Vacate the Master's Room Immediately

"Your sect is quite hard to find," the woman said with an air of familiarity, walking toward the group as if she belonged there. "It took me some effort. The sect's name is kept rather secretive too—though isn’t that a bit counterproductive for recruiting disciples?"

Chu Xingchen’s calm gaze settled on her.

[Target: Bai Xuanling]

[Cultivation: Early-stage Tribulation Transcension]

[Orange Trait: Immortal’s Bearing]

[Purple Trait: Ruthless Decisiveness]

[Purple Trait: Combat Instinct]

[Blue Trait: Keen Insight]

[Black Trait: Heart-Devouring Bloodlust]

[Meets Disciple Recruitment Criteria]

What a way to say "meets disciple recruitment criteria."

It was practically mocking.

Did this system expect an early-stage Tribulation Transcension expert to bow and call him, a measly late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, "Master"?

Since when did the final boss stroll into a beginner’s village like this?

And those traits—almost all of them were related to killing and fighting, with the black trait even being something as unsettling as [Heart-Devouring Bloodlust].

What was even more concerning was that she seemed to have come specifically for him?

But judging by her tone, she didn’t appear hostile.

Chu Xingchen stepped forward, shielding his disciples behind him, and cupped his hands in a polite salute.

"Esteemed Senior—"

Bai Xuanling raised a hand to cut him off.

"Don’t call me ‘Senior.’ Call me ‘Sister.’"

Chu Xingchen: "..."

Why did this feel oddly familiar?

"Then… Sister, may I ask who you are?"

"Xie Lingyu’s sister." Bai Xuanling breezed past him as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Under the collective stares of the group, she gracefully settled onto a stone chair.

Her voice was gentle and unhurried. "Sit. No need to be so tense."

Chu Xingchen felt a headache coming on. The older they got, the more unpredictable they became.

In just four sentences, two had already left him speechless.

Though she might not harbor ill intentions, those traits were enough to put him on edge. He glanced at Li Yingling and said,

"Yingling, take your junior brothers and sisters to Yuzhou City and fetch the items I ordered."

Did their master actually order anything? Li Yingling knew better.

But seeing the look in Chu Xingchen’s eyes, she understood—this woman was trouble.

To her, Bai Xuanling seemed refined, but her aura was as undetectable as their master’s.

She just hoped he could handle this.

Before Li Yingling could respond, Bai Xuanling chuckled.

"That excuse is too old. Try something else next time."

Well, that made three.

Chu Xingchen feigned confusion. "What do you mean?"

Bai Xuanling studied his expression before nodding with a smile.

"Ah, so this is where Lingyu learned her tricks. Even the little expressions are the same."

Chu Xingchen instantly wiped the act off his face and decisively took a seat opposite her. He picked up the teapot and a clean cup, pouring tea for her.

His tone softened. "Sister, what brings you to our humble abode?"

He wasn’t a fool. There was no way a Tribulation Transcension expert was actually Xie Lingyu’s sister.

If Xie Lingyu had a sister like this, just how powerful was the Tianyan Sect?

"Instructions? I wouldn’t dare." Bai Xuanling glanced at the tea but made no move to drink it. "That girl would never let me hear the end of it if I did."

Chu Xingchen: "..."

He wisely chose not to respond.

Bai Xuanling looked up at him again and tapped the rim of her cup.

"Relax, I’m not here to cause trouble. Our Tianyan Sect isn’t so rigid—we’re quite open about matters of the heart."

Li Yingling’s eyes flicked to Chu Xingchen.

So much for "no old flames." She’d even tracked him down here.

Chu Xingchen’s expression turned solemn.

"Lingyu and I—"

Bai Xuanling raised a hand again. "Calling her ‘Lingyu’ now? Are you about to say something I won’t like?"

"Then please, Sister, tell me what you would like to hear."

"I’d like to hear your plans for the future." Bai Xuanling’s gaze swept over the disciples standing nearby. "Surely you don’t intend to build some small sect in this backwater and call it a day?"

"But I doubt someone like that could cultivate something as rare as a Karmic Nascent Soul."

She chuckled. "Of course, everyone has their own path. I won’t interfere. I’m just here on a sect assignment—and to see what you look like."

Chu Xingchen nodded as if enlightened, though inwardly, he didn’t buy a word of it.

What in this godforsaken place would require a Tribulation Transcension expert to personally show up?

She was here for him.

Calmly, he replied, "Everyone walks their own Great Dao. I know the path I must take."

"That’s a fair answer." Bai Xuanling nodded. "For someone so young to have such cultivation, let alone a Karmic Nascent Soul—even in the Tianyan Sect, you’d be considered a prodigy. Have you ever considered joining us?"

"If you’re worried about your disciples, we can take them too."

Chu Xingchen hesitated before cautiously testing the waters. "For now… I’ll have to decline?"

Bai Xuanling laughed, resting her chin on one hand.

"You’ve got nerve, refusing me. But I like that—reminds me of Lingyu."

Chu Xingchen sighed inwardly. The Tianyan Sect was clearly no ordinary faction on the Central Continent.

Before he could respond, Bai Xuanling’s gaze shifted to the disciples, landing on Lin Luoyu.

With a flick of her wrist, Lin Luoyu was teleported onto the stone chair. Bai Xuanling pushed a bowl of longevity noodles toward her.

"Is today your birthday?" She retrieved a jade vial from her spatial ring and placed it on the table. "I didn’t bring much, but these are some pills I refined myself. Don’t mind the simplicity."

Lin Luoyu glanced nervously at her master. Only after Chu Xingchen gave a slight nod did she dare accept the vial.

"Thank you, Senior…" she murmured.

Bai Xuanling smiled approvingly. "Good girl. Now eat your noodles."

Lin Luoyu obediently tucked the vial away and picked up her chopsticks, quietly eating.

"I said no need to be tense, yet you all look like you’re facing an executioner." Bai Xuanling lazily stretched and yawned. "The journey here was exhausting. Prepare a room for me—I need to rest."

Chu Xingchen couldn’t hide his disbelief. "You… want to sleep here?"

A Tribulation Transcension expert needing sleep? He’d sooner believe pigs could fly.

"Not just sleep. I plan to stay for a while. The scenery here is lovely—much better than Yuzhou City."

She tilted her head, feigning innocence.

"Unless… you don’t welcome me?"

"Of course you’re welcome! Yingling, clear out my room for Sister Bai!"

Bai Xuanling nodded in satisfaction.

"Good boy. No wonder Lingyu speaks so highly of you."