Chapter 610 - 30 Adulation_4

Chapter 610: Chapter 30 Adulation_4

After all, the grand meeting not only invites members from our sect, but also invites people from the Longevity Sect, Jin Imperial family, and Youxian Temple. Hence, everyone naturally puts in extra effort.

Soon, a wave of discussion arises within the grand hall.

Caught amidst it, Ma Shengxu finds himself rather bored.

The Spirit Plant Department, to which he belongs, doesn’t have much to coordinate. It merely involves providing the variety of spirit fruits needed by the Sect’s upper layers and visiting powers during their ceremonial observation.

The most they’ll do is use mana to stimulate the growth of some flowers and plants in the battlegrounds or some other special areas.

It’s indeed straightforward.

...

In his boredom, he, however, frets over how to repay Wang Ba.

After all, he finds it unthinkable to exploit someone younger than him.

Yet Ma Shengxu feels somewhat restless, having this constant feeling that he’s being watched.

And it’s not just one person.

“What is this about?”

As the hall buzzes with lively conversation, Ma Shengxu, guided by a hunch, looks around.

He distinctly notices a few female cultivators from other departments in a corner, pointing and whispering about him with cheerful smiles on their faces.

Instantly, Ma Shengxu feels a jolt in his heart.

Fortunately, he’s a Nascent soul cultivator, honed for many years, so he doesn’t simply jump to conclusions about others’ intentions.

It quickly hits him:

“Could it be that they’re discussing my skin color?”

He couldn’t resist looking down at his arm once more.

Although still somewhat dark, it was much better than before.

Such transformation, highly conspicuous among Nascent soul cultivators, naturally attracts attention.

Soon, Qu Shentong announces loudly, “Everyone, feel free to continue discussing among yourselves. We’ll finalize later…”

Soon after, he briskly exits the hall.

As the Master of Shao Yin Mountain, he has numerous reward and punishment cases to handle daily, suggesting his hasty departure.

Upon Qu Shentong’s exit, other Nascent Soul cultivators in the hall begin breaking into small groups to chat.

But Ma Shengxu notices that the women who had been discussing him earlier make their way towards him.

The woman leading the group appears to be in her early thirties, dressed as a Taoist nun.

With a friendly smile, she says to Ma Shengxu, “Brother Ma, has your Spirit Plant Department grown any ten thousand-year-old spirit fruits?”

Ma Shengxu is puzzled:

“Why does Senior Sister Luo ask this?”

He’s familiar with this woman. She’s Luo Yanshuang, Head of the Water Division’s Pearl Department, who’s skilled in water navigation. Although she appears to be in her early thirties, she’s actually older than him.

Hearing Ma Shengxu’s response, Luo Yanshuang giggles, “If you didn’t consume a ten thousand-year-old spirit fruit, how come you’ve become so fair now?”

Ma Shengxu can’t help but chuckle bitterly, “Senior Sister Luo, what a tease you are! I am fair? I’m as black as a ghost.”

Although he says so, he can’t resist smiling.

Seeing that Ma Shengxu still doesn’t understand, Luo Yanshuang, out of curiosity, stops beating around the bush:

“Pardon my being blunt, Brother Ma. I heard that even Daoist elixirs couldn’t remedy your skin color. How is it that after being away for a while, your skin has become so delicate, your complexion becoming so much brighter?”

“Yes, Brother Ma, have you found some secret recipe? Do share it with us?”

The female cultivators behind Luo Yanshuang can’t help but ask.

No matter what age they reach, all female cultivators care about their looks.

Even those who intentionally present themselves as old women often apply cosmetics in private. It’s an inherent nature.

Ma Shengxu hadn’t initially thought about it that way. However, as a Nascent Soul cultivator, he quickly figures out these female cultivators’ intentions.

“Of course! Female Cultivators do care a lot about their looks, don’t they? Wang Ba’s phoenix-feathered chicken essence would be perfect in this case.”

“I was just pondering how to repay Martial Nephew Wang. How about I simply introduce some business to him?”

Thinking along these lines, he grins and says, “There’s no secret recipe. It’s just that… it was a coincidence.”

His reluctance to reveal further merely fuels the curiosity of the female cultivators around him.

Luo Yanshuang raises her eyebrows, “Brother Ma, you’re so indecisive. Just tell us whether you found something or not.”

Seeing this, Ma Shengxu can only respond helplessly, “Well… you can only ask my Martial Nephew about this.”

“Nephew? Which nephew?”

A female cultivator beside Luo Yanshuang can’t hold back her curiosity.

Ma Shengxu looks up to find out that the curious woman is the Vice Minister of the Talisman Department. Left with no choice, he says, “The one from Wanfa Peak, Wang Ba, my Martial Nephew.”

“Wanfa Peak?! The same wanfa peak where Yao the Invincible resides?!”

The female cultivators couldn’t help but shrink back a little.

Especially Luo Yanshuang, who, despite maintaining a composed expression, couldn’t hide her unease.

She obviously recalls some unpleasant past incidents.

However, she quickly furrows her brows, looks at Ma Shengxu, and says sceptically:

“No, weren’t you the one who hated Yao the Invincible the most? How did you end up with his disciple?”

Ma Shengxu is left speechless by her question.

Why does everyone say that? Do I hate Yao the Invincible that much?

However, on a second thought, his hatred towards Yao the Invincible has indeed dissipated significantly.

It appears to have started… when I met Wang Ba, right?

As these thoughts race through Ma Shengxu’s mind, he sighs, “It’s a long story…”

He then shares the story of meeting Wang Ba, the agreement they made and everything that followed.