Bai Shengyi returned victorious, and the happiest was Qian Ying.
"Junior Sister, how did you do that just now? Why did you suddenly win?"
Qian Ying excitedly hugged Bai Shengyi, constantly questioning. Although Bai Shengyi made many small moves on the battle stage, from below, Bai Shengyi's turnaround seemed to happen in an instant.
"Used a little trick," Bai Shengyi replied, hugging Qian Ying back with a smile. "I made Senior Sister worry."
Little Junior Sister was soft, sensible, and cute. Even if Qian Ying had felt a flicker of annoyance earlier due to Bai Shengyi's reckless challenge against Yun Youyue, it was all gone now.
After comforting Qian Ying, Bai Shengyi was about to go to Qin Si when she saw Qin Si turn and walk towards the main hall of the peak. "It's good that you're fine. I'll go entertain the guests visiting the academy first."
Bai Shengyi:?
What was going on?
"The commotion you and Yun Youyue caused just now was too great, coupled with the news of Master's emergence from seclusion spreading. Many family patriarchs and Venerables have arrived. Previously, Wen Jiu Yin and Mu Xing were entertaining you during your match. Now that your match is over, for propriety's sake, Senior Brother should go..."
Qian Ying didn't know what was going on with the two of them, but she still spoke up to explain for Qin Si.
"I know," Bai Shengyi chuckled.
Qian Ying looked at Bai Shengyi suspiciously. She felt like her Junior Sister wasn't smiling, but rather scoffing?
It had to be said, in a way, Senior Brother and Junior Sister were indeed quite alike.
Around the battle stage, there were still many people wanting to come forward, but they were all blocked by Xuan Jinghu wagging its tail. Besides Qian Ying, only the steadfast Venerable Qing Lan stood beside Bai Shengyi. After greeting Qian Ying, Bai Shengyi couldn't just ignore her Master, who had suddenly emerged from seclusion.
As she got closer, Bai Shengyi realized that her Master looked no older than twenty, with a serene and ethereal aura. One would believe she had ascended to immortality if they were told she was a banished immortal.
Looking at that face again, Bai Shengyi couldn't help but be shocked: Was this really a face a human could have?
Bai Shengyi had always thought Qin Si's face, as handsome as a cold star with sharp brows and eyes, was extremely stunning. But Venerable Qing Lan was no less so.
Like high mountain snow, like a clear morning mist, a face as pure as lotus and jade, beautiful yet clean, so beautiful it seemed not of this world, as if looking at it any longer would be a sin.
"Master," Bai Shengyi calmed herself and stepped forward, saying, "Master, you were in seclusion before, and disciples didn't perform the ceremony of accepting you as Master. Isn't today as good as any? Shall we complete it today?"
Venerable Qing Lan's clear eyes swept over Bai Shengyi with an unreadable expression. "No rush."
"Ah? Why?" Qian Ying, listening from the side, frowned in disagreement. "Master, are you still not satisfied with Junior Sister?"
Bai Shengyi also looked at Venerable Qing Lan. She hadn't forgotten the caution and fear the Reincarnation Brush and the Dream-Grasping Vine had for Venerable Qing Lan. However, after the recent battle, the Reincarnation Brush was still suppressing the Earth-Tilted Crimson Fire in her dantian, and the Dream-Grasping Vine was listlessly recovering. She couldn't ask too much.
"You inherited Venerable Chun Hong's Chun Hong Swordplay?" Venerable Qing Lan asked.
Bai Shengyi's heart skipped a beat. So it was because of this?
"Yes," she replied, then selectively recounted her encounter with Venerable Chun Hong on the Path of Isolation to Venerable Qing Lan.
"Junior knows that one cannot have two masters on the continent. So, if this is your concern, Junior has absolutely no complaints," Bai Shengyi stated her stance.
"Junior Sister, don't talk nonsense!" Qian Ying took Bai Shengyi's hand. "In such a situation, you could still accept Chun Hong as your master, which shows your pure heart, integrity, and gratitude. Anyway, I don't care, you are my Junior Sister!"
"Even if Master doesn't acknowledge you, I..."
"Qian Ying, I did not say I do not acknowledge her," Venerable Qing Lan corrected Qian Ying's wording seriously. "I merely said there is no rush."
Bai Shengyi found the interaction between Senior Sister Qian Ying and Venerable Qing Lan to be quite interesting and somewhat surprising.
Senior Sister Qian Ying was a reliable, decisive, and efficient Senior Sister in front of her. However, in front of her Master, Venerable Qing Lan, she relied on and trusted him, but was not afraid. Their conversations were casual. Venerable Qing Lan also treated Qian Ying with great respect and seriousness, not like a master to a disciple, but more like a friend.
Yet, they were Master and disciple.
"...Alright, then we won't formally accept you as a disciple for now. We'll wait until Junior Sister forms her core."
In just this short time, Bai Shengyi didn't know what Venerable Qing Lan and Qian Ying had discussed, but they had managed to persuade Qian Ying.
Qian Ying said to Bai Shengyi, "Junior Sister, Master means that after you form your core, we'll see if you're willing to take him as your master. Of course, during this period, he will still fulfill his duties as Master, teaching and protecting you. Don't worry."
Did this mean the initiative was still with her?
Bai Shengyi was taken aback for a moment and couldn't help but look up at Venerable Qing Lan. She saw that Venerable Qing Lan was also looking at her, her calm and clear gaze as if veiled by a thin mist.
Why did it feel a little familiar?
Bai Shengyi shook her head, dismissing the thought.
"Venerable! Esteemed Venerables, please be accommodating and let me see Alchemist Bai!"
A loud shout came from not far from the battle stage.
"Alchemist Bai! Bai Shengyi! Please, save my son! If you save my son, the Sun family will offer a generous reward!"
It was the Sun family patriarch and others. Beside the Sun family patriarch, Sun Ling stood with a tightly furrowed brow, looking somewhat embarrassed.
She had been wondering why her father needed her help to enter the academy, and even wanted her to recommend Bai Shengyi. Fortunately, she had declined with the excuse of "not being familiar," otherwise, she would be utterly mortified right now.
She had long advised her father not to get too close to the Mei family. Now, the entire Sun family was also being disliked by the academy because of it...
Sun Ling pondered the news she had just received and couldn't help but look towards Bai Shengyi not far away.
After not seeing her for a while, she felt that the gap between herself and Bai Shengyi seemed to be growing wider.
Although the academy had now forbidden unauthorized personnel from the Mei and Sun families from entering and exiting, the Sun family patriarch, as the head of a noble family, was not something the academy could simply ignore and let him make a scene outside, especially with many people inside the main hall. Thus, someone immediately led the Sun family patriarch to a side area and then came to inquire about Bai Shengyi's opinion.
Upon hearing that it was because the Sun family patriarch had given his son Mei Shuying's false spirit root detoxification pill, Bai Shengyi frowned. "Then I'll go take a look. But I'll state clearly beforehand, it's been so long, I can't guarantee a cure."
Thirteen days had passed since the Pill Competition. This meant that even if the child was miraculously still alive, his meridians would have surely been poisoned and ruined.
Although Bai Shengyi felt that children were innocent, she didn't want to get into trouble for failing to save someone.
"We will convey this to Patriarch Sun."
The messenger went and returned, saying, "Patriarch Sun agrees."
"Junior Sister, I'll go with you." Qian Ying's beautiful eyes flickered, and she quickly followed, even pulling Venerable Qing Lan along to support Bai Shengyi. "Master, you should come along too. Junior Sister's talent in alchemy is far greater than mine..."