Chu Xingchen listened to Li Yingling's slightly affected voice, thinking that the so-called "discussion" was really just—Master, the sky is falling, can you patch it up for me?
After all, Li Yingling was inherently somewhat proud, and the matters that could make her lower her voice and ask were never many.
Occasional bouts of coquettishness didn't count, of course.
But the matter at hand was actually quite acceptable to Chu Xingchen.
Li Yingling had already broken through to the Nascent Soul realm, and after a major breakthrough, one needed to spend considerable time consolidating one's gains rather than continuing to push forward recklessly—that would only lead to an unstable foundation.
So this eldest disciple, who had made a name for herself in the Eastern Divine Continent, came up with an idea—it was time to also make a mark in the Central Province, or elsewhere.
Naturally, Chu Xingchen had no reason to refuse.
After all, Li Yingling's [Strong Fortune] attribute had already upgraded to the level of [Heavenly Fortune].
But even upgraded to Heavenly Fortune, she still had to go out for it to take effect.
She couldn't expect to just stay at Ten Thousand Flowers Ridge and have earth-shattering good fortune drop from the sky, could she?
Even with Heavenly Fortune, it needed a stage to perform on.
Now that Li Yingling had more or less consolidated her Nascent Soul breakthrough, going out for training was a good thing.
What's more, even among the Eighteen Immortal Sects, disciples who reached the Nascent Soul realm were required to go out and temper themselves for a time.
The reason Li Yingling's tone was slightly affected, however, was not because she wanted to train alone.
This eldest senior sister wanted to bring Chen Baiqing along.
Li Xingtian was still some distance from the Nascent Soul realm, and his progress still had to be measured in years.
During this time, it was best for him to cultivate in the sect.
Li Yingling had managed sect affairs for a long time, and for her, it had been a long period of ascetic practice as well.
Within the sect, Li Xingtian needed to cultivate, while Lin Luoyu and Cui Hao were of lower cultivation.
Only Little Baiqing was at the Golden Core realm, and her methods were unique.
When Chen Baiqing had traveled alone through the Eastern Divine Continent, Li Yingling couldn't personally protect her because she had to manage sect affairs.
Now that she had reached Nascent Soul, the sect affairs could go back to being her master's problem.
This time, it was the eldest senior sister's turn to take the third junior sister out to see the real world.
But beyond Chen Baiqing's part in this matter, the most important thing was getting Chu Xingchen's approval.
Though Chen Baiqing was very respectful toward her as the eldest senior sister, when it came to major decisions, she only listened to her master.
If forced to choose between the eldest senior sister's words and her master's words, Li Yingling was certain that Little Baiqing would unhesitatingly choose to obey her own master.
Chu Xingchen glanced up at the smiling Li Yingling. The proposal was actually reasonable—though Li Yingling could be a bit flighty at times, she would absolutely put the safety of her junior siblings first.
But they still needed to respect the person's own wishes. Chu Xingchen asked:
"Have you asked Baiqing about this? Does she want to go?"
"Of course I've asked. But you know Baiqing—she still needs your permission first."
"If she wants to go, she can naturally go. Some tempering would do her good."
"Then I'll tell Baiqing that you've agreed?"
"Be careful, and remember to find your master first if anything happens."
"Got it."
Having received a satisfactory answer, Li Yingling was about to leave and notify Little Baiqing when—
"Hold on, I haven't finished giving instructions yet." Chu Xingchen called her back with a somewhat helpless expression.
Li Yingling stopped and turned back.
Chu Xingchen cleared his throat lightly. "Be careful when you're out and about. If anything happens, first look around to see if—"
"I know, I know! First check if there are any disciples of the Heavenly Derivation Sect nearby. The Heavenly Derivation Token you gave me is already in the easiest-to-reach spot in my spatial ring."
Li Yingling finished his sentence before he could.
Did this even need to be repeated by her master? If she hadn't learned the essence of her master's ways, wouldn't she have learned nothing at all?
"See, you're rushing ahead again." Chu Xingchen sighed and shook his head.
