C7 Silently Washing the Bedsheet

On the second day, Wu Pingfan was busy washing bedsheets. By the third day, he found himself soaking up the sun. Come the fourth day...

Over time, the junior sisters began to sense that something was amiss. "Do you get the feeling that Master is genuinely focused on his well-being?"

"It does seem that way."

Xiao Xiao overheard the junior sisters discussing Wu Pingfan and let out a scoff, interjecting, "He's nothing but a failure who can't even cultivate. Is he really worth your admiration?"

"He's also a scoundrel prone to mischief. Don't let his innocent facade deceive you!"

Yet none of the junior sisters paid her any heed. Just then, a junior brother who had been keeping watch at the side peak came running over, out of breath, "Master, he... he's lifting a rock!"

"What's so entertaining about lifting a rock?"

The junior sisters giggled amongst themselves.

"It's not just any rock; it's a massive one."

He gestured to show the size.

A booming noise echoed from the side peak. When the junior sisters arrived, they found Wu Pingfan cradling a rabbit in his arms.

"Is this rabbit yours?"

He passed the rabbit to one of the junior sisters who was completely petrified.

The rabbit scurried about in Wu Pingfan's embrace, yet the junior sister remained utterly still.

"What are they up to?" the junior sisters began to buzz with curiosity.

"Are they figuring out how to cook the rabbit?"

"Who was it that mentioned lifting a rock? I'm going to punt his head like a soccer ball!"

"Doesn't it seem like that mountain has shifted a bit?"

The junior brother gestured again. The small mountain that was once on the left had mysteriously moved to the right.

Nearly every disciple had practiced in front of that mountain.

Their faces turned solemn until the junior sister holding the rabbit snapped out of her daze, exhaling deeply, "That's our Master for you."

"Master is truly divine." The sentiment spread like wildfire through Starfall Peaks.

...

Zhuo Xianqun was in the kitchen, standing over a plate of freshly marinated chicken wings. She grabbed a bowl of chilies from an adjacent disciple and dumped the entire contents in.

"Does Master also have a taste for spicy food?" murmured the disciple beside her.

"Only Master could handle such insanely spicy food!" chimed in another disciple.

Both disciples, one clad in blue and the other in red, sported the same style of shorts as Zhuo Xianqun. Their long legs flitted about the kitchen, drawing the envious gazes and nosebleeds of the male disciples outside.

"What's the Immortal Master up to?"

"I've heard he's making chicken wings for the Master!"

"Imagine getting to eat chicken wings made by the Immortal Master himself! The Master is truly fortunate!"

The disciples murmured among themselves.

"Red Pepper and Green Pepper, tomorrow you'll attend to the young master. Take with you the gift I've personally prepared."

Zhuo Xianqun issued the command, shoving the extra-spicy chicken wings into the disciple's embrace.

Upon awakening, Wu Pingfan saw two slender women pacing back and forth before him.

"Senior Sister?"

He inquired hastily as an intensely spicy aroma filled the room.

Red Pepper brought a chicken wing to Wu Pingfan's lips with her chopsticks.

"Master, ah~"

That unmistakable scent could only belong to his senior sister's cooking.

Instinctively, he clamped his mouth shut. Ever since he was tricked into eating an entire bowl of fiery-hot chicken at the age of eight, his taste buds had never been the same.

The woman before him looked on with anticipation as the chicken wing nearly collided with his mouth.

Just then, Coal darted forward, snatched the chicken wing, and bolted outside.

"Even dogs enjoy the chicken wings made by the Master," Green Pepper remarked in amazement.

Wu Pingfan got to his feet and addressed the two women, "Are you my senior sister's disciples?"

"You recognized us right away; you're amazing, Young Master!" Red Pepper exclaimed. "I'm Red Pepper, and she's Green Pepper. We're both direct disciples of the Master."

Their message was unanimous: "We're here to take care of you."

Nonchalantly, Wu Pingfan grabbed the two plates of fiery-hot chicken wings and pulled the disciples hiding by the house into view, thrusting the chicken wings into their arms.

"These were made by my senior sister. Enjoy."

The disciples were tearfully grateful, convinced that Wu Pingfan was nothing short of an angel.

They joyfully took the chicken wings to share with their adored senior sisters.

Xiao Xiao eyed the several plates of chicken wings, feeling a sense of déjà vu.

They seemed to be the very treats the Immortal Master often enjoyed.

