63: Chapter 63 Lin Xiwei

On Haoran Tower, Ling Hao leaned against the railing and looked into the distance, a gentle breeze brushing the stray hairs on his forehead.

Huang Yutong, dressed in a goose-yellow gauze dress, stood prettily by his side. Her petite and exquisite figure leaned close to his tall, straight frame, appearing exceptionally harmonious.

"Lin Xiwei... She is a Disciple from the second batch to join."

Huang Yutong's voice was crisp as she flipped through the Jade Slip in her hand to report.

"When she first cleared the Nine-Turn Corridor, she only reached the second level of the sixth turn. A month later, she reached the fourth level of the sixth turn. Two months later, the sixth level of the sixth turn. Three months later, the eighth level of the sixth turn..."

Ling Hao listened, his mouth twitching slightly.

Good grief, a precise increase of two levels every month? She was calculating a schedule to hide her strength!

However, this trajectory of progress also indicated that her sense of belonging to the Moonshadow Sect was steadily increasing.

As for exactly how much...

Ling Hao shifted his thoughts and glanced at the information panel only he could see:

[Loyalty: 89].

Hmm, it went up a bit more than yesterday.

"...When she joined, her Spiritual Root was only Yellow Grade, but now it has improved to Earth Grade."

"She chose the High Grade Immortal-tier Cultivation Technique 'Nirvana of Reincarnation', the High Grade Immortal-tier Formation Cultivation Technique 'Star-Stepping Technique', and the Puppet Cultivation Technique 'Thousand-Mechanism Heart-Guiding Sutra' from the Scripture Pavilion. She is particularly skilled in Formation and Puppet techniques..."

As Huang Yutong spoke, Ling Hao gained a clearer picture of this "sly" Disciple, Lin Xiwei:

Samsara Body, Formations, Puppets, deeply versed in the way of staying low-profile—she might even be an old monster who reincarnated to Cultivate again!

"Alright, Huang Yutong, thank you for your hard work."

Ling Hao turned around to look at the pretty young girl.

"It's not hard work; it is my duty to do things for the Sect Master."

Huang Yutong tilted her small face up, her eyes sparkling with pure admiration.

Looking at the extraordinarily handsome Sect Master before her, a warm current surged in her heart.

Who could have imagined that the ignorant girl from a remote mountain village back then could be favored by the Sect Master and step into the world of immortality?

And to have walked step by step to today, managing the many affairs of this massive Fourth Grade Sect, becoming a true Elder of Territory...

This gratitude for being recognized and the quietly growing feelings had long taken root and spread in her heart. At this moment, looking at the Sect Master so close at hand, courage suddenly surged within her.

Her cheeks flushed slightly, her teeth gently biting her lower lip, her voice as soft as a mosquito's hum:

"Sect Master... m-may I kiss you?"

Ling Hao was stunned and looked down at her.

The young girl's face was like a peach blossom, her eyes filled with uncontrollable nervousness and anticipation, like a little deer waiting for its master's response.

Huang Yutong was brought back to the Sect by Ling Hao during his second trip to recruit Disciples.

After the Sect's transformation, he had appointed her as the Elder of General Affairs.

Before Chi Shuying, Ling Shuang was responsible for external liaison and major Sect affairs, while the many complex Disciple affairs within the Sect were almost entirely handled by her.

Apart from Yu Lingshuang, whenever Ling Hao wanted to know the current situation of the Sect or handle internal matters, she was always the first person he thought of.

Over time, she had become an indispensable presence by Ling Hao's side, functioning like a "secretary".

Now, her cultivation had reached the seventh level of Qi Refining, and her loyalty was as high as 99. She had been officially promoted to the more powerful Elder of Territory and had also become a Disciple under Yu Lingshuang.

Seeing that he did not object, the blush on Huang Yutong's face deepened.

She stood on her tiptoes, trying hard to lean in. Her soft, warm lips, carrying a fragrance unique to a young girl, quickly pecked Ling Hao's cheek, like startled butterfly wings touching a petal.

With a touch, she pulled away, turned around, and ran off like she was flying, leaving behind only a faint fragrant breeze and the crisp sound of bells.

Ling Hao touched the residual warm and soft sensation on his face, looked at the goose-yellow figure disappearing at the top of the stairs, and shook his head with a laugh:

"Tsk, having too much charm is also a nuisance."

Sighing aside, his gaze quickly turned back toward Dongzang Peak, and he fell into deep thought.

To promote to a Fourth Grade Sect, three Golden Core Disciples are needed. His eldest Disciple Wanhua and third Disciple Yu Qing count as two. As for his fellow countrywoman Xiaoxue (Qin Zhaoxue)... she couldn't be counted on for now.

This Lin Xiwei... possesses the Samsara Body, and that special Yin-Yang Spiritual Root is at least comparable to Heaven Grade!

She is definitely a rare piece of good material.

