Tianxuan Sect.
Several male disciples were walking along a cobblestone path, discussing something in low voices.
“Hey, have you heard? The Saintess is supposedly ending her seclusion today.”
At those words, the male disciples began to grin foolishly at the air.
“The Saintess? I still remember the time I caught a glimpse of her by pure chance. That was truly… hehehe…”
Another disciple gave him a playful shove.
“You brat, what kind of beautiful fantasies are you cooking up? Just looking is enough. Stop dreaming.”
“I just meant, what if?”
“Stop making me laugh, will you?”
The three of them pushed and shoved each other as they headed toward the rear mountain, where the grand sect ceremony for the Saintess’s return was being prepared.
On the other side, the female disciples were also giggling and whispering about their own topic.
“Did you hear? It seems a new Law Enforcement Elder arrived in the sect today.”
“So what? Don’t the Law Enforcement Elders change all the time?”
“Oh, what do you know? They say this elder is not only young and talented but also incredibly handsome — eyebrows like swords, eyes like stars, and a face as smooth as jade. He’s absolutely refined and ethereal!”
“Is he… really that exaggerated?”
“I’m not sure about the details, but isn’t the grand ceremony about to start? Word is the Sect Master personally invited this Law Enforcement Elder into the sect. He might even appear alongside her. Let’s hurry!”
“Hey, hey, hey! Stop pulling me!”
….
The grand ceremony was about to begin.
Even though it had not officially started, a large crowd had already gathered below the stage.
The protagonist of this celebration, Chu Lingshuang, was currently dressed in a flowing white robe.
Her ice-blue hair draped behind her like a frozen lake, and her temperament was elegant and otherworldly.
At first glance, one might think her beauty did not belong to the mortal realm.
When her face was expressionless, she subconsciously created a sense of distance.
It was a type of beauty that did not stir wicked thoughts in the opposite sex; rather, it was the kind of beauty one kept in their heart as a sacred memory.
It evoked no desire, appearing instead quite holy.
Currently, she remained expressionless, though she felt a hint of helplessness as she looked down at the expectant crowd.
“Sect Master, is all this fanfare truly necessary? I believe…”
The person she addressed stood before her, appearing about half a head taller than Chu Lingshuang.
She was equally devastatingly beautiful, but compared to Chu Lingshuang, she possessed more of a celestial, sage-like aura.
“Lingshuang, you finally ended your seclusion. It was even earlier than I predicted. I am truly happy for you, so of course we must celebrate.”
“But…”
“Besides, this celebration isn’t just prepared for you alone. Don’t feel so much pressure.”
“Fine…”
Seeing that Chu Lingshuang had at least agreed verbally, Jun Lin nodded with a smile and walked toward another area in the distance.
Chu Lingshuang failed to notice that the usually stern and solemn Sect Master, the moment she turned around, wore an expectant look in her eyes.
The corners of her mouth curled upward to a rare height.
….
The guest rooms of the Tianxuan Sect.
Knock, knock, knock.
Jun Lin knocked three times.
A man’s deep voice drifted from inside the room.
“Enter.”
Jun Lin slowly pushed the door open.
A man sat inside, looking exactly as the female disciples had described: a face like polished jade and eyes like bright stars.
The moment she saw him, Jun Lin’s lips curled into a slight smile.
“Are you ready, my Elder Chu?”
“As long as you can do what you promised, I will be your elder. However, I will not teach anyone anything.”
Chu Fan’s voice was cold, as if he were speaking to a total stranger.
His attitude did not resemble a sect elder speaking to a Sect Master at all.
“Deal.”
“Also, give me back my things.”
“Hmm? You mean this?”
The cyan storage ring on Jun Lin’s ring finger shimmered with a faint light.
In the next moment, a wooden ball appeared in her palm.
With a slight shift of her will, Jun Lin channeled spiritual energy into the wooden ball.
The ball began to transform like a precise mechanical device, revealing its hollow interior.
Nestled inside was a gold foil rose.
“Your craftsmanship is truly interesting. Even though I have read countless books and traveled across ten thousand mountains and rivers, I have never seen such an exquisite object.”
“…”
Chu Fan did not know how to respond, so he simply stared at Jun Lin with a look of caution.
Seeing his wariness, Jun Lin returned the wooden ball to her storage ring.
“Rest assured, I won’t force you to hand over that technology. However, according to our agreement, you must also forge Dharma artifacts for my sect.”
“Understood.”
“But you are quite bold, making such a request to exchange with me. How were you so sure I would agree?”
“I wasn’t. I simply made my demands. The result was up to you.”
“Haha, based on what you’re saying, am I the foolish one?”
“Aren’t you also planning to use them?”
Jun Lin smiled without saying a word, then turned toward the door.
“You certainly are broad-minded, taking two pure-blood great demons as disciples, and another… Forget it, it seems someone is looking for you. I shall take my leave first. Remember not to be late.”
“Yes.”
Jun Lin’s figure vanished in an instant, leaving Chu Fan alone in the room.
Taking a deep breath, Chu Fan turned back and began working on the design blueprints spread across the table.
The blueprints showed a blurry half-body shape, looking like the schematic for a suit of light armor.
As he drew, memories began to flood back.
‘It has already been… ten years.’
Ten years had passed since his accidental death and subsequent reincarnation into this world of cultivation.
Although he had been marginalized and viewed with suspicion due to his cold personality, he had not walked this path alone.
Footsteps outside the door grew closer.
Chu Fan calmly put away the blueprints.
Then, a voice sounded from outside.
“Master.”
“Is that you, Yuying?”
“It is I, Master.”
The two of them spoke across the wooden door.
Chu Fan knew well that Shen Yuying would never open his door without permission.
He stood up, patted the dust off his thighs, walked to the door, and opened it.
As the door swung open, a refined and elegant figure appeared before him.
Shen Yuying wore a white and red mink coat.
Her snow-white hair draped over her chest, and her hands were folded neatly over her lower abdomen.
A graceful smile sat permanently on her face, perfectly complementing the beauty mark near the right side of her lips.
“Master.”
The moment she saw Chu Fan, Shen Yuying bowed politely.
However, Chu Fan felt something was slightly off, and he began to look around.
“Why are you alone? Where are Qianchi and Xiaotang?”
“Xiaotang snuck out this morning to buy breakfast and hasn’t returned yet. She likely got lost again, so I sent Qianchi to find her.”
“I see.”
“Master, it is getting late. We should head out.”
“Very well.”
What felt strange to Chu Fan was that the moment he took a step forward, he felt his arm being held by something.
“Uh, Yuying? What is the meaning of this?”
“As your eldest disciple, shouldn’t I make an appearance with you?”
“That…”
It sounded reasonable enough, but this way of appearing with linked arms didn’t look like a normal relationship between master and disciple, did it?
Even though he had thought about it many times, Chu Fan still felt he could not see through this eldest disciple of his.
What Chu Fan failed to notice was that as he walked down the path with his focus ahead, a fluffy, tail-like object slowly extended from beneath his companion’s clothes.
If one were to call it a cat’s tail, it was far too thick; if it were a dog’s, the shape wasn’t quite right.
In any case, that tail began to spin like a propeller.