"Wait... isn't this?" As the speaker called Ji Wuye's name, the disciples around him, previously engrossed in the test, snapped their heads behind him. Even those in the front rows craned their necks, peering past his shoulder, only to gape in stunned disbelief.

 

"W-welcome, Young Lady Mu!" One disciple stammered, face flushing.

 

"Greetings, Young Lady!" Another bowed deeply, eyes averted.

 

"It's our honor to see the prodigy of our sect!" A third exclaimed breathlessly, chest puffed out.

 

One by one, these disciples began shuffling towards the person behind Ji Wuye, jostling each other clumsily. Even those at the front blindly surged forward, bumping squarely into his back.

 

Yet, Ji Wuye remained utterly unperturbed, refusing to budge an inch despite the force. He was met by a towering figure, broad-shouldered and powerfully built, dwarfing the other disciples.

 

The muscular young man blinked in surprise at how this slender, unremarkable Ji Wuye could rebuff him so easily.

 

"I'm sorry, Junior Brother. With your build, I couldn't see you there." The tall disciple cupped his hands apologetically before sidestepping Ji Wuye to join the fawning crowd.

 

Only then did Ji Wuye slowly turn to witness the gathered male disciples encircling a young lady like moths to a flame.

 

Her inky black tresses flowed like liquid silk, framing a porcelain visage. Deep crimson eyes, mirrors of his own, flitted about in slight panic at the raptured audience.

 

'Mu Lan Rou...' Ji Wuye muttered inwardly, a furrow creasing his brow. The timeline warped yet again - in his previous life, she never appeared at this second assessment nor acknowledged him so directly.

 

A nostalgic pang twisted his chest as those softly spoken words from her lips stirred distant memories. Yet the feeling soon dissipated as he watched Mu Lan Rou's flustered demeanor morph into one of icy poise, a cold beauty once more.

 

But Ji Wuye had already departed the Central Courtyard, ascending the broad stone stairs where an Elder waved him over from his vantage point.

 

...

 

"So, Little Brother, what is your answer?" From the elevated position beside the stairs, the Elder overseeing the assessment called out to the handsome young man at his side.

 

Unlike the first test when the supervising elders were seated under a canopy on the stair landing, this time their observation point had shifted.

 

A series of plush chairs and a sheltered alcove were nestled amid the gnarled branches of a towering plum tree, granting an unobstructed view of the vast, open courtyard repurposed as the trial grounds.

 

And the young man addressed was none other than Ji Wuye himself, sitting as he surveyed the remaining disciples with only 10 minutes left on the first examination.

 

"Elder Qiao, please stop joking. You know our ag-" But before Ji Wuye could finish, a fragrant cloud of blossoms wafted across his face, the heady floral scent assaulting his senses.

 

"Age is irrelevant; our feelings are like siblings," The Elder chuckled, a melodious lilt like that of a bashful young maiden. Ji Wuye's nostrils flared at the overwhelming perfume enveloping him.

 

"But yes, you are right. It's quite sad, but this norm prevents our forbidden relationship." Elder Qiao's lips curved into a teasing smirk as she spoke, ruby eyes glinting mischievously as she stole a sidelong glance at Ji Wuye, gauging his reaction.

 

But to her disappointment, the young man remained utterly impassive, meeting her gaze with a polite, tight-lipped smile that never reached his narrowed eyes.

 

"I'm honored to receive such praise, Elder." As Ji Wuye moved to cup his hands in a respectful bow, Elder Qiao swiftly reached out - one hand pressing firmly against his shoulder while the other grasped his chin, forcing his head up.

 

He found himself helplessly drinking in every detail of her face, from the full, sensuous lips to the thick fringe of dark lashes framing kohl-rimmed eyes.

 

Her azure robes, embroidered with dark yellow stripes, billowed around her voluptuous figure despite their elegant tailoring.

