The Oldest Disciple: Farming Intimacy to Become Immortal

Chapter 172: Xia Xi’s Wild Thoughts

The Tianshi Mansion might have a Golden Core cultivator overseeing it, but a mere Golden Core expert wasn’t enough to frighten Li Meng.

If he couldn’t win a fight, someone else certainly could. Given Senior Wen’s temperament, the man was undoubtedly trailing him in secret. And if Senior Wen was present, Senior Han wouldn’t be far behind. Perhaps even his nominal Master was lurking in the shadows.

Li Meng glanced up at the sky.

Master probably isn’t here, right?

She didn’t seem to like him very much, and it was highly unlikely she had the patience to shadow her only disciple on a casual stroll.

About a cup of tea’s time later, a streak of sword light shot from an upper-floor window of the Tianshi Mansion. It arced gracefully toward the main gate.

“Senior!”

The sword rider was none other than Xia Xi. Her delighted voice reached the crowd outside the gates before she even touched down.

The guards hurriedly cupped their hands in salute. “Senior Sister!”

Xia Xi descended, alighting gently in front of Li Meng. Her beautiful eyes sparkled with pleasant surprise.

“Senior, you… what brings you here?” Xia Xi’s cheeks flushed crimson, a trace of shyness flashing in her eyes. Seeing him instantly brought back memories of that night. It was simply too… too embarrassing.

Li Meng offered the stunningly beautiful girl a beaming smile. Today, Xia Xi wore a fitted yellow martial dress that perfectly accentuated the slender curves of her waist. She exuded a pure, vibrant energy.

Taking a deep breath, Xia Xi cupped her hands in a formal salute. “Senior, my Master requests your presence!”

Li Meng’s eyes narrowed slightly. It seemed the Tianshi of the Tianshi Mansion truly was a Golden Core cultivator; a powerful Divine Sense had already swept over the gates, perceiving everything outside.

“I was just hoping for an audience. Lead the way.”

Xia Xi turned and summoned the wind, soaring upward on her sword toward the mansion’s upper floors. Li Meng followed closely behind, riding the wind with effortless grace.

They alighted on a broad landing platform near the top of the Tianshi Mansion.

“Senior Sister!”

A group of white-robed cultivators—disciples of the mansion—greeted her respectfully. Xia Xi nodded in acknowledgment and led Li Meng deeper into the estate.

The disciples cast curious glances at the man following their Senior Sister. His cultivation base was entirely unfathomable to them.

Could he be a Foundation Establishment expert?

Their expressions shifted slightly, and they quickly averted their scrutinizing gazes.

“Who is that Senior? Senior Brother, do you recognize him?”

“No idea, but he clearly knows Senior Sister Xia!”

The disciples whispered among themselves as the pair departed. Once they left the platform and entered a quiet interior corridor, Xia Xi finally slowed her pace to walk side-by-side with Li Meng.

She glanced around. Seeing the hall empty, she leaned in close and whispered, “Senior, you’re not here to cause trouble for the Tianshi Mansion, are you?”

Amused by her conspiratorial tone, a faint smile touched Li Meng’s lips. “The Joyous Union Sect and the Tianshi Mansion have no grievances. Junior Sister Xia, don’t overthink it.”

Xia Xi froze, a bizarre look crossing her face.

Jun… Junior Sister Xia?

Wait, had she heard that correctly? The Senior just called her Junior Sister? Her expression shifted rapidly as her imagination ran wild.

Is the Senior here to seek refuge at the Tianshi Mansion? Does he want to join us and become my Junior Brother?

No, that’s not right. The Senior is a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Even if he joined the Tianshi Mansion, he wouldn’t be my Junior Brother. In the Cultivation world, the strong take precedence. I would still have to call him Martial Uncle.

“Senior, did you cause trouble at the Joyous Union Sect?” Xia Xi’s mind spun with wild theories.

Did he cause a disaster in the Western Desert and get expelled? Wait, he still has that Heaven-reaching Spiritual Treasure, the Wind Controlling Bead. Did he have a falling out with the Joyous Union Sect over it?

She frowned, her face scrunching up in distress. The Joyous Union Sect was a colossal entity in the State of Zhao. The tiny Tianshi Mansion couldn’t afford to provoke them. Even with the protection of the State of Qi, they were no match for a true mountain Sect.

