Lin Xinyi didn’t snap out of it for a moment after hearing the other woman’s words.
Specifically, when she heard the phrase “friendship fee,” her mind went blank.
“You said you’re using this as a friendship fee? You… how did you even come up with the term ‘friendship fee’?”
Lin Xinyi was momentarily rendered speechless.
At the same time, she didn’t understand why the other woman remained so persistent despite the attitude she had shown.
Was becoming her friend really more important than an Immortal-grade Body Tempering technique?
Faced with such persistence, Lin Xinyi’s inherent suspicion flared up again.
She felt as though Yun Yiyi had some ulterior motive.
To obtain an Immortal-grade technique just by agreeing to be a friend—that was a temptation no one could resist.
“This technique is quite profound. Even though it’s Immortal-grade, it isn’t very suitable for me…”
“Ah?”
A flash of disappointment crossed Yun Yiyi’s eyes when she heard that.
She thought she was being rejected.
Just as Lin Xinyi tried to push the jade slip back, another hand appeared from behind and pressed down on Lin Xinyi’s wrist.
Qin Huaiyin, who had been watching everything from the start, reached out to stop her.
She couldn’t bear to watch Yun Yiyi’s humble display any longer.
Lin Xinyi, who usually hooked people like she was fishing, was choosing this moment to push someone away.
“Master, it is Martial Aunt Yun’s sincere wish. At the very least, don’t reject her so decisively.”
“This! This is my business! What are you trying to interfere for now, you rebellious disciple?!”
Irritation flickered in Lin Xinyi’s eyes when her wrist was grabbed.
However, the moment she saw the other woman’s left hand gently resting on the left handle of the wheelchair, Lin Xinyi’s gaze instantly cleared.
“Oh, I… I was just saying. After all, how could I possibly dislike anything from my little Yiyi?”
Lin Xinyi’s expression shifted instantly, and even her tone became much more intimate.
She picked up the jade slip from the table, looking genuinely happy.
Seeing her look pleased, Yun Yiyi felt her own heart lighten.
Accepting the gift meant she was willing to continue their friendship.
The tension in her eyes softened significantly.
“Little Xinyi is the best after all, and you’ve taken in such a caring disciple.”
Qin Huaiyin knew her master was overly suspicious.
This was partly due to the constant deception within the Cultivation World.
After all, back when Qin Huaiyin was still just a “cauldron,” Lin Xinyi had even bound her eyes with silk to prevent her from seeing her face.
Even though Lin Xinyi’s cultivation had been two major realms higher than her own, she had never lowered her guard.
It was because of this behavior that her master’s actions often felt chilling.
At that thought, Qin Huaiyin’s gaze softened slightly.
‘Maybe I really am being too selfish, wanting to turn Master into the version of her I desire…’
Qin Huaiyin rested her cheek on her hand and watched Yun Yiyi’s happy expression, feeling a bit better.
She didn’t understand why she was trying to change Lin Xinyi—perhaps it was because she herself had already been changed by the dragon blood.
‘This rebellious disciple actually dared to threaten me.’
Lin Xinyi thought back to her behavior just now and felt it was a great humiliation.
But on second thought, why wouldn’t the girl dare?
She was currently in a pathetic state—a tiger fallen to the plains, bullied by dogs—not to mention she was a Nascent Soul cultivator who couldn’t even circulate her spiritual energy.
‘Dammit! Dammit!’
Lin Xinyi only dared to voice her frustration internally.
On the surface, she maintained a gentle appearance.
Yun Yiyi, meanwhile, seemed to have opened a floodgate, incessantly chatting with Lin Xinyi about interesting things she had seen recently.
Lin Xinyi nodded along, joining the conversation in a scene of perfect harmony.
Yun Yiyi gradually began to enjoy the feeling of chatting with a friend, the smile on her face widening.
However…
Suddenly, both Yun Yiyi and Lin Xinyi sensed something at the same time.
“It seems the time has come…”
“Sigh, I wanted to chat with little Xinyi a bit longer. But after this meeting is over, does little Xinyi want to come play at my mountain range?”
“We can talk about what happens after later, Elder Yun.”
As soon as Lin Xinyi finished speaking, the noisy hall instantly fell silent.
Qin Huaiyin slowly took two steps back and stood quietly behind her.
The moment a certain figure appeared, Lin Xinyi’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“I have summoned you all for nothing other than the matter of the Sect Grand Selection. This is a significant event that concerns the inheritance of our Yinxian Sect’s legacy…”
An ethereal voice echoed through the entire hall, followed by a figure in blue walking into the room.
Her mouth didn’t move, yet her voice transmitted directly into everyone’s minds.
The moment this person appeared, all the elders stood up and bowed.
“Greetings, Sect Master.”
“This meeting is merely for discussion. There is no need for excessive formality.”
The young woman who appeared had a beautiful, refined face.
Her light blue hair was held back by a single hairpin, with the rest of her long hair cascading over her shoulders.
Faint blue spiritual light floated around her.
