Be cautious in all matters

With Chu Xingchen's return, the core leadership of the sect swiftly shifted from Li Yingling to him.

Li Yingling unhesitatingly handed all responsibilities back to Chu Xingchen.

She had spent who-knows-how-long poring over ledgers, and now even the sight of numbers gave her a headache.

In any case, under her efforts, the sect's construction had already been set on the right track. Now that most tasks were completed and the most grueling period had passed, leaving only trivial matters behind, surely it wouldn’t hurt to hand things over to her master and take a break?

Chu Xingchen, seemingly understanding the hardships Li Yingling had endured recently, gladly took over these duties.

He didn’t delegate the work to the diligent and uncomplaining Li Xingtian, nor did he dump it on the ever-reliable Lin Luoyu.

As for Cui Hao…

Chu Xingchen didn’t want his sect’s construction to end with any "unique surprises" courtesy of Cui Hao.

A roof that lasted three winters was enough—anything more could be spared.

For now, Chu Xingchen handled everything himself, even granting Li Xingtian a vacation to rest properly.

But Li Xingtian, it seemed, had never experienced true idleness.

After putting on a show of relaxation for two days, he buried himself in his room, throwing himself into cultivation with relentless fervor.

A model of dedication.

As his master, Chu Xingchen couldn’t very well say, "Li Xingtian, stop working so hard—take a break and don’t cultivate!"

Though Chu Xingchen had taken charge of all sect construction matters, his actual workload was surprisingly light.

Mostly just signing off on things.

Chen Baiqing willingly stepped up as his efficient little secretary, presenting documents already pre-processed.

Her methods were seasoned and dependable—perhaps she’d picked up a thing or two from Li Yingling lately.

Or maybe Chen Baiqing had always been this sharp.

Chu Xingchen wanted to give Chen Baiqing a break too, especially since, aside from sect affairs, she’d also been managing their fifth junior brother, Cui Hao.

But this time, Chen Baiqing wasn’t as obedient as usual.

Instead, she wore a pitiful little expression, her eyes practically speaking for her, as if she thought Chu Xingchen was pushing her away.

Faced with this unprecedented look from Chen Baiqing, Chu Xingchen stood no chance—she had him wrapped around her finger.

Damn it!

What to do when your little "warm jacket" is too effective?

The allure of the Bewitching Heavenly Demoness was simply too potent; even Chu Xingchen couldn’t resist.

And so, he had no choice but to accept this self-appointed secretary.

Aside from Chen Baiqing, Xie Lingyu took on the role of second-in-command. Though her tasks were few, she kept Chu Xingchen company in the administrative hall.

Xie Lingyu was quite pleased with Chen Baiqing’s designs.

This wasn’t mere speculation—Chen Baiqing had spent time at the Tianyan Sect and had seen the general style of Xie Lingyu’s quarters.

Xie Lingyu’s room had always been simple, with minimal decoration.

Chen Baiqing borrowed some Tianyan Sect aesthetics and made subtle adjustments to the furnishings, prioritizing practicality.

Even though she knew Xie Lingyu would only stay briefly, Chen Baiqing didn’t cut corners.

If her master had arranged it, she’d ensure it was done flawlessly.

Thus, the administrative hall often saw Chu Xingchen and Xie Lingyu chatting idly, occasionally strolling through the Ten Thousand Blossom Ridge.

Every now and then, they’d attend one of Li Yingling’s small gatherings.

Time seemed to flow backward, returning them to the days in Yuzhou City.

But all leisurely times must end.

Today, Chu Xingchen could no longer lounge about.

Luo Yue had returned, and with it, the spiritual vein passage needed to be released.

Alongside Luo Yue, Bai Xuanling had also arrived in person.

The construction of the Ten Thousand Blossom Ridge’s grand sect formation was now on the agenda.

By the stone table near the sect’s pond, Bai Xuanling took a sip of the tea Chen Baiqing had brewed, then glanced at the small pool.

She recognized it as a replica of the pond from Yuzhou City.

Bai Xuanling didn’t tease Xie Lingyu for staying at Ten Thousand Blossom Ridge—after all, Lingyu was grown now, entitled to her own choices.

Life’s paths must be chosen by oneself, just as the immortal path must be climbed alone. No outsider can shoulder the burden.

With a soft sigh, Bai Xuanling set down her cup. "You all are quite nostalgic."

Chu Xingchen smiled. "I’ve always considered nostalgia a virtue."

Bai Xuanling glanced at him but didn’t respond, her gaze sweeping over the gathering.

By now, everyone in the sect had assembled, even the outer disciple Zhou Ping, who nibbled on candied fruit from Chen Baiqing.

Zhang Miaoyu wore her usual slightly nervous expression—proof that Bai Xuanling’s legendary reputation still carried weight.

The sect’s numbers had grown.

Even the gatekeeping spirit beast, a qi-refining serpent on the verge of foundation establishment, had joined the ranks.

Bai Xuanling studied the green serpent, sensing something unusual about it, but it was still far too weak. Besides, nurturing spirit beasts was a long-term endeavor.

Take Qinghe, for example. Though she often lazed about, her years of dedicated cultivation, combined with the Tianyan Sect’s resources, had only brought her to the Nascent Soul stage.

While flood dragons were undeniably powerful, their growth cycle was notoriously lengthy.

Bai Xuanling assumed this serpent was being groomed as Chu Xingchen’s successor’s future companion.

"Enough small talk," Bai Xuanling said, rising. "I have other matters to attend to later—this visit is a brief respite. I provided you with the list of materials for the formation earlier. Have you gathered everything?"

"Of course," Chu Xingchen replied.

The pills he refined were still being traded by Bai Xuanling, though the Tianyan Sect’s share had dwindled.

Yet the demand for his pills only grew.

Clearly, Chu Xingchen’s alchemical products had shifted from domestic to export—and were now in short supply.

After all, his pills weren’t just for healing or replenishment—they were uniquely potent, delivering effects several times stronger than ordinary elixirs.

A true lifesaver in emergencies.

At least, that’s how Chu Xingchen saw it. Who knew how many lives his pills had saved?

As for other uses…

Chu Xingchen couldn’t imagine any. What else could one do with pills?

In any case, his alchemy business had become quite profitable.

Combined with the earnings from Li Xingtian and Li Yingling, the sect’s coffers had swelled to an impressive sum.

But the materials for the grand formation and the ongoing construction had drained their reserves once more.

Now, the sect was back to counting spirit stones one by one—just like the old days in the dilapidated temple.

Chu Xingchen might be nostalgic, but this kind of poverty-induced nostalgia was best left in the past.

The formation materials were heart-wrenchingly expensive.

Yet Chu Xingchen would never cut corners on something so crucial.

When it came to protection, the more extravagant, the better—the fiercer the effects, the safer they’d be.

Bai Xuanling shifted her gaze to Luo Yue beside her:

"You go handle your business, and I'll handle mine."

Halfway through her words, Bai Xuanling looked at Chu Xingchen and added, "You go with her. Contact me if there are any issues."

Aside from dismantling the grand formation, her primary reason for coming here personally was to keep an eye on Luo Yue.

Bai Xuanling had lived this long not just because of her combat prowess but also due to other strengths—

Suspicion and caution in all matters.