Cao Yi chuckled upon hearing Li Yundong’s words. “Of course, otherwise how would we cultivators who don't engage in production eat? Must we all sleep out in the elements?”
Li Yundong inquired, “What kind of enterprise is it?”
Cao Yi looked conflicted, saying, “This enterprise is in Dongwu City. If the Sect Master wishes to see it, he’ll have to return to Dongwu City first.”
Li Yundong asked, puzzled, “You don’t know what this enterprise is?”
Cao Yi explained, “This has always been managed by the Sect Master. However, in recent years, the former Sect Master handed over the sect's affairs first to the Eldest Senior Sister Mo Ashi—ah, no, he handed it to Yan Fang for management. Now that Yan Fang has fled in disgrace, and the former Sect Master is dead, I don’t know what this enterprise is. I only recall the former Sect Master mentioning something about it once.”
Li Yundong mused for a moment. “When I went through the belongings left by the former Sect Master, Liu Ye, I didn't find any mention of the Fox Zen Sect’s assets.”
Cao Yi thought for a moment. “Perhaps the Sect Master recorded this matter elsewhere.”
Suddenly, a thought struck Li Yundong. He thought to himself: Could Uncle-Master Cao Yi be hoping to take this opportunity to lure me back to the Fox Zen Sect?
He lifted his eyes and indeed saw a flicker of hope in Cao Yi’s gaze. Li Yundong smiled. “I understand what you mean. You return to the mountain first. I have matters to attend to here and can’t leave right now, but I will be back in the next couple of days. For now, help me search former Sect Master Liu Ye’s room and see where he recorded information about this enterprise.”
Cao Yi felt a slight wave of disappointment, but she said nothing. With a slight smile, she bid Li Yundong farewell and departed.
Outside the school gate, she saw Liu Yuehong and the others waiting for her, their faces etched with anxious urgency as they looked at her. Cao Yi shook her head slightly, and the group of little and big vixens collectively sighed.
Cao Yi said, “The Sect Master is tied up with worldly affairs. Let’s go back first. Don’t cause the Sect Master any more trouble.”
After the swarm of vixens departed, Li Yundong visibly let out a breath of relief. He shook his head and sighed, “You people! You are practically walking trouble. Wherever you go, trouble follows!”
Su Chan pouted dramatically, playing the coquette. “You’re disgusted with me!”
Li Yundong feigned displeasure. “Yes, you’ve caused me so much trouble; of course, I’m disgusted with you!”
Su Chan, used to bickering with Li Yundong, said with a giggle, “Then, how about I give you a back massage?”
Li Yundong kept a straight face. “No!”
Su Chan’s eyes darted around. “Then how about I give you a proper massage?”
Li Yundong snorted. “No! That’s not original, not sincere at all!”
Su Chan thought for a moment. “Then, how about I cook for you?”
Li Yundong gasped, repeatedly protesting, “No, no, absolutely not!”
Su Chan doubled over in laughter. “This isn’t good, that isn’t good. Then what do you want?”
Li Yundong grinned mischievously and whispered a couple of things into the little girl’s ear. Her face immediately flushed bright red. With a startled sound, she covered her burning, flushed face and burst into giggles.
Su Chan kept both hands over her face, but her eyes peeked out through the gaps between her fingers, stealing a glance at Li Yundong. Then, her gaze, a mixture of shock and delight, swiftly retreated. That fleeting glance was truly intoxicating and soul-stirring.
The little girl’s bewitching manner stirred a heat throughout Li Yundong’s body. He chuckled, “How about it? When we get back, shall we do that thing that makes people shed their trousers in inquiry about what love is in this world?”
Su Chan laughed playfully and ran off, scattering a cascade of silver-bell laughter. “Hmph, if two hearts are meant to last forever, what need have they for beds and furnishings!”
Li Yundong laughed heartily and chased after her. “Nonsense! Haven’t you heard that a meeting between the crisp autumn wind and the bright dew surpasses the secret rendezvous of adulterous lovers?”
Li Yundong caught up and embraced Su Chan, who burrowed into his arms like an ostrich, giggling, “You’re the adulterous lover! Hmph, how can you talk about someone like that!”
After they had been playfully wrestling for a while, Li Yundong’s eyes suddenly caught sight of Zhou Qin watching them silently not far off. A thought flickered in his mind. He released the little girl, affectionately patted her head, “Alright, I won’t tease you anymore. I need to talk to Zhou Qin about something.”
Su Chan was very well-behaved, following closely beside Li Yundong. When they reached Zhou Qin, she greeted her warmly.
