It had been more than ten days since Chen Yuyang left the Hehuan Sect.
During this time, Tai Lingxuan had already begun making arrangements for the banquet.
The sect was short-staffed, and with only a dozen or so people available, they simply could not handle all the tedious tasks.
Yun Lian could only outsource some of the work to reputable sect merchant firms.
‘No wonder Yuyang said 100,000 top-grade spirit stones wasn’t much.’
Tai Lingxuan sighed softly as she calculated the expenses.
Just hiring the Lianxin Sect, which specialized in communication services, to deliver invitations to the major sects and powers in the North Domain had cost 10,000 top-grade spirit stones.
This did not even include the costs for decorations, various spiritual materials, and food and drink.
To receive these important figures, many houses and courtyards within the sect needed to be renovated.
Once the banquet was over, these courtyards would be used by the newly recruited disciples.
However…
Despite the massive consumption of resources, everything was proceeding in an orderly fashion.
Seeing the sect develop gave her a sense of satisfaction.
When her work finally paused, Tai Lingxuan relaxed, and her mind could not help but drift toward Chen Yuyang.
‘Where is he now?’
‘Is everything going smoothly?’
“Sigh…” Tai Lingxuan let out a faint sigh, a lingering worry etched between her brows.
“It will be a long time before I see him again.”
The more she thought, the more a sense of loneliness washed over her.
Deep in her heart, she felt a hollow void, as if a piece of her were missing.
Standing up, Tai Lingxuan walked slowly back to her bedroom.
She shed her outer robe, leaving only a semi-transparent white chemise, and climbed onto the bed.
She turned on her side and hugged the soft pillow at the edge of the bed.
To be more precise, it was not a decorative pillow; it was the pillow Chen Yuyang usually used.
Tai Lingxuan buried her face deep into it and inhaled deeply.
Although he had been gone for several days, his unique, refreshing scent seemed to linger on the pillow.
Her cheeks gradually flushed, becoming burning hot.
She knew what she was doing was unseemly, perhaps even lewd.
But at this moment, this was the only way she could find solace for the longing in her heart.
Her heart ached with a restless itch.
Tai Lingxuan unconsciously pressed her legs together, and her body began to tremble slightly.
A familiar heat spread from her lower abdomen, sweeping through her entire body.
Her breathing grew rapid.
Her fingertips, acting of their own accord, climbed over peaks and entered the valley of the stream.
“Mmm…”
Biting her lower lip, Tai Lingxuan tried to suppress the shameful groans in her throat.
However, tears of frustration and pleasure gathered at the corners of her eyes.
Even as her reason told her she was the Sect Master of the Hehuan Sect and a Great Transcendence Realm cultivator, she ultimately could not endure it.
Feeling the lingering aura of Chen Yuyang on the pillow, she closed her eyes.
It felt as if he were right there beside her, toyed with her wantonly.
“Yuyang… no, don’t do this…”
“I… I am your Master… What you are doing goes against the natural order…”
“Ah… I won’t… be defeated by a mere disciple…”
“Yuyang… Yuyang, Master knows how powerful you are. Spare me…”
“I was wrong… Ugh, I…”
With her eyes closed, there was no telling what kind of scenes she was imagining.
Her panting grew heavier and more frantic.
After a while, everything returned to silence.
Tai Lingxuan opened her moist eyes and covered her face.
Thinking of what she had just done, she felt a deep sense of remorse and shame.
‘What… what on earth am I doing? How could I do that to Yuyang…’
Knock, knock, knock!
The sound of knocking startled her.
Tai Lingxuan sat up abruptly.
“Who is it?”
“Master, it is I.”
The voice coming from outside the door was one that Tai Lingxuan found nearly impossible to believe.
“Yuyang! You… you’re back!”
Tai Lingxuan was overjoyed and rushed to the door.
Just as she was about to open it, she realized her current state.
“Ahem, I’ve returned temporarily to settle something,” Chen Yuyang said through the door, sounding as calm as possible.
In truth, he had returned moments ago and intended to find Tai Lingxuan.
However, the sounds coming from inside the room had made him hesitate to knock immediately.
He had waited for the room to fall silent before calling out.
“Wait a moment,” Tai Lingxuan said quickly, throwing on a robe.
After a short while, the door opened.
Tai Lingxuan appeared perfectly normal, standing there with an expression that was perhaps even colder than usual.
“Yuyang, did you perhaps not go very far?”
“That is not the case. I have already traveled tens of thousands of miles away with my Junior Sister.”
“Then how did you…”
“I possess a unique Divine Ability called Shrink Ground. It allows me to cross 10,000 miles in a single step. After using it a few times, I arrived back at the sect,” Chen Yuyang explained without concealment.
“Oh? Then does that not mean you can return whenever you wish during your travels?” Tai Lingxuan was pleasantly surprised.
“While that is true, I am out for experience. Unless there is a special circumstance, it is best not to use this ability. Moreover, it consumes a vast amount of energy and cannot be used casually,” Chen Yuyang explained.
Tai Lingxuan nodded in understanding.
“Then, did you just return, or did you…”
As she spoke, her voice grew faint, a blush creeping onto her face as her heart pounded.
She suddenly remembered that she had not set up any sound-isolating formations, nor had she been monitoring her surroundings with her Divine Sense.
This made her incredibly nervous.
If he had discovered her doing such a thing while calling out his name, her dignity as his Master would be…
“I just returned,” Chen Yuyang said firmly.
Hearing this, Tai Lingxuan breathed a secret sigh of relief.
Yet, for some reason, she felt a twinge of disappointment.
If Yuyang had found out… perhaps she would have just thrown caution to the wind and confessed her feelings.
