Chapter 324: Chapter 164: Return to the Hehuan Sect (Part 2)
"Chu Xuan of the Cyan Lotus Daoist Palace, invited here to visit!"
Chu Xuan used magical power to send his voice remotely into the array, echoing throughout the mountains.
Soon enough, the Mountain Protection Array opened a small path, and two women walked out from the pavilion to greet him.
The leading lady had a flawless face with almond eyes, her gaze bright and vibrant; she was dressed in a sky-blue palace attire, with a voluptuous figure.
The woman behind her wore a pink dress, also a rather attractive young lady, though lacking a bit of the alluring charm of the former, and her cultivation level was only in the third realm.
Seeing the one behind, Chu Xuan was momentarily stunned. Indeed, it was Min Xinlan, who had once casually threatened his life.
Min Xinlan’s expression was somewhat complex when she saw him, but she just followed her master and slightly bowed.
"It’s been many years, and Young Master Chu’s demeanor far surpasses the past, with cultivation advancing a thousand miles a day. Truly, Cai’er feels inferior." Lan Cai’er greeted with a smile, bowing gracefully.
Chu Xuan ignored the purposeful display of cleavage by this woman and said emotionlessly, "Lead the way."
Lan Cai’er nodded and was about to take Chu Xuan’s hand, but he frowned and stopped her, "No touching."
Lan Cai’er bit her lip, feeling a little wronged, "Understood."
The master and disciple led Chu Xuan into the door, with Lan Cai’er enthusiastically introducing, "This is my disciple, Xinlan. You two have known each other for a long time, right?"
Chu Xuan nodded, "Sister Min really took good care of me back then."
This was neither a lie nor sarcasm. When Min Xinlan discovered he had an "Innate Dao Body," she was overjoyed, and her attitude towards him was very cordial, with the intention of cultivating him as a highly valuable resource or a dual cultivation companion.
On the way back to the Hehuan Sect, she indeed took good care of Chu Xuan, though secretly guarded against his escape.
Min Xinlan sighed, "Young Master Chu, now that you’ve achieved prominence, must you tease me?"
Ever since Chu Xuan was taken by Primordial Monarch Taixu, Min Xinlan resented him for a while—resenting the monarch for stealing her "opportunity" and resenting Chu Xuan for betraying at the crucial moment.
She fell into a slump afterward, being severely ridiculed by her peers, and felt her future was bleak.
During that time, Lan Cai’er was preoccupied with her parents’ affairs and left this disciple to her own devices. Fortunately, Min Xinlan pulled herself together and, over the years, cultivated to the third realm, considering it pretty fast.
But compared to Chu Xuan, it was nothing, despite Min Xinlan having started cultivation years before him.
"It’s not teasing, you’re just another player caught up in the schemes." Chu Xuan said carefreely.
A player caught up in schemes? Min Xinlan pondered for a moment and understood his implication:
Primordial Monarch Taixu probably had her eyes on Chu Xuan as a disciple long ago. The twists and trials of taking him as a disciple were merely a formality; one way or another, he would end up in her hands.
Min Xinlan chuckled self-deprecatingly, "It seems everything was predetermined. This opportunity never belonged to me, it just passed through my hands, foolishly thinking I’d struck it lucky."
With Chu Xuan’s reminder, her Dao Heart became much clearer.
Since it never belonged to her, losing it wasn’t something to dwell on.
Seeing this, Lan Cai’er nodded silently and, noticing Chu Xuan admiring the beautiful scenery of the Taixu Celestial Mountain, she teased in an ambiguous tone:
"Young Master Chu, should we first give thanks or apologize?"
"Give thanks? For what?" Chu Xuan was quite puzzled. Apologizing he could understand, it was regarding Min Xinlan’s capturing him back then.
But giving thanks... Chu Xuan couldn’t help but recall a joke he had read in a previous life:
One late night, a scholar was studying diligently in his study.
Suddenly, a beautiful fox spirit appeared, speaking softly, "Young master, I have come to repay a kindness."
The scholar was startled, "When did I ever help you for you to come repaying a kindness?"
The fox spirit said pitifully, "I desire it now, help me with it, please~"
Unable to resist temptation, the scholar had a moment of pleasure with the fox spirit. Afterward, he weakly said, "Alright, now you may leave."
Unexpectedly, the fox spirit clung to his arm, softly saying, "You helped me just now, now it’s time for me to start repaying."
Chu Xuan suspected that Lan Cai’er was attempting to use the same trick, falsely claiming to repay a kindness with the real intention of draining him dry.
Upon hearing this doubt, Lan Cai’er couldn’t help but wipe her tears and said, "It’s exactly to repay the kindness of rescuing my parents."
Chu Xuan was even more surprised, "Let me be clear, I have never been to the Ghost Market, although it is true the Master of the Ghost Market fell by my hand."
Upon hearing this, Lan Cai’er’s eyes reddened further, "It really was the benefactor’s doing. Shortly after I mentioned it to you, the Ghost Market inexplicably collapsed, the enslaved spirits rebelled, and my parents escaped amidst the ghostly chaos."
"Unfortunately, at that time, I was in the Ruo Wood Secret Realm and couldn’t go aid in their rescue. Later, after inquiring everywhere, I learned that my parents had been transcended by a monk using a Buddhist technique, achieving release."
Chu Xuan didn’t believe it immediately; he first consulted the old ghost in the Six Souls Banner to confirm that Lan Cai’er’s words were true.
"I see, it’s just that I never intended to rescue anyone at the Ghost Market; it was merely a stroke of luck, hardly deserving any gratitude."
Lan Cai’er shook her head, "That’s not how it works. A gentleman judges deeds, not intentions. Hastily judging intentions yields no perfect people in the world."
"In objective terms, the benefactor indeed saved my parents."
Min Xinlan also earnestly added, "Master’s parents are my grandparents."
"Benefactor’s great kindness and virtue, which cannot be repaid. Xinlan and my master wish to thoroughly repay your kindness and then truly make amends; we could even repay the kindness while making amends, ensuring your satisfaction."
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