Everyone Says I’m Cold and Aloof, But I Just Have Social Anxiety! - Chapter 25

After a moment, he spoke slowly, his voice gentle: “This is the Wind Spirit Fan. When I first touched the path of cultivation, my mother gave it to me. She said this fan is my natal object and should hold extraordinary significance for me.”

“Later, I learned it is linked to my heart—it is my Natal Dharma Treasure. It grows stronger alongside my cultivation and strength. I find it quite handy to use.”

After speaking, he smiled and handed the folding fan to Gu Qingzhi, indicating that if he was curious, he could take it and examine it closely.

To speak so casually of such a precious Natal Dharma Treasure…

“Since it is your Natal Dharma Treasure, are you not afraid I might harbor other intentions?”

Gu Qingzhi tentatively reached out to take the fan, turning it over lightly to inspect it, yet he felt nothing unusual.

A faint, sly smile appeared on Yan Luochen’s face. He couldn’t help but arch an eyebrow, his lips curving into a slightly ambiguous smirk. His words carried a hint of teasing and playfulness: “A Natal Dharma Treasure only functions for its owner. If Senior Brother likes it, feel free to use it to fan yourself. It’s just that, from now on, Junior Brother will have to rely on Senior Brother for protection. What does Senior Brother think?”

Hearing this, Gu Qingzhi was slightly shocked by the other’s generosity and rendered speechless by his final words. “Not much. Your Natal Dharma Treasure is useless to me; keep it for yourself.”

He handed the fan back to Yan Luochen and added a solemn reminder: “In the future, do not easily mention this to others, lest it cause unnecessary trouble!”

One must know that one may know a person’s face but not their heart; the human heart is a formidable thing.

Yan Luochen took back the fan, fanned himself a few times, and said with a grin: “I understand, Senior Brother. I was just joking with you. Don’t worry, I won’t mention it to anyone else.”

Just then, a timid voice drifted over from outside the courtyard gate.

“Senior Brother Gu, Senior Brother Yan, are you there?”

The voice was tiny and carried a hint of trepidation.

Hearing this, Gu Qingzhi frowned slightly and said in a heavy voice: “Come in.”

The courtyard gate was pushed open with a soft “creak.” A disciple dressed in blue and white poked his head in cautiously, casting a quick glance around the yard before slowly walking inside.

Seeing this, Yan Luochen was filled with confusion and asked: “What brings this Junior Brother here?”

The disciple looked constrained and said respectfully: “Senior Brother Gu, Senior Brother Yan, the Sect Leader sent me to inform you that there is an important trial tomorrow. All disciples above the Golden Core stage and below the Nascent Soul stage must participate.”

Yan Luochen looked bewildered and turned to Gu Qingzhi. Seeing no sign of him speaking, Yan Luochen waved a hand dismissively. “Understood. You may go.”

The disciple wanted to look more at the faces of the two Senior Brothers but was afraid of offending them. He hurriedly replied “Yes,” then retreated from the courtyard, closing the gate softly as if afraid of making even the slightest noise.

Only then did Yan Luochen ask about his doubts: “Senior Brother, this trial… what is it for?”

Gu Qingzhi’s expression was as flat as water. “I have never participated, so I do not know.”

Yan Luochen froze for a moment, muttering to himself: “That’s strange. I wonder what kind of trial it is that requires everyone from Golden Core up to Nascent Soul to attend.”

Gu Qingzhi remained silent for a moment, not coming up with any particular conclusion. “We will know tomorrow when we get there. There’s no need to speculate here.”

Yan Luochen nodded. “I suppose that’s all we can do. Senior Brother, shall we continue practicing today?”

Gu Qingzhi looked at the sky. “I’m weary.”

He then walked to the stone table, sat down, poured a cup of water, and drank it in one gulp.

The next day, Sect Leader Gu Yuan sat at the head of the Great Hall with a solemn expression. Beside him sat the three Peak Masters: He Lan Ci, Xuan Ling, and Su Bai Zhi. Their gazes collectively fell upon the many disciples gathered in the center of the hall below.

