Inside the main hall, Xiao Mo sat cross-legged, a faint Sword Intent swirling around him.
He wasn't in closed-door cultivation, but rather sorting out the Spiritual Power that had become somewhat chaotic from forcibly suppressing the Xinmo.
When the Great Elder's furious voice rang out from outside the hall, he slowly opened his eyes.
"Jianzun! This old man has an important matter to report!"
Xiao Mo didn't speak. He simply raised his hand and waved, and the heavy hall doors opened silently.
The Great Elder stormed in, and the moment he saw Xiao Mo, he began pouring out his grievances.
"Jianzun! You must go see for yourself! That young girl you brought back—she… she's simply…"
He couldn't find the right words for a moment, and after struggling for a while, finally managed to spit out a sentence.
"She's simply wasting heavenly treasures!"
Xiao Mo's brow twitched slightly, but he still didn't speak, merely watching him quietly.
Seeing no reaction from him, the Great Elder grew even more anxious and poured out Shen Manyi's crimes like beans spilling from a bamboo tube.
"…Dragon Blood Vine! Seven-Haze Exquisite Flower! Those Divine Grade Immortal Herbs that exist only in legends—
she planted them like they were nothing but radishes and cabbages, casually in that patch of broken soil outside!"
"This old man's heart is bleeding!"
"So?" Xiao Mo finally spoke, his voice betraying neither pleasure nor anger.
"So I beg the Jianzun to allow this old man to move those divine herbs—no, to move that entire plot of land to Danfeng!" The Great Elder said with earnest sincerity. "Only at the Spiritual Eye of Danfeng can the medicinal properties be preserved to the greatest extent! Leaving them on Tai Shang Feng is simply a waste!"
"Why should her things be given to you?" Xiao Mo asked coolly in return.
The Great Elder was choked by the question and instinctively retorted.
"How could that be her things! Those are Heavenly Treasures—they belong to the entire sect's wealth!"
"She planted them."
Xiao Mo's words were concise, leaving the Great Elder nearly breathless with frustration.
"But… but…" The Great Elder scratched his head anxiously. "Jianzun, you are a Sword Cultivator, so you may not understand. If those immortal herbs aren't properly tended, their medicinal properties will fade quickly! This kind of loss, our Guiyuan Jianzong cannot afford!"
Xiao Mo's gaze passed through the hall doors, seemingly landing in the direction of the side hall. He could sense the small, anxious and guilty presence coming from over there.
A faint, barely perceptible curve tugged at the corner of his lips.
"If she likes planting them, then let her plant them." Xiao Mo withdrew his gaze, his tone calm yet brooking no argument. "If Danfeng lacks anything, go find the Sect Master."
"But the sect doesn't have such fine treasures either!" The Great Elder was on the verge of tears.
"Then that's your problem."
"Jianzun!" The Great Elder refused to give up and wanted to persuade him further.
"Or," Xiao Mo's gaze turned cold, "is the Great Elder trying to discipline this Venerable's people on his behalf?"
An icy Sword Intent instantly locked onto the Great Elder.
The Great Elder's entire body stiffened, cold sweat instantly beading on his forehead.
Only then did he realize—the person before him was the Taishang Jianzun of Guiyuan Jianzong, a god of slaughter whose word was law!
Discipline his people?
How many lives would he need to lose before he learned his lesson?
"N-No… This old man wouldn't dare!" The Great Elder's heart turned to ice.
The fate of that Liu Qin from last time was still fresh in his memory, and yet today he'd actually dared to come and file a complaint—he must be getting senile!
"Scram."
"Yes, yes, yes! This old man is scrambling right now!"
The Great Elder fled as if pardoned, hastily retreating from the main hall, never daring to mention transplanting the immortal herbs again.
At the entrance of the side hall, Shen Manyi was pacing back and forth restlessly.
"Tangyuan, do you think my brother will be angry?"
"Do you think he'll think I'm too much trouble and kick me out of the sect?"
"If I get kicked out, the Shen family definitely won't let me off. Wouldn't I be dead for sure?"
The more Shen Manyi thought about it, the more scared she became, her little face scrunching up into a ball.
Tangyuan lay sprawled on her shoulder, yawned, and casually reassured her:
"Relax. A ten-thousand-year-old ice block like your brother—how could he get angry over something this small?"
"That's what you say, but I still don't feel confident…"
Just as she finished speaking, she saw the Great Elder walk out of the main hall, looking utterly dejected.
He looked like an eggplant hit by frost—head drooping, spirit completely crushed.
Shen Manyi's heart instantly jumped to her throat.
Judging by that reaction, the complaint probably hadn't succeeded, right?
While she was still nervous, she saw Xiao Mo's figure appear not far away.
He had changed out of his black robes into a moon-white casual garment, his dark hair loosely draped. He carried less of his usual sharpness and more of a gentle, homey warmth.
Seeing him approach, Shen Manyi immediately lowered her head, her two hands nervously twisting the hem of her clothes.
"Brother…" Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz.
Xiao Mo came to a stop in front of her.
He didn't speak, just quietly watched her.
His gaze made her scalp tingle and her heart race even faster. She couldn't help but confess on her own initiative.
"Brother, I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to!
I just thought that patch of empty land looked ugly…
I swear I didn't know those seeds would grow into such amazing things…"
As she spoke, a hint of a sob crept into her voice.
"If you're angry, just punish me. Just don't kick me out, okay?"
She lifted her head, her apricot eyes glistening with moisture. That pitiful look of hers would soften anyone's heart.
Xiao Mo was silent for a moment, then suddenly reached out and gently patted her head.
His palm was dry and warm, carrying a reassuring strength.
"Who said you caused trouble?"
Shen Manyi froze, blinking. "The Great Elder… didn't he go to you to complain?"
"Mhm."
"Then you're not angry?"
"Why would I be angry?" Xiao Mo looked at her, asking in return.
"On this lord's territory, planting a few flowers and herbs—does that count as causing trouble?"
In his eyes, those so-called Divine Grade Immortal Herbs seemed no different from roadside weeds.
Shen Manyi was completely dumbfounded.
So… it was just over like that?
The storm she had imagined didn't even manage to stir up a single ripple?
"But… the Great Elder said those things are very precious, that they'd be wasted…"
"What you grow is yours."
Xiao Mo cut her off, his tone matter-of-fact.
"You may do with them as you please. There's no need to care about anyone else's opinion."
His words were like a calming pill, instantly soothing all of Shen Manyi's anxiety and unease.
A warm current surged from the depths of her heart, and her eyes grew hot.
"Brother, you're so good to me."
Xiao Mo looked at her sparkling eyes, his gaze deepening.
His line of sight fell on her cheek, where there was a small smudge.
He gently wiped it away with the pad of his finger.
His cool fingertip traced across her warm skin, sending a subtle shiver through her.
Shen Manyi's heart skipped a beat once again.
Why did her brother… keep touching her like that?
Even though she knew he meant nothing by it, such intimate gestures still made her cheeks burn.
"From now on, if anyone dares to bother you over such trivial matters, just have your cat chase them out."
"No one has the right to question those under this lord's protection."
With that, Xiao Mo turned and walked into the side hall.
Shen Manyi stood rooted to the spot, taking a long while to snap back to her senses.
She looked at the thriving immortal herbs filling the garden, then at Xiao Mo's retreating figure, and couldn't help but let her lips curve upward.
Should she confess to her brother the true origin of these immortal herbs?
After all, this was her greatest hidden advantage—what if she needed it again in the future?