"Eldest Senior Sister, don't you think Master's been acting a bit off lately?"
Cui Hao stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the corridor as he asked Li Yingling beside him.
"Just a bit?"
Li Yingling raised her eyebrows slightly, her tone somewhat teasing.
Cui Hao's face also took on a knowing expression, and he said quietly:
"Then, Senior Sister, what do you think it is?"
"What else could it be?" Li Yingling's lips curled slightly.
The two stood at the edge of the connecting corridor, their gazes both fixed on their master, whose smile was unusually gentle, and on Senior Uncle Lingyu.
Master had been maintaining this state for several days now.
And even though the illusion had already been dispelled, Senior Uncle Lingyu had actually been coming around even more familiarly.
Master had also clearly increased his physical contact with Senior Uncle Lingyu.
Li Yingling naturally understood her master. For all his smooth talk, his body was the most honest.
He wouldn't do things he shouldn't, and he wouldn't touch things he shouldn't.
This kind of posture…
Tsk tsk.
"Eldest Senior Sister? Fifth Junior Brother?"
Li Xingtian had just turned the corner when he saw Li Yingling and Cui Hao wearing expressions that were… somewhat lewd, their gazes fixed directly on their master's direction.
Li Yingling didn't even turn her head, simply beckoning behind her.
Li Xingtian hesitated slightly, but still walked over to his eldest senior sister's side.
Li Yingling tilted her head upward to signal: "Second Junior Brother, don't you think Master's been acting very off lately?"
Li Xingtian paused at these words, his gaze turning puzzled as he looked toward his master.
He looked for a long while but didn't notice anything abnormal, so he shook his head lightly.
Cui Hao seized the opportunity to chime in, his eyes narrowing: "Eldest Senior Sister, asking Second Senior Brother this question is a bit unfair, don't you think?"
Li Yingling's smile grew even wider at this, returning Cui Hao's raised eyebrow with one of her own.
Seeing the two of them openly teasing him, Li Xingtian could only shake his head helplessly.
Li Yingling looked at Li Xingtian's expression and sighed lightly, then gently elbowed this dull second junior brother in the chest:
"Don't you think Master and Senior Uncle Lingyu seem even more… hmm… affectionate?"
Li Xingtian nodded lightly. "I do."
"Then do you think Master might with Senior Uncle Lingyu… cough cough!"
Li Yingling didn't finish her sentence, instead raising her eyebrows suggestively.
Only now did Li Xingtian understand why his eldest senior sister and fifth junior brother had been looking so sneaky—they were gossiping about their master behind his back.
But what was so surprising about this gossip?
Li Xingtian said calmly:
"Isn't that just a matter of time? Besides, it's a good thing, isn't it?"
Li Yingling looked Li Xingtian up and down, asking in confusion:
"Hmm? Didn't you say lust is a bone-scraping knife? And now it's suddenly a good thing?"
"That's what you said, Eldest Senior Sister. I only said one shouldn't become obsessed with women."
"Then why don't you find someone yourself? Afraid of becoming obsessed?"
"Naturally, the affinity hasn't arrived yet. We cultivators climb the great path. If we can advance hand in hand with someone, how is that not a good thing?"
Li Xingtian's expression was calm, with a hint of quiet confidence.
Li Yingling looked at her emotionally enlightened second junior brother and simply scoffed, then turned her gaze to Cui Hao—this kind of person isn't worth me speaking to directly. You do it!
Cui Hao nodded smoothly and turned to Li Xingtian:
"Second Senior Brother, if we ask what love is in this world…"
Cui Hao's words caught in his throat. Chen Baiqing was now standing outside the corridor, her gaze fixed on him with perfect calm.
Even calmer than Second Senior Brother's.
Li Yingling also noticed something was off. Turning to see Chen Baiqing, she immediately dropped her gossipy expression and nodded calmly to Chen Baiqing:
"Third Junior Sister is here too."
"Mm." Chen Baiqing stepped forward and asked, knowing full well: "What are Eldest Senior Sister and Fifth Junior Brother up to?"
Li Yingling cleared her throat, looked over, and said with a sighing tone:
"Naturally reflecting on the sect's development inside and out, and rejoicing that Master has broken free of the illusion technique. The conversation got a bit scattered, that's all."
