Chapter 223: The Grace of That Finger (I)

Wang Sheng had always believed that if one had the chance to attain immortality and enlightenment, no one would willingly give up such an opportunity. However, Shen Qianlin had given it up.

Once a female cultivator reached the Illusory Core or Golden Core Realm, she could maintain her youthful appearance as long as she wanted. That was why Mu Wanxuan's appearance had remained unchanged for the past three years. Even her skin was still flawless and as smooth as jade.

Mu Wanxuan did not do it intentionally, though. Such conditions were completely normal for someone who had a lifespan of eight hundred years and was immersed in primal qi every day.

When Wang Sheng met Shen Qianlin again at the agreed meeting place, he found that she had changed quite a bit since their time in school. She had lost some of her youthful clarity and gained a touch of intellect and gentle elegance.

If he had to describe her in two words, "radiant and stunning" would have been the most fitting. Unfortunately, no matter how dazzling she appeared now, time would eventually wear that brilliance down. Youth was always quick to slip away, leaving only the lament that beauty would always fade.

Liu Yunzhi, dressed in a fitted suit, walked beside Shen Qianlin. Judging purely by appearance, he was not inferior to her. On the contrary, his presence even surpassed hers. He stole the spotlight from everyone else, truly living up to his reputation.

Wang Sheng waved. "Senior Sister! Yunzhi!"

Although they were in a quieter street corner, it would have been inappropriate to shout "Daoist Brother" openly.

"Fei—" Liu Yunzhi smiled sincerely and quickly corrected himself. "Brother Sheng."

Shen Qianlin's high heels clicked briskly as she quickly made her way over. With a bright smile, she first exchanged greetings with Mu Wanxuan, then her attention was drawn to the silver-haired girl standing behind Mu Wanxuan. She murmured compliments under her breath.

Xi Lian kept a cold expression, paying Shen Qianlin no mind since they had never met before. Xi Lian had merely taken this chance to accompany Wang Sheng on a trip. After all, it was one of the rare times the authorities felt a little more at ease about letting her go.

Mu Wanxuan stood quietly to the side. On occasions like this, she usually refrained from speaking. Out of the five, Wang Sheng and Shen Qianlin were the only ones who really engaged in conversation actively. After exchanging a few pleasantries, they asked about each other's recent lives.

Wang Sheng's daily routine hadn't changed much: he cultivated and occasionally went out to fight corrupt cultivators. Every cultivator had to endure the same repetitive hardship. Hence, their cultivation life was rarely vibrant. Having a Daoist partner could at least ease some of the loneliness.

Shen Qianlin's post-graduation experience had been far more unusual. After many twists and turns, she finally managed to start a quiet life in a city where no one knew her. Fortunately, the Hidden Earth Sect had no enemies. Since she kept a low profile, she did not have to worry too much about her safety.

"Have you decided what to say to your father later?" Wang Sheng asked seriously. His hands were in his coat pockets, and the sword case on his back was covered with a black cloth bag, making it look like a musical instrument case.

Shen Qianlin nodded slightly and lowered her voice. "I'll try to talk to him first. Will you three be sitting near us later?"

Wang Sheng replied, "Yes. Our spots are already reserved. Oh, by the way, will your father bring any bodyguards?"

"Probably not." Shen Qianlin cast a long glance at Wang Sheng. "This meeting is supposed to be with my boyfriend."

Wang Sheng was about to respond when Xi Lian cleared her throat beside him, as if to remind him of something.

Wang Sheng turned slightly. "Let's go. You two go ahead; we'll follow."

The restaurant was half a block away. Wang Sheng, Mu Wanxuan, and Xi Lian intentionally lagged behind by over a hundred meters. Wang Sheng also got to experience what it meant to be in a group that turned every head while receiving almost no attention himself.

Xi Lian's silver hair was simply too striking.

They calmly arrived at a rooftop restaurant in a tall building. Although the Special Investigation Unit members had hidden their presence well, Wang Sheng still noticed a few slight inconsistencies among the staff. They had clearly fully prepared the location in the shortest possible time.

Shen Qianlin and Liu Yunzhi sat in the center, while Wang Sheng took Mu Wanxuan and Xi Lian to a window-side table. He arranged for Xi Lian to sit in the corner, where she would be hard to spot unless someone deliberately looked over.

The window gave a clear view of the city skyline. Xi Lian looked at the city with a trace of wonder.

"So this is the secular world now? It's much more prosperous than it used to be..."

"

Mm,"

Wang Sheng responded softly. He gestured a waiter over, who then discreetly placed two tiny earpieces on the table and gave them an electronic menu.

Wang Sheng handed the menu to his senior sister. "Don't worry about the prices. Order anything you want. It's on the house."

