, man. That's a huge step."
Zheng Xie scratched the back of his head, visibly awkward. "Ahahaha… thanks. I guess."
Yun Shi, who had been silent until now, nudged his elbow. "So? When are you going to treat us? Engagement's a big deal. We should celebrate—preferably somewhere expensive. I refuse to accept anything less than extravagance."
Zheng Xie chuckled. "Sure, why not. Let's go to my place. Spend a week there. That should be expensive enough for your tastes."
The three of them blinked.
Wan Ruo clicked her tongue, arms crossed. "Well… we can't really argue with that. Your estate is disgustingly extravagant. But if we're going to your place, we're not going to meet any cute girls. What's the point then?"
Zheng Xie shrugged, all nonchalant confidence. "Who says you won't meet any girls? The servants at my place are beauties—you lot just haven't seen them yet. Why do you think I'm so good at dealing with women? Years of exposure, my friends."
Yun Shi snorted, deadpan. "No. It's because you're a shameless bastard who thinks so highly of himself that you've erased the very concept of rejection from your mind."
Zheng Xie narrowed his eyes, his voice laced with suspicion. "That was awfully specific. Do you all happen to share the same opinion of me?"
Wan Ruo and Liang Yu both nodded in perfect synchrony, as if they'd rehearsed it.
Zheng Xie recoiled slightly, genuinely baffled. "How do you know me so well? Are you perhaps… stalkers? Just so you know—I'm not into men."
"What!?" they all shrieked in horror.
But their cries were quickly drowned out by the deafening hum of an approaching vessel.
A shadow cast itself over the courtyard, and all eyes turned skyward. Hovering above them was an enormous flying ship—its design graceful and elegant, shaped like a divine swan mid-flight, wings extended with an almost arrogant poise.
Gilded feathers glistened under the sunlight, reflecting pale silver-blue light. A majestic flag bearing the crest of the Moonveil Palace fluttered at its mast, ethereal and ghostly white.
The disciples gazed in silent awe, craning their necks. Only Zheng Xie muttered under his breath, "So dramatic…"
Their martial master, on the other hand, was anything but impressed.
With furrowed brows and folded arms, he watched the ship slowly descend. They were late and them being late showed their arrogance and the tiniest sliver of respect they had for his Sect. Even then he had to show a sincere expression and greet them properly.
He had no choice.
As the swan ship's platform lowered, a tall, striking woman stepped forward. She had a pair of fox-like eyes. She wore robes as white as snow, rimmed with faint glows of jade green. Her long black hair was tied back into a high tail.
It was her. The Fox Empress, Qingqing.
Following a step behind her were three younger women.
The first was tall, even taller than most men present, with a straight posture and a commanding air. Her stern expression made her look untouchable. Her sword, strapped to her back, gleamed with spiritual pressure.
The second had soft, almost porcelain features. Her pink robes billowed around her like flower petals in the wind. She looked gentle, delicate. Her eyes sparkled with a dreamy glaze, like someone who belonged in a painting more than the real world.
The last was… dangerous.
Short, petite, and with adorable doll-like features. Her robe was embroidered with tiny silver bells that chimed ever so softly as she walked. Her cheeks were round, and her lips held a natural pout, eyes wide and innocent.
A walking weapon of mass destruction.
Every single male disciple, other than Zheng Xie, was instantly captured. Hearts skipped, throats tightened, and spines straightened.
"I—Is that tall one even a girl?" one disciple whispered, unable to tear his eyes away. "She looks more handsome than most of us…"
"The second one… the one in pink… is she… is she real? She's like a fairy from a spring dream."
"You idiots have no taste!" another barked. "The little one's the most dangerous. Just look at her. Look! I want to protect her with everything I have—even if it costs me my cultivation!"
"Shut up!" someone hissed. "Did you all forget who their master is?!"
They all went silent.
"…Fox Empress Qingqing…"
A heavy pause lingered.
The fourth disciple muttered, "I heard the rumors… they're not flattering."
"Yeah… I heard she once castrated a man for just smirking at her."
"I heard she hates men so deeply that her inner sect forbids even mentioning them."
"Actually," one whispered, pale-faced, "We should stop looking. If any of them catch us staring, we might end up blind. Or worse."
They all turned their gazes to the floor.
Except for Zheng Xie.
He stared at the ship's edge, raising an eyebrow. "Hmm…"
More disciples disembarked behind the trio, all garbed in Moonveil's signature icy robes, each bearing a cold, proud expression. The ship practically vomited elegance.
Meanwhile, the Martial Master stepped forward, bowing slightly to Qingqing, though his smile twitched with barely contained resentment. "Lady Qingqing, I trust your journey was smooth?"
Qingqing's lips curled upward.
"We encountered a minor delay," she replied, brushing a nonexistent speck off her sleeve. "But nothing of concern. My senior disciple handled it swiftly."
Her tone was calm. Condescending, almost.
The Martial Master's jaw clenched, but he forced a chuckle. "Excellent. Come, let's retire to the inner pavilion. We can discuss formalities inside. I trust the disciples will acquaint themselves in the meantime."
