CHAPTER 43: WET

Lin Fan stood silently as the elders conferred among themselves.

Though his earlier display of humility had softened their judgment slightly, there was still no escaping consequence.

"Your punishment," one elder finally declared:

"Is to carry a weighted boulder—no less than your body weight—up and down this mountain one hundred times. Without Qi."

The gasps from the disciples were immediate.

That kind of punishment would take an entire day, maybe more.

It wasn’t just exhausting—it was humiliating. Tedious. Public.

’What the fuck...?’ Lin Fan’s shoulders slumped for a brief moment.

A flicker of regret crossed his face. He nodded without protest, bowed again, and turned to walk away.

At first, shame clung to him like dust.

He imagined the laughter behind his back, the whispers of "useless" and "hopeless" that always followed him like shadows.

But as he walked away, his eyes caught sight of her—her.

The same girl he had followed through the forest.

Yue Yu was talking with another group of disciples now, but—

She had looked at him earlier.

Right before the elders called his name. A glance. A flicker of acknowledgement.

She hadn’t ignored him!

And to Lin Fan... that was enough.

A small, self-satisfied grin returned to his lips.

’She really does have a crush on me!’ Lin Fan thought to himself.

So, with surprising lightness in his step, he made his way forward.

He accepted the boulder given to him by one of the elder disciples and hoisted it onto his back with a dramatic grunt.

It nearly flattened him, but he steadied himself and began his first trek downward—thinking not of pain or punishment, but of the girl who had finally noticed him.

.

.

.

The elders turned their attention back to the gathered disciples.

"You are all dismissed for now," one of the elders announced:

"Return to your homes or find quiet places to cultivate. Take today to reflect on your performance. The person who had gotten first place will be announced later."

In a wave of motion, the disciples scattered—some toward the training fields, others vanishing into the trees to meditate, spar, or heal.

Only one disciple remained behind.

Hei Long.

He stood calmly, hands behind his back, eyes respectful but unwavering.

As the elders prepared to leave, he took a single step forward and spoke:

"I understand that some of you suspect I may have cheated."

The elders froze.

"I am aware of the doubts surrounding the Flame-Veined Tiger’s core," Hei Long continued, tone neither defensive nor arrogant:

"And I understand your need to consult the Sect Leader before passing final judgment."

He bowed slightly, his posture composed and firm:

"Out of respect for the integrity of this sect—and for your authority—I will remain here until your meeting is done. If I must explain myself or be judged again, I will face it openly."

A few of the elders exchanged quiet glances, noting his calm demeanor.

There was no fear in his eyes. No guilt. Only patience.

One of them gave a slow nod.

"Very well," the elder said:

"Then wait here. We’ll return shortly."

And with that, the remaining elders departed toward the inner halls of the mountain.

Hei Long remained perfectly still, his gaze fixed ahead, though his mind was already elsewhere:

’Once this is over... I should indulge a little. My new fan seems quite eager, after all.’

A faint smirk tugged at the corner of Hei Long’s lips as he shifted his eyes slightly, casting a subtle glance over his shoulder.

Standing a short distance behind him was a young woman.

She had long, light brown hair that shimmered in the sunlight, cut with delicate bangs that framed her gentle face.

Her hazel eyes, warm and wide, had been following his every move with quiet fascination.

She hadn’t looked away since he had helped her up earlier, her expression filled with a mix of awe and something dangerously close to a yandere...

Her hands were folded nervously in front of her, as if unsure whether to approach or remain where she stood.

The slight flush on her cheeks hadn’t faded, even though the moment between them had passed long ago.

Hei Long’s smirk deepened, his mind savoring the thought:

’She’s been watching me like I’m some kind of hero. How cute.’

.

.

.

"You think the young master of the Hei family cheated?"

The words hung in the air like a blade unsheathed, sharp and trembling.

The Sect Leader’s voice was calm—far too calm.

She sat high, eyes fixed coldly on the row of elders assembled before her.

They stood in uneasy silence, each of them well aware that this was no ordinary accusation.

"Yes, Sect Leader..." one of the elder men finally replied, his voice strained:

"We cannot say for certain, of course. But the core he presented... it belonged to a Flame-Veined Tiger. A monster well beyond his level. Even our top disciples would have struggled—"

He didn’t finish his sentence.

Because the sound of wood splintering cracked through the room like thunder.

All eyes turned to the Sect Leader’s right hand, which now pressed into the armrest of her seat.

Her fingers had sunk into the polished wood, crushing it into a jagged mess of shards and powder.

The silence that followed was suffocating.

"You doubt my judgment?" the Sect Leader asked, voice no longer calm, but low and tight with restrained fury.

The elder who had spoken swallowed hard. "N-no, Sect Leader. Of course not..."

"I personally chose Hei Long to be the Saint of this generation," she continued, her eyes narrowing to dangerous slits:

"I accepted him into our sect not just because of his family background, but because of his character. I saw potential in him that none of you could possibly understand."

The Sect Leader rubbed the bridge of her nose with her free hand:

"So tell me again—do you truly believe that I, the Sect Leader of this sacred sect, would allow such a man to wear the title of Saint?"

The room felt like it had dropped in temperature.

None of the elders dared speak.

The Sect Leader’s voice rose:

"Do you think I would elevate a cheater into our ranks?!"

"Of course not, Sect Leader!" another elder quickly replied, bowing his head deeply.

The Sect Leader leaned back slowly:

"I trust in the decisions I make. And I expect all of you to trust in them, too."

The elders bowed as one, murmuring acknowledgments, but none dared meet her eyes.

Yet inside, behind the Sect Leader’s carefully controlled expression, her heart raced.

’Damn that brat...’

She clenched her teeth behind closed lips.

’I have no idea if he cheated or not... I wasn’t watching. I didn’t send anyone to shadow him. But if he’s bluffing, then he’s doing a terrifyingly good job.’

The Sect Leader couldn’t help but curse Hei Long’s name silently.

Because no matter what suspicions she or the elders held—she could not afford to move against him.

Not openly.

Not even in private.

Not when Hei Long had that recording of her...

The blackmail hung over the Sect Leader’s head like a sword.

One wrong move, and Hei Long could bring ruin not just to her—but to everything she’d built.

’He has me cornered. And he knows it.’

The Sect Leader’s fingers twitched slightly as she drew a breath through her nose and exhaled slowly.

"We’re done here," she said. "Dismissed."

The elders bowed again and filed out in silence, none of them daring to speak another word.

As the doors closed behind them—

It was then—

A small smile appeared on the Sect Leader’s face—

However, it quickly disappeared.

’Am I really enjoying this?’ the Sect Leader thought, her brows furrowing in confusion and denial:

’No, it’s impossible...’

Suddenly, the Sect Leader felt something liquidy between her legs...

’Uh... I’m wet...’ she realized, her eyes widening in embarrassment.