Zhou Qin, having watched Li Yundong and Su Chan romp around as if no one else were present, couldn't help but recall the days she spent with Li Yundong while she was hospitalized. Her heart churned with a thousand emotions, laced with lingering tenderness and melancholic yearning. However, these feelings flashed by in an instant, well-concealed. As Li Yundong approached, she respectfully stated, “Master.”
Seeing that she still wore a mask, Li Yundong couldn't help but sigh. “Zhou Qin, don’t be like this. Calling me ‘Master’ makes me feel ancient, like I’m eighty. We were classmates, after all, and friends, right? Why have we become so distant? Just call me Li Yundong, okay?”
Zhou Qin unconsciously bit her lip, shaking her head with stubborn insistence. “No. Once a master, always a father. The difference in age and seniority must be maintained!”
Li Yundong feigned anger and spoke with an air of dominance. “But you haven’t formally taken the initiation yet, have you? Before you do, I’m not officially your master—at most, hmm… at most, I’m just a probationary master. Stop calling me Master or any title like that. Just use my name. It will be time enough after you formally join the lineage.”
Saying that, he didn't allow Zhou Qin to object. “It’s settled then. By the way, I called you over because I wanted to discuss something else.”
Zhou Qin opened her mouth as if to speak, but seeing the gentle expression on Li Yundong’s face contrasted with the undeniable authority in his tone, she couldn't muster a rebuttal.
Zhou Qin felt a rush of complex emotions: He has grown up so fast! He used to have the awkwardness of a young man, and his manners were quite green. But today, in the pavilion, using both soft and hard tactics, he manipulated everyone in the Fox Zen Sect until they were as pliable as soft clay, all of them obedient. He truly possesses the bearing of a Sect Master. Aren’t some people simply born to be great figures and achieve great things?
Zhou Qin swallowed the words she meant to say and asked, “What is it?”
Li Yundong smiled. “Talking here isn’t ideal. Let’s find a place to talk properly?”
Zhou Qin considered this. “Then shall we find a place for tea and chat over a cup?”
Li Yundong thought: Every place now requires money, and I can’t possibly ask Zhou Qin to pay when I need her help with something.
Li Yundong decided not to hide anything from her. “Forget it, let’s go back to my place. We can talk while we eat. Don’t spend the money; I’m quite broke recently.”
When Zhou Qin heard she could eat food cooked by Li Yundong himself, a rare hint of a smile touched her usually cold expression. “That sounds good. I will gratefully accept. Wait for me at the school gate; I’ll go get the car.”
The three drove toward Li Yundong’s home in the Hongsheng New District. As soon as they entered the door, Li Yundong saw Zi Yuan meditating and circulating her qi on the balcony, while Ruan Hongling sat on the sofa, resting one hand on her chin out of boredom and using the other to do finger exercises with the TV remote.
Li Yundong froze momentarily. He hadn’t expected Zi Yuan and Ruan Hongling to be at his home.
He immediately glanced at Su Chan, fearing the little girl might overthink things. But just as he looked at her, he saw Su Chan looking back at him, smiling brightly. She secretly hooked her little finger toward him, leaned close to his ear, and whispered softly, “I trust you!”
Li Yundong felt a warmth spread through his chest. He smiled faintly, then turned to Ruan Hongling. “When did you two arrive?”
Ruan Hongling spotted Li Yundong at once and jumped up, turning toward Zi Yuan on the balcony and calling out loudly, “Sister Zi Yuan, he’s back!”
Zi Yuan opened her eyes and looked toward Li Yundong at the door. She rose gracefully, stood up, and respectfully performed a single-handed salute. “Infinite blessings and longevity. Ling Gong Sect’s Zi Yuan greets Fox Zen Sect’s True Person Li.”
Ruan Hongling, eager to join the fun, also tried to imitate the gesture. “Infinite blessings and longevity. Ling Gong Sect’s Ruan Hongling greets Fox Zen Sect’s True Person Li.”
Li Yundong laughed heartily and carefully observed Zi Yuan. Seeing that she didn't appear injured, the worry about having hurt her during their last duel dissipated. He quickly waved his hands and said with a smile, “You two, stop joking around.”
Ruan Hongling chuckled, returning to sit on the sofa. But Zi Yuan remained serious. “This is no joke. Li Yundong, you are now the Sect Master of the Fox Zen Sect, bearing the heavy responsibility of the sect. Every word and action represents the Fox Zen Sect and directly influences the entire cultivation world. You have already passed the Heavenly Tribulation; have you considered where you will go from here?”
