Liu Xi's gaze flickered slightly as he spoke in a steady tone.
"Senior, I must first have your word that you will not use force. If Qing Lin is unwilling, you must not compel her into something she does not wish to do."
He could tell from how urgently the Sky Serpent Mansion Master had rushed here that her desire for the Jade Snake Three-Flower Pupils bordered on obsession. With that kind of desperation, coercion was not out of the question.
The Mansion Master's expression cooled, her tone sharp and displeased. "Do you think I, the Mansion Master of the Sky Serpent Mansion, would stoop to forcing others? You speak to me as though I were some crude bully! Do not think that merely being a 6th Tier Alchemist gives you the right to make demands of me—you are not yet a 7th Tier Alchemist!"
Her oppressive Dou Zong aura surged like a storm, pressing heavily upon the hall. Liu Xi's face paled slightly, but his voice remained composed and firm.
"I wouldn't dare, Senior. But since you claim to value Qing Lin as I do, then I ask that you show her the same respect I do. If she does not wish it, no one should force her."
"...Mansion Master," Lu Man interjected softly, worried the tension might explode. She knew how deeply Qing Lin admired Liu Xi—and how much the Mansion Master wanted the girl's bloodline. If things turned violent, neither side would come away unscathed.
Inwardly, the Mansion Master hesitated. 'The Jade Snake Three-Flower Pupils are the hope of our sect's revival. If she refuses and I offend a rising 7th Tier Alchemist in the process, it will bring more trouble than gain. Best to yield a little now.'
After a brief silence, her eyes softened slightly as she nodded.
"Very well. Bring the young girl out."
Liu Xi finally smiled faintly. He knew full well that Qing Lin would indeed receive exceptional cultivation within the Sky Serpent Mansion—but he also knew her future there would not be peaceful. Eventually, she would flee to escape a forced marriage. Still, he had to make it clear that she was no orphan without anyone to stand for her.
Seeing the atmosphere calm, Jia Xingtian, Yun Yun, Hai Bodong, and the others all exhaled in relief. They still couldn't fathom how Liu Xi dared confront a Dou Zong head-on. Moments earlier, they had secretly circulated Dou Qi, ready to intervene at any sign of danger.
But now that they saw the Mansion Master actually concede a step, their respect for Liu Xi deepened. From their exchange, it was now confirmed that he possessed the potential to become a 7th Tier Alchemist—something never before seen in the Jia Ma Empire's history.
To think, a legend spoken only in tales might appear before their very eyes.
Liu Xi, satisfied with this temporary peace, thought quietly, 'I must reach the 7th Tier as soon as possible. Once I do, even a Dou Zong will have to measure their words before me. Only then will the Sky Serpent Mansion truly treat Qing Lin with respect.'
At his command, a female alchemist hurried away to fetch Qing Lin. Liu Xi rarely left her alone, and since she had accompanied him to the Association today, she had been waiting in the inner hall.
Moments later, the sound of quick, light footsteps echoed from within. Qing Lin emerged from the inner hall and, the moment she saw Liu Xi, rushed toward him.
The assembled crowd instinctively turned their gazes upon her.
But the little girl didn't hesitate. She darted straight to Liu Xi's side and, standing protectively in front of him, lifted her head to glare at the Mansion Master. In her agitation, her pupils shimmered—three tiny azure dots appeared within them, blooming into delicate three green flowers that shone with ethereal light.
"I'm Qing Lin!" she declared, her voice trembling with anger. "You bad woman—don't you dare hurt my Young Master!"
The hall fell silent.
Liu Xi looked down at the small figure shielding him and couldn't help but smile warmly. He reached out, gently rubbing her head.
"Qing Lin, that's enough. Don't speak to this Senior like that. She hasn't come to harm you—she wishes to take you as her disciple. But remember, this decision is yours alone. No one can make it for you."
