Chapter 161: Which Sect Do I Belong To? Of Course, It’s the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Sect!

“So, to get inside, you need an invitation, and without one, you can only watch from the outside?” Chen Xiyi looked at the person blocking him, never expecting that an invitation was required to enter.

“No, sir. Only martial artists from the Jianghu can go inside. You don’t know martial arts, so entering might put you at risk of accidental injury,” a disciple of the Myriad Sword Manor at the entrance explained very tactfully.

Although he said Chen Xiyi didn’t know martial arts and might get hurt, the real meaning was that Chen Xiyi wasn’t qualified—but he said it politely to save face.

“Tsk, how do you know I don’t know martial arts? As someone taught by Senior Sister Xiao Xing of the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Sect, I just need to go ‘ding~’ and I can…” Chen Xiyi started boasting without hesitation.

The Myriad Sword Manor disciple awkwardly interrupted Chen Xiyi’s self-praise: “Sir, your posture is slack, your stance is unsteady, your hands are pale and callus-free, and your breathing lacks strength. You clearly have no martial arts skills.”

“Is it that obvious?” Chen Xiyi felt that his punch was quite powerful.

“Yes, sir. Please quickly find a good spot outside to watch. You can see clearly from out here too,” the disciple replied, not showing impatience or sarcasm but patiently pointing out a location for Chen Xiyi.

As a disciple of a renowned sect and someone representing its public image, he had to welcome guests from all directions, so his attitude had to be good.

He couldn’t just lose patience after a few words and use his sect’s authority to pressure others—that would blur the line between the Righteous Path and evil.

Besides, Chen Xiyi was dressed like a scholar and had no martial arts skills, so the disciple assumed he was just a scholar here to broaden his horizons.

“Alright then, I’ll come back after I practice some martial arts,” Chen Xiyi said, then walked straight inside.

“I’ll look forward to your next visit, sir,” the disciple said, completely unaware that Chen Xiyi was heading inside. In his eyes, Chen Xiyi had just walked away on his own.

In situations like this, Illusion Art was incredibly useful.

‘This is beyond the normal rules of this world.’

In a typical martial arts world, someone like Chen Xiyi—a wild card—really stood out.

Chen Xiyi casually found a seat. The venue was already filled with many people, most of whom seemed to be disciples from various sects, judging by their uniforms.

He picked up a piece of fruit from a nearby table and took a bite. The fruit platter was placed there for people to eat, after all.

Besides, no entrance fee was charged, meaning it was free.

While scanning the venue, Chen Xiyi spotted a familiar person chatting and laughing with other martial artists.

“Wow, isn’t that just the owner of a rundown blacksmith shop? How come he’s dressed so elegantly now, looking like a wolf in sheep’s clothing?” Chen Xiyi thought to himself, surprised to see Ye Meng there. He had taken the man’s furnace and never expected to run into him.

He never thought they’d meet here.

“He’s the Second Master of the Myriad Sword Manor, a top-tier Postnatal Warrior. With his heavy sword technique, he once swept through seventeen forts in his prime,” a female voice said beside him.

Chen Xiyi turned to look. It was a woman—not a cross-dresser—wearing white clothes. Her appearance was unremarkable.

“Oh, so if I swindled him once, would he come after me? He looks so full of himself; I’m afraid if he sees me, things might get heated,” Chen Xiyi said worriedly.

“He probably wouldn’t. I just want to ask, are you from the Sünu Sect?” the woman continued.

Chen Xiyi was taken aback. “No, I’m from the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Sect.”

The woman thought for a moment but couldn’t recall which sect that was.

“Then why are you sitting in my seat?” she asked, still unable to place the sect but pressing the issue.

“Wait, isn’t this seat first come, first served? I don’t see your name written here,” Chen Xiyi replied, thinking she was trying to trick him out of his spot.

“My name isn’t on the seat, but it’s on the invitation. Look.” She showed him the invitation.

Chen Xiyi glanced at it, then at his seat, and smiled awkwardly.

“Well, this is a big misunderstanding. Please, take your seat. I’ll find another spot,” Chen Xiyi said, realizing he was in the wrong.

Without hesitation, he moved to the next seat. With so many seats, surely not all of them were taken.

“That seat is also reserved for the Sünu Sect.”

“???” Chen Xiyi had just sat down when she said this.

“Alright, could you point me to a seat that isn’t reserved for some sect? That way, I won’t have to try each one,” Chen Xiyi said, feeling a bit frustrated.

“No need. You can sit here. I’m the only one from the Sünu Sect here. I don’t know how you got in, but don’t wander around,” the woman said with a sigh, seeing right through him.

Especially since Chen Xiyi acted clueless after entering and clearly wasn’t from the Jianghu, with no martial arts skills at all. She figured the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Sect was made up.

“That’s great! Thank you, miss. Since you’re letting me watch the show, even if you’re a white-name NPC, I’ll consider you a friend,” Chen Xiyi said enthusiastically, sitting back down.

Of course, being friends was only for the duration of the event. Once outside, he wouldn’t acknowledge it unless they genuinely became friends.

“How strange,” the woman muttered, shaking her head, thinking Chen Xiyi was talking nonsense.

“By the way, are you sure he won’t attack me? I think he saw me—no, he’s coming over…” Chen Xiyi had just sat down and hadn’t finished his fruit when he noticed Ye Meng approaching.

“Ahem, apologies for the disturbance, Lady Yan. My young friend here has caused you trouble,” Ye Meng said as he arrived, preparing to pull Chen Xiyi away.

“Hey, I only took one furnace from you. No need to kill me over it, right?” Chen Xiyi felt Ye Meng was being overly harsh.

Ye Meng frowned. “I said you could have the furnace. It’s just a furnace, and you’re not from the Sünu Sect. Why are you sitting in their spot? I’ll find you another seat.”

Hearing this, Chen Xiyi reflexively argued, “How do you know I’m not from the Sünu Sect?”

“Of course I know. They only accept female disciples, not males,” Ye Meng replied, realizing that although he didn’t know how Chen Xiyi had moved the furnace, the way he talked showed he wasn’t part of the Jianghu.

“Why does your sect have such a rule? I argued just now, and it backfired because of this?” Chen Xiyi turned to the woman, speechless.

He never expected something like this. He thought the so-called Sünu Sect referred to a martial arts style, but it turned out the entire sect was female?

With so much Yin Qi, wouldn’t that attract fox spirits? Oh, right—this was a martial arts world, so no fox spirits existed.

“…” x2

“Fine, let’s go then. But you have to find me a spot with a good view. I want to…” Chen Xiyi stood up, ready to follow Ye Meng.

“No need. He can sit here. It’s empty anyway,” the woman said.

“No, I won’t sit here. I’m worried people might misunderstand. After all, your sect is all women. What if someone mistakes me for a man disguised as a woman? Besides, how about that spot? I want to sit there,” Chen Xiyi said, pointing to what looked like the main stage.

He then grabbed Ye Meng and pulled him along.

Ye Meng was caught off guard and nearly stumbled.

“You can’t sit there. You have to sit in the back,” Ye Meng said, surprised by the scholar’s strength.

Meanwhile, the woman sitting nearby narrowed her eyes. She seemed to have misjudged him.

Ye Meng was a Postnatal Warrior, yet Chen Xiyi had pulled him so easily. That wasn’t something an ordinary person could do.

“Tsk, and here I thought we were friends. You can’t even do this for me? Making me sit in the back? That’s really disappointing. Remember, out of all the blacksmith shops, I chose your furnace. That means we’re connected! And you can’t even find me a good spot to watch the excitement? How lame.”

Hearing that he couldn’t sit on the main stage and had to sit in the back, Chen Xiyi decided to return to the Sünu Sect’s seat.

What? Being misunderstood?

That was just an excuse Chen Xiyi used to change seats. Who would want to sit in the audience when they could sit up close on the main stage?

Chen Xiyi’s words finally made Ye Meng understand how his older brother must feel dealing with him.

“Fine, fine. Since Lady Yan has agreed, you can sit here for now. But don’t cause any trouble.”

“Lady Yan, thank you for your understanding.”

Ye Meng had never held any ill will toward Chen Xiyi. Though he was rough around the edges, he kept his word. Even if it was just a casual remark, since Chen Xiyi had accomplished it, he saw no reason to pursue the matter further.

When he saw Chen Xiyi had sneaked in and was sitting in the Sünu Sect’s spot, he figured out what had happened and wanted to find him a similar seat to avoid offending anyone.

But now, it seemed like Chen Xiyi’s foolishness had its perks, so Ye Meng didn’t need to worry.

“It seems Ye Meng really is a good guy. I’ve been messing with him, and his Hostility Level hasn’t increased at all.” If Chen Xiyi had encountered someone unreasonable, he would have made them grow eight or ten extra hands on the spot.

Why only hands? Because he had only studied how to make people grow hands so far. Other body parts would have to wait.

“Today’s just busy, and there are many martial artists here. Otherwise, this Second Master Ye might have started rolling on the ground with you,” the woman said.

“Oh, I see. Lady Yan, what’s your surname?” Chen Xiyi asked.

“???” The woman was confused.

Chen Xiyi quickly realized—she was probably surnamed Yan.

“Lady Yan, what do you do…? Oh, never mind, I know you’re part of the Jianghu. I was just trying to lighten the mood. How about we play a game? Let’s see who can avoid talking to the other first. Whoever speaks first loses. Deal?”

Chen Xiyi thought playing a game might help ease the awkwardness.

“…” The woman didn’t know what to say. What kind of nonsense was this?

Chen Xiyi breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, it was over. Dealing with NPCs was truly difficult.

He missed Li Zhao a little, since Li Zhao could help him make friends.

“Yan Guilai, the current head disciple of the Sünu Sect,” the woman said.

Now it was Chen Xiyi’s turn to be speechless. Didn’t they agree to play the no-talking game?

Why was she introducing herself? He didn’t even know her.

Oh, right—they didn’t know each other, so an introduction was necessary. He felt like his intelligence had dropped since he stopped feeling pressured.

“Chen Xiyi, a serious scholar who reads the Spring and Autumn Annals,” Chen Xiyi said, though he hadn’t actually read the Spring and Autumn Annals—or any other stories, for that matter.

Chen Xiyi’s words made Yan Guilai feel somewhat helpless. She didn’t know what the Spring and Autumn Annals were, but it was clearly a book.

Yet, coming from Chen Xiyi, it felt somehow off.

Plus, Chen Xiyi’s antics had made the atmosphere awkward. She didn’t know what to say, while Chen Xiyi seemed perfectly content, making her feel like the fool.