Brief Stories of Colleagues

The lecture was over.
Gong Ning felt her lips were a bit dry.
She picked up a cup and drank from it, a drop of water sliding down her lips and onto her neck.

In this era, women emphasized etiquette.
Gong Ning’s habit was a bit bold, which made her even more eye-catching.

Bai Peilan walked over, holding a book in her hand, and smiled, “Jingzhi, a new volume of ‘The Crippled Immortal’ is out, and it always spreads in our Heart-Sword Hall first.”

Gong Ning couldn’t help but frown and curse, “Which scoundrel did this?
Not writing anything good all day.”

“Are you admitting that the Master in the book is you?”

“Of course not… it’s just that such things that sap one’s will are hard for disciples not to get addicted to, making them lose their focus on cultivation.”

Gong Ning didn’t want to bother with it, but who knew that the author, Xi Yao, not only didn’t restrain himself, but became even more rampant, always throwing these trashy books into the Heart-Sword Hall.

Bai Peilan teased, “It’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Although this book is a bit too gimmicky and has a sense of being clever, its language is gorgeous without being excessive, and the plot is dramatic without being deliberate.
It’s actually a good book.”

Gong Ning was taken aback.
She put down her water cup and stared at Bai Peilan, “You’ve read it?”

“…Well, as an elder, I naturally have to understand the disciples’ preferences.
I can’t just put myself on a pedestal and teach them abstruse texts that are detached from reality all day.”

Being stared at by those beautiful eyes, Bai Peilan didn’t even dare to meet her gaze, which reminded one of a scene from the book:

‘When she looked up, her eyelashes suddenly unfurled, like a startled butterfly about to flap its wings, stirring the faint blush at the corners of her eyes into fine pieces.’

Exactly the same!
It’s her!

“I thought Elder Bai was one of the few serious people in our Heart-Sword Hall.
I didn’t expect you to be a gossip too, sigh.”

Bai Peilan quickly clasped her hands together and bowed her head, “My mistake, my mistake.
I was really just curious and took a look.
I really didn’t mean to make fun of you.”

Gong Ning laughed, “I was just saying it casually.
Look at you taking it so seriously.”

“Who asked you to have such a face?
Even a frown makes people’s hearts tremble.”

“Is it that scary?”

“It’s very pitiful.”

“Give me a break.”

Gong Ning tilted her head back and took another sip of water, then began to seriously look at the disciples’ roster.

Bai Peilan continued, “It’s not necessarily a bad thing.
After the other disciples found out you were coming to teach, they all went crazy, clamoring for you to teach them all day.”

“They don’t want to learn anything.
They just want to look at my face, or see me make a fool of myself.”

“Then let them look.
A grown man is afraid of others looking at his face?”

“Have you seen a man in a skirt?
Let’s be realistic here.”

She had been teaching at the Heart-Sword Hall for a while now, and her relationship with Bai Peilan had become more familiar.
She was a straightforward person, and working with her was not boring.

It’s just that she talked a lot.
Now she was at it again, “How’s that matter going?”

“Which matter?”

“The forced marriage matter.
I’ve heard that the disciple from the Sword-Riding Cottage has a special constitution and high comprehension.”

“It’s alright.
We can fight.”

“Is your disciple also a genius?”

“No.”

Somehow, this matter had also spread.
Gong Ning suspected that the Sky-Sword Pavilion or the Sword-Riding Cottage had deliberately spread it to put pressure on her.
Even when she was teaching, some disciples had come to ask her about it.

But the tide of public opinion was wrong.
Everyone was saying that the Sword-Riding Cottage was despicable and shameless, taking advantage of her predicament, and had even deliberately found a genius to suppress a down-and-out elder.
It was truly disheartening.

This made Gong Ning wonder if the retainers of the Sky-Sword Pavilion were doing their jobs seriously.
How could they let these unfavorable rumors fly around?

Bai Peilan, however, carefully took out two medicinal pills from her bosom.

“Elder Gong Ning, take these two Mind-Clearing Pills for your disciple.”

This person, she couldn’t even support her own direct disciple, yet she was still concerned about others.

But accepting someone’s goodwill was beneficial for maintaining a relationship.
It would also be more convenient if she needed to give something in the future.
Going back and forth like this made it easier to solidify the bond.

