Chapter 004: Expelled from the Xuantian Sect

Hearing the sound, Yan Shu quickly straightened herself and said calmly, “Enter.”

Xiao Jihan carried a tray of food into the room. Today, he wore the pale blue robe that marked him as an outer disciple of the Xuantian Sect. Though the garment was somewhat worn, it could not conceal his refined and noble bearing.

Unlike the aura he exuded yesterday in the dungeon, today his dark hair was neatly tied, revealing a smooth forehead, with a few loose strands framing his face. His sword-like brows and phoenix eyes were striking, his nose high and delicate, and his lips, though thin, were full and crimson. His skin seemed even paler than hers, making his lips especially vivid, the lower lip like a ripe cherry—it was hard not to imagine biting it.

Ahem!

She realized she was indulging in too many thoughts.

Noticing her gaze, Xiao Jihan’s brows knit slightly. Without glancing sideways, he placed a bowl of spirit rice porridge and a dish of pickles on the table, then turned to leave with the tray.

Watching his retreating figure, Yan Shu suddenly remembered something and called out, “Wait.”

At her words, Xiao Jihan’s brows furrowed even more. He turned back, unwilling to look at her, his eyes lowered. “Master, is there anything else you wish to instruct?”

Yan Shu glanced at his robe, which had faded to pale white in places, and took out her token from her storage pouch, placing it at the edge of the table. Her tone was indifferent. “In the past, I was plagued by inner demons, my thoughts clouded and my actions lacking. Though I took you as my disciple, yet—”

Yan Shu suddenly stopped speaking.

Xiao Jihan looked up, his voice cold and clear. “What is it you truly wish to say, Master?”

“Nothing.” Yan Shu pointed at the token on the table and said lightly, “Your clothes are rather worn. After you finish your meal, take my token and fetch some new robes.”

Hearing this, Xiao Jihan gave her a glance, stepped forward to pick up the token, and replied, “Yes.”

His voice was distant, but Yan Shu paid it no mind. With his extreme dislike for her, it would be odd if he responded warmly.

Embodying the aloofness of the original character, Yan Shu picked up her chopsticks and murmured assent.

Xiao Jihan gave her another look, then left with the token.

Once the door closed, Yan Shu finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Oh my, she had figured it out: dealing with the male lead required ruthless words and few of them—say too much and his favor plummeted!

This morning, she’d managed to gain some favor by sending out a jade slip, only for it to be wasted by a few extra words.

She was truly wary now; from here on, she'd speak as little as possible and simply deliver gifts.

Outside, Xiao Jihan looked at the token in his hand, his brows drawn together.

What exactly was this woman planning?

The robes of Xuantian Sect’s disciples came in different colors according to status. Entering disciples wore pale blue; after five years, at the apprenticeship ceremony, those who succeeded became inner disciples and wore pale blue; the personal disciples of the five peak masters wore pale purple.

Yan Shu was the master of Supreme Peak, and Xiao Jihan was her sole personal disciple. By rights, on his first day at Supreme Peak, he should have taken her token to receive new robes and items befitting his status.

But Yan Shu had never mentioned it, so Xiao Jihan still wore the outer disciple’s attire, and all his belongings were from the day he entered the sect—even his robe was the same.

Recalling the past, Xiao Jihan’s phoenix eyes grew even colder. He put away the token, the corner of his lips twisting into a mocking smile.

After he finished his meal? The spirit rice sent to Supreme Peak was only for one person—where was his meal supposed to come from?

Summoning the inferior flying sword issued at entry, Xiao Jihan’s gaze cooled as he headed toward Void Peak.

The Xuantian Sect consisted of five peaks and one hall.

The five peaks were Supreme Peak (Yan Shu’s), Wuwang Peak (Senior Brother Wen Youhe’s), Wuying Peak (Second Brother Bing Shien’s), Wulian Peak (Third Brother Liu Zhiqing’s), and Wuxu Peak (Fourth Brother Shi Wanqing’s).

The hall was Limitless Hall, residence of the sect master through generations and the place for important affairs.

The previous sect master of Xuantian Sect had perished a year ago, succeeded by Senior Brother Wen Youhe. However, according to tradition, the ceremony for succession could only occur three years after the previous master’s passing. Thus, Limitless Hall remained vacant, and Wen Youhe still resided at Wuwang Peak.

Each peak had its own function; Wuxu Peak was responsible for teaching both inner and outer disciples and for distributing items. Therefore, Xiao Jihan had to go to Wuxu Peak for new robes.

Like other sects, Xuantian Sect recruited new disciples every ten years, granting mortals a chance to cultivate—provided they possessed a suitable spiritual root.

Xiao Jihan was an exception.

Six years had passed since the last recruitment. The new disciples from then had already apprenticed, so as Xiao Jihan walked through Wuxu Peak in his pale blue robe, he drew many curious glances.

He ignored them, heading straight for the Resource Pavilion.

“Well, if it isn’t Xiao Jihan, the one with the useless spiritual root.”

A few disciples in pale blue robes approached, mocking smiles on their faces, blocking his path.

Xiao Jihan lifted his eyelids, gave them a cold glance, and stepped aside.

No sooner had he moved, than they blocked him again.

One, with a sneer, looked him up and down. “Xiao Jihan, weren’t you taken as a personal disciple by Master Yan? Why are you still so shabby, wearing the entry-level robe and wielding a bottom-tier sword?”

“Why ask, Senior Brother? Everyone knows Master Yan only chose him for his looks, to keep her bed warm.”

“Hey, you’d best not say that. Whether he’s a servant or a bed-warmer, he’s still Master Yan’s only personal disciple in name. We’re supposed to call him Uncle, aren’t we?”

“Uncle? With his fake four-attribute spiritual root, does he deserve it? Aside from his looks, what else is he good for? Master Yan probably doesn’t even care!”

“Exactly! Someone as aloof and ethereal as Master Yan would never be interested in this waste. If she really took him as a lover, wouldn’t she at least give him some proper clothes?”

“Master Yan must live alone on Supreme Peak, lacking a servant. She probably just found some useless disciple under the guise of taking him as a student to do chores.”

Their words instantly drew laughter and jeers from the crowd.

Xiao Jihan’s expression did not change. After they laughed for a while, he finally spoke, “Are you finished? If you are, move aside.”

“Oh, so you’re getting tough now?”

The first speaker suddenly stopped laughing, stepped closer, and said coldly, “Xiao Jihan, don’t think that just because you’re at Supreme Peak you’re someone important. Master Yan doesn’t care about you! If you had any sense, you’d leave Xuantian Sect now, before your fake spiritual root sullies the sect!”