Chapter 20: A Difference of Opinion

Having clarified the prompts, Su Xuan dressed and headed toward the kitchen.

Even though he had spent as much time as possible with Lin Zhiwei, geniuses were simply illogical, so he needed to confirm things properly.

“Oh, get up!

How can you be sleeping again right after eating!”

As soon as Su Xuan reached the kitchen, he saw Lin Zhiwei pushing her junior sister with a helpless expression.

Perhaps because she had just woken up, she was only wearing a thin layer of undergarments.

Her hair draped naturally over her chest, creating a striking contrast of black and white that held a startling, hidden allure.

Her entire being radiated a sense of charming naivety, which was completely different from the side Su Xuan usually saw.

“I’m so sleepy…”

Lu Zhiyi smacked her lips and tumbled onto her senior sister, pressing against her chest as she clearly intended to stay down.

“Master, why are you here?”

Lin Zhiwei noticed him entering and immediately became alert.

She pulled a blanket over her body, her expression turning cold as she stared at him warily.

“I came to ask about your cultivation progress yesterday,” Su Xuan said, feeling a bit confused.

He didn’t know why, despite treating the two sisters equally well, Lin Zhiwei remained so guarded against him.

Sure enough, Lin Zhiwei fell silent for a moment, her face looking quite dejected.

“I… I haven’t quite figured out Master’s words yet, so… I haven’t gained anything.”

She thought for a moment and added, “But I’ve had some insights, and I definitely won’t let Master down.”

“Not even a single gain?”

Seeing her so depressed, Su Xuan looked regretful on the surface, but he was secretly feeling a bit smug.

‘It’s only natural you can’t see through it.

Even I can’t see through it, so just study obediently.’

“Ahem, the Way of the Sword is like this.

It will naturally fall into place in the future.

You must not be too hasty.

If you need anything, just tell me.”

After offering a feigned word of comfort, he turned and left the room, preparing to study the Ningnian Jue further.

“Senior Sister, why did you lie to Master?

You clearly…”

Once he was out the door, Lu Zhiyi rubbed her eyes and sat up in Lin Zhiwei’s arms, asking with confusion.

“Why should I tell him?”

Lin Zhiwei frowned, turning her head with a look of disbelief.

“Zhiyi, have you forgotten the life we lived before?

If I don’t keep some life-saving methods hidden, what if a leopard can’t change its spots?”

“I feel like Master won’t be… like that anymore,” Lu Zhiyi pouted, clearly dissatisfied.

“In just these short two days?

He’s completely changed his nature?

Oh, what do you know?

Just listen to me!”

Lin Zhiwei waved her hand, making the decision for Lu Zhiyi in her usual manner.

“But… I feel like Master really is a different person.

It doesn’t seem fake.”

Lu Zhiyi recalled the way Master had looked at her and his actions that day.

Her tone was firm as she added, “Is it just because of a few meals and two pieces of clothing that you’ve been bought over?

You’d rather trust him than me?”

Lin Zhiwei stared at her junior sister with wide eyes, unable to believe what she was hearing.

“I… I just think you might have a bit of a prejudice against him, Senior Sister…”

Lu Zhiyi’s tone softened, as she was unwilling to argue further, but she stuck to her thoughts.

She rolled out of bed and began to wash up.

‘Prejudice?’

‘Does she just fall for it because he’s a little nice to her?’

‘You haven’t experienced it; how can you tell if someone’s kindness is real or fake?’

Lin Zhiwei remained silent, watching her sister’s back.

She suddenly felt her junior sister was a stranger, as if the sister who used to trust her unconditionally was gone forever.

Gritting her teeth, she tightened her grip on the sword manual in her arms.

Regardless of whether her sister understood or not, she needed the power to protect herself and this foolish girl.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Su Xuan had only been studying the Ningnian Jue for a short while when a heavy knocking sounded from outside.

At this time, it had to be Wu Renyou.

He put down the cultivation method and opened the courtyard gate.

Sure enough, it was Wu Renyou’s old face with that goatee.

He was wearing the uniform of an Outer Market Steward, his chest puffed out high.

Behind him were several other cultivators in the same uniform, all of whom were also Outer Market Stewards.

Behind them was a group of loose cultivators with their hands tied, looking dejected.

Most of them kept their heads down, and those who occasionally looked up were filled with a sense of lifelessness.

These were the loose cultivators being drafted as cannon fodder because their cultivation levels were too low.

“Friend Su, have you made up your mind?

Which one is coming with me?”

Wu Renyou stroked his goatee, speaking arrogantly to Su Xuan.

He understood the fluke mentality of those who wouldn’t give up until the very end.

Every single drafted loose cultivator was like this; in the end, wouldn’t they still have to beg him?

Su Xuan looked back and saw his two disciples coming out of the woodshed, watching the crowd.

For some reason, the two of them weren’t holding hands as they usually did, as if a rift had formed between them.

“Manager Wu, I have fortunately broken through to Qi Refining Level 3.

According to the rules, I do not need to participate in this draft.”

He looked at Wu Renyou, neither humble nor arrogant.

“Hehe, congratulations, congratulations.”

Wu Renyou wasn’t surprised at all.

He cupped his hands in a fake gesture, a smile on his face that didn’t reach his eyes.

To get what he wanted, he had prepared more than just this one layer.

Even if Su Xuan reached Level 3, he would still have to hand them over.

“Oh, Friend Su, I forgot to tell you.

This draft doesn’t just look at cultivation level; it also looks at practical combat.

Those who are old, weak, or sickly still have to go.

What a pity…”

Wu Renyou sighed, acting as if he truly felt bad about it.

Hearing this, Su Xuan first looked behind the man.

He saw the other stewards whispering among themselves for a moment, but a second later, they all looked away, clearly condoning Wu Renyou’s behavior.

Wu Renyou also glanced back.

Seeing his colleagues were in tacit agreement, he stroked his sparse goatee and said triumphantly, “Friend Su, you’ve reached Level 3 at such a young age.

You have a great future ahead of you.

There’s no need to throw your life away for two women.”

He swept a greedy gaze over the two girls and added, “I’ll give you one last chance.

Hand them over now, and you still won’t have to go.

How about it?”

Lin Zhiwei and Lu Zhiyi both gaped, watching the two men in shock.

They thought that as long as their Master reached Level 3, they would be temporarily safe.

They had never expected things to turn out this way.

Lin Zhiwei’s gaze flickered, her usually indifferent face showing a hint of worry.

Lu Zhiyi, on the other hand, didn’t hide her anxiety at all, looking at Su Xuan with deep concern.

“Not interested.”

Su Xuan shook his head, refusing flatly.

“Whatever you want to do, do it all at once.

I’ll take it all on.”

As soon as he spoke, Wu Renyou’s colleagues all looked up in unison, staring at the youth in front of them with shock.

Even the dejected loose cultivators looked on in disbelief.

They knew Wu Renyou was at Level 5 and was a Body Refining Cultivator with impressive combat strength.

This youth was just a Level 3 loose cultivator who looked quite frail.

How did he dare to speak like that in the face of Wu Renyou’s threats?

Wasn’t he afraid of being kicked to death?

They looked at Su Xuan, their eyes even holding a bit of respect.

As a loose cultivator, how could he have such backbone?