Li Meng noticed the dramatic shifts in her expression. The girl beside him was undoubtedly concocting some ridiculous melodrama in her head.

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I guarantee it’s not what you imagine.”

Xia Xi blinked at him, puzzled, before her cheeks flushed an exceptionally bright red.

Was… was I that obvious?

“You’ll find out soon enough. There’s no point in letting your imagination run wild,” Li Meng added smoothly.

I’ll find out soon enough?

Did his visit to the Tianshi Mansion have something to do with her?

Co… could the Senior be here to propose marriage?!

The sudden thought made Xia Xi’s heart race, startling even herself with the sheer audacity of the speculation.

They soon arrived outside a curtained viewing platform. Standing before the partition, Xia Xi cupped her hands in salute.

“Master, the Senior has arrived!”

“Young friend outside the door, please enter,” a hoarse, aged voice called out from behind the veil.

Li Meng glanced at Xia Xi. She offered a slight pout and a meaningful look, silently communicating: Senior, I’m not going in. You go ahead.

A faint smile touched Li Meng’s lips as he lifted the curtain and stepped inside.

The space beyond was a sprawling, elegant viewing deck. At its center sat a tea table, and beside it rested an elderly figure draped in white robes. A horsetail whisk rested over his arm. Like Li Meng, his hair was as white as snow. However, while Li Meng possessed a transcendent, sage-like appearance, this man was simply old.

The two locked eyes. The old man chuckled warmly.

“Young friend, please take a seat.”

Li Meng approached the table and offered a respectful bow with clasped hands. “This Junior, Li Meng, an Inner Disciple of the Joyous Union Sect, pays his respects to the Tianshi.”

With that, Li Meng took his seat at the table. He discreetly evaluated the old man. This was undoubtedly the master of the Tianshi Mansion. His cultivation was formidable—a late-stage Golden Core expert. Yet, a heavy aura of death clung to his frame. His Lifespan Limit was fast approaching, causing his body’s vitality to wither and decay. It was the sole reason for his decrepit state.

The Tianshi regarded Li Meng with a genial smile. “The Tianshi Mansion and the State of Zhao’s Joyous Union Sect have no prior dealings. May I ask, young friend, what brings you to my door?”

Li Meng cast a brief glance toward the curtain where Xia Xi stood before returning his gaze to the Tianshi. There was no need to beat around the bush, especially when dealing with a high-level cultivator.

“Tianshi, this Junior has come for Xia Xi.”

At that moment, a graceful figure emerged from an adjoining room. Dressed in pristine white, her long hair was bound in an elegant crown. She was tall and slender, her features striking but entirely aloof. She approached with light, measured steps, the gentle sway of her waist outlining an alluring curve.

Kneeling gracefully beside the table, she produced a teapot and began to pour for the two men.

Li Meng swept his gaze over her. Her expressionless face sent a flicker of genuine surprise through his eyes.

Truly a beauty!

The aura she exuded was even colder than Senior Sister Qu’s. Her eyes, in particular, held a chilling indifference—an absolute detachment from the world. Her immortal bearing surpassed even that of the Headmaster.

The Tianshi picked up his teacup, shooting Li Meng a meaningful look. “You have a sharp eye.”

A faint smile touched Li Meng’s lips as he accepted the teacup from the beauty’s hands.

“Once she reaches Foundation Establishment, her unique constitution can no longer be hidden,” Li Meng stated calmly. “Across the vast Tianlan Continent, the Joyous Union Sect is likely the only place suitable for her. If the Tianshi forcibly keeps Xia Xi by his side, I fear it will only bring disaster upon the Tianshi Mansion. For a woman with a constitution like hers, even high-level cultivators wouldn’t mind spending considerable time and resources to ‘nurture’ her.”

Li Meng downed his tea in a single, unceremonious gulp. His crude manner earned a slight frown from the cold beauty serving them.

Setting the cup down, Li Meng chuckled and stroked his white beard.

“This Junior’s Master is a True Disciple of the Masked Moon Peak lineage within the Joyous Union Sect. My Master’s Master is the Joyous Union Sect’s Supreme Elder, Ancestor Nangong Wan. If Xia Xi follows me back to the mountain, she will be taken in as a disciple under Ancestor Nangong Wan. Looking across the entirety of the Tianlan Continent, there is no one more suited to be Xia Xi’s Master than Ancestor Nangong Wan.”