66 Chapter 66

I'm short of money.

"No." The old woman looked up at her. "No one from the Qingzong Sect has come."

"I...I didn't ask that." Pei Xueyan looked around the courtyard and asked, "Where's Senior Sister? I don't see her. Did she go out?"

"Let's go down the mountain and make money through martial arts competitions."

Pei Xueyan seemed to have misheard, and asked in shock, "...Grandma, is our estate short of money?"

Zhuangzi was probably not so poor that he needed his senior sister to personally go down the mountain to compete in martial arts to earn money.

Grandma Jiang sighed, "Master Ye has been away for the past few years, and our income has been decreasing while our expenses haven't decreased at all. Your senior sister is a cautious person, and she's worried about this, so she thought she'd make more trips herself to save as much as she could."

After hearing this, Pei Xueyan stomped her foot hard, slapped her forehead in frustration, and muttered to herself, "Oh dear, what a mistake! Why did I have to be so strong and indifferent when we broke up? If I had known that things were going to be so difficult in the manor, I should have settled things properly with him and cut off some of the assets! The Qingzong Sect is so rich, and he has so much money too."

She is the owner of Yishui Villa.

She's not my senior.

If it were truly a matter of performing in public, it should be her, not her senior sister.

Over the years since her master founded the sect, she has become renowned throughout the martial arts world. Whether it's a good reputation or a bad one, she is a figure of great renown.

Although the martial arts world now tacitly agrees that the position of sect leader belongs to Pei Xueyan, after all, Ye Xiuluo passed on his life's cultivation to her.

Few people know that the so-called "transfer of power" was nothing more than transferring a body full of deadly poison to her.

It seems that the manor lord whom Master truly favors is still Senior Sister.

She only stayed one night in the manor, but it was a peaceful and restful sleep she hadn't had in a long time.

No matter how luxurious a place is, it's never as comfortable and peaceful as your own "doghouse".

I woke up around noon, quickly ate lunch, and set off immediately.

Before leaving, her mother-in-law repeatedly instructed her to return as soon as possible after finding her senior sister.

Yes, their master is no longer here. If these two disciples were to separate, would Yishui Manor still be considered a home?

The communication signal from Yishui Villa is neither dazzling fireworks nor fluttering wings.

It is the "Water Ripple Whistle" created by the master himself.

The whistle is carved from cold jade. When blown, the sound can travel for miles and spread out as fine water ripples.

Anyone in the village who has mastered the "Water Listening Technique" can identify it.

She blew the whistle several times, but there was still no response.

With the vastness of the Nine Provinces and the boundless expanse of the Four Seas, where should one inquire about the bounty information for the cultivation competition?

What she hated most in her life was this kind of "assessment".

My senior sister is really good at enduring hardship for money.

Pei Xueyan searched for seven or eight days, but still had no clue and had not found out any useful information.

Left with no other choice, she gritted her teeth, took off the only remaining hairpin in her hair and pawned it, then sought out a Taoist master to inquire about her senior sister's whereabouts.

Unexpectedly, this immortal master recognized her. She had been quite the star at the Immortal Sect Assembly, so it was normal for her to be recognized.

The little immortal master doesn't accept a single penny.

Pei Xueyan was naturally delighted. She already had very few hairpins and ornaments, so saving this expense was a good thing.

As soon as they sat down, the young immortal master spoke up: "Master Pei, I haven't seen your senior sister, but Phoenix City is currently holding a cultivation and internal strength competition, and there are hefty rewards for the top three. I can ask her if your senior sister is there for you."

Phoenix?

Why would she go to such a mysterious place?

I thought the other party would beat around the bush or take the opportunity to make some demands, but I never expected them to be so straightforward.

Pei Xueyan was overjoyed and immediately got up to take her leave.

The young immortal master quickly called out to her, "Master Pei, please sit down and wait a moment. I will send a message to find out the truth."

After saying that, he put his index and middle fingers together, and a faint spiritual power swirled around his fingertips as he focused his mind and transmitted his voice.

"Little Illusion Officer, quickly investigate if there is a woman named Zhou Wenjian? She is a disciple of Ye Xiuluo and also the senior sister of the wife of Jiang, the head of the Qingzong Sect."

