Unlike her master’s white robe that resembled men’s clothing, the Sect Leader wore her hair in a single braid.
Her delicate face was full of tenderness, and she was dressed in a large red ruqun with peach-colored silk inside, revealing her graceful slender figure.
She was currently fiddling with an abacus on the table while writing in a ledger.
Seeing Lu Xiumei approaching, she parted her lips slightly.
“What brings you here?”
The Sect Leader was asking, but her gaze had already fallen on Lin Zhi.
Lin Zhi’s body unconsciously tensed up.
She swallowed a mouthful of saliva, expecting what her master would say.
“Senior Brother, this is my newly accepted disciple. I brought her for you to see.”
‘Senior Brother?! The Sect Leader’s voice doesn’t sound male either? And just now, didn’t she say something about women? Is the Sect Leader male or female?’
Shocked by her master’s form of address, Lin Zhi quickly blinked, trying to find more details from the Sect Leader.
But aside from discovering that her figure was very well-endowed, she looked like a woman from every angle.
“Hmm, I see. Not bad, quite suitable for you.”
With a faint, elusive smile, Luo Qin’s divine sense took a brief sweep and immediately discerned Lin Zhi’s situation.
“You find it strange, don’t you? Xiumei’s address to me.”
“Reporting to Sect Leader, a little.”
Lin Zhi didn’t hide her thoughts.
Although her master had told her not to answer casually, she was at the age of sixteen, the most curious age.
The cat in her heart had already scratched marks; if she didn’t ask, she probably wouldn’t sleep well tonight.
‘Uh, what about master?’
A cold, murderous glare came over.
Lin Zhi was so frightened her body stiffened even more.
It’s over, she’s going to suffer.
The Sect Leader caught sight of this interaction between master and disciple, and a meaningful smile appeared.
“Fifty years ago, during the operation to eradicate the demonic path at the Taixu Sect, I was poisoned by Yin-Yang Ni Dao San. It’s a sinister and insidious poison, so I ended up like this as you see.”
‘So that’s how it is…’
Matching her inner patriarchal mindset, Lin Zhi silently nodded.
That’s right, how could a woman hold such an important position as Sect Leader?
But the woman sitting there was indeed the Sect Leader.
Lin Zhi suddenly felt that the ideas she brought from her small village were too strange.
Ignoring the various details, Luo Qin explained briefly.
This matter absolutely could not be broadcast at the sect gate; she could only explain to each person curious about the issue.
In fifty years, she had gotten used to it.
Male or female, it no longer matters.
Perhaps the only one she wronged was her.
Luo Qin had promised to marry Lu Xiumei.
Time passed, both their parents had died early.
Who would have thought that after the marriage proposal, this incident would happen?
Lu Xiumei cried for a long time, and her face grew colder and colder, but the address of “Senior Brother” never changed.
Luo Qin lightly brushed her temple hair and smiled self-deprecatingly.
If Xiumei knew about her inner changes, she would surely hate her.
So in front of Lu Xiumei, Luo Qin would pick up her former male identity, trying to do as few feminine gestures as possible.
You see, just by flipping her hair, her gaze became so sharp.
Is she warning me?
At the table, a hard-to-ignore gaze burned, as if to pierce through her body.
Luo Qin sighed faintly at Lu Xiumei.
“Xiumei, I’m very happy that you have a disciple.”
“Hmph, you’re blind.”
“A Spirit Void Body, I know. Girl, study well with your master, understand? She is the strongest female cultivator in the sect.”
Luo Qin ignored herself, because she knew Lu Xiumei didn’t like hearing it.
Lu Xiumei’s face slightly flushed, but it returned to normal in an instant, making Lin Zhi doubt if she had seen an illusion.
‘Never seen master like this. Is it because of the Sect Leader? But they are both women? Women and women… can they?’
As if discovering something incredible, Lin Zhi couldn’t help blushing.
She had been taught the Three Bonds and Five Constants by her grandmother since childhood.
This could be described as outright treason.
“Alright, I still have matters to handle. This is Qi Gathering Powder. May you break through soon.”
“Thank you, Sect Leader.”
Lin Zhi stepped forward to take the white porcelain bottle.
“Thank you, Senior Brother.”
She emphasized the last two words slightly.
Lu Xiumei took Lin Zhi and returned to the Ninth Peak.
“Your master will keep the Qi Gathering Powder for you first. Later I’ll guide you in drawing qi into your body. For now, study the Escape Technique and get familiar with the mountain gate.”
As she spoke, Lu Xiumei patted Lin Zhi’s head.
Without waiting for Lin Zhi to hand it over, she directly took the white porcelain bottle.
“…”
‘What was inside?’
Lin Zhi didn’t dare to speak, nor to ask.
Just like Liancheng Xue standing in front of over a thousand people.
Being in her late twenties, almost thirty, facing these eighteen-year-old girls, she could only keep a stiff smile on her bright oval face and quietly join the ranks of female disciples.
“She’s also a newly entered disciple?”