It seems he will have to personally meet this "Great Master of the low-profile way".

...

Early in the morning, Lin Xiwei pushed open the door of her attic.

She simply completed her routine breathing exercises and prepared to start a new day of studying Formations or Puppets.

In the Moonshadow Sect, she was used to being a loner, but she was not antisocial.

When she met familiar Disciples on the road, they would nod and smile at each other, and the atmosphere was very peaceful.

A newly joined Junior Sister asked for advice on the Qi-guiding method, and she patiently gave her a few pointers.

"Senior Sister Lin!"

A crisp voice came; it was Junior Sister Liu who lived on Dongzang Peak, running over with excitement on her face.

"Hurry to the Twin Lakes! Today is the Sect Master's turn to preach by the lake! You can't keep cultivating behind closed doors like this. Look, I'm already at the ninth level of Qi Refining, while you, Senior Sister, are still stuck at the seventh level!"

Lin Xiwei frowned slightly.

Since joining the Sect, she had indeed kept to herself and had hardly ever seen that mysterious Sect Master.

She wanted to politely decline, but thinking of how Junior Sister Liu often helped her bring some Sect supplies, she couldn't refuse the favor. Plus, her heart stirred inexplicably.

"Alright, Junior Sister Liu, I will go with you."

She nodded and agreed.

On the way, Junior Sister Liu chattered non-stop, and Lin Xiwei asked as if unintentionally:

"Junior Sister Liu, what kind of person... do you think the Sect Master is?"

"The Sect Master?"

Junior Sister Liu's eyes lit up instantly, showing no attempt to hide her admiration,

"The Sect Master is super great! He's handsome! He has no airs at all, often comes to preach and answer our questions, and sometimes even personally gives pointers on Cultivation Techniques!"

"Senior Sister, you should know how miserable female cultivators like us with low-grade Spiritual Roots are outside..."

Junior Sister Liu's tone became low:

"Many Sects outside don't want 'Trash' like us at all. Even if we are lucky enough to get in, we are treated like beasts of burden, beaten and scolded at every turn, and even... we might lose our lives!"

"Either we are used as a Cauldron for cultivation, or we are servants for life."

"Didn't the Shuimu Pavilion get destroyed a while ago? The female cultivators there are a true reflection of that."

"It's nothing like in the Moonshadow Sect, where the Sect Master gave us a place to settle down and Cultivate with peace of mind, without having to worry about erosion qi or being bullied at will!"

Lin Xiwei listened quietly, and a strong sense of curiosity about the Sect Master she had never met quietly arose in her heart.

The two walked along the Sheng Sheng Creation River, the clear river water winding and flowing into the sparkling Jinxi Pond and the tranquil Yuchan Bay ahead.

Soon, they arrived at the Twin Lakes.

Many Disciples had already gathered by the lake, the atmosphere was lively, and chattering discussions kept drifting over:

"Did you hear? Elder Huang kissed the Sect Master's face!"

"Really? Who saw it?"

"It's absolutely true! Junior Sister Leng saw it with her own eyes under Tianyuan Peak!"

"Sister Qu Qingzhu also confirmed it!"

"Wow... I'm so jealous of Elder Huang..."

"Why hasn't the Sect Master arrived yet?"

"What's the rush? It's still early..."

They did not know that Ling Hao had already arrived quietly and was standing among the branches and leaves of a peach tree.

His gaze was like lightning, instantly locking onto Lin Xiwei.

Under Ling Hao's insight, Lin Xiwei's ordinary disguise was instantly seen through!

The features beneath the disguise were cold and exquisite, the skin porcelain white, making her ink-dyed eyes appear even deeper.

Her nose was straight and delicate, her pale lips like covered in frost and snow. Her figure was tall and exquisite, a moon-white silk dress wrapped around her slender, soft waist, and her jade legs were straight and long at the slit.

On the skin of those long legs, there were actually silver star-track patterns branded, winding from the roots of her thighs down to her ankles like a flowing galaxy, mysterious and alluring.

As she walked, she looked like flowing clouds shielding the moon, cold and ethereal.

Ling Hao understood in his heart that this was the sign of having cultivated the Immortal-tier Cultivation Technique 'Star-Stepping Technique' to the Realm of "Dao Pattern Manifestation, Pure Fire and Green"!

After this Realm, if one could go further to reach the Realm of "Returning to Simplicity, Reaching the Peak", these Dao patterns would instead become internalized and disappear.

Just at this moment, Lin Xiwei's footsteps paused, and she suddenly turned her head to look at a peach tree not far behind her, her eyes as sharp as an eagle's!

The tree was empty.

Ling Hao's figure had already quietly appeared on the branch of another peach tree further away, watching her with great interest.

"Oh? Your perception is actually this keen?"

The corner of his mouth curled into a playful arc.

Was this the result of years of caution, or... a woman's sixth sense?