Chu Xingchen glanced away after catching sight of her.

First and foremost, don't panic when faced with a situation, even if Yaoqin's smile doesn't quite reach her eyes and seems a bit intimidating.

But seriously speaking, there's nothing official between Yaoqin and me.

She has no reason to meddle in my affairs. As long as I don't lose my nerve, I'm not in the wrong!

The most important thing is that simps never meet a good end. I'd rather die than simp.

Admitting fault is out of the question.

But clearly, Yaoqin didn't see it that way.

Yaoqin took two steps forward, and the women surrounding Chu Xingchen automatically made way for her.

Yaoqin fixed her gaze on Chu Xingchen and said, "Didn't you say you were taking your disciples to the temple fair today?"

As Yaoqin approached and spoke, the women around them suddenly noticed the presence of a stunning beauty nearby.

And it seemed she was an old acquaintance of the handsome young man in front of them.

But so what if they knew each other?

The woman in the skirt clinging to Chu Xingchen's side wasn't willing to let go, and she said softly, "Master said he'd teach us how to read palms. We're all his disciples~"

Upon hearing this, Yaoqin turned her icy gaze toward the woman in the skirt.

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The woman felt a chill run through her body, her soul trembling as if there was a gap at the very level of the soul.

Yaoqin said coldly, "Scram."

The woman in the skirt dared not retort and quickly lifted her skirt, pushing through the crowd to leave in a hurry.

The other women sensed something was amiss. Although the gentleman was appealing, their lives were more important!

The woman in front of them was likely a cultivator, and as mere mortals, they dared not provoke those who could fly around at will.

Despite their reluctance, they quickly dispersed.

Suddenly, there was a wide space around Chu Xingchen.

Yaoqin's gaze returned to Chu Xingchen, repeating her question: "Didn't you say you were taking your disciples to the temple fair today?"

Chu Xingchen pointed to the ground, "This is the temple fair."

Then he pointed to two rebellious disciples not far away, not even bothering to greet them: "Plus those two disciples over there, isn't this taking disciples to the temple fair?"

Yaoqin looked at Chu Xingchen, who seemed so justified, and clenched the jade-handled fan in her hand.

"Why are you here too?" Chu Xingchen chuckled, "I thought you didn't like such bustling places? Could it be you came looking for me?"

"Bah! Who's looking for you?" Yaoqin turned away, "Who do you think you are?"

"An old friend, of course." Chu Xingchen waved his sleeve, hands on his hips, "How do I look in this outfit?"

Yaoqin glanced him up and down and had to admit, clothes do make the man. Compared to the sloppy Chu Xingchen of the past, he indeed had a newfound air about him.

"Who bought you this outfit?"

"Of course, my first disciple."

Yaoqin mocked, "Hmph, wearing this, you actually look like a person."

"Thank you for the compliment," Chu Xingchen replied nonchalantly.

Li Yingling approached with a small fan, smiling as she called out, "Master~"

Chu Xingchen glared at his troublesome disciple and then looked at Li Yingling's senior brother, Li Xingtian, questioning why he didn't report this.

Li Xingtian, looking innocent, signaled with his eyes—it was Senior Sister who forbade it!

Though Yaoqin's tone was icy, she wasn't truly angry.

She understood Chu Xingchen's nature. As he shamelessly put it—"With my face, they want to enjoy without paying?"

Before Yaoqin met Chu Xingchen, she knew he was a frequent visitor to brothels.

He relied on his looks to get things for free, so today's scene was nothing unusual.

It was just a bit annoying that even at the Core Formation Stage, he didn't seem to have the demeanor of a Core Formation cultivator.

What kind of Golden Core cultivator mingles with ordinary mortals, reading palms?

Yaoqin gently shook her fan, causing a few strands of hair to flutter, "Today's Water Grove Dharma Assembly is worth a look."

Li Yingling, naturally familiar, hooked her arm through Yaoqin's and curiously asked, "Sister Yaoqin, is there really something special about this Water Grove Dharma Assembly?"

Chu Xingchen deliberately said, "Why call her sister? Call her Aunt Yaoqin."

Without hesitation, Yaoqin raised her fan and gave Chu Xingchen a light smack, sneering, "Don't you want spirit stones anymore?"

At her words, Chu Xingchen instantly forgot what he had just said, his tone turning innocent, "Sister Yaoqin, is there really something special about today's Water Grove Dharma Assembly?"

Currently, Chu Xingchen was so broke he only had silver and gold left, not a single usable spirit stone. If the Blood Qi Spirit Stone was irreversible, the spirit stone reward Yaoqin promised was the only hope for the Spirit Gathering Formation.

In the face of spirit stones, what does pride matter?!

"Master... please, give your disciple some face." Li Yingling sighed, "If you keep this up, I won't dare go out with you anymore."

Li Yingling felt her master's bottom line was too flexible, especially when it came to things like spirit stones.

Chu Xingchen retorted, "Good disciple, don't ask me for spirit stones in the future!"

"Master! I was wrong!" Li Yingling quickly admitted defeat.

Li Xingtian sighed inwardly.

Senior Sister had learned her shamelessness from Master perfectly.

Wouldn't it be something if, in the future, when they went out and revealed their sect, the other cultivators would recognize them—"Oh, you're from that shameless sect."

Yaoqin looked at the two troublemakers with a hint of helplessness. Indeed, like master, like disciple.

Yaoqin explained, "The Water Grove Dharma Assembly isn't just for show. The Chanlin Temple uses it to absorb the wish power of all beings."

Upon hearing this, Chu Xingchen and Li Xingtian lost interest. Even if wish power were handed to them for free, they wouldn't want it.

In this world, cultivation is the one and only, absolute path to greatness.

But the world is vast, and naturally, there are a few side paths besides the main road.

For example, the Path of the Warrior, where one hones oneself to become a world unto oneself.

And the Path of the Scholar, where enlightenment is achieved through study.

Wish power is one of these paths, considered a unique form of spiritual strength.

But even evil cultivators look down on this kind of power.

Any power obtained for free comes with a price, and this is especially true for wish power.

Perhaps it's because wish power doesn't require a strong spiritual root or specific talents and can even be absorbed by wild spirits and monsters.

Many wild spirits and monsters occasionally awaken intelligence but lack cultivation methods. Even with great talent, without a method, they can't break through to Foundation Establishment just by breathing in spiritual energy.

Thus, wish power becomes the clearest path they can choose.

But the cost is also very apparent.

Once cultivation is enhanced through wish power, one can never be free of it. If one stops absorbing wish power, the cultivation gained through it will fall.

And this decline is almost irreversible. Once one falls from Golden Core to Foundation Establishment, it's nearly impossible to climb back to the Core Formation Stage.

Using wish power ultimately traps one within it.

Moreover, to ensure a continuous supply of wish power, one must fulfill the wishes of believers. Who would keep believing in you for free?

So, it's essentially a troublesome and unreliable path.