Chapter 24 Tang Hui Establishes New Sect Rules

By sunset, Tang Hui had officially decided Qingyun Sect required regulations.

Not cultivation regulations.

Romantic regulations.

Very important distinction.

The lake terrace overlooking the western valleys had become completely overcrowded by the time Tang Hui arrived. Spirit lanterns floated across the water in glowing clusters while disciples packed the surrounding walkways with horrifying enthusiasm.

At the center of the chaos stood a young inner sect disciple clutching several crumpled poetry scrolls with the expression of a man currently experiencing emotional death.

Senior Brother Wei.

Opposite him stood Senior Sister Yu, whose visible discomfort suggested she would rather face a demonic beast invasion than continue this conversation publicly.

And unfortunately—

a third disciple had indeed drawn his sword nearby.

Tang Hui stopped walking immediately.

“…Why is there already a sword out?”

Luo Ming, strolling beside her with entirely too much amusement, answered casually.

“Cultivators struggle with emotional restraint.”

“No, this is mental illness.”

Several nearby disciples overheard her and nodded solemnly.

Tang Hui pushed through the crowd before the situation worsened further.

“Put the sword away,” she ordered instantly.

The male disciple froze slightly upon recognizing her.

“…Junior Sister Tang.”

“Yes. Sword down.”

The disciple hesitated awkwardly. “But he accused me—”

“I do not care.”

The surrounding disciples fell strangely quiet.

Tang Hui folded her arms.

“If you challenge someone to a duel every time romance becomes complicated, Qingyun Sect will collapse within a year.”

A few disciples looked alarmed, as though realizing this possibility had never occurred to them before.

Senior Brother Wei still looked devastated.

“He deliberately approached Junior Sister Yu recently,” he muttered darkly.

The accused disciple looked offended. “We attended the same music gathering!”

“And sat together for three hours!”

“Because there were only two seats left!”

Tang Hui rubbed her forehead once before immediately stopping herself.

No repetitive exhaustion reactions.

Better.

She looked between the two disciples carefully instead.

Actually, the problem here was painfully obvious.

Neither of them truly blamed each other.

The real issue was humiliation.

Senior Brother Wei had confessed publicly with enormous effort and equally enormous lantern expenses.

Then he got rejected in front of half the sect.

Now his pride needed somewhere to go.

Unfortunately, male cultivators throughout history consistently redirected emotional embarrassment into aggression.

Predictable.

Annoying.

Tang Hui stepped toward the center of the terrace.

“Everyone calm down for a moment.”

Shockingly—

they listened.

The realization still felt strange sometimes.

Dozens of disciples quieted while spirit lantern light flickered softly across the lake waters behind them. The evening breeze carried music faintly from other festival terraces higher along the mountain paths.

Under different circumstances, the scene would have looked romantic.

Instead, Tang Hui felt like a teacher supervising emotionally unstable children.

“First,” she announced clearly, “Senior Sister Yu did nothing wrong.”

Senior Sister Yu visibly relaxed.

Tang Hui continued before anyone could interrupt.

“Confessing to someone does not guarantee acceptance.”

Several disciples in the crowd looked personally wounded.

Harsh truth.

Necessary truth.

“If you confess publicly,” Tang Hui added, “then public embarrassment becomes a possible outcome.”

Senior Brother Wei looked like he had just suffered spiritual enlightenment through emotional damage.

Good.

Maybe the lesson would remain permanent.

Tang Hui turned toward him more directly.

“You wrote poetry and prepared lanterns because you liked her, correct?”

“…Yes.”

“Then your feelings were sincere.”

He nodded silently.

Tang Hui gestured toward Senior Sister Yu.

“But sincerity does not create obligation.”

The terrace remained quiet.

Even Luo Ming stopped smiling now.

Senior Sister Yu lowered her gaze slightly before speaking softly.

“I never wanted to humiliate Senior Brother Wei.”

“I know,” Tang Hui replied immediately.

And she did know.

The girl looked guilty, not cruel.

Another unnecessary misunderstanding escalating into conflict because cultivators lacked emotional communication skills.

At this point Tang Hui should start charging educational fees for common sense.

The second disciple finally sheathed his sword with visible reluctance.

Tang Hui pointed at him immediately afterward.

“And you.”

He stiffened.

“Never stand near rejected people while looking handsome and innocent,” she informed him seriously. “That’s socially dangerous.”

The surrounding disciples burst into laughter.

Even Senior Brother Wei looked momentarily offended enough to forget his heartbreak.

Excellent.

Distraction achieved.

Tang Hui clapped her hands once.

“New rule,” she announced. “No romantic duels during festival week.”

Several disciples immediately protested.

“That’s unreasonable!”

“What if honor is involved?”

“What if someone steals your intended partner?”

Tang Hui stared at them in disbelief.

“Do you hear yourselves?”

Silence.

She pointed toward the lake dramatically.

“You are cultivators. Immortal seekers. Future experts of the Dao.”

Several disciples straightened unconsciously.

“And yet half of you behave like angry chickens every time romance appears.”

The entire terrace erupted into laughter again.

Even Qin Yue, who had apparently arrived quietly sometime during the confrontation, covered the lower half of her face briefly to hide a smile.

Tang Hui noticed immediately.

Important discovery.

Qin Yue actually could laugh.

Rare event.

Tang Hui continued while pacing slowly across the terrace.

“If someone rejects you, survive with dignity.”

She pointed toward another group nearby.

“If someone likes the same person you like, communicate like civilized human beings.”

Then toward the disciples still carrying lantern bundles.

“And stop turning confessions into military operations!”

Several disciples looked deeply attacked.

Correctly so.

Tang Hui finally stopped near the water’s edge where floating lantern reflections shimmered softly across the dark lake surface.

The mountain air had grown cooler now. Lantern light glowed warmly along the terraces while disciples slowly relaxed around her.

The earlier tension faded little by little.

Not because the emotions disappeared.

But because someone finally acknowledged them openly instead of allowing everyone to spiral privately.

Tang Hui suddenly understood something important.

The matchmaking pavilion no longer existed just for romance.

People came because cultivators spent so much of their lives pretending emotions were weaknesses.

And eventually—

someone needed to tell them otherwise.

The realization settled quietly in her chest.

Not dramatic.

Not overwhelming.

Just steady.

Behind her, Luo Ming’s voice broke the silence lightly.

“You realize,” he said, “the disciples are genuinely listening to you now.”

Tang Hui looked back over the crowded lantern terrace.

Dozens of conversations had resumed around them.

Softer this time.

Calmer.

Less defensive.

And annoyingly enough—

Luo Ming was right.