After Breaking Off the Engagement, I Started Pursuing My Master - Chapter 202

Chapter 202: What are you thinking about?

“Sect master, what are you saying? I just thought of you because I got something good.”

“I’ve been abstaining from grains for many years; you keep it and try it yourself.”

“The meat of the Snow Spirit Fish is incredibly tender and delicious. If you don’t like it, senior Qingluan does. I’ve saved it for you.”

Qingluan was Li Qiushan’s Taoist companion, who usually spent most of her time in seclusion. Li Qiushan glanced at him.

“Why haven’t I seen you around recently?”

“I felt guilty and was afraid that the sect master would be angry when he saw me. Now that Wanwan has eased the sect master’s worries, I finally had the courage to come see you.”

“So you know shame.”

“Jiang Huai has failed the sect master’s years of cultivation and has always felt guilty towards the sect master.”

Seeing Jiang Huai’s earnest admission of guilt, Li Qiushan sighed helplessly.

“You’re better than your master. At least you put on an act, which makes people feel a bit better.”

“…”

Jiang Huai’s eyes twitched slightly.

Indeed, Li Qiushan had lived for a thousand years; how could his little expressions be hidden from him?

“Instead of feeling ashamed here, why don’t you tell me, what’s the deal with Wen Wanwan? I had never heard before that our sect had a disciple with Divine Transformation cultivation. How come all of a sudden, she just appeared? I only found out a few days ago that she went with you to Daoji Ancestral Land and had such an opportunity?”

“It’s a long story…”

Jiang Huai sat by the stone table, recounting his experiences in the secret realm to Li Qiushan. He knew Li Qiushan’s temperament well and understood that Li Qiushan just wanted to learn more about Wen Wanwan, since the current Wen Wanwan signified the future of their sect.

Li Qiushan had been the sect master for many years, and the glory of the sect was bound to him. That’s why he was so anxious when Jiang Huai lost his cultivation base, especially since Jiang Huai would often come to chat with him and always managed to cheer up senior Qingluan. Seeing Jiang Huai ruin his prospects like this, Li Qiushan was frantic with worry.

Jiang Huai narrated everything that happened in the Daoji Ancestral Land from a first-person perspective, omitting only the details of his dual cultivation with Wen Wanwan, as that was a private matter not meant for others’ ears.

He told everything else in great detail, and only then did Li Qiushan understand everything.

“So… her cultivation is genuinely at the first level of Divine Transformation, with a five-patterned Heavenly Dao Spirit Pill, and she has also mastered the sword momentum passed down from Zilu True Person?”

“Yes, exactly,” Jiang Huai nodded.

“And you, young man, have also obtained the inheritance of the Overlord Art?”

“It hurt so much I was rolling on the ground,” Jiang Huai said with a wry smile. Li Qiushan reached out and pinched his arm, asking.

“So, do you plan to participate in this year’s Five Domains Grand Competition?”

“Of course, the sect is my home, and the sect’s honor is my honor. I will fight to bring back a top-three ranking for you.”

“Alright, alright, just do what you can,” Li Qiushan sighed with relief, feeling much of the tension in his heart ease.

Ever since Jiang Huai lost his cultivation, he had been deeply troubled. Now, seeing Wen Wanwan stand up and shoulder the responsibility for the younger generation of the sect, and Jiang Huai having his own fortunate encounters, he felt much more at ease. Looking at Jiang Huai, he asked,

“So, which jar of wine from my cellar have you set your eyes on this time?”

Jiang Huai began to rub his hands together.

“I heard the sect master has a hundred-year-old Chunqiu?”

“You really have no shame!”

Even Li Qiushan, with his good temper, couldn’t help but look at him with a mix of laughter and tears.

“I haven’t even opened that jar of Chunqiu yet. I was planning to save it for my next centennial birthday banquet to treat the guests, and now you’ve got your eye on it?”

“Sect master, what are you saying? How could I covet that jar…” Jiang Huai looked somewhat sheepishly at Li Qiushan.

“I just wanted to take a small jug…”

“Chunqiu is a spirit wine brewed from the Spring and Autumn Fruit, it’s fiercely strong. You, without any spiritual energy, might not be able to handle it.”

“Whether I can handle it or not, I’ll only know after I drink it,” Jiang Huai said, looking eagerly at Li Qiushan, who couldn’t help but glare at him.

His white beard quivered, but he still sighed softly.

“Come on, follow me.”

Jiang Huai immediately followed Li Qiushan to his underground wine cellar, where the jar of Chunqiu wine sat quietly. As soon as the seal was broken, the entire cellar was filled with the fragrance of wine. Just smelling the faint aroma was enough to make Jiang Huai feel slightly intoxicated.

Wine is a poison that intoxicates the brain, and this Chunqiu wine was especially potent for cultivators, a rare and priceless spirit wine that spiritual energy could not dissolve. The small jug that Jiang Huai was taking was invaluable. He carefully tightened the lid to prevent any of the aroma from escaping. After returning to the courtyard with Li Qiushan, Jiang Huai didn’t rush to leave but instead asked for paper and ink to start drawing.

“What are you drawing?”

“Some refinements to the details of the Tianxuan Thirteen Swords. I’ve taught many Junior Brothers before, but the teachings were too scattered and not specific enough. Once I finish drawing, the sect master can take a look. If you think it’s suitable, you can pass this refined sword manual down to them for their cultivation.”

Jiang Huai drew very seriously, patiently annotating each detail. After a full hour, with Li Qiushan standing by his side, discussing the changes in sword techniques as he drew, Jiang Huai finished the manual.

