Bai Zihan turned away from the assessment test area, the crowd’s murmurs fading into background noise.
Lin Xuan stood tall in the center of it all, basking in the start of his protagonist arc—admiring glances from outer disciples, jealous glares from failed applicants, even faint nods from a few elders.
He’d done it.
He had officially entered the sect with a splash, a gold-grade Dao Resonance, a personal claim from Elder Qinglan.
It was perfect!
Just like how many protagonists burst onto the scene during the Sect Assessment Test in those novels Bai Zihan used to read.
Bai Zihan decided to head back to his courtyard.
But something stopped him dead in his tracks.
“Wasn’t that great?”
“Who would have thought that our sect would get another Heaven-grade Dao Resonance?”
Voices.
Familiar ones.
His hearing was sharp—not by talent, but necessity.
After all, he couldn’t rely on his eyesight until recently, so his ears naturally became finely tuned.
He leaned slightly around the white stone archway and caught sight of two women walking side by side down the path.
Yun Qingmei and Fei Ling!
Senior sisters of Bai Xueqing—and now, technically, his senior sisters as well.
These were the two he’d thoroughly offended—harassed, even—back when he was still in the Bai Clan.
Bai Zihan’s lips curled into a slow, wicked smirk.
Well, well!
Wasn’t this a nostalgic little reunion?
He waited until they were about to pass by—then casually stepped out from behind the arch, hands behind his back, expression dripping with surprise.
“Ah, two beauties—what a pleasant surprise! We meet again!”
Yun Qingmei froze mid-step, posture stiffening like a deer hearing a hunter’s bowstring draw.
Fei Ling reacted a second later, spinning around with narrowed eyes.
“…You!”
Her voice was like flint striking stone.
“What’s wrong? So happy to see me again that you forgot how to form sentences?”
Bai Zihan said.
“I thought we’d moved past all that awkwardness.”
Yun Qingmei didn’t respond—just stared, eyes like frozen wells.
Fei Ling wasn’t so reserved.
“You’ve got some nerve showing your face, after everything you pulled.”
Fei angrily spat.
“Oh, come on!”
Zihan chuckled, strolling toward them with an easy, self-assured steps.
“I don’t think I did anything to you two. In fact, I was being nice—trying to help, even.”
He gave a wicked smile as he slowly approached them.
Although Yun Qingmei and Fei Ling had higher cultivation levels, they instinctively backed away, a flicker of fear in their eyes.
It wasn’t about strength.
It was about him—the way Bai Zihan had humiliated Shen Liang, the man they respected, made him look like a common thug.
They knew the truth. Bai Zihan had outplayed Shen Liang, despite being weaker.
So naturally, a bit of fear had wormed its way into their disgust.
They still held a grudge, sure.
But not like Shen Liang, who’d taken the biggest hit.
As for them—they just wanted to avoid Bai Zihan altogether.
They would’ve been fine if he was just a pampered Bai Clan brat.
But now they know that he was scheming and cunning which makes for a dangerous combination.
They just didn’t expect that the lazy, arrogant young master would be interest in something like Sect’s Assessment Test.
Had they known, they wouldn’t have come to check out their new juniors.
Yun Qingmei finally spoke, her voice low and guarded.
“Why are you here, Young Master Bai?”
He tilted his head slightly.
“Me? Just here out of boredom. Funny how fate brings old friends back together, huh? Maybe it’s trying to tell us something.”
Neither woman looked amused.
Fei Ling looked like she wanted to slap him. Yun Qingmei looked like she wanted to kill him.
But Bai Zihan just stood there, smiling like the devil dressed in white silk.
They thought about how unlucky they were. If only they had gone away few minutes ago, they wouldn’t need to meet with this devil
Bai Zihan’s smile deepened, eyes glinting as he glanced left and right with an exaggerated tilt of his head.
“Hm? Strange…”
He mused aloud, stroking his chin like a scholar pondering about some profound stuff.
“Where’s that righteous Senior Brother Shen who falsely accused me? Not tagging along with you two today?”
Both Yun Qingmei and Fei Ling stiffened.
They exchanged a look, then turned back to him—deadpan, wary.
The audacity. The shamelessness.
Bai Zihan knew the turth. They knew it. He knew they knew it. And yet here he was, playing the innocent victim.
Truly a hypocrite in clothing.
Bai Zihan smirk curled wider.
“Ah,” he said softly, “so no one to butt in this time.”
He took another step forward. Slow. Casual. Unthreatening… and yet more suffocating than a blade to the throat.
Fei Ling’s foot slid back instinctively.
Yun Qingmei didn’t move, but her fingers twitched near her sleeve—reflexive, defensive.
“What do you want, Bai Zihan?”
Yun Qingmei asked coldly.
Bai Zihan spread his hands, mock-offended again.
“Want? Can’t a man say hello to two old acquaintances without being treated like a walking plague?”
