Chapter 19: Defection

“Achoo!”

Inside the room, Chu Fan suddenly sneezed.

“Teacher, please put this on. It is currently the change of seasons, so be careful not to catch a cold.”

As if she had been prepared for this moment, Lin Anlan handed a cotton coat to Chu Fan.

“Alright, thank you, Anlan.”

“You are far too kind, Teacher.”

On the other side, Shen Yuying and the other two disciples watched from where they stood.

‘Master really knows how to enjoy himself. He just brought her into the sect, and he already has her living with us.’

‘Claiming he is afraid she will be bullied or in danger… He just likes new disciples and forgets the old ones. Hmph! I used to get that treatment too. I am not jealous at all! Not one bit! No!’

‘What is the meaning of this? Why does only Master get a coat? My snot is about to freeze off, Little Junior Sister!’

Chu Fan also felt it was strange.

His cultivation realm should not be low enough to catch a cold.

Why had he sneezed?

Regardless, it was not important.

It was time to begin the task at hand.

“I am going to refine a protective armor for Yuying now. The three of you head out first.”

“What!?”

Chen Qianchi and Su Xiaotang shouted in shock simultaneously.

“Yes, Master,” Shen Yuying replied calmly before leading the other two out.

Once they were outside, Chen Qianchi stomped his feet and complained resentfully, “What is so great about him? He just has some talent in alchemy and forging. If we actually fought, who would bother with that stuff? Hmph!”

“Sigh, who can say? But it is also because one of us is not living up to expectations. Otherwise, with her Heavenly Vessel Constitution, how could a new Little Junior Sister appear out of thin air?”

Shen Yuying and Chen Qianchi looked at Su Xiaotang, who was currently eating a bun she had produced from nowhere.

Looking at her cheeks, which were puffed out like a squirrel’s, they both sighed in unison.

“Hm? Who? Who is so powerful? Heavenly Vessel? What is that?”

Su Xiaotang asked, her speech muffled by the food in her mouth.

“Exactly,” Shen Yuying and Chen Qianchi sighed again.

“?”

Su Xiaotang was filled with questions, but she did not care much.

If she did not eat the bun soon, it would get cold.

“Anlan, take a look at this blueprint first.”

Chu Fan handed the paper to Lin Anlan.

“Yes, Teacher.”

Lin Anlan began to study the blueprint seriously.

She noticed that it did not just contain structures and samples; it also listed the required materials and the refining process.

She began to read through the details.

The moment she started reading, she felt something was wrong.

“Teacher, these… these glasses…”

Lin Anlan suddenly realized that her reading speed had become incredibly fast for some reason.

The words she saw seemed to pour into her mind of their own accord.

Describing it as reading ten lines at a glance was an understatement, as she could already do that on her own.

Now, she felt as though she could read 100 lines at a time.

“Haha, did you notice? That is the Light-Hymn Array. While I was refining them, I carved it into these glasses.”

“So powerful…”

Lin Anlan was amazed, and she focused back on the blueprint.

However, the more she read, the more shocked she became.

“Whether it is the structure, the design logic, or the final concept, this armor should be a High Heaven Grade or even a Saint Grade artifact. Teacher, are you sure…”

“Are you doubting your teacher?”

Chu Fan asked with a calm smile.

“No, it is just that my cultivation is shallow. I am afraid I won’t be able to help Master with such a high-level artifact…”

Chu Fan smiled.

“If I say you can, you can.”

“Besides, I will refine similar high-level artifacts for you in the future — either for defense or to assist in alchemy and forging. But before that, take this.”

Chu Fan pulled a giant silver cauldron from his spatial ring and let it drop before Lin Anlan.

“This… this is…?”

“The Pristine Snow Cauldron. Take a look.”

Lin Anlan stepped forward, her shock growing with every second.

“Since you already possess Heart Fire, unique flames will not help you much. However, your current cauldron is just an ordinary one. With this Pristine Snow Cauldron, your refining skills should reach a new level.”

