As Xie Ren stood deep in thought, a voice snapped him back to reality.
"Where was I…Now that you're my disciple, you may choose a dwelling of your desire up the mountain."
"Fine" She muttered. "I'll accept this beating for now. Scoundrel master, just you wait for me to break through to Foundation Establishment."
With that, she puffed up her cheeks and turned on her heel, heading toward Taishan Mountain.
The formation around her kept her safe, and she didn't fear anyone taking action against her.
Xie Ren, on the other hand, grinned with satisfaction. Not only had he gained a Demon Sovereign as his disciple, but he could also amuse himself at her expense. With the addition of one new member, the Taishan sect going to become lively. This was truly delightful!
As Chen Yinyin reached the peak of Taishan Mountain, she took in the sight before her, dilapidated buildings, some missing doors, others with collapsed walls or caved-in roofs. Was this really a sect? It looked more like a forgotten ruin.
And yet, that scoundrel of a master had the audacity to speak so grandly just moments ago.
Just then, she sensed a surge of spiritual energy emanating from a building nearby. Her eyes narrowed in curiosity, was someone breaking through to the Golden Core stage?
A flicker of surprise danced across her features. It seemed Taishan Mountain wasn't just home to Xie Ren. But who was this person?
Before she could dwell on it, a figure emerged from the house. A woman dressed in white, her presence captivating and ethereal, seemed to glide out of the door. The woman radiated an enchanting aura, a beauty so stunning it took Chen Yinyin by surprise.
She couldn't help herself but stare. Chen Yinyin, already known for her own unmatched beauty, found herself pausing to admire the woman before her.
Chen Yinyin's eyes narrowed as she assessed the woman before her. Was the intense spiritual energy fluctuation just now because this woman was breaking through to Foundation Establishment instead of Golden Core?
That was a surprising development. If this woman was only in the early stage of Foundation Establishment, yet still emitted such strong spiritual energy, her talent might be extraordinary. She thought.
As Chen Yinyin pondered, the woman's gaze met hers. The two locked eyes in a moment of silence, neither willing to speak first.
"Yue, this is my new disciple, Chen Yinyin!" Xie Ren suddenly broke the silence, stepping forward with a grin.
"Yinyin, meet your Senior Sister, Lan Yue. Her talent is on par with yours," he added, nodding proudly.
Lan Yue barely reacted to the introduction, her expression neutral as she appraised the new disciple. There was no spark of interest or warmth. But for Chen Yinyin, this woman's indifference was the least of her concerns.
Xie Ren had just claimed that Lan Yue's talent was equal to hers. But who was she? A reincarnated Demon Sovereign with an Infernal Demon Body. Her talent was immeasurable.
If Lan Yue truly possessed a talent on par with hers, then surely, Lan Yue must have a special physique.
But still why would someone with such potential choose to become Xie Ren's disciple? What was the point of joining a scoundrel like him? Even with exceptional talent, she could end up wasting it under his tutelage.
For a fleeting moment, Chen Yinyin felt a pang of sympathy for Lan Yue, but she quickly pushed it aside.
With a huff, she turned and walked away, deciding to find an empty hut. There, she locked herself in, determined to cultivate in peace.
Meanwhile, Lan Yue, sitting down with a cup of tea, raised an eyebrow. "Junior brother, Your new disciple doesn't seem too happy with you."
Xie Ren chuckled, leaning back with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "She's hardly pleased. I just gave her a good spanking, and her backside is probably still sore!"
Lan Yue sputtered, nearly choking on her tea.
"You did what?" she gasped. "You slapped her on the backside?"
Xie Ren gave a devilish grin. "I sure did. What's the big deal?"
Did he know what that meant? She had heard of such things before, if they weren't lovers, it could only mean they were deadly enemies.
"Junior Brother," she said, shaking her head in disbelief, "as expected of you."
"Don't call me Junior Brother again," Xie Ren warned playfully, his grin turning sly. "Or I might just slap you too."
Lan Yue's face flushed bright red at his teasing. She couldn't believe he was saying such things out loud. Embarrassed, she muttered, "I understand, I understand."
Xie Ren leaned closer, his voice dropping. "Yue, you've got yourself a rival now. Don't let her sweet appearance fool you. Chen Yinyin is a Demon among genius, and she also has the rare Infernal Demon Body, so breaking through is as easy as breathing for her."
Lan Yue felt her stomach drop. She had just made it to the early stage of Foundation Establishment, and now she had a junior sister with that kind of monstrous talent? Would she be surpassed in cultivation? And what about her pride as a Senior Sister?
Her hands clenched around her teacup, the bitterness of the tea now matching the sinking feeling in her chest.
"Master, go play with some turtle or something!" she said, her tone a little too sharp. Without waiting for a response, she stood and hurried off toward the thatched hut, eager to escape.
Xie Ren blinked in confusion. "Wait, didn't you just finish cultivating? Why are you going back in again?"
Lan Yue didn't answer, simply disappearing behind the hut's door.
Xie Ren scratched his head. "Well, if both of my disciples are cultivating, I guess I should be working hard too."
…
[A/N: Someone forgot about new volume of his novel, just like everyone forgot mine :c]