Chapter 30 The Upper Moon-Viewing Terrace Descends Into Chaos

Tang Hui arrived at the upper moon-viewing terrace fully prepared for disappointment.

Reality still exceeded expectations.

The terrace itself occupied one of Qingyun Sect’s highest outer peaks, overlooking endless mountains drenched in silver moonlight. Floating lanterns drifted across the night sky while spirit streams shimmered faintly below the cliffs like rivers of stars.

Under normal circumstances, the scenery probably inspired profound reflection.

At the moment, however, several disciples were arguing loudly enough to spiritually offend the moon itself.

Tang Hui stopped near the terrace entrance and stared.

“…How did one confession create three separate arguments?”

The young disciple guiding her looked miserable already.

“Senior Brother Liang confessed to Senior Sister Wen.”

“Reasonable beginning.”

“Then another disciple accused him of insincerity because he previously admired Senior Sister Bai.”

Tang Hui nodded slowly.

“And the third argument?”

The disciple looked increasingly ashamed of his sect.

“Senior Sister Bai became angry because nobody informed her she had apparently been part of a romantic rivalry.”

Tang Hui closed her eyes briefly.

Cultivators truly transformed emotions into formation disasters naturally.

Luo Ming, following beside her with entirely too much interest in the unfolding catastrophe, laughed softly under his breath.

“You look unsurprised.”

“After this month?” Tang Hui replied darkly. “Nothing shocks me anymore.”

Ahead of them, the terrace crowd had divided into several tense groups surrounding the center platform. Lantern light flickered across agitated expressions while nervous disciples whispered excitedly around the edges of the gathering.

At the center stood the unfortunate Senior Brother Liang.

The poor man looked one argument away from abandoning romance permanently.

Tang Hui almost pitied him.

Almost.

Because public confessions remained fundamentally reckless.

As she approached, several disciples noticed her immediately.

“Senior Sister Tang is here!”

“Move aside!”

“She’ll know what to do!”

Tang Hui wanted everyone to lower their expectations immediately.

Instead, the crowd parted around her like she possessed actual authority.

Deeply concerning development.

Tang Hui stepped onto the central platform while observing the situation carefully.

Senior Sister Wen stood rigidly near the railing with visible embarrassment.

Nearby, Senior Sister Bai looked offended enough to challenge heaven itself personally.

And between them stood another male disciple glaring at Senior Brother Liang with righteous indignation.

Ah.

Tang Hui understood now.

This wasn’t truly about romance.

It was about humiliation again.

Specifically:
people discovering emotions publicly before understanding them privately.

Cultivators handled that terribly.

Tang Hui folded her arms calmly.

“All right,” she announced. “Who started yelling first?”

Several people pointed simultaneously.

Excellent.

Very mature environment.

Luo Ming leaned lazily against one of the carved terrace pillars nearby, visibly enjoying himself now. Worse, Qin Yue had apparently arrived as well and currently stood observing the chaos with silent judgment.

Tang Hui refused to make eye contact with either of them.

No audience participation.

Senior Brother Liang finally spoke weakly.

“I only confessed because I genuinely like Senior Sister Wen.”

The accusing disciple scoffed immediately. “Then why were you praising Senior Sister Bai’s guqin performance last month?”

“…Because it was impressive?”

“Suspicious answer!”

Tang Hui stared blankly at the speaker.

“You think complimenting music constitutes betrayal?”

The disciple hesitated.

“…Emotionally, perhaps.”

“No.”

Tang Hui pointed at him firmly.

“Cultivators are allowed to admire more than one person aesthetically without entering romantic warfare.”

Several nearby disciples looked unconvinced.

Terrifying.

Tang Hui turned toward Senior Sister Bai next.

“And why are you angry exactly?”

Senior Sister Bai crossed her arms sharply.

“Because apparently I became involved in sect gossip without consent.”

Fair point honestly.

Tang Hui nodded immediately. “Reasonable complaint.”

Senior Sister Bai blinked.

Apparently she expected resistance.

Tang Hui continued before anyone else could interrupt.

“But Senior Brother Liang admiring your music does not mean he secretly pursued you.”

The poor man nodded frantically.

“I didn’t!”

Tang Hui gestured toward Senior Sister Wen.

“He confessed to her publicly tonight.”

Senior Sister Bai paused slightly.

Tang Hui pressed forward mercilessly.

“And instead of discussing this calmly, everyone immediately transformed it into emotional conspiracy theory.”

Silence spread across the terrace.

Because unfortunately—

that was exactly what happened.

Tang Hui sighed softly before continuing.

“You people spend so much time analyzing hidden meanings that you create problems which never existed initially.”

The surrounding disciples looked attacked.

Correctly so.

Moonlight spilled across the terrace stones while spirit lanterns drifted silently overhead. Around them, the mountain winds carried distant festival music through the night air.

Beautiful setting.

Ridiculous conversation.

Tang Hui suddenly understood why sect elders avoided social gatherings.

Senior Sister Wen finally spoke quietly from beside the railing.

“I never thought Senior Brother Liang was insincere.”

The atmosphere shifted immediately.

Senior Brother Liang looked up hopefully.

Senior Sister Bai’s expression softened slightly too.

Ah.

There.

Actual issue identified.

The argument escalated because everyone else inserted themselves emotionally into a situation that originally involved only two people.

Tang Hui pointed dramatically toward the surrounding crowd.

“See this?” she declared. “This is why gossip is dangerous.”

Several disciples looked guilty.

Luo Ming outright laughed this time.

Tang Hui ignored him professionally.

Senior Brother Liang looked toward Senior Sister Wen carefully.

“…Then you aren’t upset?”

She hesitated briefly before answering honestly.

“I was mostly overwhelmed.”

Reasonable.

Being confessed to publicly in front of half the sect sounded horrifying.

Senior Brother Liang visibly deflated in relief.

The aggressive disciple beside him looked increasingly awkward now.

Excellent.

Public embarrassment built character.

Tang Hui clapped her hands once decisively.

“Wonderful. Problem resolved.”

Several disciples blinked.

“That’s it?”

“Yes,” Tang Hui replied. “Because this entire situation should have remained a private conversation from the beginning.”

Another silence.

Then—

unexpectedly—

Qin Yue spoke from the edge of the terrace.

“She’s right.”

Instant stillness.

Tang Hui glanced toward her automatically.

Qin Yue stepped forward slightly beneath the drifting lantern light, crimson festival robes shifting softly in the night breeze.

“Half of tonight’s conflicts began because disciples perform emotions publicly before understanding them privately,” she said calmly.

The terrace grew even quieter.

Mostly because Qin Yue almost never involved herself in conversations like this voluntarily.

Tang Hui noticed Luo Ming watching her now with distinctly interested eyes.

Ah.

Dangerous atmosphere developing again.

Tang Hui immediately looked away.

Not her business.

Absolutely not her business.

Unfortunately—professional observation habits remained difficult to suppress.