“I’ll thank you on behalf of Lingling first.
It’s just about noon.
Would you like to come have lunch with me?”

“You know me, I’m timid.
I can’t even hold my chopsticks properly…”

“Alright, see you tomorrow then.”

It had to be said that if such a petty person was on her side, it was indeed more pleasant to deal with them.

On her way out, the disciples were heading to the cafeteria one after another.
Some people would always stop to greet her.
She also met the two inner sect elders, Hu and Zhang, who were walking together.

“Yo, Elder Gong Ning, you’re as beautiful as ever today.
I feel like dinner will be more fragrant later.”

Elder Zhang next to him rubbed his head hard.

“What are you doing?
Making a fuss.”

“Is that how you talk?”

“How am I talking?
I’m praising her, do you understand?
Praising her straight to the heart!”

These two had no airs.
Or rather, the corporate culture of the Heart-Sword Hall had no airs to speak of.

Gong Ning cupped her hands and said, “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you two.”

Elder Zhang replied, “Long time no see.
Have you been comfortable in the Heart-Sword Hall lately?”

“Naturally.
The disciples of the Heart-Sword Hall are all quite lively, not so lifeless.”

“It’s good that you’re comfortable, although that’s all our Heart-Sword Hall has left.
By the way, are you confident about the new disciple competition a week from now?
If you need any help, don’t hesitate to ask.”

Elder Hu also said, “I, Hu Zhenyuan, will not be selfish either.
If there’s anything I can help with, Elder Gong Ning, just give the order!
But after this, you have to give my rascals a lecture.
They’ve been going crazy lately.”

Gong Ning smiled and replied, “Of course it’s no problem, but I can only decline your kind offers.
Regarding this matter, Gong Ning is already confident.”

After speaking, she cupped her hands and left, but Hu Zhenyuan suddenly asked again, “Elder Gong Ning, how far have you and your direct disciple developed?”

Then he was grabbed by Elder Zhang by the scruff of his neck and dragged away.

Gong Ning shook her head, but the contentment in her heart could not be suppressed.

She didn’t know why, but after becoming a woman, the world had become so gentle to her, making it hard to tell whether it was a joy or a sorrow.

Returning to her residence, Lingling was still cultivating without any distractions.

It took an ordinary person ten years to go from Qi Refinement to Foundation Establishment.
Using Qi-Nourishing Pills could shorten this time.
The more pills one took, the faster one cultivated.

There was a luxurious practice in large families: soaking a person in a medicinal vat from a young age to make them resistant to medicine, and then continuously feeding them various medicinal pills to allow them to quickly digest the medicinal power.
It would be difficult for their cultivation not to be fast.

Gong Ning patted Lingling’s shoulder and handed her two Mind-Clearing Pills.

Seeing her disciple about to take them as simply as breathing, Gong Ning pulled her hand back.

“Don’t be rude.
These are not candy beans.
These are from Elder Bai.”

Tao Lingling was taken aback and said, “What is she giving them to me for?”

“To help you cultivate.
Elder Bai doesn’t have much of a family fortune.
It’s already not easy for her to take out these two medicinal pills.
You must remember this kindness.”

Tao Lingling pouted.

That woman who loved to make things difficult for others, she clearly knew that Master didn’t lack them, yet she insisted on giving them.
She was clearly trying to take this opportunity to get close to her, and Master was still foolishly believing her.

Seeing her disciple’s expression, Gong Ning could only sigh helplessly.

In the system’s description of her temperament, there were many flaws.
Gong Ning hadn’t believed it all along.
But the longer they spent together, the more she discovered that Tao Lingling only respected her.
Towards others, whether it was the Sword Immortal or some other elder, she had the same contemptuous and dismissive attitude.

“You may not care, and you may think that others have ulterior motives, but your Master hopes that you can see the good in others and not always see the bad side.”

She ruffled Tao Lingling’s head.
She didn’t know why, but lately, she had become more and more accustomed to physical contact with her disciple.

“Don’t let your prejudices blind you to the kindness of others.
There’s only a week left until the new disciple competition.
Go out and see more, so that when the time comes, you don’t even recognize the people who are cheering for you.”