Apprentice

Su Chen walked down the steps.

Soft footsteps followed behind him.

Ning Rongrong kept her head lowered, following close behind.

Her eyes were still red-rimmed, and she clutched an embroidered pouch in her hand.

One in front and one behind, they followed the mountain path outward.

They walked all the way beyond the sect gates without either of them speaking.

A carriage stood parked by the roadside.

Su Chen stepped onto the footboard and climbed straight into the carriage.

Ning Rongrong stood beside it, biting her lower lip and refusing to get in for a long while.

"If you're not getting in, walk by yourself."

His voice drifted from inside the carriage.

Ning Rongrong stomped her foot.

"Why should I listen to you? This young lady is in the sect..."

"This isn't the sect."

Her complaint was cut short.

"If you want to learn something, put away your young miss attitude. If you need someone to invite you just to get into a carriage, then forget about learning anything."

Ning Rongrong felt utterly wronged, and tears began to well up again.

But she did not dare talk back.

Her father's stern warning still echoed in her ears.

She could only swallow her anger and clumsily climb into the carriage.

Inside the carriage.

Su Chen rested with his eyes closed.

Ning Rongrong curled up in a corner, her eyes filled with wariness and resentment.

Since childhood, not even Sword Douluo or Bone Douluo had ever spoken harshly to her.

Yet now, she had to cultivate under a peer with an odd temper who would not even spare her a proper glance.

The carriage remained silent throughout the journey.

It came to a stop before the Crown Prince's Residence.

Su Chen was the first to step down.

Ning Rongrong jumped down after him and looked around at the residence.

The guards at the gates were heavily stationed.

Upon seeing Su Chen, they all lowered their heads in salute.

Su Chen stepped over the threshold.

Ning Rongrong hurried after him, afraid of being left outside.

They crossed the front courtyard and followed the corridor toward the study in the inner courtyard.

The study door was slightly ajar.

Su Chen pushed it open.

Xue Qinghe stood before the desk, a brush in hand as he reviewed official documents.

He looked up.

His gaze landed on Su Chen, and a smile was about to form at the corner of his lips.

Then his eyes shifted slightly.

He saw Ning Rongrong peeking around from behind Su Chen.

The hint of a smile on his lips instantly froze.

The brush in his hand stopped in midair.

Xue Qinghe set down the brush.

His cheeks tightened.

His gaze swept Ning Rongrong from head to toe.

The atmosphere instantly became delicate.

"You went to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to gather intelligence. Not only did you fail to bring any intelligence back, you even brought back a person."

Xue Qinghe circled around the desk and slowly walked forward.

He looked directly at Su Chen.

"If I remember correctly, this is Sect Master Ning's precious daughter. What, did you settle the marriage arrangement during today's visit?"

There was a trace of sourness in his tone that even he had not noticed.

"You even brought her directly to the Crown Prince's Residence. Do you want this Crown Prince to conveniently write your wedding invitations as well?"

"What marriage arrangement? Ning Fengzhi insisted on stuffing someone onto me. I couldn't stop him."

Xue Qinghe's eye twitched faintly.

"Couldn't stop him?"

"You could slaughter three thousand dead soldiers cleanly, but you couldn't stop one Ning Fengzhi?"

"Looking at this, you simply didn't want to stop him."

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is wealthy and powerful. They were even willing to send out their precious daughter as a bargaining chip. Faced with such temptation, you weren't moved?"

"Not only did you gain a beauty, you also picked up a powerful backer for free. This deal is indeed worthwhile."

Ning Rongrong heard the mockery in his words and immediately became displeased.

"What nonsense are you talking about!"

"Who wants to marry this hateful bastard!"

"Dad forced me to come along, saying I had to learn some method to repair my origin. If it weren't for the sect, I wouldn't care to come to this rotten Crown Prince's Residence!"

Xue Qinghe cast Ning Rongrong a cold glance.

"Repair your origin?"

"Sect Master Ning truly has a good scheme. On the surface, you came here to learn, but what he really intends—does he think others can't see through it?"

"When has there ever been an apprentice delivered freely to one's doorstep? Especially the young miss of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

"A lone man and woman spending every day together. Given enough time, the one nearest the water gets the moon first."

"Ning Fengzhi's schemes are written all over his face. Recruiting you is nothing more than wanting to make you a high-ranking guard of the sect."