“I thought she was a teacher.”
“What a beautiful sister.”
The sounds of discussion came to her ears.
Hearing the words of praise or contempt, Liancheng Xue’s feet inside her cloth shoes almost dug out a three-bedroom apartment.
But she wasn’t a greenhorn youth, so she hid her emotions well.
She only occasionally put on a professional smile to greet people.
Unfortunately, even if she was adept at socializing, there were still people who were unhappy.
“Immortal Elder, I want to report! I object! My brother is only nineteen, and he also passed the test. Why can’t he come, but this old woman can?”
Liancheng Xue, holding a wooden sword, exhaled warm breath and lifted her gaze without emotion to look at the speaker.
It was a frail girl.
“Practice the First Sword Six Moves again. If you have any issues, talk to the Merit and Punishment Hall.”
The thick-browed instructor frowned and said sternly.
He only wanted to finish the morning training quickly to cultivate and think about the latest sword technique, not deal with anyone.
The situation was suppressed with one sentence.
The girl uttered “um” and didn’t speak again.
She just started the First Sword Six Moves, her black bright eyes spitting fire, as if she held a grudge against Liancheng Xue.
‘Is that necessary? Besides the elderly, can the criteria for judging whether one can cultivate immortality also be linked to age? Besides, the Sword Sect’s test is fair and just…’
Liancheng Xue didn’t know where her anger came from.
If it was just resentment that she took the position that originally belonged to her brother, then she needed to make it clear.
“Teacher, how are my Six Moves?”
Liancheng Xue asked the instructor.
“You?”
The unmarried instructor sized up the beautiful woman who asked the question, his old face reddening as he recalled her mastery of the First Sword Six Moves.
“Not bad.”
He slowly exhaled.
Women only affected his sword speed.
He decided to practice the Clear Mind Sword Art ten more times tonight!
“Then can I share some teaching work with the Immortal Elder?”
“Of course. That one, you, come out too. You’ll be in charge of teaching the male disciples the Six Moves.”
The instructor’s thick brows relaxed.
His expression first showed surprise then delight.
He pointed at a male disciple who had mastered the Six Moves well.
“When I’m not around, you two will be responsible for instructing the First Sword Six Moves. State your names.”
“Zhang Xiaofan.”
“…Liancheng Xue.”
Startled by the name, Liancheng Xue restrained her emotions.
“Good. Then I’ll leave the rest of the morning training to you two. From now on, every day at roll call, you’ll be responsible for gathering all disciples here. Understood?”
“Disciple will keep that in mind.”
Zhang Xiaofan said respectfully.
Liancheng Xue nodded.
“Alright, continue morning training. I have important matters, so I’ll take my leave first.”
The thick-browed Immortal Elder stepped onto his flying sword and flew away without looking back.
Returning to the formation, Liancheng Xue, having received permission, walked directly toward the girl who had just spoken rudely.
Many people’s faces already carried expressions of schadenfreude.
“You, what are you doing? If you dare bully me, I’ll tell the Immortal Elder tomorrow!”
“The sword is not held like this.”
Liancheng Xue showed the girl her own jade hand holding the sword.
She curled four fingers around the hilt, pressed them against the guard, and pinned her thumb like making a fist.
“This is the tightest grip on the sword, called ‘full grip’. Observe carefully the sword shadow in your spirit platform and you will understand.”
“You… are you really teaching me? You’re not intentionally misleading me, are you?”
The girl was moved for a moment, then immediately became vigilant again.
“True or false, you’ll know once you try.”
Liancheng Xue didn’t speak again.
She just watched the young girls around her close their eyes, and their gradually brightening smiles made her smile as well.
‘Is it really effective?’
The girl glanced at the others, closed her eyes, and immersed her mind half-believingly.
The sword shadow’s movement suddenly stopped.
The view zoomed in extremely close to the hand, exactly as Liancheng Xue had said.
‘It’s true.’
The girl opened her eyes, immediately changed her grip on the sword, her face slightly red.
She turned away and said.
“Thank you for teaching me. I, I shouldn’t have said that about you.”
Liancheng Xue only shook her head.
Her simply tied ponytail swayed.
She stepped forward, pressing close to the girl’s side, and her hand held the girl’s soft hand holding the sword.
“The tiger’s mouth should face the blade, not the flat of the sword.”
A faint fragrance hit her nose, warm sensation connected.
The girl’s body stiffened.
She glanced at the face of the woman beside her, saw her serene and beautiful smile, and her heart quietly lifted.
Her voice was as soft as a mosquito’s hum.
“Th-thank you.”
“Practice well?”
Not finding anything wrong, Liancheng Xue withdrew from the girl’s side and continued to the next person for one-on-one instruction.
“Okay.”
The girl’s face showed awkwardness, but she agreed.
On the other side, Zhang Xiaofan pondered for a moment, then stepped up to a male disciple, reaching out to grab the sword.
“Holy shit, get away!”
The approached youth immediately screamed.