“Hey… Junior Brother~ are you thirsty? If you are, have some of my Gourd Wine~”
Duan Xueyan spoke as she smiled, squinting her eyes while handing over the wine gourd she had just sipped from to Lu Li.
Lu Li saw that Duan Xueyan still showed no intention of settling his rewards.
Instead, she kept rambling about trivial matters, making him even more anxious inside.
He took a deep breath, forced himself to maintain a calm appearance, and cupped his fists once more.
“Senior Sister Duan, the sect mission is already completed, and the mission dossier and proof have been submitted. I ask that you please, as per the rules, settle all my rewards for this mission.”
“My Duanqing Peak has many affairs to tend to, and I must supervise my disciples. I really can’t stay much longer.”
Duan Xueyan, however, acted as if she hadn’t heard his urging words, leaning lazily against the counter; her fingertips still lightly tapping the stack of dossiers, her charming eyes appraising Lu Li’s slightly tense profile with great interest:
“Sigh~ Junior Brother Lu, you really are… We’ve only been apart a few days, yet you’ve gotten even duller?”
She threw him a reproachful glance, “Your Senior Sister here is in charge of the Merit Hall. Every day, I deal with these cold, lifeless mission dossiers and the disciples coming and going inside the hall. It’s rare to have an old acquaintance like you to talk with for a while, but you, the moment you arrive, are in a rush to leave. It really breaks your Senior Sister’s heart~”
Though her words spoke of heartbreak, her face still bore a beaming smile, and she even deliberately leaned closer,
She was almost brushing up against Lu Li’s arm, the sweet scent of peach blossom wine once again swirling around him.
Lu Li’s stomach tightened.
“Senior Sister Duan! Please mind yourself! I ask that you settle my rewards as soon as possible!”
Seeing that he was genuinely getting annoyed, Duan Xueyan finally straightened up with a half-smile, leisurely took Lu Li’s Contribution Token in hand, and at last brought out the Sect Merit Ledger to record his achievements.
“Alright, alright, I’ll settle it for you right away~”
“Sigh… Look at how anxious you are, as if your Senior Sister would ever pocket your rewards.”
She leafed through the Sect Merit Ledger absent-mindedly, glancing at Lu Li while making small talk.
“Hehe… Looks like you gained quite a lot during this trip to Yangzhou, Junior Brother Lu? Not only did you solve the missing persons case, but you even uncovered the Yin Corpse Sect’s conspiracy. Even I, your Senior Sister, am impressed.”
Lu Li had no desire to chat further; he only wished she would hurry up.
He replied succinctly to Duan Xueyan, “Just doing my duty, it was pure luck.”
As Duan Xueyan flipped through the roster, she suddenly spotted the newly submitted list from the Outer Affairs Hall, noticing that Duanqing Peak had gained a new disciple named Shang Baiyu.
“Hmm? Junior Brother Lu, when did your Duanqing Peak get a new disciple called ‘Shang Baiyu’? I remember you previously reported to the sect that you only had one Direct Disciple, Gu Qingkong.”
Lu Li explained patiently, “Oh, Shang Baiyu is a Direct Disciple I took in during my trip to Yangzhou City. He’s the young master of the Pill Cauldron Pavilion, contributed greatly during the investigation, and admired our Void Spirit Sect’s righteous ways, so he joined me to study swordsmanship.”
“Oh? Young master of the Pill Cauldron Pavilion?”
Duan Xueyan raised her eyebrows, a trace of surprise flashing through her eyes before transforming into deeper interest.
“Hehe… Who would’ve thought, Junior Brother Lu. You always seemed quiet, but when you make a move, it’s impressive…”
“Tsk tsk~ Not only are your investigation skills formidable, but your disciple-taking skills aren’t lacking either, huh?”
“Even the young master of the Pill Cauldron Pavilion, who’s become quite the famous figure among rogue cultivators these past few years, was lured—oh no, attracted by you…”
With a teasing tone, Duan Xueyan leaned even closer, lowering her voice.
“Hehe… Looks like Junior Brother Lu isn’t entirely ignorant of worldly affairs after all? You know to accept disciples with backgrounds, building your network~”
“In the future, maybe someone will help you cover expenses on Duanqing Peak…”
Lu Li was left speechless by her words and could only reply helplessly, “Senior Sister, please don’t joke like that. Accepting disciples depends on fate and temperament, not family background.”
“Mmm… Right, right, Junior Brother Lu is upright and principled. I misspoke just now~”
Duan Xueyan followed suit, lowering her voice, but the mischief in her eyes didn’t lessen at all.
“But still, counting the new Shang Baiyu, Junior Brother now has two disciples. So… are you really planning to expand and pass on Duanqing Peak’s legacy?”
“Hehe… Junior Brother, you’ve truly become a cultivator capable of standing on your own~”
As she spoke, Duan Xueyan habitually tried to reach out and pat Lu Li on the shoulder, as if to show her gratification as a senior.
Lu Li quickly avoided her touch, his tone carrying a bit of weariness and resolve.
