Stepdaughter of a wealthy family? The little darling of a Beijing tycoon

Lu Jingxing chuckled softly and spoke slowly into the speakerphone, "Please be patient, Master. Whether we can meet depends on this young gentleman's wishes." He then hung up the call, turned to Shen Jingshu, and his expression turned serious. "Would you like to meet with Master Lingxu?"

Shen Jingshu's eyes flickered slightly, and a few thoughts arose in her mind.

Since her rebirth, she has mostly dealt with public officials from the Special Affairs Bureau and has never formally come into contact with people from the Xuanmen sect.

Recalling that her master was the former head of the Xuanmen Grand Sect, she realized that she and this Lingxu Zhenren should be from the same lineage and fellow disciples.

Firstly, they were genuinely curious about the cultivation and temperament of the current leader of the Xuanmen sect; secondly, it was only natural for fellow disciples to meet, so there was no need to deliberately avoid it.

"I'd like to meet him; I'd also like to see this Xuanmen sect leader."

"Okay." Lu Jingxing gestured for her to call back.

The phone rang only once before being answered immediately, which shows that Master Lingxu had been glued to his phone the whole time, eager to meet the master.

"Mr. Lu? What did the expert say?"

"She agreed to meet, and we arranged to meet at a tea house."

"No problem, send me the address, I'll leave right away!"

Lu Jingxing's understanding of Lingxu Zhenren was actually not very deep. The two had known each other for many years, but they had only met a handful of times, and each time they met, it was when he was caught in a strange calamity and his destiny was in disarray.

Lu Jingxing was born with auspicious purple aura, and his destiny was too noble and heavy. He was born to attract evil spirits and often felt inexplicably restless and turbulent.

At such times, only Master Lingxu, who is proficient in orthodox Xuanmen techniques, can help him suppress the chaotic energy and stabilize his destiny.

The last time the two met was when Master Lingxu observed the celestial phenomena at night and sensed that the seal on Lu Jingxing's destiny, which had been imbued with blessings since childhood, was about to loosen. He specially came to his door, intending to reinforce the magic array for him. However, as soon as he approached Lu Jingxing, he was instantly drawn to the lightning-struck wood amulet around his neck.

The talisman, which Shen Jingshu had personally carved and set up with a secret array, was repeatedly examined and caressed by Master Lingxu. The more he looked at it, the more astonished he became, and he kept praising it as "wonderful and wonderful."

This protective formation hidden within the wooden core is an ancient secret rune that has long been completely lost in the ancient texts of the Xuanmen sect. Even Lingxu Zhenren, the current head of the Xuanmen sect, who has spent half his life reading through all the sect's books, has only seen incomplete records of it, and no one has ever been able to replicate and use it.

At that moment, he became certain that the person who could replicate the lost ancient formation and carve such a top-tier protective artifact must have a deep connection with the orthodox Xuanmen lineage. Because of this, he became increasingly curious and eager, hoping every day to personally meet this reclusive master and learn the true essence of formations.

Lu Jingxing eventually arranged to meet him at a secluded and elegant Zen-inspired teahouse hidden in the bustling city.

When the black sedan came to a slow stop and the two arrived outside the private room, Master Lingxu had been waiting for a long time.

At this moment, he was completely unlike his usual calm and indifferent demeanor as the sect leader who usually oversaw the Xuanmen Sect. His brows and eyes were filled with undisguised anxiety and anticipation, and he was restless, frequently glancing towards the door.

Lin Yueru, who had come along, was filled with surprise and doubt.

Having followed her master in cultivating Taoism for many years since childhood, she was used to seeing her master's composure and calmness even in the face of a collapsing mountain. She had never seen her master show such anxiety and eagerness before meeting someone. Her curiosity was completely piqued. She was incredibly curious about what kind of earth-shattering figure she was going to meet today.

