Chen Baiqing crossed the Heavenly Derivation Sect's formation barrier, her gaze turning towards the Affectionate Family Peak.
When she went to the Western Oxen Continent, she had used an extremely costly teleportation array due to the urgency of time, but for the return journey, naturally, she couldn't use it again.
Taking the safe route all the way back from the Western Oxen Continent would naturally take much longer.
Although she knew her master might go easy on her, the unease in her heart still needed some adjustment.
However... she ultimately had to face it.
Chen Baiqing headed towards Affectionate Family Peak.
She proceeded all the way to the mountaintop, slowing her movements before the main gate. With her master's cultivation level, he should have sensed her arrival.
She slowed her pace and began walking towards the courtyard where her master often sat.
Chen Baiqing passed through the covered walkway, her gaze falling upon her master and Xie Lingyu sitting in the courtyard.
Xie Lingyu looked at Chen Baiqing, waved her hand in front of Chu Xingchen's face, and also showed a smile towards Chen Baiqing.
Chen Baiqing hurriedly returned the courtesy, then quickly stepped forward:
"Master, Baiqing has returned."
Xie Lingyu reached out to help Chen Baiqing up:
"Your master is under a minor illusion art and currently can't hear anything."
Upon hearing this, Chen Baiqing was taken aback. The spiritual treasure in her hand emitted light, and a faint green glow also lit up in her eyes. After observing for a moment, she finally noticed something unusual.
Xie Lingyu understood Chen Baiqing's concern for her master and quickly added words of comfort:
"No need to be nervous. The Sect Leader is already looking into it. It's not a major problem, just a bit inconvenient for this period."
Chen Baiqing's eyes slightly reddened, but she didn't say much, only nodding gently.
Chu Xingchen didn't speak either, merely reaching out to gently pat Chen Baiqing's head.
Chen Baiqing lowered her head and slowly spoke:
"Master, Baiqing was wrong."
Xie Lingyu immediately began writing. Chu Xingchen's divine sense was also affected by the illusion, preventing communication through it, so they could only rely entirely on gestures to communicate now.
Chu Xingchen rubbed this little head with more force:
"Strictly speaking, what you did without consulting me was indeed wrong. Daoist Yuyang sent several urgent letters about his madness straight to me."
"Wukong and the Great Buddha of Light are now running all over the Eastern and Western Oxen Continent."
"But judging by the outcome, what you did wasn't wrong either."
"Looking at it from a sentimental perspective, you did this out of worry for your master. As your master, I can only feel gratified."
"I also know it was your Second Senior Brother who asked you to do this. Your willingness to trust your Second Senior Brother isn't a bad thing either."
"Sometimes matters are just this troublesome."
Chen Baiqing kept her head lowered, her tone sincere:
"It was Baiqing who acted wrongly. Please just scold me, Master."
Chu Xingchen gently patted Chen Baiqing's head:
"Scolding you is out of the question; that would make me seem heartless. But I won't reward you either, lest Daoist Yuyang fights me to the death."
"I know Baiqing has grown up and has her own ideas about many things."
"No two people think exactly alike, and differing opinions don't mean one person is necessarily wrong."
"This master just wants to give you one piece of advice from experience: think thrice before you act."
"And also, I owe thanks to Baiqing this time."
As he spoke, Chu Xingchen took a piece of preserved fruit from his robe and gently placed it in Chen Baiqing's hand:
"For this return, your master brought a gift just for you. You mustn't tell anyone else; your Eldest Senior Sister would be very envious."
"Actually, my thoughts have always been simple: everyone being well and safe is the most important thing."
Chen Baiqing clutched the preserved fruit, raised her gaze to look into her master's eyes, and finally couldn't hold back her emotions any longer, letting out soft sobs.
Since she began cultivating under her master, she had never cried.
But today, she truly couldn't help it.
Perhaps it also had to do with her master not being able to hear her sobs.
Xie Lingyu also looked at Chen Baiqing with gentle eyes, simultaneously gesturing a thing or two in front of Chu Xingchen.
She had been spending most of her time with Chu Xingchen lately, temporarily working full-time as a sign language translator, so the two had also developed some gesture signals that weren't so convenient to write directly.
"Alright, alright," Chu Xingchen said softly. "Your master wants some tea. Can you brew a cup for me?"
Chen Baiqing nodded gently, pursed her lips, and began preparing.
Chu Xingchen gazed calmly at Chen Baiqing before him.