"That's not the version anymore. Why would you look for Heavenly Derivation Sect disciples?"
Li Yingling froze at his words, looking at her master with a slightly puzzled gaze.
Then she saw him produce from his spatial ring a brand-new token she had never seen before.
Chu Xingchen tossed the token to Li Yingling.
Li Yingling caught it smoothly, her gaze falling on the token—Xuanqing Heaven Token.
This... was a token of the Xuanqing Heavenly Sect?
Where did Master get this? Hadn't he just finished picking a fight with the Xuanqing Heavenly Sect over the Luo Yue matter?
Chu Xingchen cleared his throat and said in a serious tone:
"When you're out and about, first check if there are any disciples of the Xuanqing Heavenly Sect, then see if there are any disciples of the Heavenly Derivation Sect."
Li Yingling examined the token for a moment, her tone slightly doubtful:
"Master... won't this fake be recognized?"
"Fake? What fake? Am I that kind of person?"
"This is real—real as can be."
"Where did you get it? Did you steal it?"
"Insolent disciple! I bore the mandate of heaven, unleashed my sovereign's aura, and the Xuanqing Heavenly Sect trembled at the sight and bowed in submission. They begged me to accept it!"
Li Yingling looked at her master with a speechless expression—Master, you can't just make things up like blowing out a birthday candle.
Sovereign's aura? Xuanqing Heavenly Sect bowing in submission?
Why not say the Eighteen Immortal Sects jointly proclaimed you their supreme alliance leader, and our sect soared to become the peerless sect above all Eighteen Immortal Sects?
Since Master was clearly making things up, the token's origin was probably not so glorious and upright.
More likely, Master had humbled himself to ask for it.
But Master wanted these things, most likely for the sake of his disciples.
That humility was really to give his disciples more confidence when they went out into the world.
Li Yingling gently traced the token in her hand, then raised her gaze. "Understood, Master. As your eldest disciple, I absolutely won't disgrace you when I'm out there."
Chu Xingchen took a half-step back, suddenly wary.
"Why are you saying things like that all of a sudden? I don't have any more good things to give you right now."
Li Yingling stored the token in her spatial ring. "Master, wait until I come back. I guarantee it'll all be good things."
A smile appeared on Chu Xingchen's face.
"Good, good, good. Your master will be waiting for you at the sect."
Li Yingling waved vigorously, then turned and departed.
Chu Xingchen watched her retreating figure and let out a soft sigh.
"Master... are you reluctant to part with eldest senior sister?" Cui Hao, seeing his master sigh, asked suddenly.
Chu Xingchen's gaze flicked over. "It's not about being reluctant. As long as all of you are well, that's more than enough to satisfy me."
Cui Hao nodded firmly at these words, then with a slight smile, sidled closer to Chu Xingchen and whispered:
"Master, do you think I should also go out and temper myself a bit?"
"Isn't Ten Thousand Flowers Ridge big enough for you to train in?"
"Train at Ten Thousand Flowers Ridge? I want to be like eldest senior sister too."
"When you're as much of a genius as your eldest senior sister, then you can do what your eldest senior sister does."
Cui Hao fell silent at that.
Chu Xingchen casually slung an arm around Cui Hao's shoulder.
"Your eldest senior sister can come and go as she pleases, but you're my beloved disciple. I couldn't bear to part with you."
Cui Hao said nothing, only silently looked up at his master. Without even thinking about it, this was definitely something Master had made up on the spot.
He understood his own worth well enough—in front of the third junior sister, everyone had to fold their hand in half.
Who could compete with the third junior sister when it came to being a warm little jacket?
Chu Xingchen met Cui Hao's gaze and coughed lightly.
"As for tempering, wait until after you reach Golden Core. Your cultivation is still a bit lacking right now, and you haven't even mastered your divine abilities yet. Going out would be too dangerous."
Cui Hao nodded firmly.
Once his boxing technique reached perfection.
Not only would he shake the four seas, he'd definitely look incredibly cool doing it too.
[
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