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

Lin Yueru froze on the spot, her eyes wide open, her face filled with disbelief.

Just moments ago, her master was full of doubt and refused to believe Shen Jingshu's identity. But in the blink of an eye, he actually bowed and knelt down in front of her junior sister from the same school, performing the most solemn sect salute! The huge shock left her mind blank, completely unable to react to this subversive scene before her eyes.

Master Lingxu's expression was solemn, without a trace of mockery. He turned and ordered in a deep voice, "Yueru, quickly pay your respects to the sect leader!"

Her master, a lifelong cultivator and the head of the Xuanmen sect, was always proud and unyielding, never easily bowing down. Yet, at this moment, her attitude was extremely respectful. Even with her initial surprise and confusion, Lin Yueru instantly understood—the Shen Jingshu before her held an extremely high status and was no ordinary person.

Without the slightest hesitation, she immediately bowed and knelt down, her posture respectful and upright.

A clear, youthful voice, yet impeccably proper, rang out in the tea room:

"Lin Yueru, the thirty-ninth generation disciple of the Xuanmen Sect, pays respects to the Sect Leader!"

At this point, the master and disciple, two generations of Xuanmen practitioners, all knelt before the young, orthodox Xuanmen leader.

Shen Jingshu's gaze calmly fell on the kneeling master and disciple, her voice light yet carrying the authority of a superior: "Get up."

"Thank you, Sect Leader!"

Master Lingxu and Lin Yueru stood up in unison, their postures respectful and their hearts filled with awe. They had completely lost the relaxed demeanor they had displayed when they sat down to chat earlier. They stood with their hands at their sides, not daring to sit down rashly.

Seeing this, Shen Jingshu said calmly, "Please sit down, there's no need to be so formal."

The two then carefully sat down as instructed, their posture upright and reserved.

Lu Jingxing, who witnessed the entire earth-shattering reversal of identities, remained calm throughout, showing no surprise whatsoever. It was as if this miracle, which overturned the century-old tradition of the Xuanmen, was nothing more than a trivial matter to him.

Lin Yueru, unable to contain her confusion, glanced cautiously at the seated Shen Jingshu, then turned to her master and asked softly, "Master, what exactly is going on?"

Master Lingxu glanced at Shen Jingshu, and seeing her nod slightly to indicate that he should speak the truth, he slowly began to reveal the secrets of the Xuanmen sect that had been sealed away for hundreds of years.

"Our Xuanmen sect was founded by Ancestor Xuanjizi. According to the records, before the Ancestor attained enlightenment and ascended to heaven, he personally passed on his mantle to his only disciple, intending for him to inherit the position of the rightful leader of the Xuanmen sect. However, after the Ancestor passed away and ascended to heaven, that only disciple suddenly disappeared without a trace and has not been heard from since."

"Only half of the sect leader's jade pendant remains in the sect, along with an ancestral precept: If, after many years, someone appears in the world with the other half of the incomplete jade pendant, and can combine it with the sect's heirloom jade pendant, that person will be the true and legitimate leader of the Xuanmen sect. We, the disciples of later generations, have only inherited the position of acting sect leader, managing sect affairs, but have never held the true orthodox authority of the Xuanmen sect."

"You just saw with your own eyes that the jade pendant in the sect leader's hand fits perfectly with the Xuanmen Token passed down through generations of our sect, proving that Sect Leader Shen is the rightful heir whom the Xuanmen has been waiting for for hundreds of years."

Lin Yueru suddenly understood and instantly grasped the cause and effect.

The master and disciple were both secretly pondering. They had assumed Shen Jingshu was a descendant of the reclusive Xuanmen lineage, but they hadn't expected her to openly declare that she was a disciple of the founding patriarch, Xuanjizi. There must be some unknown secrets hidden within her, but Shen Jingshu didn't say much. Master Lingxu was well-versed in propriety and would never rashly pry into the sect leader's secrets.

Upon hearing this, Lu Jingxing, standing beside him, had a thoughtful glint in his deep eyes, and a faint smile appeared on his lips. He felt that his little girl was far more mysterious and extraordinary than the world had ever seen, and was truly interesting.

After the two had processed all the information, Shen Jingshu went straight to the point: "Let's talk about the current state of the Xuanmen sect."

