Xie Zhaolin sat for a moment, thinking, then decided to start from the basics.
First, she needed to really understand the situation at Qingxi Sect.
Not through the lens of her previous experience as the chief disciple of Hehuan Sect, but from the perspective of a brand-new disciple. She had to completely discard the habitual thinking patterns she'd developed in her past life.
As she made a checklist, she realized there were far more adjustments to make than she'd expected.
For example, she'd planned to show off her Qi Refining stage eight power in the Grand Competition, but now, that would probably attract the sect leader's attention immediately.
As for the trouble with Wei Qingwu, that needed reconsideration too. She had originally thought of crushing her in the competition, but now it was clear that wouldn't work. She needed to gather intelligence again. Not some secret high-level intrigues, but the basics every ordinary disciple knew.
"Mo Yan." she called softly.
The stone door opened silently, and Mo Yan stepped in respectfully. "What are your orders, Master?"
"I need you to gather some intelligence again," Xie Zhaolin said, handing him a blank jade slip. "Specifically, the daily training routines of the disciples on each peak."
Mo Yan took it, nodding. "Understood. You want the most basic cultivation info?"
"Exactly," she nodded. "The more detailed, the better. How many hours they train each day, what techniques they use most, and even… how they interact with others."
A gleam of understanding appeared in Mo Yan's eyes. "I'll get right on it."
Xie Zhaolin suddenly remembered something. "Wait."
Mo Yan stopped immediately, turning respectfully. "What else do you require, Master?"
"The two gate disciples on duty yesterday." Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Handle them, make their memories of yesterday a bit fuzzy."
Mo Yan thought for a moment. "Understood."
Xie Zhaolin nodded in satisfaction. "Make it natural. Let them only remember me entering the sect with you, nothing else."
"Rest assured, Master." Mo Yan's confidence was evident. "I'll make them think they were just too tired on duty and misremembered. Even if Wei Qingwu checks, she'll only get vague answers."
After Mo Yan bowed and left, Xie Zhaolin settled back into meditation, adjusting her aura. She suppressed the fluctuations of her spiritual power even further, even slowing her breathing to match that of a true Qi Refining stage six disciple.
In a way, she had Wei Qingwu to thank. If it hadn't been for that commotion, she probably wouldn't have realized her biggest weakness wasn't insufficient power, but being too "experienced." Her aura gradually calmed, her expression softened, and even her eyes lost some of their sharpness, gaining the innocent freshness of a disciple her age.
"This should do it." She whispered to herself, a faint, perfectly measured sixteen-year-old smile tugging at her lips.
Meanwhile, in a quiet chamber at Alchemy Peak, Wei Qingwu was gnashing her teeth and smashing things.
"That bitch!" she yelled, slamming a jade bottle onto the ground. "Just a newly admitted disciple, and she dares to be this arrogant!"
A follower cautiously spoke up, "Senior Sister, calm down. That Xie Zhaolin has Elder Mo backing her, we…"
"Shut up!" Wei Qingwu snapped. "Elder Mo Xun is just an outer sect elder, and she dares go against us Alchemy Peak?"
A glint of malice appeared in her eyes. "Go, find out everything about Xie Zhaolin. I want to see what she's really capable of!"
The two followers exchanged glances and hurriedly left. But Wei Qingwu didn't calm down. She paced the room, more and more unsettled. "I have to personally ask those two gate disciples!"
At the sect's main gate, the two gate disciples were rubbing their temples, looking confused.
Wei Qingwu stormed over, her voice sharp. "You two! Do you remember clearly the new disciple Elder Mo Xun brought in yesterday?"
The two disciples flinched, stammering.
"Senior Sister Wei… well…"
"We don't remember clearly…"
Wei Qingwu's eyes flashed with anger. "Useless! You can't even remember one person!" She stepped closer, voice sharper. "Then you at least remember her cultivation, right?"
They looked at each other. One hesitated, "I think… Qi Refining stage six?"
The other shook his head, "No, no, I remember stage five…"
By the time they were done, they were both confused.
Wei Qingwu turned pale with rage. "Are you both pigs?! You can't even remember this!"
The two disciples shivered. One gathered courage. "Senior Sister Wei… we… we were on duty until midnight, it's just that…"
"Shut up!" she snapped, voice piercing. She lifted her hand, but stopped just before striking.
She couldn't act out… she bit her lip hard, tasting blood, knowing that if she lost control here, it would only make things harder. She took a deep breath, forcing down all her anger.
Thinking back to earlier when she saw Xie Zhaolin—her spiritual fluctuations were only around Qi Refining stage six, just like the gate disciples said. If Xie Zhaolin really had reached Qi Refining Grand Perfection, how could she willingly become a disciple under an outer sect elder?
The thought calmed her slightly. She turned to leave, but suddenly stopped, glaring at the gate disciples.
"You two, remember this! If anyone asks, say Xie Zhaolin strutted in yesterday, arrogant and condescending! Got it?"
They nodded frantically. "Yes, yes, Senior Sister Wei!"
Only then did Wei Qingwu leave, already planning her next move.
Mo Yan, hidden in the shadows, watched her storm off, a flicker of relief in his eyes. Luckily, he'd arrived at the gate first, or today might've gone wrong. He quickly flew to Liu Feng's residence. When he pushed open the door, Liu Feng was slumped on the floor, pale as paper, still recovering from the previous punishment.
"Master… any orders?" Liu Feng struggled to stand and salute.
Mo Yan swept a cold glance over him. "Stand and speak. Master wants to know the most basic cultivation info in the sect. You three have been around here for years, so you should know best."
Liu Feng didn't dare hide anything. He quickly pulled a jade slip from his chest and handed it to Mo Yan. He then went straight to Chen Xingmo and Lin Ziye, collecting plenty of information from them as well.
In less than an hour, Mo Yan had gathered all the information Xie Zhaolin needed. He hurried back to the cultivation chamber, offering the glowing jade slips with both hands.
Xie Zhaolin took them, scanning the contents with her divine sense. As the information flowed in, her furrowed brow gradually relaxed, and a gleam of understanding appeared in her eyes.