I Am the Fated Villain

Chapter 1535: She doesn’t have lustful thoughts, she just haven’t met anyone she likes

Although Jing Xiao’s temperament was cold and reticent, and she wasn’t particularly skilled at conversation, she was quite straightforward. After speaking with Gu Changge, she felt a sense of familiarity and friendliness, as if he were a real big brother. He treated others gently, like a spring breeze, and his speech and demeanor were elegant and easy-going, giving the impression that there was nothing in the world he didn’t understand.

He could even casually point out some essential aspects of cultivation that she had mentioned offhand, discussing various related topics. Jing Xiao was amazed and admired the breadth of his knowledge. This elder brother from Xianyun Mansion was so well-informed that even she, who had been well-read and knowledgeable since childhood, felt vastly inferior.

It was then that she realized the truth behind the saying, “There are people beyond people, and Heaven beyond heaven.” Jing Xiao also noticed that despite feeling a bit ignorant, or even foolish, when conversing with this senior brother from Xianyun Mansion, neither of them felt the slightest discomfort. On the contrary, their interactions were very comfortable; it was relaxing to talk to him, and there was always a sense of being cared for.

This reminded Jing Xiao of something she had heard from the elders in her family when she was young: if, during communication with someone, you consistently felt at ease and extremely relaxed, as if you were being looked after, it indicated that that person’s talents were far superior to your own.

At that moment, Jing Xiao felt a deep admiration and closeness toward this senior brother from Xianyun Mansion, whom she had only recently met. After following Master Jiulin Elder, she arrived at Yu Xian Palace and entered the main meeting hall. Suddenly, Jing Xiao realized her demeanor and quickly suppressed her voice. She noticed that Elder Master Jiulin had coughed slightly to regain her composure.

Simultaneously, some elders and disciples from other ashrams turned to look, appearing somewhat surprised. It was only then that Jing Xiao realized she had been wearing a slight smile, which seemed a bit disrespectful in the solemn hall. She hurriedly lowered her head, feeling her ears grow warm, and a faint blush appeared on her delicate porcelain face.

Jing Xiao never imagined that she could become so engrossed in conversation with a young man, losing herself to the point of not realizing how much time had passed. With her head down, she secretly glanced at Gu Changge out of the corner of her eye, only to find that he remained completely composed, just as he had been outside the hall, seemingly unaffected by the atmosphere.

She knew that this place was filled with the contemporary outstanding figures of Yu Xian Palace, along with a group of elders whose strength matched that of Elder Jiulin, as well as the current Palace Master. It was rare for ordinary disciples to be so calm and relaxed. Once again, Jing Xiao felt a surge of admiration for Gu Changge in her heart.

In the grand and expansive hall, with the arrival of Elder Jiulin, Elder Xianyun, and others, nearly all the current elders of Yu Xian Palace had gathered.

“It seems that everyone has arrived, so I can begin discussing business,” Ling Qiuchang, the contemporary lord of Yu Xian Palace, said with a slight cough. At the same time, he withdrew his gaze from Jing Xiao, who had just entered the palace and was looking slightly surprised.

He hadn’t expected the daughter of his friend to be wearing a faint smile moments ago, and when she lowered her head, she appeared almost shy, like a young girl. Was she secretly glancing at the young disciple in white beside him? This thought made Ling Qiuchang feel both relieved and excited.

Initially, he had believed that this daughter of his friend possessed a cold temperament, wholly focused without any romantic inclinations. It seemed, however, that she simply had not yet encountered someone she liked. This young disciple appeared to be talented, with an air of elegance akin to a jade tree and the looks of a god or immortal. Despite the scene, he remained calm and composed, exuding a hidden sense of integrity.

Ling Qiuchang wondered if he had never seen this young man before—could it be that some elder had been concealing a talented disciple?

But this was also a good thing, as it would allow him to explain the situation to his friend later. At the same time, it could help avoid another conflict between Jing Xiao and Ling Yuxian. Ling Qiuchang was puzzled as to why these two old friends had such tensions. Not long ago, there had been a potential fight; Jing Xiao had disregarded her family’s attempts to dissuade her and entered Yu Xian Palace with the intention of defeating Ling Yuxian, driven by her pride.

Ling Qiuchang felt a headache coming on over this situation—one was the true little ancestor of Yu Xian Palace, while the other was the daughter of his good friend. He found himself in a difficult position, unable to take sides. Moreover, if he were to examine their relationship in detail, wouldn’t it be even more complicated? After all, wasn’t the Jing family behind Jing Xiao a legacy left by the ancestors of Yu Xian Palace?

“I wonder what the Palace Lord has summoned us for?” In the hall, a group of elders had been eagerly awaiting Ling Qiuchang’s words and asked this question in unison. Elder Jiulin and the others also composed themselves and looked toward Ling Qiuchang.

Ling Qiuchang glanced at Ling Yuxian behind him and saw her slightly nod. He then said, “The reason many elders were summoned back is that a significant event may occur within our Immortal Palace in the near future. I hope all the elders will lead the elite disciples from their respective mansions to assist collectively…”

This matter was related to the upcoming return of the patriarch who founded Yu Xian Palace, and no carelessness could be afforded. That was why Ling Qiuchang had invoked the patriarch’s authority to summon all the elders back to the main meeting hall for this announcement.

Upon hearing this, all the elders and disciples in the hall were left completely stunned.

Originally, the elders had speculated that Ling Qiuchang might have received news indicating that a catastrophe could befall the Xi Yuan civilization in the future. They thought all the elders and disciples were summoned in advance to prepare countermeasures. However, no one expected that the matter would actually involve the patriarch who had unexpectedly disappeared all those years ago.

At this moment, everyone was stunned and unable to comprehend the situation. Elder Jiulin and the others struggled to come to terms with the shocking news. After all, according to the history of Yu Xian Palace, how many epochs had passed? No one could keep track. During that time, time faults had even come into play, and many eras had been experienced.

To put it bluntly, among the oldest forces in the Xi Yuan civilization, Yu Xian Palace undoubtedly held a prominent position. But the patriarch, who had been missing for countless epochs, was now about to return? This felt like a fairy tale. If Palace Lord Ling Qiuchang had not gone to such lengths to summon so many elders and disciples, who would have believed it?

Yet, if that patriarch returned, wouldn’t it mean that the current status of Yu Xian Palace would undergo earth-shaking changes? The entire situation of the Xi Yuan civilization would be reshuffled once again.

Silence enveloped the hall; neither the elders nor the disciples spoke, lost in their thoughts. As many began to process the information, their faces betrayed their excitement. Ling Qiuchang was not surprised by their reactions; after all, he had felt the same way upon receiving the news. If Ling Yuxian hadn’t told him, he probably wouldn’t have believed it himself.