Chapter 146: The Bootlicking Immortal Lord Who Wants to Live Off a Woman (Part 12)

But she had so many senior and junior brothers and sisters—why did the Ancestral Master specifically choose her senior sister?

Could it be because he knew she was closest to her?

As expected of the Ancestral Master—his foresight was truly uncanny.

Two Hundred Treasures Pouches, clearly of extraordinary value, appeared out of thin air in front of Ning Cui.

Shen Xiuyan instructed, “The black one is for your master, the pink one is for your senior sister.”

“Got it.” Ning Cui nodded obediently. “Does the Ancestral Master have any other instructions? If not, I’ll take my leave.”

Shen Xiuyan’s cool voice drifted over, “Yes. Go call Xia Zhishang, then take the rest of the day off.”

Ning Cui replied honestly, “But I still have to finish sweeping the courtyard.”

Shen Xiuyan waved a hand. “It’s not urgent. Go.”

“Yes, Ancestral Master.”

With that, she took the two Hundred Treasures Pouches and hummed a little tune as she made her way down the mountain to find the Sect Leader.

When Sect Master Xia heard Ning Cui’s message, his heart skipped a beat. What could be so important that the Ancestral Master summoned him personally?

Something like this hadn’t happened in the past two hundred years.

With growing unease, he asked Ning Cui, “How did the Ancestral Master look?”

Ning Cui shook her head. “There was a screen in the way. I couldn’t see anything.”

Sect Master Xia pondered for a moment. “What about his voice?”

“At first, it was fine. But when he told me to come get you, it sounded… colder.”

Sect Master Xia felt a chill run down his spine. What on earth could have happened?

He quickly waved her off. “You go back. I’ll head there now.”

Without delay, he leapt onto his sword and flew straight to the base of Heaven-Reaching Peak.

As he stood before the long flight of stairs, Sect Master Xia felt, for the first time, just how endless they seemed.

The higher he climbed, the heavier his heart grew. What could possibly warrant such a dramatic summons from the Ancestral Master?

He racked his brain the entire way up, but no matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t figure it out.

Just then, a crow cawed nearby—a bad omen…

He fought the urge to cry, but the cold wind only made the scene more desolate.

On that beautiful, winding staircase, Sect Master Xia somehow managed to embody the tragic spirit of a warrior marching to his doom.

Outside the grand hall, he bowed respectfully and called out, “Ancestral Master.”

Shen Xiuyan’s icy voice came from within. “Enter.”

Just from the tone alone, Sect Master Xia could tell—Ancestral Master was angry.

He quickly straightened his robes and put on his most respectful demeanor before stepping inside.

With heavy steps, he walked into Shen Xiuyan’s line of sight.

“Ancestral Master, what matter do you summon this disciple for?”

Shen Xiuyan let out a cold snort. “Do you know what happened today?”

“I do not. I beg the Ancestral Master to enlighten me.”

Sect Master Xia was completely in the dark. Nothing major had happened in the sect today… Could it be something from the cultivation world?

“Hmph~” Shen Xiuyan’s cold voice rang out again. “You don’t know? How could you not know? Didn’t you send them here yourself?”

Sect Master Xia felt his heart plummet.

Could it be that the two people he sent had done something to offend the Ancestral Master, prompting this interrogation?

But regardless of what they did, since he was the one who sent them, he couldn’t escape responsibility. Face pale as ash, Sect Master Xia dropped to his knees.

“Ancestral Master, please forgive me.”

The hall fell into utter silence, mirroring the stillness in Sect Master Xia’s despairing heart. He waited hopelessly for the Ancestral Master’s final judgment.

But no voice came from above.

Because at that moment, Shen Xiuyan had noticed that Ning Cui had returned to Biluo Peak.

His divine sense had already drifted over, completely ignoring the kneeling Sect Master Xia below.

The first thing Ning Cui did upon returning was to find her master and senior sister. Proudly, she handed them the Hundred Treasures Pouches.

Only to be met with puzzled looks from the two.

Elder Su asked, “What’s this?”

Ning Cui beamed. “A gift from the Ancestral Master.”

Elder Su: “???”

He stared in disbelief. “The Ancestral Master gave you something again?”

“Mm-hmm.” Ning Cui nodded enthusiastically.

Elder Su was numb with shock. What a generous gesture.

He didn’t even need to look to know that whatever was inside must be extraordinary. As expected of their Ancestral Master—so lavish!

Elder Su had nothing but praise for the Ancestral Master, and he wasn’t stingy with it.

