Chapter 82: Old Loli and An Elderly Conversation
Tens of thousands of feet above the Central Peak of the Xuan Xing Sect, there floats a stone emitting starlight, named “Xuan Xing.”
This floating stone appears like a star perpetually hanging in the sky above the Central Peak.
To most Xuan Xing Sect Disciples, it is like the Big Dipper, allowing them to navigate. Even disciples Thousand li away can locate the Xuan Xing Sect by finding this floating stone in the sky.
However, few know that a palace named “Xuan Xing Palace” is actually situated on this floating stone.
This is one of Si Xuanji’s myriad cave dwellings.
Because it is built so high, the air is thin, and the sky above the cave dwelling is perpetually Star-studded, making it pitch black even at noon.
At this moment, a girl with her eyes tightly closed, her two short legs bare, lay on her side before a Go board, waiting for Mr. Qi, who was opposite her, to finish counting the points on the Go board.
After placing the last white piece, Mr. Qi said with a slight hint of regret:
“Sect Master, this old man has drawn with you again.”
“Mm.”
Mr. Qi tidily cleared away the Go board and then cupped his hands, saying:
“Sect Master, do you know about the Seven Kill Gate incident before?”
“Mm, the jade slip that young Lei sent, this old woman has seen it. Do you have anything else to say?”
Mr. Qi stroked his beard and nodded:
“This old man finds this matter suspicious.”
“…”
“Elder Lei did indeed find the map of the Xuan Xing Sect’s sect formation in the Heavenly Mystery Fortress’s warehouse when he went there. However, when he brought Ku Jiuchong back for interrogation, the latter knew nothing. To this day, he has not admitted to inquiring about the Xuan Xing Sect’s formation…”
“So?”
Mr. Qi cupped his hands: “This old man suspects that a third party wants to use the Xuan Xing Sect to destroy the Seven Kill Gate.”
“Mm.” Si Xuanji nodded. “Who?”
“This old man dare not judge rashly. The Seven Kill Gate has accumulated countless grudges over the past thousand years, and this matter also involves the Gu Poison Sect. There are simply too many people with motives, but after all…”
Si Xuanji continued to keep her eyes narrowed as if feigning sleep, showing no interest. Before he could finish, she interrupted:
“Then how about sending young Lei to the Western Regions to contemplate for thirty to fifty years?”
“?” Mr. Qi was stunned for a moment, not quite following her train of thought.
“The Grand Elder of the Xuan Xing Sect was used as a pawn by others. He doesn’t feel ashamed, but this old woman feels ashamed for him.” Si Xuanji sighed lightly. “Moreover, that kid needs to go and cultivate. He likes to fart when he has nothing to do. This old woman has been woken up several times during her naps by him. It’s extremely annoying. It will be much more peaceful after sending him away from the sect.”
Hearing this, Mr. Qi immediately understood Si Xuanji’s meaning.
— I don’t want to deal with the Seven Kill Gate matter. If you want to investigate further, that’s up to you. Anyway, don’t bother me with this matter again, or I’ll send Lei Wanjun to contemplate for thirty to fifty years.
“…”
Mr. Qi stopped talking, fearing that if he continued, Lei Wanjun would really be sent to contemplate.
After a pause, he changed the topic:
“Speaking of which, the Young Miss has also passed the sect selection. Sect Master, aren’t you going to visit her?”
“Didn’t I visit her five years ago?” Si Xuanji opened her yin-yang eyes and said lazily, “If I visit too often, she’ll get annoyed with me.”
Mr. Qi was somewhat speechless, but he could understand.
Si Xuanji’s lifespan was nearly infinite. Five to six years for her was almost like a few days for an ordinary person.
“Sect Master, perhaps five years is just a fleeting moment for you, but for the Young Miss, it is five true seasons. The Young Miss has actually been looking forward to you going…”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
Si Xuanji sighed lightly: “If I go and visit, at most we’ll just talk. It’s not only unhelpful to her, but it will also make her overly dependent on me. If she always stays in this old woman’s embrace, that girl will never grow up.”
“…”
“Look at that girl now. If you elders didn’t spoil her so much, would she be like this?”
