Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow

The day after the grand elder sister's birthday, once the celebrations had passed.

By the deep pool within the Tianyan Sect, near the stone chairs.

Chen Baiqing brewed tea while casting glances at her master, who currently wore an ingratiating smile.

Chu Xingchen gazed warmly at Bai Xuanling and said,

"Dearest sister... everything can be negotiated, can't it?"

Bai Xuanling narrowed her eyes and replied firmly, "Not a single thing. What do you take me for?"

Chu Xingchen declared righteously, without hesitation:

"Why, the radiant light that illuminates my path forward, the sister who dotes on her younger brother the most in my heart."

"Heh..." Bai Xuanling scoffed, her expression disdainful.

"You think a few sweet words will make me hand out favors? Is your tongue made of spirit stones, or is your silver tongue itself a treasure?"

Chu Xingchen ignored the jab and instead said, "The sincerity in my heart for you is far more precious than any spirit stone!"

Even Bai Xuanling had to concede defeat in the face of Chu Xingchen's shamelessness.

She knew all too well that this brat was perfectly willing to waste her time.

Though she wanted nothing more than to storm off, she had to consider the future of her pill business.

After all, nowadays, without lifting a finger, simply reselling the pills Chu Xingchen refined was enough to sustain Bai Xuanling's lavish lifestyle.

Since ancient times, monopoly had always equaled wealth.

Though occasionally it was tied to crime, Chu Xingchen's pills were, of course, an exception.

But spirit stones were only part of the equation. As a Tribulation Transcendence Stage powerhouse backed by the Tianyan Sect, wealth was hardly a pressing concern.

The real game-changer was how Chu Xingchen's peculiar pills had revitalized the entire Tianyan Sect's atmosphere.

Now, any member of the sect—be it a peak master or elder—would rush to greet Bai Xuanling with flattery and concern the moment they spotted her.

Even the Law Enforcement Elder, who once held little fondness for Bai Xuanling, had undergone a transformation.

After all, constantly cleaning up after someone’s messes would wear on anyone’s patience.

What infuriated the Law Enforcement Elder the most was Bai Xuanling’s habit of casually brushing off consequences with a dismissive, "I know."

As if to say, "I know, and I’ll do it again next time."

Enough to make one’s blood boil.

But given Bai Xuanling’s status within the Tianyan Sect, the Law Enforcement Elder could only swallow his anger.

In the past, a mere nod from him upon seeing her was considered a good day.

Yet ever since Chu Xingchen’s pills entered the picture, the Law Enforcement Elder would eagerly approach Bai Xuanling, showering her with praise from head to toe.

Before leaving, he’d even hint that when the next batch of pills was ready, he’d appreciate priority access—because they worked wonders in disciplining unruly disciples.

A single pill was enough to make even the most hot-headed disciple think twice before acting out.

With the pills’ deterrent effect, the Law Enforcement Elder’s workload had plummeted.

Not long ago, Bai Xuanling even heard rumors that the Law Enforcement Elder planned to elevate the "Pill Punishment" to a level where even elders would be subject to it.

But before others could voice their opinions, the sect master had outright rejected the proposal without hesitation.

No matter how passionately the Law Enforcement Elder argued, the sect master’s veto stood firm.

Other peak masters, fearing they might become targets, quickly shut down the idea, leaving the reform stillborn.

As the pills’ uses continued to be explored, Bai Xuanling’s reputation also shifted.

From the "Living King of Hell," she had become the "Ghost of Pills."

But Bai Xuanling couldn’t care less about such titles. After all, she hadn’t started as the "Living King of Hell" either—she’d climbed her way up from far humbler nicknames.

Soon enough, "Ghost of Pills" would likely evolve into something more refined, like "Pill Immortal" or "Pill Venerable."

Regardless, all of this was built upon the foundation of Chu Xingchen’s bizarre concoctions.

These pills not only fattened Bai Xuanling’s purse but also bolstered her prestige immeasurably.

And so, at this moment...

Bai Xuanling sighed faintly, picked up the tea Chen Baiqing had poured, took a sip, and said,

"Cut to the chase. What do you want?"