Su Mingyue, hearing this, quickly shoved the pouch back into Ning Cui’s hands. “Since it’s a gift from the Ancestral Master, you should keep it. You already gave us something yesterday—there’s no need to give us more today.”

Watching this scene unfold, Shen Xiuyan felt his heart sink.

No, no, no! He had carefully prepared those gifts for his beloved. If he didn’t use Cui Cui as a go-between now, who knew how long it would take to get them to her…

Why was it so hard just to improve his wife’s standard of living?!

Back on Heaven-Reaching Peak, Sect Master Xia, still kneeling, noticed the prolonged silence and risked a glance at Shen Xiuyan’s expression.

That one glance chilled him to the bone.

Why did the Ancestral Master look even more displeased than before…?

He must still be deciding how to punish him. Sect Master Xia quickly lowered his head again. He absolutely couldn’t disturb the Ancestral Master’s thoughts at a time like this—this was a matter of life and death!

Aaaaaaah!!!

Sect Master Xia screamed internally. It’s all because of those two! What the hell did they do?! If they wanted to die, they could’ve just said so—why drag him and the whole sect down with them?!

At this moment, Shen Xiuyan had no interest in what a Sect Leader might be thinking. His full attention was locked on Su Mingyue’s every move.

Fortunately, Ning Cui was firm. She pushed the Hundred Treasures Pouch back again and said, “I really can’t accept this. It was a reward from the Ancestral Master for you.”

Su Mingyue slowly raised a questioning brow. She didn’t even know the Ancestral Master—why would the Ancestral Master be giving her anything?

Cui Cui continued, “Apparently, the Ancestral Master was very pleased with how I cleaned the courtyard today. But it wouldn’t be appropriate to keep rewarding me directly, so the gifts were given to my Master and Senior Sister instead.”

“This…” Su Mingyue couldn’t quite follow the Ancestral Master’s logic. “Giving something to my father, sure, that makes sense. But to me…”

There were so many fellow disciples—senior brothers, junior brothers, junior sisters—why her, of all people?

Ning Cui nodded with conviction. “It must be because the Ancestral Master knows how close we are. Honestly, if I had to give this to anyone else, it would hurt. But giving it to you, Senior Sister? Not at all.”

Su Mingyue smiled and tapped her on the nose. “You little rascal~”

Elder Su was still standing there, stunned. “I don’t deserve this. Truly, I don’t deserve this.”

Ning Cui grinned. “Oh, come on. If it weren’t for Master’s foresight yesterday, telling me all about those rare and strange treasures I’d never even heard of, I might’ve ended up with punishment instead of a reward today. So please, Master, just accept it with peace of mind.”

Elder Su didn’t have a token and had never even set foot on Heaven-Reaching Peak.

Hearing Ning Cui’s words, he was shocked. “The Ancestral Master just let you two little girls go clean up all those rare and precious treasures?”

Ning Cui replied meekly, “No, I only cleaned the courtyard today. But even the weeds in that courtyard were Phoenix Immortal Grass…”

Elder Su’s eyes widened.

Su Mingyue’s eyes widened too.

As expected of the Ancestral Master—what terrifying wealth.

Even if her father worked for thousands of years accumulating Spirit Stones, he probably still wouldn’t match the Ancestral Master’s fortune…

Cui Cui looked at the two of them, frozen in disbelief, and chuckled inwardly. No way was she going to be the only one shocked by all this.

If you’re going to suffer, suffer together.

She added, as if watching a show, “And I only cleaned one-tenth of the courtyard…”

Elder Su: “…”

Su Mingyue: “…”

Seeing them speechless, Ning Cui opened her mouth again. “And outside the courtyard, there’s still over a thousand acres of mountain—”

Before she could finish, Su Mingyue clamped a hand over her mouth.

In a voice that wasn’t exactly quiet, she said, “Could you at least leave my dad a shred of hope? You know how much he idolizes the Ancestral Master. Since he can’t catch up in cultivation, he’s been trying to match him in wealth. Dropping the truth on him like this is just brutal…”

Elder Su gave his daughter a wounded look.

Such a sweet and considerate little girl…

One-tenth of the courtyard, over a thousand acres of mountain, probably even a treasure vault hidden somewhere…

How did he ever dare to dream he could match the Ancestral Master’s wealth?

But discouragement wasn’t in his nature.

Enough talk. Time to act.

As long as he worked hard enough, one day, he’d catch up to the Ancestral Master.