Chapter 75: Does I look like a chaste maiden?
“Have your Sect Leader come out to welcome us. The HeYi Sect has come to offer congratulations.”
Upon reaching the entrance of the HongHua Sect, Lin Chao bossily addressed the two gatekeeping disciples.
“HeYi Sect?”
The two disciples exchanged glances, a hint of solemnity appearing on their faces. One of them quickly ran inside. Although the HeYi Sect was also a prefecture-level sect like the HongHua Sect, its strength was considerably greater. Their Sect Leader was a powerful cultivator at the eighth level of the Guiyi Realm, and they had three or four Protectors and Elders of the same cultivation level.
Not long after, Qin Quan, along with Elder Wu, came out, wearing humble smiles. “Sect Leader Lin’s esteemed presence truly makes our HongHua Sect shine.”
“Shine? Sect Leader Qin is too modest. A place that can cultivate such a genius is simply a phoenix nest.”
Lin Feng walked up with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, striking up a conversation.
The two entered the HongHua Sect, exchanging pleasantries back and forth.
Upon reaching the main hall, Qin Quan ordered wine and snacks to be served. Although the two sects occasionally had minor disputes, there hadn’t been any major conflicts, so fulfilling the duties of a host was necessary.
“Sect Leader Qin, to tell you the truth! We’ve come to offer congratulations. We heard that your sect has produced a peerless genius who reached the Huashen Realm at fifteen years old?”
After sitting for about fifteen minutes, Lin Feng finally couldn’t hold back.
“Sect Leader Lin’s sources are truly well-informed. You found out so quickly.”
Qin Quan chuckled noncommittally.
“Sect Leader Qin jokes. A fifteen-year-old genius in the Huashen Realm has never appeared in this Xihui Kingdom. Such joyous news, let alone for us neighbors, the capital must already be aware.”
Lin Feng had no choice but to flatter him again.
“Luck! Just luck!”
Qin Quan replied with a laugh.
“Sect Leader Qin, my father specifically came to congratulate you. Aren’t you going to invite that genius out to meet us?”
Lin Chao, standing beside him, couldn’t stand it any longer and spoke up.
“No problem!”
Qin Quan waved his hand grandly and ordered a disciple to inform Xu Mei.
Shortly after, Xu Mei learned of the matter and immediately felt something was amiss. She quickly found a disciple.
“The HeYi Sect’s Sect Leader wants to see me? That’s probably not going to work. His cultivation level is higher than mine, and if he tries to test me, I’ll be exposed immediately,” Cheng Hong Ling said, shaking her head.
“Then what should we do? They specifically asked to see you. While our relationship isn’t exactly harmonious, the other party is, after all, a sect leader,” Xu Mei said with a troubled expression.
“How about this? I’ll summon my clone back to handle it. However, she’s already outside my spiritual sense range. To summon her back, she’d have to contact me herself,” Cheng Hong Ling said after a moment of thought.
Xu Mei pondered for a moment and offered a suggestion: “They’ve already been gone for two days. Sending disciples to look for her now is like searching for a needle in a haystack. How about I tell the Sect Leader that you’re in seclusion and can’t receive guests?”
After an intimate discussion, the master and disciple conveyed their decision to Sect Leader Qin.
Upon hearing that Cheng Hong Ling’s clone had gone down the mountain, Qin Quan’s expression changed instantly, but he quickly recovered.
“My apologies, Sect Leader Lin! My disciple has only recently broken through, and her foundation is unstable. She needs to be in seclusion for a while, and it’s inconvenient to entertain guests.” Qin Quan feigned an excuse.
“What an attitude.” Lin Chao’s face immediately turned gloomy.
“Oh? A Huashen Realm genius is a bit arrogant, it’s only natural,” Lin Feng said sarcastically, then added, “If the main body is in seclusion, the clone is fine too. We don’t mind.”
A cold sneer flashed across Qin Quan’s face. He thought, as expected, they came to investigate the situation, and continued to lie, “I’m sorry, her clone also needs to be in seclusion.”
“It’s alright, we have time. We can wait until she comes out. Since we’ve come, it would be a pity to leave without meeting her. Sect Leader Qin, you don’t mind if we stay here for a few more days, do you?” Lin Feng said shamelessly.
“Not at all, I’d be delighted.” Qin Quan appeared very enthusiastic, at least on the surface.
“Sect Leader Qin, this is a small token of our appreciation. We hope you won’t find it lacking.” Lin Feng gestured to a disciple nearby, and several disciples carried a box up.
“Sect Leader Lin is too polite.” Qin Quan glanced casually. He knew without looking that there was nothing valuable inside.
“It’s just a congratulatory gift. It’s only proper.” Lin Feng pretended to be generous.
Just then, a disciple suddenly appeared outside the hall.
“Reporting to the Sect Leader, members of the HuXiao Sect are requesting an audience outside, saying they’ve come to offer congratulations.” The disciple announced.
“HuXiao Sect?” Qin Quan was shocked in his heart, gradually realizing the seriousness of the situation. He could prevaricate with some people, but there were others he couldn’t refuse.
