Chapter 73: It Must Be Master’s Damned Charm

"Excuse me, is the Immortal Master Wen up ahead?"

Wen Jinge’s body tensed. She took a deep breath and kept her head down, quickening her steps.

"Immortal Master Wen, it must be you!"

"It’s not. You’ve got the wrong person."

This time, having learned from past mistakes, Yang Wennan and the others had already changed into plain linen garments—nothing like the refined robes of outstanding disciples from the Xuanyun Sect. Instead, they looked more like wandering fortune-tellers, deceiving the unwary.

And indeed, over the past few days, they’d managed to dupe quite a few ignorant folk.

Xuanyun Sect, a grand order that had stood for a thousand years, boasted countless disciples and followers. Wanzhang Peak, the wealthiest among the Seven Peaks, was governed by a peak master whose status was unmatched. Who could have foreseen that such a lofty peak master would be reduced to sending her disciples out to perform tricks—

No! It was ritual dancing, more fitting for a shaman than a cultivator.

Yang Wennan’s feelings were tangled. At this moment, he was playing the part of a blind man, wearing glasses crafted by his master. Glasses—his master said it sounded like "eyes." Made of smoky black glass, he’d been wearing them for days. His master said it lent him a certain air of a half-immortal.

An immortal was unattainable, far above the mortal coil. But to possess the manner of a half-immortal before even facing the seventh tribulation—he was delighted, and so he threw himself into his role with even greater dedication.

Over these days, he’d learned to see with his ears, listen with his nose, and feel with his hands, immersing himself fully in the world of the blind. Each night, as he lay alone, the care and intention behind his master’s teachings became ever clearer.

Immortal Master Wen—the title itself seemed a relic of distant days. When Yang Wennan heard it, he was stunned for a moment. The same went for Qiao Yu and Wang Xi.

Those two, unlike him, were nearly blindly loyal to Wen Jinge. He, on the other hand, had simply surrendered because resistance was futile. But in this moment, when someone uttered “Immortal Master Wen,” he found their bewildered reactions mirrored his own.

"Who is Immortal Master Wen?" Wang Xi asked.

"Master, do you know? Who is it?"

Their master ignored them. Qiao Yu turned to Liang Si. "Senior Brother, do you know?"

Liang Si shook his head, pointing into the distance, in the direction of the Xuanyun Sect. "Perhaps over there?"

Wen Jinge: ...

"No, that’s not right," the young girl persisted, her voice tinged with urgency. "Please, come with me!"

In her anxiety, she grabbed Wen Jinge’s sleeve—a gesture Wen Jinge didn’t care for in the least.

"It seems there’s no more hiding. The time has come..." Wen Jinge turned, laying a hand on the girl’s shoulder, gazing down at the child who was still dazed.

She was already prepared to meet her end with stoic resolve. She had never bothered to change her name while conning people, clinging to “Wen Jinge” as a way to sully her own reputation. That way, when she eventually became a villain, it wouldn’t shock anyone.

Now, it was most likely an enemy come to settle a score.

The girl was modestly dressed, hair tied in two small buns, with a faint scent of soap lingering about her—she looked to be fifteen or sixteen, probably a servant from some household.

"Hmm? Is there something you wish to tell me?" She looked back at Wen Jinge, polite but puzzled.

"Master, allow me!" Liang Si interjected.

He knew Wen Jinge had a penchant for saying odd things. The girl was probably frightened, so he bent down, his voice gentle as he spoke to the girl, who stood a head shorter than him. "This is not Immortal Master Wen."

"Hmm?" Wen Jinge’s curiosity was piqued.

Could it be that Liang Si knew her true identity? Or had she already been exposed? Was her carefully constructed persona starting to fall apart?

Then again, Liang Si had always served at Wen Jinge’s side. It would be stranger if he hadn’t noticed anything amiss.

"Then..." The girl furrowed her brow, glancing nervously at the group closing in around her. She hesitated, apologized, and then ran off.

"What was that about?" Wen Jinge nudged Liang Si in the waist.

Her little confidant wasn’t very dependable this time! She could’ve handled it herself with more aplomb.

"If she truly wished to see you, she wouldn’t have hidden in the shadows and made you guess. If her intentions weren’t sincere, then there was no need to meet."

"Oh?" Wen Jinge’s lips curled into a mysterious smile.

She cupped Liang Si’s face as if cradling a spring of water, kneading his cheeks with obvious affection. "Is this really my little Si? How is it you’ve become such a cunning fox, so sly and clever?"

"Does Master like it?"

His cheeks, as ever, were soft and plump—pleasing to the touch.

Wen Jinge nodded solemnly. "I do! Why wouldn’t I?"

"My grandmaster once told me, a disciple should always put their master’s safety first when out in the world. My cultivation is shallow, but I hope one day to be worthy of that charge."

"You will, you will," Wen Jinge replied, all smiles as she patted his shoulder. Inwardly, though, she cursed—why did that meddlesome old man have to leave his mark everywhere?

"Master!" Yang Wennan bumped gently into Wen Jinge at just the right moment.

He had the faintest sense that danger lingered nearby.

"Master, we..." Qiao Yu now grew alert too. With Lu Wei’s presence, his sensitivity to peril had increased considerably.

Still, recalling how his master had suffered heavenly tribulations because of her kindness toward him, he dared not act rashly, lest he bring harm upon Wen Jinge.

"We should find a place to rest," he suggested tactfully. "It would also give us a chance to wait for Junior Brother Yuan and the others. They should be catching up soon."

After dismantling several of North Demon Bell’s strongholds recently, a few victims of the raven-green poison remained. They couldn’t stray far from Jinwu, nor could they harbor thoughts of escape—Jinwu was a half-baked alchemist, unable to cure his own poison.

Wen Jinge wasn’t keen on taking further risks. The greater the power, the heavier the burden; she dreaded the idea of a villain being forced to save the world. If she pushed herself too far, she might be the one to collapse in the end.

So, Yuan Qingling took Jinwu and the villagers back to Xuanyun Sect. When or how the problem would be solved was no longer Wen Jinge’s concern.

"And what about you two?" she asked Yang Wennan and Wang Xi, who had worked hardest to earn money these past days.

Their path led to Qianyan Kingdom—Wang Xi’s homeland.

Wen Jinge didn’t know the way, so Wang Xi naturally took the lead.

They didn’t travel by sword, choosing instead to walk, stopping as they pleased, taking in the customs of the land, performing a shaman’s dance here and there, and gratefully accepting a meal whenever they could.

After all, Wen Jinge always considered herself quite poor.

Her disciples could hone their skills, and she too relished the rare freedom from the constraints of the plot. It was quite pleasant.

And so, after more than half a month, they had only just left the jurisdiction of Xuanyun Sect.

"Master, have you noticed how many people are watching us?"

Having played the blind man for so long, Yang Wennan had developed a keen sixth sense. Since that young girl left, he scarcely needed to open his eyes to feel the gazes directed their way.

"I know. They’re probably here to collect debts—"

Wen Jinge hadn’t intended to make a joke, but her disciple seemed to think otherwise and sighed, "Ah! It must be Master’s damned charm at work. Just look at all these bees and butterflies flocking around."