Originally, Master Lingxu intended to go alone upon receiving the invitation, focusing solely on his studies without being disturbed. However, his disciple Lin Yueru, who was on leave and had returned to the mountain, insisted on accompanying him upon hearing that her master was going out to meet guests. Master Lingxu then considered that this opportunity to meet a master of formations was a rare chance, and it would be a good opportunity to broaden his disciple's horizons and cultivate her character. Therefore, he decided to bring Lin Yueru along as well.

An old man and his young apprentice, one filled with anxious anticipation and the other with bewildered curiosity, quietly awaited the appearance of the creator of the lost formation.

The carved wooden door to the private tea room was gently pushed open.

Lu Jingxing stood tall and straight at the doorway, with the elegant and serene Shen Jingshu beside him. Inside the room, Master Lingxu and Lin Yueru both looked up at the sound.

Lu Jingxing remained calm and composed, showing no surprise at seeing Lin Yueru. He had met this disciple twice before when he met Master Lingxu, and knew that she was a legitimate successor of the Xuanmen sect. He simply nodded slightly in acknowledgment, then stepped aside and gently gestured for Shen Jingshu to enter and take a seat first.

But Lin Yueru, who was standing to the side, was stunned for a moment, her eyes filled with disbelief and astonishment.

How could it be Shen Jingshu?

She and Shen Jingshu were in the same school and grade, and they often bumped into each other on campus. In her memory, Shen Jingshu was aloof, quiet, and taciturn, just an ordinary pretty girl with nothing special about her.

She never expected that the metaphysical master who was so eager to see her master was actually Shen Jingshu, her classmate. She also never expected that she would walk side by side with Lu Jingxing, one of the most powerful figures in Beijing's elite circles, and be so close to him.

Compared to Lin Yueru's shock and astonishment, Lingxu Zhenren's attention remained firmly fixed on Shen Jingshu from beginning to end, without wavering for a moment.

His gaze was solemn, he held his breath, and subconsciously activated his perception to carefully examine the aura and spiritual energy around her. However, after several examinations, Shen Jingshu's aura was peaceful and gentle, without the slightest fluctuation of spiritual energy leaking out of a cultivator, just like an ordinary person.

Lingxu Zhenren's heart was instantly filled with turbulent waves, and two extreme guesses arose in his mind.

Either the young girl in front of him had already far surpassed him in cultivation, with an unfathomable realm and a restrained, pure aura that made it impossible for him to detect even a trace of spiritual power.

Or perhaps she really is just an ordinary person without any metaphysical cultivation.

But if he were truly an ordinary person, how could he possibly replicate the ancient, lost formations of the Xuanmen sect? How could he possibly carve a protective magic artifact made of lightning-struck wood that even he couldn't comprehend?

Contradictions, shock, and disbelief all clung to Lingxu Zhenren's eyes. He stared intently at the serene and peaceful girl before him, utterly bewildered.

As everyone took their seats, the aroma of tea filled the air, and the atmosphere in the quiet private room instantly became calm.

Lu Jingxing spoke first, his tone firm and solemn, introducing the two people opposite him: "Master Lingxu, this Miss Shen Jingshu beside me is the metaphysical master I mentioned to you before."

The moment the words left his mouth, Master Lingxu's pupils constricted sharply, his face filled with utter disbelief. He blurted out, "Really...really her? Mr. Lu, please don't be joking or trying to fool me!"

Lu Jingxing raised his eyes, his expression frank and without a trace of jest: "I'm not the type to lie for no reason."

Master Lingxu was momentarily stunned, his heart churning with turbulent emotions. The master of array formations he had been thinking about day and night these past few days was a reclusive expert who could replicate lost ancient arrays of the Xuanmen sect and craft top-tier protective artifacts.

He had imagined countless times what the other person would look like, a sage with an air of otherworldly grace, someone who had devoted himself to cultivation for many years. He never expected that this extraordinary master would actually be a young girl who looked to be no more than twenty years old and had a gentle and serene temperament.