Chapter 4
Lou Yuqing nodded, then suddenly seemed to remember something. She tilted her head, curiosity flickering across her face.
"Master... why don't I see any senior brothers or sisters? Didn't you say I was your last disciple?"
"Yes," Zixiao Immortal Venerable replied. "You are my last—and youngest—disciple."
A faint shadow passed through his eyes.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
Even someone as easygoing as Lou Yuqing could tell she had stepped on something she shouldn't have. The absence of those unseen senior brothers and sisters... spoke louder than any explanation.
They were likely gone.
All of them.
She scratched her cheek, then forced a grin, trying to lighten the mood.
"Master, you still have me. I'll take care of you in your old age."
Zixiao looked at her, caught between laughter and exasperation.
"Silly girl. I'm not that old yet. Living another thousand years is hardly a problem."
Lou Yuqing chuckled, unfazed. "Then I'll just have to live even longer than you... so I can still take care of you when you're old."
"...Alright," he said softly. "I'll wait."
Warmth flickered in his gaze—subtle, but unmistakable.
For so long, he had walked this path alone. Quiet peaks, endless cultivation, familiar faces fading one by one into memory. Loneliness had settled in his heart without him even noticing.
And now—
This single, lively girl had filled that silence without asking permission.
As he watched her figure disappear into the distance, his thoughts drifted back to yesterday's events.
Especially... her strange "memory" about Zeng Changfeng stealing his healing pills.
Now that Changfeng no longer had the chance, there was nothing to worry about.
But still—
With his current cultivation, what kind of injury could possibly weaken him so drastically?
Zixiao frowned faintly, then shook his head.
The future was never something one could fully grasp. Better to focus on what lay before him.
The cultivation world had never lacked geniuses—those who awakened innate divine abilities, each one defying common sense.
If his little disciple truly possessed such an ability... then those "memories" might not be memories at all.
They might be something far more dangerous.
Zixiao's expression grew solemn.
Since ancient times, prying into the secrets of heaven came at a cost-usually one's lifespan. And the stronger the person whose fate was glimpsed, the heavier the price.
Even if nothing had happened yet... he would need to prepare.
Longevity pills.
More of them.
At the very least, his little disciple shouldn't burn through her life so easily.
Still, there was one reassuring detail.
Those who could hear her thoughts... couldn't reveal them to outsiders.
He had tried. The words simply wouldn't come out.
But Qingxuzi and Zeng Xuangan were exceptions—they could hear, and they could understand.
Another strange rule.
And the people involved in her "gossip"... couldn't hear her at all.
That, at least, was good news.
No one would come hunting her down out of spite.
Even so, Zixiao narrowed his eyes slightly.
There were still too many unknowns.
If he wanted to protect her... he couldn't leave her side.
But that would draw attention.
Too much attention.
...Unless.
A thought flashed through his mind.
Without hesitation, he reached into his storage ring and retrieved something long forgotten—an avatar.
Its features resembled his own, though not enough for immediate recognition unless one looked closely.
Zixiao studied it for a moment, then nodded to himself.
"A distant relative... that should be fine."
He paused.
"And as for the name..."
His gaze deepened.
"...Gu Buqi."
The name had not been spoken in years.
But his pursuit of immortality had never changed.
Forming hand seals, Zixiao began refining the avatar.
Spiritual energy surged.
Three days. Three nights.
The process would not stop.
And at its core—
A sliver of his divine soul would be split and infused into it.
If it failed...
The backlash would not be light.
...
Meanwhile, Lou Yuqing sat cross-legged in her cave, staring at the translucent panel floating before her.
Last night, she had exhausted herself guiding qi into her body, then promptly collapsed into sleep without even checking it properly.
Now—
She finally had time.
"...One hundred thousand?!"
Lou Yuqing sucked in a breath.
She stared at it for a long time.
Then decisively looked away.
Can't afford it. Absolutely cannot afford it.
That was the most expensive "gossip" she had ever seen.
"Besides Master... there's no one else here?" she muttered, glancing around.
The entire Cangtian Peak felt... empty.
Too empty.
Had Master really cleared everyone out because of Tang Xueyao?
...She had, unknowingly, guessed correctly.
Normally, sect disciples were divided between outer and inner sects. Only personal disciples could reside on the peaks.
Others might become nominal disciples—handling chores and errands in exchange for opportunities.
Competition for such positions was fierce.
But Zixiao, being a man of few words, had only ever kept a handful.
And now—
All of them had been dismissed.
Within a hundred-mile radius of Cangtian Peak... there were only two people left.
Master.
And disciple.
Lou Yuqing lowered her gaze to the panel again.
