chapter 30
Chapter 30
On the day of the school opening, Ye Piaoling carried her apprenticeship name card and took a carriage to the Tianwen Sect.
The Tianwen Sect was located in the bustling area of the Imperial City, occupying a vast expanse, with scenic mountain pavilions and lakeside terraces as beautiful as a royal palace.
After stepping out of the carriage, Ye Piaoling saw that a number of incoming students had already gathered on the open ground outside the sect gate-all kinds of princelings, officials’ children, and rich second-generation heirs.
The young lords and ladies formed small groups. Ye Xiangxiang was among them, standing with two other familiar young ladies from official families.
Even before enrollment, these second-generation elites had already begun forming factions.
Only one figure stood alone, away from the crowd, quietly at the railing.
Dressed in fiery red, with long, jet-black hair cascading like a waterfall, her cold and striking features set her apart from everyone else.
Someone whispered, “That’s Hua Wuhuang, the only princess of a different surname in Dali, a natural Immortal Vein Bearer, and one of the Imperial City’s Three Geniuses!”
Ye Piaoling remembered-the Prime Minister had once mentioned that there was another Immortal Vein Bearer among this year’s new students, the daughter of General Hua…
It was said that Hua Wuhuang was the greatest beauty in Dali. As Ye Piaoling looked at her, she was instantly stunned by her appearance.
Hua Wuhuang was truly exceptional-her beauty wasn’t that of a delicate girl next door, but rather carried the commanding presence of a phoenix in flight.
She stood nearly 1.8 meters tall-one could easily imagine the long legs beneath her skirt; she looked like a model.
Rumor had it that Hua Wuhuang was a legend in the Capital City from the day she was born.
Her father, General Hua, doted on daughters and favored girls over boys, longing for a little princess, but his wife gave birth to six sons in a row…
When the seventh child was due, General Hua had just returned in triumph, earning great merit but suffering serious injuries.
At death’s door, General Hua lay on his sickbed. When he heard his wife was about to give birth, he asked in a trembling voice, “Is it a boy or a girl this time? If it’s another boy, I won’t go on living!”
After those words, he was ready to give up his life.
A subordinate anxiously cried, “General, don’t go! This time it’s a girl, an eldest miss!”
General Hua instantly broke into joyful tears, and thus did not pass away.
Because his wish was finally fulfilled, he was overjoyed, and his wounds recovered more than halfway.
So, from the moment Hua Wuhuang was born, she had saved her father’s life…
Soon after, it was discovered that she possessed the Immortal Vein. The late emperor was delighted, and in recognition of General Hua’s military achievements, he conferred upon Hua Wuhuang the title of princess, granting her royal honors.
From then on, Hua Wuhuang became the envy of all noble ladies in the Capital City, showered with the love of six elder brothers and a father constantly doting on her. As she grew up, she became more beautiful year by year, becoming famously attractive. However, her personality grew increasingly cold and withdrawn, and she kept people at arm’s length.
In matters of marriage, she even drove away several fiancés-some were badly injured…
Gradually, almost no one dared approach her.
This time, after entering the Tianwen Sect, the young ladies from official families also kept their distance.
Her height and looks completely overshadowed the other girls-standing beside her only made others look plain.
Ye Piaoling blinked.
At their first meeting, she found herself with a good impression of Hua Wuhuang.
Although this sister was solitary, she didn’t seem as affected or pretentious as the other noble ladies.
After a moment’s thought, Ye Piaoling walked over to Hua Wuhuang and tugged at her sleeve:
“Sister, hello!”
“…”
Hua Wuhuang looked slightly surprised, her cold gaze landing on Ye Piaoling’s face.
“You are…”
“Ye Piaoling.” Ye Piaoling grinned. “Let’s be friends!”
Hua Wuhuang stared at her for a moment.
Her red lips parted slightly, her face completely expressionless. “I don’t need friends.”
“You will in the future.” Ye Piaoling pointed at the others nearby and said, “Look at those young lords and ladies-after enrollment, they’ll quickly form their own groups, then compete and attack one another. In this kind of environment, it’s not advantageous to be alone. You need a friend, and so do I.”
Hua Wuhuang sneered after hearing this. “If you want to make friends, go find someone else. Why choose me?”
Ye Piaoling said, “Because your surname is Hua and mine is Ye. We’re natural sisters!”
“Oh?” Hua Wuhuang raised an eyebrow.
“Alright, enough about that,” Ye Piaoling grabbed her sleeve. “Come with me to the ladies’ room!”
She’d eaten something cold in the morning, and her stomach was upset…
“What?” Hua Wuhuang’s eye twitched.
“Girls’ friendships can start by going to the ladies’ room together.”
Ye Piaoling said as if it were perfectly natural, “From now on in the Tianwen Sect, whenever I want to go to the ladies’ room, you’ll come with me. When you want to go, I’ll go with you. We’ll go together.”
“…”
Without giving Hua Wuhuang a chance to refuse, Ye Piaoling directly pulled her toward the ladies’ room.
The nearest ladies’ room was behind a lush bamboo grove, with a scholarly vibe and winding paths, thoughtfully divided for men and women.
At the entrance to the bamboo path, Hua Wuhuang stopped.
“You go ahead. I’ll wait here.”
“No way!”
Ye Piaoling said righteously, “You’re my best sister. How can you wait so far away while I’m in the ladies’ room? You have to come in!”
“…”
Ye Piaoling tried to drag Hua Wuhuang into the ladies’ room.
“No!” Hua Wuhuang refused firmly.
She turned away uneasily, a subtle trace of embarrassment flashing across her face. “You go in by yourself.”
Ye Piaoling frowned at her. “Why are you so nervous? It’s not like you’ve never been to the ladies’ room.”
As soon as she said that, she stopped abruptly.
Her gaze fixed on Hua Wuhuang, and suddenly she realized something shocking…
Hua Wuhuang narrowed her eyes at Ye Piaoling, a flash of cold sharpness in her gaze. “What did you say?”
Ye Piaoling stared at her for a moment.
Finally, she spoke, word by word, “Sister, you… you’re not actually a man, are you?”
Hua Wuhuang’s expression instantly darkened.