Bai Xuanling: Feel free to ask if you don't understand

The next morning.

Bai Xuanling pushed open the door of her dwelling—she had ultimately not forced Chu Xingchen to vacate his room.

It had only been a joke, after all. She wasn’t truly ignorant of social graces.

Besides, she wasn’t accustomed to staying in rooms others had occupied. She carried her own portable abode with her.

At this moment, the resplendent, grand structure towering behind Bai Xuanling, occupying a vast stretch of open space, was her so-called "simple" abode.

She had overheard the lively festivities the previous night—it had seemed rather heartwarming.

Bai Xuanling’s gaze swept across the courtyard, landing on a sweet-faced little girl sitting quietly on a stone bench, absorbed in a book.

The sight reminded her of Xie Lingyu in her younger days, always trailing behind her.

A faint smile involuntarily touched her lips.

The birthday celebration had concluded well enough, and Bai Xuanling had tactfully withdrawn after delivering her message, not lingering to intrude on Chu Xingchen and his disciples’ festivities.

She knew her prolonged presence would have been inappropriate.

Just as she had said from the start—

Bai Xuanling truly hadn’t come here to pick a fight.

Her disciple was tight-lipped, refusing to admit anything about a certain "beloved" no matter how she probed.

But Xie Lingyu had changed far too much. Bai Xuanling couldn’t fathom how, in just a few short years, her once-innocent little disciple had developed such a different temperament—

And grown so cunning.

Not that cunning was necessarily a bad thing.

But if those wiles had been born from repeated deception, how much hardship must she have endured?

Yet matters of the heart could never be neatly judged as right or wrong.

Unrequited devotion was still given willingly, and growth often came only after being fooled.

Forcing her way into the affair would only make her the villain in both their eyes.

The path of cultivation was long—some pitfalls were inevitable.

Besides, Bai Xuanling trusted her disciple’s judgment wouldn’t be entirely misguided.

And after the incident at Sunset Valley, Chu Xingchen’s actions had at least been somewhat to her liking.

Why not meet him, then? See what kind of man he truly was.

If Chu Xingchen had no genuine feelings, she could help her disciple move on sooner.

If he did, she wouldn’t interfere.

Mostly, she was just bored after her long seclusion. This seemed like fine entertainment.

Wouldn’t it be amusing to secretly visit the very lover her disciple refused to acknowledge?

She could already picture Xie Lingyu’s stunned expression later.

That alone would be worth it.

Bai Xuanling’s figure blurred—in the blink of an eye, she materialized across from Chen Baiqing, languidly settling onto the stone bench opposite her.

Propping her chin on one hand, she studied the girl with playful interest.

"You’re quite adorable. What’s your name?"

Chen Baiqing cautiously lifted her eyes to meet Bai Xuanling’s gaze. Remembering her master’s instructions, she offered a bright smile:

"Esteemed Senior, I’m Chen Baiqing."

"Not a bad name." Bai Xuanling smiled, then pointed at the candied fruits beside Chen Baiqing’s book. "May I have one?"

Chen Baiqing hurriedly nodded, selecting the largest piece and handing it over.

Bai Xuanling plucked it delicately between two fingers and popped it into her mouth without hesitation.

"Mmm... quite delicious."

Chen Baiqing maintained her smile. "I’m glad you like it, Senior."

Bai Xuanling nodded approvingly, then produced a jade vial of pills from her spatial ring.

"Since you shared your sweets, let me offer you some of my refined pills in return."

Chen Baiqing froze, her smile stiffening.

P...pills?

The kind her master made?!

Her favorite candied fruit only earned this in exchange?

Suppressing her dismay, Chen Baiqing reached out with a small hand to accept the vial.

"Th-thank you, Senior," she murmured.

"Still shy? Adorable." Bai Xuanling nodded, then casually inquired, "What does your master usually do in the sect?"

"Cultivates. And teaches us to cultivate."

"Beyond that? Your sect seems small—how does it sustain itself financially?"

Chen Baiqing thought for a moment. "Master refines pills."

This wasn’t entirely a lie—her master did know alchemy, even if his recipes were still... experimental. She was merely omitting details.

Bai Xuanling nodded understandingly. Alchemy was indeed a respectable trade, with decent profits.

Just then, Chu Xingchen emerged from his quarters and immediately spotted the esteemed guest seated with his most obedient disciple.

"Sister, you’re up early?" he called out.

Bai Xuanling glanced sideways at him. "I’d say you’re the one who slept in."

Chen Baiqing peeked at the sun, barely risen. Her master was actually earlier than usual today.

Unfazed, Chu Xingchen strode over with a grin.

"Cultivation cares not for hours—progress is what matters."

Bai Xuanling chuckled. "Silver-tongued. Good thing Lingyu didn’t pick that up from you."

Ignoring the remark, Chu Xingchen took a seat at the stone table and countered, "Yesterday was rushed. How has Lingyu been lately?"

"Passably well." Bai Xuanling studied him. "Your sect is far too lax. At this hour, two disciples still aren’t cultivating—no spiritual energy fluctuations at all."

Chu Xingchen coughed lightly. "Cultivation requires self-discipline—"

Bai Xuanling cut him off with a derisive snort.

"Your room showed no energy fluctuations last night either. Seems you lack discipline too."

Chu Xingchen instantly deflated.

Damn it! Did high cultivation really grant someone the right to be this overbearing?

Bai Xuanling sighed, adopting a tone of long-suffering patience.

"Such laxity is unbecoming of a sect. I happen to have experience managing disciples. Shall I help remedy this... minor issue?"

Chu Xingchen couldn’t possibly agree—letting Bai Xuanling "help" would dismantle his sect entirely.

He hastily replied, "Don’t you have sect duties awaiting you? This is trivial—I’ll reprimand them myself later, ensure they cultivate properly."

Bai Xuanling didn’t press the matter. "Since I’m staying here, you may seek my guidance while I’m free. Consider it compensation."

"Don’t let my youthful appearance fool you—I’ve considerable knowledge to share."

Since she was here, she might as well offer some benefits. Later, she could use this to make Xie Lingyu owe her a favor—perhaps even coax a sword dance out of her.

Chu Xingchen’s eyes lit up. Was this the legendary "ring elder" trope? A living cheat code? He did have a bottleneck to break through...

"Then, Esteemed Senior, are you skilled in alchemy?" he asked eagerly.

Bai Xuanling replied with feigned modesty:

"One might call it my specialty."

Chu Xingchen pressed further: "I’ve encountered a bizarre problem recently. No matter how I refine certain pills, they remain unpalatable, causing strange side effects upon ingestion."

Bai Xuanling frowned slightly.

"That is unusual. Show me your refining process."

"Gladly! Sister, follow me!"