18: Chapter 18 A little filial piety towards the master's wife?

Inside the Talisman Pavilion.

Chi Wanhe rested her chin on one hand, her gaze drifting slightly as she looked at the side profile of Ling Hao, who was focused on drawing a Talisman.

Looking from this angle, Revered Master's profile... was actually quite pleasing to the eye.

No wonder Junior Sister could accept Revered Master; besides his unfathomable Cultivation, this face probably played a part, right?

Should she... go and curry favor with Junior Sister? No, no! Chi Wanhe immediately shook her head. I am the Senior Sister! How could I be so spineless?

But... images of Revered Master and Junior Sister walking out of the room a few days ago, their clothes slightly disheveled, couldn't help but flash through her mind.

That is the Revered Master's Wife! As a Disciple, honoring the Revered Master's Wife... seems justifiable, right?

"Xiao He, what are you daydreaming about?"

Ling Hao's voice suddenly rang out, carrying a hint of helplessness, "The spiritual power nodes on this Small Detoxification Talisman are drawn incorrectly; it's ruined."

Tapping the clearly misdrawn Talisman paper on the table with his fingertip, Ling Hao turned to look at Chi Wanhe, who was clearly not in the zone, his brows slightly furrowed: "Xiao He, what's wrong with you these past few days? Is something on your mind?"

Chi Wanhe's heart jumped when she saw Ling Hao's probing gaze, and she hurriedly waved her hands.

"No! Revered Master, I'm fine, really, nothing at all!"

"Nothing?"

Ling Hao pointed to the ruined Talisman on the table, "Then what about this Talisman? This is not your usual standard."

Chi Wanhe's eyes began to dart around, not daring to look directly at Ling Hao.

"Uh... that... maybe... maybe I diverted some Qi while Cultivating the 'Taixu Yandao Scripture' last night, and I felt a bit dizzy! Yes, that's it! I just need to rest a bit! Really!"

Problems while Cultivating? Ling Hao's expression turned stern; this was no small matter.

"Extend your hand; let Revered Master take a look."

Ling Hao reached out his hand.

Chi Wanhe forced a smile, hid her hand behind her back, and shook her head.

"Revered Master, there's really no need! I'll be fine after a rest, it will be better soon!"

As she shook her head, Chi Wanhe's peripheral vision caught sight of Qin Zhaoxue walking towards the Talisman Pavilion.

As if seeing a savior, Chi Wanhe's eyes instantly lit up.

"Ah! That's right, Revered Master! Junior Sister has just joined the Sect, and I, as the Senior Sister, haven't welcomed her yet! I'm going to give her some of the Talismans I just drew!"

Before the words left her mouth, she grabbed several Talismans drawn on the table and darted out, running away in the blink of an eye.

Watching Chi Wanhe's almost panicked retreating figure, Ling Hao shook his head with a laugh.

"This girl, why has she become so hasty lately..."

Since becoming his Disciple, Chi Wanhe had indeed become more cheerful and lively day by day, shedding the shadow of the Chi Family. This lively appearance now seemed more like her original nature.

Ling Hao's attention returned to the other Talismans on the table. He picked one up to examine it closely, a look of satisfaction appearing on his face.

"However, the Talismans themselves are being drawn better and better. Xiao He has indeed achieved Minor Achievement in the 'Geometric Symmetry Method' for drawing Talismans."

Hmm?!

Ling Hao suddenly felt a gaze, turned around, and saw Yu Lingshuang on the stone pavilion.

Their eyes met, the corners of Ling Hao's mouth curled up, and he took a step, disappearing from where he stood.

On a small path not far away, Chi Wanhe stopped Qin Zhaoxue.

"Junior Sister, take these Talismans; consider it a welcome gift from your Senior Sister."

Chi Wanhe stuffed a thick stack of Talismans into Qin Zhaoxue's hands.

Qin Zhaoxue looked at the stack of glowing Talismans in front of her, stunned for a moment.

The Talismans she and the other three Junior Sisters used to bombard the Disciples of Shuimu Pavilion that day... could they all have been drawn by Senior Sister?

Nine times out of ten! Qin Zhaoxue felt moved; Senior Sister was so thoughtful towards her! She should also give a return gift...

Right! I have an idea!

"Senior Sister, come with me! Junior Sister has something good to show you!"

"Something good?" Chi Wanhe blinked curiously.

Snow Pavilion, this was the name Qin Zhaoxue gave to her courtyard.

Inside the room.

"Junior Sister, this... what material is this made of? It feels so smooth to the touch!"

Chi Wanhe looked amazed, her fingers carefully touching the item Qin Zhaoxue handed over.

This was a pair of long stockings, thin as a cicada's wing and nearly transparent, pure moon-white in color, with an extremely smooth and delicate touch, like flowing clear spring water.

"This is called silk stockings!"

Qin Zhaoxue introduced with a smile.

When she was traveling between three cities, she used paintings, storybooks, and Medicinal Pills to trade for anti-corrosion grass. Occasionally, she would also receive some spirit silkworm silk, and then she made this pair.

"Silk stockings?"

Chi Wanhe knew of silk socks, but this was the first time she had heard the name "silk stockings." Feeling the smoothness at her fingertips, she agreed:

"Hmm, the name is quite fitting!"

...

Above a suspended stone pavilion, Yu Lingshuang stood quietly, overlooking the Talisman Pavilion.

She was dressed in a plain white long dress like flowing clouds. As the mountain breeze swept by, the soft hem of the skirt clung to her body, quietly outlining her slender waist and exquisite curves under the robe.