Qingqing flicked her sleeve. "As you wish. Lead the way."
He gestured forward, teeth still clenched behind his smile. "Certainly. This way."
While they made their way toward the inner pavilion, a strange silence lingered across the gathering disciples. There was a palpable, one-sided malice emanating from the direction of the female disciples of the Moonveil Palace.
As a response, the male disciples—those who had just moments ago been enraptured by the elegance and mystique of the Moonveil Palace disciples—began to sense it too.
One by one, admiration gave way to indignation.
"Tch… what's with them?" a male disciple muttered, scoffing under his breath. "Acting all high and mighty like we're beneath them."
"Yeah," another chimed in, bitterness creeping into his tone. "Forget the senior sisters—even the lower-ranked ones won't look us in the eye. Like we're invisible."
"Exactly! We admired them and for what? They treat us like dust on their sleeve," another spat, clearly offended.
But then, a peculiar voice broke through their shared misery.
A disciple with a twisted grin sneered, "So what if you mongrels no longer admire them? Your admiration is worth less than a dried leaf in autumn. You think they ever needed it?"
Everyone turned to look at him. His robes were wrinkled, hair messily tied up, and yet he spoke with an air of superiority as if he were above them all.
The surrounding disciples looked at him with genuine disgust.
"Are you on their side?" one asked with a scowl. "Why? Aren't we all from the same sect?"
He chuckled condescendingly. "Same sect? Don't make me laugh. You all lack eyes. What you see as arrogance is divinity. They are fairies—celestial beings, too pure for you insects. Of course they won't look at you. Their eyes would rot from the filth."
His words—blatantly shameless, utterly spineless—ignited a collective rage.
Before he could utter another word, fists flew.
They circled him with the unity of a pack, pummeling the good for nothing into the dirt. His wails of devotion for the Moonveil disciples echoed between grunts and punches.
Meanwhile, not too far away, the female disciples watched the chaos with veiled amusement.
One of them—clad in white silks with moon embroidery—snickered. "Just look at them. Squabbling like wild dogs over nothing. And they wonder why Master keeps her distance from them."
"Well said, Sister," another nodded, her face serene despite the venom in her words. "Only our Senior Brother is worthy of being acknowledged. These filthy beasts aren't even worth a glance. I don't understand why Master chose such a lowly place for our examination."
"It must be part of our cultivation," a third murmured thoughtfully. "To temper ourselves against such vulgarities, lest we fall prey to Dao Heart deviation in the future. A necessary evil, so we never succumb to the schemes of vicious men."
Hearing their conversation, Wan Ruo—who had been listening from a distance—felt his ears burn red.
"I think…" he muttered to Yun Shi, "I might change my preferences…"
Yun Shi gave his shoulder a firm pat. "Don't worry. We won't judge you for marrying a beast."
Wan Ruo batted his hand away, aghast. "You're supposed to talk me out of it! What kind of friends are you?"
Liang Yu, arms crossed and gaze distant, shrugged. "I've already decided to become a monk. I'll travel the world, free from mortal chains and emotional filth."
"I might join you," Yun Shi said with sudden resolve. "This world's full of illusions. Love, admiration, respect—it's all emptiness in disguise. Let us sever the ties and walk the path of ascetic peace."
Wan Ruo stared at the two like they had lost their minds.
And then, he looked for Zheng Xie to get some words of wisdom.
"…Wait. Where's Zheng Xie?" he muttered, looking around.
And then he saw him.
Already halfway across, calmly approaching the group of Moonveil disciples. Not the younger ones, no—Zheng Xie had made his way straight to the three senior sisters.
Wan Ruo's jaw nearly unhinged.
He stared, stunned, eyes wide and mouth agape. "Damn… I need that kind of confidence. His plan to visit his estate for a week suddenly makes perfect sense now. Maybe he'll teach me how to grow a backbone…"
Zheng Xie approached the three women standing apart from the others, their presence graceful and poised. His steps were unhurried, posture relaxed, and his voice respectful but unshaken.
"Sisters Zhou Ming, Xin Shui, and Hua Lin," he said with a slight bow, "if you wouldn't mind, could you tell me where your Senior Brother Mei Mo is? There are some matters we must discuss."
Zhou Ming—the tallest, and most solemn among them—glanced at him. Her dark eyes assessed him from head to toe with a faint interest before she nodded.
"You look well, Brother Zheng Xie. I saw you were injured quite badly. It's good to see you recovered."
Zheng Xie offered a polite smile. "It was but a minor attack. Brother Li Hao may have lost his temper, but thankfully, he didn't go for the kill."
Xin Shui, the middle sister, giggled and clapped softly. "Oh, but he was such a brute. Brother Mei Mo warned us to stay away from men like him. Always so rash and unrefined."
Zheng Xie chuckled. "He wasn't wrong."
Then, returning to his original purpose, he asked, "So… where is your intelligent and talented Senior Brother?"