Ling Qingxue, who was just about to put on her clothes inside the room, suddenly saw Luo Yin walk back in. She trembled in fright.
“What else do you want?!”
Luo Yin smiled. “Shizun, don’t get worked up! I just wanted to tell you that you’d better not see anyone for the next few days. Keep up the closed-door seclusion, or the truth might slip out.”
Ling Qingxue shot Luo Yin a fierce glare and said in a deep voice, “No need for your reminders. This Venerable One has it all under control!”
Luo Yin chuckled. “Right, this disciple has been short on spirit stones lately. Could Shizun spare some for me to spend?”
This was the real reason Luo Yin had doubled back.
His usual monthly stipend was a measly five low-grade spirit stones and a single Qi and Blood Pill.
Compared to elite disciples like Su Chen, it was laughably insufficient.
It simply wasn’t enough to get by.
So he planned to seize this opportunity to snag some extra spirit stones.
Ling Qingxue’s fine brows furrowed, and she replied in an icy tone, “Why should I give you spirit stones?”
Luo Yin coughed lightly. “Ahem, Shizun, you wouldn’t want others to know you’re a woman in disguise, would you?”
“You wouldn’t want your enemies to learn that you’ve lost all your cultivation, right?”
“So, please!”
Luo Yin grinned with shameless impudence.
“You… Hmph! My spirit stones are all in the storage ring, but without any spiritual power, I can’t retrieve them!”
“No worries. I just need a handwritten order from Shizun. I’ll claim them from Mystic Mechanism Peak myself and say you gave it to me a month ago.”
“Shizun, please!”
An innocent smile adorned Luo Yin’s face.
Mystic Mechanism Peak was one of Taiyi Holy Land’s main peaks. Disciples went there to receive tasks, turn them in, and redeem rewards. It also housed the Holy Land Treasury, where the spirit stones were kept.
Ling Qingxue ground her teeth, but she was helpless. She really didn’t want to see Luo Yin right now, so she handed over the handwritten order.
“Hahaha! Many thanks, Shizun. Take care and rest well—you’re just a mortal now, so don’t catch a chill. And remember to keep up the act of being in seclusion.”
Luo Yin accepted the order with a smile, offered a few reminders, and turned to leave.
Then Ling Qingxue’s voice rang out from behind him. “Wait a moment!”
Luo Yin turned back, looking at her in confusion.
Ling Qingxue fell silent for a moment. She felt this errand could only be handled by Luo Yin, even if he disgusted her.
But she couldn’t let anyone else know about her lost cultivation, making him the only suitable choice.
She continued, “After you go to Mystic Mechanism Peak, fetch a simple formation array from the Holy Land Treasure Pavilion for me and set it up around here. I’m worried disciples might wander too close.”
Luo Yin paused for a second, then nodded with a smile and departed.
Ling Qingxue let out a soft, wistful sigh.
Her heart was filled with contradictions.
She definitely couldn’t go wandering around like this. If someone with ill intentions discovered her secret, it would spell doom for the Holy Land.
There were plenty of traitors lurking within its ranks.
Yet if she stayed put, she had no way to search for the means to restore her strength.
She could wait for her disciples to help, but she didn’t want them finding out she was a woman disguised as a man.
Unless it was Su Chen.
But if Su Chen came, he’d learn the truth about her lost cultivation.
From the look of things, she could only bide her time—or have Luo Yin lend a hand.
But would Luo Yin help her regain her strength?
…
Back in his own modest wooden hut, Luo Yin crafted a Life-Saving Scroll.
The scroll wasn’t particularly complex. Even at his current realm, he could make one.
It was simply an ordinary scroll infused with spiritual power via a secret method and linked to his Heavenly Mandate.
Should his Heavenly Mandate shatter, the scroll would manifest in the locations he had preset beforehand.
Once finished, Luo Yin stored it in his storage ring to carry on him at all times.
The next morning, he headed straight for Su Chen’s residence.
Luo Yin still had some impressions of Su Chen.
The boy had been picked up as a child by the Taiyi Holy Lord and taken in as a foster son.
