Forced to Love (GL) - Chapter 42

Xie Xisui walked slowly into the East Mountain Hall, while Lingxi stepped back, standing in the first row of inner disciples outside the hall.

No one except Lingxi dared to raise their heads to look at Xie Xisui. Only when the hall doors closed with a heavy thud did the crowd finally straighten their backs.

“Senior Sister! You’re here!”

“Senior Sister!”

Two voices sounded from behind her at the same time. Before Lingxi could turn around, she was already surrounded from both sides.

“Did you go to welcome the Elder of the Sword?”

“Of course! Didn’t you see that Senior Sister arrived together with the Elder?”

“Wait a moment, Senior Sister, why did the Elder share a sword ride with you?”

Lingxi had lived with Xie Xisui in Chuanze Stream for many years, accustomed to a quiet environment. Now back in the East Mountain Hall, the lively atmosphere felt unfamiliar to her.

She glanced at Qin Tang, who was slightly shorter than her on the left. “How is your cultivation going?”

Then she turned to Tong Ningyun on the right, who was smiling brightly. “How is your sword training?”

Both of them immediately wilted and muttered awkwardly.

“Senior Sister… why do you always ask the hardest questions?”

“Exactly.”

Lingxi remained silent, looking at them calmly. Qin Tang was the boy she had insisted on saving in Pingzhou Town many years ago. That was also when she first met Xie Xisui. Later, after Xie Xisui agreed to take Lingxi as her disciple, she also saved the injured Qin Tang from the valley.

However, Xie Xisui only accepted Lingxi as a disciple. Qin Tang, after recovering, joined the outer sect of Yaoguang Sect. Through his own efforts, he later became an inner disciple.

Tong Ningyun was more talented than Qin Tang and had directly passed the entrance trials to become an inner disciple.

Lingxi rarely came to the East Mountain Hall. On one occasion, she was sent by Xie Xisui to deliver something to the sect leader. As she was leaving, she happened to see Qin Tang in a sparring match.

Since Qin Tang had risen from the outer sect, he was naturally not as respected as those who had entered the inner sect directly. He was often ostracized.

Lingxi hadn’t remembered much about the boy she saved, but that day, the inner disciples mocked him, bringing up the past incident in Pingzhou Town. That was when she recognized him.

At that moment, a young girl’s voice spoke up in his defense—it was Tong Ningyun.

However, neither of them excelled in all aspects. Qin Tang had only sword skills but lacked strong cultivation, while Tong Ningyun had cultivation abilities but specialized in healing.

In the end, Lingxi intervened to stop the bullying. But that event made her aware of Senior Brother Ji Yuanzheng’s displeasure toward her.

“Junior Sister, long time no see. Has your cultivation improved?”

Ji Yuanzheng walked over with a half-smile, followed by several inner disciples.

“Senior Brother, your cultivation should be above mine, right?”

As soon as Lingxi spoke, Ji Yuanzheng’s expression stiffened.

Yaoguang Sect held small trials every three years and major trials every five years. From the start, Lingxi had always taken first place. Given that, her words now sounded rather ironic.

“You—”

One of the inner disciples behind Ji Yuanzheng pointed at Lingxi, about to say something, but at that moment, the slowly opening doors of the East Mountain Hall interrupted him.

“The trial is about to begin, what are you all talking about?”

A low voice from the hall’s steward silenced the disciples immediately.

Yaoguang Sect had five elders besides the sect leader. As the Elder of the Sword, Xie Xisui was the head among them.

“Greetings, Elder and Sect Leader.”

The disciples bowed in unison, their voices strong and orderly.

“Today is your final trial before descending the mountain. I hope each of you will give your all and apply everything you’ve learned in Yaoguang Sect. Only those who pass the trial will be allowed to leave the mountain.”

“Those who lack skill must continue training.”

As Lingxi raised her eyes, she met Xie Xisui’s gaze. Across the height difference of the hall, the two of them exchanged a silent look.

“…The trial consists of two rounds. The first round is a team challenge, and the second is an individual challenge. For the first round, you will form teams of five voluntarily and draw different paths. The team that reaches the destination the fastest will win. However, all flying techniques are prohibited. You must travel on foot. The rules for the second round will be announced later.”

As soon as the sect leader finished speaking, the disciples around Lingxi began looking for teammates.

Xie Xisui’s expression remained indifferent, but as Lingxi looked at her, she felt as if the coldness in her dark eyes had softened, like a dulled blade.

“Senior Sister! I want to be in your team!”

“Me too!”

The two beside her moved closer. The moment Tong Ningyun placed a hand on Lingxi’s arm, Xie Xisui, standing above, raised her eyebrows slightly.

Lingxi lowered her head slightly and made a distant salute toward her.

“Huh? Senior Sister, what are you—”

Following Lingxi’s gaze, Tong Ningyun saw Xie Xisui and gasped, immediately withdrawing her hand and bowing respectfully.

By the time the three of them straightened again, Xie Xisui had already returned to the hall.

Tong Ningyun patted her chest, still shaken. “Senior Sister, why didn’t you tell me?”

“Tell you what?”

