章 30: Chapter 18 Proactive Showdown_2
Wen Ling'er calmly explained:
"Please don't misunderstand, I have only recently become a disciple within the last two years.
"Before that, I had always been cultivating in a town by the coast of the East Sea, working in the Dan Medicine Shop of our Wanyun Sect, obtaining external cultivation techniques. I've cultivated for dozens of years and only achieved such Dao Fruit.
"Hearing that my master had the opportunity to become an Immortal, and that he was cultivating within the sect as well, I therefore used quite a few connections to become the disciple of my master.
"As soon as my master returns to the sect, I will be able to follow him back and be entered into the records of immortals...
"It's all just for the sake of a better future."
Having said this, Wen Ling'er's delicate eyebrows drooped, her small frame slightly trembling as she lowered her head and let out a soft sigh.
Li Ping'an's thoughts whirled rapidly, and his expression gradually softened.
He said, "Listening to you, it doesn't seem like you're lying, but do you have any proof?"
"Of course I do."
Wen Ling'er took out several items—a few pages of ledger from a Wanyun Sect's Dan Medicine Shop in a certain town, some empty jade vials marked with the Wanyun Sect's emblem, and the identity Jade Dishware from the shop.
Li Ping'an decided to probe the reality of the situation, his lips revealing a slight smile.
He said, "It seems I have wronged a fellow Daoist. May I inquire where Master Chen has gone, and when he might return?"
Wen Ling'er hurriedly replied, "My master recently received an urgent message, saying that a group of rogue cultivators has set their sights on a nearby spiritual mine. Over a thousand ordinary people work there, but only four Qi Cultivators from within the sect are stationed there to guard it, so my master was requested to go assist... Let's not talk about this here any longer, or if my master finds out, he'll chide me for lacking propriety, please come inside."
"Thank you."
Li Ping'an's Spiritual Sense had already scrutinized the Taoist Temple Courtyard inside and out several times. He gave a nod and followed the woman inside through the temple gate.
The Taoist Temple Courtyard was clean and tidy, with green stone paving the ground decorated with patches of moss; at the center of the courtyard was a seven-foot square fish pond, where more than a dozen koi lazily swam under the lotus leaves.
Li Ping'an smiled and said, "This courtyard hasn't changed at all since my last visit."
Wen Ling'er hurried to the side room to make tea.
Li Ping'an, familiar with the place, sat down on the stone bench in front of the door and turned his head to watch Wen Ling'er's retreating figure.
She was indeed not tall, but her petite frame was exquisitely charming, with perfectly proportioned limbs.
Suddenly, Li Ping'an asked, "Hasn't Master Chen ever mentioned me to you?"
Wen Ling'er, who was tending to the magic artifact stove, did not pause her movements and replied with a smile, "I have only recently begun to study under my master, and he rarely speaks to me of his friends. How should I address you?"
"Li Ping'an, just like you, I have yet to be accepted as an outer disciple."
Li Ping'an smiled and said:
"Currently, I'm undertaking a trial mission for the outer sect, and I've been fortunate—the task I drew is quite simple: to deliver a letter to Master Chen.
"If I complete it successfully, I'll formally become a disciple of the Wanyun Sect."
"That is truly enviable."
Wen Ling'er, carrying a tea tray, came gracefully over, her laughter filled with courtesy:
"Observing fellow Daoist, you must be quite young to have reached the Glinting Light Phase, am I right? You seem to be using some spells to conceal your true self, and I can't see through them.
"Logically, with such talent at a young age, you should have been taken in by an Immortal as a disciple. Why must you also go through the trials of an outer disciple?"
Li Ping'an's gaze flickered slightly: "There are rather complicated reasons inside the sect, somehow tied to being held back by my father."
"Held back by your father?"
Wen Ling'er leaned forward to pour tea, taken aback: "What do you mean by that?"
Li Ping'an spoke calmly, "My father became a disciple of the sect's founding ancestor, Daoist Kongming, which means he was counted among the direct disciples of the ancestor. My generational status was thus elevated. Perhaps the Immortals within the sect have some taboos concerning this; I suppose it's simply not yet my time for such opportunities."
Having said this, he picked up the cup of tea and brought it straight to his lips.
Wen Ling'er's smile froze on her face.
The grandson of the founding ancestor!
The grandson of an elder Golden Immortal of the sect!
She was about to harm the grandson of the sect's founding ancestor!
Li Ping'an pretended to drink the water.
"Ah! My Lord!"
Wen Ling'er raised her hand to snatch the tea cup but then abruptly halted her movement, shivering slightly as her delicate voice turned tremulous:
"Fellow Daoist! This tea is from last night's brew!"
"Hmm?"
