Chapter 7: Chapter six: Immortal cultivation path
Guangchang Ling was going to die.
No, seriously. He might choke on his extra spicy fish soup ("what?! you don't eat spicy food?!"Yingyue had screeched"here, try this, you'll love it!"),or get crushed to cream by the mounting tension,or just walk up to someone and tell him to kindly stab him through the chest.
Well, the soup was the least of his problems. In fact, it was the most delicious meal he had ever had. But spicy food just might become a source of his trauma if Chao and Haoran didn't stop staring at them like that.
Beside him, Yingyue's smile was getting strained. It had been nearly thirty minutes since she made her grand announcement, yet they had made no move to encourage or even discourage her apology mission.
Where had she even gotten such an idea, anyway?
"Uh... gentlemen..."she hissed through her teeth.
"Why..."Chao cleared his throat and tried again"you don't have to apologize to us...".
"I got in the way of your duties!".
"You're not the first. Stuff like that happens a lot".
"He doesn't seem to agree with you"Yingyue pointed her chin at Haoran, who was scowling so thickly it was a wonder he hadn't aged.
"Don't worry about A-Han".
A deeper scowl told them that Haoran definitely did not agree with that either.
"Mr Pan Haoran"Yingyue said with exaggerated earnestness"I'm sorry for interfering with your work, and for absolutely embarrassing you by revealing that an apple is enough to knock you down".
Just as she had anticipated, he graced her with a scowl of higher rank.
"A-Chao, tell him that he's going to have too many wrinkles if he keeps scowling like that".
Ling thought he might start spitting blood. This girl came here to apologize... right?
But Chao was surprisingly calm.
"A-Yue, don't fool around"he said.
"I can't help it. He practically screams 'tease me', doesn't he?".
"I know what you mean"Chao replied, earning another expensive scowl from Haoran.
"Anyways,we already put it all behind us. Right, A-Han?"Chao turned to his friend.
"Did we?"Haoran retorted.
"Yes,we did"Chao insisted.
"Whatever. There's no winning against you, anyway".
"Yay! Now, please enjoy these peace offerings from this penitent one, gentlemen"Yingyue slid the trays across the table to them.
Ling exhaled with relief. At least it had ended peacefully enough.
Yingyue picked her chopsticks and dug into her large serving of grilled pheasants with unrivaled gusto.
"So,"she began as soon as she swallowed"the Sect leader. What's his name?".
Chao raised his eyebrows, and Haoran scoffed.
"Penitent, she says? I knew you just wanted something from us"he said.
"No no no,"Yingyue waved her hands"I really did want to apologize. And I came to ask that too, since I might not have another opportunity".
"So, what? You're into older men?".
"What, no!"Yingyue was clearly outraged by this suggestion.
"A-Han, that was an unkind accusation,"Chao spoke gently"baseless assumptions are prohibited, remember?".
"It's not baseless. She literally tried to bribe his name out of us".
"You...!"Yingyue looked like she was going to slam his face into his bowl of rice.
Chao inwardly thanked the gods that there were no apples around.
"Now, now. There's no reason to glower at each other"Chao placed a placating hand on Haoran's shoulder while giving Yingyue an apologetic smile"just drop it, okay?".
Yingyue's frown instantly made way for a friendly smile.
"Sure. For your sake, A-Chao".
Chao smiled gratefully.
"Thank you".
But Haoran was evidently still thirsty for trouble.
"Now she's flirting with an enforcer"he declared.
"..."
"..."
"..."
There was speechlessness on all sides,as the other three struggled to understand exactly how he had managed to come up with such a conclusion.
Yingyue drew a very deep breath, then exhaled dramatically.
"A-Chao,"she asked, all honey"it's not prohibited to beat up stupid enforcers, right? Don't worry, I won't pull my sword. It'll just be a brief introduction to my fists".
"Wait, you can't do that"an alarmed Chao replied.
"Shame. Can I throw food at him,then?".
"Let me see you try,"Haoran retorted.
"It's decided,then"Yingyue grabbed a warm dumpling.
"No, nobody is throwing food"Chao insisted"Sect leader Pan's name, right? I'll tell you, A-Yue".
"Thank you. Your friend has more sense than you, Mr Haoran. You should learn from him".
"Insults are prohibited in the Mist Oasis"Haoran muttered sulkily.
How dare Chao take this audacious girl's side?
"You're not to take his name lightly, though".
"Sure"Yingyue grinned.
"It's Pan Junjie".
"Nice name. It suits him. Is he closely related to Pan Yuchen?".
"You're the only one who doesn't know. He's the Jade Dragon's uncle".
"Uncle..."she mused"that's an awesome uncle to have. He was so young I didn't suspect, though".
"He is young,"Chao agreed"the youngest sect leader in the cultivation world".
"Impressive".
"Yes. That reminds me. Why did you go to the senior disciples' classroom?".
"I wanted to see Pan Yuchen"she replied promptly.
"Huh? What for?".
"I wanted to make his acquaintance...why are you looking at me like that?".
"You should never bother the Jade Dragon".
"Why?"she asked, recalling the way he had treated her.
"Other than the fact that he is the Jade Dragon? He's also the head of the law enforcers. And he's undergoing the... what was it again?".
"Immortal cultivation path"Haoran supplied sulkily.
"Yes, that. So, he has this nearly unattainable discipline code to live by".
"What does that entail, exactly?".
"No alcohol, no meat, no display of emotions, no...".
"Physical contact with other people?".
"That, too. And more".
"Ah. So that's why"she mused.
"Why what?".
"Nevermind. More importantly,who tells a human being not to display emotion?".
"Well, immortality requires severing all ties with this world. There's a reason why not just anybody can achieve it".
"I see. So,if he succeeds, he'll actually become immortal?".
"Yes".
"For real?".
"Yes. After his studies here are complete, he'll relocate to Mount Tianshi for study under the Celestial Monk".
Yingyue nodded. Everyone knew the Celestial Monk,an immortal who had chosen not to ascend of his own free will.
The immortal cultivation path was not strictly required for ascension, rather it was just one of many options. However, it happened to be the most guaranteed way. Also,a person who succeeded in practicing it to the end would gain immortality, ascension or no ascension.
After all, when it came to heaven's will, no mortal could hope to comprehend it.
A person could cultivate themselves to death and still not ascend,in the same vein,a person could attain ascension just by a sudden flash of enlightenment.
Yingyue was sure that if she had known about this cultivation path of his, she would not have provoked Pan Yuchen by touching his shoulder. But then,if he had not ignored her, she would not have touched him in the first place.
"Is Pan Yuchen also not allowed to talk to people?".
"Huh? No. He's just forbidden from being talkative, that's all".
Oh. So he had simply chosen to ignore her. Just like the one specie of human beings she absolutely despised- arrogant people.
Yingyue smirked.
Seems like a revenge is in order.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Amarachukwu_Okoli_2708
Amarachukwu_Okoli_2708 I sense trouble brewing...
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone