“Reporting to Master, all these matters were handled solely by Senior Brother before, so that the disciples could focus more on their cultivation.”
“Nonsense! The sect’s operations should have clearly defined roles and responsibilities! You all…”
Lin Yin slammed her palm hard on the stone table, then immediately regretted it after speaking.
The disciple trembled slightly, lowering his head, afraid to meet Lin Yin’s gaze.
But he still mustered the courage to say, “M-Master, you assigned all these tasks to Senior Brother.”
Only then did Lin Yin recall that after she took Jiang Che as her first disciple, he had been very intelligent and sensible.
He took care of many matters on his own, and if there was something he couldn’t handle, he would always come to her, the Master, for consultation.
However, Lin Yin was either cultivating or practicing swordplay and didn’t pay much attention to these affairs.
Almost every time, she let Jiang Che manage things himself, and he never caused her any trouble.
Over time, she stopped overseeing many matters.
Lin Yin irritably waved her hand, dismissing the disciple.
In the following days, disciples came to report on Lingjian Peak’s disciple situation every now and then.
For example, disciples going out for experience lacked skill and got injured.
Disciples frequently blew up their cauldrons while refining pills, even though ordinarily their performance was only slightly behind that of Xuandan Peak, which specialized in pill refinement.
There were also endless conflicts with disciples from other peaks.
Lin Yin felt helpless. She had lived too comfortably before and was only now realizing how much Jiang Che had done for her and the disciples under her.
She lamented the dependency of her disciples.
She also regretted never properly guiding them as their Master.
Soon, many disciples left Lingjian Peak, including her second and third disciples who went out for experience beyond the sect.
Gradually, Lin Yin discovered how little she truly understood her own disciples.
She began to doubt her perception of her main disciple, Jiang Che.
She wanted to bring Jiang Che back but sent disciples to search for him, yet no news was found.
More than a year passed quickly.
During that time, Lin Yin didn’t cultivate once.
She kept recalling every moment with Jiang Che.
She rarely went to her cultivation cave where she usually stayed longest.
Instead, she often visited Jiang Che’s original residence.
No one had disturbed the place; everything was arranged neatly and meticulously.
She began learning to drink wine.
Her own Master had enjoyed wine before, but she had disliked it, thinking it hindered cultivation.
Now, however, she found it to be something good.
Her longing for Jiang Che reached its peak.
Whether Jiang Che was right or wrong no longer mattered to her; she only wanted him back.
She realized how painful it was when someone important disappeared from one’s life.
So she requested leave from the sect leader and left the Shenxiao Sect.
At the town nearest the Shenxiao Sect mountain, she inquired relentlessly and learned that after Jiang Che lost his sight, he had appeared in the town for two days.
He had pitifully carried a few copper coins and bought steamed buns at a baozi shop.
But Jiang Che only appeared for those two days and never showed up again.
Lin Yin took out more than half of the Ling Stones she had and gave them to that baozi shop.
The shop owner was dumbfounded after counting—over twenty Ling Stones!
That was a fortune in currency!
She told the owner that if her main disciple came back to buy food there again, all the cost would be on her.
She also hoped the owner could help look for Jiang Che.
More than a year had passed since leaving the sect.
Lin Yin hadn’t rested a day.
She often stood on the streets with closed eyes like a madwoman, imagining where Jiang Che would go if he couldn’t see.
She lowered herself to beg common folk, gathering every bit of information about Jiang Che.
“Che’er…”
A tear slipped unconsciously from the corner of Lin Yin’s eye.
Feng Yaqin instinctively noticed the movement from Lin Yin’s side.
She mumbled something incoherent, tears still on her face.
Fortunately, Lin Yin showed no trace of demonic energy at the moment, so she probably wasn’t going mad.
Hiss—but Feng Yaqin was a Magic Cultivator, after all…
“Grandpa? Are you back yet?”
Jiang Che was accompanying Hu Qiao’er home.
Along the way, Jiang Che had no chance to use his cane to feel the path; Hu Qiao’er held his hand tightly.
She deliberately slowed her pace to match his limp.
“Grandpa isn’t back yet. Ah Che, I’ll go get a pillow and be right back. Please wait a little, okay?”
Jiang Che nodded and waited in the front hall.
Not much time seemed to have passed; Grandpa hadn’t returned, so the monster hunt probably wasn’t over yet.
Soon, Hu Qiao’er came out holding her pillow.
Curiously, Hu Qiao’er’s pillow was somewhat long, not like a single-person pillow.
“Well then, Sister Qiao’er, shall we go?”
Jiang Che didn’t question it.
He couldn’t see anyway, and Hu Qiao’er was happily carrying it without explanation.
“Alright, let’s go.”
Hu Qiao’er held the unusually long pillow tightly in one hand and naturally took Jiang Che’s hand with the other.
That slightly cool, callused but still soft little hand gripped his.
Even though she had led him all the way here by the hand, Jiang Che’s heart still thumped wildly.
Jiang Che! What are you thinking? She’s like an older sister who’s taken care of you for three years and treats you like a younger brother! And she’s only fourteen! She definitely sees you as a brother!
Jiang Che bit his tongue, steadying his mind.
They walked slowly.
Jiang Che thought of a topic.
“Sister Qiao’er, Wang Hao told me today that everyone in the village went to watch the monster hunt. Aren’t you worried about Grandpa?”
“Hm… it’s okay. I heard the person they hired is pretty famous, going around hunting monsters lately, so they should be capable.”
“Famous?”
Jiang Che recalled what Wang Hao had said—that the village probably couldn’t afford anyone good.
But hearing Hu Qiao’er, the person did seem somewhat skilled.
“Sister Qiao’er, do you think that person is powerful?”
“Not at all! Grandpa told me that although this person has appeared recently and hunts monsters everywhere, it’s really just to raise their own reputation.
Besides, there aren’t any big monsters within ten or so li around here.
Those big monsters have long been dealt with by the famous cultivation sects nearby.
Don’t forget, there are still many sects around us.”
Jiang Che’s hand unconsciously clenched.
He knew well about the sects nearby.
For example, the Yuqing Immortal Palace that only accepted female disciples, the Hehuan Sect which maintained neutrality among the major forces, and the Dayan Dynasty’s influence.
Of course, also the Shenxiao Sect—the top cultivation sect on this continent for tens of thousands of years.
Hu Qiao’er felt the slight tightening of Jiang Che’s hand and turned to look at him.
She found Jiang Che lowering his head, seemingly reminded of unpleasant memories.
Hu Qiao’er had always been ready to listen to Jiang Che’s past, but he never wanted to speak of it.
She stopped walking.
Jiang Che was slightly stunned—had his emotions shown too clearly just now, alerting Hu Qiao’er?
But if Jiang Che didn’t bring it up, Hu Qiao’er wouldn’t mention it either.
Still, since he had unintentionally recalled unhappy things, she felt the need to make it up to him.
“Ah Che, let’s go watch the monster hunt. It looks like it’s not over yet. Let’s see if that Immortal Master really has any skill.”