It's really a huge loss

The 41st Grand Gathering of the Sect.

Bai Xuanling, who had originally planned to return to the Tianyan Sect today, decided to stay. After all, this was the first time all members of the sect were truly present, not a single one missing.

Moreover, Bai Xuanling actually quite enjoyed these warm, intimate sect gatherings. And Li Xingtian’s demeanor gave her the sense that he was somewhat of a kindred spirit.

She might as well stay until the end.

Sipping her wine, Bai Xuanling ignored Chen Baiqing’s longing gaze beside her.

Every child had their own upbringing, and Bai Xuanling personally saw no harm in letting Chen Baiqing have a drink. But alas, the parents disagreed.

So, she had no choice but to relent.

After all, showing respect to others was sometimes the same as showing respect to oneself.

Li Yingling, as usual, took charge of livening up the atmosphere, organizing small games for everyone to play.

She didn’t participate herself, instead acting as the referee.

Seeing that Bai Xuanling had no intention of giving him any more wine, Chen Baiqing decisively went to join Li Yingling’s games.

Li Xingtian, who had never been fond of crowds, was forcibly dragged into participating as well.

The scene was filled with laughter and cheer. Even Lin Luoyu, who had been lost in contemplation about life just days before, was now laughing heartily.

The only exception was Zhang Yuanshan, who lay pale-faced on a reclining chair, occasionally letting out groans of pain.

Zhang Yuanshan felt as though he had just crawled back from the gates of the underworld.

Every bone in his body seemed to have been dismantled, and his flesh felt as if it had been reassembled piece by piece.

The pain—it was unbearable!

But despite the agony, Bai Xuanling’s explanation afterward sent chills down his spine:

"You’ve severely underestimated the potency of the Qianji Poison. It had already seeped into your organs, muscles, and every corner of your body."

"Judging by your calm demeanor earlier, did you really think your reckless method wouldn’t kill you?"

"Are you seriously underestimating the art of poison?"

Zhang Yuanshan suddenly realized he had narrowly escaped death. Thank heavens he had trusted Li Xingtian—otherwise, the poison would have dragged him to his grave.

Though his life had been spared, there was no way he could participate in the gathering now.

At the moment, he couldn’t even lift his arms.

Chu Xingchen walked over with a wine cup in hand and stood beside Zhang Yuanshan. "My disciple must have caused you quite a bit of trouble in the Central Continent, didn’t he?"

Zhang Yuanshan hurriedly replied, "Senior, you jest. If anything, it was Brother Li who took care of me. He’s incredibly capable and always vigilant."

Chu Xingchen didn’t respond. Instead, he silently finished the wine in his cup, as if that were answer enough. Then, looking at the immobile Zhang Yuanshan, he said,

"If you don’t mind, you’re welcome to stay at our sect for a few days until you recover."

Zhang Yuanshan didn’t try to tough it out. "Then I’ll trouble you for a while, Senior."

Chu Xingchen smiled and nodded before walking away.

He had already checked Zhang Yuanshan’s attributes—neither particularly good nor bad, with a mid-stage Golden Core cultivation.

No traits like "Loyal and Righteous," nor anything like "Betrays Friends for Gain."

People like him were the most common—capable of betraying comrades for profit, but also capable of standing by them through life and death out of sentiment.

A bit of a wild card, really. But for now, at least, he seemed to hold some sense of camaraderie toward Li Xingtian.

Ah well. A disciple’s path was for the disciple to walk.

No sooner had Chu Xingchen returned than he heard Li Yingling’s loud voice from the referee’s platform:

"Master! You never join the games! Now that Second Brother is here, you’ve got no excuse to skip out!"

Chu Xingchen looked at Li Yingling, who was waving a little red flag as referee, and grinned. "Of course I do!"

Li Yingling stared at him in confusion. "Huh?! What flimsy excuse do you have now?"

Chu Xingchen strode over, snatched the red flag from her hands, and pushed her toward the game area marked with patterns.

Unable to suppress his amusement, he laughed. "All these years, you’ve been the referee while your juniors played. Now it’s my turn to judge, and yours to play!"

Li Yingling stood frozen in the game area, staring at her master in surprise.

Chu Xingchen blinked, sending a telepathic message:

"As the eldest disciple, you’ve done more than enough. Now it’s time for you to relax. The Li Yingling I remember loved playing—she’d never willingly be a referee."

Li Yingling’s eyes shimmered faintly with emotion, warmth blooming in her chest.

She blinked back, replying telepathically:

"Master and I are the best duo in the world."

Bai Xuanling, as a mighty Transcendent Realm expert, could easily intercept Nascent Soul-level telepathy. Though it wasn’t exactly ethical… she was curious.

But perhaps she shouldn’t have eavesdropped.

Chu Xingchen’s words were so childish, and that last line—how could he say something so embarrassing so naturally?

Yet despite herself, Bai Xuanling smiled.

She watched as Chu Xingchen raised the little flag, signaling the start of a new game.

In the game area, Li Yingling’s laughter seemed freer than ever.

At that moment, Bai Xuanling truly felt her age.

And she found herself enjoying the sight.

Every feast must eventually come to an end.

Bai Xuanling even joined a couple of games herself—strange ones like "Flying Chess" and "Monopoly," supposedly designed by Chu Xingchen.

They didn’t look like much, but once she started playing, they were surprisingly fun.

Today, even her usual bloodlust had been subdued.

Perhaps, deep down, she had been soothed a little.

But as the gathering wound down, that soothing feeling began to fade.

Just as Bai Xuanling was about to bid farewell and leave, Chu Xingchen sauntered over with that familiar grin of his.

"Elder Sister Bai, leaving so soon?"

Bai Xuanling narrowed her eyes, her tone flat. "Choose your next words carefully, boy. Don’t ruin my good mood."

"Ah, Elder Sister, you wound me!"

Still smiling, Chu Xingchen stepped closer and pressed several bottles of pills into her hands.

Bai Xuanling accepted them without hesitation, her mood improving slightly.

"Out with it, then."

"Well… about that Tianyan Sect token—could I trouble you for another one?"

"What do you need so many for? One should be enough."

"My second disciple is probably heading to the Central Continent again. Just want him to have some protection…"

Bai Xuanling glanced at him and threw out a deliberately difficult condition. "A hundred bottles of pills. You provide the materials."

Chu Xingchen’s eyes lit up, and he agreed instantly. "Deal!"

Bai Xuanling studied him, surprised that this miser was actually willing to splurge for his disciple.

The pills she demanded weren’t cheap, and the boy was a slow alchemist. Who knew how long it would take him to refine a hundred bottles?

For all his cheekiness, when it came to character, he wasn’t half bad.

Originally intending to refuse, Bai Xuanling ultimately tossed another token at him.

Consider it a reward for his conduct—she did rather like his style.

"One hundred bottles!"

With those words and the jade token, Bai Xuanling vanished into thin air.

Chu Xingchen hastily took the jade token and stuffed it into his spatial ring.

At the same time, he glanced inside the ring—there were no less than five hundred bottles of elixirs stored within.

Sigh… Even a wealthy landlord runs out of grain eventually.

Chu Xingchen couldn’t help but shake his head.

For Li Xingtian’s sake, he had truly suffered a massive loss.