Master Lingxu immediately composed himself, bowed respectfully, and replied, "Yes, Sect Leader!"

"This disciple is the thirty-eighth generation leader of the Xuanmen sect, in charge of all affairs of the sect. The person beside me is my disciple Lin Yueru, the thirty-ninth generation successor of the Xuanmen sect."

"Since its founding, our Xuanmen sect has always adhered to the ancestral rule of a single lineage, which is completely different from other major sects in the world. We do not expand our sect, do not accept lay disciples, and do not form factions. Each generation has only one legitimate successor who cultivates the Tao with a pure heart, guards the orthodox path of Xuanmen, and never participates in worldly disputes."

"So, in other words, the only people from the Xuanmen sect who are currently active in the world are you and your master?" Shen Jingshu asked calmly.

Master Lingxu nodded respectfully: "Indeed. In the mortal world today, only Yue Ru and I are guarding the Xuanmen lineage."

"Alright." Shen Jingshu's eyes were light and her tone was frank. She had never liked complicated matters, and this kind of quiet and simple life suited her taste.

Master Lingxu hesitated for a moment, then solemnly asked, "Now that the sect leader has returned to his position, should we issue an order to all the major sects in the world, announcing the reappearance of the orthodox Xuanmen sect and the return of the sect leader?"

"No need," Shen Jingshu casually declined. "I have no intention of getting involved in the worldly disputes of the Xuanmen. You can continue to act as you always have. You will continue to manage the daily affairs of the sect."

She frankly admitted: "I am still studying at school and do not have the extra energy to manage the secular affairs of the sect."

"Yes, disciple obeys." Master Lingxu immediately responded, then earnestly advised, "However, the Xuanmen has countless treasures, preserving ancient books and secret manuals passed down through generations, many of which are unique copies in the world. The sect leader must take some time to return to the mountain gate in the future to personally review and take over these treasures."

"I understand. I will make time to go back in the future," Shen Jingshu replied calmly.

Having finished discussing all the important matters, Master Lingxu, unable to suppress his pent-up curiosity any longer, finally asked about the matter he had been most concerned about: "By the way, Sect Leader, was the lightning-struck wood protective amulet that you gave to President Lu truly carved by your own hand?"

Shen Jingshu nodded gently: "Yes, I made it myself."

Upon receiving a definite answer, Master Lingxu's eyes were filled with fervor and longing. He exclaimed sincerely, "The array engraved inside that wooden tablet is incredibly wondrous. I've only seen scattered records of it in the sect's incomplete ancient books and diagrams. No one has been able to replicate it for hundreds of years. I never imagined it would be created by the sect leader!"

Seeing his eagerness, Shen Jingshu readily agreed: "If you're interested, that's fine too. In a while, I'll compile several complete sets of array talismans and distribute them to you and your master so you can study and cultivate them on your own."

Master Lingxu was both surprised and delighted, and immediately stood up, cupping his hands in thanks: "Thank you for your kindness, Sect Leader!"

"No need to be so polite." Shen Jingshu waved her hand gently, feeling slightly helpless. "You keep calling me 'Sect Leader,' it makes me very uncomfortable."

Master Lingxu's expression was resolute, showing no sign of yielding: "The order of etiquette and principles cannot be disregarded. The sect leader is the sect leader, and his disciples would never dare to be disrespectful."

Shen Jingshu reluctantly compromised, "How about this, when we're alone you can call me Sect Leader, and when outsiders are around you you can call me Miss Shen."

"Yes, disciple will obey the sect leader's orders."

Shen Jingshu glanced at the time; it was already getting late. She stood up to take her leave: "Now that we've acknowledged our sect and clarified past matters, I'll be leaving if there's nothing else."

"Alright." Master Lingxu quickly responded, then, remembering the follow-up communication, he immediately said, "Sect Leader, please leave a contact method so that I can report to you promptly if there are any important matters in the sect in the future."

After saying that, he took out his phone and respectfully scanned the QR code to add Shen Jingshu on WeChat.

Seeing this, Lin Yueru quickly stepped forward, adding with a mix of shyness and anticipation, "Sect Leader, we are not only fellow disciples but also alumni of the same school. If I encounter any difficulties in my cultivation in the future, may I ask you for guidance?"