“Senior Sister Duan! With more disciples under my tutelage, the responsibilities I bear only grow heavier. I truly need to devote myself to cultivation and can’t be distracted by other matters. I hope Senior Sister understands and can quickly settle the rewards for this mission. I would be most grateful!”
Lu Li pressed for the rewards again, his tone making it clear that he didn’t want to be entangled further with Duan Xueyan.
Seeing Lu Li looking so anxious to get his reward and leave, Duan Xueyan couldn’t help but burst into a peal of laughter.
“Hehe~ Alright, alright, your Senior Sister won’t tease you anymore. Look at you, all tense—do you really think I’d eat you up or something?”
With that, Duan Xueyan finally waved her hand and began the formal reward process, but she still didn’t stop talking.
“But speaking of which… your relationship with those two little disciples of yours seems rather unusual, doesn’t it…”
Lu Li’s heart tightened, but he kept his expression calm.
“Hmm? What do you mean by that, Senior Sister?”
“I just think~ those two disciples of yours seem to care about you quite a lot~”
Duan Xueyan drew out her words, her gaze deliberately drifting to Lu Li’s robe cuffs.
Then, with a meaningful look, she glanced at the door, a knowing smile on her lips.
“Oh? How can you tell?”
Lu Li scratched his head, not understanding why Senior Sister would say such a thing.
Duan Xueyan did not answer directly, instead smiling slyly as she asked, “Hey~ Junior Brother, are those two precious disciples of yours: one tall, with pink hair and pink eyes, quite the striking appearance?”
“And the other one, a bit younger, about fourteen, slim and delicate, with black hair and violet eyes, and a more gloomy temperament?”
Lu Li froze in shock, his face filling with disbelief.
He blurted out, “Huh? Senior Sister, how did you know?”
“Could it be… Senior Sister, have you been practicing some Iron-Mouth Divination technique lately?”
Duan Xueyan took in all of Lu Li’s reaction, her smile growing even brighter and more inscrutable.
“Junior Brother Lu, you really like to joke. How would I know such things~”
With that, she extended a slender finger and pointed lightly toward the half-open main door of the Merit Hall.
“Hehe~ Junior Brother Lu, take a look…,” her voice lazy and mischievous, “those two little ones who’ve been peeking through the crack in the door for half a day—aren’t they your disciples?”
At these words, Lu Li felt as if struck by lightning, his eyes widening in shock.
He immediately turned around, following the direction Duan Xueyan had indicated.
There, he saw the vermilion doors of the Merit Hall half open, with two familiar figures crouching at the crack, one above the other, clearly eavesdropping and peeping!
The taller one at the front was none other than his new second disciple, Shang Baiyu.
Squeezed behind Shang Baiyu was his first Direct Disciple, Gu Qingkong.
At this moment, these two disciples of Lu Li’s looked just like sneaky little thieves caught stealing lamp oil—entirely at odds with the obedient image they usually showed him.
Lu Li pointed at the doorway, his voice warped by shock and confusion.
“Baiyu! Qingkong? What are you two doing here? Didn’t I just tell you both to register at the Outer Affairs Hall and then return to Duanqing Peak to cultivate?”
At the doorway, having been called out, Gu Qingying and Gong Shangyu both shrank their necks, clearly terrified by Lu Li’s words.
Gu Qingying’s mind went blank for a moment, and she felt her heart stop, hands and feet turning icy cold.
Damn it, so the cognitive modification system really doesn’t work on Nascent Soul-stage cultivators?
I clearly activated the perception modifier just now, but that old witch Duan Xueyan still noticed…
Realizing this, Gu Qingying trembled and looked pleadingly at the mastermind Gong Shangyu, hoping her Senior Sister could come up with a solution.
In contrast, Gong Shangyu looked perfectly calm, clearly having thought out a plan in advance.
“Hey, hey, hey… Senior Sister! What do we do now?”
Gu Qingying, anxious, sent a secret voice transmission to Gong Shangyu.
Gong Shangyu smirked and replied without hesitation, also using secret voice transmission:
“Oh? Only at times like this do you remember to call me Senior Sister? Usually you just call me Junior Brother, huh?”
“Quit joking! Just tell me what to do!”
Hearing this, Gong Shangyu smiled even more wickedly.
“Relax~ Your Senior Sister has it all planned out~ Just follow my lead inside, and watch the show.”
With that, Gong Shangyu cast a malicious glance toward Duan Xueyan inside the room, the corner of her mouth curving up in a strangely devilish grin.
Hehe…
Duan Xueyan Shigu, right?
Always trying to lay hands on my Master, aren’t you?
This time…
I’ll make sure you pay for your flirting and for making my Master develop his gynophobia!
Having made up her mind, Gong Shangyu strode confidently toward Lu Li and Duan Xueyan, signaling for Gu Qingying to follow quickly.
Seeing Gong Shangyu march right in, Gu Qingying hesitated in the doorway, torn between doubt and courage, but after much hesitation, finally mustered her resolve and followed her Senior Sister inside.
With a face full of resentment, she grumbled in her heart at her Senior Sister.
“Sigh~ Whatever, let it end here! Gong Shangyu, you better pray your plan works!”