“Very well, Yuyang. Why have you returned so suddenly?” Tai Lingxuan asked.
Chen Yuyang bowed and replied, “While I was traveling, I encountered someone.”
Tai Lingxuan instinctively asked, “A man or a woman?”
“A woman named Li Ji.”
“What did she do?” Tai Lingxuan continued.
“She did nothing, Master,” Chen Yuyang explained.
He went on to tell the entire story of how Li Ji’s father had been trapped in a scheme, how she had been used to settle his debts, and how she was now left alone and helpless.
After hearing the story, Tai Lingxuan looked enlightened and sighed softly.
“She is indeed a pitiful soul.”
“At any rate, she is all alone now. She does not wish to return to that home and is willing to follow me in cultivation. I saw that she has a fourth-grade spiritual root, which is a qualified aptitude. Thus, I took it upon myself to bring her back for you to decide her fate.” Chen Yuyang bowed again.
Tai Lingxuan nodded slightly.
After pondering for a moment, she agreed.
“That is fine. After the banquet, the sect intends to open its gates and recruit a new batch of disciples anyway. She can be the first. Since you brought her back, I will naturally cultivate her well. Yuyang, you may continue your travels with a peaceful mind.”
“Thank you, Master.”
Chen Yuyang nodded his thanks.
He then turned and left the Great Hall, returning a moment later with Li Ji.
As Li Ji entered the room and saw the stunningly beautiful woman with an extraordinary aura and noble bearing, she knew this was the Sect Master Chen Yuyang had mentioned.
The girl did not dare to be negligent.
She immediately knelt and performed three kowtows.
“Disciple Li Ji greets the Master!”
Tai Lingxuan looked the girl over.
Although Li Ji was somewhat timid, her eyes were determined.
She nodded with satisfaction.
“Rise. Since you have joined my Hehuan Sect, you must abide by the sect rules and focus on your cultivation. Do not let down your Senior Brother Chen’s good intentions.”
“Yes, I will keep your teachings in mind!”
Li Ji responded respectfully before carefully standing up.
Seeing that the matter was settled, Chen Yuyang bade Tai Lingxuan farewell.
“Master, now that the business here is concluded, I shall take my leave.”
Tai Lingxuan’s heart tightened.
She looked out the window at the setting sun and the crimson sky.
She quickly spoke up, “It is getting late. Yuyang, why don’t you rest in the sect for the night and leave tomorrow morning?”
Chen Yuyang chuckled and shook his head.
“I appreciate your kindness, Master. However, Junior Sister Yun Lian is still waiting there. I cannot keep her waiting too long. If I leave now, I can make it back before it is completely dark.”
A flash of disappointment crossed Tai Lingxuan’s eyes, but she hid it quickly and nodded.
“In that case, be careful on the road.”
“Yes. Take care, Master.”
Chen Yuyang bowed once more and turned to leave the Great Hall alone.
In a short while, he had returned to the dilapidated Mountain God Temple.
“Senior Brother!”
Yun Lian, who had been practicing her swordplay to pass the time in the clearing in front of the temple, saw Chen Yuyang and ran over, her eyes lighting up.
“Is everything arranged?”
“Yes, Master has agreed to take her as a disciple and bring her into the Hehuan Sect.”
“That’s good, that’s good.”
Yun Lian nodded repeatedly, her face filled with relief.
“But speaking of which, Senior Brother…”
Yun Lian’s brows furrowed slightly, a hint of confusion on her face.
“I still don’t understand. Since that Young Master Zhang wanted Li Ji, he could have married her properly or taken her as a concubine.
There were plenty of legitimate ways.
Why did he have to use such a despicable method?”
Chen Yuyang reached out and patted Yun Lian’s head with a smile, his eyes filled with a touch of helplessness.
“It is simple. It is because he did not want to take responsibility, yet he wanted Li Ji to be completely devoted to him and at his beck and call. Think about it. If we had not intervened today and Li Ji had been sold into a brothel and terrified by the madam and the thugs, Young Master Zhang would have appeared at her moment of despair to redeem her. How grateful would she have been then?”
“In that case, Li Ji would have been submissive to him from then on. Even if he toyed with her or insulted her in every possible way, she would have had no complaints and remained loyal to the death. In contrast, if he married her or took her as a concubine, he would be bound by social codes and ethics.”
“He would have to give her a status and consider his reputation. It would be restrictive, and he would not be able to toy with her as he pleased. To put it bluntly, Young Master Zhang did not want a wife or a concubine; he only wanted an absolutely obedient toy to satisfy his desires.”
His words were blunt, causing Yun Lian’s face to turn pale instantly.
She clenched her fists in anger.
“These people are truly wicked… Their hearts are so poisonous. If you hadn’t discovered it in time, Senior Brother, Li Ji might have been deceived for a lifetime. She might have even spent her whole life thanking him for his ‘kindness’!”
Chen Yuyang nodded silently.
Seeing the girl’s indignation, he continued, “Junior Sister, the human heart is sinister, and the world is complex. You only need to remember one thing: In this world, aside from your closest friends and relatives, those who are good to you for no reason and help you without reservation mostly have hidden motives.”
“They either want your beauty, your wealth, or something else. In short, there is no such thing as a free lunch, and there is no such thing as unprovoked kindness.”
Yun Lian nodded repeatedly, deeply agreeing with him.
However, at that moment, the girl’s body suddenly shook.
Her pupils dilated, and the color drained from her face.
Her lips began to tremble uncontrollably.
Because at this very moment, Yun Lian had suddenly thought of something.
Something absolutely terrifying.
‘Was the Yun family… really destroyed by the Dan Sect?’