[Target: Chen Baiqing]
[Cultivation: Early Nascent Soul Stage]
[Orange Trait: Bewitching Heaven Enchantress] [Upgradable]
[Purple Trait: Meticulous Thinking] [Upgradable]
[Purple Trait: Intelligent and Quick to Learn] [Upgradable]
[Purple Trait: Thick Black (Cunning/Pragmatic)] [Upgradable]
[Blue Trait: Eloquent and Persuasive] [Upgradable]
[Blue Trait: Composed and Calm] [Upgradable]
[White Trait: Hardworking and Enduring] [Upgradable]
[Black Trait: Singular Affection] [Removable]
Having experienced growth, Chen Baiqing, whose traits were once all question marks, now displayed the traits she had developed over these many years.
The number of traits also indicated that this usually quiet disciple had quietly grown into a remarkable adult.
Disciples recognized by the system could upgrade their traits after reaching the Nascent Soul stage.
However, his eldest and second disciples didn't have these negative traits. This was the first time Chu Xingchen understood that negative traits could actually be removed.
Though this [Singular Affection] was likely just Baiqing's inherent nature.
A person's mysteries are mostly hidden within their character.
A personality disliked by some will inevitably be liked by others.
At the very least, Chu Xingchen was already quite content with the present Chen Baiqing.
If Chen Baiqing suddenly changed her nature, Chu Xingchen might not get used to it.
Moreover, artificially changing a person's nature... carries a somewhat unorthodox or sinister air.
Theoretically, directly upgrading the [Bewitching Heaven Enchantress] trait to the Golden tier would be best.
The other traits were basically unrelated to cultivation.
When Li Yingling directly upgraded, Chu Xingchen had still asked her opinion.
Though he asked, there was really only one trait that could be upgraded.
It was basically just a formality.
It was the same with Li Xingtian. It wasn't like he could upgrade [Decisive in Killing] to [Kill! Kill! Kill!], or [Loyal and Righteous] to [Add! Add! Add!].
Upgrading such traits felt somewhat meaningless and also carried that sense of altering one's nature.
Furthermore, based on his understanding of Li Xingtian, fiercely cultivating was the true path for him.
The possibility that an upgrade might help resolve his blood qi issue was why Chu Xingchen made the decision without much further questioning.
Now, facing Chen Baiqing.
Chu Xingchen thought for a moment, then asked Xie Lingyu beside him for paper and brush, and wrote lightly on it.
[Cultivation Talent]
[Intelligence]
[Unfailing Calculations]
[The Art of Thick Black (Cunning/Pragmatism)]
After writing these words, Chu Xingchen gently placed the paper in front of Chen Baiqing:
"If you were to focus on developing one aspect, which would you choose?"
Chen Baiqing's eyes swept over the words, and she quickly replied:
"Cultivation Talent."
Chu Xingchen asked: "Why?"
Chen Baiqing's tone was firm:
"Because only by becoming stronger can I protect Master. Everything else is illusory."
Chu Xingchen was momentarily speechless, then chuckled lightly.
He gently selected to upgrade [Bewitching Heaven Enchantress].
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
lan, the Luo family, tracked him down - along with the babies in their arms. Mo Xuan stared pensively at the paternity test results from over a dozen top institutions, both domestic and international, showing a 99.99% match between himself and the two baby girls. At 23, Mo Xuan, a doctoral student, had become the father of two three-year-old children. The kicker? The mothers weren't even the same person! He gradually realized he was being lured step by step into an elaborate trap designed by these two yandere sisters. "Be good, little Xuan. Sister's life belongs to you entirely." "Brother, if you try to run away, I'll have no choice but to tie you up." Mo Xuan: "Do whatever you want, ladies. I give up."
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
ap a wealthy young lady? Or else I'll be eliminated by the system? Ye Feng, who awakened the Kidnapper System, originally wanted to live a peaceful life but never imagined he would become a kidnapper of young women. However, after some time, he discovered that all the girls the system ordered him to kidnap were far from ordinary. "Big brother Ye Feng~ You've kidnapped my heart, and now you're not allowed to leave me ever again~" "Ye Feng~ You kidnapped me back then, now it's my turn to capture you♡" "Little Feng, you're mine! You can only be mine!" "Ye Feng, none of them deserve you. Only I love you the most♡" ... This is madness, they've all gone mad! Wait, what? Why are all the girls I kidnapped yanderes?!
