Chapter 32: Innocent Feelings Through Mutual Support

Xu Lin felt both helpless and amused.

He had been helping Jiang Luo with the intention of using her, yet she seemed to have taken it to heart.

With her aggrieved and eager expression, she looked just like a kitten that thought it had been abandoned and had finally seen its owner return.

It was both pitiable and made one want to tease her.

“What if I really didn’t come back? Would you try to end your life?” Xu Lin teased.

Jiang Luo wiped her eyes, her eye sockets slightly red.

After a brief moment of thought, she answered, “That I wouldn’t.”

Xu Lin let out a sighing laugh.

“You, of all people.”

He reached out and flicked Jiang Luo on the forehead, forcing her to wince and step back, breaking her hold on him.

“That hurts.”

Jiang Luo covered her forehead with a pitiful look, still sniffling from before.

“Seems like my standing in your heart is rather mediocre.”

Jiang Luo pouted and, instead of answering directly, said, “I still have the Sect Grand Competition to participate in. How could I possibly end my life at a time like this?”

She didn’t know if it was because she had truly improved recently or because of Xu Lin’s help, but she felt this was her best chance to advance to an Inner Disciple.

“Alright.”

Xu Lin showed no sign of being annoyed; he had only been teasing Jiang Luo to begin with.

As for the Sect Grand Competition—he had just heard about it from Xi Ranchen, and now Jiang Luo was going on about it.

It was hard not to pay attention.

Xu Lin slowly climbed the steps and walked inside, but his words were directed at Jiang Luo.

“What’s so special about your Grand Competition? Why does it feel like such a big fuss?”

Xi Ranchen also seemed to care a great deal about it.

On the way back earlier, he had spotted what looked like an arena from afar.

Back when he was at the Vast Dao Sect, Wang Lingcang would delegate everything to the Peak Masters and only make a brief appearance himself.

Jiang Luo thought for a moment.

“I heard that this time, people from other sects will come to observe, so the entire Sunset Sect is making things more elaborate.”

This involved not just internal sect affairs, but also the prestige of the Sunset Sect.

“Other sects?”

The first thing that came to Xu Lin’s mind was the other Demon Sects, and he immediately felt a sense of foreboding.

‘That Xi Ranchen… surely she doesn’t plan to push me out right now and put me in an impossible position?’

Xu Lin snapped back to reality and noticed Jiang Luo standing before him looking somewhat dazed.

He couldn’t help but wonder why she had become so reserved.

He had only been away for a few days—why was she like this?

“While I was away these past few days, you didn’t get bullied again, did you?” Xu Lin asked.

Jiang Luo shook her head like a bell.

“I’ve been cultivating these past few days.”

“Really?”

Xu Lin was skeptical.

“Cultivated so hard you fell asleep on the steps?”

“…It’s because you didn’t leave a single word these past few days and didn’t come back. I didn’t know where you went, so all I could do was wait here.”

Jiang Luo’s gaze darted back and forth, her hands unconsciously kneading the hem of her clothes, and her ears felt inexplicably hot.

Xu Lin let out a heavy sigh.

“That’s true.”

Jiang Luo wasn’t wrong about that.

Who would have thought Xi Ranchen would drag him off to be free labor?

What he hadn’t expected was that Jiang Luo would care about him this much.

That was beyond his expectations.

He had clearly told her that they were merely in a mutually beneficial relationship.

Jiang Luo puffed her cheeks in dissatisfaction.

“So where did you go these past few days? That day, I watched you head toward the Main Hall with that female disciple, and then you vanished like you’d disappeared.”

“Your Sect Master dragged me off to be free labor.”

At this answer, Jiang Luo was stunned for a moment, then revealed an expression of surprise and admiration.

To be summoned by the Sect Master and work for her—that was no small matter.

Some of the Outer Sect disciples hadn’t even seen the Sect Master more than a few times.

“Senior Brother is amazing.”

Jiang Luo praised from the heart.

Xu Lin surveyed the room and found it remarkably tidy—likely cleaned up by Jiang Luo.

He had been about to compliment her, but hearing those words, he was immediately choked speechless.

He stared at Jiang Luo with a bewildered expression, wondering if she had something wrong with her head.

He had nearly been worked to death there and hadn’t gotten a single benefit out of it.

Not wanting to complain or comment on that, Xu Lin asked, “So while I was away these few days, how have you been practicing what I taught you?”

According to what Jiang Luo had said before, even someone at the Spirit Returning Realm could enter the Inner Sect.

At her current True Mystery Realm, First Layer, she should have no problem.

But it was still better to be safe.

Who could guarantee that some prodigy wouldn’t suddenly appear out of nowhere?

Thinking of this, Xu Lin couldn’t help but recall the plot of the novel.

Not long ago, the protagonist had entered the Vast Dao Sect with monstrous talent and had been heavily cultivated by the sect.

“Decent.”

Jiang Luo answered uncertainly.

Without Xu Lin’s guidance, she didn’t know how well she was actually doing.

“Decent—that means pretty good.”

Xu Lin figured that Jiang Luo was at least not the type to gloss over things.

“No, no, no…”

Ignoring Jiang Luo’s reaction, Xu Lin continued, “You need to get into the Inner Sect properly. Otherwise, as an Outer Disciple, there’s honestly very little you can help me with.”

Jiang Luo had wanted to say something, but the words died at her lips.

In the end, she swallowed them back and simply said flatly, “Oh.”

The atmosphere was really strange.

She could feel that Xu Lin truly only saw her as someone for mutual assistance—nothing more beyond that.

Just that thought alone inexplicably made her heart feel heavy and stifled.

Not understanding the change in Jiang Luo’s expression, Xu Lin simply thought she was nervous because the Grand Competition was approaching.

Xu Lin stood up and patted Jiang Luo on the head.

The sudden touch made Jiang Luo’s body tremble slightly, and she looked at Xu Lin with confusion.

“Just do your best. With your current strength, plus those techniques I taught you, there shouldn’t be a problem. No need to worry too much.”

Back at the Vast Dao Sect, he had often encouraged the disciples of Green Cliff Peak like this.

After all, he was the Senior Brother and needed to set an example.

The gloom that had just risen was instantly swept away by Xu Lin’s words.

Jiang Luo broke into a smile and nodded quickly.

“Don’t worry, Senior Brother.”

“That’s good.”

Xu Lin finally couldn’t hold on any longer.

Being under Xi Ranchen’s intense watch for days on end had exhausted him, and he desperately wanted to rest.

Without worrying about anything else, he went to the bed on his own and flopped face-down onto it.

“I’m going to sleep for a bit. Make yourself at home. If you’re tired, rest early.”

With that, Xu Lin was about to close his eyes, his voice drowsy and heavy.

Jiang Luo blinked.

She thought to herself that Xu Lin’s change was way too fast—he immediately deflated like a punctured balloon.

“Can I cultivate here?” she asked cautiously.

“Up to you.”

Xu Lin didn’t even have the energy to wave his hand.

Seeing him like this, Jiang Luo figured he was truly exhausted.

She no longer made a sound to disturb him, quietly closing the door, then sat cross-legged in the outer room to cultivate.

These past few days, she had been cultivating here while waiting for Xu Lin, but now she felt even more at ease.