Chapter 029
Chapter 29: Surely, You Wouldn’t Just Watch Someone Suffer Without Helping?
After swallowing the pastry in her mouth, Shi Zi Chu raised her face toward Xing Lan, showing a sweet and obedient smile, asking softly, “Master, what brought you here?”
As Liang Wei Sheng was about to collapse under the suppressive aura, Xing Lan withdrew his gaze and lowered his eyes to the radiant smile blooming before him, “Didn’t you find me a disciple? I came to take a look.”
A disciple?
Many eyes turned toward Liang Wei Sheng, filled with surprise and doubt.
Liang Wei Sheng himself was utterly stunned.
Everyone in the cultivation world knew Venerable Xing Lan’s famed name; his reputation echoed far and wide!
Now, suddenly hearing that he, a useless nobody, might become Venerable Xing Lan’s disciple—it felt like a fortune of spirit stones falling from the heavens.
“Master agreed?” Shi Zi Chu’s voice instantly brightened, her eyebrows arched in joy, her tone lively with excitement, “Disciple knew Master is truly the best!”
Xing Lan withdrew his hand and clasped it behind his back.
Did he even have the choice to refuse?
If he didn’t agree, Jiu Jiu would surely pout, wheedle, and stubbornly persist until he surrendered.
“The resources for his healing will come from your monthly allowance,” he said coldly, his deep voice carrying an indifferent edge.
Shi Zi Chu made a quiet “oh.”
[Just deduct it, it’s fine, anyway, I’m quite wealthy right now!]
Xing Lan extended a hand, “Spirit stone card.”
Shi Zi Chu quickly handed him her gold card.
“And where is the previous purple card?” Xing Lan asked casually.
Hearing this, Chu Zhi Rou’s heart skipped a beat.
As soon as she raised her eyes, she met Shi Zi Chu’s smiling peach-blossom gaze.
For an instant, Chu Zhi Rou grew anxious. Yet she quickly calmed herself, thinking it through rationally.
Even if Shi Zi Chu revealed it, she had offered that spirit stone card herself!
“It was stolen,” Shi Zi Chu’s bright eyes drooped slightly, and her normally playful voice softened sadly, “All those spirit stones are lost.”
Xing Lan acknowledged with a faint sound.
He took out his own purple-gold card and transferred some spirit stones into the gold card.
Watching Xing Lan’s actions, Shi Zi Chu’s lips curled upward.
He had just mentioned deducting from her allowance, yet here he was, replenishing her card with spirit stones right afterward.
[Saying one thing but meaning another!]
Xing Lan handed back the gold card, habitually adding a gentle reminder, “Come back earlier after you’ve had your fun.”
Shi Zi Chu obediently nodded.
Jiang Wan Sheng discreetly cast a probing gaze toward Xing Lan.
There were too many people inside the room, mixing numerous scents together, making that faint fragrance of snow and green bamboo barely noticeable.
Yet the jasmine fragrance clinging to Xing Lan was quite distinct!
The noble and revered Venerable Xing Lan harboring improper intentions toward his personal disciple—ha!
Xing Lan naturally noticed that concealed glance but chose to ignore it.
These irrelevant individuals didn’t deserve his attention.
“What kind of spirit pill is Venerable Xing Lan intending to refine with the drifting flower?” Jun Yue Hua respectfully inquired.
Feeling that cold gaze fall upon him, Jun Yue Hua continued steadily, “The auction house has acquired many spirit herbs; perhaps Venerable Xing Lan may find something useful among them.”
This was the youngest tribulation-crossing cultivator in history; who wouldn’t desire to earn favor before him?
Chu Zhi Rou quietly glanced upward, catching a brief view of his sharply defined, handsome features.
Under the flickering candlelight, the man stood tall and proud, his appearance exceptional. His powerful aura inspired awe but also brought a sense of reassuring security.
Chu Zhi Rou quickly lowered her eyelashes, her heart inexplicably quickening.
Although Master appeared cold, he had always been kind toward her.
Surely, Master had bid on the drifting flower to refine a rejuvenation pill specifically for her.
At the thought that her cold and distant Master would personally attend the auction for her sake, Chu Zhi Rou’s cheeks warmed slightly.
“No need,” Xing Lan responded coldly and directly.
Just as he was about to leave and take Liang Wei Sheng back to Rising Succession Peak, Shi Zi Chu suddenly reached out, grasping the edge of his silver-embroidered sleeve.
Xing Lan lowered his eyes to look.
