After the Fairy Maidens Fell to Darkness, They Captured Me to Ruthlessly 'Repay' Their Gratitude-Chapter 26 - Let’s Go for Hotpot

…

The swordsmanship class had ended.

The disciples below the platform were silent—some amused by Wang Yuan’s humiliation, others quietly impressed by He Ange’s performance.

As the crowd mulled over their thoughts, a sudden round of applause broke the silence on the platform.

Everyone turned to look and saw Bai Zihua, one of the true disciples, clapping with a dazed expression. His eyes were wide with admiration, his face almost entranced.

“Beautiful. Simply beautiful.”

Such movements, such swordsmanship...

It had been years since Bai Zihua had witnessed such a breathtaking duel. The last time was during a secret realm trial when he had observed the swordplay of a demoness from the Moon Sect. It had left a deep impression on him.

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As he admired the scene, Bai Zihua’s gaze shifted to the silver-haired fairy, An Luo Yi. She stood with her arms crossed, her sword in hand, raising an eyebrow at him with a look of disdain.

Her expression seemed to say:

He’s always been this strong. You’re just noticing now?

Blind fool.

“Uh...” Bai Zihua was at a loss for words, offering an awkward smile in response.

He couldn’t blame her for her reaction. He had foolishly provoked her earlier, and now that she had proven He Ange’s talent, her mockery was well-deserved. Bai Zihua could only swallow his pride.

As the Sword Elder announced the end of the class and left the platform, the inner disciples began to disperse.

He Ange stepped down from the platform, only to be greeted by a green-robed girl pushing her way through the crowd.

“Senior Sister Xu Xin?”

He was surprised to see her.

But Xu Xin didn’t look happy. She grabbed He Ange and pulled him out of the crowd, inspecting him from head to toe, her hands squeezing his arms as if checking for injuries.

Her face was filled with concern.

“Junior Brother He, are you... really okay? Are you hurt anywhere? Should I go to the medicine hall and get you some Qi-replenishing pills?”

“No need. It’s just a few scratches,” He Ange replied politely.

Xu Xin examined him carefully. Once she was sure he wasn’t seriously injured, she finally let out a sigh of relief.

“Good, good... You scared me half to death just now!”

“But seriously, how did you do it? Are you some kind of superhuman? Not only did you survive Senior Sister An Luo Yi’s sword, but you even managed to use her sword to force Wang Yuan to back down!” she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

It was clear she was thoroughly impressed. In an instant, she had gone from a concerned senior sister to a starry-eyed fangirl.

The class was over, and Xu Xin, worried that He Ange might still be tired, placed his arm over her shoulder to support him as they walked out of the plaza.

“That’s not necessary, Senior Sister. I’m a man; I’m not that fragile.”

“Oh, stop it! You’ve been through so much. Let me help you!” Xu Xin insisted, her enthusiasm leaving He Ange no room to refuse. In the end, he let her treat him like an invalid.

She didn’t seem to mind the physical contact. To be honest, He Ange was a bit self-conscious—after such an intense duel, he wasn’t exactly fresh and clean. He thought girls would dislike the smell of sweat.

“Senior Sister, thank you for standing up for me today,” He Ange said, smiling gratefully at her clean and radiant profile.

“I—I was ready to duel Senior Brother Wang Yuan myself! It’s just that...” Xu Xin’s voice grew animated as she recalled the events of the class. But as she spoke, her enthusiasm faded, and she pouted in frustration, her emotions a mix of indignation and helplessness.

She sighed.

“Master wouldn’t let me help you. I don’t even know why.”

“Oh, that’s to be expected,” He Ange replied casually, already piecing things together in his mind. He thought of the black-dressed fairy sitting in the pavilion, her cold gaze fixed on him throughout the duel. His tone carried a hint of bitterness.

From the moment Qin Shiyan had publicly accepted him as her disciple, He Ange knew it was both a blessing and a curse.

The blessing was that Qin Shiyan’s high status and abundant resources would make his life in the Shengxu Sect much easier. As her disciple, he would enjoy privileges others could only dream of.

But in the world of adults, every blessing came with a price.

The price of Qin Shiyan’s favor was the loss of some of his freedom. She hadn’t taken him in out of pure goodwill. Perhaps she was interested in him because of his black market dealings. Perhaps she suspected his true identity within the sect. Either way, taking him as her disciple was a way to keep him close and under her watchful eye.

Qin Shiyan wasn’t an ordinary righteous cultivator. She was a woman who dared to purchase demonic pills from the black market. Her methods might be even more ruthless than He Ange’s.

Today’s swordsmanship class was likely just the beginning of her tests.

“You don’t seem surprised. Did you already know Master wouldn’t save you today?” Xu Xin asked, puzzled. She had expected He Ange to be upset about their master’s indifference and had been ready to comfort him.

But to her surprise, he seemed completely unfazed.

“Senior Sister Xu Xin, I’m just a disciple with a crippled spiritual vein. Master, on the other hand, is the esteemed Fairy Qin, one of the most respected figures in the Shengxu Sect. The fact that she took me in at all is already a miracle. Don’t you find that suspicious?” He Ange said with a faint smile.

“But I don’t think you’re a cripple at all...” Xu Xin argued, her earnestness making her seem a little naive.

He Ange sighed, deciding not to press the issue. “In any case, Master didn’t let you help me because she wanted to test me.”

“Test you?”

“Yes. Master doesn’t trust me.”

“But you’ve already sworn allegiance to her...”

“That’s just a formality. In her heart, she probably doesn’t see me as a true disciple yet.”

He Ange spoke so openly and honestly that it was hard to believe he was hiding anything.

Xu Xin, completely oblivious to the possibility of deceit, was easily swayed by his words. Her heart filled with sympathy.

“Even so, we’re her disciples. To let others humiliate us publicly and then forbid me from helping you—it’s just too unreasonable!” she exclaimed.

“It is what it is. What can we do? We’re just insignificant disciples,” He Ange said with a resigned smile.

Seeing his nonchalant attitude only made Xu Xin more determined to stand up for him.

“Who says we have to put up with this? There must be some misunderstanding. Master is usually so kind. I’m sure she has her reasons for acting this way. Don’t worry, Junior Brother. Tonight, I’ll go talk to her and get to the bottom of this! I don’t believe she’s as heartless as she seems!”

“That’s not necessary, Senior Sister. You’ve already done so much for me today. If you go to Master on my behalf, I’ll feel even more indebted to you,” He Ange said, feigning surprise and gratitude.

Xu Xin puffed out her chest proudly, giving him a reassuring look.

“Don’t worry about it! We’re fellow disciples. Helping each other is only natural!”

“Senior Sister Xu Xin, you’re truly a kind-hearted person. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay your kindness. How about I treat you to lunch as a token of my gratitude?”

“That sounds great! What are we eating?”

“Hotpot, in Yong’an City.”

“Hotpot?”

“Yes.”

“What’s hotpot?”