Preparatory Meeting - Li Yingling

In the sect of Yuzhou City.

Ning Qianqian was helping her father lay floor tiles when she heard playful noises outside.

She stood up and walked out, only to see Chen Baiqing holding a box of candied fruits, who immediately ran toward her upon spotting her.

Chen Baiqing pulled out the largest piece and handed it to her: "This is candied fruit from the capital. Would you like to try one?"

"Thank you..." Ning Qianqian quickly reached out and accepted the treat.

She glanced around but only saw Chu Xingchen teasing Li Yingling with a smile.

Unable to hold back her curiosity, she asked, "Where’s Senior Li?"

Chen Baiqing sighed softly. "Master said Senior Brother has his own matters to attend to."

Truthfully, she had a very favorable impression of her senior brother.

He just looked a bit intimidating when expressionless, and even more so when he smiled.

But deep down, he was always gentle with her.

Ning Qianqian nodded slightly, then suddenly remembered something. She flashed Chen Baiqing an apologetic smile before hurrying over to Chu Xingchen.

"Sect Leader, there’s a letter from Yuzhou City."

Chu Xingchen looked at her curiously. "From whom?"

"Both the Demon Suppression Bureau and Zen Forest Temple sent letters," Ning Qianqian replied with an apologetic smile. "I left them in my room for now. I’ll go fetch them—please wait a moment, Sect Leader."

Li Yingling frowned slightly and speculated, "Could it be that Zen Forest Temple is trying to claim those magical artifacts from us?"

"Hah! With their abbot at the Foundation Establishment stage and their grandmaster uncle barely reaching the Golden Core stage? That temple couldn’t even withstand a casual flick of my finger."

Li Yingling silently gave her arrogant master a thumbs-up.

There was no arguing with that.

Ning Qianqian soon returned with two letters, respectfully presenting them to Chu Xingchen with both hands.

After reading them, Chu Xingchen’s brows furrowed slightly.

The message from the Demon Suppression Bureau was straightforward—higher authorities had issued an order designating Chu Xingchen’s sect as an officially recognized partner.

It included detailed subsidy terms and special privileges, inviting Chu Xingchen to visit Yuzhou City for discussions when convenient.

This was good news, likely due to Xie Lingyu’s influence.

But the letter from Zen Forest Temple was rather peculiar.

Written by their abbot, it vaguely requested Chu Xingchen to visit the temple for a discussion without specifying the purpose.

At least the wording was humble.

After some thought, Chu Xingchen decided to delay responding to both.

Especially the temple’s letter—it felt off.

Since he wasn’t the one in a hurry, he’d wait and see who cracked first.

Folding the letters neatly, he smiled at Ning Qianqian. "Understood. Thank you."

Ning Qianqian bowed humbly before returning to her father, Ning Kun, to resume paving the path.

Chu Xingchen took a deep breath and scanned his surroundings. Li Yingling, the "Curious Immortal," was staring at him eagerly, clearly wanting to know the letters’ contents.

Chen Baiqing, still clutching her box of candied fruits, beamed at him.

Hmm…

Logically, he knew Li Xingtian had left, but it didn’t quite feel that way.

The man spent most of his time secluded in his room, immersed in cultivation.

Unless Chu Xingchen specifically summoned him, he rarely emerged—only to practice techniques or guide Chen Baiqing’s training.

His low profile softened the sting of his absence.

Chu Xingchen sighed inwardly, hoping his second disciple, reborn into this life, would walk a smooth and prosperous path—far from the clutches of that soul-sucking demoness.

Speaking of which, it was only under Chu Xingchen’s relentless prying that Li Xingtian reluctantly confessed how he died in his past life.

After all, who wouldn’t be curious about their own death?

Li Xingtian made his master swear secrecy, not wanting such an embarrassing tale to spread.

Chu Xingchen solemnly promised—only to burst into laughter the moment he stepped outside, much to Li Xingtian’s mortification.

Thinking back, his stoic second disciple had his own brand of humor.

Shaking his head, Chu Xingchen handed the folded letters to Li Yingling.

Might as well satisfy the girl’s curiosity.

Li Yingling’s eyes lit up as she took them, but her excitement quickly faded after skimming the contents. She refolded them neatly.

With Chu Xingchen’s return, the sect gradually settled into a rhythm.

He had already mapped out plans for spirit stones and sect development.

The most crucial factor was disciples. First, finding promising seedlings was hard—finding reliable ones even harder.

Chu Xingchen refused to let a few bad apples ruin his sect’s harmony.

So personality mattered more than raw talent.

Even if a candidate had potential, if they bore the mark of a "natural rebel"...

Chu Xingchen wouldn’t take them in.

Rather than scouring the land blindly, why not host a grand recruitment event?

Let the right disciples come to him.

With Yuzhou City’s official backing, there was no harm in making it a spectacle.

If no suitable candidates turned up locally, they could expand the search later.

In the past, he lacked the cultivation base, sect foundation, and reputation to pull it off.

Without those, any recruits would likely be gullible fools.

But now? He had it all.

Chu Xingchen had finally risen.

Thanks to the spirit-gathering array’s nourishment, he’d also identified a spot near the pond suitable for growing spiritual herbs.

As for earning spirit stones, refining pills was worth considering.

Previously, his concoctions tasted awful because he used a cooking pot.

Now, with a proper cauldron, things should improve.

Surely a cauldron-brewed pill wouldn’t be as vile?

If the efficacy held, sales would thrive.

Chu Xingchen shared his plans with the group.

Li Yingling loved the idea of a grand recruitment event but worried her master might lower his standards in desperation.

Her demands were simple: no morally corrupt disciples, and quality over quantity.

Regarding future juniors:

"They can be weak, but not wicked."

She also proposed modeling the event after the recruitment trials from The Legends of Qishan, designing stages to test candidates’ temperament, aptitude, and intelligence.

To filter out the unworthy.

Volunteering as chief examiner, she vowed to draft a plan overnight.

Chu Xingchen thought it overkill—his system’s appraisal alone should suffice.

But seeing Li Yingling’s enthusiasm… Fine, let her have her fun.

He’d just double-check to avoid missing any gems.

Young Chen Baiqing, swept up in her senior’s excitement, raised her hand in support.

Ning Kun and Ning Qianqian attended too, though they remained silent and tense, speaking only when addressed.

When the vote came, they also sided with Li Yingling.

The Third Sect Conference concluded smoothly despite the absence of her second disciple.

Li Yingling, who had gained the most from the event, returned to her room with visible excitement.

She began preparing plans for her own trial competition.

Chu Xingchen, meanwhile, braced himself to refute Li Yingling’s unreliable schemes a hundred times over.

This rebellious disciple was cunning and full of wild ideas—

He had to stay on guard.