Chapter 144: The Bootlicking Immortal Lord Who Wants to Live Off a Woman (10)

Shen Xiuyan shook his head helplessly. Look at this pitiful guy—wasn’t it just a stalk of Phoenix Immortal Grass? Was there really any need to act like the sky was falling?

That grass grew all over his Heaven-Reaching Peak like weeds by the roadside—utterly unremarkable.

So why was Wang Gang looking at it like he’d just seen the treasure of the century?

Wang Gang looked utterly pitiful, putting on his most aggrieved expression. “Junior Brother, my good Junior Brother, just give me a tiny piece—really, just a teeny bit. I just want to taste what kind of flavor pastries made with Phoenix Immortal Grass have.”

Shen Xiuyan sighed. Wang Gang was technically his disciple’s disciple’s disciple—who knew how many generations down. How could someone so clueless represent his lineage?

If word got out, it would be a disgrace.

After thinking it over, Shen Xiuyan finally dug out a pill from some forgotten corner of his spatial pouch—one of the cheapest things he had.

If Wang Gang liked Phoenix Immortal Grass that much, then this should be more than enough.

Consider it a thank-you gift for helping him meet Mingyue today.

With a wave of his hand, a small white jade bottle appeared in Shen Xiuyan’s palm.

He casually tossed it over to Wang Gang.

Wang Gang caught it, confused. “Junior Brother, what’s this supposed to mean?”

Shen Xiuyan replied, “You’re not getting the pastries—don’t even think about it. That was a gift from Senior Sister, a token of her affection. But I can give you this pill.”

“Huh?” Wang Gang looked reluctant.

Shen Xiuyan added, “It’s definitely worth more than Phoenix Immortal Grass.”

Wang Gang’s eyes lit up, though his smile was awkward. “I couldn’t possibly accept this…”

Despite his words, his hands were anything but shy. He eagerly took the jade bottle and began inspecting it from every angle.

As he examined it, he said, “Didn’t expect you to have something like this, Junior Brother. You must come from a pretty well-off family in the mortal world, huh?”

Wang Gang didn’t think too much of it. After all, Shen Xiuyan was just an Outer Sect Disciple. Even if he came from a decent background, how good could his stuff really be?

Probably just a bit better than Phoenix Immortal Grass. But for someone like Wang Gang, it was already a priceless treasure. Clearly, he hadn’t misjudged this Junior Brother—so generous!

Shen Xiuyan replied vaguely, “It’s nothing much.”

Wang Gang grinned and asked, “By the way, Junior Brother, what’s this pill called? What does it do?”

Shen Xiuyan thought for a moment, then said uncertainly, “It… speeds up cultivation?”

Wang Gang: “???”

Why did that sound so unsure?

He looked at the pill bottle in his hand, suddenly a little nervous. What if it had some weird side effects?

“Don’t worry, it won’t hurt you,” Shen Xiuyan said cheerfully, lifting the food box. “Senior Sister said it’s about time. Let’s head back and report.”

With that reminder, Wang Gang immediately forgot everything else. “Right, right, let’s go! If we’re late, we’ll be in trouble!”

*

On Xuanwu Peak.

Ruan Xi’er knelt on the ground.

Second Elder’s face was dark as he shouted, “Outrageous! Absolutely outrageous!”

Chu Suxing quickly stepped forward to support the furious elder. “Please calm down, Elder. Please.”

Second Elder brushed his hand away and pointed at the kneeling Ruan Xi’er. “I only gave you that hard-won spot because you were sweet-tongued and good at winning people over. How dare you try to pull tricks in front of the Ancestral Master? What if he finds out? What will he think of me? That I’m the kind of teacher who raises such a crooked disciple?”

“If you want to screw yourself over, don’t drag me down with you!”

Only now did Ruan Xi’er seem to realize how serious things were. She lowered her head and trembled with fear.

It was Shen Xiuyan’s earlier words that had tipped Chu Suxing off.

There was no reason for Ning Cui to still be cleaning while the Ancestral Master had already sent Xi’er back. Why would the Ancestral Master care about two little attendants?

Under pressure, Ruan Xi’er finally confessed the truth.

She had gone up Heaven-Reaching Peak today hoping to curry favor with the Ancestral Master. But when she arrived, she didn’t see him anywhere. How was she supposed to flatter someone who wasn’t there?

So she picked up some cleaning tools and, bracing herself, walked toward the inner hall she’d visited the day before.

She planned to use cleaning as an excuse to get closer to the Ancestral Master. But after knocking several times with no response, she took it upon herself to open the hall doors—only to find that the Ancestral Master wasn’t on Heaven-Reaching Peak at all.

With no motivation left, she made up an excuse and slipped away, leaving all the cleaning to Ning Cui.

That fool Ning Cui, clueless as ever, actually believed the Ancestral Master had told her to go back first.

Ruan Xi’er had been secretly pleased with herself—until now, when her Master scolded her harshly.

Chu Suxing felt a pang of sympathy at the sight of Ruan Xi’er’s tearful, pitiful expression. He tried once more to calm the Second Elder.

“It’s fine. The Ancestral Master wouldn’t bother with such trivial matters. Besides, Ning Cui’s still up there cleaning. He probably won’t notice Xi’er’s little shortcut.”

But the Second Elder looked at him like he was seeing him for the first time, deeply disappointed. He pushed his hand away again. “I can’t believe you think that way…”

“What do you know! Forget Heaven-Reaching Peak—even the Thirty-Two Peaks, the entire Cultivation World, nothing escapes the Ancestral Master’s All-Seeing Eye. There’s nothing he doesn’t know—only things he chooses not to speak of. Sneaking around in front of him? What was this foolish girl thinking?!”

Ruan Xi’er was terrified. Huge tears rolled down her cheeks, making her look heartbreakingly delicate.

“Master, please help me. I know I was wrong. Please, I beg you!”

“Help you? How? If the Ancestral Master decides to pursue this, I’ll be in trouble too…”

“Wuwuwu… M-Master…” Ruan Xi’er wept silently, tears streaming down her face, looking like a fragile white lotus untouched by the world.

In the end, she was still his disciple. The Second Elder’s heart softened.

He slumped into his chair. “Forget it, forget it. What’s done is done. It’s too late to change anything now. The only thing we can do is pretend the Ancestral Master doesn’t know. Didn’t he say to clean once in the morning and once in the evening? This afternoon, you go early. Don’t come back until it’s dark. And make sure your attitude is impeccable!”

“Yes, Master. I understand.” Ruan Xi’er thought the matter was settled and finally let out a breath of relief.

But things didn’t go as they had hoped.

Before the afternoon even arrived, Sect Leader Xia stormed in with a furious expression.

The moment he saw Ruan Xi’er sitting in the main hall, he released a wave of Spiritual Pressure.

Ruan Xi’er was only at the Foundation Establishment stage—how could she withstand that? She was immediately crushed to the ground.

When she lifted her head again, a faint trace of blood was already at the corner of her lips.

The Second Elder, who had been refining pills in the Alchemy Room, sensed the disturbance and arrived in the main hall in the span of a single breath.

Seeing Ruan Xi’er kneeling on the ground, clutching her chest, he was shocked. “Sect Leader, what are you doing?!”