Chapter 66 Research Meeting 19 "I've done a background check."...

Even after their initial evaluation was completely over, Xin Xiuying was still in a daze.

By this time, the people around had gradually dispersed, and the bustling scene of people coming and going was no longer as lively as before.

The disciples, who usually don't have much to do, do like to join in the fun, but once the excitement is over, they still have to return to their respective places, whether it's cultivating, refining pills or crafting weapons. Not many people would wait here just to ridicule someone who has just finished the preliminary evaluation.

Being ignored made Xin Xiuying feel a little better.

She had been told so much by Chu Xingjin before the preliminary evaluation even began. Thinking back to that time, she was afraid she wouldn't be able to hold back if she heard those things again.

If you can't hold back, just beat someone up.

She was indeed a weak alchemist, but the Water Pattern Alchemy Furnace was a high-level spiritual artifact. It wouldn't break if she swung it around to hit someone, and might even shatter the opponent's weapon.

She suddenly remembered what Xie Jiaoyue had said to her before, and looked at Xie Jiaoyue in confusion: "Jiaoyue, did you already know that the teachers would have such comments?"

That's why I reminded her.

Xie Jiaoyue nodded: "I've done a background check."

Xin Xiuying: "Huh?"

This is a competitive competition. Although Xie Jiaoyue disdains bribery, she still needs to conduct a basic background check on the judges.

Xie Jiaoyue drew her sword from her waist, found a spot, and began to draw.

"Look, this is the long table in front of the division commanders. The one on the far left with thinning hair is surnamed Wang, and the one next to him is also surnamed Wang. Not only are they surnamed Wang, but they are also related to Wang Min by no more than three degrees of kinship."

"You mean those two deliberately targeted us, all because of Wang Min?"

"That's not entirely true. Our plan really doesn't have much hope of success right now, does it? Anyway, a few words from the initial reviewer won't really affect the final score, so why not curry favor with them and make the whole Wang family happy?"

Xin Xiuying felt wronged. These words were too harsh. It was one thing for others to say that their plan was no good, but why did Xie Jiaoyue also say that her plan had no hope of success?

"Do you feel that my tone is worse than that of your teachers now? Are you in a better mood?"

Xin Xiuying: ...

If Xie Jiaoyue shut up, she might feel better.

She tidied her hair with slight annoyance: "Tomorrow is my day off. I've been humiliated like this today, and I don't know how Xin Rong will mock me tomorrow."

After explaining the results of her background check, Xie Jiaoyue sheathed her longsword. This longsword, which once seemed to have a sword spirit, came from the Xin family. Since it broke away from the Water Pattern Alchemy Furnace and followed her, it was like a dead sword, no different from an ordinary sword.

But it was beautiful, and its hardness and strength were both good, so Xie Jiaoyue let it be.

She glanced at her sword, then at Xin Xiuying, and said, "We'll have two days off starting tomorrow. Since you don't want to go back and face Xin Rong again, why don't you come back to the Xie family with me?"

Although she felt that Xin Rong was not the kind of brother who would make fun of his sad sister.

Xin Rong seems to be the kind of cheeky older brother who always tries to tease his younger sister when she's not really angry or sad, but then starts comforting her when she's truly upset.

Perhaps she could arrange a meeting with Xin Rong, giving him a chance to explain and ease the tension between the siblings.

Xin Xiuying began to ponder. During their time off, most of her disciples would return home. If she returned home, she would only be facing her parents and older brother.

She didn't want to see her older brother, and as for her parents, she didn't even need to see them. She could already imagine what they would say to her: that she should cultivate diligently, improve her compatibility with the Water Pattern Alchemy Furnace, and in the future, inherit her father's position as clan leader and continue the glory of their lineage.

Her words and actions were all about the Water Pattern Alchemy Furnace, and had nothing to do with her as a person. No one would care about her research plan or offer her any advice.

If we go back with Xie Jiaoyue, we might have a better chance of coming up with a suitable solution to improve the current situation.

"Okay, I'll go back with you."

So the next day, Xie Jiaoyue and Xin Xiuying traveled light, got up early, and returned to the Xie family together quietly without disturbing anyone.

Half an hour later, Xie Xinghui, who was standing at Xie Jiaoyue's residence, and Xin Rong, who was standing at Xin Xiuying's residence, asked the same question.

Where are their older and younger sisters? Did they just leave them here and run away?

Heartless woman!

...

Gong Shirao also got up very early today. She and her servants began to decorate her small courtyard, happily waiting for her daughter to return home.

"Hua Yi, you are closest to Jiao Yue, come and take a look at my headdress today, and see if it's something Jiao Yue likes."

"Hua Lan, I remember Jiao Yue liked that little sedan chair. Get ready, she might want to ride it when she comes back."

"Look at my memory, Jiaoyue already told me that she has a lotus-shaped mount now and doesn't need these."

“Our Jiaoyue has already reached the sixth level of Qi Refining. If she advances one more level, she will become a high-level Qi Refining cultivator. At that time, she will be able to ride her mount from the east end of Jinling City to the west end. She won’t need me to worry about her.”

