Chapter 531 Secretly Joining the Huá Róng Sect (2)
Cheng Hong Ling had no choice but to wait patiently. After learning of Cheng Hong Ling’s cultivation level, the female disciples at the gate no longer showed any hostility; only awe remained. Reaching the Huashen Realm Layer 2 at the age of 18, with a bloodline score certainly above eight points, was enough for them to look up to her.
“Senior Sisters, my stomach hurts and I need to answer nature’s call.”
At this moment, the youngest female disciple with twin pigtails spoke.
“What’s wrong? Does your Body Refining Realm cultivation also cause stomach problems?”
The oldest-looking senior sister with curly hair inquired.
“Someone is always trying to harm me.”
The female disciple gave a perfunctory and insincere reply before running off in a hurry, indeed looking as if she had an urgent need.
The remaining four female disciples exchanged glances, their faces showing confusion.
“My fellow disciples, I also feel a stomach ache and need to go,” said a few more female disciples, clutching their stomachs and grimacing moments later.
“Someone is trying to harm you too?”
The senior sister with long black hair asked.
This time, the woman didn’t even bother with a perfunctory remark and slipped away as if fleeing.
The remaining three female disciples stood in place with strange expressions, unsure of what to say.
However, after just a few breaths, one of the female disciples with long black hair’s eyes lit up, as if she had realized something. She then also ran off clutching her stomach, humming as she ran, “Someone is always trying to harm me!”
“You come back here! This is a critical period, how can there only be two people at the main gate?”
The curly-haired senior sister anxiously shouted, but it was to no avail.
“This…”
Cheng Hong Ling was also left speechless, pointing at the disappearing woman with her finger, wanting to say something but stopping.
“I’ve made you laugh,” the elder female disciple said with an awkward smile.
Qi Yin, however, could no longer sit still. She took the initiative to run out of the Sea of Consciousness and then excitedly questioned, “No, can’t such a large sect like yours even guarantee food safety?”
“Accident, pure accident.”
The elder female disciple continued to be perfunctory.
“How could it be an accident? Those three female disciples just now were in the Body Refining Realm, and they were all affected like this. Wouldn’t the Juling Realm cultivators and ordinary people drop dead on the spot? Your chefs must be poisoning people, I suggest a thorough investigation!”
Qi Yin persisted. A clone of hers in the Juling Realm needed to eat, and if the chef wasn’t brought to justice, how could she dare to stay in the Hua Rong Sect in the future?
“You’re in the Juling Realm?”
The elder female disciple asked curiously.
“Uh…”
Qi Yin’s face immediately became more awkward than the other’s, but she still forced herself to say, “So what if I am? I’m just a clone!”
“If you’re scared, why don’t you just stay in the Main Body’s Sea of Consciousness?”
The elder woman seriously offered a suggestion.
“You…”
Qi Yin gritted her teeth, and finally gave in with a sigh, “Very well, you have a point!”
After saying this, Qi Yin muttered and returned to her Main Body’s Sea of Consciousness.
Cheng Hong Ling appeared indifferent, but upon closer inspection, it could be seen that the corners of her mouth were slightly upturned.
Not long after, a figure arrived like lightning. As she landed, she almost couldn’t stop herself, and the gust of wind she brought with her sent the surrounding disciples stumbling.
Cheng Hong Ling frowned slightly and waved her delicate hand, causing the gust of wind to dissipate.
Qi Huang looked closely and saw a beautiful young woman with a voluptuous figure, curves that were pleasing to the eye, a face like jade, and lips like fire. Her delicate oval face exuded a hint of coldness. Since she was wearing casual clothes, she was definitely a high-level figure in the Hua Rong Sect.
“Are you the Jiang Ling who has come to join our sect?” The beautiful young woman had sharp eyes and directly asked Cheng Hong Ling.
“I am.”
Cheng Hong Ling politely cupped her fists.
“Eighteen years old? Huashen Realm Layer 2?”
The beautiful young woman eagerly pressed, her eyes cautiously observing her surroundings as if she were a thief.
“Mmm!”
Cheng Hong Ling’s delicate eyebrows furrowed, thinking, “Are you interrogating a criminal?”
“Follow me!”
The beautiful young woman, without any preamble, reached out to pull Cheng Hong Ling’s hand. Perhaps due to exhaustion or excitement, her fair cheeks were slightly flushed.
“Who are you?”
Cheng Hong Ling, however, deftly dodged. She wasn’t a man who could be easily mesmerized by beauty.
“She is my master, the Head Seat of Jade Peak in the Hua Rong Sect.”
At this moment, the tall ponytail female disciple who had gone to report rushed back, out of breath.
“Yes, I am Shi Yuqi, the Head Seat of Jade Peak in the Hua Rong Sect…”
The beautiful young woman quickly introduced herself.
“Hmph, Junior Martial Niece, isn’t what you’re doing breaking the rules?”
An old woman with white hair landed with a gust of wind.
“Uncle-Master Zhou, greetings!”
Shi Yuqi smiled awkwardly.
