At this pace, Lu Li even felt that she definitely wouldn’t lose this month’s Grand Tournament.
What was originally an insurmountable chasm for ordinary cultivators was nothing but a smooth path for her.
“Stop cultivating. Time to wash up properly,” Lu Li said as she stood up, closed the book, and placed it on the bookshelf.
But where to go to wash up left Lu Li torn.
As a sect, the Yin Yang Sect naturally had a hot spring with running water to supply the disciples for washing their hair and grooming.
Just a few days ago, Lu Li had still been a man, so she never went to such places. She had a wooden tub in her room; she could just step into it and wash up simply.
But the hot water in the wooden tub also came from the hot spring.
The previous few days, Senior Sister Qing Luo had gone to draw water from the hot spring, and then Lu Li carried the tub back to their shared residence.
“Go to the hot spring now… but I don’t have a change of clothes.” Moreover, Lu Li had no idea how the female disciples bathed themselves.
Her usual bathing was simple: one tub for herself, one tub for washing clothes. After all, with True Yuan in her body, she wouldn’t catch a cold under normal circumstances.
She only needed to hang the clothes outside after washing; they would dry overnight, and she could wear them the next day.
But now?
Although it should be roughly similar, there were always differences in the details.
“Ah… even just washing up is this troublesome.” Lu Li let out a long sigh. After thinking it over, she decided not to wake Qing Luo, who was sound asleep in the room. Instead, she quietly slipped out of the Small Courtyard and headed toward the hot spring.
At nightfall, the young women of the Yin Yang Sect also walked out together, because there was nothing more pleasant after a day of cultivation than soaking in the warm hot spring, washing away the grime from their bodies, and feeling the warm embrace.
This path was already familiar to Lu Li.
‘The only advantage of turning into a woman… is probably that no senior or junior sisters come to ask if I want to dual cultivate.’ Just as Lu Li was thinking this, several women walked toward her. They were about to speak, but after a sweep of Divine Sense, they immediately bowed and greeted her.
“Greetings, Senior Sister!”
“…Uh… no need to be so polite.” Lu Li swept her Divine Sense and realized they were only at Qi Refining layers five or six.
“We sisters have never seen Senior Sister in the sect before. Have you been in seclusion for a long time?” the leading young woman in blue asked. “Recently, we’ve come up with a multi-person cultivation technique. Would Senior Sister be interested?”
“Well… um… I don’t have such thoughts for now.” Lu Li held back from criticizing the multi-person cultivation thing and could only give a restrained smile.
Unexpectedly, that smile caused the gathered young women to let out low screams.
“Senior Sister, even if it’s not cultivation, we can still do some happy and comfortable things,” a few of the Bliss Sect disciples pleaded with lowered brows. “Senior Sister has been cultivating hard for many years; you must not have had much fun.”
“Uh…” While Lu Li was processing this disciple’s words and thinking, a familiar figure walked past from the side.
“If someone is unwilling, repeatedly inviting them will only make them more annoyed.” Jiang Yuebai glanced at them and spoke. “Also, have you noticed you’re blocking the way?”
“Yes… Senior Sister Jiang.” The young woman in blue bowed in apology and immediately ran forward a few steps, but after they were far away, laughter came from among them.
“Thank you, Senior Sister Jiang.” Lu Li gave a slight bow. “That was a big help.”
“It’s only right. The Yin Yang Sect is all women; without men present, it’s actually more open than the mundane world.” Jiang Yuebai looked at Lu Li. “But Junior Sister, I’ve been in the Yin Yang Sect for ten years, yet I’ve never seen you…”
“We met this morning, Senior Sister Jiang.”
“This morning… This morning?!” Jiang Yuebai squinted, thought for a moment, then couldn’t help but open her mouth wide, her gaze wandering over Lu Li’s face and body again and again. “You’re Lu Li?!”
“Yes…” At this, a hint of bitterness appeared on Jiang Yuebai’s face. After glancing at Lu Li a few more times, she let out a wry laugh.
