Chapter 9: The Legendary Shura Battlefield: Stop Fighting Already!
"What the hell…?"
"She's… not right!"
Lin Xiao's heart jolted violently, struck by a wave of disbelief.
Of all things he had expected, he had never imagined that the number one beauty of the cultivation world—ethereal and peerless—would suddenly ask a question so childish, so embarrassingly girlish, so… mundane.
And yet, even in the original novel, the perverted senior brother character never dared to act wantonly before this woman, whose power was deeper than the ocean and whose battle prowess ranked among the highest in the world.
After a moment of internal struggle, Lin Xiao braced himself and forced out a response.
"Master is incredibly beautiful. But to this disciple, your beauty is like the moon in the sky—noble, untouchable, and forever worthy of reverence from afar, as though worshiping a divine being."
"Tch, that's such a hollow, high-sounding answer. You didn't mean a word of that. Forget it!"
Clearly dissatisfied, Xiao Hongling hiccuped drunkenly and turned her head aside, her expression one of pouty, adolescent grievance.
At that moment, she—this woman who had lived more than two centuries—looked for all the world like a disappointed young girl, sulking in a corner.
Lin Xiao felt an icy chill crawl up his spine. One by one, the personalities of his junior sisters had already gone completely off the rails…
If even this goddess of a master started deviating from her original role, then the whole damn cast was unsalvageable!
Just as his mind began to spiral, his master pouted, clearly discontent.
She let out a faint sigh and murmured, "If you truly think of your master as some lofty, untouchable moon… then why did you steal my…"
Her cheeks flushed with a sudden shade of crimson, and she cut herself off mid-sentence.
"Steal? Master, what… what did your disciple steal?"
Lin Xiao's heart had already plunged into chaos, and his voice sounded dry and uncertain.
Please no… it can't be…
Surely she hasn't discovered the… sock theft incident?
If that came to light now, then yes—he, Lin Xiao, would be thoroughly disgraced, his reputation ruined.
But no! That plot point was supposed to be revealed by the main character, not like this!
He was supposed to fall, yes—but only by the script's hands!
Silence fell. Their eyes met. Neither spoke.
The only sound between them was the desolate howl of the cliffside wind.
Then—
"Aha… haha… ha…"
Xiao Hongling let out an exaggerated laugh and waved a hand with boisterous bravado.
"Ah, look at your face. I was joking! Just joking! You know your master drinks too much and gets… uninhibited. No taboos, hahaha…"
She let the laughter trail off and suddenly sat up straight, her gaze sharpening with a rare gravity.
"But truly, I summoned you here tonight not just to raise your sword realm. There's something else."
Lin Xiao could only nod. "Master, please speak. Your disciple will obey in all things."
"Good."
Brushing aside a lock of hair, Xiao Hongling's expression turned cold and serious. Word by word, she said:
"In the next two days, if you find yourself in conflict… if someone provokes you… you must…"
"Kill them."
"Don't ask why. Just do it."
"Any consequences, I will shoulder myself."
"Have you understood?"
Her voice had dropped into a chilling firmness that would brook no resistance.
"Yes… yes, Master," Lin Xiao said, gritting his teeth.
A deep sense of foreboding welled up in his chest.
He had the grim premonition that tomorrow's disciple recruitment ceremony—the very stage of the protagonist's first rise and triumph—was about to go very, very wrong.
…
"The weather's turning chilly now. When you return to Shenluan Peak, the winds on the summit will cut to the bone."
"So be sure to keep warm when you fly, my darling disciple~!"
At the moment of parting, Xiao Hongling forced out a gentle smile befitting a teacher.
But once Lin Xiao had mounted his sword and taken to the sky—
The once-cheerful woman turned deathly silent. Standing atop the peak, she clasped her hands behind her back, and the aura of a world-shattering power erupted from her slender frame.
"Xiao'er… even if all of this is destiny, your master shall…"
"Defy Heaven, rewrite fate, and overturn the heavens for your sake!"
…
By the time Lin Xiao returned to the senior disciple quarters from Tiannü Cliff, the moon had risen high into the sky.
Just as he landed, a junior disciple rushed up to report, face pale with panic.
"Senior Brother! Something terrible—Second and Third Senior Sisters are… they're fighting at your doorstep!"
"They said… it was because of you!"
"What?!"
Lin Xiao's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Youwei and Yurong… weren't they close? Even in the original story, their first argument was because of that scumbag Ye Chen!"
"How the hell did I become the source of conflict between these two beauties!?"
