"By the way, Master," Mo Yan said, as if he'd just remembered something, a cold glint in his eyes, "I've already punished those three blind fools using the power of the contract. They're probably rolling around in pain right now."
He hesitated, carefully watching Xie Zhaolin's expression. "I think… this happened because I failed to handle them properly. Maybe I should go and teach them a proper lesson?"
Xie Zhaolin lightly rubbed the jade token at her waist, giving him a faint, almost teasing smile. "You really know how to take responsibility."
Mo Yan's tone became even more respectful. "I wouldn't dare. But since these three fools dared to spout nonsense outside, if they're not strictly disciplined, they might bring you more trouble in the future."
She nodded slightly. "Go tell them to keep an eye on Wei Qingwu. Since they have some connection, we can use that to our advantage."
Mo Yan immediately acknowledged, and Xie Zhaolin continued, "Make sure they act carefully. If there's a next time…"
Before she could finish, Mo Yan understood perfectly. "I get it. If they slip up, I'll personally deal with them."
Xie Zhaolin nodded in satisfaction and turned toward the cultivation chamber, Mo Yan hurrying to follow while setting up protective seals at the door. Inside the chamber, she said calmly, "Go bring Liu Feng here."
Mo Yan obeyed and left.
Soon, Liu Feng stumbled in, still showing the lingering pain on his face.
"Master, Master…" he fell to his knees with a thud, his voice trembling.
Xie Zhaolin looked down at him from above. "I heard you all said things you shouldn't outside?"
Liu Feng's forehead hit the floor heavily. "No! That's not true! We didn't say anything! It was that bitch Wei Qingwu eavesdropping—"
He didn't finish before Xie Zhaolin's lips curved in a faint, teasing smirk. "Interesting. I haven't even mentioned Wei Qingwu, and you already brought her up?"
His body froze, all color drained from his face. He realized he'd slipped up, his forehead pounding against the stone, lips trembling uncontrollably under the slave contract's power.
"We… we heard some movement outside the cave…" His voice grew softer, forced to continue. "We knew it might be Wei Qingwu eavesdropping. But… but we were in so much pain, our minds weren't clear, and we complained a little…"
Xie Zhaolin raised a hand slightly, and the contract's power tightened abruptly. "Oh? What exactly did you say?"
Liu Feng curled up in pain, yet had no choice but to admit: "We said that the new Xie Senior Sister is ruthless… and… and that Elder Mo favors certain disciples…"
Mo Yan's face darkened instantly, about to erupt, but Xie Zhaolin let out a cold laugh. "Looks like some people haven't learned their lesson from yesterday."
Before the words left her lips, Liu Feng suddenly spat blood from all seven orifices. The agony of his Primordial Soul being burned made him curl into a ball, rolling desperately on the floor.
"Remember—"
Xie Zhaolin looked down on the writhing Liu Feng, her voice cold, "if there's a next time, the pain waiting for you won't stop here."
Liu Feng kowtowed frantically, his forehead bleeding as he hit the stone floor repeatedly. "I won't dare again! Please, Master, spare me!"
"Enough." Xie Zhaolin frowned in disgust. "Now, tell me, who exactly is this Wei Qingwu?"
Liu Feng gritted his teeth against the contract's pain and stammered, "Master… Wei Qingwu is Elder Wei's—Alchemy Peak Master Wei's—own niece. But because her talent is poor, officially she can only be a registered disciple…"
"Get to the point," Xie Zhaolin said impatiently.
"Yes! Yes!" Liu Feng broke into a cold sweat from the pain. "Although she's officially a registered disciple, she actually receives the inner disciple's share of resources. She's now Qi Refining stage six and has been running rampant in the outer sect."
Xie Zhaolin pondered. "So why is she so obsessed with entering the inner sect?"
Liu Feng swallowed hard. "Because… because she's been secretly getting those resources through Elder Wei. If she enters the inner sect, she can receive them openly."
Mo Yan added, "Master, outer sect disciples can only enter the inner sect through the Outer Sect Grand Competition held once every three years. Only the top ten make it."
Xie Zhaolin's eyes flickered with understanding. "And Wei Qingwu's current ranking is?"
"Exactly tenth," Liu Feng said cautiously. "But Master, with your strength…"
Xie Zhaolin sneered. "So her targeting me today… it's because she's afraid I'll take her spot?"
Liu Feng nodded frantically. "Exactly. She prepared for this Grand Competition for a long time, and had Elder Wei secretly give her pills to boost her cultivation. Not to mention you're here, holding Elder Mo Xun's direct disciple status…"
He paused, then continued. "Even though Elder Mo is an outer sect elder, a direct disciple's weight is still far above her official status…"
Xie Zhaolin's eyes glinted with sarcasm. "I see."
She paused, then asked, "Who does Wei Qingwu usually associate with closely?"
Liu Feng hesitated, but under the contract's compulsion, he had to answer. "She… she often curries favor with Elder Liu to get pills to boost cultivation, has dealings with the three of us, and… has some connections with Inner Sect Law Enforcement Hall Senior Brother Zhao."
"Senior Brother Zhao?" Xie Zhaolin raised an eyebrow.
"Zhao Ming, Inner Sect Law Enforcement Hall disciple, early Foundation Establishment stage," Mo Yan immediately explained. "He's the grandson of Law Enforcement Hall Elder Zhao, very vindictive."
Xie Zhaolin nodded thoughtfully. "Seems Wei Qingwu really knows how to scheme."
She looked at Liu Feng. "Go tell Chen Xingmo and Lin Ziye to keep a close eye on every move Wei Qingwu makes, especially anything involving Zhao Ming."
Liu Feng nodded furiously.
"Alright," Xie Zhaolin waved her hand. "You're dismissed."
Liu Feng scrambled out like he'd been pardoned, not daring to glance back. Mo Yan followed, quickly setting up several anti-spying seals on the way out.
Once the stone door was fully closed, Xie Zhaolin sat alone in the center of the chamber, rubbing her brow impatiently. It wasn't until this morning she realized she'd fallen into the trap of habitual thinking without noticing.
In her previous life at the Hehuan Sect, she'd seen so many genius disciples that she unconsciously thought a Qi Refining Grand Perfection stage at this age wasn't impressive, not to mention she was only a step from late Foundation Establishment now.
But here at Qingxi Sect, a second-rate sect, ordinary disciples at this age reaching Qi Refining stage four or five was already decent. Stage six made one truly exceptional.
Luckily, she had quickly realized this after leaving, suppressing her cultivation from Grand Perfection to stage six. Even so, she'd still attracted unnecessary trouble. Xie Zhaolin couldn't help but reflect—did her other judgments also have similar cognitive bias?
Her estimates of Elder Liu's private stockpile, the internal factions' strength… these could all be misjudged due to habitual thinking.
"Looks like it's time to rethink the plan," she muttered to herself.