He had begun cultivating at Heavenly Secrets Peak at the age of twelve, displaying astonishing talent. In just one year, he had reached the fourth layer of the Body Tempering Realm.
From then on, he advanced one layer every year. Now, at seventeen, he had already attained the eighth layer of the Body Tempering Realm.
What puzzled Luo Yin was whether this truly fit the protagonist mold.
In xianxia tales, shouldn’t protagonists start out as wastes or with mediocre talent, only to skyrocket after some fateful encounter?
Or perhaps the timeline was off, and Su Chen hadn’t hit his “trash” phase yet?
Maybe Su Chen wasn’t the protagonist at all!
Lost in these thoughts, Luo Yin arrived at Su Chen’s dwelling.
Every disciple in Taiyi Holy Land had their own private residence. Some were humble, like Luo Yin’s little wooden hut.
Elite disciples like Su Chen, however, enjoyed far more refined accommodations—small courtyards or pavilions. Su Chen occupied the latter.
No sooner had Luo Yin reached the pavilion than Su Chen emerged from within.
Crimson qi swirled around him, and he radiated a divine glow, resembling a celestial deity descended to earth.
Luo Yin recognized this as the hallmark of a Child of Destiny—a sign of immense opportunities ahead. And only he could perceive it.
“Hey! Eldest Senior Brother? What brings you to my place?”
Su Chen naturally spotted Luo Yin and greeted him warmly.
Both he and Luo Yin were direct disciples of Venerable Lingxiao.
By coincidence, one was the eldest disciple, the other the youngest.
Thus, even though Luo Yin’s strength left much to be desired, Su Chen showed him surface-level respect.
In truth, though, Su Chen inwardly scorned mingling with Luo Yin.
This so-called senior brother spent his days in a daze. After all these years, he was still stuck at the first layer of the Body Tempering Realm. Su Chen felt ashamed on his behalf.
Luo Yin didn’t respond directly. Instead, he asked, “Junior Brother, you’re up early. Where are you headed?”
“I’m on my way to find Shizun.”
“Find Shizun? Whatever for?”
Luo Yin eyed Su Chen warily. He absolutely couldn’t let him see Ling Qingxue.
Not yet, at least.
“Oh! I had some insights during yesterday’s cultivation, but also a few lingering doubts. I want Shizun to clear them up.”
Su Chen explained.
“No need to go. Shizun hasn’t returned yet,” Luo Yin said.
“Not back? When she left a month ago, didn’t she say she’d be back within a month at most? It’s been over a month now—she should be back by this point, no?”
Su Chen was clearly skeptical.
Luo Yin shot him a glare. “You think I’d lie to you?! I just came from Shizun’s place. I was going to tidy up there today, but I couldn’t even get into the courtyard!”
Su Chen frowned, deep in thought.
Seeing this, Luo Yin hurriedly intervened. “Alright, alright. Didn’t you mention some insights? Come on, let’s chat about it. I’ll keep you company.”
“Hey!”
As he spoke, Luo Yin shoved Su Chen back into his room.
It had to be said—this place put his own ramshackle hut to shame in terms of luxury.
Once seated, Luo Yin made small talk with Su Chen while pulling up his information.
Name: Su Chen.
Persona: Child of Destiny (Male Lead).
Realm: Body Tempering Realm 8th Layer.
Physique: Prison Suppressing Divine Body.
Luck Value: 7200 (Golden)
Talent: Emperor Grade
Heavenly Fate Deduction: Proceed?
He really was the male lead!
Luo Yin’s gaze toward Su Chen turned fervent.
It sent a shiver down Su Chen’s spine, his rear clenching involuntarily.
Staring at that Luck Value, Luo Yin felt a pang of envy.
With luck like that, treasures would practically throw themselves at him while walking down the street.
Luo Yin also noted that Su Chen’s profile lacked any Favorability rating.
That probably meant Favorability was reserved for the female leads.
In that case, it was time to deduce the course of Su Chen’s life!
Proceed with the deduction!