In that moment, he genuinely began to suspect—
Had he transmigrated not into the original novel… but into some chaotic fanfiction spin-off?
"Let's go! I have to see this for myself!"
…
Moonlight spilled like silver across the mountaintop courtyard.
There, two elegant young women stood face to face, tension crackling like lightning between them.
Their respective auras clashed in silence, invisible pressure spreading through the air like the first tremors of a coming storm.
"Junior Sister Chu, what business brings you to Senior Brother's quarters in the dead of night?" Guo Yourong asked coldly, her tone as frosty as the chill in her gaze.
"Hmph. What business? Then allow me to ask you, Senior Sister—why is it acceptable for you to be here, but not me? Is Senior Brother yours and yours alone?"
Soft-spoken and gentle to all outsiders, Chu Youwei now spoke with a stubborn sharpness. The image of frailty she once wore had been peeled away, revealing the thorns beneath.
The truth was, both of them had sensed each other back during their ambush attempt on Ye Chen—and each was now suspicious of the other's motives.
"Fine," Guo Yourong said icily.
She thrust out her ample chest and declared with confidence, "Let me be perfectly clear, then—Senior Brother's heart holds only one junior sister. Me. As for you? You're irrelevant. Understand?"
"You… you're lying!"
Chu Youwei's face flushed crimson, the insult piercing her composure. She stomped her foot and shouted, "Senior Brother… he likes me very much!"
"Oh, does he now? How brave of you to say that!"
Guo Yourong sneered. "Stop slandering Senior Brother. Someone like Ye Chen is more your speed, not him!"
The moment the name left her lips, she knew she had slipped.
But so what? Ye Chen was already on the mountain. Sooner or later, this girl would fall hopelessly for him anyway.
"You…"
"You know of Ye Chen?"
Chu Youwei stared wide-eyed, lips parted in shock.
"I only just learned," Guo Yourong quickly replied. "Don't you remember? When we met at the base of the mountain, that brat Ye Chen was nearby."
Then she smirked. "What? Did you fall in love with him at first sight?"
"Pfah!"
The words struck Chu Youwei like a slap. She snapped, "You're the one in love with that bastard! You insulted me first, don't blame me for showing no mercy!"
"Perfect. I was hoping for a chance to remind you what it means to respect your seniors."
Guo Yourong's sword shot into her hand, its frosty light reflecting her rising fury.
But just as their clash was about to erupt—
"Stop! Don't fight—please!"
A clear, stern voice rang out across the courtyard.
Both girls turned at once, their anger forgotten in an instant.
Bathed in moonlight, a white-robed figure descended gracefully from the night sky, his silhouette noble, otherworldly—like a divine being stepping down from the heavens.
Their beloved Senior Brother had arrived.
Ever since witnessing the future shown in the bizarre "divine script" within their minds, both girls had become utterly captivated by him.
Gone was the image of a lascivious lecher—now he was a transcendent, elegant cultivator whose every gesture brimmed with irresistible charm.
Meanwhile, Lin Xiao stood frozen at the center of this ridiculous battlefield, his fists clenched.
There was no doubt left in his mind—
Every single one of his junior sisters' storylines had gone completely, utterly off the rails.
…
In the end, after assuming a dignified air and delivering a speech filled with senior-brotherly righteousness, Lin Xiao finally managed to defuse the crisis.
The two junior sisters exchanged a polite handshake, their smiles sweet, their attitudes outwardly cordial.
At least… for now.
Clearing his throat, Lin Xiao laid down his final words.
"Alright, Yourong, I understand why you came. As for that invitation to accompany you to Longshou Peak tomorrow… I'll have to decline. Perhaps another time."
Then, turning toward Chu Youwei—
"And Youwei, about your guqin—it really does need repairs. I'll hold onto it for now, and once tomorrow's ceremony is over, I'll see it delivered to Chifeng City for restoration."
"In short, tomorrow's disciple ceremony—whether you go or not—I must be there. That's final."
"Both of you, go home."
Without giving either of them a chance to respond, Lin Xiao turned on his heel and fled.
"Damn system! Are you sure these two aren't fellow transmigrators who stole the wrong scripts?!"
He slammed the door behind him, growling aloud.
As expected—no response.
That damn system always vanished when things got rough.
"Screw it."
"Looks like this trash villain… really has to carry tomorrow's entire plot arc by himself."
"Everyone else is out here doing improv, and I'm the only one trying to stick to the script."
"God, what a beautiful disaster."
He stared up at the ceiling, the expression on his face a perfect portrait of despair.