Chapter 15 Tang Hui Begins to Suspect Sword Cultivators Are Raised Incorrectly

Tang Hui spent the next hour trying to explain romance to Shen Ruijin.

Unfortunately, Shen Ruijin approached emotional interaction the same way he approached sword cultivation.

Logically.

Systematically.

And with absolutely devastating results.

“…I still do not understand the issue,” Shen Ruijin admitted calmly.

Tang Hui stared at him across the matchmaking stall with profound exhaustion.

Around them, the outer market had become lively beneath the golden afternoon sunlight. Passing disciples slowed openly now whenever they noticed Tang Hui conducting consultations.

At this point, her stall was less a business and more a public entertainment venue.

Old Chen had even started selling tea nearby specifically for spectators.

Traitor.

Tang Hui rubbed her forehead slowly. “Senior Brother Shen.”

“Yes?”

“When most women receive gifts—”

“I gave useful gifts.”

“That is exactly the problem.”

Shen Ruijin frowned slightly.

Beside him, Xu Yelan looked like she wished to disappear spiritually.

Tang Hui pointed toward the stack of sword manuals currently occupying half her table.

“These are not romantic.”

“They improve combat efficiency.”

“No woman wants combat efficiency during courtship.”

A nearby female disciple immediately shouted, “Correct!”

Several others nodded fiercely.

Shen Ruijin looked genuinely confused by everyone’s reaction.

Tang Hui suddenly felt a strange wave of sympathy.

Honestly, these people were not malicious.

Just catastrophically isolated.

Sword cultivators spent their entire lives on lonely peaks training until their personalities resembled sharpened rocks.

Naturally they struggled emotionally afterward.

Tang Hui leaned back in her chair thoughtfully.

Actually…

this was becoming a pattern.

Very worrying pattern.

Gu Beichen learned cooking because he wanted to apologize properly.

Shen Ruijin memorized Xu Yelan’s spiritual circulation issues and researched solutions personally.

Neither lacked sincerity.

They simply expressed affection in ways that sounded medically alarming.

Tang Hui suddenly narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

“…Senior Brother Shen.”

“Yes?”

“When did you realize you liked Senior Sister Xu?”

Xu Yelan immediately choked on air.

Several nearby disciples straightened instantly.

Shen Ruijin himself paused briefly before answering.

“…During the mountain mission three months ago.”

Tang Hui rested her chin against her hand. “What happened?”

The sword cultivator remained silent for several moments.

Then—

“She protected another injured disciple before herself.”

Xu Yelan blinked in surprise.

Tang Hui’s expression slowly became strange.

Ah.

Another one.

Another emotionally doomed sword cultivator falling in love because a woman acted kind.

Was kindness simply fatal to these people?

“She was injured at the time,” Shen Ruijin continued quietly. “Yet she still prioritized others.”

Xu Yelan’s face gradually turned red.

Tang Hui noticed immediately.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

The surrounding disciples also quieted slightly now.

Unlike Gu Beichen, Shen Ruijin spoke more steadily.

Less emotionally intense.

But beneath the calm voice, sincerity remained obvious.

Tang Hui sighed internally.

No wonder female disciples kept falling for sword cultivators despite the communication problems.

Unfortunately attractive.

Very unfortunately sincere.

Dangerous combination.

Xu Yelan lowered her gaze awkwardly. “…Senior Brother Shen also protected everyone during that mission.”

Shen Ruijin looked toward her immediately.

“You were more heavily injured.”

“And you carried me back down the mountain,” Xu Yelan muttered weakly.

The surrounding disciples instantly exploded.

“HE CARRIED HER?”

“Why are these two acting like strangers then?!”

“This sect desperately needs emotional intervention!”

Tang Hui almost applauded.

Exactly.

Finally someone understood her suffering.

Shen Ruijin frowned slightly at the crowd’s reaction. “Her ankle injury prevented movement.”

Tang Hui pointed directly at him. “That explanation changes nothing.”

The market dissolved into laughter again.

Even Xu Yelan failed to suppress a smile this time.

Ah.

Tang Hui’s eyes sharpened slightly.

There it was.

The atmosphere between these two already differed noticeably from before.

Less stiff.

Less uncertain.

Sometimes romance truly only required someone forcing cultivators to speak honestly for five consecutive minutes.

Actually, Tang Hui should probably increase consultation prices.

Her work was emotionally demanding.

Before she could continue the session, another group of disciples suddenly approached the stall from the western street.

Unlike the surrounding spectators, however, these disciples wore noticeably more expensive robes.

Inner sect disciples.

Tang Hui immediately recognized one of them.

Luo Ming.

A famously wealthy talisman cultivator from the inner sect.

Handsome.

Friendly.

Dangerously social.

Tang Hui had heard countless gossip stories about him over the years.

Mostly involving broken hearts and suspiciously expensive gifts.

Luo Ming stopped in front of the matchmaking stall and smiled lazily.

“Well,” he drawled, glancing around the crowded market, “Junior Sister Tang truly became famous.”

Tang Hui instantly became cautious.

Men who smiled like this usually brought trouble.

“Senior Brother Luo,” she greeted politely.

Luo Ming’s gaze drifted toward Shen Ruijin and Xu Yelan before amusement flickered briefly in his eyes.

“…Another relationship consultation?”

Tang Hui nodded calmly. “Business is thriving.”

“Clearly.” Luo Ming studied her stall thoughtfully. “Even the inner sect has started discussing you recently.”

The surrounding disciples immediately looked excited again.

Tang Hui, however, narrowed her eyes slightly.

Inner sect attention was not always good.

The outer sect mostly viewed her business as entertainment.

The inner sect?

Far more complicated.

Inner disciples carried status, influence, rivalries.

And cultivators loved creating problems whenever emotions became involved.

Tang Hui suddenly felt the faintest warning instinct.

Luo Ming rested one hand casually against the stall table.

“I actually came because someone requested your services.”

Tang Hui blinked.

“…Requested?”

Luo Ming smiled slightly wider.

“A private consultation.”

The surrounding disciples immediately groaned in disappointment.

Private consultations meant less public chaos.

Tang Hui herself looked thoughtful.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Her reputation had progressed beyond casual market entertainment now.

People were beginning to seek her out seriously.

Which meant:
more influence,
more spirit stones,
and significantly more danger.

Tang Hui suddenly realized something important.

At some point during the past two weeks, her ridiculous little matchmaking stall had stopped being a joke.

And somehow—

without noticing—

Tang Hui herself had begun changing too.