"Ahem... I was wondering about your 'Face Token'..."

"You already have two! Why ask for more?" Bai Xuanling interrupted, frowning.

Did he think she was running a token wholesale business?!

Chu Xingchen chuckled awkwardly. "My eldest disciple is planning to travel, and no defensive artifact would be as reliable as a token bearing your esteemed name."

Bai Xuanling raised an eyebrow. "Can’t you do basic math?"

Chu Xingchen put on a pitiful expression. "I should have one too, shouldn’t I? What if some fool crosses me? I’d need to borrow your prestige."

Whether she’d give it or not was another matter—but he’d ask anyway.

Bai Xuanling set down her cup and motioned for Chen Baiqing to pour another.

"My face isn’t as big or as hard as yours."

"Sister! Baiqing is right here, how could you—"

Bai Xuanling shot him a glare, and Chu Xingchen immediately swallowed the rest of his words.

"Don’t push your luck," Bai Xuanling warned, tilting her chin up.

Chu Xingchen sighed dramatically. "Ah, what a pity... My eldest disciple just celebrated her birthday yesterday. The very sister she admires most, Bai Xuanling, sent her blessings—yet today, she can’t even spare a single token. Who knows how heartbroken my poor disciple would be if she found out..."

Bai Xuanling remained unmoved. "She won’t know if you don’t tell her."

"Ah..." Chu Xingchen didn’t argue, merely shaking his head sorrowfully as he sipped Chen Baiqing’s tea.

Truly, the older one got, the harder they were to fool. Bai Xuanling was no easy mark.

This time, it seemed he wouldn’t get what he wanted.

Bai Xuanling studied Chu Xingchen for a moment before standing and tossing a token at him.

"Same conditions as before. Also, wish that girl smooth travels for me. If she runs into trouble, she can seek help from Tianyan Sect disciples."

Chu Xingchen’s eyes lit up as he swiftly stored the Face Token in his spatial ring. Then, curiosity sparked in his gaze.

"Are there Tianyan Sect disciples in the Eastern Victory Divine Continent too? Is our sect that influential?"

"Our Tianyan Sect?" Bai Xuanling nearly rolled her eyes. This brat really knew how to inflate his own importance.

And what was this about the Eastern Victory Divine Continent? Wasn’t his disciple heading to the Central Continent?

"The Eastern Victory Divine Continent has no Tianyan Sect disciples. The Eighteen Immortal Sects divide territories by region—that land isn’t under our jurisdiction, nor do we have people there."

"Also, wasn’t your disciple going to the Central Continent?"

Chu Xingchen blinked innocently. "I never said Central Continent. My disciple’s only at the Golden Core stage—the Central Continent’s too dangerous. She’ll gain experience elsewhere first."

Bai Xuanling was done. "If she’s going to the Eastern Victory Divine Continent, why does she need a token? Give it back!"

Chu Xingchen chuckled and said casually, "That might not be necessary. Even the other eighteen immortal sects would probably give Tianyan Sect some face, right? Rounding it off, it’s just an exchange of favors—useful, very useful."

Bai Xuanling snorted coldly, turned, and strode away with a flick of her sleeve.

Chen Baiqing watched Bai Xuanling’s retreating figure, her voice tinged with melancholy:

"Is Senior Sister really leaving?"

"Yes." Chu Xingchen looked at Chen Baiqing. "Your senior sister will likely depart in the next couple of days. When she returned, she told me that if she didn’t leave now, she feared she’d never muster the resolve to do so again."

"After some thought, I decided to support her decision."

"After all, beyond teaching, the only thing a master can do is stand by their disciple."

Chen Baiqing pressed her lips together, her voice quiet. "Baiqing... doesn’t want her to go."

Chu Xingchen reached out and ruffled Chen Baiqing’s hair.

"Sometimes, parting is just the prelude to a better reunion. If we want your senior sister to soar higher, we can’t clip her wings."

"Just as you wish to see a happier version of her, your master also wishes to see a happier Chen Baiqing."

Chen Baiqing met Chu Xingchen’s gaze with determination.

"Baiqing would never leave you, Master."

Chu Xingchen smiled wordlessly.