Mu Wanxuan's eyes lit up. She began tapping rapidly on the tablet, prompting the waiter's mouth to twitch slightly.

"Get me one too!"

Xi Lian reached out with her fair little hand. Having been repeatedly warned not to offend her, the waiter immediately straightened up and quickly handed another menu to her.

At the other table, Liu Yunzhi and Shen Qianlin were both looking down at their phones, maintaining a subtle distance between them.

Wang Sheng gave it some thought but did not bother reminding them. All that mattered was that the sect master of the Hidden Earth Sect showed up. The performance was mostly to accommodate Shen Qianlin's feelings.

The meeting time was set for noon. At 11:55 AM, Wang Sheng heard Shen Qianlin in his earpiece.

—My father and the others have arrived. They're in the observation elevator. We'll go greet them.

—Okay!

Liu Yunzhi immediately stood up, and Shen Qianlin tugged his arm.

—Link arms. Now that we've committed to the act, we might as well play the part a bit longer.

—

Mm.

Slightly frowning, Liu Yunzhi raised his left arm. Shen Qianlin took his arm, and the two walked toward the restaurant entrance.

"

Pfft.

So unnatural," Xi Lian remarked offhandedly, then shook her head in mild dissatisfaction. "Little Liu really needs acting lessons."

Wang Sheng chuckled. "Maybe it'll just come off as nerves. That might even help them pass for real."

Mu Wanxuan typed on her phone and showed it to Wang Sheng.

Mu Wanxuan: If a conflict breaks out later, should we fight Miss Shen's father?

Wang Sheng replied, "Only if absolutely necessary, and don't hurt anyone. The Hidden Earth Sect is not made up of corrupt cultivators, and their duty is to guard the Nether Realm. We should behave reasonably and focus on protecting our people."

Mu Wanxuan nodded calmly. With her cultivation level and mastery of advanced yin-yang techniques, she could walk unchallenged through the cultivation world as long as a few top individuals did not stand in her way.

Wang Sheng was a bit lacking in cultivation level, but his advancement speed had already far outpaced most young Daoist cultivators, including Liu Yunzhi.

Following Mu Wanxuan's order, the waiter soon brought over three sundaes. It was obvious she had received special treatment, as her sundae was larger than both Wang Sheng's and Xi Lian's combined. The ingredients and arrangement of fruits were also more elaborate.

One really could not be careless. Rivals hid in every corner of life.

As the three quietly ate their ice cream, Wang Sheng listened to the conversation on the other side through his earpiece. Shen Qianlin introduced her "boyfriend," and Liu Yunzhi offered a somewhat awkward greeting. In response, Wang Sheng heard a strong, energetic voice.

"They're here," Xi Lian said casually. "Your senior sister's father is at the mid-stage of the Golden Core Realm. His attendants are ordinary people, which is a bit strange."

Wang Sheng nodded. In that case, Mu Wanxuan did not have to inspect their cultivation levels.

The bodyguards sat at a nearby table, sharply scanning the area. However, they could not detect the Special Investigation Unit's arrangements. Such was the gap between amateurs and professionals. Their attention also drifted toward Wang Sheng's group, but after a brief stare, they didn't do anything else.

Wang Sheng glanced at Shen Qianlin's father. He was a slightly overweight middle-aged man, and Wang Sheng could not detect any aura fluctuations around him.

He continued listening to the voices in the earpiece. Shen Qianlin's father sounded very easygoing. In a friendly tone, he introduced himself as Shen Sui'an, which was likely an alias. He seemed no different from an ordinary businessman.

—What a handsome kid! No wonder my precious daughter fell for you so easily.

Hahaha!

—You flatter me, Uncle...

—Being good-looking is an asset. That's undeniable. Liu Zhi, right? What do you do for a living?

At the side, Shen Qianlin leaned her cheek on her hand and smiled.

—Dad, isn't being good-looking enough? I can earn money and support him.

Shen Sui'an's eyes gleamed sharply, but it disappeared quickly. He then switched to a warm tone.

—Don't talk nonsense. Everyone should have their own goals and ideals in life. Finding your value in that pursuit is what matters.

Shen Qianlin helplessly pouted.

—Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're our family's great philosopher.

Liu Yunzhi repeated his prepared story with a smile.

—I was a sickly child, so my family sent me to recuperate in the mountains. My father passed away when I was young. In recent years, my mother has been exhausted, so she called me back home to take over the family business. I really have to thank her. If she hadn't done that, I wouldn't have met Qianlin...

Shen Sui'an listened with a pleasant smile. Shen Qianlin, however, seemed a little embarrassed and quickly shifted the topic.

After a bit of small talk between father and daughter, Shen Sui'an started asking Liu Yunzhi some common questions. He asked about his plans for the future, his educational background, and even tested some of his values.