Liu Qingyue frowned and gave an awkward smile. “Patriarch, thank you for your kindness, but isn’t this a bit inappropriate? Won’t the other disciples gossip?”
Shi Henshuang, standing nearby, said, “It’s fine. If the other disciples ask, just say I arranged it. Besides, your sister is only one step away from Spirit Master cultivation. Here, I have a second-grade low-rank spirit herb. Take it. You should be able to break through in the next two days. After you break through, go to the registry office and register. Then collect your outer disciple robes and token.”
“Th-thank you, Grand Elder!”
Liu Siya’s body trembled slightly with excitement as she looked at the second-grade low-rank spirit herb, something a registered disciple could never hope to receive.
Even for an outer disciple, obtaining such a spirit herb would not be easy. They would need to do things for the sect, earn contribution points, and then exchange them for it.
Liu Siya knew that the Grand Elder had made an exception and given her the spirit herb only because of Chu Fan, the Patriarch.
“Alright, put it away.”
Shi Henshuang remained as cold as ever, but when she turned to Chu Fan, a faint smile appeared on her face. She said to him, “Patriarch, if there is ever anything you need my help with in the future, just remember to come find me.”
Chu Fan nodded and waved his hand. “Alright, you may go. Remember, if there are outsiders around, either call me Chu Fan or Steward Chu.”
“Alright, then I will take my leave now.”
Shi Henshuang cupped her hands, then opened the door and vanished in a flash.
“Sis, this is great! With this spirit herb, you’re sure to break through to Spirit Master cultivation. From now on, you’ll be a true sect disciple.”
As soon as Shi Henshuang left, Liu Qingyue immediately grabbed Liu Siya’s hand, her eyes shining with excitement.
Liu Siya, however, said to Chu Fan, “Thank you for taking care of me, Patriarch. If it weren’t for you, would the Grand Elder have given me a spirit herb?”
Chu Fan smiled faintly and glanced at the spirit herb, unable to help swallowing his saliva. He had wanted to ask Shi Henshuang for some spirit herbs just now, but he didn’t dare to say it.
After all, if Shi Henshuang and the others found out that his cultivation was even worse than a registered disciple’s, they would probably feel as if they had been played for fools, and they might even kill him with a single finger.
Right now, he was a lofty existence whose cultivation was far higher than a Spirit King’s. How could he possibly ask for a first-grade spirit herb?
“Ahem, you’re welcome. It’s mainly because I have some fate with your little sister Qingyue. The first person I saw after emerging from seclusion was her. I can see that you two have had a rough time, so this little matter isn’t worth worrying about.”
Chu Fan coughed lightly, then said, “Remember, from now on I am Steward Chu. For now, I will be taking over Ye Qiu’s position.”
After thinking for a moment, Chu Fan added, “Only the two of you disciples know my identity. If I run into something I don’t understand and ask you about it in the future, you must answer me honestly.”
“Understood, Patriarch!”
Liu Siya nodded.
Liu Qingyue cupped her hands and said, “Thank you, Patriarch, for helping us today. Otherwise, I might have fallen into Bu Yaolian’s hands.”
“Haha, it’s nothing. Come on, let me go take a look at the rooms first.”
Chu Fan laughed and led the two beautiful sisters out.
The remaining two rooms were next to each other, and Chu Fan chose the one at the end.
At this moment, although Chu Fan had changed clothes, he was still hungry. His hair was a mess, he had a full beard, and because he had not drunk water for a long time, his skin looked somewhat shriveled. He truly looked like an old man.
After choosing the room, Chu Fan said to Liu Siya, “Miss Siya, I’ll need your help with something later.”
Liu Siya nodded. “Just tell me what you need, Steward Chu. It is my honor to help you.”
Liu Siya had already wanted to repay his kindness, so she did not think much of it.
Chu Fan nodded and then said to Liu Qingyue, “Qingyue, I need your help too. Go get me some food. I haven’t eaten for a long time, so I’m a bit hungry. Oh, and bring some water too.”
Liu Qingyue nodded. “Alright. What do you like to eat? There’s a street over there with lots of snacks and even restaurants. The sect’s disciples go there to stroll around from time to time.”
Chu Fan smiled and said, “Anything that fills my stomach is fine. Just don’t tell anyone it was bought for me.”
Liu Qingyue assumed that the Patriarch was simply hungry from not eating for too long, or maybe just craving something tasty, so she immediately agreed.
“Alright, Miss Siya, come with me to my room. I’ll be troubling you in a bit.”
Liu Siya smiled and nodded, following Chu Fan into his room.
Liu Qingyue frowned. In broad daylight, the Patriarch was actually taking her sister to his room. Could it be that asking her to buy things was just a way to send her away?
Was the Patriarch planning to make a move on her sister?
“What should I do? Back then Ye Qiu threatened my sister but still never got her. Has she just gotten out of the wolf’s den and fallen into the tiger’s mouth?”
Watching Chu Fan close the door himself, Liu Qingyue clenched her fists.
But she did not dare rush in. After thinking it over, she could only fly quickly toward the street to buy things.
“Sigh, even if my sister is ruined by this old man, at least that’s better than being sent to the Blazing Flame Sect. If she is sent to the Blazing Flame Sect, she’s basically dead for sure.”
Liu Qingyue felt unhappy, but she could only comfort herself this way.
When Liu Siya saw Chu Fan close the door after entering the room, her heart also became tense. After all, Liu Qingyue had told her that this old man was also a lecher, and that he had not touched a woman for many years. Now that he had called her into the room and closed the door, could it be that he needed help with that sort of thing?
“Ahem, I have been in seclusion for so many years that I have not even had the chance to bathe. I’ll take a bath first, and you can help me later. Wait here for a moment.”
Chu Fan glanced at the beauty beside him. Seeing her shy expression, he felt his heart stir.
Then he went into the small inner compartment to bathe.
Liu Siya sat by the edge of the bed, so nervous that she could hardly breathe. She also wanted to find a cultivation partner and live a sweet, bashful life together.
But she did not want to find an old man.
Even if that old man was the Patriarch!
“In this world, the weak are all ants. My little sister and I don’t have high cultivation. Not to mention here in the Joyous Sect, even if we went outside, we would still be bullied. Chu Fan is the sect’s Patriarch. If I followed him, then maybe I would have found a powerful backer.”
Soon, Liu Siya began to think it through. Before she entered the sect, she had seen women being captured and toyed with by men before finally being killed. She knew how difficult it was to survive in this chaotic world.
Both she and Liu Qingyue were beautiful. If Chu Fan didn’t have his eye on her today, someone else would tomorrow. Better to harden her heart and simply submit to Chu Fan, the Patriarch.
Besides, with her current status and position, did she even have the right to refuse? If she disobeyed, she would suffer, and her little sister would suffer too.
If she could make the Patriarch happy later, she might even be able to persuade him not to target her little sister.
Thinking this, Liu Siya gritted her teeth. Since she couldn’t escape anyway, why not just give in?
So, after a long internal struggle, Liu Siya actually took off her outer clothes, lay down on the bed, covered her delicate body with the blanket, and waited quietly.
“He’s just an old man. He shouldn’t take long. Just bear with it, and it’ll pass.”
“The Patriarch sent my little sister away, said he needed my help with something, and even locked the door. It must mean exactly that.”
“He’s a little old, but he really is the sect’s biggest backer!”
Liu Siya lay on the bed, repeatedly convincing herself.