Despite her words, not a single person skipped the protocols.
When Lin Xinyi looked up again, she happened to lock eyes with her.
“Elder Lin… what happened to your body?”
“I… Me?”
For some reason, the Sect Master’s attention had suddenly shifted to her, causing Lin Xinyi a brief moment of panic.
She quickly recovered, composed her emotions, and made up a vague excuse.
“I previously encountered a demon cultivator whose strength was equal to my own. In the end, I had to burn my essence blood to defeat him, so my body is currently a bit weak…”
Lin Xinyi felt the excuse was outrageous even as she said it, but she couldn’t tell the truth about Bai Qianqian.
Hearing this, the Sect Master slowly walked over.
“Is that so? I happen to have a healing pill here. You should take it.”
Before Lin Xinyi could react, the other woman had already gently placed a box containing the pill into her hand.
Lin Xinyi took it and opened it to take a look.
[Great Restoration Pill]
[Immortal Grade] (Three-mark Pattern)
[Can regrow flesh and bone and bring back the dying. Its nourishing effects are immense; however, because the tonic is so powerful, it should be consumed with caution.]
Dark gold patterns were etched into every inch of the pill.
Discovering it was an Immortal-grade pill, Lin Xinyi realized that if she just consumed it, she could instantly restore her strength to its original state.
She was overjoyed.
“Thank you for the medicine, Sect Master.”
Lin Xinyi bowed with her hands clasped.
The Sect Master gave a slight nod and returned to her high seat.
As she walked past, a refreshing fragrance lingered in the air.
It was the crisp scent of cold air while walking through snow.
Lin Xinyi looked at the pill in her hand, a wicked smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
‘You’re as kind as ever, Sect Master.’
After putting the pill back into her spatial storage, Lin Xinyi’s gaze traveled toward the Sect Master sitting on high.
Despite the woman being the head of the sect, there was no trace of reverence in Lin Xinyi’s eyes.
The Sect Master of the Yinxian Sect was a peak Soul Transformation stage cultivator named Murong Xue.
She was known for being as pure as ice and as flawless as white jade.
It was said that none of her actions had ever left a single stain on her reputation.
That was the public’s perception of her.
However, no one knew that the dignified Sect Master, Murong Xue, had another side hidden from everyone.
This other side was something Lin Xinyi understood perfectly.
‘She touched me.’
Murong Xue currently had her back turned, so no one could see her expression.
However, the hand that had just touched Lin Xinyi was now being brought to the tip of her tongue, as if tasting the deliciousness left behind after touching the other woman’s hand.
‘Elder Lin’s hands are feeling more and more delicate…’
In a place where no one could see, a look of intoxication appeared in Murong Xue’s eyes.
Despite her cold and aloof appearance and her reputation for purity, her suppressed desires had manifested in a distorted way.
As the Sect Master sitting in a high position, Murong Xue suppressed her own hobbies, which led to her desires becoming warped.
She had become an irredeemable hand fetishist, specifically obsessed with the slender, delicate hands of women.
As a regressor, Lin Xinyi had only learned this secret by chance during her third life.
Therefore, she understood exactly how twisted the reality behind that pure facade was.
‘This information might be useful for blackmail, but if used incorrectly, it could easily lead to me being silenced…’
Lin Xinyi leaned her cheek on her hand, her mind completely tuning out the contents of the meeting.
Her head was filled with the image from that past life when she had seen the Sect Master’s panicked expression upon her secret being discovered.
‘Who would have thought that the flawless Sect Master of the Yinxian Sect is actually a pervert who likes women’s hands?’
‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I’m a pervert! Let me touch them once more… let me touch them one more time, please!’
In that memory, Murong Xue was locked in a deep dungeon with chains.
Her aloof and pure appearance had long since vanished, replaced by eyes filled with nothing but pure desire.
When Lin Xinyi had coldly reached out her hand, the other woman looked at it like she was seeing a rare treasure.
‘What a pathetic expression…’
Lin Xinyi recalled the version of her from back then; she bore no resemblance to the Murong Xue sitting on the high seat now.
However, such a scene could only exist in her memories for now.
In that life, she had discovered that unique side because her strength had surpassed the Sect Master’s.
Looking at her current situation, she likely wouldn’t be able to achieve that again.
‘Sigh—’
Lin Xinyi couldn’t help but sigh at the thought, but she immediately felt the other woman’s gaze snap toward her.
“Why do you sigh, Elder Lin? Are you perhaps dissatisfied with the arrangements for the Sect Grand Selection?”
Murong Xue rested her cheek on her left fist.
The coldness in her eyes was unmistakable, as if nothing could cause a ripple in her heart.
Although it was just a casual question, everyone’s attention shifted to Lin Xinyi.
“I… I actually…”
Because Lin Xinyi had been daydreaming, she had no idea what they were talking about.
Her eyes filled with panic.
However, Qin Huaiyin, who was still standing behind her, had heard everything clearly.
She sent a voice transmission to her master.
‘Master, just say what I tell you…’