Xiaoqing stood frozen for less than three seconds before coming to her senses. Quick-eyed and quicker-handed, she caught the girl’s wandering hand.
At that moment, the moonlight stones that had gone dull lit up once more. Their glow clearly revealed the girl’s slender, pale finger tracing circles over Xiaoqing’s shoulder. Her intentions could not have been more suggestive.
*Just how many romantic debts did the original owner leave behind?*
Xiaoqing did not know whether to laugh or cry. Another person might have considered this good fortune falling from the sky. To her, it was a nightmare she wanted to avoid at all costs.
She already had the heroine—whom the original owner secretly loved—to deal with. The heroine’s advantages were so overwhelming that one wrong move might leave Xiaoqing even worse off than the original supporting woman. Her urgent task was to cultivate and grow stronger. Even if this girl looked like a goddess, Xiaoqing had no time for romance!
Wait. Something about that thought was wrong. Xiaoqing liked handsome young men, not adorable girls, so romance between them was even more impossible!
Never mind. She would think about that some other time.
“Come any closer and I’ll kill you.”
The threat worked. Xiaoqing did not need to waste strength pushing her away. Fei Ling immediately stood straight instead of leaning bonelessly against her. But the accusation filling those bright, lively eyes made Xiaoqing feel as though *she* were the bully.
*Why should I feel guilty? Get lost, guilt!*
Xiaoqing straightened her disordered robe and hair, then released the full pressure of a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Fei Ling was only at Qi Refining. Unable to withstand the pressure, she lowered her head.
Xiaoqing stared at her with an expressionless face and cold eyes. She pressed her lips together before finally saying, “Let’s part on good terms.”
Whatever vows of eternal love the girl had exchanged with the original owner, could she please leave Xiaoqing alone from now on?
“All right.” Sweat beaded across Fei Ling’s fragrant skin, and her face went white. She was unwilling to lose a powerful patron like Lin Xiaoqing. She wanted to beg her not to leave, but after gritting her teeth, what came out was, “Senior Sister Xiaoqing, I know I can’t compare with Cheng Yun. I’ll leave quietly. It’s just… the outer sect tournament ten years from now will be my final chance to enter the inner sect. If I fail again, I’ll lose my status as an outer disciple and be reduced to a common disciple. My path of cultivation will be ruined.
“Considering how long I’ve served you, could you speak to the steward for me? Please have him assign me a cave dwelling with richer spiritual energy.”
“All right.”
If such a simple favor could free her from one of the original owner’s lovers, Xiaoqing was happy to agree. She turned to leave, but after a slight frown, she reached into her storage pouch and took out several bottles of pills she did not need.
“I don’t need you to guide me any farther. Go back.”
The passage ran straight ahead. She only needed to keep walking. Who knew what else might happen if Fei Ling remained with her?
Xiaoqing strode away.
Fei Ling stayed where she was. She carefully wrapped the bottles in silk instead of putting them into her storage pouch. Then she tucked them inside her robe, against the place where her heart beat.
*You’re still as softhearted as ever.*
*If I became stronger… would I be able to have you?*
* * *
The inner mission hall was decorated much like the outer chamber. But unlike the lively crowd outside, this room felt lonely. Fewer than ten people were present, all dressed in the same inner-disciple robes as Xiaoqing.
A sweet-faced girl stopped examining the mission list as soon as she saw Xiaoqing and hurried over.
Xiaoqing stared at her.
So this was what people meant by a haunting ghost that refused to leave.
The girl was Xiang Le—the person who had urged Xiaoqing to court death by teaching Li Li a lesson, then spread rumors about the “secret affairs” between Xiaoqing and Cheng Yun.
Xiaoqing always used the same response for this sort of cannon fodder who failed to recognize the heroine’s danger.
“Move.”
Two words. Clean and simple. No need for useless conversation. Perfect.
Xiang Le chuckled and shifted half a step, which apparently counted as letting Xiaoqing pass. She enthusiastically described several missions before revealing her true purpose.
“Xiaoqing, a new mission was just posted to capture an adult pixiu. Why don’t we accept it together?”
“No, thank you.”
Xiaoqing took out the identity token that proved her status and tossed it into the air. One entry vanished from the densely packed mission list.
Xiang Le stared at the empty spot, eyes wide with disbelief. “Xiaoqing, you… actually accepted *that* mission?”
“Hmm? Is there a problem?”
Xiaoqing had not bothered reading the details. She had merely seen the enormous reward in contribution points and spirit stones and accepted it without thinking. Only now did she wonder what the mission involved.
She focused on her identity token. A line of writing appeared across it. The script was unlike any she had known in her old life, yet somehow she understood it.
“Capture the evil cultivator Ouyang Yue.”
What in the world?
Who was Ouyang Yue? The name sounded strangely familiar.
