Although Lin Xinyi hesitated for a moment, she chose to trust Qin Huaiyin behind her.
After all, who would actually pay attention during such a boring meeting?
Murong Xue sat high upon her throne, her gaze filled with a sense of expectation as she awaited a response.
“Elder Lin, do you have any insights regarding this Great Sect Selection…?”
Upon hearing those words, Lin Xinyi paused for only a second before the voice of Qin Huaiyin transmitted directly into her mind.
After another brief hesitation, she began to repeat the words exactly as she heard them.
“Sect Master, I believe the range for our disciple recruitment has always been limited to regions like the Middle Province and the Northern Plains. Isn’t that a bit too narrow…?”
“Oh? To think you would start with disciple recruitment. That is quite interesting…”
As the leader of a sect, Murong Xue managed a vast and complex array of affairs.
However, in recent years, for reasons unknown, the casualties among outer sect disciples performing missions had increased.
Because of this, Murong Xue’s current greatest worry was whether she should relax the recruitment criteria to bring more people into the Hidden Immortal Sect.
The number of miscellaneous labor disciples alone had already dropped by half compared to the previous recruitment cycle.
When Murong Xue heard the words of the woman before her, a glimmer of light appeared in her eyes.
She nodded, signaling for her to continue.
Receiving the instruction, Lin Xinyi continued to speak every word transmitted to her mind without missing a single one.
“Rather than lowering the quality of recruitment, it would be better to expand the range of recruitment…”
As Lin Xinyi spoke, the surrounding elders began to whisper among themselves.
After all, if the requirements for outer sect disciples were relaxed, it was highly likely that the sect would become a mixed bag of good and bad, potentially lowering the overall quality of the sect.
“What Elder Lin says is indeed interesting, but in this world, we are not the only cultivation sect…”
“Is the Sect Master worried that recruiting in other regions will offend the interests of the local sects?”
Murong Xue had not expected her thoughts to be seen through after saying only a single sentence.
She couldn’t help but look at Elder Lin with a bit more respect.
Usually, she felt the woman was taciturn and overly calculating.
She hadn’t expected her to see through her inner thoughts so clearly in a matter like this.
A slight smile played at the corners of Murong Xue’s mouth.
Her gaze involuntarily shifted upward from those beautiful hands.
“Since Elder Lin can voice the doubts in my heart, you must surely have a solution…”
“The Southern Barren and the Northern Frost lands have never had a major sect recruit from them. Does the Sect Master feel my words have merit?”
“Hmm?”
The expectant look in Murong Xue’s eyes turned into a trace of hesitation upon hearing the solution.
To the people of the Middle Province, the Southern Barren was a place of extreme vulgarity—an uncivilized land.
Almost no one had ever thought of going there to recruit disciples.
Furthermore, the Northern Frost land mentioned was sparsely populated.
The cost of sending a spirit boat just to pick people up would likely exceed the benefit.
Recruiting there felt more like a reckless gamble.
“I know what the Sect Master is worried about, but if we do not implement it now, how will we ever know it cannot work…?”
After Lin Xinyi finished speaking, she fell silent.
The surrounding area lapsed into a hush.
Clearly, her words were tempting.
Although the populations of the Southern Barren and Northern Frost were small, powerful cultivators had indeed originated from there in the past.
“Well then, Elder Lin, as far as I know, there are some small local sects in the Southern Barren—”
Lin Xinyi thought she had handled the situation, but she hadn’t expected one of the seated elders to voice a doubt.
When Qin Huaiyin heard this, she intended to continue the voice transmission, but Lin Xinyi responded directly.
“Elder Wang, since you said they are small sects, if they have an objection, then shouldn’t we just wipe them out…?”
As Lin Xinyi spoke, her expression remained indifferent, as if she were discussing a trivial matter.
The entire room fell silent at her answer.
Then, everyone present burst into laughter.
It was obvious that in the face of a sect with deep foundations, the existence of any small sect was insignificant.
Seeing this, the words Qin Huaiyin had intended to suggest about offering benefits and negotiating died in her throat.
Perhaps in the presence of the truly powerful, everything else was indeed trivial.
‘It seems Master is better at handling that final sentence than I am.’
