C2 I Am a Silly Woman

Ye Rong shook his head, dismissing the whimsical thought that had arisen spontaneously. It was an impression that had emerged from his body, unrelated to his own will.

In the world of cultivation, there were countless saintesses, each radiant and breathtakingly beautiful.

Those were the true fairies. In comparison, this girl's presence paled significantly. But, of course, she was just an ordinary person, not having undergone the transformative process of cultivation, so her difference was understandable.

Why had she called out for him to stop? Was she one of those noble disciples who enjoyed playing the hero, or did she harbor some intentions toward him?

Ye Rong mulled over the situation. In the cultivation world, it was rare for someone to get involved in the disputes of others, as it often led to trouble.

"This is a school. How can you just stand by and bully your own classmate?" the girl demanded, fixing her gaze on the one person not dressed in black.

He looked at her and shrugged with a smile. "I'm not the one hitting him. Besides, they're not from this school; they're not my classmates."

"So you're okay with letting your classmate be bullied?"

"What else should I do? Step in and help him?" The boy chuckled. Ye Rong felt the urge to laugh too. These guys were clearly in cahoots. Would he really help him? The idea was ludicrous. This girl's intelligence must match that of those noble disciples who fancied themselves as chivalrous.

"Classmates should naturally help each other," the girl stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"I can't beat them," the boy said, gesturing toward the men in black. "They're big and strong. I'm scared."

Laughter erupted once again.

"If you can't beat them, I'll help our classmate!" The woman stepped forward, positioning herself in front of Ye Rong, shielding him from the group in black. The laughter ceased, and even Ye Rong was no longer amused.

Despite his cultivation being utterly diminished, Ye Rong sensed he could still perceive the inner workings of some lower-level cultivators' bodies, now even more clearly than before. Perhaps the error during the Communicating with Deity process had not obliterated his spirit. Instead, it retained its formidable essence, possibly undergoing some mysterious changes unbeknownst to others.

He had never encountered such a situation in ancient texts, indicating that anything could happen and it was certainly worth documenting.

Ye Rong's spirit probed the woman's body but failed to detect any trace of cultivation. There was even a noticeable deficiency in blood energy, a clear sign of physical weakness. However, her figure was truly exquisite. Standing close, Ye Rong could outline her form from the patterns of blood energy within her, revealing her curvaceous and graceful silhouette.

Suddenly, Ye Rong's vision blurred, prompting him to hastily withdraw his wandering thoughts. He was already feeling a loss of blood energy, with it surging both upward and downward. Fortunately, his nosebleed from the earlier beating concealed any additional signs of distress. In the shadowy corner, any unusual bulges went unnoticed.

Despite not being on par with the saintesses, this woman's presence was unsettlingly captivating. Why couldn't he keep this body's reactions in check? It even stirred a slight excitement within him. Ye Rong shook his head, reminding himself that now was not the time for such thoughts. Instead, he pondered the audacity of her frail body. Even if her intelligence was lacking, it seemed excessively so.

"Chen Ling! Don't overstep your bounds! I let it slide when you publicly rejected my confession this afternoon, sparing you any further embarrassment. And now you want to meddle in my affairs tonight? Do you really think I, Han Xiaotian, am someone you can trifle with? If you don't step aside, I'll deal with you too. Forget the rest, let's go out, have a nice dinner, and talk about our future and dreams. Diaton University closes early, so there's no rush to return until tomorrow."

So his name was Han Xiaotian. Ye Rong committed the name to memory. The name Chen Ling also rang a bell, causing his heart to skip a beat just hearing it.

It seemed that the original owner of this body was acquainted with this girl and even harbored a fondness for her. Ye Rong surmised this in silence.

"I'm the class monitor! It's my duty to intervene when incidents like this occur! The campus is a sacred place for learning, not for bullying fellow students. And judging by his condition, haven't you bullied him enough?" Chen Ling stood her ground, confronting him without flinching.

"Humph, class monitor," Han Xiaotian scoffed with a smirk. "Are you really unaware of how you got this position? If it weren't for that timid advisor, Tan Jiangqiu, who neither of us dares to cross, choosing you as a compromise, do you think you'd be class monitor? And even if you are, what does it matter? I'm disciplining someone, and you think you, as class monitor, can stop me?"

Han Xiaotian gestured with his hand, prompting several burly men in black to advance once more.

