"Patriarch, please take the seat of honor!"
"Patriarch, have some tea!"
"Patriarch, would you like a leg massage?"
"Patriarch, shall I loosen your shoulders?"
"Patriarch..."
Feng Qing and Chenyue bustled around him, practically desperate to display every last ounce of their shameless sycophancy.
Xie Chen took the teacup and smiled faintly. "You two needn't be so nervous. Forget the leg massage and shoulder rub. And don't spread word of this Patriarch business. Ordinary people would have a hard time understanding it, and it could cause trouble!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Feng Qing and Chenyue exchanged a glance. Each saw the other's admiration.
Oh-ho! As expected of the Patriarch—even the way he spoke was so refined!
So profound!
Xie Chen took a sip of tea and set the cup on the table. Then his sharp gaze swept over them. "Headmaster, explain this. How exactly was Six-Platform Mountain Taoist Academy managed, for an evil cultivator to emerge?!"
"Th-this..." The headmaster looked exceedingly embarrassed. He did not even have time to stroke his beard before raising his foot and kicking the vice headmaster. "Explain yourself."
The vice headmaster shifted like a hardened criminal. "Ahem, I... I truly deserve to die!"
"How do you deserve to die? Explain in detail." Xie Chen suddenly leaned forward, his gaze scrutinizing him.
"I... I wanted to earn some extra money, so I sold talismans I drew myself." The vice headmaster blinked his tiny eyes and shuffled forward a few steps on his knees. "Please forgive me, Patriarch! Or lock me back in the Cave of Reflection!"
Xie Chen said, "You're so poor you had to earn extra money by selling talismans?!"
He turned his gaze to the headmaster. "How did your Six-Platform Mountain Taoist Academy end up like this?!"
The headmaster cupped his hands. "Patriarch,