Chapter 37: Li Xingtian, You Go!
The courtyard gate was tightly shut.
Zhao Wanqing took a deep breath to steady herself before knocking gently.
"Coming!"
A crisp young woman's voice answered from inside.
Zhao Wanqing straightened her posture just as the door creaked open.
It was Li Yingling again, her eyes filled with suspicion as she scanned the tall, coldly beautiful woman standing outside.
"Who are you looking for?"
"Excuse me," Zhao Wanqing replied politely, "but does Senior Chu Xingchen live here?"
Another woman looking for her master?
Li Yingling's gaze swept over Zhao Wanqing. From the faint fluctuation of her spiritual aura, she guessed their cultivation was around the same level.
Could this be another one of her master's admirers?
She stepped aside with a mild frown. Her master's strength far outclassed both of them anyway—if this visitor was here to cause trouble, there was nothing to worry about.
"Come in," Li Yingling said. "I'll go call Master."
"Thank you," Zhao Wanqing replied, bowing slightly.
Li Yingling gestured toward the stone table and chairs in the courtyard. "Have a seat. I'll fetch him."
"Alright," Zhao Wanqing said, taking the offered seat.
Meanwhile, Li Yingling walked toward her master's room and knocked lightly on the door.
From inside came Chu Xingchen's irritated voice. "What now? Why aren't you asleep?"
"Master, there's another woman asking for you."
"…Another one? When did I start knowing so many women in Yuzhou?"
With a sigh, Chu Xingchen opened the door.
Li Yingling gave him a knowing look and nodded toward the courtyard.
There, under the moonlight, stood a woman with long black hair and a composed, cool expression — though her eyes flickered with nervousness as they met his.
He blinked. Definitely don't know her.
But why did she look so tense?
Wait… could this be some past debt catching up to him?
Chu Xingchen quickly triggered his system's scan.
[Name: Zhao Wanqing]
[Cultivation: Foundation Establishment – Mid Stage]
[Blue Trait: Calm and Steady]
[White Trait: Average Aptitude]
[White Trait: Slight Strategic Insight]
[Temporary Black Trait: Mentally Unstable]
[Does not meet disciple acceptance conditions]
He relaxed instantly. So she wasn't some hidden powerhouse pretending to be weak. Just a mid-stage cultivator with decent composure — harmless enough.
Zhao Wanqing quickly rose to her feet, standing properly.
Before her stood a man far younger than she had imagined — handsome, refined, and utterly unreadable.
No matter how she tried, she couldn't sense his cultivation at all.
Could he really be a Golden Core cultivator? He looked barely older than her!
Was he… from the Central Continent?
"You must be Senior Chu Xingchen?" she asked respectfully.
"And you are?" Chu Xingchen replied evenly.
"I was sent by Senior Yaoqin. She asked me to deliver this to you."
Zhao Wanqing bowed, taking out the letter Yaoqin had written and offering it with both hands.
Chu Xingchen accepted it, visibly relieved.
So she wasn't here to pick a fight.
But Yaoqin recommending someone? That was odd. She knew perfectly well how much he disliked getting dragged into other people's trouble.
Still, he owed her more than a few favors already. Ignoring this one would make him look heartless.
He descended the steps, accepted the envelope, and broke the seal.
Scanning through the contents quickly, he found the message simple and direct.
"Your letter says you're offering spirit stones?" Chu Xingchen raised his head to look at Zhao Wanqing.
"Yes," Zhao Wanqing replied earnestly. "I can pay Senior three hundred spirit stones immediately. If that's not enough, I should be able to gather another hundred within a few days."
"Four hundred spirit stones?" Chu Xingchen arched an eyebrow. "You're not expecting me to see this case through to the end, are you?"
"Three days," Zhao Wanqing said quickly. "I only need your aid for three days. After that, regardless of the result, the full payment will be made."
Chu Xingchen sighed softly. "Fine. For Yaoqin's sake, I'll agree. You want to start the investigation tonight?"
Zhao Wanqing's tense shoulders relaxed. "If it's convenient for Senior, yes — time is of the essence."
That was exactly why she had come even at this late hour.
The culprits weren't mindless beasts that hunted only when hungry — they were ruthless demonic cultivators.
If their goal had been achieved, they would flee Yuzhou without hesitation. Delay by even one night, and all traces might vanish.
Chu Xingchen nodded slightly, then turned toward the side room and called out, "Li Xingtian!"
Inside, Li Xingtian was deep in cultivation when his master's voice snapped him alert. He opened his eyes, rose immediately, and stepped out into the courtyard. "Master, what's the matter?"
Chu Xingchen flicked his wrist, sending the letter toward him, wrapped in a faint veil of spiritual power.
"Read it yourself," he said, yawning. "Tomorrow morning — or better yet, around noon — meet me at my fishing spot. For now, go with her and help with the case tonight."
In truth, Chu Xingchen didn't see the need to go himself. His second disciple's cultivation technique was already strange enough — practically more sinister than what those so-called demonic cultivators practiced.
A Foundation Establishment disciple who could drain a Golden Core cultivator dry? That was the very definition of fighting fire with fire.
If the culprits were just a few low-tier Foundation Establishment renegades, Li Xingtian could handle them — and gain some experience along the way.
Besides, it saved him from wasting his own spirit stones.
And Li Xingtian still carried a defensive talisman strong enough to block a Golden Core strike, along with a few teleportation charms. Even if things went wrong, he'd have no trouble escaping.
Li Xingtian caught the letter neatly, scanned its contents in silence, then nodded. "Understood, Master."
He turned to Zhao Wanqing. "Miss Zhao, do you have a lead?"
Zhao Wanqing hesitated for a moment. She had originally hoped the Golden Core himself would come, but… fine. A late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator wasn't a bad substitute.
He seemed steady, his spiritual aura strong and controlled — stronger than most squad captains she'd worked with.
For tracking clues, he would suffice.
At this point, she had no right to be picky.
"I do," she said, clasping her hands in respect. "Near the crime scene, I found traces of a demonic ritual array. We can start from there."
Li Xingtian nodded. "You lead. Let's move."
As the two prepared to leave, Chu Xingchen called out lazily, "Xingtian — be careful. If anything feels off, use the talisman."
"Don't worry, Master," Li Xingtian replied calmly.
Watching the pair depart, Li Yingling turned to her master with a pout. "Master…"
Chu Xingchen didn't even let her finish. "Go to bed. You're not going. You'll only slow them down."
"What do you mean, slow them down?" she snapped. "I'm the senior disciple! My cultivation's not worse than his!"
Chu Xingchen nearly laughed. "Your cultivation's fine — when I'm around to keep you in line. But if I'm not? You'll be leading the investigation yourself before long, bossing everyone around."
He wasn't wrong.
Li Yingling was obedient only in front of him. The moment he wasn't watching, she became… "independent," as Li Xingtian once politely put it.
Translated plainly: I'll do whatever I want.
Still, Chu Xingchen had long mastered the art of handling his headstrong disciple.
"So," he asked with a smile, "would you rather get a good night's sleep and come fishing with me tomorrow, or run off with them right now?"
Li Yingling froze, then muttered, "…Then I'll sleep first. But Master, you have to take me with you tomorrow!"
Hey readers! If you're eager to dive into advanced chapters, consider joining our Patreon. By joining, you'll get access to 20 chapters ahead and enjoy 8 new chapters per week. Plus, we have 8 more exciting fics with the same chapter release rate, giving you a total of 64 chapters per week! Join now and keep the adventure going!
Patreon: https://patreon.com/Alex_Cruise