This series of names was truly deliberate, and Xiao Huanguan immediately began to investigate.

A moment later, the voice replied, "Present."

Upon hearing this, Pei Xueyan got up to leave.

The little fairy master quickly stood up and looked at her with a smile.

Pei Xueyan: "Hey, hey, you promised it wouldn't cost any money, you can't go back on your word."

“Of course I won’t renege on my promise.” He took a step closer and said with a fawning expression, “Master Pei, I actually want to join the Qing Sect. Don’t worry, I will not make things difficult for you. You only need to write a letter of recommendation yourself.”

Pei Xueyan had wanted to explain earlier that she was not the wife of the Qingzong Sect's leader. But in the current situation, it seemed that she was in a dilemma whether to speak or not.

If I told him, would he let me leave so easily?

She was good at lying, but if she didn't tell Jiang Qiye, it would seem like she was just being presumptuous.

Seeing him fetch pen and ink, Pei Xueyan had no choice but to pretend to write:

"Now there is a celestial master who wishes to join the Qing Sect. His heart is sincere and his ambition is commendable. We hope that the sect will consider accepting him."

She neither explicitly stated that she was the sect leader's wife nor directly denied it, leaving only ambiguity to deal with the situation for the time being.

She didn't sign her name clearly, but just drew a few strokes as a mark.

When the young immortal master saw that she had finished writing, he quickly stepped forward and took the letter, as if he had already obtained the initiation letter of the Qing Sect.

He carefully folded the letter, tucked it close to his body, and said with great joy, "Thank you, Master Pei! Rest assured, if there is any need for your help in the future, I will answer all your questions without reservation."

After saying that, he hurriedly led Pei Xueyan to the competition venue in Phoenix City.

Her swordsmanship became increasingly skillful, and before long, the outline of Phoenix City gradually became clear in the clouds.

Nestled against snow-capped mountains and overlooking the desert, the city was filled with the cheers and exclamations of onlookers that could be heard from the air, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.

Pei Xueyan sheathed her sword and walked straight towards the bustling crowd.

Her eyes darted quickly through the crowd below the arena, searching for Zhou Wenjian's figure.

After a long time, there was still no sign of her senior sister.

Pei Xueyan left the crowd and searched other places. She thought that since the little fairy master dared to make such a guarantee, it must be true.

Zhou Wenjian was dressed in a plain-colored dress, her long hair simply tied up with a wooden hairpin, her figure elegant.

"Senior Sister!" Pei Xueyan was overjoyed and quickly stepped forward to call out.

Zhou Wenjian turned around at the sound of her voice, and seeing that it was her, he quickly walked up to her, his tone tinged with surprise: "Junior Sister, what are you doing here?"

"I've been looking for you for so long." Pei Xueyan walked up to her, slightly out of breath. "Senior Sister, are you really going to fight here to earn money?"

Zhou Wenjian nodded calmly and replied, "Mm."

As she spoke, she took out several gleaming gold ingots from her bosom and handed them to Pei Xueyan, saying, "Look, these are what I've earned recently."

Pei Xueyan frowned slightly as she looked at the gold: "Good senior sister, didn't Master say before that the gold and silver she had accumulated was enough for us to live comfortably for several lifetimes? How did we end up having to fight in the streets?"

Zhou Wenjian sighed softly, a hint of melancholy in his voice: "Master has been kidnapped by Master Wangyu, and his fate remains unknown. If we only know how to sit back and enjoy the fruits of others' labor, we will eventually run out of money. It would be better to earn our own money and support ourselves, and then we would feel more at ease."

It turns out that he had nothing to do and was under a lot of psychological pressure, so he looked for something to do.

He is truly an excellent apprentice.

It's just that life is too tiring.

"..." Pei Xueyan patted her chest confidently and said, "Senior sister, if you were short of money, why didn't you say so earlier? I have plenty of connections."

Seeing her puzzled expression, he immediately assured her, "Don't worry, it's not some crooked or evil practice."

"Are you asking Sect Leader Jiang for it?"

"We're not going to ask him for anything. We're already divorced, what do we have to ask him for?"

