Liu Xingzhi looked at the two people in front of him.
The blush on Xu Luoshui's face hadn't faded yet, and Xiao Wenchuan looked uneasy.
He and the latter were close. How close? They had once explored a secret realm together, an experience that forged unshakable trust. That kind of bond wasn't something ordinary.
But right now, Xiao Wenchuan felt off. And Xu Luoshui's lingering flush made him suspicious. Had something happened between the two of them?
Xiao Wenchuan noticed Liu Xingzhi's probing gaze and quickly broke the silence.
"What brings you here?" he asked, his tone casual, though he felt oddly like someone caught doing something wrong—even though he hadn't done anything.
"Oh," Liu Xingzhi said, still watching them both, "my cousin from the outer sect knows Junior Sister Luoshui's cousin. I happened to be running errands nearby, so I stopped by to pass along a message."
"How's my cousin doing, Senior Brother?" Xu Luoshui asked.
"He's doing fine. Once I realized who he was, I even paid him a visit. He told me to tell you not to worry about him. Just focus all your energy on cultivation. He said you don't need to visit him. He doesn't want to distract you."
"Cousin..." Xu Luoshui's eyes turned slightly red.
"He's right," he added. "The stronger your cultivation, the more you can help him in the future."
Xiao Wenchuan knew about her cousin's situation. He used to think the guy was just a useless nobody, but apparently, their bond ran deeper than he'd assumed.
Then he looked at his 'friend.' 'This guy might be a competitor from now on.'
"Don't be too upset, Junior Sister Luoshui," Liu Xingzhi said with a light tone. "I had a good chat with Fellow Daoist Cheng. I even brought him some spiritual fish to help replenish his essence, and arranged for a few outer sect disciples from my family to help take care of him."
"Thank you, Senior Brother Liu. I'll remember your kindness," Xu Luoshui said 'sincerely.'
"Come on, we're fellow disciples. No need to say things like that. It was just a small gesture."
As the three chatted, each with their own thoughts, something else was going on elsewhere.
******
In the cave residence of Wan Chunyou, one of the top ten inner disciples, a group of female cultivators were deep in conversation.
At the head sat Nie Xiuyun, Wan Chunyou's Dao Companion.
"All those rumors people are spreading outside are nonsense. Junior Sister Luoshui is thoughtful and gentle. How could she be like what they're saying?"
"Senior Sister Xiuyun, those stories in the inner sect are detailed. Too detailed to ignore."
"I know. I've also heard rumors involving Chunyou. Don't you think I know what's true and what's not?"
"Senior Sister, please, don't be fooled by that perfume or those little favors she's giving. Don't let it cloud your judgment."
"Exactly! Have you seen how the inner sect men look at Xu Luoshui? Like they're ready to eat her alive."
"You're all just jealous," Nie Xiuyun said calmly. "Alright, I'll tell you the truth. Chunyou went into closed-door cultivation to break through to Foundation Establishment before Junior Sister Luoshui even entered the inner sect."
"Ah… I see."
"So now you understand. Someone's clearly trying to stir things up. Maybe they have other motives. It's fine to watch the drama, but don't believe everything you hear. Who knows? Junior Sister might end up as our sect leader someday."
The group of sisters all fell silent, lost in thought.
After a moment, the one who had sounded the most jealous earlier spoke again.
"Setting everything else aside, Junior Sister Luoshui really is talented. That perfume of hers smells amazing. So much better than our usual floral baths."
"Yeah! And it lasts all day. It's refreshing too. Really good stuff."
"Senior Sister, if you get the chance, could you ask her if she has more of it? I'd love to buy a few bottles for daily use."
"Me too, me too!"
Nie Xiuyun looked at the girls she had grown up with in the inner sect. Their change in attitude gave her a bit of comfort.
These junior sisters might all find dao companions in the future. And because of their connection to her, those men would naturally align themselves with her circle.
This little sisterhood she was building might one day hold real influence in the sect.
For her friends, it meant mutual support. But for her—and for Wan Chunyou—it could become a real advantage.
She was more than happy to see them come around so quickly. After all, no one liked being surrounded by people who were foolish, arrogant, and blind.
"You've finally come to your senses," she said. "Give it a few days. I'll ask her for you."
******
Similar scenes were happening across various female cultivators' cave residences.
