Chapter 155: The Bootlicking Immortal Lord Who Wants to Live Off a Woman.21

“Eat! Why are you just staring at me?” Shen Xiuyan looked at the dazed Wang Gang and said.

Wang Gang hesitated cautiously. “Um, Junior Brother… who exactly are you?”

Shen Xiuyan: “?”

Wang Gang: “Or do you come from some extraordinary background?”

Shen Xiuyan: “???”

What’s up with Wang Gang today? He’s acting weird.

Wang Gang continued, “Do you even know what kind of Medicinal Pill you gave me yesterday?”

Shen Xiuyan thought for a moment, then nodded uncertainly. “I think it’s for cultivation? You took it, didn’t you? Wasn’t it?”

That question left Wang Gang speechless.

Yes. Oh, it absolutely was.

But the speed of cultivation it gave him—why didn’t this Junior Brother mention it would be that fast? It was like he shot straight into the heavens.

Could it be that this Junior Brother made a mistake?

After all, he still sounded unsure when he said it.

Wang Gang suddenly felt a little guilty.

Just then, a commotion erupted outside, growing louder as it spread inward.

“Look! It’s the Sect Leader!”

“What? The Sect Leader actually came here?”

“Wow, what’s he doing here? I haven’t seen him in over a year!”

“Same here.”

Sect Master Xia walked past rows of disciples bowing to him and headed straight for Wang Gang.

He spoke, “Is this the Shen Xiu you mentioned?”

Wang Gang nodded honestly.

Shen Xiuyan was stunned. Why was Sect Master Xia here? Had he been exposed?

The moment Sect Master Xia laid eyes on Shen Xiuyan, he felt breathless.

This Outer Sect disciple named Shen Xiu… looked at least fifty percent like the Ancestral Master!

Could he be the Ancestral Master’s illegitimate child?

Pah!

No, no, that’s nonsense.

What was he thinking?

There’s no way the Ancestral Master would give his son that name. Everything about that name felt off.

Shen Xiu… Shen Xiuyan…

Just one character different.

He had the creeping feeling he’d stumbled upon a shocking secret. If it turned out to be true, would the Ancestral Master silence him to keep it hidden?

Sect Master Xia unconsciously straightened up and put on his most respectful demeanor. “Would the two of you mind stepping outside to talk?”

Wang Gang quickly turned to look at Shen Xiuyan.

Shen Xiuyan nodded calmly and walked out with composed ease—nothing like how an Outer Sect disciple should act.

What kind of Outer Sect disciple doesn’t get excited upon seeing the Sect Leader?

Wang Gang’s heart clenched at Shen Xiuyan’s nonchalance. No, Shen Xiu, why are you walking ahead of the Sect Leader?

Do you have a death wish?

From his angle, it looked like the Sect Leader was following behind Shen Xiu like a humble little lackey…

In a quiet, secluded corner outside, Sect Master Xia waved his hand to block all prying eyes and cast several soundproofing spells.

He glanced around and saw Wang Gang still standing nearby. Feeling it was unsafe, he said, “You wait outside the barrier.”

Wang Gang, seeing how serious the Sect Leader was, started to worry about Shen Xiu. What if he’d done something wrong? If something happened to his benefactor because of him, how could he live with himself?

Shen Xiu was practically his second father now.

Shen Xiuyan noticed Wang Gang still lingering, staring at him with concern, and said, “It’s fine. You go on.”

Only then did Wang Gang leave, but not before saying, “If anything happens, run to me, alright?”

Sect Master Xia gave a wry smile. If Shen Xiu wasn’t who he suspected and really was just an Outer Sect disciple…

Then the two of them? Run? Run where?

Still, the thought brought a hint of satisfaction to his face. At least the kid knew how to repay kindness.

Once Wang Gang was gone, Sect Master Xia carefully asked, “May I ask where you got that Medicinal Pill?”

His eyes darted away, and his tone was uncertain.

Shen Xiuyan was speechless. He already guessed who he was, so why keep up the act?

“I refined it,” Shen Xiuyan said confidently, curious to see how Sect Master Xia would respond.

Sect Master Xia nearly burst into tears. Why was this ancestor so blunt? How was he supposed to respond to that?

He looked at Shen Xiuyan with a pleading expression, only to meet a teasing gaze.

Fine. No more pretending.

He bent at the waist and bowed. “Ancestral Master.”

“Mm.”

Hearing that confirmation, Sect Master Xia couldn’t help but tremble.

So he was right after all.

What happened to the Ancestral Master? Was he bored up on Heaven-Reaching Peak and decided to come down to the Outer Sect to play disciple?

Sect Master Xia treaded carefully. “May I ask what brings you here, Ancestral Master?”

Shen Xiuyan waved it off. “Don’t worry about it. I just wanted to look around.”

Sect Master Xia quickly smiled and nodded. “Of course! Of course! It’s good to take a look around. It’s been so long since you’ve visited the Thirty-Two Peaks. Things have changed a lot since a few hundred years ago.”

“Mm, they really have,” Shen Xiuyan agreed.

Seeing that the Ancestral Master seemed to be in a good mood, Sect Master Xia finally voiced the question that had been nagging at him.

“Why did you give Wang Gang the Flying Spirit Pill?”

“Someone gave me a basket of Phoenix Immortal Grass pastries yesterday. I didn’t want to give them to Wang Gang, so I traded him a Medicinal Pill instead,” Shen Xiuyan said matter-of-factly. After all, no one could do anything about it.

Sect Master Xia was on the verge of tears. You traded Phoenix Immortal Grass pastries… for a Flying Spirit Pill?

He couldn’t have misheard that, right?

That Phoenix Immortal Grass—growing all over Heaven-Reaching Peak like wild weeds, no different from common grass—how on earth was it worthy of being traded for a Flying Spirit Pill?

If there really were such a good deal, he’d be the first in line!

But under the Ancestor Master’s deathly stare, he didn’t dare say a word.

Sect Master Xia felt like his heart was bleeding. He was terrified the Ancestor Master might pull the same foolish stunt again in the future.

He hurried to remind her, “You really don’t have to offer a Flying Spirit Pill. Even a lesser-grade Medicinal Pill would be more than enough—the disciples would be moved to tears.”

Shen Xiuyan remained expressionless. “The worst I have is the Flying Spirit Pill.”

Sect Master Xia’s jaw dropped. This was… awkward. He’d always known the Ancestor Master had plenty of treasures, but he hadn’t realized he had that many.

He was utterly shaken.

For a moment, Sect Master Xia was at a complete loss for words. He couldn’t think of anything else to say, and all he wanted was to escape this suffocating atmosphere as quickly as possible.

“Well then, Ancestor Master, I’ll take my leave.”

“Go.”