“This… this cauldron is at least Heaven Grade. It is too valuable. I cannot accept it.”

Lin Anlan stepped back and gave a deep bow.

“Anlan, surely you don’t think I am giving this to you for free?”

Chu Fan smiled.

“Teacher, you mean…?”

“Within ten years, I want your cultivation to be on par with Yuying and the others. At the same time, you must become at least a Rank 7 Alchemist and an Earth Grade Forge Master.”

“But Teacher… that…” Lin Anlan’s pupils trembled.

“What? No confidence?”

Looking at Chu Fan’s serious expression, Lin Anlan understood that he was not joking.

He was not trying to make things difficult for her; he truly believed she could do it.

She did not want to fail his expectations.

She even began to fantasize about how Chu Fan might reward her if she actually succeeded.

Lin Anlan clenched her fists and bowed deeply.

“Thank you for the cauldron, Teacher. I will not fail your command.”

Chu Fan stood up, walked to Lin Anlan, and gently patted the top of her head.

“Good, good.”

Feeling his touch, out of his line of sight, the corners of Lin Anlan’s mouth curled into a happy smile.

At the same time, Chu Fan could not help but praise his own keen eye.

‘Such a good kid.’

But as he marveled at his luck, he remembered something important.

Right.

This time, he had to be more cautious.

He absolutely could not raise another wayward disciple who developed special feelings for him.

He had to maintain the proper distance between teacher and student.

He could not care too much, and he could not be over-protective.

He had to protect his teaching credentials!

Unfortunately, he did not possess the script for his own life and was powerless against the turn of events.

Creeeak.

Just as Chu Fan was making his vow, the window opened.

Jun Lin leaned against the frame, watching the heartwarming scene with a dashing smile.

“Well, well~ Flirting in broad daylight? Where are the other three?”

“Outside. What do you want?”

“Don’t be so stiff. Can’t I just drop by to see you? By the way, who is this…?”

Lin Anlan bowed respectfully.

“Greetings, Sect Master. I was an outer disciple of the sect, and now I am Teacher’s fourth disciple.”

“Huh? From my sect?”

There was no anger in Jun Lin’s eyes over him poaching her students.

There was only shock that Chu Fan would pick someone so seemingly random.

She had no memory of this plain-looking girl, though that was to be expected.

She almost never remembered the outer disciples.

“Uh, why don’t you try looking in the inner sect?”

Jun Lin suggested, thinking Chu Fan was just looking for cheap labor.

“No need. If you have something to say, say it.”

“Hehe, I really can’t hide anything from you. It is like this: a sect we are on good terms with has sent an exchange student. I came to let you know.”

“Let me know?”

“Yeah.”

Jun Lin leaned close to Chu Fan’s ear and whispered, “Because… that person’s real identity is actually a spy from the Snake Scorpion Palace. They came specifically to take Baili Muyao back.”

Jun Lin sounded quite pleased with the chaos.

Chu Fan’s pupils constricted.

“So soon!?”

“Oh, look at that face. I didn’t sell you out.”

“But don’t panic. She might not know Baili Muyao is dead yet. Maybe you can convince her to defect to my sect before she finds out?”

“Me!? You think too highly of me.”

“You are the famous Elder Chu! The whole sect is talking about you. The outer disciples are in an uproar, and everyone wants to join your class. Even the number of new students is increasing.”

Jun Lin grinned as she spoke, unable to hide her delight.

“Hehehe~ Lately, I have made more money as Sect Master than I did all of last year~”

“Hey, wipe your drool.”

“Sigh—sorry, I lost my composure there.”

“Anyway, if you can’t get that Snake Scorpion Palace spy to join us, I won’t be able to help if she finds something she shouldn’t and sends word back to her sect.”

“You!”

Chu Fan wanted to curse, but the words would not come out.

Jun Lin smiled and turned to leave.

As she walked away, she raised a hand in farewell.

“The person is at the sect gate right now. You are on your own, Elder Chu. Good luck~”

“…”