When he inadvertently turned to look at Li Qiushan, Li Qiushan gave him a deep look, his eyes filled with unstoppable regret.

“Why does the sect master sigh?” Jiang Huai was both amused and perplexed.

“With your talent for the Way of the Sword, even Chu Xianning is not your equal. Yet you stubbornly adopted her obstinate temperament. Do you now understand the principle that being too rigid can lead to breakage?”

“I understand, I understand.”

“Your response tells me you don’t understand,” Li Qiushan sighed again.

“Well, everyone has their own path to walk, perhaps it’s all fate, and no one can blame anyone else.”

“The wine is taken, and I’ll study this sword manual further. Should I put your name on it? So those disciples remember your kindness?”

“Sect master, just put your own name on it. I don’t want to be envied or hated. Besides, this is something we discussed together.” Jiang Huai smiled nonchalantly, then tentatively asked.

“So, can I leave now?”

“Go ahead.”

Jiang Huai finally managed to slip away.

At this moment, he had a jug of Chunqiu, a bamboo tube of wine, and two Snow Spirit Fish in his hands.

With all the delicacies and fine wine ready, all that was left was for the beauty to smile.

…

Jiang Huai returned to the courtyard and opened the door, but he did not see Chu Xianning at first.

He went to the door of Chu Xianning’s room and tried calling out, but there was no response. Just as he was about to turn around, he saw Chu Xianning walking from the bathhouse in the back courtyard. She was dressed in a snow-colored palace gown, the white of the gown contrasting with her slightly glowing pale skin, creating a layered yet distinct effect.

The hem of the palace gown was not long, just covering the knees, or perhaps it was because Chu Xianning’s figure was so tall that the hem revealed her slender calves and fair feet, stepping on the bluestone without a speck of dust.

“I got two Snow Spirit Fish and a bamboo tube of wine from Lingxue True Person, and sect master gave me a jug of Chunqiu, Master…”

“You haven’t practiced your fist technique today,” Chu Xianning’s eyes were cold as she looked at him.

“Shall I practice for an hour first?”

“Go ahead and practice. I’ll watch you. No slacking off,” Chu Xianning said as she sat quietly in the pavilion, her cool eyes calmly watching Jiang Huai.

He went under the locust tree and began to practice his fist technique earnestly.

This traning is an exhausting activity.

Jiang Huai dared not be distracted. He practiced with utmost seriousness, but before long, he was gasping for breath, too tired to exert any strength. He knew that this was not because his body had reached its limit; if he could just push through this fatigue, his body would soon squeeze out a bit more energy.

However, as soon as he started practicing, the previously lively Jiang Huai was lying on the ground an hour later, panting heavily, wanting nothing more than to fall into a deep sleep.

“If you’re tired, shall we talk about it tomorrow?” Chu Xianning’s voice carried a slight urgency.

Jiang Huai immediately sat up from the ground, looking at Chu Xianning in the pavilion, whose eyes were dodging.

“Tired? Not at all. Just let me rest for a moment, the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.”

Chu Xianning looked into his eyes, and in the end, she didn’t say “I’m sleepy,” perhaps because she wasn’t as straightforward as Luo Yueguan.

It seemed that as soon as she spoke, she could ignore the expectation in Jiang Huai’s eyes. But deep down, there was a faint tremor in her heart, wanting to know what this guy… was planning to do next.

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Jiang Huai stood up.

“I’ll go take a bath.”

With that, he went to the bathhouse, and after a while, he came out in a brand new white robe. Then he went to the kitchen, where he had already prepared one of the Snow Spirit Fish. He still chose to steam it. Jiang Huai only cooked one, as Chu Xianning didn’t have a big appetite, and one Snow Spirit Fish was enough for both of them. He kept the other fish in the pond, planning to give it to Wen Wanwan the next day.

The steamed Snow Spirit Fish was placed on a white jade plate by Jiang Huai and brought to the table, along with two dishes of light appetizers. Chu Xianning sat on the bench, her movements betraying a hint of unease.

Jiang Huai placed both the bamboo wine and the jug of Chunqiu on the table, blinking at Chu Xianning,

“Which one shall we drink first?”

Chu Xianning hesitated for a moment and pointed to the bamboo tube of wine. Jiang Huai opened it and carefully poured two cups, handing one to Chu Xianning. Then he stared at her without blinking, as if he had suddenly thought of something.

He remembered what Chu Xianning had said during the day: whenever she drank, she would only get tipsy, but she remembered everything that happened. This meant that Chu Xianning also remembered the time he took advantage of her drunkenness to quietly kiss her lips.

Of course, he wouldn’t foolishly bring up that incident again. These submerged undercurrents were fine as long as they remained below the surface, but if they surfaced and caused Chu Xianning to become embarrassed and annoyed, that would be troublesome.

The two pretenders gazed at each other, Chu Xianning giving him a calm look, concealing the unease in her eyes, and lifted her cup.

“What are you thinking about?”

“I’m wondering what Master is thinking about.”

“Did you figure it out?”

“No.”

“Then stop thinking about it.” Chu Xianning lifted the cup to her lips and took a light sip.

The rumored bamboo wine was indeed fragrant and refreshing, with a light and crisp sensation spreading from the tip of the tongue to the throat. After entering the abdomen, it seemed to moisten the body with a hint of bamboo fragrance.

Jiang Huai also lifted his cup and took a sip.

He thought to himself that tonight he would not take advantage of Chu Xianning’s drunkenness to secretly kiss her as a challenge.

She thought to herself that if tonight her disciple approached her like last time, should she hang him from a tree and whip him severely with the Snake Bone Whip.