Women were naturally drawn to beauty. Their love for it was instinctive, and their pursuit of it, unquestioned. When it came to new things that could enhance their charm, their obsession was almost fanatical.
It didn't take long before the perfumes spread throughout the inner sect.
They came in different scents, lasted an entire day, didn't consume spiritual power, and felt like the fragrance came from their own bodies.
Passing through a crowd, trailing a light, alluring scent, one could clearly feel the stares and hear the whispers from male cultivators behind them.
"So fragrant."
"Smells amazing."
These perfumes provided the female disciples with a lot of emotional value.
Even Yu Dazhi caught a whiff of that refreshing scent on a senior sister and found himself slightly intoxicated by it.
During a brief conversation, he learned it was a gift from Xu Luoshui. Thinking of her made him realize just how badly he had miscalculated.
His previous little schemes had failed. He hadn't ruined her reputation. He hadn't exposed Xiao Wenchuan's fake gentleman act either. Instead, more and more people started to distance themselves from him.
Now, he found himself almost fixated on that girl. Especially after hearing she had reached the second layer of Qi Refining in just a month.
He was also a single spiritual root cultivator. He knew very well how terrifying that speed was. Whatever pride he had from being brought up in Lingyun Market, he had to let go of it.
He needed to find a way to reconnect with Xu Luoshui. At this point, whoever became her dao companion might very well be the next sect leader, or at least the one after.
Just yesterday, he heard from his uncle that even several Foundation Establishment cultivators were starting to feel anxious.
If Xu Luoshui kept progressing at this rate, by the time Dong Wanhua stepped down as sect leader, she could already be in Foundation Establishment, and a prime candidate to take over.
Those older cultivators were paying close attention to her now. The reason no one had made a move yet, whether to offer benefits or try to become her Dao Companion, was because they were still waiting.
They wanted to see how long it would take her to reach the sixth layer of Qi Refining realm. The first three levels were usually fast. But that didn't mean she'd stay fast all the way.
No one wanted to jump too early and become a joke. Those Foundation cultivators had pride to protect.
But today, after hearing about the perfume, he had a new idea. Could he use that to build a connection with Xu Luoshui again?
From their past interactions, he vaguely remembered that she seemed to crave spirit stones. When he gave her gifts, she'd clearly be happy if they were spirit stones. If it was something she didn't recognize or know the value of, she would just politely thank him.
Back then, he even mocked her in his mind, thinking that even after joining the inner sect and becoming the sole disciple of Ancestor Haoyu, she still had the mentality of a lowly spiritual rice farmer.
But now, he saw that as a strength. He could absolutely use spirit stones to test the waters.
From what he'd heard from the girls who received the perfumes, and from those ordinary male disciples who could only admire her from afar, Xu Luoshui now seemed... perfect.
Perfect in every way.
But Yu Dazhi had been raised to believe that no one in this world was perfect.
Maybe her love for spirit stones was her weakness. If he could confirm that, then he might actually have a real chance to win her over.
Once the thought formed, he didn't hesitate. He turned and headed toward his uncle's residence.
He needed a large amount of spirit stones. A very large amount. He had to discuss it with him.
******
Meanwhile, Xu Luoshui had just seen off the two senior brothers. She raised the formation around her residence, then slowly took off her robes and walked toward a open-air spiritual spring built into the cliffside of her cave.
This part of the mountain faced away from everything, protected by an array. She didn't worry about being seen. Even if someone did see her, so what?
She didn't care.
Soaking in the spiritual spring, she let her body relax, washing away the exhaustion from half a day of subtle mind games and careful social moves.
She went over everything she had said, reviewing for any possible missteps. She thought about the expressions on their faces.
Next, she planned to find a way to gather more spirit stones. If she could, she wanted to use the next six months to push her cultivation to the fourth layer of Qi Refining.
Many people had started approaching her lately, but she still hadn't seen the ones she was really waiting for.
Those Foundation Establishment cultivators—the ones who held real power in the sect.
But the question was, where would she get that many spirit stones?
It had taken 3,000 just to reach the second level. For the fourth, she might need 7,000 or even 8,000.
Just thinking about the number made her head hurt.
'Maybe I should raise the stakes a bit more? Or... should I find a senior brother and give him a little taste of something first?'