Xu Lin weighed the Storage Pouch in his hand and was about to say a few words of thanks when he noticed Jiang Luo standing there with her hands and feet restrained.
She looked exactly like a servant waiting for orders, ready to withdraw if the master had nothing else.
As if to confirm Xu Lin’s thoughts, Jiang Luo spoke softly, “If there’s nothing else, I’ll go back.”
With that, she prepared to leave.
Xu Lin let out a chuckle, his eyes narrowing.
“Scared silly by what just happened? Why are you suddenly like a little bird?”
A startled little bird, at that.
“I’m not,” Jiang Luo shook her head.
Xu Lin glanced at the Food Box on the table and said suspiciously, “Or did you actually poison it?”
“How could that be!”
Jiang Luo’s voice rose a bit, then quickly lowered.
“I was just saying that casually. Who would be so blatant about poisoning? I’m not stupid.”
Indeed, what she said back then was just out of anger. The food hadn’t been tampered with at all.
Xu Lin stepped forward and sat down, lifting the lid of the Food Box with a finger.
The contents inside had long gone cold. It seemed Jiang Luo had been waiting outside for quite a while.
He pulled his hand back and rubbed his chin, thinking for a moment.
Considering the commotion just now, he could understand Jiang Luo’s current change.
Xu Lin turned his attention back to Jiang Luo and said calmly, “You have some questions you want to ask me, right? Go ahead.”
After everything that happened today, even if Jiang Luo was naive, she must have guessed something and started to have doubts.
Jiang Luo froze, her hands hanging by her sides tightly gripping the hem of her clothes.
She was nervous, yet curious.
“Hm?”
Xu Lin hummed.
After hesitating for a long time, Jiang Luo spoke.
“Are you really the Holy Son of the Sunset Sect?”
“I already told you that before,” Xu Lin waved his hand.
“Next question.”
This response neither confirmed nor denied it.
Jiang Luo wasn’t too late to realize now, but did he really not care about her claim of being the Senior Brother of the Vast Dao Sect?
As expected, people only believe what they want to believe.
Seeing Jiang Luo fall silent again, Xu Lin continued, “Identity doesn’t matter much, no matter who it is. You don’t need to be too nervous. Just know that we are partners helping each other, nothing more.”
Jiang Luo was puzzled, her brows furrowed.
The Holy Son of the Sunset Sect wanted to help each other with her?
No matter how she thought about it, it was strange.
“If you’re scared, it’s not too late to back out now. Save yourself from being dragged into an abyss later.”
Although Jiang Luo had passed the test, escaping the Sunset Sect was no small matter.
Consider this a warning.
“Then…” Jiang Luo stammered, leaving Xu Lin unsure of the situation.
Xu Lin continued on his own, “Don’t worry. As long as our partnership exists, I’ll continue to help with your Physique Issue. I can even make your Cultivation Speed far surpass what it was before.”
“No, no, that’s not it,” Jiang Luo denied.
That was important, but it wasn’t what she wanted to say.
“Then what is it?”
Jiang Luo looked up and saw Xu Lin clearly, then said hesitantly, “Then what should I call you?”
Xu Lin was puzzled for a moment, then seemed to understand something and sighed.
Jiang Luo’s thinking really couldn’t be judged by common sense.
“Many people have called me ‘Senior Brother’ before. One more or one less doesn’t matter. Call me whatever you like.”
Whether it was the strict hierarchy of the Sunset Sect or Jiang Luo’s own concern, Xu Lin truly didn’t understand.
“Mm.”
Jiang Luo nodded, the tension in her body quietly fading.
“Don’t just stand there. Find a place to sit.”
In Xu Lin’s view, Jiang Luo was simple-minded and a good partner.
If he had to choose someone else, given the atmosphere of the Sunset Sect, he would have to guard against many things.
“Actually, there’s something I want to ask you,” Xu Lin remembered Liu Mo’s words in front of the Elixir Workshop and asked curiously, “What’s this about the Sect Disciple Promotion Competition?”
“It’s a competition held in the sect every so often to check the cultivation progress of the disciples. Outstanding disciples can move from the Outer Sect to the Inner Sect and gain more Cultivation Resources.”
Xu Lin nodded, pouring himself tea as he listened.
“What about you? I heard a bit earlier. It seems like you’ve been stuck in the middle these past few years.”
At this, Jiang Luo pouted discontentedly.
“Mm, I’m in the Outer Sect. Normally, disciples at the Spirit Returning Realm can enter the Inner Sect, but last time I lost to a disciple at the Essence Coagulation Realm. Everyone laughed at me for a while.”
“Lost to someone at a lower realm?”
Xu Lin nearly dropped his tea cup.
Good thing he hadn’t drunk yet, or he would have spat it out.
Others would win against someone a realm above and be praised.
But Jiang Luo lost to someone a realm below.
Playing the fool?
Noticing Xu Lin’s expression, Jiang Luo wasn’t surprised.
She just pursed her lips, helpless and unwilling.
Taking a breath, Xu Lin pressed his fingers to his brow.
“I finally understand why you wanted to find a secluded place to cultivate and didn’t dare tell anyone about your problem.”
What Jiang Luo said that day was true.
First, losing to someone below her realm, then having this embarrassing Cultivation problem—if she couldn’t find a solution and others found out, today’s bullying would be far more than this.
“Don’t worry. Once your Physique Issue gets through this realm, all the problems will be solved.”
“Really?”
Jiang Luo’s eyes lit up, an unconscious smile spreading across her face, a warmth in her heart.
In all this time, Xu Lin was the first person to encourage her like this.
Even if he was lying, she would accept it.
“But based on your Cultivation Speed, it will still take some time to get through this realm. If the timing is too tight, you might not make it.”
“It’s fine. If I can’t go this time, I’ll just skip it and wait for the next.”
Xu Lin didn’t answer immediately.
He placed his fingers on the table, tapping slowly, his gaze deep, looking toward the inner room.
Seeing this, Jiang Luo obediently fell silent, not daring to disturb him.
Last time, Xu Lin wore the same thoughtful expression and almost refused to help her.
She just didn’t know what he was thinking about now.
“Sigh.”
Finally, Xu Lin let out a helpless sigh, leaving Jiang Luo even more confused.
“Helping you enter the Inner Sect will also help me better.”
“Senior Brother, what do you mean?”
Even though it was the first time she called him that, Jiang Luo said it smoothly.
Among the Sunset Sect, she was the latest generation to join.
“I was originally going to keep this for myself. Consider it a favor for you.”
Jiang Luo followed Xu Lin’s gaze and noticed a Bath Tub in the inner room, faint steam rising from it.
Even so, she still didn’t understand what Xu Lin meant.
She looked back at him for an answer.
“Now that you’ve seen it, don’t just stand there,” Xu Lin said, a hint of reluctance on his face, but he kept his calm.
“Take off your clothes.”