It wasn't until her junior brothers had devoured the wings and were scrambling to jump into the water tank that she confirmed these were indeed the Immortal Master's handiwork.

Was that little nobody really so cherished?

Xiao Xiao's face twisted with annoyance. As she made her way to the side peak, she spotted two senior sisters seated in the courtyard, deep in meditation. Wu Pingfan was once again offering guidance to the two senior sisters in his own instructive way.

They were brazenly flirting.

Xiao Xiao's mouth was agape, wide enough to fit two eggs.

She hurled an insult, "You scoundrel, you jerk, how dare you flirt with our senior sisters!"

Wu Pingfan overheard her and gave her a puzzled look.

"Are you planning to join us in cultivation?"

Xiao Xiao furiously stamped her foot.

"You expect me to join you? I'm going to tell Master!"

With that, she mounted her sword and flew off.

Xiao Xiao charged into the main hall where Zhuo Xianqun was sipping tea. Noticing her arrival, Zhuo Xianqun quickly gestured for her to come over.

"Immortal Master, I..."

Before Xiao Xiao could finish, Zhuo Xianqun whispered, "Have you noticed that our Junior Brother has been acting strangely lately?"

Xiao Xiao's eyes sparkled with realization; the Immortal Master was onto Wu Pingfan.

"So, Immortal Master, what's our next move?" she asked quietly. Zhuo Xianqun replied nonchalantly, "I've already sent your two senior sisters to check on him."

Surveillance, it had to be surveillance!

"Immortal Master, your wisdom is unparalleled!"

She left the main hall beaming with approval. After Xiao Xiao's departure, Zhuo Xianqun gazed at the portrait.

"Junior Brother looks thinner again. He needs nourishment."

Her two disciples were excellent cooks, so much so that Wu Pingfan was greeted daily with an array of spicy dishes.

Even Coal received his own special dog-friendly version of the spicy treat.

Wu Pingfan hesitated for a moment before gifting the two plates of chilies to some passing disciples.

A few naive ones fell for the ploy.

Before long, the chilies had wreaked havoc on all the disciples of Starfall Peaks, with even the side mountain becoming a no-go zone.

Wu Pingfan enjoyed the newfound peace.

But this serenity was short-lived, vanishing with the arrival of the Sword Dao Conference.

At Starfall Peaks, there was a group of fervent cultivators led by the eldest senior brother.

On the side mountain, there was a water curtain cave known as the seclusion cave, where disciples occasionally retreated for intense cultivation, a favorite spot for the cultivation zealots.

Every time Wu Pingfan ventured out, he would find disciples who had nearly lost their minds to the rigors of secluded cultivation. The more he rescued, the more there seemed to be.

The back mountain was nearly overflowing with what had been collected.

That was until the day he found the eldest senior brother on the brink of madness.

The eldest senior brother showed signs of losing control. Upon seeing him, he coughed up blood and managed to call out, "Master."

Wu Pingfan's face soured as he thought about the multitude of patients accumulating on the mountain. He promptly sealed several of the eldest senior brother's acupoints with a swift motion of his hand.

Unable to continue his usual cultivation method with his acupoints sealed, the eldest senior brother was forced to adopt a more direct approach. Yet, this new method proved impossible for him to practice.

Wu Pingfan then spoke calmly, "Continue."

The eldest senior brother paused, momentarily taken aback. He wasn't as dense as Xiao Xiao; after a few attempts, he grasped the concept.

Three days later, the eldest senior brother had a breakthrough, advancing two levels at once.

Upon seeing him again, Wu Pingfan found him kneeling, his face the picture of reverence as he said, "Thank you, Master, for your guidance."

The eldest senior brother, who had always been unbending and indomitable, teased by the Immortal Master for decades without ever submitting, was now kneeling before the newcomer Master.

Those who witnessed the scene were haunted by nightmares afterward.

The news spread rapidly.

Even Zhuo Xianqun was taken aback, "Little Sixth Son has had a breakthrough?"

Little Sixth Son was the nickname Zhuo Xianqun had affectionately given him.

For three long years, Little Sixth Son had been tormented by madness without any progress.

Xiao Xiao pursed her lips, "They say it was Master's instruction."

"That makes sense. He's given me guidance before," Zhuo Xianqun remarked offhandedly.

Yet, Xiao Xiao couldn't help but recall the moment Wu Pingfan had instructed her.

And as her thoughts turned to the Immortal Master, she suddenly found herself unable to meet his gaze.