The subsequent discussions were merely about the requirements and processes of the sect selection, which paled in comparison.
With the idea Lin Xinyi had just proposed, the seated elders also began to actively voice their opinions.
The meeting eventually concluded, and the crowd began to depart.
Qin Huaiyin intended to wheel Lin Xinyi away, but they were stopped by a cool, clear voice.
“Elder Lin, your thoughts earlier were excellent. However, do you have some time to stay with me for a while…?”
Murong Xue slowly descended from her high seat.
The indifference in her eyes was as steady as ever, making it impossible to read her intentions.
Lin Xinyi clearly didn’t react in time, failing to understand why she was being asked to stay.
“The Sect Master is busy with many affairs. I should not disturb you too much…”
“It is no matter. I can spare this much time. I simply haven’t seen Elder Lin in a while and wish to check on your health…”
“Thank you for your concern, Sect Master. My body is fine.”
Lin Xinyi wanted to reject her outright.
She couldn’t appreciate the other woman’s unique hobbies.
She didn’t want the Sect Master to pull some “hands-on” stunt under the guise of catching up.
“If the Sect Master wishes to talk, perhaps we can schedule a time another day—”
Before Lin Xinyi could finish her sentence, the other woman’s figure had already teleported to her side.
A powerful sense of pressure instantly startled Lin Xinyi; she hadn’t even been able to react just now.
….
“So this is the disciple you’ve raised…”
Murong Xue slowly looked at Qin Huaiyin standing behind the wheelchair.
With just a shallow glance from those eyes that reflected the color of snow, the dragon blood within Qin Huaiyin’s body was instantly suppressed.
“A flood dragon turning into a true dragon. As expected of Elder Lin, your training of a disciple is quite unexpected…”
“Disciple Qin Huaiyin greets the Sect Master…”
“No need for such formalities. May I borrow your Master for a while…?”
As Murong Xue stepped forward, Qin Huaiyin hesitated for a moment.
But before she could even react, the scene before her shifted.
The handles of the wheelchair had already passed into Murong Xue’s hands.
“Eh?!”
“Do not worry, I am only borrowing her for a moment. There is no need for concern…”
Qin Huaiyin desperately wanted to refuse, but her legs felt as if they were nailed to the spot, unable to move even an inch.
That crushing pressure was just like facing the previous Lin Xinyi.
She could only watch as the Sect Master pushed Lin Xinyi out of the great hall.
“Master…”
As Lin Xinyi was pushed along, she had no idea where she was being taken.
No matter how panicked she was inside, she showed no abnormality on the surface.
She sat there with forced composure, wondering if the other woman had seen through the disgraceful things she had done.
“Forcing you out like this, Elder Lin, you won’t resent me in your heart, will you?”
“Since the Sect Master has put it that way, if I were to continue refusing, wouldn’t that be a lapse in etiquette…?”
As Lin Xinyi maintained her facade of calm, they arrived at the familiar dense grove from earlier.
The moment she arrived, a cold sweat broke out across her back.
This was exactly the forest where Qin Huaiyin had committed those improper acts, yet the Sect Master had brought her here.
The more Lin Xinyi thought about it, the more panicked she became.
She couldn’t help but wonder if the other woman had discovered something.
‘It’s all that rebellious disciple’s fault! I told her not to do it, and now look! We’ve definitely been caught!’
Being pushed from behind, Lin Xinyi felt as if she were sitting on a bed of needles.
She even began to imagine the upcoming confrontation.
Glancing sideways, she could even see the slightly damp grass beneath the trees from earlier.
‘It’s over, it’s over. How am I supposed to explain this in a moment…?’
As Murong Xue pushed Lin Xinyi past the site where she and Qin Huaiyin had “battled,” Lin Xinyi’s heart leapt into her throat.
As Murong Xue passed by, she sensed a trace of familiar spiritual energy.
“Why is there a spirit spring here? Who spilled Spirit Marrow Fluid in this place…?”
Murong Xue merely made a casual comment before bypassing the spot, clearly not having discovered the truth of what had happened.
Feeling that the other woman hadn’t lingered, Lin Xinyi breathed a sigh of relief.
