Chapter 25 Tang Hui’s Reputation Reaches the Inner Peaks

The rumors spread by the next morning.

Not ordinary rumors either.

Qingyun Sect always produced gossip at terrifying speed, but this time the stories evolved so aggressively that Tang Hui nearly failed to recognize herself within them.

By breakfast, outer disciples claimed she had personally stopped a duel using “heart-calming wisdom.”

By midday, several inner sect disciples insisted she had resolved three romantic disputes simultaneously while reorganizing the lantern festival.

And by afternoon—

someone apparently started calling her the “Emotion Elder.”

Tang Hui almost overturned her tea.

“No.”

Old Chen continued arranging artifacts beside his stall without sympathy.

“It’s already spreading.”

“I refuse.”

“Too late.”

Tang Hui looked genuinely horrified.

The market around them bustled noisily beneath bright afternoon sunlight while festival preparations consumed nearly every street in the outer sect. Colored lanterns hung between rooftops. Flower vendors shouted over each other. Music drifted from temporary performance stages farther down the market road.

And unfortunately—

far more disciples than usual kept approaching Tang Hui’s stall with reverence in their eyes.

Reverence.

Actual reverence.

This was how cults started.

A pair of younger disciples stopped nervously in front of her stall.

“Senior Sister Tang,” one began carefully, “we heard you understand the Dao of relationships—”

“I absolutely do not.”

The disciples froze.

Tang Hui pointed firmly at the matchmaking sign overhead.

“I understand communication. You people simply make emotions harder than necessary.”

The two disciples exchanged uncertain glances.

One lowered his voice. “…That sounds profound.”

Tang Hui nearly developed a spiritual headache.

No wonder cultivators kept misunderstanding everything.

Old Chen looked openly entertained now.

“This is what happens when you become useful publicly.”

“I was happier arguing with chickens.”

“That chicken still hates you, by the way.”

Heartless creature.

Before Tang Hui could continue complaining, movement stirred near the market entrance again.

Several disciples immediately straightened.

Others lowered their voices instinctively.

Tang Hui looked up—

then paused.

Not because the newcomer looked intimidating.

But because nearly everyone recognized him immediately.

Elder Shen.

One of Qingyun Sect’s inner elders.

A genuine Nascent Soul cultivator.

Tang Hui had only seen him from a distance before during sect assemblies. Elder Shen rarely appeared outside the inner peaks, and certainly not in the outer market.

Which meant—

absolutely nothing good.

The surrounding noise softened as the elder approached calmly through the market street. Unlike many high-level cultivators, Elder Shen carried no overwhelming aura.

Still, his presence alone altered the atmosphere naturally.

Tang Hui stood immediately.

Not out of fear exactly.

More because outer disciples generally preferred not dying accidentally from disrespect.

“Elder Shen,” she greeted carefully.

The old cultivator stopped in front of the matchmaking stall and studied the enormous festival banners overhead.

[MYSTICAL MATCHMAKING]

[LANTERN FESTIVAL CONSULTATIONS]

[NO ROMANTIC DUELS]

His brows lifted slightly.

Tang Hui suddenly wanted to disappear into another realm.

After several moments, Elder Shen looked toward her.

“So,” he said mildly, “you are Tang Hui.”

The surrounding disciples looked ready to spiritually combust from curiosity.

Tang Hui maintained her composure with effort.

“Yes, Elder.”

Elder Shen’s gaze moved briefly across the crowded market around them.

“You have become rather famous recently.”

That sentence sounded dangerous regardless of tone.

Tang Hui answered cautiously. “The sect disciples are simply energetic.”

Several disciples nearby looked offended.

Elder Shen’s mouth twitched faintly.

Not quite a smile.

But close enough to terrify everyone further.

“I heard about the disturbance near the lantern rehearsal grounds yesterday,” he continued.

Tang Hui internally prepared for criticism.

Instead, Elder Shen added:

“The instructors spoke highly of your handling of the situation.”

Tang Hui blinked.

“…They did?”

“Yes.”

Unexpected.

Very unexpected.

The surrounding disciples stared at her with increasing awe again.

Tang Hui wanted all of them to calm down immediately.

Elder Shen folded his hands behind his back while observing her quietly.

“You understand people well for someone so young.”

Tang Hui hesitated briefly before answering honestly.

“Most people simply want to be understood, Elder.”

Silence settled across the marketplace.

Not uncomfortable silence.

Thoughtful silence.

Tang Hui realized too late that perhaps the answer sounded wiser than intended.

She really needed to stop speaking naturally around cultivators.

Everything became philosophy somehow.

Elder Shen studied her for another long moment.

Then—

unexpectedly—

he laughed softly.

The surrounding disciples nearly collapsed from shock.

Old Chen physically dropped an artifact tool.

Tang Hui herself looked alarmed.

Had she accidentally become funny to elders now?

Dangerous development.

Elder Shen shook his head slightly.

“Interesting girl,” he murmured.

Tang Hui immediately felt wary of that description.

Before she could respond, the elder continued more casually:

“The Lantern Reflection Festival opens tomorrow evening. Additional formation arrangements have already begun.”

Good.

At least the terrace disaster achieved something useful.

Elder Shen glanced once more at the growing crowd surrounding the stall.

“Continue helping where you can,” he said. “But avoid allowing the disciples to mythologize you excessively.”

Tang Hui almost cried from relief.

Finally.

A reasonable person.

“Yes, Elder,” she answered sincerely. “I’ve been trying.”

Elder Shen nodded once before turning to leave.

The marketplace remained silent until he disappeared fully into the distant street crowds.

Then the noise exploded instantly.

“AN ELDER SPOKE TO HER PERSONALLY!”

“Elder Shen laughed!”

“Senior Sister Tang really has become important!”

Tang Hui dropped back into her chair dramatically.

“No,” she muttered weakly. “This is getting out of control.”

Old Chen recovered his fallen tool while eyeing her strangely.

“You know,” he said slowly, “most outer disciples spend their entire sect lives trying to attract attention from the inner peaks.”

Tang Hui groaned.

“Yes, and now I understand why that was a terrible ambition.”

Still—

despite her complaints—

something inside her had shifted again during the conversation.

Not arrogance.

Not excitement.

Just realization.

A month ago, sect elders would never have noticed whether Tang Hui existed.

Now they knew her by name.

Not because she became stronger.

Not because she cultivated faster.

But because she had found something she was genuinely good at.

The thought lingered quietly in her chest while the noisy market continued around her.

And somewhere beneath all the chaos, Tang Hui admitted something to herself for the first time.

She no longer felt like someone waiting to fail out of Qingyun Sect anymore.