"That way, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Crown Prince's Residence can naturally be tied together."

"This little trick might fool only those who think too highly of themselves."

Su Chen found it amusing.

Normally, the Crown Prince who planned everything so calmly was no different from an ordinary person when faced with something like this.

He could not keep his composure.

"Enough. Stop being so sarcastic."

"Ning Fengzhi did send her here with the intention of tying himself to the same boat."

"But he's also leaving himself a way out."

"Storm clouds are gathering over Heaven Dou City. The mysterious person has made the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect feel threatened. Sending a girl here as an apprentice is merely a gesture of allegiance."

Xue Qinghe turned his head.

"An apprentice?"

"The Crown Prince's Residence isn't a charity, nor can just anyone enter."

"Since we've accepted this gesture of allegiance, we should arrange some work for her."

He turned to Ning Rongrong.

"Go find the residence steward and ask for a side room. From now on, every morning, you'll be responsible for sweeping the courtyard and serving tea."

Ning Rongrong's eyes widened.

"Sweeping the courtyard? Serving tea?"

"I'm the heir of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect! You're actually making me do a servant's work?"

Su Chen set down his teacup.

There was not the slightest ripple in his gaze.

"If you won't do it, go back now."

"The method to repair your origin is taught to those who can endure hardship, not spoiled young misses."

Ning Rongrong bit down hard, and her eyes reddened again.

Holding back her tears, she turned and ran out of the study.

The study door closed again.

Only the two of them remained inside.

Xue Qinghe's tense shoulders relaxed slightly.

Much of the chill in his eyes faded.

"She's really just an apprentice?"

Su Chen leaned back in his chair.

"What else would she be?"

"First, temper her character."

Xue Qinghe's expression eased somewhat.

He walked over and sat in a nearby chair.

"You spoke without leaving her the slightest dignity."

"Ning Fengzhi is deeply calculating. Keeping her by our side is the same as planting an informant here."

"If she wanders around the residence every day and happens to see something she shouldn't, what if it causes trouble?"

Su Chen chuckled softly.

"That girl's schemes are written all over her face. What kind of informant could she be?"

"Keeping her under our noses is much safer than leaving her somewhere we can't see."

"Besides, as long as we make her behave obediently, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will naturally keep itself in line."

Xue Qinghe looked at Su Chen.

"Are you jealous?"

Su Chen spoke first, breaking the silence.

A faint flush rose to Xue Qinghe's ears.

He turned his face away.

"Who's jealous? I just don't want to see Spirit Hall's Holy Son deceived by such petty gains."

"I wonder what kind of person could catch the Holy Son's eye?"

Su Chen did not answer.

"Let's talk business."

"However precious the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda may be, it is still only an incomplete product."

"Now that Ning Fengzhi knows the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda's flaw, he will certainly devote all his efforts to finding a way to restore its origin."

"Next, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's focus will shift. For the time being, they won't interfere in the struggle between the Crown Prince's Residence and Xue Xing."

Xue Qinghe took a deep breath.

"Xue Xing has lost control of the Royal Academy, and Dugu Bo has switched sides. He is now completely isolated and without support."

"Coupled with what happened last night, although the Emperor favored him, Xue Xing has suffered a severe blow. Should we close the net directly next?"

Su Chen shook his head.

"A cornered beast will still fight."

"An old fox like Xue Xing, who has spent his life rolling around in the arena of power, will do anything once he is driven into a corner."

"Especially with that mysterious person backing him."

"For the next few days, strengthen the hidden sentries around the Crown Prince's Residence. Let's see what waves this old fox can still stir up before he dies."

Xue Qinghe nodded.

"Understood."

"Since Ning Rongrong has moved in, the rules of the residence need to be established again. No one is allowed to enter the inner courtyard, lest our identities be exposed."

"If that girl dares run around, show her no mercy."

Xue Qinghe followed his gaze.

"After returning tonight, continue cultivating the Divine Art. Only by raising your cultivation will you have enough say."

Su Chen stood up.

"Let's go. Let's see whether our new apprentice is crying in the side room again."

"Now that she has entered the residence, she should learn how to sweep the floor."

At last, a genuine smile rose to Xue Qinghe's lips.

He rose and followed.