The treatment didn’t take as long as imagined—about an hour or so.
If Xu Sheng wanted, he could even control the duration to stretch an entire day, but even if he could endure it, Zhu Yuexi might not.
And Mo Ruxue, waiting outside, probably couldn’t endure it either.
Zhu Yuexi changed into an identical set of clothes and tidied her face, so she looked more or less the same as when she entered.
If there was any change, it was only compared to Zhu Yuexi a year ago: now there was a hint of seductiveness at the corners of her eyes.
Zhu Yuexi followed behind Xu Sheng, her gaze as if she wanted to devour him alive, but Xu Sheng led the way with a nonchalant expression.
He had already arranged for Li Qingqing to take Mo Ruxue to wait in the quiet chamber.
Entering the quiet chamber, Mo Ruxue was sitting at the table drinking tea, while Li Qingqing stood quietly beside her, serving.
But service was service—Li Qingqing still had a cup of tea in front of her.
Whether intentionally or not, as Xu Sheng pushed the door open and entered, before even greeting anyone, he casually picked up the cup on the table that belonged to Li Qingqing and drank it in one gulp.
Mo Ruxue’s expression changed subtly, while Li Qingqing showed no reaction, as if this degree of familiarity was routine for her.
Zhu Yuexi was still glaring at Xu Sheng from behind, not noticing the implication of his gesture.
Li Qingqing took the cup from Xu Sheng’s hand and naturally refilled it for him.
Zhu Yuexi’s anger had nowhere to vent, and now seeing Li Qingqing, she ignored Mo Ruxue’s presence and ordered Li Qingqing around:
“Pour me a cup of tea, too!”
Her tone was that of a mistress commanding a servant.
Although Li Qingqing was now Xu Sheng’s maidservant, they had once been fellow disciples. This way of interacting was still unseemly.
In the past, Mo Ruxue might have scolded Zhu Yuexi, but this time she only glanced at her and, uncharacteristically, said nothing.
Zhu Yuexi had felt some regret after saying that, but upon seeing Mo Ruxue’s attitude, she felt a flicker of joy inside.
‘So Master still dotes on me.’
Xu Sheng took in the whole scene. He understood the small calculations in each person’s mind, but now was not the time to expose them.
Li Qingqing poured tea for everyone. Xu Sheng sat opposite Mo Ruxue and pulled a letter from his qiankun pouch.
“This is news from your Linxian Sect. I was busy treating Saintess Zhu this morning, so I forgot to give it to Sect Master Mo.”
News from within Linxian Sect?
Mo Ruxue was puzzled.
When she left Linxian Sect, the Grand Elder naturally had ways to contact her. But now, internal news from Linxian Sect was being delivered to her by Xu Sheng.
How could he know about internal matters of Linxian Sect? And how could he know before she did?
With suspicion, Mo Ruxue accepted the envelope from Xu Sheng.
She opened it, and her expression gradually darkened.
After a long while, Mo Ruxue folded the letter.
Its contents had even made her forget to wonder why Xu Sheng had received the news before her.
Although Linxian Sect was a single sect, it was broadly divided into two factions.
Both factions were still part of Linxian Sect. When Mo Ruxue was still in the sect, there were occasional minor frictions between the two, but never a real conflict.
But now that she was temporarily away, disciples from the two factions had clashed, and even high-ranking elders had personally joined in…
In the end, it was the Grand Elder, who belonged to neither side, who stepped in to calm things down.
Xu Sheng quietly sipped his tea, watching Mo Ruxue’s expression change, a teasing look on his face.
Mo Ruxue couldn’t hold back.
“Is this content true?”
Xu Sheng shrugged. “There’s no need for me to lie about something you can verify at any time. Please, Fairy Mo, don’t ask such questions.”
Mo Ruxue fell silent again.
Xu Sheng chuckled softly.
“Minor friction between sect disciples is normal, but a sect like Linxian Sect, with such a deep rift between two factions, is the first I’ve ever seen.”
This was not a lie. Even among some demon cults, disciples might despise each other due to their masters’ grudges, but they mostly operated independently.
Linxian Sect, however, was directly split into two factions…
When Mo Ruxue, the Sect Master, was present, at least everyone kept up appearances and avoided open conflict.
But once Mo Ruxue disappeared, or if her strength was no longer sufficient to keep the two factions in check, problems were only a matter of time.
Hearing Xu Sheng’s taunt, Mo Ruxue took a deep breath.
“Once I return to the sect, everything will naturally settle down.”
“Will it be settled by you, or by your strength?” Xu Sheng said with a smile. “Do you really think your sect’s current structure isn’t twisted?”
Xu Sheng took a sip of tea, waiting for Mo Ruxue’s answer.
Mo Ruxue frowned slightly. “The sect has been like this for a long time. As long as I’m here, nothing serious will happen.”
“You said it yourself: as long as you’re here.” Xu Sheng couldn’t help but roll his eyes, a gesture that stung Mo Ruxue.
Xu Sheng continued:
“Go and grab any disciple from your sect right now. Ask them which organization they belong to. Do you think they’ll answer ‘Linxian Sect,’ or ‘a certain faction of Linxian Sect,’ or directly name the faction?”
Hearing this, Mo Ruxue’s frown deepened. She had to admit that Xu Sheng’s point—or rather, his insight—was sharp.
Xu Sheng blew on his tea.
“Do you think managing a sect is like being an emperor? You first need to make your disciples identify with the sect itself. Besides, your balancing act isn’t exactly brilliant…”
Mo Ruxue’s face grew unpleasant, but she began to listen carefully to Xu Sheng’s words.
Her body even unconsciously leaned forward, as if to hear him better.
But at that moment, Xu Sheng stopped. They locked eyes.
Mo Ruxue stared at him.
Xu Sheng smiled.
“Fairy Mo wants to learn, so… has she paid the tuition?”
…
It wasn’t that Xu Sheng was deliberately setting a trap for Mo Ruxue. Any observant manager could see that Linxian Sect’s internal structure was flawed.
Mo Ruxue was too idealistic and not suited for management.
Even Zhu Yuexi, once she developed ambition, would be more fit to be Sect Master than Mo Ruxue.
As for the so-called “tuition,” it would depend on Mo Ruxue’s sincerity.
Zhu Yuexi was kept in the dark—or rather, she couldn’t understand the subtext between the two. She only thought Xu Sheng was seeking more benefits from Linxian Sect.
But Mo Ruxue understood something different.
Hearing the word “sincerity,” Mo Ruxue suddenly recalled everything that had happened last night.
Xu Sheng’s kiss. Xu Sheng’s hand.
The night wind.
The waterfall…
What sincerity could she still offer?
Then Mo Ruxue remembered the storybook Xu Sheng had given her a few days ago. There was no shortage of content in that book.
…