…
Meanwhile, Qi Huang had no idea that the HongHua Sect had descended into chaos. She had followed her senior sisters to a small town and settled down.
After dinner, Qi Huang politely declined her senior sisters’ offers to “share a room” and returned to her own room to cultivate.
At this moment, the senior sisters were in the adjacent room, discussing how to “take her down.”
“I’m so resentful! After finally tricking Master into the HongHua Sect, now that we’re here, should we let go of this great opportunity?” Ruan Lingyu sighed.
“Yes! To just watch such a little lamb right in front of us and be unable to do anything is truly torture,” Shen Yuan also said.
“How about we find an opportunity to secretly drug her? Then she’ll be obedient,” Yun Fei suggested a wicked idea.
“That’s a good idea. A junior sister who doesn’t move is a good junior sister,” Ruan Lingyu became excited.
“But if we don’t have her, what will we do if we encounter wandering ghosts?” Miao Xiang asked meekly.
“You fool! If we’re going to drug her, it should be when it’s safe, like now,” Su Qing Ying chided.
“Right, right. How about we act now and quietly bring her some late-night snacks, then add some seasoning?” Shen Yuan said excitedly.
“But who has medicine that can make someone fall asleep instantly?” Ruan Lingyu looked at her junior sisters.
“It’s alright, we can just buy it from the outside pharmacy. As long as you have enough money, even a shopkeeper who isn’t there will provide it,” Yun Fei said with great experience.
“Did you buy it before? Why are you so familiar with it?” Ruan Lingyu questioned with a displeased expression.
“How… how could that be? I guessed! I purely guessed,” Yun Fei explained guiltily.
“Why are you stuttering?” Su Qing Ying attacked her with venomous words.
“Oh, stop dwelling on these things. If we don’t act now, the pharmacy will close,” Yun Fei changed the subject, her face flushing red.
The senior sisters felt her point was valid, so they crept out of the room and headed straight for the pharmacy.
Qi Huang had no idea she had been targeted by several “female perverts.” She was cultivating when Ruan Lingyu’s voice came from outside the door.
“Junior Sister, I brought you some late-night snacks. They’re meatballs, very fragrant.” Ruan Lingyu’s voice, like a whisper, made one’s bones go numb. She didn’t realize her voice was more seductive than the meatballs.
“Meatballs?” Hearing this, Qi Huang unconsciously swallowed. She eagerly opened the door, and indeed, a fragrance wafted in.
“Thank you, Eldest Senior Sister!” Qi Huang took the bowl and chopsticks and thanked her politely.
“You’re welcome. Eat them while they’re hot,” Ruan Lingyu instructed, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.
Qi Huang didn’t suspect anything and returned to her room with the bowl, not forgetting to close the door tightly. Even if her cheap senior sister secretly snuck in, she wouldn’t be able to refuse.
Qi Huang unhurriedly ate the meatballs, then contentedly sat on the bed and continued cultivating.
After an unknown amount of time, Qi Huang suddenly felt a wave of drowsiness.
“This isn’t right. My spiritual sense has clearly reached the Guiyi Realm. The duration I can maintain it now should definitely exceed seven days. Why do I suddenly want to sleep?” Qi Huang couldn’t figure it out, and began to doubt herself: “Am I a fake Guiyi Realm cultivator? But I could clearly lift that leaf!”
As Qi Huang was lost in thought, the hushed whispers of several senior sisters could be heard from outside.
“Do you think she’s fainted?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t eaten any sleeping pills.”
“How much did you pour in just now?”
“All of it. The shopkeeper said it could knock down a bull.”
“Why don’t we call out to her?”
… The senior sisters were eager to try.
“So it was them! They actually drugged me. Do I really look like a ‘chaste maiden’?” Qi Huang was furious. To be so coveted by her senior sisters was indeed fortunate, but only if they didn’t drug her. Otherwise, once she fainted and started dreaming again, who knew if she could wake up the next time. That Spiritual Wisdom was still in her body, coveting her.
“Junior Sister, are you asleep?” Ruan Lingyu’s probing voice came from outside the door.
“No, is there something?” Qi Huang replied, suppressing her drowsiness.
“No… nothing.” Ruan Lingyu clearly hadn’t expected her junior sister to be so “tenacious” and felt guilty, not daring to speak again.
“Are you sure you didn’t buy the wrong medicine?”
“I don’t know!”
“How can you not know?”
“I haven’t bought it before. Who knows if it’s real or fake.”
… The senior sisters tiptoed away from the door.
Qi Huang no longer had the energy to bother with her senior sisters; she only felt drowsiness sweeping over her consciousness like a tsunami, relentlessly engulfing her.
“What to do? What to do?” Qi Huang was completely panicked. Her eyes roamed aimlessly, trying to grasp a lifeline.
“Right, the Ghost Tomato!” Qi Huang’s gaze suddenly fixed on her travel bag, where a Ghost Tomato she had just obtained yesterday was placed.
