Chapter 4: She Actually Believed It!?

“L-Lord Tiansi?”

Nan Xi spoke cautiously on the quiet and peaceful Tianquan Peak as dusk settled.

“Mm-hmm?”

Tiansi tilted her small head slightly, her clear, watery eyes blinking. After a moment, as if remembering something, she nodded at Nan Xi again.

“Thank you.”

“No…” Nan Xi frowned and asked tentatively, “Lord Tiansi, how do you… feel?”

“Fine.”

Her words remained concise, filled with a lazy atmosphere.

Forget it.

Nan Xi decided to go for broke.

Since it was a Hypnosis Collar, there had to be a corresponding way to use it. Now that this Lord Tiansi had put it on, then he—

“Stand up.”

“Huh?”

“I said, stand up.”

“Hmm??”

Tiansi’s beautiful eyes were filled with confusion, and her body didn’t react to Nan Xi’s command at all.

Hiss—

Nan Xi sucked in a cold breath. Things had suddenly become tricky again. ‘Could it be that this collar has no effect at all, and I still need to find another way to escape!?’

But at this point, where else was there to go…

“You haven’t answered my question yet.”

“Uh, what question?”

Startled, Nan Xi quickly looked up at Tiansi again.

Seeing Nan Xi ignore her to sink into thought time and time again, a trace of irritation seemed to appear in Tiansi’s eyes.

“Why did you come to the Tianhe Sect?”

“Abba, abba.”

“No dodging the question.”

“That… that…”

‘Has it come to this? Must I reveal my true purpose, bow three times toward the Wuxing Sect in the south, and then commit suicide!?’

“That what?” Tiansi continued to press him.

“I… actually… uh…”

“Hmm?”

“Fine!”

Nan Xi sighed heavily and then took a deep breath—

“Actually, life at the Wuxing Sect was incredibly uncomfortable. I had to work overtime every day, year-round, without any rest. There was no Five Insurances and One Fund, and the higher-ups even docked half of my year-end bonus to give to the new disciples. They placated me by saying they’d make it up to me the following year, but year after year, it never happened. Last year, they even shoved several new disciples onto me to train without increasing my pay at all. I heard the Tianhe Sect is a top 100 employer in Hongze Prefecture with high benefits and great treatment. The pay is good, the workload is light, they help with Seven Insurances and Two Funds, the year-end bonus is six months’ salary, and they even provide room, board, and help with finding a partner. That’s why I resigned and came here to apply for an elder position—just to make a living.”

“…”

“…”

“I see.”

‘She actually believed it!’

Nan Xi was shocked for what felt like the hundredth time today. It was like a Mulan Prefecture version of being stunned for an entire year.

But looking at Tiansi’s thoughtful nodding, she didn’t seem to be lying to him.

‘Could it be—’

Nan Xi’s gaze slowly drifted down, landing on Tiansi’s slender neck.

The dark leather collar was still tight against the girl’s snow-white skin.

As she nodded, the bell on the collar shook from time to time, emitting ethereal and crisp chiming sounds.

Considering that his direct command just now had no effect…

‘Is the purpose of this collar not direct mind control, but rather a subtle alteration of the wearer’s cognition?’

No, that wasn’t right…

Didn’t the Old Man say that his Brocade Pouches could only guarantee that Nan Xi would escape unscathed from a cultivator at the Deity Transformation Stage?

Then this Lord Tiansi across from him…

There were still too many suspicious points.

Nan Xi pursed his lips, his brow furrowed tightly.

To be safe, Nan Xi decided not to give Tiansi any more suggestions.

After all, his most important task right now was to infiltrate the Tianhe Sect, start as a Third-Level Elder, and dismantle the entire sect step by step.

“Nan Xi.”

Tiansi called his name again, her voice ethereal.

“What is it, Lord Tiansi?”

“You just said you wanted to work at the Tianhe Sect, right?”

“Yes. In today’s interview process, I already passed all four tests… I think.”

“In that case…”

Tiansi tilted her head again. Suddenly, as if remembering something, her watery eyes lit up.

“Then you should be the Peak Master of Tianquan Peak.”

“Huh?”

“Xiao Bai said that the choice of the Peak Master for Tianquan Peak can be decided by me. Since that’s the case, you’ll do it.”

‘Xiao Bai… that name.’

Nan Xi searched through his memories. Based on the information gathered by the Wuxing Sect, the name “Xiao Bai” likely referred to the current Sect Master of the Tianhe Sect.

‘To call the Sect Master of the Tianhe Sect “Xiao Bai”?’

On top of that, she could appoint a Peak Master with a single sentence.

The position of Tiansi was truly terrifying.

Boing—

A sudden pain flared. Nan Xi instinctively touched his forehead.

Before him, his vision was already obscured by a large expanse of snow-white skin—Tiansi had stood up at some point, supporting herself on the stone table with one hand.

Her graceful figure spanned the entire table to reach Nan Xi, and she flicked his forehead with her right hand.

“Don’t ignore me to sink into your own thoughts again.”

Tiansi’s cheeks puffed out slightly, clearly showing some pique.

“O-Okay, Lord Tiansi.”

“Hmph, hmph~”

Tiansi seemed very happy. She withdrew her body and returned to her lazy posture, leaning half-against the stone table.

“Alright, you can go back now.”

“Uh, okay…”

“After going down the mountain, just follow the normal process. I will have someone arrange your work. You don’t need to worry.”

After explaining everything, Tiansi’s watery eyes slowly drifted shut as if she had suddenly lost all her energy.

She slowly sprawled onto the stone table, her head turned to the side, revealing only one eye from behind her crossed arms to look at Nan Xi.

To be honest, her current state was quite cute. It wasn’t that she hadn’t been beautiful before, but now Tiansi had a more peaceful sense of beauty.

It made Nan Xi want to reach out and rub her head.

Like petting a cat.

“Hmm…”

“Does Lord Tiansi have anything else?”

Nan Xi quickly tucked away his somewhat crazy thoughts and looked down at Tiansi.

The girl’s watery eyes grew increasingly weary, but that sense of seriousness had not diminished in the slightest.

“If you encounter any difficulties, just call ‘Lord Tiansi’ three times, and I will appear by your side.”

‘Three times?’

Nan Xi let out a short laugh.

Was he lucky? Using three Brocade Pouches in exchange for a promise from the Tianhe Sect’s Tiansi.

Nan Xi lowered his gaze and leaned down slightly, resting his crossed arms on the table. He met her gaze at eye level, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

“Alright.”

…

It was time to go down the mountain.

Nan Xi stood up and walked toward the base of the mountain with a pace that was much lighter than when he had ascended.

“You’re going the wrong way.”

“Eh?”

“People don’t usually go that way when going up or down the mountain.”

The girl yawning on the stone table pointed to another corner of Tianquan Peak.

It was a small path that was much gentler than the cliffside, winding around the sloping hillside and leading to the brightly lit mountainside amidst lush grass.

“And you could have used Sword Kinesis to come up the mountain.”

“Wait, why didn’t you say something so important earlier!?”