"What if I get caught doing this? Won't I end up drowned in a pig cage?"
Though Luoyun Huan was somewhat tempted, she was actually quite cowardly and had no desire to face the consequences of being discovered by her clever and sharp Eldest Senior Sister.
[Don't worry! The Tears of the Succubus is a product from another world, so they won't be able to detect it. Besides, with the System here to protect you every step of the way, how could anyone in the Golden Core realm possibly discover you?]
The System patted its nonexistent chest in reassurance—that is, if it had one.
"No way. Once this comes to light, I won't be able to bear it."
Even though Luoyun Huan felt tempted, she still had her baseline as a human being. She couldn't do that kind of thing to Eldest Senior Sister, who had always been very kind to her and had saved her life on multiple occasions.
Though from her own perspective, Eldest Senior Sister was a bit cutely foolish and overly righteous.
Yet, from the perspective of the vulnerable, Qin Yiqiu was like a Celestial God. Despite possessing such immense power, she remained neither arrogant nor impetuous.
She was capable of standing up for the weak and upholding justice.
Since the host refused to be persuaded, the System could only feel helpless. However, it had no intention of giving up just yet; a much better idea had formed in its mind, though it certainly wasn't going to share it with the host anytime soon.
***
For the past few days, Luoyun Huan had been diligently practicing her cultivation. Sometimes, once a person truly applied themselves, time flew by in a blur.
In the blink of an eye, a few days had passed, and Luoyun Huan had finally learned a minor spell—though at least it was enough to sweep the fallen leaves from the courtyard.
Remembering that she possessed Four Spiritual Roots, Luoyun Huan felt like crying. This was the kind of spiritual root where you learned a little bit of everything, yet mastered nothing at all.
Still, Four Spiritual Roots probably had just one advantage: most Cultivation Manuals could be studied.
Luoyun Huan piled the fallen leaves into a heap, a tiny flame sprouting from her fingertips. Devoid of moisture, the dry leaves quickly caught fire.
Who would have thought that even in the Immortal Cultivation World, one still had to do chores? What a miserable fate.
Watching the small burning pile, Luoyun Huan sank into a melancholy reverie. Suddenly, she remembered that today was the day to collect her tea leaves. Once the fire burned out, she covered the white ashes with soil.
Taking quick, hurried steps, she hopped onto a crane and headed toward the living quarters of the outer disciples.
From far away, Luoyun Huan could already catch the rich fragrance of tea. She couldn't help feeling immensely pleased with herself—these were top-grade purple tea leaves she had carefully handpicked using the map system.
Most ordinary people probably didn't even know they existed.
"Here, your tea."
The outer disciple roasting the tea was enveloped in a strong fragrance. His hands, in particular, had a faint brownish tinge from the juices stained by years of tea-roasting.
"These tea leaves of yours are quite good."
"Thanks."
A smile bloomed at the corners of Luoyun Huan's lips. Of course she knew the tea was good; could anything she meticulously prepared possibly go wrong?
She pulled out an exquisite porcelain canister she had bought earlier that morning and transferred the tea inside. Green tea was best enjoyed as fresh as possible and couldn't be stored for too long.
After filling the canister to the brim, Luoyun Huan kept the remainder for her own enjoyment. After all, a gift didn't require that much.
On the journey back, Luoyun Huan leaned over the back of the crane, repeatedly rehearsing in her mind what she should say to Eldest Senior Sister and how best to present the gift.
"Eldest Senior Sister, this is the tea I picked the other day... I prepared it as a return gift for you."
Luoyun Huan silently recited it a few times, deciding that starting with such words would be just fine. Yet, the moment the crane landed right in front of Eldest Senior Sister's door, the calves of her legs began to tremble again.
Clearly, as a transmigrator on a mission, she shouldn't be nervous—she couldn't afford to be. If she grew scared over something so trivial, how on earth was she supposed to rack up mission points in the future?