That glaring 0 practically burned her eyes.
"...System," she said slowly, "how do I earn Gossip Points?"
The panel flickered.
Lou Yuqing's eyes lit up.
Gossip?
She liked that.
Very much.
The sect definitely had a lot of it.
And the best place to find it—
Her lips curved.
Got it.
Three days later, inside a room within the Enforcement Hall—
A sharp gaze swept over them.
"Let me introduce myself," the man said coldly. "Wei Houming. Captain of the fifth team. From now on, you will address me as Captain Wei."
"Yes, Captain Wei," Lou Yuqing and the other newcomer replied in unison.
Wei Houming stood straight as a blade, his expression rigid. Behind him stood a female disciple with an equally serious demeanor.
Lou Yuqing thought to herself—
As expected of the Enforcement Hall.
Strict. Intimidating. Absolutely no room for slacking.
Back when she first entered the sect, Qingxuzi had personally explained:
"All matters, big or small, are handled by the Enforcement Hall."
At the time, she had mentally labeled it: Prime gossip territory.
Now, having learned how to earn points...
She had come straight here.
Her memory drifted briefly to three days ago—when she had gone to her master, asking to observe proceedings.
He had refused.
For three full days.
Until today—
When his cave finally opened again.
This time, he agreed immediately.
And even brought along a "distant relative."
"Take care of each other," he had said.
And just like that—
She and this silent, expressionless man named Gu Buqi had been bundled together and sent here.
Lou Yuqing glanced at him.
He looked... cold.
Unapproachable.
She had no idea—
Inside, Gu Buqi was quietly suffering.
Something had gone wrong during the avatar's refinement.
His face... couldn't move.
Originally, he had planned to act gentle. Approachable. Warm.
Now?
He could only hope his disciple didn't think he was a walking corpse.
Wei Houming spoke again, his tone clipped.
"Xiao Si. They're yours."
"Yes, Captain."
"The Enforcement Hall uses collective punishment. If they make a mistake, you'll be implicated."
"Understood."
"Teach them the rules."
With that, he turned and left.
The moment he stepped out—
"Finally gone!"
Lou Yuqing froze.
...Did she just hear that out loud?
She turned—
Only to see the previously stern female disciple collapse into a chair, completely relaxed.
"Sit, sit," the woman waved lazily. "Don't look so shocked. Captain Wei forced that act."
"...Why?" Lou Yuqing asked, genuinely curious.
"He's old-fashioned," she said, waving a hand. "Truth is, this observation section is basically a vacation spot. Just don't get caught slacking in front of him."
Lou Yuqing nodded earnestly.
Valuable workplace survival tips.
She would remember this.
"What are your names?" the woman asked.
"Lou Yuqing."
"Gu Buqi."
"Mm. My surname is Si. Call me Senior Sister Si."
She paused.
Something felt... off.
Lou Yuqing hesitated. "Senior Sister... what's your full name?"
The woman pointed at herself.
Then, after a beat, gritted her teeth and said—
"Your father."
"...?"
"...?"
Lou Yuqing slowly turned to Gu Buqi.
"Did she just insult me?"
"...Yes," he replied, expressionless.
This place was dangerous. Extremely dangerous.
"It's a misunderstanding!" the woman protested. "My name is Si Nidie! It just sounds like that!"
(Note: Si Nidie's name is a Chinese wordplay. It sounds similar to "shì nǐ diē" (是你爹), which means "I am your father." So when she introduces herself, it accidentally sounds like she's insulting someone—hence the misunderstanding ??)
"...Oh."
Lou Yuqing processed this.
Then nodded seriously.
"...Senior Sister Ni."
"Much better!" Si Nidie beamed.
From there, things moved quickly.
Rules were explained.
Roles clarified.
And before long—
Lou Yuqing found herself sitting beside her new senior sister, both of them hunched over jade slips like two gossip-starved vultures.
Gu Buqi sat nearby.
Silently.
Forgotten.
"...This is fine," he told himself.
At least she was happy.
The system chimed again and again.
Lou Yuqing's eyes sparkled.
But—
After everything—
After going through every jade slip, Lou Yuqing's gossip value finally crawled into three digits.
She stared at the number.
Three digits.
...And yet, somehow, it still felt pitiful.
With just this much, even finding a slightly substantial piece of gossip would be difficult—let alone anything truly explosive.
Her brows knitted together. "Senior Sister Ni..."
Si Nidie didn't even need her to finish.
"I know what you want to ask," she said, leaning back like someone who had seen it all. "But big cases? Those don't happen often. And when they do..." Her lips curled into a knowing smile. "They're always earth-shaking."
