At this moment, inside the Peak Master’s Cave Dwelling of Duanqing Peak, Duan Xueyan was eating and drinking heartily, sweat pouring down her body from the feast.
She couldn’t have been more satisfied.
“Hiss… I never thought, Junior Brother Lu, that your disciple would have such incredible culinary skills! This spicy flavor, it’s just right!”
Gu Qingying lowered her head, forcing down her laughter as she respectfully replied.
“As long as Shigu enjoys it, that’s all that matters.”
While speaking, Gu Qingying couldn’t help but sneak a glance at the wine jug.
As expected, Duan Xueyan, overwhelmed by the spiciness, casually grabbed the wine jug next to her and gulped down several mouthfuls of Drunken Spring Breeze.
“Mmm… good wine! Good food!”
Duan Xueyan let out a satisfied sigh, feeling a warm sensation spread through her body, extremely comfortable—clearly, the Chi Yang Warm Jade Powder was taking effect, and the earlier burning sensation was being soothed by the slightly cool wine.
Now in high spirits, Duan Xueyan hurried to take a few more bites and sips, feeling that the hospitality of Duanqing Peak was increasingly to her liking.
Lu Li watched Duan Xueyan’s unrestrained eating and the rapidly vanishing Lie Yan Dish, a vague sense of unease rising in his heart, though he couldn’t pinpoint the cause.
And so, time ticked by.
At first, Duan Xueyan’s face was rosy as she chatted and laughed, even feeling a pleasant warmth flowing within her.
After eating and drinking her fill, she even thought of continuing with her earlier plan—teasing her Junior Brother once more, sidling up to Lu Li.
However, just as she stood and prepared to throw him a flirtatious glance—
Suddenly!
The color drained from her face, turning into a strange pallor.
At that moment, a sharp, unbearable pain twisted in her lower abdomen!
“Ugh!”
Duan Xueyan grunted, instinctively clutching her belly, her fingertips whitening from the force.
“Ah… I’ve been poisoned? When? No, this doesn’t feel like poison…”
“It’s a tonic! Two types of tonic that conflict with each other!”
“Who… who’s trying to set me up!”
Duan Xueyan brooded furiously in her heart, glancing at the bewildered Lu Li before her, and at Gu Qingying nearby, whose shifty eyes clearly betrayed her guilt.
Unable to stop herself, she cursed inwardly.
“What kind of disciples does my Junior Brother accept? He himself is as upright as can be, yet both his disciples are more cunning than the next!”
“A few days ago, the second disciple swindled a pile of treasures out of me! And this eldest is just as bad! Her skill at slipping in a tonic is exquisite—even I, a Nascent Soul cultivator, fell for it…”
Duan Xueyan raged silently, almost in tears.
She could feel an uncontrollable urge surging through her, clearing the impurities from her body—things were getting dire!
Ah… no!
I absolutely cannot stay here!
Especially not in front of Lu Li!
If… if I were to let it out here in front of my Junior Brother, my reputation as Head of Gongxun Hall and the gentle, charming Senior Sister would be utterly ruined…
“Run! I must run! I must get out of here!”
Only this thought remained in Duan Xueyan’s mind.
She forced herself to stand, squeezing out a stiff, twisted smile at the perplexed Lu Li and spoke rapidly,
“Lu… Junior Brother Lu! The sect… the sect just sent an urgent message!”
“I must return immediately! Today… today, I’ll take my leave!”
Her words tumbled out in a hurried rush, her voice trembling ever so slightly.
Without waiting for Lu Li’s response, Duan Xueyan clenched her teeth, struggling to endure the storm in her abdomen as she barely maintained her composure.
Her steps were unsteady but extremely fast as she hurried out of the cave dwelling, her departing figure unmistakably desperate and bedraggled.
Gu Qingying quickly called out, “Shigu, leaving so soon? Stay a little longer! I haven’t even packed up any food or wine for you!”
Hearing this, Duan Xueyan glared fiercely at Gu Qingying, letting her know she’d remember this.
Without another word, she dashed out of the cave and came face to face with Gong Shangyu, who was drying herbs in the courtyard.
“Oh… Shigu, you’re leaving? Next time, remember to bring a gift!”
Gong Shangyu spoke as if deliberately trying to provoke Duan Xueyan, pulling out one of the Wenxue Nine Swords she’d swindled from Duan Xueyan earlier, and started chopping firewood with it in the courtyard.
Though Duan Xueyan was furious, she grit her teeth and endured it for the sake of her stomach, cursing Lu Li’s choice of disciples all the while.
Clutching her belly, she cursed and grumbled as she used Yu Jian to fly away from Lu Li’s Duanqing Peak.
Lu Li blinked blankly at Duan Xueyan’s suddenly fleeing figure.
“An urgent sect matter? Why didn’t I hear about it just now?”
At this point, Lu Li hadn’t connected Duan Xueyan’s odd behavior to the spicy food and wine.
He simply thought that his Senior Sister was always hot-tempered and perhaps really did have urgent business.
