Luo Rong's master walked to a wooden table surrounded by four simple white chairs. She took the seat farthest from the door and motioned for them to sit.
Luo Rong and Feng Fan obeyed, settling into the chairs.
After they sat down, she began. "Luo Rong, your mission was to investigate the Bloodsucker Demon Sect's activities in the villages near the border. What did you uncover?"
"Master, it's just as you suspected. The Bloodsucker Demon Sect disciples are capturing both mortals and cultivators and transporting them into their territory. I don't know what they're planning, but this isn't like them. Usually, they just kill people to absorb their blood and spiritual qi," Luo Rong reported.
Her master nodded gravely. "This is indeed troubling. If they've shifted from strengthening themselves through blood absorption to something else, it suggests a far more sinister plan. I'll bring this to the Sect Master's attention. For now, you can consider your mission complete."
She turned her gaze to Feng Fan. "And this boy? Who is he, and how did he become involved?"
Before Luo Rong could respond, Feng Fan cupped his hands in a formal salute. "This humble one is named Feng Fan. While escaping my enemies, I used a teleportation jade and was sent directly into Senior Sister Luo's path. Together, we managed to escape from the Bloodsucker Demon Sect disciples."
He left out the details about the poison that had weakened Luo Rong. For both their sakes, some things were better left unsaid.
Luo Rong briefly recalled the moment they first met, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. She quickly regained her composure, but her master's sharp eyes didn't miss the slip.
"Oh, I see," Long Liu said, her tone neutral but curious. "My name is Long Liu. Since you helped my disciple, what would you like as a reward?"
Before Feng Fan could respond, Luo Rong stepped in. "Master, we've already agreed on his reward. He'll participate in the Young Generation Competition for the Qian Empire. Until then, he'll cultivate here at the Dao Seeking School. I'll handle notifying his sect."
Long Liu raised an eyebrow. "Very well, but where will he be staying?"
Luo Rong hesitated for a moment before stammering, "Uh, I-I said… he can stay in my abode."
Long Liu's eyes nearly bulged in surprise before she let out a laugh. "Well, since you two are so close, I suppose there's no issue."
"M-Master, it's not like that!" Luo Rong quickly protested, flustered.
"Okay, okay. Whatever you say," Long Liu replied with a dismissive wave of her hand, clearly amused by her disciple's reaction.
Luo Rong recomposed herself, then shifted the conversation. "Ah, one more thing. Can you refine some pills from this flower? I found it inside a cave," she asked, glancing meaningfully at Feng Fan.
Understanding her intent, Feng Fan retrieved the flower from his space ring. He had stored it there safely once they arrived at the Dao Seeking School.
Long Liu's eyes widened in surprise when she saw the flower. "Ah, a Cloudveil Flower. It's been quite a while since I've seen one. Very useful, but not for pills that boost cultivation. I can take this and give something more useful for you."
Feng Fan didn't hesitate to agree, having no reason to refuse.
Luo Rong also nodded. "Of course, master."
With a quick flick of her hand, Long Liu took the flower from Feng Fan's hand and stored it in her space ring. She then produced two jade bottles, one containing red pills and the other blue.
Feng Fan eyed them with a strange expression etched on his face. 'Should I take the red pill?'
Before he could speak, Long Liu went on. "The red pills help Foundation Establishment cultivators advance in their realm, while the blue ones will aid Luo Rong in furthering her cultivation in the Nascent Soul realm. Take them."
Luo Rong took the jade bottle with the blue pills, and Feng Fan followed suit, grabbing the red one.
She turned her gaze to Luo Rong once more. "Disciple, I'll speak with the Sect Master. The matter you've brought to light is very serious. As for your reward, I'll give it to you in a couple of days. For now, you may leave."
Luo Rong nodded, standing from her chair and cupping her hands. "Thank you, master."
She then exited in the same manner she entered.
As he watched her leave, Feng Fan followed suit. "Thank you for your hospitality, Senior."
After they left, Long Liu's lips curled into a faint smile. "This Feng Fan is quite interesting. To the untrained eye, his cultivation seems to be in the Foundation Establishment realm. But whether that's the case, or if he's following the Body Cultivation path and is at the Bone Forging realm, I can't tell, even with my high cultivation realm."
With that, she vanished from the chair where she had been sitting just moments before.
In a chamber at the Dao Seeking School, a beautiful woman with long silver hair sat quietly. For the past few days, she had been sighing repeatedly.
"Ah, now Old Ya is getting married too… Am I the only one destined to stay single in my generation? If I had known it would turn out , I would've spent more time living life instead of burying myself in cultivation…"
A sudden cough broke the silence, snapping her out of her thoughts. She quickly turned to locate the source of the noise.
A petite woman, dressed in oversized clothes, stood a few meters in front of her. Her face flushed slightly with embarrassment, but she quickly composed herself, replacing her expression with an aloof demeanor.
"Elder Long, how can I help you?"
Long Liu heard the Sect Master's words but chose not to comment. However, inside her mind, she couldn't help but smile.
'Heh, old hag. After thousands of years, you're still a virgin and single! Let's see if you dare mock me again at the next girls' meeting.'