Central Continent. Tianyan Sect.
Pearl Peak.
Xie Lingyu raised her hand to brew tea, then poured a cup each for Chu Xingchen and Bai Xuanling.
Bai Xuanling reached for her teacup.
"This trip was hurried—I didn't prepare a breakthrough gift for you."
"You didn't send one last time either. It's fine not to send one this time too." Xie Lingyu's tone was calm. "As long as Master is safe and well."
Bai Xuanling nodded with evident satisfaction.
"You're much gentler than before. And now Lingyu is a mighty Spirit Transformation cultivator."
Xie Lingyu wasn't sure whether this counted as her master's teasing. She looked up at Chu Xingchen across from her—he wore a broad smile.
The Chu Xingchen who used to love teasing people had grown much quieter after losing his hearing.
Bai Xuanling studied Xie Lingyu's expression, raised an eyebrow, and grinned.
"Quick—say what's really on your mind while you can. This brat can't hear anyway."
"What's really on my mind?"
"Obviously: how dare this little punk be liked by my Lady Lingyu? You've burned through ten lifetimes of accumulated fortune, and you'll still owe me ten more lifetimes of servitude."
"Master!" Xie Lingyu shot to her feet, bracing her hands on the table.
Chu Xingchen watched Xie Lingyu's dramatic reaction and looked over with a confused tilt of his head.
"What's wrong?"
Bai Xuanling raised an eyebrow and reached out to write.
But the moment her hand went up, Xie Lingyu pressed it down.
Xie Lingyu called out with absolute seriousness: "Master!"
Seeing this, Bai Xuanling withdrew her hand, her tone turning playful.
"If you like him, you like him. I don't care that this brat has snared you—you're the one making a fuss about it."
"If only I'd played matchmaker and broken you two up back then, maybe you'd appreciate how good your master is now."
Xie Lingyu picked up a fresh teacup, placed it before Bai Xuanling, and filled it to the brim.
"I know how to handle my own affairs."
"Of course you do—Lingyu is a mighty Spirit Transformation cultivator now." The smile hadn't left Bai Xuanling's face. "Since you don't like that approach, let me rephrase. I'm only making a suggestion. This brat can't hear right now. Anything that's ever ticked you off—now's the perfect time to tell him to his face and blow off some steam."
Xie Lingyu didn't argue further. Experience had taught her that once she showed submission, her master never pressed the attack.
She replied softly: "Understood."
Bai Xuanling nodded with a smile, then reached into her spatial ring and pulled out a pill, popping it into her mouth casually.
Chu Xingchen watched this scene, silently calculated the time, and spoke.
"You're taking Clear Heart Pills too frequently. One pill every three double-hours—I don't even know if there's a tolerance build-up. You should take fewer."
Bai Xuanling scoffed and raised her hand to write—[Your lousy pills. If I had any other choice, who'd want to take them?]
Bai Bo's final gambit before death had truly sealed Bai Xingling's last weakness.
That inexplicable rage had flooded her Sea of Consciousness entirely—everything before her had become utterly revolting.
Even as Bai Xuanling fought to suppress it, her own seals were being broken by the subconscious impulse.
Fortunately, Bai Xuanling still remembered the Clear Heart Pill Chu Xingchen had refined. She'd taken one during their time in the Western Niu Continent.
At the time, Chu Xingchen had intended the pill to suppress his own inner demons—but given his universally terrible alchemy skills, even Bai Xuanling had no interest in testing it.
Originally, she'd planned to save this pill as an ace in the hole, to slip into the Sect Master's tea someday for a little surprise.
Never had she expected that the Sect Master wouldn't get to use it, but she herself would end up taking it.
She'd only tried it out of desperation. Bai Xuanling never imagined it would actually work.
No matter how the rage surged, her mind could maintain absolute rationality.
Her body might be going wild, but her consciousness remained calm—thankfully, it was the mind that controlled the body.
The pill Chu Xingchen had refined was remarkably effective. At the very least, it hadn't driven Bai Xuanling to the brink.
Otherwise, she never would have been able to come back on her own that day.
Naturally, the pill's side effects were equally remarkable.
Even Bai Xuanling had to steel herself before taking one. The general sensation was: the soul was lucid, but the soul no longer wished to remain in the body.
The discomfort had a peculiar dissonance to it—almost worse than death.
But right now, there was no room for complaints.
After all, the ingredients for the Clear Heart Pill Chu Xingchen had refined were cheap, and the refinement was simple. At his current Mahayana cultivation, if he actually put his mind to it and refined a single furnace, it would be enough to last Bai Xuanling a year.
Even accounting for Chu Xingchen's current stockpile, it would last her quite a while.
As long as one was alive, there was always a way.
As for Bai Xuanling's problem, Lu Xuan was also researching it, looking for alternatives beyond Chu Xuanling's pills.
So the current Sect Master Lu was kept extremely busy.
Bai Xuanling let out a soft sigh.
"Forget it—it's all fate. Being alive is already enough."
Xie Lingyu pressed her lips together lightly. She knew everything that had happened in the Western Niu Continent, but dwelling on past dangers wasn't her style.
After issuing one warning, she rarely brought it up again.
But this incident had taught her all the more to cherish the present.
Bai Xuanling waved her hand lightly. "This brat's pills are too potent. I'm going back to meditate and figure out how to block the effects."
As she spoke, she rose and headed for the door. Pausing at the threshold, she turned back to look at Xie Lingyu.
"Remember what I said—take this chance to really let this brat have it. He's petty; you won't get another opportunity like this."
Xie Lingyu nodded.
"Understood…"
Bai Xuanling departed, satisfied.
Chu Xingchen withdrew his gaze and looked at Xie Lingyu.
"Why did she leave? Did you two argue?"
Xie Lingyu extended her spiritual sense outward, confirmed her master's aura was gone, then began writing with one hand while speaking aloud.
"I hate you, you idiot. You almost got yourself killed handling things."
[No, Master said she was tired and went to rest.]
"Oh…" Chu Xingchen nodded slightly, then smiled and praised her. "I have to say, Lady Lingyu truly lives up to her name—entering the Spirit Transformation realm so quickly."
Xie Lingyu let out a soft hum.
"How could I possibly keep up with your speed? Cultivating so fast—I don't even know how you do it."
[Just put in a bit more effort, that's all.]
"Now I can really rely on Lady Lingyu." Chu Xingchen smiled as he spoke. "I trust Lady Lingyu completely. During this time, everything others say will depend on you to translate."
"Otherwise, someone could be cursing me right to my face and I wouldn't even know."
Xie Lingyu gave a light nod, her tone displeased.
"They're cursing you, you big dummy. You're always rushing into things headfirst. You used to consult me before handling anything—now you just go off and do it yourself without a word."
[Don't worry. I'm here for everything. No one would dare curse you.]
Chu Xingchen smiled and nodded, looking quite content.
"That's good. It's all thanks to Lady Lingyu."
"You big dummy! You big dummy!" Xie Lingyu murmured under her breath. "Next time you go being this reckless and running off on another adventure, Lady Lingyu won't lift a finger for you."
[Leave it to Lady Lingyu.]
Outside the corridor wall.
The smile never left Bai Xuanling's face.
A mere little Spirit Transformation thought she could sense her.
[
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