Turning down an invitation like that was never something Li Qingxue would do. She glanced to the side and ordered her two elders to wait outside the Lingxian Sect.

They nodded obediently, fully understanding without a single question about Li Qingxue’s decision. Shortly after, Lin Tian and Li Qingxue walked into the Lingxian Sect grounds.

Li Qingxue’s graceful and striking appearance drew the attention of many sect disciples, especially the male ones, who found themselves captivated by her almost otherworldly beauty.

Her hair was black and adorned with hair accessories, her face beautiful with small pink lips, her hands slender and her skin smooth and fair as milk, her steps and movements carrying the full refinement of a woman of noble bearing.

"That woman is stunning."

"Watch your mouth. She’s the Yunlan Sect Leader. Her cultivation base is on par with Master Lin’s."

An Yue turned and paused her training for a moment. Her eyes stayed fixed on the woman walking side by side with Lin Tian.

The two of them appeared to be talking, though An Yue couldn’t make out much of what was being said.

Their steps came to a stop when they arrived at a spot that wasn’t the main sect hall, but rather a pavilion built over a koi pond. It was the right kind of place for a relaxed conversation.

"I only ever knew the Lingxian Sect as a place full of ruins and overgrown weeds," Li Qingxue said, "I didn’t expect the change to be this significant."

Lin Tian smiled faintly. They sat across from each other inside the pavilion, where a cool breeze swept over their faces and bodies.

He raised his hand and produced a teapot and two wooden cups, pouring tea into his own cup and then into Qingxue’s.

"When you were still part of the Yuntian Sect, this place was lively and full of talented cultivators," Lin Tian said.

"But after I went into closed cultivation for a hundred years, I never expected the heavens to overturn a sect so easily," Lin Tian added, still finding it hard to believe.

Li Qingxue reached out and sipped from her cup. She felt a quiet sadness over what had happened to the Lingxian Sect, though she also hadn’t had many choices back then.

"At the time, I had already founded the Yunlan Sect and had under five hundred disciples. I heard that the cause of the Lingxian Sect’s downfall was a broken engagement," Li Qingxue said.

"A broken... engagement?" Lin Tian asked.

The woman nodded, finished her tea, and set the cup back on the table. Her attention drifted to the side, looking out at the koi pond surrounding the pavilion.

"That woman was Ning Shuang," Li Qingxue replied.

"Ning’er?!" Lin Tian said, startled.

The shock on Lin Tian’s face caught Li Qingxue off guard. Then Lin Tian cleared his throat briefly and returned to his usual composure.

But inside, his heart hadn’t settled, because he had just heard the name of his Senior Sister.

"So someone called off the engagement?" Lin Tian asked.

"No," Li Qingxue replied. "It was the Lingxian Sect that called it off."

"I don’t understand," he said.

"Only Sect Leader Yun Zhang and Elder Ning Shuang knew the reason behind why the engagement fell through," Li Qingxue said.

She poured more tea into her cup and turned to look straight ahead. "Do you know who they broke off the engagement with?"

"Who?" Lin Tian asked.

"A man with an unusual name. Leon, or perhaps it was said as Lee Ong."

Leon? There’s no way a name like Leon exists in a xianxia world, unless...

Lin Tian’s eyes went wide. He stood up abruptly in shock, his hands and legs trembling. Li Qingxue was startled too, though she stayed seated.

"What’s wrong?" Li Qingxue asked.

I once played this game and set the player’s name to Leon. Is it possible that... I transmigrated into my own save file in that adult xianxia game?

There’s no doubt about it. Leon is the protagonist, and if that’s really the case, I’m certain he’s somewhere in one of the major sects.

"Master Lin Tian? What’s the matter?" Li Qingxue asked.

Lin Tian shook his head and let out a slow breath, trying to settle his thoughts and think about his next move. The one thing he needed to know was what the protagonist’s current situation looked like.

What’s his cultivation base? What does he look like? How strong is he? And who are his heroines?

"Do you remember what the man named Lee Ong looked like?" Lin Tian asked.

Li Qingxue went quiet for a moment, her eyes drifting upward as she tried to remember something. It didn’t take long before it came back to her.

"As I recall, he was handsome, athletic, with long blonde hair. He also had exceptional hidden talent, a once-in-a-thousand-years genius. Many women felt comfortable around him," Li Qingxue replied.

"You came from Yuntian. Were you drawn to him too?" Lin Tian asked.

"He was certainly talented, and a smooth talker. But that alone isn’t enough to draw my interest," Li Qingxue said.

Boldly, Li Qingxue leaned forward and rested her cheek on her hand. A wide smile spread across her face, her cheeks faintly flushed, her eyes fixed on Lin Tian.

"Honestly, I find myself far more drawn to you," Li Qingxue said.

Lin Tian smiled faintly, feeling a quiet warmth inside knowing that a woman as beautiful as Li Qingxue had her eyes on him.

But bringing her into his circle would be no easy thing. It would take a great deal of time, energy, and thought.

He didn’t want to rush it. There were too many things Lin Tian needed to handle in the near future. He couldn’t afford to let his focus slip just like that.

"But I’m worried that if Lee Ong finds out the Lingxian Sect is still standing and growing, he’ll definitely come back here," Li Qingxue said.

"As for Ning Shuang, is she dead or what?" Lin Tian asked.

"There are a lot of rumors about Ning Shuang. Some say she serves the Shuang Clan. Others say she became a wandering cultivator."

"Nothing is certain. But I’m sure she’s still alive," Li Qingxue said.

Finding Senior Sister Ning is like looking for a needle in a haystack.

If I’m not careful, I could end up starting a conflict with another group.

"Sigh," Lin Tian muttered, letting out a long breath.

Li Qingxue smiled gently and helped him along, pouring tea from the pot into Lin Tian’s cup, "Don’t think about it. If it’s truly heaven’s will that brings you to her, then you’ll find them when the time is right."

Lin Tian held his cup and turned it slowly, clockwise, "I hope so."

"Is there anything else you wanted to talk to me about?" Li Qingxue asked.

"Yes," Lin Tian replied, "Tell me about the Yandu River Tournament."