“The Young Miss has always been very diligent…”
“Compared to the children of those Great Families, Yunluo is indeed quite diligent, but…” Si Xuanji paused. “She’s still far from it.”
“…”
Si Xuanji looked at Mr. Qi’s face and sighed lightly, explaining:
“Mr. Qi, you should understand. The immortal path is not child’s play. Whether it’s this old woman, you, or the elders in the sect, we all came from the Sea of Blood. This old woman can protect her for a while, but she cannot protect her for a lifetime.”
“…”
“Furthermore, she is my only daughter. If I were not the Sect Master of the Xuan Xing Sect, but an ordinary young cultivator, then there would be no need to be so strict with her. But in this world, there are countless people watching me, and those who watch me are bound to watch her too. I certainly don’t want my only daughter to perish in the wilderness…”
Mr. Qi was somewhat speechless and nodded, cupping his hands.
“The poor have their own struggles, and the noble have their own difficulties…”
“Speaking of which, isn’t she about to reach Foundation Establishment?”
“Mm, it should be in the next few months.” Mr. Qi pondered for a moment and said, “Strictly speaking, after Foundation Establishment, one needs to travel and gain experience. The Young Miss usually goes alone. This old man thinks it would be best to find a companion for the Young Miss. What do you think, Sect Master?”
Si Xuanji nodded. “Mm, that’s fine.”
“In that case… does the Sect Master have anyone in mind?”
Hearing this question, Si Xuanji smiled slightly.
She had of course already prepared a candidate. She was just waiting for Mr. Qi to ask her about this matter so she could conveniently introduce Ye Anping.
But she couldn’t say it directly, as it would give others the impression that “she has already decided on Ye Anping.”
“What do you think?”
“How about the chief disciple of Tianyun Peak, Chen Chen?”
Si Xuanji shook her head and said:
“No, it’s best to find someone unrelated to the Xuan Xing Sect. This person should have a good personality, be organized in their actions, have a clear mind, and preferably be around Yunluo’s age. As for cultivation, Spiritual Root, and so on, those are not important.”
Mr. Qi nodded. He had actually thought of the Young Master of the Hundred Lotus Sect first, but he couldn’t show that he had “decided on him,” lest Si Xuanji think he had ulterior motives.
So, he pretended to think for a while and said, “If that’s the case, how about that young master from the Hundred Lotus Sect? He seems to be around the Young Miss’s age, comes from a background of hard cultivation, is quick-witted, and is quite a decent person.”
?
Si Xuanji was slightly taken aback. Why did Mr. Qi mention Ye Anping second?
She had originally planned to guide him a little more…
After hesitating for a moment, Si Xuanji pretended not to know Ye Anping and asked:
“This old woman hasn’t heard of him, but since Mr. Qi recommends him, he must have something about him that satisfies you, right?”
“That’s true… This old man didn’t pay much attention to him originally, but…” Mr. Qi stroked his beard and said, “In the written test of this sect selection, one person got a perfect score from me.”
“Mm…”
“That girl is Pei Lianxue, who entered the sect as a companion reader for Taixu Zi’s disciple. She is the Junior Sister of the Young Master of the Hundred Lotus Sect. The answers about the Dao heart were taught to her by her Senior Brother, so this old man inquired about it… That kid seems to be running a shop in the marketplace, and I heard he doesn’t want to rely on his parents but wants to be self-reliant. This can also be seen as a reflection of the kid’s character… And that Pei Lianxue has a very good personality, so I assume he should be similar… The only downside is his Spiritual Root aptitude, which is a Water-Wood dual spiritual root.”
To be able to have his Junior Sister get a perfect score from Mr. Qi?
Indeed worthy of the person I have my eye on… Si Xuanji pretended to be indifferent and waved her hand:
“Since Mr. Qi says so, then let him try. If it doesn’t work out, we can just dismiss him.”
“Mm.” Mr. Qi cupped his hands in agreement.
“Also, this old woman originally intended to hand over the management of the spirit stone mine in Chi Yun Valley to the Hundred Lotus Sect. Later, I will write a jade slip, and please have Mr. Qi have Yunluo send it to the Hundred Lotus Sect, so they can get along and try it out first.”
“This old man has no objections.”
…