Meanwhile, every member of the Sky Serpent Mansion—especially the Mansion Master—was transfixed. The moment those azure flowers appeared in Qing Lin's eyes, an almost feverish excitement rippled through them.
After hundreds of years, the Sky Serpent Mansion had once again found the bearer of the Jade Snake Three-Flower Pupils—their path to resurgence had finally opened.
Once, they had stood as one of the true peak powers of the Dou Qi Continent, boasting a Dou Zun of their own. After that ancestor's fall, the Mansion's status had declined despite its deep foundations. Without a Dou Zun, they had been forced to withdraw to the Northwest and accept a lesser title among the so-called "first-class forces."
Now, hope had reappeared before them in the form of this small, defiant girl.
But when Qing Lin's first words were to call her a bad woman, the Mansion Master's face darkened—if only for a moment—before she quickly replaced it with a gentle smile.
"Little one, I am no villain," she said kindly. "I would never hurt you. You possess a rare, extraordinary gift. In my Sky Serpent Mansion, you would receive the finest training. You could become a truly peerless powerhouse."
The surrounding experts of the Jia Ma Empire exchanged astonished looks. A Dou Zong being scolded by a little girl—and instead of anger, she smiled and tried to coax her?
Just how extraordinary was this child?
But Qing Lin's eyes held unwavering resolve. "No. I only want to stay by Young Master's side. That's enough for me."
The Mansion Master's smile froze. A girl who could stand above millions preferred to remain a servant? What kind of twisted logic was this?
Suppressing her frustration, she said patiently, "With your talent, if you become my disciple, you'll be named Saintess of the Sky Serpent Mansion immediately. One day, you could inherit my position and rule as Empress of the Sky Serpent Empire, standing above all others."
Qing Lin only shook her head again.
The Mansion Master's expression stiffened further. Inwardly, a dangerous thought crept up: 'If persuasion fails, force may be necessary. Once she's inside the Mansion, her temperament can be reshaped.'
Before she could act, Lu Man quietly stepped forward, whispering a few words into her ear.
"You're certain this will work?" the Mansion Master asked softly.
"Completely," Lu Man replied with confidence.
The Mansion Master's cold demeanor melted once more into a charming smile. But this time, her voice reached only Qing Lin's ears through secret sound transmission.
"Little girl," she whispered, "you like your Young Master, don't you?"
Qing Lin's cheeks flamed scarlet. "W–what's that got to do with you!" she stammered aloud.
The Mansion Master's eyes glinted mischievously. "Do you not realize? Your Young Master is a 6th Tier Alchemist—far above ordinary men. As his servant, you could never be worthy of him."
Qing Lin's face drained of color. "I… I don't care about that!" she protested weakly.
The Mansion Master pressed her advantage, her voice low and coaxing.
"Then tell me—would you really be content to watch him fall into another woman's arms? If you want to stand proudly beside him one day, then become my disciple. Become the Saintess of the Sky Serpent Mansion. Only then can you rightfully stand by his side."
Qing Lin froze. Her lips trembled, and tears welled in her eyes.
After a long silence, she turned to face Liu Xi. Her green eyes shimmered with moisture as she bit her lip.
"Young Master… I… I want to… become her disciple."
Liu Xi crouched down, his expression softening as he wiped away her tears with a gentle hand. "If you truly wish to, then do it," he said quietly. "I don't know what Senior told you, but if this is what you want—then I'll support you."
For the first time that day, the Mansion Master felt her chest lighten, a rush of joy bubbling up inside. Convincing the girl had been far from easy—but at last, the Sky Serpent bloodline would return to their sect.
Even if things hadn't gone entirely as she envisioned—after all, in her heart, the perfect future was for the next Saintess to marry her own son—the result was more than satisfactory.
With Liu Xi drawn into the Mansion's orbit, the path ahead gleamed with promise.
A Jade Snake Three-Flower Pupils host and a potential 8th Tier Alchemist—together, they would herald the unstoppable rise of the Sky Serpent Mansion.
(End of Chapter)
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