Busy as she was, she leaned against the doorway, her loving gaze filled with longing, which seemed to drift away in the distance, trying to convey her feelings to her daughter who was about to return home.

This is the first time my daughter has been away from me for such a long time in all her life.

"Madam, Madam, you're back, you're back."

Gong Shirao spun around in a panic, only to see a tall figure not far away.

"Madam, Young Master Moyu has returned."

Before her daughter arrived, Gongshi Moyu came back first.

The First Madam regained her dignified demeanor: "Mo Yu is back."

“Jiaoyue is on leave these two days, so naturally I have to come back.”

The First Madam nodded slightly, and after having someone take Mo Yu to rest, she stood at the door again.

Gong Shi Moyu knew perfectly well that if he stayed here, it wouldn't be considerate, but rather a spoilsport. He stepped back a few paces, took the plates and bowls from the other servants, and personally arranged the dishes for Xie Jiaoyue.

"Madam, Madam, you're back. This time you're really back."

Accompanied by an even more excited tone than before, and under Gong Shirao's expectant gaze, two graceful figures appeared at the end of the road.

It was her daughter, and the person accompanying her seemed to be the daughter of the Xin clan chief.

My daughter has really grown up; she seems to have made some close friends after just one trip out.

With a smile in her eyes, she initially pretended to be reserved and waited in place. But then she saw Xie Jiaoyue walk a few steps away, but then stopped and looked at her with the same smile.

She's such a grown-up, yet she still resorts to acting cute.

Gong Shirao strode forward, her flowing robes billowing in the air with each step, carrying with them a fragrant breeze—the scent Xie Jiaoyue knew best.

Xie Jiaoyue couldn't resist either, and she leaned forward and rushed over, crying, "Mother~"

The two words were pronounced in a convoluted manner, with the ending sound like that of a seven or eight-year-old child, giving people goosebumps.

"Good, good, you're finally back. Mother has prepared your favorite spiritual food to welcome you back."

Xin Xiuying watched from the sidelines, feeling both envious and at a loss. She felt awkward seeing a mother and daughter reunite, but it was her first time visiting the Xie family's grand courtyard, and she didn't know what to do.

Xie Jiaoyue naturally didn't forget her little sister. She lifted her head from Gong Shirao's soft embrace and said to Xin Xiuying, "I heard my brother is back too." As soon as she came in, a servant told her the news, "Brother Moyu is gentle and reliable, and he is also a cultivator who practices alchemy. Let him show you around here first. I'll have a quick talk with my mother and then come over shortly."

Xin Xiuying looked up and, without needing to look closely, spotted Gong Shi Moyu in the crowd.

The young master of the Gongshi family lived up to his name, possessing a handsome appearance and a tall, upright figure, making him hard to miss.

Moreover, Gong Shi Moyu was already a well-known figure in the clan school, especially for someone like her who cultivated alchemy.

This person was three years older than her, which is six years, so they could actually be considered peers. However, with only twenty-odd years of life experience, he first improved two basic pill formulas of the Xie family by his own efforts, giving the Xie family's pill room a place in Jinling City. Then, he won the favor of all the pill masters in the clan school with an overwhelming attitude, and everyone praised him repeatedly.

That's not all. This person is so young, yet he's already working in the Heaven and Earth Bureau.

That's the Heaven and Earth Division, the authority that governs families like theirs. If she could gain the favor of the head of the Heaven and Earth Division, even just a word or two of guidance would be something she wouldn't even dare to dream of.

Her greatest ambition in this life was to inherit the Xin family business, elevate the Xin family's alchemy workshop to a higher level, and monopolize ninety percent of Jinling City. As for anything further, she dared not think about it.

Jinling City is both large and small; the Southwest Region is large, but it is the least noticeable of the four regions.

What could she possibly be thinking?

Xin Xiuying walked towards Gongshi Moyu and bowed to this legendary senior brother: "Xin Xiuying greets Senior Brother Gongshi."

Gong Shi Moyu put down the bowl and plate in her hand, wiped her hands with a handkerchief, and then gently helped Xin Xiuying up: "You are Jiaoyue's classmate, there's no need to be so polite. Jiaoyue asked you to come find me? What does she want with me?"

"I told you to feel free to wander around here." It's a day off, so you should rest. Enjoying the scenery of other people's homes is also a form of rest.

Gong Shi Moyu frowned and shook his head: "Wander around? How about I take you to the storeroom of the Xie family's main branch? There are a few pills that I once refined there, which I can give you for your enjoyment."

It's called appreciation, but everyone knows that. This is to let her learn from it.

Xin Xiuying was both surprised and delighted.

Xi was quite simple; this was a highly talented alchemist in the history of the clan's academy, and she had long wanted to spar with him.

What's shocking is that this is a day off, right? It really is a day off, right? She's already endured so many days of ascetic life under Xie Jiaoyue's guidance, why won't she be spared even on her day off?!

As expected, both of Xie's family members were ruthless.

Before she could finish her reflection, Gongshi Moyu said, "Never mind, there's not much time. Let me see the pills you've refined first."

Xin Xiuying: ...

I'm scared! What's with this overwhelming sense of oppression?