Bai Shuying suggested to Elder Hua that they set up a time to drink tea, eat snacks, and talk together. Bai Shuying wanted some company after all her master is busy, Su Meilin is in seclusion, and the socialite Xiao Yunxi is making more friends.
Hearing her suggestion, Elder Hua eagerly jumped on it. After all, she was a true loner who only got visits from her daughter, even though those visits were rare.
Bai Shuying arrived at the pavilion in the garden with a handful of cookies she had baked.
After attending the cooking class, the recipes Bai Shuying could prepare increased more and more.
"Elder Hua, It's Tea Time!"
Bai Shuying dubbed this get-together Tea Time.
"Shuying, I prepared a new type of herbal tea."
Elder Hua had a bright smile on her face while taking her new tea and pouring Bai Shuying a cup.
"I also have a batch of cookies I baked."
Bai Shuying took her cookies and placed them in the middle of the table.
Both sat down, drinking tea and eating snacks, enjoying a moment of peace in the beautiful scenery that surrounded them.
Bai Shuying was curious about something and asked.
"Elder Hua, how long have you been in the Yin-Yang Sect?"
"Hmm, I was recruited when I was a young child."
"Do you practice the Yin-Yang Fusion Scripture?"
"I do. Shuying, do you practice it as well?"
Elder Hua looked curiously at Bai Shuying.
It should not be a problem if she does. Shuying possesses such strong Yin energy, while Xiran has strong Yang energy. What a perfect match!
"No, I practice the Blooming Lotus cultivation technique."
Elder Hua was surprised.
"Did you not want to practice the Yin-Yang Fusion Scripture?"
Bai Shuying became nervous about answering this question, but since it was Elder Hua with whom she has a good relationship with she did not mind telling her.
"My master told me about it, but the problem is I like… girls."
Elder Hua almost choked on her tea.
Bold! Hmm, that's great! Hehehehe, Xiran caught a good one.
"Oh, that's fine after all, love has no boundaries."
Bai Shuying sighed in relief at Elder Hua's response.
"Elder Hua, Meilin told me that the sect was different before my master became the sect leader. How was it before my master?"
Elder Hua used her index finger and circled the rim of the cup, recalling memories she spoke in a soft voice.
"As you know, the Yin-Yang Sect pursues the Dao of dual cultivation, practicing the Yin-Yang Fusion Scripture. You can practice it with one person or many people. Over time, two ideologies formed, splintering the main lineage. The two factions were called Pure Love and Luxuria. Pure love faction believed in practicing the technique with love, while the Luxuria practiced to satisfy their lust and increase their cultivation rapidly."
"Elder Hua, were you a part of the Pure Love faction?"
Elder Hua took a sip of tea, moistening her throat, and continued to speak.
"Yes, I was. When I joined the sect, the conflict was already happening, and tensions were rising. The Pure Love faction was at a disadvantage do to the low number of people and slow progress in cultivation. The Luxuria faction had the advantage due to the high number of people with high cultivation realms. Soon, people started to consider the Luxuria faction the true lineage of the Yin-Yang Sect."
Elder Hua picked up a cookie that Bai Shuying had baked and placed it into her mouth.
Hmm, delicious!
"I had a dao companion, I believed in only having one partner."
Bai Shuying thought.
The classic Dao companion! Wait, had?
"If you don't mind me asking what happened to your dao companion?"
Elder Hua looked at Bai Shuying for a moment, seeing her clear sky blue eyes she made a decision to tell her everything.
"I was betrayed by my partner. When practicing the Yin-Yang Fusion Scripture, I was very sensitive to the types of energy in my partner. He should have only his Yang energy and my Yin energy, but I sensed a different Yin energy."
Elder Hua showed a bitter smile.
"He probably believed that just doing the act without running the cultivation technique, I would not find out, but the person he did it with purposely left her Yin energy inside him, so I would find out about it."
Bai Shuying was shocked at this revelation and asked.
"Did you find out who did it?"
"No, but I have my assumptions. It was probably an inner elder belonging to the Luxuria faction."
Bai Shuying clenched her hands into fists, anger rising in her heart.
How could those adulterers hurt Elder Hua like this?
Elder Hua chuckled at Shuying being angry on her behalf.
"Well, it's all in the past now."
"But don't you ever think about revenge?"
"I killed my dao companion in anger, then found out I was pregnant with Xiran."
Bai Shuying was stunned.
The way you nonchalantly said killed in anger is scary! Wait, she said pregnant with Xiran?
"Uh, Elder Hua, you said pregnant with Xiran, Xiran as in Hua Xiran, the Yin-Yang Sect leader, my master?"
Elder Hua was surprised.
"Oh, I never told you. Yes, Hua Xiran is my daughter, and I'm her mother, Hua Qingyan."
Bai Shuying felt her mind short-circuit.
I just thought they had the same last name, not this kind of connection.
Elder Hua laughed out loud at Bai Shuying's reaction.
"Hahahahaha!"
"Please, stop laughing, Elder Hua."
Seeing Bai Shuying flustered, Elder Hua tried to suppress her laughter.
"Elder Hua, are those factions still around?"
"Well, when Xiran came back, she was able to reach the Soul Transformation realm, suppressing the Luxuria faction while the Pure Love faction is still around, but few in numbers. Currently, six inner elders are a part of the Luxuria faction from the past."
Hmm, six.
…
Bai Shuying exited the garden after her tea time with Elder Hua ended and headed back to her residence.
To think I meet my master's mother frequently.
Bai Shuying shook her head.
Who would have thought the kind, quiet, and always smiling Elder Hua went through such a thing?
Bai Shuying still felt anger towards the inner elder who hurt Elder Hua.