Chen Baiqing first smiled and acknowledged her eldest senior sister's words, then shifted her gaze to Cui Hao:
"Then I suppose Junior Brother's question about what love is was just personal reflection? Have you met someone wonderful, perhaps?"
Cui Hao turned around rapidly, shaking his head repeatedly:
"No, no. Just a discussion, that's all."
Li Yingling cleared her throat to cut off the topic:
"Master said there's a full-sect assembly tonight. I'm the organizer, and I almost forgot—there are still things to prepare. I won't keep chatting with Third Junior Sister. See you tonight."
With that, Li Yingling didn't even look at Cui Hao, who was casting desperate pleading glances her way, and left directly.
Cui Hao watched Li Yingling depart with deep disappointment, then under Chen Baiqing's interrogating gaze, he for once stammered out a couple of words:
"I… I…"
Chen Baiqing said:
"You go help Eldest Senior Sister too."
"Right away." Cui Hao, as if granted a pardon, immediately turned and left.
Li Xingtian watched his eldest senior sister and Cui Hao depart, then finally turned his gaze to Chen Baiqing, who was now the only one left.
Chen Baiqing walked forward slowly and stood beside her second senior brother, her gaze also calmly fixed on their master, who was currently chatting and laughing with Senior Uncle Lingyu.
Neither of them spoke.
After a moment of thought, Li Xingtian suddenly asked:
"Don't you want Master and Senior Uncle Lingyu to be together?"
Chen Baiqing shook her head slightly. "Senior Uncle Lingyu has a good nature, and Master likes her very much. As a disciple, I'm naturally happy for Master."
"I originally thought Second Senior Brother would see things more clearly than Senior Sister and the others."
Li Xingtian looked puzzled:
"See what more clearly?"
Chen Baiqing spoke calmly: "Eldest Senior Sister likes to watch the fun and always wants to push things in a more exciting direction. Cui Hao also likes to stir the pot and enjoy the show. But sometimes the truth isn't like that."
Chen Baiqing looked toward the sky:
"I just want a sect with Master in it. A home with Master in it. Just like Second Senior Brother also hopes to always stay by Master's side."
Hearing this, Li Xingtian nodded with understanding.
Chen Baiqing suddenly asked: "Second Senior Brother, do you think Senior Uncle Lingyu would be shy if we started calling her Master's Wife now?"
Li Xingtian actually thought about this question carefully, then said:
"Probably, yes."
Chen Baiqing's face broke into a smile, and she suddenly called out loudly in Xie Lingyu's direction:
"Master's Wife, does Baiqing need to come brew tea?"
The voice was loud.
At least Xie Lingyu in the distance heard it.
She raised her head, looked at Chen Baiqing, and without any hesitation, nodded and replied:
"Yes!"
Chen Baiqing, having received her answer, turned to Li Xingtian with a smile:
"Looks like Second Senior Brother guessed wrong."
With that, Chen Baiqing walked quickly toward Xie Lingyu's direction.
Li Xingtian still stood in place.
Watching his third junior sister join them so naturally, he could also see it clearly.
Third Junior Sister had never felt any resentment toward Senior Uncle Lingyu.
But matters of the heart have always been hard to sort out. Liking is liking, and as long as you like, you want to possess exclusively.
Like a child who loves their mother and can't bear to see their mother be good to others.
The more you like, the more you want to possess.
Li Xingtian might be the same.
"Xingtian, what are you standing there for? Come over here too!"
"Coming, Master."
Li Xingtian nodded in response.
After all, who wouldn't want to be the very best with a master like this?
[
Dear Readers,
I post multiple high-quality, human-polished chapters every day. If you enjoy the story, consider supporting the release schedule to unlock massive advanced chapter buffers!
Support Options:
$6 — Read 20+ Chapters Ahead (High-speed daily updates!)
$8 — Read 40+ Chapters Ahead + Exclusive Character Images
$10 — Read 60+ Chapters Ahead + Character Images + Patreon Community Chat
(Note: These chapter counts are guaranteed minimums. Because of my rapid update schedule, you will often get even more!)
⚠️ Apple Users: Please subscribe via your web browser (Safari/Chrome) instead of the Patreon App to avoid a 30% fee and massive payment delays.
Thank you for reading and keeping these daily releases going!
Support Here: patreon.com/Alex_Cruise
]