‘The Sect Master didn’t notice?’
Seeing that she hadn’t stopped, although Murong Xue’s muttered words gave her a fright, Lin Xinyi relaxed once she realized the truth hadn’t been discovered.
Lin Xinyi thought that being this terrified wasn’t a sustainable solution.
She was also curious about why she had been brought here.
After holding it in for a long time, she finally spoke up.
“Sect Master, did you bring me here because there is some news you wish to tell me?”
Sitting in the wheelchair, Lin Xinyi quietly watched the surrounding scenery.
Murong Xue, who was pushing her, slowly came to a stop within a quiet pavilion.
The surroundings were exceptionally peaceful.
Lin Xinyi hadn’t noticed that such a cool and comfortable pavilion existed within this forest.
It was then that the silent Murong Xue finally spoke.
“The reason I asked Elder Lin to come is not for anything else, but simply to give this item to you…”
“What is this?”
Murong Xue didn’t say much.
She simply took out a box and gently placed it in the other’s hands.
Lin Xinyi didn’t know what was inside, but when she opened it, she saw a piece of personal protective equipment.
[Thousand-Year Cold Silk Sleeves] (Hand Protector)
[High-Grade Spiritual Tool]
[Description: A silk-like touch that can be attached to the hands. It possesses certain defensive capabilities and is highly absorbent. Refreshing and comfortable, it increases the speed of spiritual energy absorption.]
“Sect Master, you already gave me medicinal pills today. Why are you giving me a spiritual tool now?”
Lin Xinyi looked at the box with confusion.
Murong Xue merely smiled slightly and slowly knelt down, lowering her stature as Sect Master.
“As a Nascent Soul realm cultivator, many treasures no longer catch your eye. This item is also a reward for Elder Lin’s help in clearing my doubts during the meeting~”
“I see. If it was just to give a gift, you could have given it to me earlier. Why bring me all the way here…?”
Murong Xue did not answer.
She gently took hold of Lin Xinyi’s slender fingers and removed the Thousand-Year Cold Silk Sleeves from the box, carefully sliding them onto Lin Xinyi’s hands.
“This actually looks quite nice…”
Lin Xinyi raised her hands, looking at the glove-like items covering her.
The comfortable silk tightly wrapped around her hands all the way to her wrists, but the ring and middle fingers were left exposed.
Despite being gloves, they lacked space for two fingers.
“So beautiful…”
After Murong Xue put the gloves on her, she couldn’t take her eyes off Lin Xinyi’s hands.
Even her breathing began to grow heavy involuntarily.
Under the sunlight, it looked as if a pair of white silk gloves had been fitted onto her hands.
Lin Xinyi looked at the gloves, thinking that they were mostly decorative.
She didn’t understand why she had been brought here specifically for this.
However, as she examined her hands, she suddenly seemed to realize something.
‘Ah, could the Sect Master be here just to look at my hands…?’
At that thought, Lin Xinyi’s face darkened.
It seemed the other woman was usually quite repressed, so much so that she would risk exposure just to bring her to this forest pavilion to put silk gloves on her under the guise of a gift.
“It looks like there are some flaws after all. Sigh, what a pity…”
Murong Xue shook her head, muttering to herself.
She moved to take the gloves off, but Lin Xinyi pulled back slightly, causing her to miss.
“Elder Lin, this spiritual tool has some flaws. Why don’t you let me take it back to repair it before giving it to you again…?”
“There is no need. I have no reason to refuse a gift from the Sect Master. They feel quite comfortable on my hands. I appreciate the Sect Master’s thoughtfulness~”
“Eh?”
Murong Xue stared at the gloves on the other woman’s hands, momentarily stunned.
Her plan had been to put the gloves on her under the pretext of a gift, then take them back by claiming they were flawed, replacing them with some random spiritual tool later.
By doing this, she would have obtained a pair of gloves worn by those beautiful fingers.
Then, when no one was around, she could use the gloves to “relieve her boredom.”
“Elder Lin, these gloves really don’t suit you. How about…”
“Why is the Sect Master in such a hurry to take them back? Besides, I’ve already worn them. Sect Master, surely you aren’t…”
“!!!”
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