Li Ping'an looked up at Wen Ling'er, but he only brought the tea cup to his nose and gently fanned with his other hand.
As if he were smelling the aroma, he, in fact, had already sealed his mouth and nose with mana and, smiling amiably, put down the tea cup, looking up towards Wen Ling'er.
At that moment, Wen Ling'er felt as though she was standing under the burning sun, her Dao heart slightly bewildered.
Had she been caught up in the highest level of power struggle within the Sect?
Li Ping'an asked again, "How should I address fellow Daoist?"
"Ling'er... My name is Wen Ling'er."
Despite being disturbed by Li Ping'an, Wen Ling'er reacted quite well, instantly revealing a slight smile: "I didn't expect you to have such a background."
"It's all thanks to my father."
Li Ping'an said,
"I also had some fun on the way here, encountering an old woman who claimed to be the mother of a disciple from our Wanyun Sect."
"The old woman wanted to take her own life, saying that her offspring were ungrateful and she didn't wish to go on living."
"I found it very amusing and deliberately teased her."
"The old woman thought her disguise was good, but she didn't even get the most basic details right, and I saw through her at first glance."
"At her age, if her offspring were unfilial, how could her complexion be so rosy and her figure so vigorous, even the tea she brewed was terribly smelly."
Li Ping'an looked up at Wen Ling'er: "What do you think, fellow Daoist?"
Wen Ling'er subconsciously stepped back half a step, clutching her fists, staring at Li Ping'an with a pretty little face full of confusion and uncertainty.
If Li Ping'an had not just mentioned his 'father's virtue', by now, Wen Ling'er would have lashed out.
But now, she didn't dare.
"Fellow Daoist Wen Ling'er, don't you want to say anything to me?"
Li Ping'an maintained a gentle smile, his voice still unhurried:
"If what fellow Daoist said outside the Taoist temple was the truth, then you have been in the mortal world for several decades and should understand the importance of gauging the situation."
"You said you come from the coast of the East Sea, and the East Sea coastline is quite long, with over twelve hundred large and small towns. Our Wanyun Sect has hundreds of shops, mostly concentrated in the several dozen towns in the middle section of the East Sea coastline."
"The shoes you wear are not common in the East Continent, but they are quite fashionable on the overseas Immortal Mountain Yingzhou. The closest large cities to Yingzhou just happen to have our Wanyun Sect and several other Sects jointly controlling Dafang Town."
"If I'm not mistaken, is that where you have been cultivating?"
Wen Ling'er forced a stiff smile: "You really are well-informed, to observe things so far away while cultivating within the Sect."
"I just like to read miscellaneous books."
Li Ping'an sighed softly:
"Since you haven't denied it, I now have a good idea of who the Immortal above these clouds is."
"Those shops are handled by the elder of the outer Sect, predecessor Xiaoyue, who has the title of Overall Supervisor in the Sect, a disciple of a Golden Immortal in the Sect, and is not afraid of offending my father."
"It seems that the high-ranked people within the Sect who have heard the rumors and believe that my father will be the next Sect Leader, have asked her to make my trial a bit more challenging."
"Whether I succeed or fail in this outer Sect trial doesn't affect me much, at worst it just makes my father lose face."
"But what about you, Fellow Daoist Wen?"
Wen Ling'er's little face turned deathly pale.
She subconsciously looked up at the sky, whispering, "It seems you're talking nonsense... I, I don't know about any of this."
Suddenly, Li Ping'an asked, "Is Master Chen well?"
"Well! Definitely well! He's at the spiritual mine!"
"Then let's go."
Li Ping'an stood up, his gaze fixed on Wen Ling'er's eyes, and then he laughed again:
"You are also a disciple of our Wanyun Sect, merely following orders today, so there's no need to give you too much trouble."
"Wherever you originally intended to lead me, take me there now."
"It seems this was just Elder Xiaoyue's way to give a little test to her junior disciple."
Having said that, Li Ping'an took out the Jade Talisman and placed it on the table in front of him.
"This is the letter given to me by the Sect, and leaving it here means I have delivered it to Master Chen. If Master Chen doesn't see it, I will have the Sect thoroughly investigate."
Wen Ling'er blinked gently.
She suddenly came to her senses.
After all this talk, did this fellow just want to ensure that Gongmin Chen was safe and sound?
Li Ping'an looked up at the cloud where Xiaoyue was hiding, cupped his hands from a distance, and said no more.
Above the clouds, Xiaoyue frowned deeply.
She was actually seen through by this Li Ping'an?
This young man deliberately brought up the backing of his father's Golden Immortal ancestor, trapping her with just a few words and rendering all her calculations meaningless...
Xiaoyue suddenly heard a voice transmission; it was Elder Yansheng calling out to her, inviting her to ride the clouds and watch.
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