Li Yundong grew serious. “This is what I’ve been contemplating these past couple of days, and I can discuss it with you shortly. But, do you know the whereabouts of Yan Fang? She captured Su Chan’s master, Ao Wushuang, and there has been no news since.”
Zi Yuan shook her head. “I don’t know. When I returned to the Ling Gong Sect, I didn’t see her. I suspect she found somewhere to hide on her own. Finding her won’t be easy.”
Li Yundong pondered for a moment, then smiled faintly. “Then I’ll start cooking first. We can talk about this after we eat.”
With that, Li Yundong rolled up his sleeves and entered the kitchen.
Zi Yuan also smiled slightly and followed him into the kitchen. “Let me help.”
Zhou Qin added, “I can help wash the vegetables.”
Ruan Hongling also chimed in, eager to participate. “I’ll help too!”
Zi Yuan turned back from the kitchen doorway and glanced at her, smiling. “What help can you provide? Do you even know how to cook? Go wait in the living room.”
Ruan Hongling was rejected and sulked back onto the living room sofa to continue fiddling with the TV remote. Su Chan, naturally lively, bounced toward the kitchen entrance, but Li Yundong pointed a finger at her as soon as she approached and commanded loudly, “Back! Maintain distance from the kitchen!”
Su Chan immediately pouted high and protested loudly, “Hmph, I won’t make a mess!”
Li Yundong walked to the doorway, pushing her toward the living room with a smile, and settled her onto the sofa. “Sit here obediently, and that will be the best help you can give!”
With that, he entered the kitchen and shut the door with a soft thud.
Su Chan was extremely displeased, her cheeks puffed out. She grabbed a throw pillow from the sofa and squeezed it hard. She couldn’t help but exchange a look with Ruan Hongling, who had also been banished from the kitchen to the other end of the sofa. Both of them simultaneously snorted and turned their heads away from each other, leaning further apart on the couch.
Li Yundong was an excellent cook, Zi Yuan was also skilled in the culinary arts, and although Zhou Qin’s cooking was mediocre, her hands were nimble. The three of them quickly set a table full of dishes.
At the dining table, Li Yundong intended to bring up serious matters, but Zi Yuan kept her head down, eating silently, and Ruan Hongling did the same.
Li Yundong knew this was their custom: Do not speak while eating, and do not speak while resting.
Seeing that Zi Yuan and Ruan Hongling would not speak, Li Yundong remained silent. After they finished the meal in quietude and cleared the table, Li Yundong saw everyone gathered in the living room—some sitting on the sofa, others cross-legged on the rug. He muted the television and began to speak. “It’s like this: Zi Yuan, you asked me a question just now, and I have given it thought. Although I never anticipated becoming the Sect Master of the Fox Zen Sect, now that I have, whether for Su Chan’s sake or my own, I will be a competent master. The Fox Zen Sect has a poor reputation; I hope to turn that around under my leadership.”
Zi Yuan bowed her head slightly, praising him. “Infinite blessings and longevity. True Person Li, this is indeed a great act of benevolence that benefits the cultivation world.”
Li Yundong smiled. “Zi Yuan, don’t be as formal as Zhou Qin. I can’t handle being overly polite.”
Zi Yuan smiled slightly but said nothing.
Li Yundong pondered for a moment. He looked at Zhou Qin, then at Zi Yuan. “Zhou Qin, you are both my friend and my probationary disciple. Zi Yuan, you are both my instructor and my friend. So, I won't hide anything from you. The Fox Zen Sect is currently an empty shell; not only is it empty, but it is also in debt. Even the Daoist temple where the sect is located is rented. It must be returned in a month. If we want to renew the lease, we must commit to five years at once, which requires five million!”
Upon hearing this, Su Chan couldn't help but grab Li Yundong’s arm, exclaiming in shock, “That much money? Where will we get so much?”
Zhou Qin thought quietly for a moment and said, “I can gather five hundred thousand.”
Li Yundong waved his hand. “No, because of my circumstances, your family’s situation is not what it used to be. How can I ask you for money now? The reason I called you here and told you this is twofold: First, because you are my friend and my probationary disciple, one of my closest people…”
Hearing this, Zhou Qin’s heart clenched, a mixture of sourness and sweetness sweeping over her. Her gaze drifted abstractedly, though she heard Li Yundong continue speaking, “…You are widely knowledgeable, and I want to ask you to help me deliberate and offer some advice. Because I intend to do something!”
Su Chan, Zi Yuan, Ruan Hongling, and Zhou Qin in the living room all asked in unison, “What is it?”