"Senior, do you think you've been a bit too harsh? Can't you be a bit more considerate to your disciple? It seems like you've been enjoying yourself a bit too much while wielding your authority as a master. If you keep treating him like this, I'm afraid the boy might decide to leave."
Seeing Yuzhen injured almost every day, Rui felt compelled to talk to his senior and suggest easing up on the rigorous training.
"I've been wondering the same thing. Why hasn't he quit yet?" Chen Zoe sighed in disappointment, sharing his inner thoughts unknowingly.
"What???"
"…"
Chen Zoe also realizes that he may have been pushing Yuzhen too hard, all in the name of ensuring his own survival. This becomes evident when he observes Yuzhen's daily routine. Each day, Yuzhen must begin his work as early as 4 am. He fulfills his responsibilities toward his master (out of obligation) and cares for an elderly woman (out of sympathy), which are already quite demanding tasks. In addition to these duties, Yuzhen must also find time to study and practice sword techniques so that he can, at the very least, defend himself in potential duels with his master.
Having witnessed the hardships Yuzhen endures under his guidance, Chen Zoe couldn't fathom why Yuzhen chose to stay by his side. It wasn't as if Yuzhen had no other options once he left this place. The surname he holds 'Long' can't be compared to Chen, but it holds considerable wealth and influence.
"Senior... Instead of starting with practical sessions, maybe you should give him proper lessons first. You can't expect someone to run before they've learned to walk," Rui suggested, concerned for Long Yuzhen's training.
Interrupting the hushed conversation between Rui and Zoe, Xi Shen suddenly appeared by the riverside after having searched for them all over the sect. When Chen Zoe saw Xi Shen, he immediately attempted to leave the area, wanting to avoid talking to Xi Shen, who had betrayed his trust first, not only by rejecting the proposal for a disciple exchange but also reporting it to Chen Zeng (as mentioned in chapter 11).
"What's going on between you two?" Rui asked, unaware of the incident that had caused tension between Chen Zoe and Xi Shen.
"Ask that b******." Zoe spoke in a harsh way.
Xi Shen, realizing Chen Zoe's lingering annoyance, attempted to ease the situation. "Are you still upset about that day?
Well, in that case, I'll have to finish that fine bottle of red wine our senior gifted me, all on my own," Xi Shen remarked, knowing that red wine was one of the weaknesses of Chen Zoe.
'Red wine...'
"Who gets upset over such trivial matters?" Changing suddenly Chen Zoe said, Xi Shen's mention of the red wine as a peace offering seemed to be worked.
"Then, shall we plan to get together tonight?" Rui asked, hopeful for a resolution.
"Sure, that sounds good," Chen Zoe agreed, and the atmosphere between the friends began to lighten as they reconciled.
"How about we invite Uncle Zeon? Red wine is his favorite," Chen Zoe suggested, thinking about improving the relationship between the father and son. Despite his efforts over the past ten years, there wasn't much improvement at all.
Xi Shen, responded harshly, "There's really no need for that. If he enjoys red wine so much, he can buy and drink it with his own money."
"He saved my life / He's our senior's life savior. How can you be so heartless?" With perfect tuning, Rui and Zoe confront Xi Shen.
Unable to convince Chen Zoe and Rui, Xi Shen reluctantly agreed to invite Chen Zeon as well.
At Chen Zeon's room.
"What a great timing! I was just about to find you all. Come in." Chen Zeon welcomed them into his room and swiftly shut the door behind them.
An uneasy feeling settled in the room, making Rui quietly suggest to Chen Zoe. "There's something fishy here, Senior. How about we leave?"
"I need a volunteer to test this ring." Chen Zeon showed them a plain silver ring.
"Volunteer? What's so special about this ring?" Chen Zoe asked, a note of anxiety in his voice.
Chen Zeon clarified, "This is a special ring capable of transforming a man into a woman. However, I can't be certain how long the transformation will last without using any magical energy. Hence, I require one of you to volunteer as a test subject for this experiment."
The room was filled with anticipation as they faced this peculiar request.
"Uncle Zeon has finally gone crazy. Senior let's run away." Rui whispered, feeling uncomfortable with the situation.
"We can't be a part of this experiment. How can we roam around inside the sect in a disguise? What if someone recognizes us?" Chen Zoe spoke on behalf of all three of them.
"I'll give you three seconds, figure it out yourselves," Chen Zeon stated, impatiently awaiting their decision. "So, what's your choice?"
Considering their situation, Xi Shen and Rui both pointed at Chen Zoe.
"You traitors… I can't..." Chen Zoe began to protest, but his objections were in vain.
As Chen Zoe was forced to wear the ring, a remarkable transformation occurred. Upon seeing Zoe in her female form, everyone present was momentarily breathless.
Xi Shen couldn't tear his gaze away from Zoe's face. He felt like his heart was about to burst from his chest at the sight of Zoe in this new, female form. His ocean-blue eyes seemed to shimmer with an enchanting allure, while the black, flowing hair framed his face in a captivating manner. However, a faint scar near the eye added a unique and mysterious charm to his beauty. In this new form, Chen Zoe appeared truly mesmerizing.
"You really turned into a girl, senior. Are those... real?" Rui couldn't help but blurt out his thoughts while seeing the well-shaped female body, before receiving a playful hit on his head from Xi Shen.
"He deserves it. Well done, Shen," Chen Zoe praised Xi Shen for his quick thinking.
"Senior, before you praise him too much, lend him a handkerchief to wipe off his blood." Rui teased, pointing out the nosebleed that had occurred while Xi Shen was in such close proximity to Zoe.
"Xi Shen... wait..." Zoe called out after Xi Shen stormed out in embarrassment. His face was so red that it was hard to tell if it was from anger or something else.
"Zoe, until you turn back to your real form, don't even think about using your mana. And make sure to let me know exactly how many hours this lasts, okay?" Chen Zeon advised before leaving to attend a meeting.
Eight hours later, the power of the ring showed no signs of fading. Chen Zoe remained inside Chen Zeon's room, constantly vigilant of his surroundings, anxiety gnawing at him. Suddenly, he heard his father's voice from outside. In a panic, Chen Zoe realized he had no choice but to hastily leave the room to avoid getting caught.
With nowhere else to go, he reluctantly decided to return to his own residence, desperately trying to evade anyone who might recognize him, particularly his disciple. However, fate had different plans for him, as the very person he wished to hide from was the one who caught him red-handed.