These disciples ranged from early to late Golden Core stage. At the front of the crowd, Gu Qingzhi stood tall with an indifferent expression, like a proud green pine. He seemed as though he would never look others directly in the eye. That was not due to arrogance, but rather his inner social anxiety—he felt unable to look people he wasn’t familiar with in the eye composedly.

Behind him was Yan Luochen, who had only recently joined the Sect Leader’s lineage. When he first arrived, his cultivation was unknown, yet now he was a Golden Core cultivator. Aside from a few people who knew the reason beforehand, everyone was shocked by this change.

Jian Han, as the Eldest Brother, stood at the front of the line with a late Golden Core cultivation. He tilted his head past the mid-stage Golden Core line to look at Yan Luochen, who stood second in the early-stage line, directly behind Gu Qingzhi. His gaze was meaningful, his thoughts churning: What exactly is this kid’s background? Why can he raise his cultivation so quickly?

At this time, a disciple at the front of the mid-stage line couldn’t help but ask Jian Han: “Brother Jian, what is the situation with Yan Luochen?”

Jian Han’s face was dark as he said coldly: “I don’t know.”

However, the person behind Jian Han said: “Youchuan, don’t you know? Actually, before Junior Brother Yan joined the Sect Leader’s lineage, he was already at the early Golden Core stage. He only lost his strength for some reason and has now simply recovered.”

Youchuan asked curiously: “Xu Xingye, how do you know?”

Xu Xingye replied: “Junior Sister Chuyi told me. He once went to Medicinal Bamboo Peak to find Martial Aunt Bai Zhi; he must have recovered his strength after that.”

Listening to their talk, Jian Han’s fingers unconsciously clenched into fists, his heart full of jealousy and resentment: Why can this Yan Luochen return to the Golden Core stage so easily, while I, despite being at the late stage and working hard for years, still find it difficult to break through?

Gu Yuan gave a light cough, and the slight sound instantly silenced the entire hall. He spoke slowly: “This trial serves two purposes. First, it is for you to see the gaps between yourselves and be mutually motivated. Second, it is to select six people to represent the sect in the Immortal Sect Assembly in two years.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the disciples began to whisper among themselves.

“Why is this decennial Immortal Sect Assembly restricted to the Golden Core stage this time?”

“Exactly! And if someone is at the late Golden Core stage, they might break through to Nascent Soul in these two years.”

“If someone among the six selected breaks through to Nascent Soul, they definitely won’t be allowed to participate anymore.”

“Alright, silence.”

Gu Yuan frowned slightly. Afterward, he instructed everyone to head to the Void Spirit Valley, adding: “Furthermore, change the setting of the small pocket-worlds in Void Spirit Valley from single-person to two-person.”

Once outside the Void Spirit Valley, He Lan Ci spoke up: “In pairs, you will spar within the pocket-worlds. Do your best, but stop once the point is made. In the early stages, opponents will be of the same realm early stage against early stage. No jumping ranks. Late-stage arrangements will be made later based on the situation.”

Previously, many were worried about encountering someone of a higher rank and being easily defeated; hearing this arrangement, they breathed a sigh of relief, which gave many a boost in confidence.

He Lan Ci spoke again: “Beginning now, enter the Void Spirit Valley in pairs to spar.”

Yan Luochen took a step forward and whispered to Gu Qingzhi: “Senior Brother, let’s separate. I don’t want to fight you. If I lose, I won’t be able to go with you.”

Gu Qingzhi also felt that if he didn’t have Yan Luochen by his side to act as his “mouthpiece,” his days would probably be very difficult. He nodded in agreement.

The disciples entered the valley in orderly pairs. When only the last two inner disciples remained, it was a man and a woman. The young girl standing behind Su Bai Zhi suddenly shouted: “Good luck, Big Sister!”

Before entering the Void Spirit Valley, that female disciple turned back and smiled at the girl. Her smile was exceptionally bright, radiating a carefree and uninhibited air that gave off a valiant and formidable impression.