"Even though I can't stop you, if I raise the alarm here, you won't have an easy time. You're aware of Diaton University's influence. You might feel at home here, but there are people who can handle you."

Han Xiaotian's frown betrayed his concern. The man in black, noticing his boss's hesitation, also slowed down, finding it difficult to act against this woman.

With a "whoosh," a black object traced a parabola through the air and struck Han Xiaotian squarely in the face.

"Run!" Seizing the moment of distraction, Ye Rong grabbed Chen Ling and bolted.

He sprinted with such speed that Chen Ling struggled to keep up. Without hesitation, Ye Rong scooped her up by the waist, and she was practically airborne, the scenery of lights and shadows whizzing by as if she were on a motorcycle racing through the night, everything else forgotten.

When they finally slowed to a stop, they were beside a river, shimmering under the moonlight, near a large tree and some blades of grass, with a gentle breeze stirring the water's surface.

Regaining her composure, Chen Ling realized they were in Sunhaven Park, not far from the university. Despite the proximity to Diaton University, the park was still several kilometers away—had they really arrived so quickly?

Chen Ling looked at Ye Rong, taming her windblown hair, her eyes flickering with bewilderment. But just as quickly, she shook off the confusion, fixed Ye Rong with an angry stare, and demanded, “Ye Rong! What are you doing?! Do you realize the gravity of your mistake?!”

Ye Rong, who had been trying to settle his surging adrenaline, stood up straight and seized Chen Ling's hand, his eyes wide with shock as he blurted out, “What did you just call me?”

The night's events had been a surreal experience for Ye Rong. He was only just coming to terms with the possibility of having undergone a soul displacement or possession when the mention of the name “Ye Rong” nearly yanked his thoughts back into a world of mystical cultivation.

As soon as he grasped Chen Ling's hand, Ye Rong recognized his mistake. The name "Ye Rong" sprang to mind, triggering a reaction in his body. It was an instinctive response, indicating that the body's original owner was named Ye Rong too, not him.

Perhaps the soul's demise was one aspect, and sharing the name Ye Rong was another reason he had ended up in this body.

Realizing Chen Ling's gaze was filled with panic and a hint of revulsion, Ye Rong quickly withdrew his hand. "I apologize, I was out of line," he said.

He leaned back against the tree, easing himself down. The body he inhabited had sustained serious injuries. His swift escape had been driven by his soul's forceful control over the body. Now, as he rested, a wave of blood, discomfort, and weakness overwhelmed him. He needed time to heal.

Chen Ling was on the verge of anger, but seeing the boy apologize and sit beneath the tree, no longer even glancing her way, she couldn't bring herself to lash out. Instead, she let out a sigh and spoke, "Do you realize what you've done today? You hit Han Xiaotian with a stone! His parents are from the prestigious Han family in Ineron. Even though you haven't been in class long, you must be aware of his reputation. You had the chance to escape, so why go out of your way to provoke him? By throwing that stone, you've truly made an enemy of him!"

"Am I only supposed to take a beating and not fight back?" Ye Rong responded calmly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, leaving Chen Ling momentarily taken aback. Her expression wavered, but eventually, she exhaled deeply. "You're old enough to know better. I'm not the one to lecture you. I helped you this time out of my duty as class president, but I can't promise to always fulfill that role. You're on your own from here."

With those final words, Chen Ling took a deep breath, gazing at the shimmering river, then stretched and walked away.

Ten meters on, she paused and turned back as if she had more to say, but ultimately, she remained silent.

"If possible, I should really take a few more deep breaths here. It's beneficial," Ye Rong remarked, just as she turned her head. Without waiting for Chen Ling's reaction, he closed his eyes.

It wasn't until Chen Ling had walked a considerable distance away that he reopened his eyes and glanced in the direction she had gone.

In the cultivation world, one's life could be at stake at any moment. Ye Rong, who had climbed his way up step by step, was well aware that things that seemed logical could be utterly illogical. Under normal circumstances, had someone come to his rescue, he would have graciously accepted defeat and not thrown that stone.

The reason he threw the stone was twofold: firstly, out of frustration that the Communicating with Deity had gone awry and he had been humiliated by a mere mortal. Secondly, it was to redirect Han Xiaotian's animosity from Chen Ling onto himself.

Chapter 32 - The Truth of the World of Cultivation