"What?" Zhou Wenjian looked at her in shock. "Weren't you going to visit him about his illness? How could you suddenly get a divorce? Marriage is a serious matter; how can it be treated so lightly?"

"His master severed his emotional roots for the sake of the so-called Great Dao. He will never love anyone again in this life. I went to see him out of kindness, but he imprisoned me, made things difficult for me in every way, and treated me terribly. I couldn't live like this anymore, so naturally I wanted a divorce."

Zhou Wenjian was even more incredulous, and in the end could only shake his head helplessly.

When did she become so bold and fearless?

Her junior sister has always been impulsive, and she was able to make such a life-altering decision so easily.

Since things have come to this point, further lecturing will be of no use, so we have no choice but to give up.

Pei Xueyan took her senior sister's hand and started to walk back: "Senior sister, come back to Yishui Manor with me. In a few days, I will definitely find a large sum of money, and I guarantee that we will have no worries about food and clothing."

Zhou Wenjian looked at her with some doubt and cautioned, "Even if you really want to do some unorthodox business, such as stealing or cheating, you must never mention that you are from Yishui Manor."

"......"

I never expected that my senior sister wasn't a rigid person bound by worldly ethics; she just didn't want the sect's reputation to be damaged. The rules of the world are ultimately based on the wishes of high-level cultivators.

Pei Xueyan smiled and said, "Don't worry, senior sister, I know what I'm doing and I will never implicate the manor."

Just as the two were about to leave, they had only taken a few steps when they felt a gust of cold wind, carrying a somewhat hostile aura, rushing straight towards them.

The two sisters turned to look at each other at the same time, and saw a man with a full beard, who looked to be in his forties or fifties, flying over with a grin, swearing and saying: "Two little beauties, you are so good-looking, why don't you keep your brother company tonight?"

He's so old, why is he still called "brother"?

Both she and her senior sister were exceptionally beautiful, making them stand out on the streets of Phoenix City.

Although Phoenix City has an elegant name, it is actually located on the border of the Western Regions. The buildings in the city have an exotic style and lack any magical aura. Most of the people who come here are after gold coins, magical aura, or spiritual power, hoping to gamble their future here.

As a result, the city was a mixed bag, with idlers and heretics everywhere, and no one was in charge.

Pei Xueyan walked ahead naturally, her spiritual energy suddenly condensing in her palm and shooting out as a beam of intense light.

It's a piece of cake, yet they dare to boast.

She immediately drew her soft sword and slashed his face hard.

The man screamed in agony, his face instantly covered in blood.

She was never a soft-hearted saint. Seeing the man fall to the ground, she walked straight up to him, wildly waving her soft sword and slashing his face beyond recognition.

Then, she kicked open his collar and was about to stab him in the groin with her sword.

To avoid causing harm to the world.

Anyone who dares to venture here must possess extraordinary skills.

Just as she was about to stab him, the man suddenly raised his hand, flicked his sleeve, and dozens of venomous snakes sprang out and pounced on Pei Xueyan.

Pei Xueyan was terrified of snakes, insects, and rodents. Upon seeing this, her pupils constricted, and she fainted on the spot.

Before anyone could react, a streak of blue light flashed across the sky in the distance, moving at an astonishing speed.

A peerlessly sharp longsword descended from the sky, instantly severing all the venomous snakes.

Zhou Wenjian had no time to think. He rushed forward with his long sword and stabbed the fallen man in the chest.

After dealing with the man, she quickly knelt down and gently patted Pei Xueyan's cheek: "Junior sister, junior sister, wake up!"

Pei Xueyan slowly woke up, her eyes filled with fear and hatred. She gritted her teeth and said, "I'm going to kill this damned dog!"

After saying that, she struggled to get up, snatched the sword from her senior sister's hand, and stabbed the man's corpse several more times.

After these few sword strikes, the man was truly dead.

Pei Xueyan's hatred for snakes ran deep. Not satisfied, she stretched out her palm and ignited a raging fire. With a wave of her hand, she turned the severed snake corpses and the man's body into ashes.

Just as the two were preparing to leave this place of trouble as quickly as possible, they happened to see an even more despicable man, their ex-husband, not too far away.

Jiang Qiye was surrounded by a group of people, and his gaze was fixed on him with a deep look.