Chapter 82: Rejection
Almost instantly, Ye Yuqi pinpointed the source of the alluring fragrance. It was a female disciple—her features delicate, her figure outstanding.
Most importantly, she was a mere servant disciple. This meant that as long as he extended an invitation, she would undoubtedly accept without hesitation and become his attendant.
"Junior Sister!"
Ye Yuqi took a deep breath, approached the servant disciple exuding the strange fragrance, and greeted her with a warm smile.
"Greetings, Senior Brother!"
Chu Feifei, who was in line to submit her mission, heard someone calling her. She glanced at the man before her and then respectfully saluted.
After all, he was an inner disciple, someone she couldn't afford to offend. At first sight, she immediately recognized him—he was the much-discussed inner sect senior brother who had recently been the center of attention.
"Junior Sister, I am looking to recruit an attendant. Would you be interested in becoming mine?" Ye Yuqi confidently extended his invitation.
His words instantly silenced the entire Mission Hall. Every female disciple present turned their envious and jealous gazes toward Chu Feifei.
In the distance, a few servant girls who had been secretly trailing Ye Yuqi gasped in delight when they saw Chu Feifei receiving such an offer from an inner sect senior.
"Senior Brother flatters me, but I am merely a humble servant disciple with limited ability. I fear I may not be worthy of your expectations."
Chu Feifei was momentarily stunned but ultimately declined politely.
She hadn't anticipated that this inner sect senior would personally invite her. By all logic, there were plenty of female disciples in the Formation Peak who were more beautiful than her. If she had to estimate her own appeal, she figured it was her figure rather than her face that stood out. But if it was just about beauty, Qinglu Sect was hardly lacking in outstanding women.
Cultivators could alter their physiques with relative ease—this was no great feat. Although puzzled, she had no interest in becoming an inner disciple's attendant.
She was about to advance to the third level of Qi Refining and had a strong chance of becoming a formation master. Moreover, once she fully awakened her special physique, it wouldn't be impossible for her to ascend to the inner sect herself.
With a real chance to become an inner disciple, why would she abandon her future and settle for being someone else's attendant?
"Hmm?"
Ye Yuqi was momentarily dumbfounded by her rejection. This was the first time a servant disciple had ever refused him. A surge of anger welled up inside him.
But he quickly suppressed it. This servant girl—he was determined to have her. This concerned his destiny, his path.
Ye Yuqi's greatest strength was the Nasal Divination Ability he had cultivated. However, the ability he obtained was incomplete, and given its extreme difficulty to refine, his progress had been excruciatingly slow. He had tried countless methods to advance but with little success.
Yet now, this girl before him emitted a fragrance that actually spurred a minuscule breakthrough in his stagnant divine ability. And as he stood closer, the scent grew even clearer.
If he could fully awaken the fragrance in her body, his Nasal Divination Ability would undoubtedly break through its bottleneck and ascend to the next level.
"Junior Sister, if you become my attendant, I will grant you the treatment of an outer disciple." Ye Yuqi sweetened the deal.
"Apologies."
Chu Feifei submitted her mission, gave a brief word of courtesy, and swiftly left. She had no intention of entangling herself with this inner sect senior—such matters could only lead to trouble.
Watching her retreating figure, Ye Yuqi's gaze turned icy.
A mere servant disciple had dared to refuse him—twice. Who had given her such audacity? Since persuasion had failed, he had no qualms about using other means.
Formation Peak's Steward Hall
"Senior Sister Lan, I wish to recruit a servant disciple from Formation Peak as my attendant. Could you assist me?" Ye Yuqi presented a bottle of perfume to the woman before him.
She was a steward of Formation Peak, responsible for handling most administrative matters.
"Junior Brother Ye, you finally remembered me?" Lan Shuying accepted the perfume with a smile, playfully squeezing his hand. She had always been fond of this handsome junior brother—he was exactly her type.
"I've always kept Senior Sister in mind," Ye Yuqi said smoothly, taking her hand in his and offering a gentle smile.
"Oh, save that sweet talk for those little girls." Lan Shuying rolled her eyes at him. "Hmm? Judging by your words, it sounds like you failed to charm a certain someone and now need my help?"
"Precisely."
Suppressing the revulsion in his heart, Ye Yuqi caressed Lan Shuying's hand and gazed at her with deep affection. "Senior Sister, you'll help me, won't you?"
Although Lan Shuying was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, her lifespan was nearing its end. If she couldn't break through further, she would eventually succumb to old age. A faint scent of decay had already begun to emanate from her body—a scent imperceptible to ordinary cultivators but one that Ye Yuqi's Nasal Divination Ability could clearly detect.
"Recruiting an attendant is a matter of mutual consent. If the other party is unwilling, there's little I can do." Lan Shuying feigned helplessness.
"If Senior Sister helps me with this, I will certainly repay the favor." Ye Yuqi pressed on.
"Very well, I'll assist you this time." Lan Shuying finally nodded. A mere servant disciple—such a trivial matter could be resolved with a little pressure.
Compared to that, earning the favor of Ye Yuqi—who had a real chance of becoming a True Inheritor—was far more valuable. Her future longevity might very well depend on this junior brother.
Meanwhile, in the servant quarters—
"Senior Sister Chu, you're making a terrible mistake!"
When Chu Feifei returned to her room, the little servant girl looked at her with utter dismay.
"Senior Sister Chu, how could you refuse an invitation from an inner sect senior? And not just any inner sect senior, but one who might even become a True Inheritor!"
At this moment, she wished she could switch places with Chu Feifei and accept the invitation herself.
Could it be because of that outer sect senior? Was that why Senior Sister Chu rejected the inner sect disciple? But how could an outer sect disciple compare to an inner sect one?
…Wait, was it because that outer sect senior was better in bed?
Seeing the little servant girl's thoughts spiraling into nonsense again, Chu Feifei skillfully tossed her out.
Regaining her composure, she resumed studying Concealment Technique.
Although the invitation from the inner sect senior seemed inexplicable, as long as she refused, even an inner disciple had no right to force someone into servitude.
However, recalling the cold glint in that inner sect senior's eyes as she departed, a sense of unease crept over her.
For an inner disciple, dealing with a servant disciple like her was effortless.
With her mind unsettled, she struggled to make any progress in comprehending Concealment Technique. After some thought, she decided to investigate that inner sect senior's background and assess his character.
If he was a petty and vengeful man, then she would need to prepare accordingly.
But she quickly realized that, as a mere servant disciple, investigating an inner sect disciple was nearly impossible.
After a brief pause, Chu Feifei took out a messaging talisman—she would ask Gu Mo for help.
Gu Mo was now an outer sect disciple, which meant he had access to far more information channels than she did.
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