“Junior Sister,” Shi Zi Chu gently addressed Chu Zhi Rou, her voice friendly and warm, “You are always so kind-hearted. Surely, you wouldn’t just watch someone suffer without helping?”
Chu Zhi Rou hesitated, uncertain of Shi Zi Chu’s intention, yet she forced a weak, gentle smile that appeared fragile and pitiful.
“Second Senior Sister is right,” Chu Zhi Rou obediently replied, looking timidly at Shi Zi Chu.
Receiving the desired response, Shi Zi Chu raised her gaze to Xing Lan, “Master, you see, even Junior Sister agrees. Why don’t we use this drifting flower to heal Wei Sheng’s injuries as your welcoming gift?”
Without waiting for a reply, Shi Zi Chu smiled warmly toward Chu Zhi Rou, “Little—ah, I should say Sixth Junior Sister now, Sixth Junior Sister, you…”
“Shi Zi Chu!” Xu Zhou Ye suddenly interrupted Shi Zi Chu’s words.
“Master hasn’t said anything about accepting this person as a personal disciple! You’re overstepping your bounds!” he scolded, using the tone of a senior brother.
[How could that useless pretty face deserve the drifting flower!]
[The drifting flower should naturally go to Junior Sister for healing!]
Seeing Shi Zi Chu being scolded, Chu Zhi Rou’s lips momentarily curved upward before quickly flattening again.
This drifting flower was clearly something Master had bought specifically for her! A useless nobody like Liang Wei Sheng dared to compete with her over it?
[How shameless!]
Shi Zi Chu paused, her pretty eyes drooping instantly, her vibrant spirit visibly dimming.
“I don’t recall saying I wouldn’t accept him as a personal disciple?” A cold voice, sharp as frost, echoed with displeasure.
Chu Zhi Rou looked up, utterly stunned.
Xu Zhou Ye trembled in fear, swiftly steadying himself as he bowed toward Xing Lan, “Disciple was wrong!”
The atmosphere inside the room turned cold and heavy.
Liang Wei Sheng, the involved party, felt completely dumbfounded again.
Initially, he’d believed at best he’d become an outer sect disciple or, at most, an inner sect disciple. Yet now, unexpectedly, he had suddenly become a personal disciple?!
Apart from the utterly shocked Liang Wei Sheng, the others present harbored various hidden thoughts.
Though Xing Lan knew Shi Zi Chu’s dejected expression was a performance, he still raised a hand, gently patting her head with quiet reassurance.
Shi Zi Chu raised her head, gazing at Xing Lan with pitiful, puppy-like eyes.
Withdrawing his hand, Xing Lan spoke coolly, “Give him the drifting flower to heal; consider it part of his welcome gift.”
Chu Zhi Rou stared at Xing Lan with widened eyes, utterly astonished.
[Master just gave the drifting flower to that worthless nobody?]
[Shi Zi Chu!]
[It was all because of Shi Zi Chu!]
She’d put Master on the spot in front of everyone, making him unable to refuse!
Having achieved her goal, Shi Zi Chu flashed Xing Lan a bright, sweet smile, radiant with innocent charm.
Immediately after, she turned back toward Chu Zhi Rou, “Sixth Junior Sister truly is considerate. Moreover, coming from the Ye Clan, Sixth Junior Sister doesn’t lack resources. Junior Brother Wei Sheng’s condition is so pitiful; surely Sixth Junior Sister wouldn’t compete with him over the drifting flower, right?”
Faced with everyone’s eyes, what could Chu Zhi Rou say?
If she argued with a useless disciple over the drifting flower, she’d seem unkind and arrogant.
“Second Senior Sister is correct. Junior Brother’s injuries are more important. I’ll be fine, cough, cough…” Her pale face flushed slightly from the coughing, making the frail girl appear even more delicate.
“Master, Junior Sister’s injuries are serious…” Xu Zhou Ye’s voice gradually faded away until it disappeared completely.
With a soft thud, Xu Zhou Ye dropped onto his knees on the cold, hard stone floor.
Shi Zi Chu glanced at Xu Zhou Ye’s resentful yet helpless expression, arching her delicate brows.
[He’s so foolish it’s no challenge at all.]
Liang Wei Sheng stood unsteadily, gazing at Shi Zi Chu’s beautiful, delicate profile, emotions swirling within his heart.
[He must be the blade Shi Zi Chu brought to handle Xu Zhou Ye and Chu Zhi Rou.]
For the chance she’d given him, he’d willingly become a sharpened blade in her hand.
“Let’s go.”
After briefly addressing Shi Zi Chu, Xing Lan swept his sleeve, disappearing from the private chamber along with Liang Wei Sheng.