After I left the sect, the entire sect knelt down and begged for forgiveness.

Chapter 43 Daoist Companion? They'll only hinder my cultivation.
Infusing spiritual energy into the hairpin can withstand an attack from a Nascent Soul cultivator. In a critical moment, it might save your life.

She didn't know what kind of wood the hairpin was made of, but the fact that it could be decorated with mysterious defensive formations meant it was no ordinary object.

The delicate fragrance emanating from the hairpin lingered around my nose; it smelled wonderful. I wondered if it was because it had been infused with spices, or if the wood itself simply smelled this way.

The gift of apology was so valuable that even a dullard would understand what was going on.

She opened her hand, and a communication jade disc appeared in her palm. She only had one friend on the jade disc, so she opened it and sent a message to that person.

An anonymous monk asked: What is the price of the hairpin at the merchant guild?
The other party replied to her quickly.

Mo Yu: What hairpin? Does the fairy want to buy a hairpin?
"..."

He has the ability to play dumb, so he can succeed at anything he does. Why waste his time on her?

She didn't want to incur any emotional debts due to fate, so she laid it all out directly without beating around the bush.

An anonymous monk asked: "Was the hairpin that the Chamber of Commerce compensated you with at your behest?"
Mo Yu explained that he sent the gift under the guise of compensation because he was afraid she wouldn't accept it.

Lin Yan sighed upon seeing the reply and asked him which private room number he was in.

Mo Yu smiled bitterly; as expected, nothing could be hidden from her. He replied with his room number on the communication disc, then placed the disc on the table, looking extremely dejected.

Not long after, there was a knock at the door. He got up to open it and invited her in. Seeing her sit down at the coffee table without any restraint, he looked bitter.

He closed the door and went to sit opposite him. Seeing the wooden box on the coffee table, he looked vulnerable. "I just wanted to give a friend a token of my affection, nothing more," Mo Yu said casually, making it hard to speak harshly.

Lin Yan wasn't buying it, nor did she respond to the "friend's good intentions" rhetoric. Her first words were: "Are you interested in me? You've taken a liking to me?"

"I……"

"Tell me the truth. If I have it, I have it; if I don't, I don't. Don't try to fob me off with 'friendship'." What friend would give a gift in such a roundabout way? True friends are always straightforward and honest.

It would be strange if this person, acting all coy and pitiful, were really just trying to make friends.

Seeing that he still looked pitiful, she understood. She didn't ask any more questions, but returned the hairpin. She couldn't accept a gift that implied romantic feelings.

Mo Yu's eyes were filled with tears, and his eyes were red. He bit his lip, looking stubborn, and refused to take back his hairpin.

Ignoring his expression, she said directly, "Don't waste your time on me. I'm not looking for a Daoist partner."

"Why? The path of cultivation is long. Wouldn't it be better to have a cultivation partner? Besides, I have a single water spiritual root and good talent. I won't hold you back. Cultivating with a cultivator with a single water spiritual root is beneficial to cultivation, isn't it?"

Mo Yusheng possessed a handsome appearance, coupled with the aptitude of a single water spiritual root, attracting the affections of not only female cultivators but also male cultivators. Annoyed by the constant harassment, he came to the town to take over a branch of his family's merchant guild, ostensibly to hone his skills.

He spent some time in the small town, which was a bit boring, but at least it was peaceful. That day, he returned from his training in the Ten Thousand Demon Forest and was drinking tea in his own teahouse when he witnessed her teaching a spoiled brat from a small family a lesson.

He couldn't see her face, but he was drawn to her entire aura. It was fatal, alluring, and irresistible.

After she left, he immediately returned to the Chamber of Commerce and arranged for someone to investigate. However, the investigators did not return with any useful information, and he saw her at his own Chamber of Commerce the very next day.

She came alone with so many demonic beast corpses to sell, including some fourth and fifth-tier beasts. Those were beasts that were no less formidable than those at the peak of the Golden Core stage, and she had taken care of several of them herself… He couldn't help but be impressed by her strength. He repeatedly reviewed the information he had gathered. She was only a teenager when she left the sect and descended the mountain due to a mistake, having only reached the Qi Refining stage at the time of her departure.

Mo Yu repeatedly perused the document, growing increasingly curious about her. His initial act of feigning helplessness was also a way to get closer to her. Unfortunately, that plan failed, so he opted for a less idealistic approach, adding her on his communication jade disc. There was plenty of time; he was confident in his charm.

Even now, though he is deeply mired in this situation, she remains unmoved.

"A cultivation partner would only hinder my cultivation. I'm not considering it now, and I won't consider it in the future." She spoke bluntly, giving no one a chance, no matter how pitiful the other person was.

"but I……"

Lin Yan gestured for her to stop. She said sternly, "Stop talking. You're cultivating immortality, and you're still indulging in these lovey-dovey things? Do you think that's appropriate?"

Why is this person so stubborn? With that kind of drive, they could succeed at anything, but they choose to use it to pursue relationships.

Mo Yu was still unwilling to give up, and finally asked weakly, "Is there really no chance for us?"

His eyes held a hint of expectation, hoping that the other person would see the dejection in his eyes and not be so heartless.

"Yes!" she said decisively, a single word that shattered all the other person's expectations.

"I...I know."

His lips moved slightly; he didn't know what else to say that could move someone's heart.

Mo Yu's eyes were dim, as if they were about to shatter.

Seeing that she still hadn't left, a glimmer of hope returned to him, thinking that she was holding back because she saw how heartbroken he was. However, her question shattered that hope completely.

"Is the private room I'm staying in not a room I can get with a regular ticket? Should I just pay you the extra fee, or should I talk to the manager of the flying boat?"

"No need. Speaking of which, your assassination attempt on the airship was due to the Chamber of Commerce's negligence. The room fee doesn't need to be paid; consider it compensation." His tone was low, and his eyes revealed his disappointment, like a puppy abandoned by its owner, dejected and pitiful.

Mo Yu's striking appearance, coupled with his current sad and pleading expression, would move many people to tears, but Lin Yan had no eyes for him, her eyes were empty, and she showed no emotion whatsoever.

She stood up, walked straight out without pausing, and gently closed the door behind her.

Lin Yan returned to her private room, and the red demon's ears twitched. It purred and nuzzled against her. It was hungry and wanted food.

It used to be able to last for several days after eating its fill, but now it needs to eat at every meal. She kept saying that it ate too much and she couldn't afford to feed it, but she still took out a few stalks of mystic grass and fed it to it.

The red demon, having eaten its fill, didn't bother Lin Yan but went to bed and fell fast asleep. Lin Yan hadn't slept on the bed in this private room, but the demon had rolled around on it countless times.

She sat on the futon with her eyes closed, meditating until the bell rang, at which point she opened her eyes.

The bell rings automatically, indicating that the stop has been reached.

The flying boat stopped at the docking point in Lishan City. A few miles north by flying sword, you would reach Lishan.

Please point out any typos; the author was busy collecting bottles and didn't have time to correct them. (∧)
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(End of this chapter)