To be honest, Lin Wuming felt oddly guilty bringing another girl to meet his senior sister.
Even though he and his senior sister really had a purely platonic relationship, and nothing strange had happened with this little junior sister either…
Still, after finally coaxing the girl into agreeing, he had to take the opportunity and get things done today.
But before that, he needed to add a layer of insurance.
“Listen carefully. My senior sister is a calm and quiet person—she doesn’t like people talking casually about cultivation matters. Just act like you’re here to sincerely study the zither and don’t bring up anything strange, got it?”
He instructed the girl clinging to his back.
If she were to suddenly bring up “healing” or “revenge” in front of his senior sister, things would get complicated.
He hadn’t told his senior sister anything about tricking this girl, and if she found out the girl had no genuine intention to learn music, she likely wouldn’t take her as a disciple.
“Mm… okay.”
But He Yingying wasn’t really listening.
Lying against the young man’s back, feeling his warm body and breath, her head was spinning.
Her legs were cradled in his arms, and her soft chest pressed against him.
Her arms were looped around his neck. It was just too embarrassing!
She was actually glad she couldn’t see right now—if she caught anyone staring at them weirdly, she might’ve died of shame.
Lin Wuming, on the other hand, wasn’t thinking much of it.
Since she couldn’t walk, carrying her was the only option.
As for his zither, he had left it at the butcher’s house for now and would pick it up later.
Besides, she looked young and although she had a pretty face, she didn’t have his senior sister’s curvy charms… In short, she was flat.
So carrying her didn’t make him feel much of anything.
…Though her smooth legs did feel pretty nice to the touch.
“Senior sister… I’m back.”
Carrying his little junior sister, Lin Wuming arrived at his senior sister’s house and knocked on the door.
Inside, Bai Bingyun had already sensed him coming.
She quietly put away her fox ears and tail, restored her calm appearance, and opened the door with a gentle expression.
Lin Wuming walked in and placed the girl on the edge of the bed.
He noticed the sheet was slightly wrinkled, but thought nothing of it.
“This is the junior sister you mentioned?”
Bai Bingyun gave He Yingying a once-over.
Her face was stunning—no less beautiful than her own—which made Bai Bingyun frown slightly.
But after her gaze moved lower to see that He Yingying was as flat as a board, she visibly relaxed and stood up straighter, a confident smile forming.
“Yes, senior sister, take a look—”
“Both knees shattered, blind, meridians completely broken?”
Bai Bingyun said softly, her gaze contemplative.
Lin Wuming scratched his head.
Wait… had he told her all that?
Maybe he had and just forgot?
“Damaged primary meridians, reversed flow between extraordinary and conventional channels… So her meridians are already running backward? Interesting…”
Lin Wuming blinked in confusion.
What in the world is she talking about?
But He Yingying trembled. Without even taking her pulse, this woman saw through her condition at a glance—such ability far surpassed even the imperial doctors known to rival half of Shennong Valley.
This senior sister was definitely a hidden expert!
Until now, she had believed Lin Wuming’s story half-heartedly.
The idea of so many powerful cultivators hiding in a rundown village had always seemed far-fetched.
But now—now she believed.
“I ask you—are you willing to enter this sect and dedicate yourself to its teachings?”
Bai Bingyun’s voice was calm but commanding, her tone suddenly carrying great authority.
Even Lin Wuming had never seen her so solemn before.
“Yes!”
An overwhelming pressure bore down on her, enough to crush her into powder, but He Yingying remained steady.
Gritting her teeth, she replied firmly:
“I am willing to join the sect. I will give my all and bring no shame to my master’s name!”
Then, despite her crushed knees, she forced herself to kneel.
The excruciating pain sent chills down her spine, but she made not a single sound.
Because she had found hope—hope of recovery, of protecting her mother, of saving the empire from collapse.
“You are not yet worthy of bearing our sect’s name.”
Bai Bingyun said emotionlessly.
“But, since you show sincerity, and for my junior brother’s sake, I shall accept you on behalf of our master.”
With a wave of her sleeve, she added….
“Stand. We do not follow such mortal ceremonies.”
“Yes, senior sister.”
The pressure vanished, and He Yingying collapsed, limp on the floor.
Lin Wuming quickly picked her up and set her back on the bed, glancing between her and his senior sister in confusion.
It’s just zither lessons, right?
Why all this “don’t disgrace the sect” drama?
But anyway, the mission was done.
That means—it’s reward time!
Excited, Lin Wuming called out in his mind: “System, open task panel!”
A moment later, the screen appeared, and the mission was marked as Completed.
He held his breath, then eagerly shouted: “System, claim the reward!”
[Task completion under review… please wait…]
After a brief moment, the system’s voice returned:
[Congratulations, host, for completing the task: Rookie Raising Plan]
[Task Completion Rating: Poor]
[Reward: Basic Vitality Cultivation Technique]
“…???”
When I type a single ?, it means I’m confused.
When I type ???, it means you’re the one with the problem.
Lin Wuming had been grinning… but the smile vanished from his face.
What the hell?
Where’s my Creation Saint Dao Technique?
My big, legendary, world-shaking reward?
Gone?!
No way.
If the system doesn’t give him an explanation today, he might just have to take off his pants and throw hands with it.
So unfair, it does not factor in her crippled state for the reward but her past potential?