Her ink-black long hair was loosely tied up with a plain jade hairpin, and a few strands of hair fluttered with the wind.

Her profile was pure and exquisite, with a small cinnabar mole under the corner of her left eye, like a cold plum blossom in the snow, adding a heart-stopping charm to her cold and lonely appearance, standing aloof from the world.

"Vice Sect Master Yu."

Yu Lingshuang turned around at the sound, seeing that Ling Hao had already landed in the pavilion.

"Sect Master."

"Eh, it's just the two of us, don't call me Sect Master, just call me Ling Hao."

Ling Hao waved his hand. Yu Lingshuang paused slightly, then the corners of her lips curled up.

"Then... you can call me Ling Shuang too."

"How are the three of them?"

"Huang Yutong has reached the third level of Qi Refining, and the other two have also advanced to the second level of Qi Refining."

What she saw and heard in the Scripture Pavilion a few days ago refreshed her perception once again.

In the Scripture Pavilion, Huang Yutong and the other two had actually obtained Heaven-grade Cultivation Techniques!

The Sect already had one Void Spirit Root Immortal-grade Cultivation Technique, the Immortal-grade Cultivation Technique she chose herself, plus a town-Sect Immortal-grade Cultivation Technique; that was already three Immortal-grade Cultivation Techniques.

And now, three more Heaven-grade Cultivation Techniques had appeared!

Under the dual blessing of the Heaven-grade Cultivation Technique and the Protective Sect Array, the three of them had each broken through a small Realm in just three days!

One must know that they only have Yellow-grade Spiritual Roots! This Cultivation speed was already comparable to the effect of Earth-grade Spiritual Roots practicing Earth-grade Cultivation Techniques.

Was this Heaven-grade Cultivation Technique the Sect Master's confidence in recruiting Disciples with Yellow-grade Spiritual Roots?

Ling Hao nodded. Although the speed was fast, it would be some time before they broke through the Qi Refinement Stage, but it was impossible to expect these three Yellow-grade Disciples to break through the Qi Refinement Stage in the short term.

It seems that he still needs to find seedlings with better Spiritual Roots? But where can Heaven-grade and Earth-grade Spiritual Roots be found everywhere?

Ling Hao sighed softly, tapping the railing unconsciously, feeling a bit worried.

Three days later, Jiuling City, inside the pavilion of the Green Leaf Sect.

The blue-shirted man who had previously held the power of life and death over the deacon was now standing respectfully under the hall with that middle-aged deacon, bowing to the man in the black robe sitting in the seat of honor.

"Young Sect Master!"

"My Lord!"

Shan Xingxu slowly put down the teacup in his hand, his gaze sweeping over the two of them indifferently. The invisible pressure made beads of cold sweat seep from the foreheads of Lan Wangchuan and the deacon.

"Junior Brother Lan, how is the matter I asked you to handle?"

Lan Wangchuan hurriedly stepped forward and bowed:

"Reporting to Young Sect Master, the person has been found! Qin Zhaoxue has been taken in by a small Sect called 'Moonshadow Sect'."

"Moonshadow Sect?" Shan Xingxu frowned slightly.

The deacon on the side saw this and immediately stepped forward, a flattering smile on his face, but his tone was full of contempt:

"My Lord, that Moonshadow Sect is an unknown small Sect on Tianyuan Mountain!"

"Before, they didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth, and hung up banners in the plaza of Jiuling City saying things like 'Guaranteed Nascent Soul' and 'Top-tier Protective Sect Array,' but they were only recruiting Disciples that our Green Leaf Sect had eliminated."

"It's simply laughable!"

"Oh? On Tianyuan Mountain..."

Shan Xingxu narrowed his eyes dangerously, his fingertips tapping on the armrest.

"Zhang Fan! Get in here!"

Before the words fell, a sharp-mouthed, monkey-cheeked, lecherous-looking man scrambled into the hall, kneeling flatteringly on the ground.

"Young Sect Master! What are your orders?"

Zhang Fan was now in high spirits. Recently, everything had been going smoothly for him. Not only did he successfully snatch his Junior Brother's Dao Companion and enjoy himself every night, but even his rival Wang Duoyin had died inexplicably. Moreover, because he provided information about the Low Grade Spiritual Vein under Tianyuan Mountain, he had gained the appreciation of Shan Xingxu.

"You said before that there is a Low Grade Spiritual Vein on Tianyuan Mountain?"

Shan Xingxu's tone was flat.

"Absolutely true! Young Sect Master, I dare to stake my life on it!"

Zhang Fan patted his chest to guarantee.

"Very good."

The corners of Shan Xingxu's mouth seemed to curl into a faint arc. Zhang Fan was happy, and a smile piled up on his face.

However, the imperceptible smile on Shan Xingxu's face vanished instantly, and his eyes suddenly became cold and bone-chilling, like a poisonous snake staring at its prey.

He looked down at the kneeling Zhang Fan, his voice suddenly cold and stern:

"Remember, if there is even a half-lie in your information... I will let you know what it means to be unable to ask for death, and that skinning and pulling tendons is light."

Zhang Fan's smile froze on his face, his whole body trembled violently, a chill rushed from the soles of his feet to his crown, and he kowtowed repeatedly:

"I dare not! I absolutely dare not deceive the Young Sect Master!"

Shan Xingxu stopped looking at him and turned his gaze to the distance.

Hearing from Wang Duoyin, there seems to be a woman in the Moonshadow Sect who smells of purple clover, just right to be with Qin Zhaoxue, giving that person a surprise!

Thinking of this, he turned around and ordered coldly:

"Tomorrow, set off for Tianyuan Mountain!"