At the mere thought of that damned lifespan-reduction penalty, Luoyun Huan felt sick to her stomach. Given her current cultivation level and innate talent, breaking through to Foundation Establishment before the age of one hundred would already be the height of sheer luck.
"Is there something you wish to discuss with me? Why have you been standing outside the door this whole time?"
Just as Luoyun Huan hesitated, the wooden door before her suddenly swung open. The refined scent of sandalwood drifted out from the room, and just breathing it in made her feel refreshed and clear-headed.
Luoyun Huan raised her eyes to see Qin Yiqiu sitting cross-legged at her desk, leaning over as she carefully read through a jade slip.
Her long hair streamed down the sides of her temples, and those ice-blue eyes fixed upon her with a hint of a smile.
So pretty...
Luoyun Huan's eyelashes fluttered as she was momentarily captivated. She thought that Eldest Senior Sister didn't even need something like the Tears of the Succubus to bewitch people.
"I brought something for you..."
All the phrasing she had carefully prepared in her mind vanished entirely at that moment. Her brain short-circuited for a second as Luoyun Huan dragged her heavy steps into the room.
Although Luoyun Huan had routinely cleaned the courtyard and other empty rooms, she had never stepped foot into Qin Yiqiu's private bedchamber out of respect for her privacy.
Seeing it now, it was pretty much what she had imagined. The room's decor, while elegant and luxurious, was sparse.
With trembling fingers, Luoyun Huan placed the tea canister to the side.
"I picked this with Eldest Senior Sister the other day. I originally wanted to thank you for sending me those pastries..."
Luoyun Huan stood there awkwardly.
Qin Yiqiu put down the jade slip and patted the meditation cushion beside her.
"Sit down."
With a wave of her hand, a set of tea utensils resting on a nearby shelf drifted over. A pale blue flame licked at the bottom of the kettle, and within moments, the water began to bubble merrily.
Every movement Qin Yiqiu made was filled with elegance and poise. After all, having been raised as a future sect master, she was well-versed in etiquette.
Before long, she poured the first cup of tea and handed it across to Luoyun Huan.
"So that was it."
No wonder that girl had run off to such a distant place to pick tea leaves the other day—to think it was a token of gratitude prepared specifically for her.
Luoyun Huan reached out and accepted the cup, blowing gently on the pale green liquid swirling inside before taking a small sip. The entrance of the tea brought a crisp fragrance with a hint of bitterness, but once swallowed, a sweet aftertaste lingered in her throat.
Higher-end teas were always like this; with careful tasting, one could discern their unique fragrance and sweetness.
Luoyun Huan drank slowly as the two sat in mutual silence. Noticing that Eldest Senior Sister seemed to genuinely enjoy the tea, she waited with joyful anticipation for her mission points to increase.
Instead, her head began to spin.
Her skin, neck, and cheeks started growing hot. Rubbing her temples, Luoyun Huan figured she might lose her composure if this kept up. Perhaps she was just too exhausted from these past few days.
As she thought about standing up to bid Eldest Senior Sister farewell, her legs turned violently weak, causing her to tumble directly forward and crash right into Qin Yiqiu's arms.
Their noses brushed, and an indistinct, subtle fragrance wafted straight into her nostrils. Luoyun Huan's consciousness grew hazy, though a shred of lingering reason told her this wasn't right.
"What is the matter?"
Fearing that some junior brother or sister might have pulled another malicious trick on this girl, Qin Yiqiu instinctively reached out to check her meridians.
Yet, as she did, she felt her own mind grow dizzy and foggy. Thoughts she would never have entertained on ordinary days began swirling relentlessly through her mind.
Countless times in the past, she had caught glimpses of entangled figures within the sect—whether with fellow disciples, or with demon and ghost cultivators alike.
Such scenes were utterly unseemly to behold.
Yet at this very moment, Qin Yiqiu found herself entertaining those exact thoughts about the person in front of her.
Her fingers dug tightly into the wooden table.
Impossible!
Her Dao Heart must not falter!