 

Locks of silver hair spilled over one shoulder, framing her features in an alluring display. Compared to the untried beauty of Lian Rougan, Elder Qiao exuded the intoxicating sensuality of a mature bloom.

 

"Don't call me Elder. I feel like I'm as old as those geezers. Just call me Big Sister Qiao," she purred, giving his shoulder a playful shove before turning her attention back to the Central Courtyard below.

 

"Anyway, what do you think of this assessment?" She abruptly changed the subject as if her previous coquettish words were mere passing breezes.

 

Ji Wuye exhaled slowly, struggling to regain his composure as his heart thundered. 'I can't discern her intentions...' That fleeting physical contact, the way she boldly seized control, had sent his pulse racing despite himself.

 

It was true this was his second life, his soul reborn into a youthful body. But after the maturity of his previous existence, Ji Wuye found his tastes and sensibilities far exceeded those of the typical seventeen-year-old boy.

 

Yet he could not shake the sense that Elder Qiao was no mere flirtatious woman to be underestimated. 'Is this some test?'

 

Each suggestive word and action seemed layered with hidden meaning. As for her words of affection - they either harbored deeper significance or were simply playful taunts.

 

If romantic interest was her true aim, surely she would have pursued him in his past life. The fact that she had not spoke volumes.

 

"Inside the gate and outside the gate, each has its own perspective. Which answer do you prefer?" Ji Wuye replied evenly, holding Elder Qiao's bold stare without flinching.

 

Elder Qiao blinked, clearly taken aback, before her sultry smirk returned full force.

 

With those enigmatic words, Ji Wuye had two aims - to probe Elder Qiao's true motives for this intimate encounter, and to challenge whether she sought only a superficial response or a deeper truth.

 

"How utterly interesting..." Her smile widened as she brought a long-stemmed pipe to her lips, exhaling a fragrant cloud. "Seeking to know the roots truly piques one's curiosity."

 

"Yes," Ji Wuye readily admitted. "Knowing the roots and depths, then one can perceive the hidden karmic ties."

 

He paused, gaze drifting to the distant horizon as a weight of memories flickered briefly across his features. When he returned his attention to Elder Qiao, his eyes burned with quiet intensity.

 

"Pardon me, Elder Qiao, but your words, like drinking water against the flow, haunt my soul and linger in my dreams."

 

Just after Ji Wuye's cryptic response, Elder Qiao abruptly rose to her feet. "Enough," she called out, her tone smooth like silk compared to Elder Tan's gruff bark.

 

Yet despite knowing her words were directed at the disciples below, Ji Wuye couldn't shake the feeling it was also an answer aimed squarely at him.

 

As if compelled by her melodic voice alone, the murmuring disciples who moments before were abuzz over Mu Lan Rou's appearance fell eerily silent one by one.

 

"The first test is complete. Now let's begin the second test." Elder Qiao continued, unfazed. At her words, the Inner Disciple attendant standing rigidly between them sprang into action, striding forward to descend the stairs into the courtyard.

 

Elder Qiao smoothly resettled herself, amusement fading from her expression as she pinned Ji Wuye with an inscrutable look.

 

"Little Brother, you know the saying, 'The more knowledge one has, the more worries and troubles one has.'"

 

She let the words hang heavily between them before shrugging dismissively and redirecting her full attention to the central grounds below, as if his profound answer meant nothing at all.

 

A/N:

• "Age is irrelevant; our feelings are like siblings": Using the sibling analogy to downplay the age gap

• "Inside the gate and outside the gate, each has its own perspective": One's viewpoint or understanding can differ greatly depending on their position or circumstances.

• "Seeking to know the roots truly piques one's curiosity": Acknowledges Ji Wuye's desire to understand his background and origins, while expressing Elder Qiao's intrigue and interest.

• "Knowing the roots and depths, then one can perceive the hidden karmic ties": By understanding one's origins and background, one can uncover the underlying connections, debts, and schemes that may have been concealed.