"I can’t help it. Until recently, I thought things like cultivators and monsters only existed in stories. But now they’re suddenly real. Of course I’d be excited."

"Haha~ That reaction is normal."

Zhu Shan’s tone softened slightly.

"Don’t worry. Soon enough, you’ll come into contact with this world properly. Of course..." His eyes narrowed slightly. "That depends on whether you possess talent for cultivation or not. Otherwise, even I won’t be able to help you much."

Ye Chen quietly clenched her fists.

Her expression became unexpectedly serious.

"Don’t worry, Uncle Zhu. I won’t disappoint you."

"Oh? You are quite confident."

"Because I trust myself." Ye Chen’s eyes carried determination. "No matter whether I have talent or not... I’ll definitely become stronger."

For a moment, Zhu Shan looked at her with slight surprise.

Then he slowly nodded with admiration.

"That’s the spirit."

---

Soon, Zhu Shan and Ye Chen brought the two unconscious disciples back to their temporary camp.

The bonfire still crackled quietly beneath the cold night sky, illuminating the surrounding forest with flickering orange light. Shadows swayed across the nearby trees while the chilly mountain wind carried the faint scent of blood and burnt flesh from the earlier battle.

"I know some basic first aid," Ye Chen suggested calmly as she knelt beside the unconscious pair. "Let me take care of them."

Zhu Shan glanced at her briefly before nodding.

"Alright."

After all, it truly was inconvenient for him to personally tend to Shen Xing’s injuries. Though cultivators were not overly conservative, Shen Xing was still the daughter of the Great Elder.

As for Wu Lao, Zhu Shan trusted Ye Chen enough to leave him in her care temporarily.

"I’ll keep watch nearby," Zhu Shan said while walking toward the edge of the campsite. "Even if the chances are low, we can’t rule out another Pishacha wandering nearby."

His back soon faced them as he stood vigil beneath the dark trees, giving enough privacy while still guarding the camp.

Ye Chen watched him for a moment before casually beginning to clean Wu Lao’s injuries.

"Uncle Zhu," she suddenly asked, "what exactly are those Pishacha? Why do such horrifying creatures even exist?"

"Haha, were you scared?" Zhu Shan laughed faintly.

"Not at all." Ye Chen immediately pouted.

However, Zhu Shan’s smile gradually faded.

A bitter look appeared in his eyes.

"You should be scared..."

Ye Chen paused slightly.

The atmosphere suddenly became heavier.

She silently waited for him to continue.

"It’s complicated," Zhu Shan finally spoke in a low tone. "You only need to understand one thing. Pishacha are the White Moon Sect’s most hated enemies."

His voice carried traces of exhaustion.

"They’ve killed countless geniuses throughout the centuries. Disciples. Elders. Protectors. Even peak experts." He looked toward the distant darkness of the forest. "This conflict has lasted for generations."

Ye Chen’s eyes narrowed slightly.

A centuries-long battle?

That information alone revealed how ancient the White Moon Sect truly was.

Her interest immediately deepened.

Still, inwardly, she remained indifferent.

As long as the sect benefited her, she would stay.

If one day the danger outweighed the benefits, she would leave without hesitation.

Risking her life for some grand sect conflict?

Please. She wasn’t that noble.

Zhu Shan eventually fell silent again, seemingly lost in old memories.

Noticing his mood, Ye Chen wisely stopped questioning him further.

Instead, she focused on tending Wu Lao’s wounds.

This young lord’s injuries were relatively minor. Aside from some bruising and internal exhaustion caused by the mental shockwave, his condition was stable.

After finishing with him quickly, Ye Chen finally shifted her attention toward Shen Xing.

The moment her gaze landed on the unconscious beauty, her expression subtly changed.

To be honest... Shen Xing was truly beautiful.

Perhaps it was because she belonged to the extraordinary side of this world, but her beauty carried an almost unreal feeling to it.

Her skin was smooth and pale beneath the moonlight. Even unconscious, her face remained cold and elegant. Her black robes hugged her slender waist tightly, yet could barely conceal the generous curves beneath.

Especially her chest.

Even hidden beneath the dark robes, the fullness there was impossible to ignore.

Ye Chen’s gaze unconsciously lingered.

’...Damn.’

Although her body had become female now, her thoughts had clearly not adapted completely yet.

Her heart actually sped up slightly.

If she were still a man... she would’ve definitely tried to steal this woman away from Wu Lao.

The thought immediately surfaced naturally in her mind.

Meanwhile, Shen Xing remained completely defenseless before her.

As Ye Chen carefully cleaned the blood from Shen Xing’s shoulder, her eyes unconsciously drifted downward again. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

The robe had loosened slightly during battle.

The outline beneath became even more noticeable under the firelight.

That soft and temptingly curved fullness.

Ye Chen swallowed subtly.

’...This is bad.’

She muttered inwardly.

Her fingers twitched slightly.

The strange contrast between her current female body and lingering male instincts created an oddly dangerous feeling in her heart.

For a moment, Ye Chen quietly glanced toward Zhu Shan.

The old man still had his back facing them while standing guard near the forest.

He clearly wasn’t paying attention.

Ye Chen slowly looked back toward Shen Xing.

The unconscious girl looked entirely vulnerable.

A beautiful, defenceless girl, completely unaware of her surroundings.

A dangerous thought quietly surfaced in Ye Chen’s mind.

...Just taking a feel of it shouldn’t matter, right?

Her breathing became slightly uneven.

Almost unconsciously, Ye Chen slowly raised her hand toward Shen Xing’s chest.

Closer and closer.

The firelight flickered softly across Shen Xing’s beautiful sleeping face while Ye Chen’s fingers hovered just inches away from those soft mounds hidden beneath the robes.

At that exact moment—

*Cough!*

A sudden cough echoed through the camp.

Ye Chen’s entire body stiffened.

Her hand instantly jerked backward like lightning.

She turned her head sharply.

Wu Lao had regained consciousness.

The young man frowned weakly while coughing out a small mouthful of blood. His face was still pale, but his eyes had already regained awareness.