You say it's in the past, but it's not something you just get over with due to time.
Bai Shuying coldly analyzed, muttering in a low voice.
"The Luxuria faction maintains significant influence, with six inner elders in their ranks. Their foundation is solid enough that the sect master would face considerable difficulty opposing them directly."
Bai Shuying, deep in thought, suddenly felt a spark in her mind. She snapped her fingers and said.
"I need to strengthen the Pure Love faction's ideology, and to do that, I'll use my book after all, the issue was people giving in to pleasure; I need them to realize the importance of love."
Be prepared, Yin-Yang Sect love guru Xiao Bai is coming!
Bai Shuying, who started writing romance stories to earn a quick buck, changed her purpose to avenge the kind Elder Hua.
…
In a residence in the Yin-Yang Sect, a room was filled with the passionate cries of a woman and the bestial grunts of a man. Both reaching their climax soon the noise ceases, the only thing that could be heard is the heavy breathing of the man and woman after an intense exercise.
With only a blanket covering their figures, the woman hugged the man's right arm and used her left hand's index finger to draw circles on his chest.
The woman spoke in a sensual voice.
"The sect meeting is coming up, and I need your help in trying to get a token."
The man raised an eyebrow and asked.
"As an inner elder, didn't you already receive a token?"
The woman hugged the man's arm tighter, rubbing her assets on him, and said.
"Well, I have two disciples; that's why I'm trying to get another token."
The man stayed silent for a moment, then spoke.
"Xingyu, I'll consider it."
When Mo Xingyu heard his reply on the outside she wore a smile while on the inside, she snorted with dissatisfaction and thought.
Hmph! I did so much only to receive consideration. I need to get him on my side to get her token.
The man felt a hot breath on his ear and the soft voice of Mo Xingyu.
"What can… I do to change… consideration to a yes?"
With every pause she blew softly on the man's ear making his blood boil. The man showed a smile and responded.
"Maybe a few more rounds will change my mind."
Soon, the sounds of passion, much more intense than before, echoed through the room.
…
Bai Shuying received a message from Elder Ling to meet at the task hall. She spoke to the disciple at the counter and was led to the private room they previously used.
When Bai Shuying walked in, Elder Ling greeted her more enthusiastically than before.
"Disciple Bai, please have a seat."
Bai Shuying sat across from her, deep in thought.
Did she call me for more copies?
Bai Shuying looked at her bright smile, and soon a smile appeared on her face as well.
It seems the books are selling better than I thought
Elder Ling took a moment to collect her thoughts and spoke with regret.
"Sigh, it seems I missed out on a good business opportunity."
Bai Shuying wanted to build a good relationship with Elder Ling because she wanted to sell her other volumes. Bai Shuying said with a meaningful smile, "Why regret the loss of one deal? There's going to be more from now on that you can profit from."
Elder Ling was stunned, then started to laugh, "Hahahaha, you're right, it's just missing one, but there are many more."
Elder Ling took out a pouch from her spatial ring and placed it on the table and spoke, "I called you here for two reasons: the first is to give you your share of the profits and the second to request more copies the disciples are starting to get rowdy that they can't purchase a copy."
Bai Shuying tilted her head while looking at the pouch. She then picked it up with her hand and opened it, peeking inside. What she saw made her eyes widen in surprise, and she gulped nervously. She asked Elder Ling, "Is this after deducting the share for the task hall and your portion, Elder Ling?"
Elder Ling smiled and responded, "Yes, Surprised? So was I. The book 'Love in the Ashes' sold out faster than I expected."
Bai Shuying thought.
I underestimated the popularity of romance novels.
Bai Shuying forgot was this world had no form of entertainment, unlike her previous world. Disciples of sects usually practiced cultivation, but for the younger disciples, it was boring and not stimulating. That is why the younger generation in these sects likes competitions and spreading gossip. Now that Bai Shuying had released this book to them, it was a new kind of stimulus.
Bai Shuying woke up from her daze and said, "Well, I have more copies I can supply. I also have two other volumes of the book I wish to sell. Elder Ling, do you want to renegotiate the percentage splits?"
Elder Ling surprised asked, "Are you sure?"
Bai Shuying looked at Elder Ling and said with all honesty, "I want to continue to cooperate with Elder Ling from now on. I want to keep putting my stuff on sale in the Task Hall."
Elder Ling smiled at Bai Shuying's honesty and said, "I see, then let's have a happy cooperation."
Bai Shuying and Elder Ling discussed their business for a while and shook hands. Both had bright smiles on their faces.
…
At Bai Shuying's and Su Meilin's residence, Su Meilin, in seclusion, sat in a cross-legged position, an object that radiated Yin energy rested on her two hands, which were placed on her lap.
Su Meilin ran the Two Moons cultivation art soon a symbol of the moon emerged on the back of her left and right hands. The Yin energy flowed from the object into her hands, her cultivation started to increase slowly, reaching the foundation establishment fifth stage.
Su Meilin opened her eyes and exhaled a breath of air. Soon, a smile graced her face. Su Meilin giggled, "Finally, broke through a small realm."
Su Meilin then looked ahead to see a pile of objects with Yin energy she needed to absorb a tired sigh came out of her mouth. The previous excitement disappeared. She said in a bored voice, "Still have a long way to go. I wonder what Shuying is doing?"
Su Meilin thought about Bai Shuying and smiled.
Hopefully she's doing well in the sect. Maybe I should surprise her with my cultivation.
Su Meilin used Bai Shuying to relieve her boredom. She said in a determined voice, "Let's finish quickly so I can go take a bath with Shuying."
If Bai Shuying knew Su Meilin wanted to increase her cultivation to force her into the bath with her, she would have thought.
Why is that your goal?! Are you after my body?!