“What’s wrong, Senior Sister Jiang?”
“Let’s talk on the way, Junior Sister Lu?” Jiang Yuebai raised an eyebrow. “Can you get used to that form of address?”
“…Not really.” Lu Li got goosebumps upon hearing that form of address.
“You’ll have to get used to it.” Jiang Yuebai pointed at the hot spring in the distance. “How did your cultivation suddenly reach the seventh layer?”
“Master originally wanted me to test my Spiritual Root and had me circulate the technique,” Lu Li said. “And I unexpectedly discovered…”
“I see, your cultivation speed is very fast, right?” Jiang Yuebai nodded. “It was the same for me when I first joined. I insisted on cultivating in a male form, but made no progress for a long time. After giving up and turning into a woman, my cultivation skyrocketed.”
“A heartbreaking choice.”
“The most heartbreaking thing is that after being a woman for a long time, I fear even the heart changes to that of a woman.” Jiang Yuebai let out a long sigh. “For example, just now, when I saw Junior Sister Lu… Junior Brother Lu, ah, I’d better call you Junior Brother Lu.”
“Thank you, Senior Sister Jiang.”
“When I saw your appearance just now, my first reaction wasn’t shock at your cultivation, but rather a feeling of discontent after seeing your face.”
“Discontent?”
“Yes. Maybe after being in the Yin Yang Sect so long, my body and mind have become no different from the other female disciples.” Jiang Yuebai and Lu Li entered the hot spring together, then split off to different areas from the other female disciples. “Naturally, I know how to adorn myself and how to dress.”
“According to the rules of the Yin Yang Sect, one cannot descend the mountain before Foundation Establishment. But in recent years, it’s become looser—for example, descending to recruit new disciples, or if there’s something at home, you can apply. I descend once every three years. When I return to my hometown, I truly take on a male form, but instead I feel unaccustomed to it.” With a sigh, Jiang Yuebai entered the bathing area and removed her clothes. “And as time goes on, I end up feeling as though I was born a woman.”
“Very… frightening.” Lu Li watched a little shyly as the female disciples nearby started to frolic. After removing their clothes, everyone was as carefree as children, and with the bouncing and jumping, the jiggling made Lu Li unconsciously avert her gaze.
“I hope Junior… Brother Lu doesn’t get used to this.” Jiang Yuebai’s movements were natural, without any awkwardness. “Also, to avoid causing waves… I’ll call you Junior Sister.”
“I suppose so.” Lu Li could feel that every time Jiang Yuebai used a form of address, the others would look at her with peculiar gazes.
“And, Junior Sister Lu, you should be able to get used to this from another angle.”
“What do you mean?” Lu Li was still trying to get used to Jiang Yuebai’s form of address, and slowly removed her own clothes, placing them in the bamboo basket as Jiang Yuebai had done.
“Maybe because I’ve been a woman for so long, I can see the differences in all aspects.” Jiang Yuebai draped a cloth over herself and came into the bathing room. “Junior Sister Lu can take a careful look. These women… they aren’t as good-looking as you.”
“Ah?” Prompted by Jiang Yuebai, Lu Li looked at the women around her who were washing themselves.
With this look, she could indeed see some differences.
If in the past, when she was a man, she would be simply and directly attracted, and then unable to continue looking because of shyness and fear.
But now, she could look openly and freely.
The clear spring bathed their bodies, droplets flowed, but in the midst of their play, these young women’s bodies revealed some scars.
Or some blemishes.
This was normal. Qi Refining cultivators were still human; daily sparring and competition always left marks.
At that moment, the young women were also discussing various ointments and powders, hoping to apply them and repair those spots.
“Junior Sister Lu is different, though.” Jiang Yuebai signaled Lu Li to look down.
“Different?” Lu Li looked down and saw that her own slender branches bore abundant fruit, trembling with every movement.
“Ah…”
Her face burned, her nasal cavity burned hot.
A drop of crimson fell, spreading on her body like a plum blossom in the snow.