Tianyan Sect.
Chen Baiqing sat quietly in the courtyard, her expression calm, her gaze lowered as she stared at the teacup before her.
Opposite her, Lv Xuan sat with an unconsciously tense demeanor.
To be honest, Lv Xuan hadn’t felt this way in years—a sensation of being silently outmaneuvered. The last time he’d experienced something similar was when his own master had tricked him.
This young woman spoke with measured words, and her demeanor carried an innate charm that made her seem effortlessly endearing.
She hadn’t asked a single question she shouldn’t have.
For example, whether the faint traces of Chu Xingchen’s spiritual energy in the room were fabricated.
Or why Chu Xingchen hadn’t chosen to seclude himself in his own sect but had instead come to the Tianyan Sect.
Lv Xuan understood that the Chen Baiqing before him already knew—her master had gone off to handle some unknown business without disclosing it to his disciples.
Such secrecy usually meant one thing: the matter was extremely dangerous.
Chen Baiqing knew everything, yet she didn’t press for answers. She simply sat silently in the courtyard, the very place where Chu Xingchen was supposedly in seclusion.
After all, the idea of seclusion through spirit stones was inherently unreliable—more like drawing a tiger to scare a cat.
Lv Xuan had initially thought Chen Baiqing might leave after a few days…
But that wasn’t the case. She had already been sitting there for over half a month.
She went nowhere, speaking little and making no demands.
Lv Xuan had never seen such persistence before. If only Yanyun could treat him like this…
Well, there was no point in dreaming about the impossible.
Still, this couldn’t go on forever. As the sect leader of Tianyan Sect, Lv Xuan naturally had to take responsibility.
His first plan wasn’t to persuade her himself but to seek out Li Yingling, hoping the senior sister could bring Chen Baiqing back.
Li Yingling didn’t come in person but sent a letter instead.
However…
Chen Baiqing didn’t even read it. She simply stored the letter in her spatial ring, making it clear that receiving a letter didn’t obligate her to read it.
Seeing this, Lv Xuan directly asked Li Yingling if she could come to Tianyan Sect and persuade her junior sister properly.
But upon hearing it was Chen Baiqing’s choice, Li Yingling quietly refused Lv Xuan’s request.
Her reasoning was straightforward—Chen Baiqing wasn’t a child. She had the right to make her own decisions.
Perhaps Li Yingling still remembered Chu Xingchen’s teaching: unless it was a matter of principle, elders should serve as a safety net, not as shackles.
Li Yingling wasn’t sure if this philosophy was correct, but her master had lived by it.
When she had wanted to venture to the Eastern Divine Continent alone, her master hadn’t stopped her—he had simply prepared everything she might need.
The sect was home, a place of belonging, not a cage.
So when Lv Xuan received Li Yingling’s reply, even he was momentarily stunned.
"My third junior sister has caused much trouble at Tianyan Sect. I hope Senior Lv can ensure her safety and put our master’s mind at ease."
What was this?
Handing over a disciple for Tianyan Sect to babysit?
Regardless, Chu Xingchen had already left for the Western Oxhorn Continent, and Lv Xuan had promised to protect his sect and disciples.
He couldn’t break that promise. So when all other methods failed, Lv Xuan had no choice but to approach Chen Baiqing himself.
He asked what she intended to do or if there was anything he could tell her.
The initial pleasantries went smoothly. Chen Baiqing’s words were gentle and tactful, her flattery so subtle it felt effortless.
For a moment, Lv Xuan even had the illusion that she might be easy to reason with.
But when it came to serious matters, if Chen Baiqing couldn’t phrase things diplomatically, silence became her answer.
"Baiqing, when do you plan to return to your sect?"
"I’ll go back with Master once his seclusion ends."
"Your master won’t be done anytime soon. A Soul Unity cultivator’s seclusion is measured in years. Your master’s branch sect is newly established, and there’s much work waiting for you. Staying here won’t help, and sitting around will only delay your cultivation."
After these words, Chen Baiqing fell silent.
Lv Xuan knew this wasn’t because she couldn’t refute him.
More likely, she was preserving room for negotiation—or perhaps she didn’t want to anger her master outright.
Maybe Chen Baiqing knew this wasn’t the right thing to do, but at this moment, she simply wanted to stay.
Within these boundaries, she wished to avoid displeasing her master as much as possible.
The silence lingered.
Lv Xuan sighed softly. "So young, yet so calculating. I’m too old to keep up with you youngsters’ mind games."
Chen Baiqing lifted her gaze slightly, her eyes meeting Lv Xuan’s, but she still said nothing.
"Your master said you’ve always been obedient and understanding," Lv Xuan said, picking up his teacup. "He said you’d understand him—that some things aren’t about not wanting to bring you along, but about it being unsuitable."
This was a carefully crafted argument, not something Chu Xingchen had actually taught him.
But Chu Xingchen held immense weight in Chen Baiqing’s heart. Using his name made the words easier for her to accept.
"Master would never say that."
Chen Baiqing’s eyes locked onto Lv Xuan’s, the soft, approachable expression she had worn all this time vanishing in an instant.
Lv Xuan watched as her entire demeanor shifted, replaced by an aloof, almost icy detachment.
"What Master did most was understand us. He never gave strict orders demanding anyone do anything."
"The most serious command he ever gave was—Be yourself."
Chen Baiqing stood, no longer sparing a glance for the stone in the courtyard that emitted her master’s spiritual energy. She turned and walked away.
She had no interest in sentimental attachments to objects—that was the self-deception of the weak.
After a brief moment of stunned silence, Lv Xuan called after her retreating figure:
"Where are you going?"
"To cultivate."
Chen Baiqing glanced back, the warmth in her eyes now gone.
Her talent in cultivation couldn’t match Li Yingling’s, and her experiences paled in comparison to her second senior brother’s.
When her master was here, she had only wanted to stay by his side.
But now that he was gone, Chen Baiqing refused to be a burden.
If Li Yingling could venture to the Eastern Divine Continent to temper herself, then so could she.
In this moment, clarity dawned upon her.
She could remain sheltered behind her master forever. He would shield her from everything, crafting a dreamlike sect for her.
But she shouldn’t want to stay behind him.
When her master needed her, she should stand beside him, sharing his burdens.
Not wait silently for his return.
The world beyond was vast, yet she had only ever known it through books. Chen Baiqing decided it was time to step out, to learn what needed learning.
Only with experience would her master trust her with greater responsibilities.
Instead of leaving her with trivial tasks.
Lv Xuan watched as Chen Baiqing walked away without a trace of hesitation.
He let out a soft sigh, took out a white jade pendant, and gently channeled his spiritual energy into it before speaking:
"Dispatch four elite teams from the Pivot Court. Keep an eye on Chen Baiqing—do not interfere with her actions, but ensure her safety at all costs."
The pendant flickered with light before dimming again.
Lv Xuan glanced down at the now-cold tea in his cup.
Truly, neither the master nor the disciple was easy to handle.
And yet…
At this moment, Lv Xuan held great expectations for Chen Baiqing.
This was the bearing of a true prodigy.