Chapter 28: This guy is abnormal too.

Ling Cang was bathing.

Steam rose from the hot water, white mist filling the room, enveloping everything in a damp warmth.

She leaned against the edge of the tub, her long hair spread out, floating on the surface like an unfolding ink-black cloud.

A few pale pink petals drifted on the water, contrasting against her shoulders exposed above the surface, making that stretch of skin look especially fair.

She closed her eyes, savoring this rare moment of peace.

The Demon Extermination Assembly was a chaotic affair.

Sect Masters from various sects, representatives from every faction—this one needed to meet, that one needed to talk, busy from morning till night without a break.

Only after finally sending everyone off did she have time to soak and relax her muscles and bones.

Even though, with her cultivation level, she didn’t need such an inefficient method of relief, still, some habits were hard to break.

The hot water soaked into her skin, the exhaustion of the day dissolving bit by bit.

But then, she suddenly felt a chill on her back, as if… she was being watched.

Before she could turn around, a faint intake of breath came from behind her.

“Hiss…”

And it was a man’s voice!

Ling Cang’s eyes flew wide open.

Her body reacted faster than her mind.

Spiritual energy gathered in her hand as she spun around, one hand clutching the towel over her chest, the other already launching a spell.

But the starlight, the moment it left her hand, was dispersed.

Before she could even be shocked, she was about to form another spell when she saw who was behind her.

“Don’t scream.”

Lu Mingyue’s voice wasn’t loud, but the intangible pressure was like a giant hand, directly freezing Ling Cang’s body, leaving her unable to move.

Ling Cang glared at Lu Mingyue, the stars in her eyes flashing wildly.

Her eyes were unique—deep within her pupils seemed to hide a miniature starry sky, countless tiny specks of light swirling in the depths.

Right now, those specks were jumping violently, as if about to explode.

Lu Mingyue’s expression didn’t change.

She tilted her head slightly to look at Lin An beside her.

“Turn around.”

“I already turned around.”

Lin An’s voice carried an air of utter despair.

“I haven’t faced you from the moment I walked in.”

That was the truth.

The moment Lu Mingyue brought him into the room, Lin An’s field of vision had caught a glimpse of a bathtub and a stretch of pale shoulder.

He’d used 0.3 seconds to judge, turned around, all in one smooth motion, but he’d still accidentally let out a sound.

Now he was facing a wall, which had a landscape painting on it, depicting distant mountains and flying birds.

He looked at it very seriously.

This painting wasn’t bad.

The water was fair and delicate, the undulations of the distant mountains were quite nice…

Wait, what am I even thinking?!

Ling Cang took a deep breath, suppressing the blood rushing to her head.

Her voice squeezed through clenched teeth.

“Lu Mingyue, what do you mean by this?”

“I brought someone and wanted you to take a look at him. There’s something wrong with his body that others can’t see, but you should be able to.”

Ling Cang’s mouth twitched uncontrollably.

“Couldn’t you give me a heads-up before bringing someone to see me? Did it have to be at this time? Did it have to be while I was bathing?”

“You were too busy during the day. I calculated the time and figured you’d be bathing around now, so this was the most convenient time.”

“Then couldn’t you have waited outside?!”

“I don’t like waiting.”

Lin An nodded silently to himself.

Yeah, that checked out.

Ling Cang’s fist clenched.

If she could beat this woman, she’d show her what the fury of the stars looked like!

Lu Mingyue’s gaze remained calm, her tone unchanged.

“You can get dressed first. I’m not in a hurry.”

“…”

And now you’re not in a hurry?!

Ling Cang felt her blood pressure skyrocket to the heavens.

In all her years of living, she’d met plenty of people who didn’t reason, but never someone this unreasonable.

Oh, no, wait, the woman in front of her was exactly that.

Twenty years ago it was the same, and twenty years later, still the same.

Ling Cang closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly let it out.

When she opened them again, the stars in her eyes had calmed considerably.

“You. Turn around.”

This was directed at Lin An.

“…I’m already turned.”

“Turn further around!”

Lin An shuffled forward two steps, his forehead pressed against the wall.

Soon, the sound of splashing water came from behind, followed by the rustling of fabric.

It lasted about ten-odd breaths, then fell silent.

“Okay.”

Lin An didn’t turn around.

Instead, he asked, “Can I turn now?”

“Go ahead.”

Lin An let out a quiet sigh and slowly turned.

Ling Cang was already dressed, in a deep blue long dress, her long hair loose, not a trace of moisture on her—she must have used spiritual power to dry herself quickly.

Her face was very gentle, her brows and eyes soft.

If not for the stars slowly swirling in her eyes, she would have looked like an ordinary, good-tempered young woman.

But right now, her expression was anything but gentle.

She glared at Lu Mingyue, her lips pressed tightly together, her cheeks slightly puffed, like an irritated pufferfish.

As for Lu Mingyue… well, she was expressionless.

Nothing could be read from her.

Lin An stood between the two of them and suddenly felt very redundant.

“Ahem.”

He cleared his throat and cupped his hands toward Ling Cang.

“This junior, Lin An, pays respects to Sect Master Ling. I was rude just now, and I hope Sect Master Ling can forgive me.”

Ling Cang glanced at him, her gaze lingering on his face for a moment, then turned to Lu Mingyue.

“Alright, spit it out. What’s going on?”

“He can’t cultivate.”

“What does that have to do with me?”

“He has a Transparent Sword Body.”

Ling Cang raised an eyebrow, looking at Lin An with slight shock.

Transparent Sword Body.

Unable to cultivate.

She knew each of those words individually, but put together, she didn’t understand them at all.

“He—”

Ling Cang started to say something, then suddenly remembered something else.

She looked at Lu Mingyue.

“You haven’t already… with him, have you?”

Hearing this, Lin An instinctively looked at Lu Mingyue too.

“Yes, using the method you told me about twenty years ago.”

Lin An blinked.

So that method was taught by this woman?

He expected her to show that kind of… knowing expression, but instead—

“Heh, hahahaha!”

At first it was a suppressed chuckle, then it turned into unrestrained laughter, as if she couldn’t control it.

Ling Cang’s inexplicable laughter made Lin An feel a chill run down his spine.

He turned his head, but his gaze lingered on her face, which was already twisted with laughter.

“Pavilion Master Lu, she…?”

Lu Mingyue tilted her head, staring at Ling Cang, also unsure why she had suddenly burst out laughing.

She didn’t answer, and Lin An didn’t dare ask.

The two of them just waited.

After a long while, Ling Cang finally reined in her laughter, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes.

“Ha…”

She let out a long breath.

“Alright, I get it. You go wait outside. I’ll talk to him.”

Lin An: “?”

Lu Mingyue didn’t object at all.

She nodded and walked straight out.

Lin An: “??”

Wait, this woman obviously isn’t normal, and you’re just leaving like that, Pavilion Master Lu?

Aren’t you afraid she’ll do something to me?

If something happens to me, aren’t you done with your cultivation?!

Of course, he didn’t dare say that in front of Ling Cang.

Lu Mingyue moved quickly.

She was already outside and had very considerately closed the door behind her.

“…”

Lin An’s mouth twitched.

“S-Sect Master Ling, um, I really didn’t see anything.”

“Hmph~ It’s fine.”

Ling Cang’s lips curled into a meaningful smile.

She walked over to a small couch and sat down, gesturing for Lin An to come.

“Stop standing there. Let her play doorman outside. Come sit.”

Lin An swallowed hard and shuffled over step by step.

He wasn’t afraid… well, alright, he was afraid.

After all, who wouldn’t be scared of a lunatic?