Chapter 136: The Bootlicking Immortal Lord Who Wants to Live Off a Woman.2

Fortunately, just as his vision began to go dark, he finally heard that cold and indifferent voice.

“Enter.”

With that single word, all the discomfort around him vanished instantly.

He closed his eyes briefly, steadied his breath, and pushed the door open with the two disciples in tow.

Inside, Shen Xiuyan wore a look of frustration—what impeccable timing.

Of all times, they had to show up right after he finished watching the plot. His excitement had caused a leak of true qi, and he’d nearly killed someone by accident…

The grand hall was vast and silent. Every step they took echoed clearly through the space.

Hearing the sound of their own footsteps made all three of them tense up again.

Thankfully, the Ancestral Master didn’t seem angered by the noise, and Xia Zhishang let out a quiet sigh of relief.

He bowed with deep respect. “It has been thirty years since this disciple last saw Ancestral Master. I hope you have been well.”

“Still alive,” came the flat, emotionless reply from above.

That voice made Sect Leader Xia shiver again. The Ancestral Master was still as cold as ever.

Cautiously, Sect Leader Xia asked, “May I ask how long Ancestral Master intends to remain out of seclusion this time?”

Shen Xiuyan replied icily, “I don’t know.”

Sect Leader Xia’s heart skipped a beat, but he quickly continued, “This is Ruan Xi’er, disciple of the Second Elder, and this is Ning Cui, disciple of the Tenth Elder. Since Ancestral Master is not in a hurry to return to seclusion, perhaps these two young disciples could help clean your courtyard?”

Heaven-Reaching Peak, where the Ancestral Master resided, was unlike any other peak. It was filled with rare treasures—so much so that even the most inconspicuous weed growing on the path might be something extraordinary.

That’s why the peak was protected by 180 layers of restrictive formations. Only those with a token personally granted by the Ancestral Master could set foot here. Anyone else would meet certain death.

Even with the token, the moment one stepped onto the peak, they could feel the overwhelming Spiritual Pressure emanating from the Ancestral Master.

Here, aside from the Ancestral Master himself, everyone else might as well be ordinary mortals—unable to cast even a single spell.

Of course, if your cultivation surpassed that of the Ancestral Master, you could come and go freely.

But such a person did not exist in the cultivation world.

Since the Ancestral Master had been in seclusion for years, no one dared to ascend Heaven-Reaching Peak, and so the place had gone uncleaned.

Now that the Ancestral Master had emerged, Sect Leader Xia had rushed over with people, waiting for instructions.

As for asking the Ancestral Master to clean personally—he wouldn’t even dare to think it. Even if it only took a few spells, it would still diminish the Ancestral Master’s dignity.

Upon hearing this, Shen Xiuyan straightened up. Ah, here it comes—the plot is finally kicking in.

“No… Hmm? Oh, fine…” Shen Xiuyan had originally intended to firmly refuse any involvement with the female lead, but he suddenly faltered.

Wait a second—that girl down there… isn’t that Cui Cui?

A rush of excitement surged through him. If Cui Cui was here, then could his Mingyue also be in this world?

If he followed her, there was a good chance he could find his wife. Shen Xiuyan, ever adaptable, immediately changed his mind.

So what if she’s the female lead?

He had a system, after all.

No matter how lucky she was, could she possibly be luckier than him?

Shen Xiuyan wasn’t afraid in the slightest.

Sect Leader Xia was a little confused as to why the Ancestral Master had changed his mind, but quickly dismissed the thought. The Ancestral Master must have his reasons—it wasn’t his place to question them.

Just the fact that the Ancestral Master was allowing the two girls to stay and clean was already a huge favor. If he happened to drop even a single crumb of fortune from between his fingers, it would be enough to feed the two girls for a lifetime.

This was a golden opportunity not easily come by. The entire sect had been eyeing this position.

After rounds of selection, only two were chosen in the end.

One was the Second Elder’s disciple—charming, eloquent, sweet-tongued. At least she wouldn’t offend the Ancestral Master while serving him. Sect Leader Xia felt very reassured about Ruan Xi’er.

As for the other one…

Forget it. Best not to mention.

She had gotten in purely through the power of money. Her master, the Tenth Elder, was filthy rich—so rich that the combined Spirit Stones of the entire sect couldn’t match even a tenth of his wealth.

The Tenth Elder had pulled out all the stops to get his disciple selected.

At the very least, the gifts he sent ensured the elders remembered the favor.

That’s how this plain-looking, blunt, and average-talented disciple had made it through.

While Sect Leader Xia was lost in thought, a crisp snap of fingers rang out from above. Tables and chairs appeared out of thin air in the vast, empty hall.

Fruits and pastries were laid out on the table, and that cold voice spoke again, “Sit.”

“Thank you, Ancestral Master, for the seat.”

Sect Leader Xia didn’t dare hesitate. He immediately gestured for the two disciples behind him to sit down as well.

Shen Xiuyan said, “Drink.”

Only Sect Leader Xia had a cup of tea in front of him. Hearing the command, he quickly picked up the steaming cup and took a small sip. Just that one sip, and he felt Spiritual Energy pouring into his body from all directions.

His hand trembled. This wasn’t tea—it was clearly a rare celestial elixir.

The Ancestral Master was truly terrifying, casually using such a treasure to brew tea.

Without hesitation, Sect Leader Xia took several more gulps. Mystical energies gathered in his dantian, and he felt the passage of time and the rise and fall of eras flash before his senses.

He slowly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, a new aura radiated from his entire being.

He immediately rose and knelt before Shen Xiuyan in a deep, respectful bow.

“Thank you, Ancestral Master, for your gift.”

That’s right—just a few sips of “tea,” and Xia Zhishang had broken through to the next cultivation stage.

He hadn’t advanced in over a hundred years. If he hadn’t broken through soon, he probably only had a few years left to live.

Cultivation didn’t grant true immortality—it only prolonged the inevitable. The higher your cultivation, the longer your life span. He had thought his days were numbered, but now he saw a new path open before him. For this, Sect Leader Xia was overwhelmed with gratitude toward Shen Xiuyan.

The Ancestral Master was truly kind. He must have seen through Xia Zhishang’s plight—why else would he bestow such “tea”?

Even with the barrier between them, Shen Xiuyan could still feel the tearful gratitude in the man’s gaze.

He shrugged helplessly. He hadn’t thought that far ahead. He just wanted Sect Leader Xia to live a little longer—after all, as long as he held the position, Chu Suxing wouldn’t have a shot at it.

And Shen Xiuyan was always happy to trip those two up.

After expressing his thanks, Sect Leader Xia sat back down properly at the table. His eyes couldn’t help but wander across the spread.

If just one cup of “tea” had that kind of effect, then these fruits and pastries definitely weren’t ordinary either.

He swallowed hard but didn’t dare reach out.

After a few deep breaths, he finally resisted the temptation and spoke again, “I only came today to check on Ancestral Master’s well-being. If there are no further instructions, I’ll take my leave.”

Shen Xiuyan waved a hand. “Go.”

Sect Leader Xia stood up and instructed the two of them, “You must take this cleaning seriously. No fooling around.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.” Both replied in unison.

Having given his orders, Sect Leader Xia was about to leave when Shen Xiuyan, seated above, spoke up. “Come here twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening. The rest of the time, focus on your cultivation.”

What a joke—if Cui Cui had to stay here cleaning all day, how was he supposed to find a wife?

He still wanted to stick close to her and try his luck.