She waved a hand lazily. "Just be patient. Sooner or later, something huge will come up."
Lou Yuqing sighed, her shoulders drooping. "...Alright."
Seeing her like that, Si Nidie rubbed her chin, eyes narrowing as if struck by inspiration.
"How about this," she said, leaning closer. "I'll tell you something big that happened recently. I don't share this with just anyone—only people I'm close to. It's very exciting."
Lou Yuqing's eyes lit up instantly, all traces of disappointment vanishing.
"Really?"
Si Nidie didn't keep her in suspense.
"Do you know our sect's Immortal Venerable Zixiao?" she blurted.
Lou Yuqing's expression froze.
...Ah.
That.
Beside her, Gu Buqi sat perfectly still.
"..." he thought.
Why is it always me?
Si Nidie, oblivious to the undercurrents, grew more animated with every word.
"Who would've thought? A dignified Immortal Venerable—actually cheated on by his Daoist partner! In a fit of rage, he cut ties on the spot and sent the adulterer flying!"
Her eyes sparkled as if she'd witnessed the whole scene herself.
Lou Yuqing's toes curled tightly inside her shoes.
If she kept this up, she might just dig a castle straight into the ground.
"Boom!" Si Nidie clapped her hands dramatically. "The adulterer crashed into four mountains in one go! But he still crawled out of the rubble, shouting—'Zixiao! Xueyao and I are true love!'"
Lou Yuqing: ...
Gu Buqi: ...
This was getting worse.
Far worse.
Si Nidie pressed on, fully immersed in her own version of events.
"The Immortal Venerable didn't even bother with him. Just waved a hand—casually—and sent him flying again. Then he said, 'Since you two can't forget your past love, I'll grant your wish!'"
She clasped her hands to her chest, visibly moved.
"And then—he didn't even kill him! He chose to let him go!" Her voice trembled with emotion. "He's just... too kind. How can someone like that even exist? I'm about to cry..."
The Immortal Venerable himself—currently sitting right there in the form of Gu Buqi—
"..."
felt a sudden, inexplicable urge to make things worse out of spite.
Somewhere far away, atop Xuantian Peak—
Qingxuzi sneezed.
Hard.
"Sect Master, what's wrong?" Meng Zonghan, the Hall Master of the Enforcement Hall, asked, pausing mid-report.
Qingxuzi waved him off. "It's nothing. Continue."
Meng Zonghan nodded and resumed, his tone turning more serious.
"This matter concerns Uncle Zixiao. Rumors about his Daoist partner have spread throughout the sect. Some of them are... quite outrageous. There are even claims that he's suffering from unrequited love. It's already affecting his reputation."
He paused, then asked, "Should we intervene?"
Qingxuzi shook his head without hesitation.
"No need. Give it time. People will lose interest soon enough." He folded his hands behind his back. "If we step in now, it'll only provoke backlash. Just monitor things closely—don't let anyone slander Uncle Zixiao beyond reason."
"Understood."
Meng Zonghan hesitated, then added, "There's another matter regarding Uncle Zixiao. I heard he recently accepted a disciple."
Qingxuzi blinked in surprise.
"You? Knowing this?" He eyed him suspiciously. "Did Junior Brother Zeng tell you? Right now, everyone's too busy gossiping about Uncle's love life—barely anyone even knows he took a disciple."
Meng Zonghan chuckled. "That old Zeng Xuangan is still busy reorganizing his family. He hasn't returned yet."
He paused, smile deepening slightly.
"I know... because Uncle personally came to the Enforcement Hall."
Qingxuzi's brows lifted. "Oh?"
In his impression, Zixiao Immortal Venerable had never been one to involve himself in sect affairs.
Could it be—
Was Uncle suddenly interested in taking over the Enforcement Hall?
Junior Brother Meng had served steadily for years, with neither fault nor excess merit. If he were to be replaced now...
Wouldn't that be a blow?
Should he... smooth things over in advance?
Before Qingxuzi could spiral any further into speculation, Meng Zonghan cut him off.
"Uncle came for his closed-door disciple," he said plainly. "He didn't take interest in becoming an Enforcement Elder. Instead, he requested two auditing slots."
"...Two?" Qingxuzi frowned.
That didn't add up.
Uncle had only taken one disciple—Yuqing.
Meng Zonghan's smile turned faintly mysterious.
"Do you know who the other slot is for?"
Qingxuzi's patience snapped.
"Just say it already! Stop speaking in riddles!" His beard bristled as he glared.
Meng Zonghan enunciated each word carefully.
"The name... is Gu Buqi."
Qingxuzi froze.
Completely.
"...?!"
That—
Was his Martial Uncle's name.