“Junior Martial Niece! Greetings!”
The old woman replied politely, then changed the subject: “However, no matter how polite you are, acting without following the rules is not behavior befitting a Head Seat.”
“I don’t understand what Uncle-Master Zhou is saying.”
Shi Yuqi played dumb.
“Stop pretending, this young girl is a cultivator who has just come to join the Hua Rong Sect, right? There are regulations within the sect that the Sect Leader decides who the new disciples join. Where are you taking her?”
The old woman said with a forced smile.
“Uh…”
Shi Yuqi was speechless and after a long while, managed to utter, “Uncle-Master Zhou, you misunderstand. She’s just arrived, and I intend to show her around our Hua Rong Sect.”
“Familiarizing her with the Hua Rong Sect? Isn’t that the disciples’ mission? Why are you, the dignified Head Seat of Jade Peak, stepping out of line? Could it be that your Jade Peak is too idle? Should I report to the Sect Leader and arrange more demon-slaying missions for you?”
The old woman, surnamed Zhou, persisted.
“Alright, Uncle-Master Zhou, I’ll be direct with you. I want this disciple.”
Shi Yuqi, cornered, finally stated her intention.
“You’re not pretending anymore? I told you, the Sect Leader decides who the new disciples join. You have no right to take her away yourself.”
The old woman sternly reminded her.
“Don’t worry, Uncle-Master Zhou, I’ll inform the Sect Leader about it later.”
Shi Yuqi intended to gloss over it.
“No, as an Elder, I absolutely will not allow you to break the rules.”
The old woman directly blocked her path.
“Uncle-Master Zhou, aren’t you interfering too much? You’re not an Enforcement Elder, just a Transmission Elder.”
Shi Yuqi reprimanded, suppressing her anger.
“Junior Martial Niece, your words are greatly mistaken. Maintaining the rules of our sect is everyone’s responsibility!”
Just then, a female voice suddenly rang out. Before the voice even finished, a tall woman with graying hair landed in the middle of the scene.
“Uncle-Master Wang, greetings. So, according to your wishes then?”
Shi Yuqi politely cupped her fists.
“Leave it to me! I will take her to see the Sect Leader.”
The tall woman, surnamed Wang, stated assertively.
“On what grounds? Everything matters on a first-come, first-served basis. I was the first to interact with her, so I should be the one to take her to see the Sect Leader.”
Shi Yuqi immediately objected.
“Although you were first, our Hua Rong Sect values respecting the old and cherishing the young. I am your Uncle-Master, you should yield to me.”
The tall woman tried to assert her seniority.
“Junior Sister Wang, if we’re talking about seniority, I am the highest. Since when is it your turn?”
The old woman, surnamed Zhou, interjected.
“No, no, no. Precisely because we respect the old and cherish the young, it is at this time that your Uncle-Masters’ efforts are not needed.”
Shi Yuqi cleverly declined.
“What ‘efforts’? Aren’t you just trying to get ahead because you see her outstanding talent?”
The old woman, surnamed Zhou, directly exposed her.
“So they’re here to poach disciples!”
Qi Huang finally realized what was happening after watching the drama unfold for a while.
“How did you know she had outstanding talent?”
Shi Yuqi also asked in confusion.
“Hmph! Today, it’s not just people from your Jade Peak guarding the gate.”
The old woman smiled triumphantly.
Just then, a female disciple who had previously left under the pretense of needing the outhouse rushed back, out of breath, and stood behind the old woman.
Qi Huang immediately understood. This disciple, surnamed Zhou, must have secretly gone to inform the old woman. Her trip to the outhouse was fake; the real purpose was to leak information. It’s likely the other female disciples did the same.
So, the food safety in the Hua Rong Sect wasn’t a problem?
Qi Huang secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She didn’t want to be confined to her Main Body’s Sea of Consciousness indefinitely.
As Qi Huang predicted, soon several more high-level figures from the Hua Rong Sect arrived. They were all like divorced couples fighting over child custody, refusing to back down. Seeing that the situation was about to get out of control, they eventually compromised slightly, deciding to let the Sect Leader make the final decision.
Next, Cheng Hong Ling was led into the Hua Rong Sect by several high-level figures. During the process, they lavished her with attention, making grand promises. It felt less like they were treating a disciple and more like they were appeasing a master.
Led by several high-level figures, Cheng Hong Ling soon met the Sect Leader of the Hua Rong Sect.
The Sect Leader of the Hua Rong Sect was a beautiful middle-aged woman who looked to be around forty years old. She had elegant demeanor and a dignified presence. Coupled with her generous oval face, she resembled an empress presiding over the nation, albeit with a somewhat poor complexion, given that besides her, there was only a Saintess like Hua Yu in the sect.
“What is the matter that brings you all here? You should know that I am currently preoccupied with the Saintess’s affairs.”
The beautiful Sect Leader’s face showed impatience.
“Reporting to the Sect Leader, we are here for her!”
The old woman, surnamed Zhou, pointed at Cheng Hong Ling and reported.
