Chapter 20 Qin Yue’s Question

The market grew quieter after Qin Yue’s arrival.

Not silent—outer sect disciples lacked the discipline for true silence—but the atmosphere shifted noticeably. Conversations lowered. Curious glances became more cautious. Even the disciples lingering near Tang Hui’s stall stopped pretending they were only browsing nearby shops.

Tang Hui understood why.

Qin Yue was not like Luo Ming.

Nor like Gu Beichen.

Those two attracted attention naturally, but neither deliberately pressured others.

Qin Yue did.

Not through cultivation aura or open arrogance. The woman simply carried herself with the calm certainty of someone accustomed to being taken seriously.

And unfortunately, Tang Hui had spent enough years inside Qingyun Sect to recognize what this meant.

People like Qin Yue rarely approached situations casually.

Lin Qingyue seemed to sense the tension too. Her fingers tightened slightly around her sleeves, though Gu Beichen remained composed beside her.

Tang Hui herself straightened behind the stall.

The warm afternoon breeze stirred the festival banners overhead while disciples watched openly from every direction. Somewhere farther down the market street, a storyteller’s bell rang faintly, blending with the noise of vendors and passing cultivators.

Under normal circumstances, the market felt lively.

Now it felt like a stage.

Qin Yue’s gaze rested calmly on the matchmaking sign before shifting back toward Tang Hui.

“I’ve heard quite a few stories recently,” she said. “Some of them are rather unbelievable.”

Tang Hui smiled politely. “Most sect rumors become exaggerated by the third retelling.”

“That may be true.” Qin Yue’s tone remained even. “But rumors do not appear from nothing.”

Nearby disciples subtly leaned closer again.

Tang Hui resisted the urge to charge listening fees.

Luo Ming folded his arms lazily beside the stall, though his eyes remained on Qin Yue now instead of the surrounding crowd.

Interesting.

No—

Tang Hui stopped herself immediately.

See?

Bad habit already.

Instead, she focused properly.

Luo Ming clearly knew Qin Yue well enough to take the conversation seriously. Which meant this was not random curiosity.

Qin Yue glanced briefly toward Gu Beichen and Lin Qingyue.

“These two avoided each other for months,” she said calmly. “Yet after meeting you several times, they suddenly reconciled.”

Lin Qingyue looked slightly embarrassed again.

Gu Beichen, meanwhile, answered without hesitation.

“Tang Hui was helpful.”

The surrounding disciples looked emotionally moved for some reason.

Tang Hui almost rolled her eyes.

Helpful.

That was certainly one way to describe being dragged repeatedly into other people’s emotional disasters.

Qin Yue’s expression did not change, though Tang Hui noticed the faintest flicker of surprise in her eyes at Gu Beichen speaking so directly.

Apparently even inner sect elites still found his behavior shocking.

Reasonable.

Qin Yue looked back toward Tang Hui again.

“So I became curious,” she continued. “How exactly does Junior Sister Tang accomplish this?”

A dangerous question.

Not because Tang Hui had secrets to hide—

but because the truthful answer sounded ridiculous.

She couldn’t exactly say:
You’re all emotionally obvious and terrible at communication.

Actually, she probably could.

But offending inner sect disciples seemed unwise.

Tang Hui rested one elbow lightly against the table.

“I mostly observe people,” she answered honestly. “Cultivators spend so much time focusing on cultivation that many stop saying what they actually mean.”

Several nearby disciples looked attacked.

Tang Hui ignored them and continued.

“When people misunderstand each other long enough, small problems become large ones.”

Qin Yue listened quietly.

Tang Hui met her gaze evenly now.

“And sometimes,” she added, “people are frightened of wanting something sincerely.”

For the first time since arriving, Qin Yue’s expression shifted slightly.

Not much.

But enough that Tang Hui noticed.

Ah.

That reaction carried personal experience behind it.

Interesting—

Tang Hui immediately corrected herself internally again.

No repetitive nonsense.

Focus.

Qin Yue was silent for a moment before speaking again.

“You make it sound simple.”

“It usually is.”

The surrounding market collectively looked offended.

Tang Hui gestured vaguely around the crowd.

“The difficult part is convincing cultivators to behave like human beings instead of undergoing emotional tribulation every time they develop feelings.”

A few disciples burst out laughing despite themselves.

Even Luo Ming’s mouth curved faintly.

Qin Yue studied Tang Hui for several long moments.

Tang Hui held the gaze calmly.

If this had happened two weeks ago, she probably would have felt intimidated.

Now, though—

after surviving Gu Beichen’s communication skills and dozens of chaotic consultations—

her confidence had quietly grown without her noticing.

Not cultivation confidence.

Not power.

But certainty in what she was doing.

The realization settled strangely in her chest.

Qin Yue finally spoke again.

“Then perhaps,” she said, “Junior Sister Tang can answer something for me as well.”

The surrounding disciples instantly became alert.

Tang Hui did too.

Ah.

So this truly was not casual curiosity.

“Depends on the question,” Tang Hui replied.

Qin Yue’s gaze drifted briefly toward the lantern festival banner hanging above the stall.

“The Lantern Reflection Festival is approaching,” she said calmly. “Every year, one of the sect traditions involves paired lantern formations.”

Tang Hui nodded slowly.

She knew this much already. Disciples often attended together, releasing linked spirit lanterns into the valleys beneath the sect mountains.

Very romantic.

Very profitable.

“The elder overseeing this year’s festival recently proposed assigning official pairings for several formation displays,” Qin Yue continued. “Some disciples objected.”

Tang Hui blinked once.

Wait.

Assigned pairings?

That sounded terrible already.

Qin Yue’s eyes rested steadily on her now.

“Unfortunately,” she said, “your name was mentioned during the discussion.”

The marketplace exploded immediately.

Tang Hui nearly dropped her teacup.

“My WHAT?”