“Cut the crap,” Fei Ling snapped.
“Don’t act like you don’t have some scheme in mind. So, what is it this time? Trying to humiliate us like you did with Shen Liang?”
Bai Zihan chuckled.
“Oh please,” he said, voice smooth as silk. “You two? I could never humiliate you.”
He paused.
“…You already did that to yourselves the moment you sided with someone like Shen Liang.”
That hit like a slap.
Fei Ling’s cheeks flushed with anger. Yun Qingmei’s eyes darkened.
“Don’t act like you’re some noble victim,” Yun Qingmei bit out.
“You were a bastard back in the clan, and you’re still one now.”
“Mmm… ” Bai Zihan hummed. “True!”
That threw them off.
“I was a bastard,” he said with a shrug.
“Spoiled, arrogant, lashing out at anyone who looked at me sideways. But you know what?”
He stepped forward again, voice dropping low.
“I’ve learned something since then.”
The air thickened like a storm on the horizon.
Fei Ling swallowed.
“What?”
“That being a bastard doesn’t mean I was wrong.”
Bai Zihan’s grin turned razor-sharp as he tapped his temple.
“Anyway. That bastard Shen Liang’s been messing with me since I arrived at the Heaven Sword Sect.”
Bai Zihan with somewhat irritated voice.
“Spreading lies, just like back at the Bai Estate. I thought maybe you two were helping him again.”
Yun Qingmei and Fei Ling stiffened again, unconsciously drawing closer together.
They knew what he was talking about—and while they hadn’t helped Shen Liang spread the rumors, they didn’t think it was false either.
After all, this was Bai Zihan they were talking about, and those rumors perfectly fit the kind of thing he would do.
Well, Bai Zihan also knew that these two weren’t actual involved with spreading those rumors about him.
With Fang Jinyan feeding him info, he already knew exactly who was involved.
But that didn’t matter.
He didn’t need facts. He never had. He just needed an excuse to screw with them.
“We don’t know anything, Young Master Bai. If you have a problem with Senior Brother Shen, then take it up with him.”
Fei Ling said quickly.
Her tone made it clear—she wanted nothing to do with this.
She might’ve supported Shen Liang, might’ve helped him if the opponent was anyone else.
But this was Bai Zihan.
And she’d already seen what happens when you get on his bad side.
Yun Qingmei looked just as wary as she nodded in agreement.
“Kekeke…”
Bai Zihan chuckled.
“I don’t know about that. Maybe you’re lying to me. Maybe not. Who knows?”
He took one more step forward, that mischievous glint returning to his eyes.
“How about we go to my courtyard and discuss it properly?”
Fei Ling’s eyes narrowed. Her voice turned icy.
“Keep pushing, Bai Zihan, and we’ll report this to the elders.”
Yun Qingmei crossed her arms, her usual calm cracking just a bit.
“That’s right. We’re disciples of Mystic Moon Peak too. You think you can just harass us without consequences?”
Bai Zihan blinked.
“Hahaha… ”
Then laughed.
“Report me?”
He repeated, tilting his head like they’d just said something in a foreign language.
“To the elders? What exactly are you gonna say, hmm? That I greeted you too enthusiastically?”
His smile widened again, lips curling into something wicked.
“That I asked two beautiful senior sisters to visit my courtyard? Where is your evidence?”
Fei Ling gritted her teeth.
“You’re disgusting!”
Yun Qingmei took a breath, clearly done with this back and forth.
“If you keep this up, we’ll tell Junior Sister Chu Ziyan.”
That made Bai Zihan pause.
Just for a second.
Then—
He threw his head back and laughed.
“Oh no,” he said, feigning exaggerated panic.
“Not my fiancée!”
He grinned at them.
“Please, don’t tell her I was talking to other girls. She might cry.”
Yun Qingmei’s glare could’ve melted steel.
Fei Ling growled, “We’re serious, Bai Zihan. Junior Sister Chu Ziyan would break off the engagement if you continue this behaviour.”
That’s when his expression shifted, though not in the way they thought.
“Really?”
He said excitedly.
They obviously misunderstood that Bai Zihan is the one who wants to marry Chu Ziyan as all other people thinks.
“Though I doubt that it could work. Chu Ziyan already told me I can take concubines if I want.”
Silence!
Yun Qingmei’s lips parted slightly.
Fei Ling blinked.
“What…?”
“Why? You interested? Trying to apply early?”
Fei Ling actually took a step back this time, eyes wide with disgust.
Yun Qingmei’s face tightened, a storm brewing behind her eyes.
Before either of them could respond, Bai Zihan suddenly stopped.
His smile faded, and his voice dropped.
Low!
Calm!
Cold!
“Relax. I’m just messing around.”
He turned his back to them, hands clasped behind him like none of this had ever happened.
“But if either of you helps Shen Liang—”
He glanced back over his shoulder, eyes dark with warning.
“Then maybe I won’t just be messing around.”