When He Let Go—Just to Take More

In the end, Qi Xiao still didn’t wear the Primordial Veil and Flowing Light Gown out in public; she felt it would be far too embarrassing.

However, she did finalize her and her master’s false identities.
As initially agreed, they would move within the sect under the names Ning Shuang and Qi Huan.

Over the past couple of days, the two had made a brief appearance, formally obtaining sect disciple status as rogue cultivators joining the sect.
The news quickly spread that they were connected to True Master Dao Sword and Qi Xiao.

And then…

Li Wangyan took them both for a leisurely stroll around Dao Sword Peak.

Dao Sword Peak was genuinely vast, a proper mountain peak.
The peak alone housed thousands of cave abodes, including marketplaces and other facilities.

Qi Xiao and True Master Dao Sword, one on each side, held Li Wangyan’s arms as they walked along the streets within the peak.

They frequently drew sidelong glances.

Of course, there were always troublemakers, but none were currently on Dao Sword Peak.
Within this peak, no one had a background more formidable than True Master Dao Sword and Qi Xiao.
In terms of cultivation, the few Golden Core cultivators were theoretically absent, and the three late or peak Foundation Establishment cultivators were exceptionally powerful.

Li Wangyan garnered many looks of envy.

“Shuang’er, go over there and buy me some of that spirit cuisine they’re selling.”

He casually ordered True Master Dao Sword around.
To Qi Xiao’s surprise, her master didn’t object and obediently followed Li Wangyan’s instruction.

She could understand her master’s thinking.
Probably, due to overwhelming shame, she didn’t dare do anything excessive, fearing Li Wangyan would reveal her identity in front of everyone.
But Master! The more you act like this, the more someone like Junior Brother will push his luck!
He’ll think you’re easy to bully, and his demands will become increasingly outrageous!

“Huan’er, ah~”

Li Wangyan opened his mouth.
Qi Xiao shot him a sidelong glance, then took out a gourd from her storage item.
It contained fairly high-grade spirit wine.
She held the gourd and fed Li Wangyan a drink.

Don’t misunderstand.
She wasn’t being casually ordered around by Li Wangyan.
She was merely pretending to show affection to help Li Wangyan attract some hatred.
By her estimate, with a protagonist persona like Junior Brother’s, simply walking down the street with a girl would inevitably trigger the appearance of a “villainous young master” character.

What if there was no girl by his side?
Then a villainous young master would appear harassing a girl, the protagonist would intervene to save her, and a girl would automatically spawn by his side.
In other words, as long as she showed a bit of affection with him, some clueless individual would soon jump out, look down on the male lead, harass her and her master, and then Junior Brother would challenge them to a arena, followed by the familiar ‘beat the small one, the old one comes’ routine.
According to the pattern, to highlight the protagonist’s righteousness, that villainous young master would definitely be the biological child of the sect traitor! An utterly irredeemable scoundrel!

Therefore, she wasn’t being obsequious to Junior Brother.
She was merely cooperating with the plot’s development to quickly identify the demonic sect mole.

However, after Li Wangyan took the two of them around the peak’s marketplace several times, they saw many people itching to act, but ultimately, nothing happened.

“This shouldn’t be… how could this be?”
Qi Xiao was puzzled.

Was Junior Brother really the protagonist?
She looked at Li Wangyan with an exploratory gaze.

Under her scrutiny, Li Wangyan seemed confused.
“Senior Sister, do you have a question?”
“Why didn’t anyone come to pick a fight with you today?”
Qi Xiao asked, perplexed.
“Aren’t Master and I good-looking enough?
Even though cultivators generally have pleasant features, Master’s and my appearance should be top-tier, especially Master’s—there should be many admirers.”

Li Wangyan replied somewhat speechless.
“I don’t know what Senior Sister is imagining, but—even if someone fancied the two of you, they wouldn’t immediately start a conflict with me…
Cultivators, especially within a single peak, are all reasonable people.
They’d naturally go and inquire about your backgrounds, inquire about mine, try to contact you privately first to gauge your intentions, and only then consider whether to come snatch you from me.”
“…Is that so?”
“What else?
Would they just come up and say, ‘You two, come with me!’?
Never mind whether they have the capital, any female cultivator who agreed would lose all face.
Their reputation would be ruined.
How could they show their face afterwards?”
“You make some sense.”

Cultivators cared much more about face than mortals.

“However, demonic sect members might directly try to snatch and challenge me on the spot—but that’s a minor issue.
There are some special rules within demonic sects as well.”
“In any case, after taking you out today, people will investigate your identities tomorrow.
Once that’s done, your presence will be accepted by the peak’s disciples.
Then, when your real identities announce seclusion, moving about with these identities will be much easier.”

True Master Dao Sword watched the two of them.
Indeed, Li Wangyan’s attitude towards Qi Xiao was vastly different from his attitude towards her.
He patiently explained various things to Qi Xiao.
And Qi Xiao’s demeanor towards him was also very gentle.

