"This Sect Leader token is obtained for you. I was almost killed by Elder Brother for it. You owe me compensation."
"Alright, I understand."
"By the way, what if Elder Brother finds out? We'll be in for some bad luck."
"Senior Sister, stop overthinking it. The Xuantian Sect is already suffering from internal and external issues. If we don't intervene, how will we prove our abilities?"
"Yes, those b*****d men all look down on us."
"Okay, that's done."
"Well then, let's go."
"Oh, and could you return the Sect Leader token for me? Elder Brother is probably searching for me all over the mountain by now."
"...Alright."
After Wang Xuanwu left, Zhu Qing pondered for a moment before flying towards the Sect Leader's residence.
Along the way, she ran into Zhao Wentian, who was furiously searching the mountains and plains for Wang Xuanwu.
"Greetings, Sect Leader."
"Seventh Elder, have you seen that b**ch, Wang Xuanwu?" Zhao Wentian had lost all sense of decorum by this point.
"This is your Sect Leader token."
"How did you get this?"
"Fifth Elder gave it to me to return to you."
"Hmph! At least she has some sense left. If she'd really dared to pawn the Sect Leader token for wine, I would've done everything in my power to end her."
With the Sect Leader token back in hand, Zhao Wentian exhaled in relief. It felt like a heavy stone had lifted from his chest.
"By the way, what was the Fifth Elder doing with the Sect Leader token in the first place?" Zhao Wentian, fully aware of Wang Xuanwu's mischief, couldn't believe that she had returned it out of fear.
If she had been out drinking with the bill charged to the Sect Leader token, he wouldn't have been surprised. She had a reputation for pulling stunts like that.
In fact, Wang Xuanwu was notorious for stealing other Elders' tokens, pawning them for money to buy wine, leaving her victims furious.
Eventually, the sect had to buy the tokens back themselves.
Pawnshops, under the threat of a sword at their necks, had no choice but to accept the stolen goods, despite their reluctance.
"I'm not sure. I just bumped into her on the road," Zhu Qing said, unwilling to disclose the full story. They were, after all, planning a surprise, and involving the Sect Leader was key.
Still, the whole endeavor had cost her a fair number of silver taels.
---
Meanwhile, Wang Xuanwu had returned to Scarlet Peak Mountain.
Upon seeing the walls of the mountain, she burst into laughter. "Ha! Since when did Scarlet Peak Mountain turn into a shantytown?"
She leaned against a tree, took a sniff, and said, "Ah, smells amazing. I'll tear this down tomorrow and sell it for a good price."
With that, she dozed off outside.
---
Inside the house, Li Taixing couldn't sleep and decided to take a walk. Suddenly, he heard loud snoring.
"Huh? This place is so barren, even mice avoid it. Where's that sound coming from?"
Following the noise, he found his master passed out in an indecent pose, drunk outside.
"What the…"
The strong stench of alcohol hit him, and he pinched his nose.
"What's wrong with my master? How did she end up like this?"
Glancing around, Li Taixing sighed, picked her up, and carried her inside. He set her down on her bed, helped take off her shoes, and fetched a wooden basin of warm water from his storage space. Gently, he soaked her feet.
'Wow, Master's feet are so soft and smooth. Wait, what am I thinking?'
Suddenly, beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
'No, this isn't right. If she wakes up and finds out, will she kill me?'
Panicked, Li Taixing quickly finished, tucked her under the blanket, and hurried out with the basin. After quietly closing the door, he exhaled in relief.
What he didn't know was that Wang Xuanwu had been awake the entire time. The moment he approached, she had noticed, but since it was Li Taixing, she let her guard down. She never expected him to carry her in, wash her feet, and—most embarrassingly—compliment them.
Her face flushed red.
---
Outside, Li Taixing smelled the alcohol lingering on his clothes and grimaced. "I need a bath."
But there was no bathhouse here.
"Ugh, this is so inconvenient."
He made a mental note to build a bathhouse soon. For now, he headed to a nearby water source for a quick wash.
When he returned, the master's room was quiet. Satisfied, he crept back to his own room.
---
The next morning, Li Taixing made breakfast for himself. As for his unreliable master, he'd given up expecting anything from her. Still, the peace and quiet of the mountain was nice.
Setting up a small table and two chairs outside, he arranged a spread of delicious food—leftovers from his last trip to town. The dishes were still as fresh and appetizing as before.
Yet, Li Taixing couldn't help but wonder, "Am I overindulging lately?"
While lost in thought, the door to Wang Xuanwu's room opened. She emerged, disheveled and yawning.
Li Taixing turned and froze.
"Damn."
Quickly averting his eyes, he couldn't unsee the voluptuous form of his master. The sight stirred something in him, causing an uncomfortable heat to rise.
'No, this is bad. This is very bad.'
Li Taixing felt his body betraying him, and he panicked.
Meanwhile, Wang Xuanwu caught the scent of roast duck and chicken. She immediately gravitated toward the table.
"Wow, this smells amazing! Where did you get this? You're incredible, Taixing. I knew I had a good eye when I picked you!"
"Master, feel free to eat. But before that... could you, uh, put some clothes on?"
Li Taixing's nose was already bleeding from the sight of her barely-covered figure.
"Ah? Oh, right." Wang Xuanwu seemed unfazed, casually adjusting her robe, causing another tremor.
"Pfft."
Li Taixing knew that if he stayed any longer, he'd suffer from blood loss.
"I—I can't... You eat first, Master. I'll... I'll eat after you."
He quickly excused himself, fleeing into the house and slamming the door shut behind him.
"Master is going to be the death of me," he gasped, wiping the blood from his nose.
Trying to distract himself, he closed his eyes, but the memory of her figure was too fresh in his mind, causing another rush of blood.
"No! I can't think about it anymore!"
Li Taixing felt helpless. He didn't know how long he could survive living with such an indecent master.