Chapter 98: Inhibition

Kong Hou heard something this absurd for the first time. She looked at Huan Zhong and then at the female cultivator of Joyful Sect, her head ringing. There seemed to be someone banging a drum and cymbals by her ear. Her mind was in disarray.

The female cultivator saw that Kong Hou did not speak and thought the other was still offended by her words. She said, "This path friend and Miss are a match made in heaven; this one saw incorrectly."

She had not noticed previously but now found this young girl, although young, had cultivation equal to hers. A cultivator with such talent would not be a disciple of a minor sect.

Even the best-looking man was not worthy enough for her to offend a disciple of a major sect.

Kong Hou waved her hand. She feared if she listened to the other's unreliable words like this, she would really blush in front of everyone.

She turned to look at Huan Zhong, and then at her hand pulling at his sleeve. Her fingers slowly, slowly let go…

Noticing her movement, Huan Zhong's eyes dimmed slightly.

In the next moment, Kong Hou grabbed his sleeve again.

"Huan Zhong, let's go." Kong Hou's face was flushed, full of the innocence and liveliness of a young girl.

Whatever others saw was their own matter. She was very happy being with Huan Zhong. She was comfortable with their way of interacting. If she changed because of another's words, then she would be slighting herself.

Master said life was a long process of cultivation. If one slighted oneself and the people around them due to the gazes of other people, then there was no meaning in immortality.

The female cultivator heard the words "Huan Zhong" and her brows moved slightly. Supposedly, Spirit Master Huan Zhong of Radiance Sect and Celestial Kong Hou of Splendid Cloud Sect were travelling together and had helped many people.

Spirit Master Huan Zhong was a member of Radiance Sect, but no one had heard of him before and no outsider had seen his appearance. But this man in front of her was truly too perfect, so she did not hesitate to decide he was Spirit Master Huan Zhong of Radiance Sect.

 So Spirit Master Huan Zhong and Celestial Kong Hou had such feelings between them. Thinking about how so many people had gossiped about Splendid Cloud Sect and Radiance Sect, she felt embarrassed. Secretly discussing rumors was called joining in the fun. But when facing the people concerned, talking about the others' sect was finding trouble for oneself.

Fortunately, these two were open-minded and had not erupted on hearing this. But someone had talked about some rumors that displeased Spirit Master Huan Zhong.

"Are you Spirit Master Huan Zhong and Celestial Kong Hou?"

"No, you have the wrong person." Kong Hou did not want to cause trouble, shook her head and said, "We are just passing by."

The female cultivator: "…"

"Ha." Someone from the crowd downstairs laughed. "You see a good-looking person and think that they are disciples from a major sect. Do the major sects accept disciples based on appearance?"

The female cultivator thought, who was so daring they saw this young master attack and still dared to speak?

She looked back and saw four people walk in the door. They wore similar robes embroidered with phoenix patterns. She immediately did not dare to talk. In all of the cultivation world, there was no other sect than Nine Phoenix Sect who would embroider phoenix patterns on the robes of their disciples.

Nine Phoenix Sect was powerful, equal to Clear Dawn Sect. Their disciples were proud and thought highly of their sect's reputation. People dared to discuss Splendid Cloud Sect and gossip but not Nine Phoenix Sect.

In the past, someone said something bad about Nine Phoenix Sect, and was chased by a Nine Phoenix Sect disciple across several cities. The disciple only let up after delivering a serious beatdown. Even more terrifying was that the members of this sect had other bad habits. They took great care in their speech and conduct and accepted the duty of protecting the glory of the ten major sects.

It was normal to like protecting the glory of oneself. But what relationship did the other nine sects have with them that they didn't allow others to gossip about?

 "Spirit Master Huan Zhong is an honored disciple of Radiance Sect, Celestial Kong Hou is a genius disciple of Splendid Cloud Sect—how could they be so mushy and in love?" The four Nine Phoenix Sect disciples sat down at an empty table. The disciple who spoke was the youngest of the four. The woman who led the way had a slender waist and long arms. Her expression was cold, as though she was not interested in anything.

 She did not wear a beautiful dress and have a refined hairstyle like most of the female cultivators. Her clothing was clean and her hair held up by a jade coronet. From her appearance, she looked like a male cultivator. However, her features were beautiful and anyone with eyes would not mistake her gender because of her attire.

Hearing the words "mushy and in love," she looked up to glance at Kong Hou and Huan Zhong before turning her gaze away. How could a sword cultivator of Radiance Sect appear so close with a female cultivator of Splendid Cloud Sect in front of others?

These two were most likely extremely vain cultivators. However, these two had not done any great crimes. She had no need to embarrass them.

Kong Hou would definitely have been stunned meeting a beautiful and handsome woman like this in the past. But today, she was shocked by the female cultivator's words. She was thinking of Huan Zhong, the great beauty, and had no attention for other beauties.

"Transcendents, Celestials, you have to help me." The cultivator whose teeth had been knocked loose covered his mouth and said, "These two, because their cultivation is higher than mine, attacked me after a disagreement…"

"Please stay further away from me." The beautiful and handsome Nine Phoenix Sect female cultivator put a hand on her teacup and used her calm expression to show her indifference.

