Wenren Pingxin paused, looking at the group of elders who showed no reaction whatsoever.
Her eyes then turned to Su Bei, who was also listening seriously and intently. Her graceful brows gently relaxed as she slowly said,
"Furthermore, this person in charge should ideally be someone with not much to do in the Sect."
"They must be deeply loved by the Sword Sect Disciples."
"An elder with high prestige in the Sword Sect."
"Only someone who meets all these criteria can shoulder such a heavy responsibility!"
...
Su Bei had his arms crossed over his chest, nodding as he listened.
A cooperative smile flickered across his face now and then, but— Why do I suddenly feel like everyone's gaze is turning toward me?
...
They want me to be the person in charge? Dream on! That's a pipe dream! It looks like I really need to defend my leisurely Sect life!
Su Bei's smile vanished, and he said very seriously,
"I have always fully supported the decisions made by Eldest Senior Sister."
"However, I feel that your approach in this matter, Senior Sister, is unfair and unjust!"
...
Wenren Pingxin wrinkled her nose, then chuckled dismissively, looking disdainfully at Su Bei as she said,
"Oh?"
"Unjust?"
"Then tell me, how exactly is it unjust?"
...
Su Bei took a deep breath. Then, with a look of righteous indignation, he stood up and pointed at Jun Wuxie, who was fervently guzzling liquor,
"Sixth Junior Brother also has nothing to do in the Sword Sect!"
"Why can't he be the one in charge?"
...
Leaning against the vermillion-cloud pillar in the center of the grand hall, Wenren Pingxin watched Su Bei with a smile that wasn't quite a smile. She lifted her slender, jade-like fingers and pointed them at Jun Wuxie.
"Wuxie? Do you think you should be the one in charge?"
...
Jun Wuxie was in the middle of pouring sake down his throat when his peripheral vision inadvertently caught Wenren Pingxin looking at him with murderous intent.
Those beautiful, limpid eyes were fixed on him with a chilling glint. Cold sweat instantly beaded on his skin, and his hairs stood on end.
The next moment, the sake in his mouth sprayed out. He staggered to his feet and began kowtowing to the stool beside him,
"Brother Bei, you drink too..."
"BURP! So drunk, I'm drunk..."
"Good wine..."
After saying this, he flopped onto the ground and closed his eyes.
I'm sorry, Fifth Senior Brother. It's not that your Junior Brother isn't helping you; it's just that this tigress is too terrifying.
...
"Oh my, Bei Bei."
"Look at little Jun, all drunk like this. How could I possibly entrust him with such an important matter?"
Wenren Pingxin's eyes curved as she looked at Su Bei, her lips forming a graceful arc, and she spoke earnestly.
Clenching his teeth, Su Bei glared at the drunkard lying on the ground like a rotten corpse.
He then scanned the elders present before his gaze landed on the red-haired man. His eyes suddenly brightened as he said,
"Eldest Senior Sister, I think Seventh Junior Brother is perfectly capable of shouldering the responsibility!"
"Seventh Junior Brother has free time, doesn't drink, and has high prestige..."
...
The red-haired Yuxie, meeting Wenren Pingxin's narrowing eyes and warning glance, snorted and said,
"Fifth Senior Brother, I have already reached the Peak of Divinity Transformation!"
"I've even faintly sensed a trace of the Refining Void aura!"
"I'll likely achieve a breakthrough soon, and our Sword Sect will have another Refining Void expert!"
"Time is of the essence. What if these external affairs interfere with my breakthrough?"
...
Lines of exasperation appeared on Su Bei's face. He glanced at Wenren Pingxin from time to time and said gloomily,
"Didn't Junior Brother just break through to the Peak of Divinity Transformation recently?"
"Truly such 'amazing talent'!"
...
Wenren Pingxin giggled, waved her fair hand, and with an elegant gait, glided towards Su Bei, a fragrant breeze wafting from her. Her long eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings, her downcast eyes shimmering.
"Bei Bei, do you have any other candidates?"
...
Su Bei gritted his teeth, looking at the two women sitting in the corner, who seemed as if they were carved from the same mold.
One had long white hair cascading down, her purple robe like a painting, her longsword purer than snow. However, her complexion lacked color, appearing unusually pale.
The other, also in a purple robe as picturesque, shone with a jade-like radiance, like a pearl casting a soft glow. The difference was her face held a touch more rosiness than the white-haired woman's.
Then he took a deep breath and said,
"There's also Eighth Junior Sister, and Ninth Junior Sister..."
...
Before he could finish speaking, one of the white-haired women slowly lifted her head. Her icy eyes glanced at Su Bei indifferently, and she said coldly,
"Not going."
Immediately after, the black-haired woman beside her, whose hair was slightly shorter, fluttered her eyelashes, blinked, and looking at Su Bei, also said,
"If my younger sister isn't going, then I'm not going either!"
...
...
"Through everyone's unanimous agreement, Fifth Junior Brother Su Bei will be responsible for planning the entire Sword Sect recruitment assembly!"
"None of you junior brothers have any objections, right?"
Wenren Pingxin covered her lips, her smile as radiant as a blooming flower.
"Then, let's disperse."
"Mm, Bei Bei, you stay for a moment."
...
In an instant, the elders vanished from the Sword Sect's great hall.
The Second Elder, Xi Qingyi, gave Su Bei an imperceptible glance, snorted coldly, and then also disappeared from his spot.
Su Bei leaned back in his chair, picked up the tea that had long since gone cold, gulped it down, and said impatiently,
"Eldest Senior Sister, don't you know my temperament by now?"
"How could I possibly handle..."
...
Mid-sentence, Su Bei looked at Wenren Pingxin with a hint of suspicion.
Wenren Pingxin looked at Su Bei calmly.
The great hall, which had been somewhat noisy just moments ago, instantly fell silent.
Su Bei and Wenren Pingxin sat facing each other—one reclining somewhat lazily in his chair, the other sitting elegantly.
The silence was almost terrifying.
Su Bei was rather baffled, wondering what purpose Wenren Pingxin had in asking him to stay.
He had already agreed to handle the recruitment drive, so what else could there be?
Unexpectedly, as Wenren Pingxin looked at him, her eyes began to brim with tears before she suddenly chuckled.
Her stunningly beautiful, mature face radiated with gentle warmth.
Then, she gently said something that left Su Bei somewhat confused:
"I watched you grow up, and I was always worried about you before."
"You're doing well like this now...
"I can see that you're truly being yourself now.
"In the blink of an eye, you've become a master yourself.
"Remember to treat your disciple well!"
...
Treat my disciple well? Of course, I have to treat her well! I wish I could have her practice without sleep, just fixated on cultivating day in and day out, and I'd provide whatever heavenly and earthly treasures she required! After all, I'm certainly not going to bore myself sitting in meditation for decades. Having such a 'tool person' is simply marvelous! But, did she keep me back just to say that?
Though Su Bei remained outwardly composed, and couldn't quite grasp what Wenren Pingxin was saying, he still set down his teacup and rose from his chair.
"Eldest Senior Sister, I'll take my leave then."
"I still haven't taught my disciple how to cultivate!"
...
Wenren Pingxin waved her hand, then watched Su Bei as he slowly departed the main hall, treading on auspicious clouds. She murmured to herself,
"He has changed.
"Even though he was always amiable before, he always gave me a very uneasy feeling.
"Although he seems the same now, I can feel his heart...
"It's a good thing."
...