Chapter 46: The Old Bastard

“True Yin Body...”

Jiang Ye’s gaze settled on the girl in the ink-black dress; his aged eyes flickered with a hint of concealed surprise, then softened into a knowing, teasing amusement.

He never expected this girl’s constitution to be so extraordinary.

Even more unexpected was that she was still a virgin, her True Yin intact.

After all, based on his vast experience in judging people, the seductive charm in her brows and eyes, the alluring grace in her every movement—he had assumed this girl was already...

Cough, it seems the saying “Don’t judge a person by appearance” is indeed true.

He glanced again at the boy beside him, still roaring with laughter, and the pity in his eyes deepened further.

Since ancient times, treasures belong to the strong.

A girl with a True Yin Body is now a dazzling treasure—far beyond the grasp of this foolish boy with only Dark Force cultivation.

If he doesn’t understand this truth, suffering will be the least of his troubles—he might even lose his life.

He withdrew his gaze and stopped looking.

Over there, the two Tianqing Sect disciples responsible for bone-reading had already suppressed their excitement and cast a cold glance at the boy.

One of them opened the register, his expression blank, and spoke:

“Li Jianghua, eighteen, average bone quality, Dark Force mid-stage.”

He paused, closed the register, his voice devoid of any emotion:

“You have not met the Tianqing Sect’s selection criteria. Go home.”

The boy’s wild laughter choked off like a rooster with its throat cut.

“What?!”

He widened his eyes, face filled with disbelief, voice cracking: “I didn’t pass? How is that possible! Did you make a mistake?!”

The two disciples ignored his outcry, not even bothering to look at him again.

The other turned to the girl in the ink-black dress; his expression instantly warmed, his voice softening with a hint of coaxing:

“Xu Qinghuan, eighteen, above-average bone quality, Dark Force early-stage, possesses True Yin Body.”

He paused, emphasizing his words: “Congratulations—you’ve passed the selection. You may enter the Tianqing Sect’s outer sect. Please follow me to register.”

“I... I can enter the Tianqing Sect?!”

The girl in the ink-black dress, who had been stunned by the mention of True Yin Body, suddenly burst into ecstatic joy and stepped forward immediately.

“Qinghuan!”

A hand seized her wrist with force.

Li Jianghua yanked her hard, face flushed, voice trembling with hysteria:

“Come on! Let’s go! If they won’t take me, we’ll find another sect! With my family’s status, how could we fail to find one that’ll accept us?”

But he pulled—and she didn’t move.

Xu Qinghuan stood firm, her slender wrist reddened by his grip, unmoving.

She turned her face slightly; her alluring eyes flickered with complex emotion—some hesitation, but mostly resolve.

She wore a look of difficulty, bit her red lips, and spoke in a low but crystal-clear voice: “Hua-ge, I want to enter the Tianqing Sect...”

The color drained instantly from Li Jianghua’s face.

“You... what did you say?” His voice trembled, eyes bulging: “Qinghuan! I’m your fiancé! Are you trying to abandon me and go in alone?!”

“Hua-ge... listen to me...” Xu Qinghuan tugged at her lips, forcing a sweet smile, her voice growing even softer:

“Don’t rush. I’ll go in first. Once I’ve settled down, I’ll find a way to bring you in, alright? Then we’ll both be in the Tianqing Sect—won’t that be better?”

Li Jianghua froze.

The anger and disbelief on his face slowly gave way to hesitation.

He stared at the familiar yet strangely unfamiliar face before him, and a thought suddenly flashed through his mind—

If he married Qinghuan quickly, claimed her True Yin, broke through his realm, and purified his body, his innate talent would surge dramatically!

Then, applying to the Tianqing Sect afterward—wouldn’t that be effortless?

His eyes suddenly lit up.

“Fine! Qinghuan, I’ll follow your plan!”

He nodded vigorously, released her wrist, and instead gripped her hand tightly, his gaze burning intensely:

“You go first. I’ll wait for you! In a few days, I... I’ll come find you!”

He emphasized the words “come find you.”

Xu Qinghuan’s eyes flickered with the faintest trace of revulsion—so slight she might not even notice it—but her face still wore that sweet smile as she nodded at him:

“Mm! Hua-ge, just wait for me!”

She pulled her hand free, turned, and followed the Tianqing Sect disciple, walking into the mountain gate without looking back.

The ink-black hem of her dress dragged a seductive arc across the blue stone slabs, fading into the distance.

Li Jianghua stood where he was, staring at that retreating back, face filled with anticipation and elation, utterly unaware that countless eyes around him were now sweeping over him with amusement, mockery, or pity.

“Next one, step forward for bone-reading...”

The Tianqing Sect disciple had barely spoken when a tall, thin old man with half-white hair stepped forward.

His eyes flickered with surprise, then he sighed helplessly: “Old sir, the Tianqing Sect doesn’t accept...”

Before he could finish, Jiang Ye pulled a token from his robe and extended it toward him: “Young man, I’m here for another purpose.”

“True Transmission Token?!”

He leapt to his feet, his chair scraping backward half a foot, his earlier numbness and fatigue vanished, replaced by unmistakable shock.

Though he didn’t cry out as he had upon discovering the True Yin Body, the commotion was enough to draw many glances.

He held the token, his hands trembling slightly, examined it again carefully, confirmed its authenticity, and his expression changed instantly.

The earlier impatience had vanished without a trace; in its place came reverence and caution: “This is Senior Sister Wen’s True Transmission Token. I had no idea you were a distinguished guest—I apologize for my earlier rudeness. Please forgive me!”

Jiang Ye watched the disciple whose attitude had turned a full hundred and eighty degrees; his aged eyes flickered with surprise.

This disciple’s aura was thick and substantial—he was clearly a Transformation Force cultivator.

Yet now, faced with a mere token, he showed such deference...

It seems Wen Yueyao’s status as a “True Transmission Disciple” carries far more weight than I imagined.

“Young man, no need for such formality,” Jiang Ye waved slightly, his voice hoarse and calm: “Miss Wen asked me to stay here until she returns from her errand.”

“I see! Old sir, please wait—I’ll take you to your guest quarters immediately!”

The disciple dared not delay. He turned and called another duty disciple, whispered a few instructions, then personally led Jiang Ye into the mountain gate.

Behind them, the waiting crowd exchanged glances, then erupted in sudden understanding.

“So that old man’s got connections!”

“Tsk, no wonder he dared to line up—I thought he was senile.”

“True Transmission Token? That’s the inner sect’s symbol! Who is this old man?”

“Who cares who he is? We can’t afford to cross him.”

Murmurs buzzed, then faded quickly with the wind.

Among the crowd, only Li Jianghua’s face was ashen.

He glared at Jiang Ye’s retreating back, teeth grinding, eyes filled with venom and resentment:

“Damn it, this old bastard’s a connection kid!”

He recalled his earlier boastful threats, his public insult calling the old man “old bastard”—now his face burned as if he’d been slapped a dozen times in front of everyone.

But then he remembered—his fiancée Xu Qinghuan had entered the Tianqing Sect, and she was the legendary True Yin Body!

If he married her quickly, claimed her virgin True Yin, broke through his realm, purified his body—what would he have to fear then?

With this thought, a twisted satisfaction surfaced on his face.

Three days later.

Jiang Ye was studying the “Toxic Control Scripture” he had acquired in his guest quarters at the Tianqing Sect.

A clear, melodious voice suddenly came from outside: “Old Man Jiang, are you in?”

It was none other than Wen Yueyao.