 The male cultivator flushed at the other's disdainful attitude. A moment later, he said, "I heard long ago that Nine Phoenix Sect does not accept injustice in the cultivation world. Celestial, please help me."

The Nine Phoenix Sect cultivator glanced at the male cultivator and then at Kong Hou who was standing on the staircase. While she disliked the two pretending to be disciples of major sects, the two had open features and higher cultivation than this man. If they really wanted to do something, would he still be able to speak right now?

"If you had a verbal dispute, you can go to the local government." The Nine Phoenix Sect female cultivator moved her gaze away. "While Nine Phoenix Sect will not accept injustice, what do you have to do with injustice?"

Someone couldn't help but laugh. The Nine Phoenix Sect female cultivator glanced at the person and the other immediately stopped laughing.

The large hall immediately quieted, filled with invisible awkwardness.

"Shijie, I wonder if Spirit Master Zhong Xi will appear this time at Path Friend Cheng Yi's Mind Manifestation ceremony?" The shidi asked Ling Yue in a small voice. "Spirit Master Zhong Xi has not appeared for many years. Has he reached the limit of Mind Dividing Stage and is preparing to reach for Transcendental stage?"

Hearing the words "Zhong Xi," Ling Yue frowned. When she joined Nine Phoenix Sect in the past, she heard someone in the sect mention someone called Zhong Xi who had reached Base Building a few years after joining the sect. After that, she frequently heard news about Spirit Master Zhong Xi.

This disciple of another sect was either undergoing core manifestation or killing evil demons, or he found a secret realm. It seemed that he accomplished all the glorious things in the world. She thought that the news that Zhong Xi had reached Transcendental Stage would come in these last two years, but Zhong Xi seemed to disappear and no news spread again. But Clear Dawn Sect's Ling Bo and Splendid Cloud Sect's Kong Hou rose up.

Nine Phoenix Sect and Clear Dawn Sect did not have a good relationship. Nine Phoenix Sect produced a genius sword cultivator Ling Yue, they produced a pentad spirit base genius Ling Bo. It all appeared a coincidence, but Nine Phoenix Sect felt they were being targeted.

"No." Ling Yue shook her head. Seeing the couple on the stairs leave hand in hand, she detected she was paying too much attention to them and moved her attention back. "Zhong Xi is a cold person and does not care about worldly matters. He is an emotionless sword. How would a sword appear for other people's Mind Manifestation ceremony?"

"Oh." The shidi was slightly disappointed. He wanted to see what the legendary Spirit Master Zhong Xi looked like.

People said that Spirit Master Zhong Xi was ugly but he doubted this. The standard of a genius was powerful cultivation and a good appearance

 Kong Hou and Huan Zhong went upstairs. Huan Zhong saw Kong Hou remain silent and spoke. "Kong Hou, the words just now…"

"Do not mind those words," Kong Hou said. "It is not profitable if their words affect our relationship."

Huan Zhong: "…"

His worry and nervousness all turned into speechlessness.

Seeing Huan Zhong silent, Kong Hou shook his sleeve. "Well, while we are treated by them like lovers, you may be the one losing, but you aren't a person that cares about this, right?"

Huan Zhong was omnipotent, powerful, outstandingly good-looking, considerate and gentle. She was the one that benefited greatly if others mistook them as lovers.

"I do not care." Huan Zhong stilled for a moment and his lips curved. "Even if all the people in the world misunderstand, as long as Kong Hou does not mind, I will not mind."

Looking at Huan Zhong's smile, Kong Hou felt she was floating like she had just gotten a great bargain.

Returning to her room, Kong Hou patted her heated face and turned a few circles inside the room.

Was Huan Zhong's face good-looking? Good-looking.

Was Huan Zhong's cultivation high? Unfathomable.

Was Huan Zhong's personality good? So good.

Huan Zhong had long legs, an elegant aura, countless talismans and spirit stones, came from a famed sect, and was a handsome sword cultivator and spirit master. She feared she could not pick many young male cultivators better than Huan Zhong in the entire cultivation world.

So if such a good male cultivator was mistaken as her lover, did he not lose too much?

Kong Hou sat down on a chair, her hands covering her face. She stamped her foot. She had not thought she would be such a vulgar woman that she started to think what it would be like if she and Huan Zhong became a couple.

Aah.

Huan Zhong thought of her as a friend, but she lusted after his beauty. This kind of thinking was very low and shameless.

 "Master…" Lin Hu followed Huan Zhong back into the room and said worriedly, "Keep your thoughts in check. I fear you are able to go onto Splendid Cloud Mountain but cannot come back down."

Huan Zhong looked silently at him, the corners of his lips tense.

"Miss Kong Hou is only seventeen; she does not understand romantic feelings." Lin Hu urged, "How about we go slowly?"

"We?" Huan Zhong frowned.

"I mean, you go slowly, and I will help you," Lin Hu immediately corrected.

Knocking sounds. Lin Hu turned to open the door.

 Kong Hou held a pile of things as she stood outside the door and smiled up at him. "Elder Lin, is Huan Zhong here?"