She recalled her own interactions with Li Wangyan.
She was always cursing him as “scum,” “beast,” “shameless”… and such.
Although Li Wangyan never cursed back, he would always ask things like, “Master, how does it feel?” while he was…
When discussing serious matters, Li Wangyan would simply give her orders, never engaging in proper dialogue.

“The day after tomorrow is the entrance competition.”

Li Wangyan suddenly said.
“Remember my arrangements.
Both of you must ‘sustain severe injuries’ in a timely manner.
That way, others won’t pay too much attention to our Dao Sword Peak, making it easier for me to conduct my investigation thoroughly.”
“Mmm… Let’s end here for today!
I’ll return to Qi Huan’s cave abode first and make some arrangements.
Junior Brother, we’ll see you at the entrance competition.”

Qi Xiao took her leave first.
She indeed had matters to attend to.

After confirming the Mystic Maiden Mirror could aid cultivation, she knew some of her ideas could be prepared in advance.

There were certainly many things happening recently, but nothing should interfere with her cultivation.
Cultivation was the most important thing, her top priority.
Put simply, if she were at the Transformation stage now, who could do anything to her?
Whose face would she need to be concerned about?

At the end of the day, all these issues stemmed from insufficient cultivation.

Therefore, cultivation was still more important.
Everything else could take a back seat.

Li Wangyan, however, went with True Master Dao Sword to “Ning Shuang’s” cave abode.

True Master Dao Sword’s cheeks were slightly flushed.
She knew what Li Wangyan intended to do when he followed her.
But recently, she had gradually grown accustomed to it.
Although she had reached her limit somewhat and intended to have her two disciples return, it was still… manageable.

She was too embarrassed to speak.

“Master, sometimes I ponder a question.”
Once inside the cave abode, Li Wangyan didn’t seem intent on doing anything.
He simply sat on a stone chair within the cave and looked at True Master Dao Sword.
True Master Dao Sword looked puzzled.
“What question?”
“Back then, Master, for your own selfish gain, abandoned me, letting my cultivation be crippled and me be expelled from the sect.
I did hate you very much.”
“…I’m sorry.”
“No, I’m not bringing up old grievances, Master.”
Li Wangyan looked at her very seriously.

“I just feel… I’ve already recorded you in the Mystic Maiden Mirror, taken your primordial yin to forge my foundation, and subsequently done so many excessive things to you.
Thinking carefully, whatever resentment existed should have been eliminated by now.
When I first did those things to you, there was indeed an element of venting anger.
But since that anger has been released, it seems there’s no further need to continue this way.”

True Master Dao Sword’s eyes gradually widened as she heard his words.
“You mean…?”
“Of course, I still need revenge against Eldest and Second Senior Brothers, and against the possible mole within the sect.
But aside from that, perhaps I should reconsider what kind of person I am.
I like Senior Sister Qi, but the person I am now seems unworthy of being by her side.
Therefore, Master, I think our relationship should be reconsidered.”

The current relationship isn’t healthy.”

Utterly inconceivable!

True Master Dao Sword had never imagined hearing such words from Li Wangyan.
The implication was… he was going to let her off?!
Because he wished to appear beside Qi Xiao in a more… pure form.

“So, the matters between Master and me… Master must keep them secret.
Senior Sister Qi must not know.
Let it remain a secret between us, master and disciple.
From now on, you are still my master, and I am still your disciple.
I will no longer overstep with you.”
“You…”

True Master Dao Sword was, of course, thrilled, but she forced herself to remain calm.
“Can your words be trusted?
If you go back on them, I have no recourse.”
“Precisely, Master.
If I go back on my word, you have no recourse, so you can only trust me.
Or… does Master want me to swear some oath or something?”

Looking at Li Wangyan’s ambiguous, half-smiling expression, True Master Dao Sword quickly shook her head.
“That’s not what I meant.
There’s no need for an oath.
I just…”
“Master need not say more.”
Li Wangyan stood up.
“This disciple understands.
Since this matter is settled, I shall take my leave.”

—

Let Master off?
What a joke.

The sect competition was in two days.
At most three days after the competition ended, Eldest Senior Brother would return.
He’d play with Eldest Senior Brother first…

I wonder how long my dear master can hold out?
Someone like her—merely doing this and that to her isn’t enough.
One must completely, utterly shatter her psyche!

Li Wangyan strolled leisurely around the peak.
Soon, several Foundation Establishment disciples approached him.
“Steward Li!
Steward Li!”
“Oh?
What can I do for you all?”
“We have long admired Steward Li’s reputation!
There are some matters we’d like to inquire about with Steward Li!”

“Certainly.
It would be my honor~”

He went with several male Foundation Establishment disciples into a small grove.

A while later, he walked out.

“Tsk!
Innate talent too poor.
I’m not even interested in recording them in my Mystic Maiden Mirror.”