“That…”

Tong Ningyun hesitated, glancing at where Xie Xisui had stood, then at Lingxi, puzzled. “Was the Elder looking at you?”

“She looked at you too.”

Lingxi walked forward, and Qin Tang pulled her along to keep up.

“Don’t overthink it, let’s go.”

The trial area was an enclosed space created by the elders and the sect leader.

Before entering, Qin Tang brought along someone without a team, explaining that they had both risen from the outer sect and should help each other.

The newcomer was short and thin, introverted, and stuttered when speaking. Lingxi gave him a glance but said nothing.

Qin Tang immediately cheered and put his arm around the new teammate. “See? I told you Senior Sister is the best!”

“T-thank you, S-Senior Sister.”

Their last teammate, Jing Yi, joined voluntarily, patting his chest and promising not to hold them back.

Qin Tang, worried he might break his own ribs with his enthusiasm, kept telling him to be careful. Jing Yi just laughed heartily.

When it was time to draw lots, Lingxi picked a middle path. With the teams formed, they entered the trial grounds.

Though the trial grounds looked no different from the outside world, they were deep within a dense forest with towering trees and thick underbrush.

After traveling ten miles, they had already encountered two demon beasts, both successfully repelled. After a brief rest, they moved forward.

As the moon rose, the temperature dropped. The birds, which had chirped during the day, now fell silent. Only the rustling wind remained.

Lingxi’s palm glowed slightly as a map appeared, showing their location and the destination.

“What?! We’re only halfway there?!”

Tong Ningyun’s surprised voice drew the others over, and they all gathered around to look at the map.

“I feel like we’ve walked so far, and it’s only halfway?”

“As expected of a mountain trial!” Qin Tang sighed and handed the water pouch to Tong Ningyun. “Here, drink some water.”

Lingxi looked around. The soft moonlight filtered through the branches, casting pale patches of light. Everything looked hazy, like it was hidden behind a veil.

“Let’s make a fire and rest. We’ll continue tomorrow.”

If she were alone, Lingxi would have kept going. But now, with so many others, traveling at night would be dangerous, and they might not have the strength to keep up.

“Don’t sleep too deeply tonight. We’ll take turns keeping watch. I’ll go first.”

“Okay!”

No one disagreed. The situation was clear, and everyone understood the risks.

They gathered nearby branches and built a fire. Sitting around the flames, they rested.

The firelight flickered brightly. As Lingxi stared into it, an image of Xie Xisui appeared in her mind—those dark eyes glowing, a gentle smile on her lips, calmly looking at her.

The others chatted here and there about their cultivation experiences. Lingxi didn’t join in. After a while, she got up and sat under a nearby tree.

“Senior Sister?”

Lingxi looked up at Tong Ningyun, who had followed her. “What is it?”

Tong Ningyun sat beside her. “Why aren’t you talking with us, Senior Sister?”

“I don’t have much to say.”

“True. You didn’t cultivate with us. But Senior Sister, are there any fun stories from Chuanze Ravine?”

Tong Ningyun leaned on her hand, looking at Lingxi.

“Are you worried I can’t join your conversation?”

“Eh? That obvious?”

Tong Ningyun laughed. After a moment, she added, “But I really am curious how Senior Sister lives at Chuanze Ravine. I always hear from the others that it’s huge, but only you and Elder Xie live there. Isn’t it lonely?”

“No.”

“Eh? Not even when Elder Xie is in seclusion?”

Lingxi tilted her head slightly. The bright moonlight shone into her eyes. After a pause, she said, “Yes.”

“So what do you do when Elder Xie is in seclusion?”

“I wait for her.”

The sound of water flowed gently. Xie Xisui suddenly looked up. In front of her, an illusion showed Lingxi sitting under a tree, leaning back and looking up at the sky.

The teapot tilted, and tea poured out. Even as the cup filled, it didn’t stop—tea spilled over the rim.

Xie Xisui moved her hand slightly. The teapot floated upright onto the table, and the spilled tea disappeared in an instant.

“I knew it. Of course Senior Sister waits for Elder Xie. You wait while cultivating, right?”

Lingxi suddenly smiled. The soft moonlight outlined her features, covering them with a gentle glow.

“No, I just wait. That’s all.”

Xie Xisui rested her chin on her hand, staring quietly at the bright illusion in the hall. In a flash, memories of every time she came out of seclusion and saw Lingxi standing there came to her mind.

Spring passed, summer, then autumn, then winter. Every time she emerged, the first person she saw was always Lingxi, waiting in the path.

Xie Xisui had always thought Lingxi simply had good timing, that she calculated when her seclusion would end. She never imagined it was like this.

In the forest outside the secluded chamber, the bright sunlight of day was blocked by the trees. What was Lingxi thinking as she leaned against a trunk? At night, when the cool wind blew and everything was lit only by moonlight, what was she thinking?

Xie Xisui slowly closed her eyes. It felt like she saw Lingxi standing beneath the tree, waiting for her. As she walked toward her, Lingxi suddenly opened her eyes and looked at her. Her gaze was clear and steady.

With a gentle smile, Xie Xisui found her answer.

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