Chapter Six: Junior Sister, What Are You Doing?

The moon hung bright in the sparse, star-studded sky.

Behind the mountain of the Sole Will Sect, Wang Ran lay sprawled atop a massive boulder, heavy with drowsiness as a haze filled his mind.

“System, why didn’t you warn me sooner that learning Daoist arts would make me pass out?” he feebly asked within his thoughts.

A cold, mechanical voice replied, “Ding. The host did not inquire about this precaution.”

Wang Ran nearly coughed up blood in frustration. “I’m outside! If I lose consciousness here and that assassin really comes after seeing the bounty, what then? I don’t want to die young!”

He was filled with regret and despair. If only he’d gone home first—he’d thought it would be like those stories, where knowledge is imparted with a flash of golden light, not that he’d have to pass out first.

The system chimed again: “System has automatically activated the defense protocol. While the host is unconscious, your personal charm will be maximized, compelling others to feel deep affection and closeness, neutralizing all malice.”

“Note: This function does not affect cultivators above the Golden Core stage.”

As he received the response, Wang Ran felt the haze in his mind intensify. His eyelids grew unbearably heavy. Overwhelmed by exhaustion, he finally succumbed and drifted into sleep.

In the last flicker of consciousness, a single thought crossed his mind: System, you treacherous scam...

The next moment, his awareness vanished completely, plunging him into darkness.

“Ding! Diamond Glass Body is being learned. Progress: one percent…”

Beneath the luminous moon, Wang Ran’s body remained motionless, but inside, an astonishing transformation had begun.

Every inch of his skin, hair, cells, and organs was undergoing a frenzied metamorphosis.

This was the power of the Diamond Glass Body at work. Outwardly, his skin appeared as pure and lustrous as jade, radiant and soft to the touch, but in truth, it was as hard as iron, utterly unbreakable.

Even his hair was changing; his long, waterfall-like locks grew so smooth and resilient that, if cut, their tenacity could rival the finest ropes.

Meanwhile, as his body was being unknowingly transformed, back at the Law Enforcement Hall of the Sole Will Sect—

Three figures clad in black snuck out from the rear entrance.

“Big Brother, are you sure that brat at the mere Qi Condensation stage is really that dangerous?” one of the masked men whispered.

“Of course! Would I lie to you? That kid may be only at Qi Condensation, but he wields a terrifying spiritual weapon. Even Xuanwu, master of defensive arts, couldn’t withstand a single blow. Be on your guard,” the other replied, still shaken.

“Don’t worry, Big Brother. Even if he’s strange, he’s just at Qi Condensation. As long as we’re careful, there’s nothing to fear. What’s most infuriating is that kid plastered your portrait all over the mission hall and had the nerve to call your proud Vermillion Bird tattoo a little chick. Our Law Enforcement Hall cannot tolerate such an insult!”

“Enough. Remember, don’t reveal our Law Enforcement Hall identities out there. This is a private affair for Senior Brother Ye, and one of us has already lost his life. If word gets out… I needn’t warn you about the consequences.”

The black-clad man sternly admonished his two companions, who fell silent, making their way toward the mountain where Wang Ran lay.

The one code-named Vermillion Bird was the hapless assassin who’d previously failed to kill Wang Ran and had been extorted by him instead.

He’d thought that, between himself and Xuanwu, dealing with some low-level cultivator would be a breeze; he hadn’t expected Xuanwu to be instantly slain. The power of that weapon—dubbed the “hand grenade”—still haunted him.

Yet, remembering the wealth Wang Ran had wrung from him, he resolved to seek revenge. After all, Wang Ran was still just a Qi Condensation cultivator.

But the greatest humiliation was having his Law Enforcement Hall Vermillion Bird tattoo, his greatest pride, mocked as a little chick and his portrait put up everywhere with a spirit jade bounty.

For a member of the Law Enforcement Hall, this was a disgrace.

So, he decided to turn the tables. No matter whether Wang Ran was in the Purple Bamboo Grove tonight, he would go to the back mountain and reclaim what was his. To be safe, he brought two companions.

The Law Enforcement Hall was the Sole Will Sect’s internal affairs department, overseen by core elders and acting as the sect’s guard. Because of its special function, it was divided into four specialties: White Tiger, Azure Dragon, and Xuanwu for offense and defense, and Vermillion Bird for intelligence.

Only the elite inner disciples could enter the Law Enforcement Hall, organized in teams of four. This assassin was one of them.

But he harbored ulterior motives, often engaging in clandestine and deadly deals—otherwise, he wouldn’t carry twenty spirit jades at all times.

Yet, as a disciple of the Law Enforcement Hall, to break the law and kill a fellow disciple was a grave crime. If caught, he would be expelled from the sect and punished by the elders. Thus, when Wang Ran posted his portrait, the assassin grew anxious.

Tonight, accompanied by his comrades, he was determined to wash away his disgrace with blood and exact revenge on Wang Ran.

…

Meanwhile—

On the mountain behind the sect, Wang Ran still lay unconscious on the boulder, his Diamond Glass Body training nearly complete.

From the nearby bamboo grove came the gentle chime of wind bells. A young girl peeked out, eyeing Wang Ran cautiously.

“Huh? Isn’t that Senior Brother from earlier today?”

Recognizing Wang Ran’s face, Yan Wanrou brightened and skipped over with delight.

“Senior Brother, I finally found you!” she called out before reaching him. Her voice was crisp and clear, but then her tone shifted: “Eh? What’s wrong, Senior Brother?”

Seeing Wang Ran motionless on the stone, Yan Wanrou tilted her head in confusion.

She was the junior disciple who’d handled Wang Ran’s mission earlier. Innocent and youthful—no more than fifteen or sixteen—she had never met anyone in the sect as interesting as Wang Ran.

That night, unable to resist her curiosity, she’d wandered to the Purple Bamboo Grove behind the mountain, hoping for another glimpse of this fascinating senior.

Who would have thought she’d find him in the midst of cultivation, lying utterly still atop the boulder?

But as she gazed upon him, she found herself unable to look away.

Somehow, her heart began to pound wildly—more intensely than it had during the day. Wang Ran’s plain, fair face seemed to hold a peculiar magic in her eyes; she simply could not tire of looking at him.

In that moment of budding affection, her cheeks flushed crimson, making her look all the more endearing.

“Senior Brother… he’s so handsome,” she whispered, covering her face, bashfully twisting her slender frame. Pouting gently, she murmured, “Grandfather always said that unmatched heroes possess a unique charisma, so captivating that even asleep, they inspire awe. Could Senior Brother be one of those legendary figures?”

The more she thought about it, the shyer she became. After gazing at Wang Ran’s fair profile for a long while, she could not resist lowering her head. She puckered her adorable lips and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek.

“Oh dear, how embarrassing!”

The touch lasted less than a second before she pulled away like lightning, flustered and red-faced, standing by his side with her thoughts in disarray.

“Mmm… that feels nice.”

Just then, Wang Ran awoke from his cultivation and sat up on the boulder, eyes half-open in confusion.

Though he’d been unconscious, his body felt incredibly refreshed—better than after a good sleep. There was even, faintly, a delicate fragrance in the air…

Wait—fragrance?

Puzzled, he looked around and spotted a girl with bells at her waist standing beside him, her cheeks flushed.

Wasn’t this the junior disciple from earlier?

Wang Ran stared, momentarily stunned by her shy demeanor, then finally spoke.

“Junior Sister, what… are you doing?”