Gu Qingying kept her head down, shoulders trembling as she tried hard to stifle her laughter.
At some point, Gong Shangyu had also appeared at the door, arms crossed, a face full of undisguised schadenfreude as she shot Gu Qingying a secret thumbs-up.
Just like that, peace finally returned to the cave dwelling.
After Duan Xueyan left, Lu Li, still at a loss, shook his head and sighed.
“Sigh… My Senior Sister, truly…”
Lu Li couldn’t help but reflect, finding Duan Xueyan’s behavior especially odd today.
Meanwhile, Duan Xueyan, fleeing Duanqing Peak in panic, was riding her spirit sword at full power, desperately suppressing the sudden pain inside her as she sped toward her own Xiaoyao Peak, cursing those two little troublemakers of Duanqing Peak, especially Gu Qingying, a thousand times over.
With Duan Xueyan gone, Lu Li’s cave dwelling finally regained its usual tranquility, with only the lingering scent of spice and wine in the air.
Lu Li rubbed his throbbing temples—he really couldn’t handle his Senior Sister’s erratic and overzealous ways.
He then turned his gaze toward his two disciples waiting nearby.
Gu Qingying kept her head down, shoulders quivering, clearly holding something in.
Gong Shangyu stood by the doorframe, arms folded, an almost imperceptible yet unmistakably triumphant smile on her lips.
Lu Li gave a gentle cough, drawing the attention of his two disciples.
With a composed expression, he temporarily set aside the chaos Duan Xueyan had brought and resumed the steady tone of a peak master.
“Baiyu, Qingying.”
“Disciple present.”
Both girls quickly composed themselves and replied respectfully.
Lu Li pondered for a moment before speaking, “Just now, there were some matters that were inconvenient to discuss in front of your Shigu. Now that she’s gone, I can talk to you both about two important things.”
With that, he sat down by the stone table and gestured for his disciples to join him.
Though the table was still messy from Duan Xueyan’s feast, it didn’t get in the way of serious discussion.
“First, it’s about the Jin Royal Family’s invitation.”
Lu Li tapped his finger on the table.
“Just now… the Jin Royal Family sent an invitation through the sect, inviting our Duanqing Peak lineage to their Jin Capital to receive honors. They also cordially invited us to participate in the Secret Realm Trial held by the Jin Royal Family. What are your thoughts?”
Gu Qingying’s purple eyes flickered as she replied first, “Master, our Xuling Sect has always had a good relationship with the Jin Royal Family. Normally, there’s nothing but benefit in accepting this invitation.”
“However, in recent years, the Jin Kingdom’s court has become terribly complicated with various factions vying for power. Just last year, the fourth prince of the Jin Royal Family, Zhou Ruolin, murdered his brother, imprisoned his father, and seized the throne to become the current Emperor.”
“So, I worry that our visit to the Jin Capital may drag us into political strife, unnecessarily entangling us in the mortal world’s affairs and bringing trouble to our door.”
Gu Qingying’s analysis was clear and methodical, and Lu Li couldn’t help but think his eldest disciple was indeed quite promising.
Gong Shangyu nodded in agreement, then added, “Senior Brother is right, but I think this might not be a bad thing.”
A glint of calculation shone in Gong Shangyu’s pink eyes.
“What Duanqing Peak lacks most right now is the resources needed for daily cultivation. This Secret Realm in the Jin Kingdom is an excellent opportunity to acquire such resources.”
“And the greater the turmoil, the higher the stakes. Precisely because the Jin Royal Family is unstable, they need outside support all the more. If we can use this chance to build a good relationship with a righteous or promising faction among the Jin Kingdom’s forces, it will greatly benefit Duanqing Peak’s future endeavors in the Jin Kingdom and could even help us obtain unique resources.”
Gong Shangyu paused, then continued, “As for risks, as long as we strictly follow the sect’s rules and don’t get involved in their internal political struggles, we’re simply going to the Jin Capital to join the Secret Realm Trial and accept honors, while also investigating the activities of those Yin Corpse Sect Disciples. If the Jin Royal Family and nobles offer us favors, we can accept them all—no matter how great the risk, it won’t fall on us.”
Lu Li nodded slightly, approving of his disciples’ insights.
The eldest was cautious, the second was adept at seizing opportunities—each had their strengths.
Though, he had to admit, their personalities were starting to feel oddly familiar.
“Mm, since you’ve both thought it through so thoroughly.”
Lu Li stroked his chin and concluded,
“This matter does have its pros and cons. I’ll carefully consider it before making a final decision. If we do go, the opportunities in the Jin Royal Family’s Secret Realm could be just what you two need for your cultivation breakthroughs.”
“So, in the coming days, focus on training diligently here in the cave. After all, if we really do go to the trial and you two, as elite disciples of Xuling Sect, can’t outperform the young cultivators of the Jin Kingdom’s noble families, it would be quite embarrassing…”
Gong Shangyu immediately declared, “Master, rest assured, your disciple will not let you down!”
Gu Qingying chimed in, “Me too!”