Chapter 281: Confusing Talk

Yu Xuan arrived outside Bing Xin’s room, or rather, her office.Even from the hallway, the atmosphere around it felt... heavy.

Grand.

Overbearing.

And very obviously: the office of someone who could end your career, cultivation path, and possibly lifespan with a single signature.

Yu Xuan inhaled deeply, then knocked politely.

Creak—

The door opened on its own.

Inside, Bing Xin was no longer seated behind her desk.

Instead, she was on the raised cultivation platform, knees crossed, eyes closed, an icy aura around her.

Her eyes snapped open the moment he entered and without hesitation, she appeared in front of him.

Her hand blurred into a cold palm strike aimed straight at his chest.

Yu Xuan did not dodge.

The palm passed cleanly through him.

Bing Xin paused slightly surprised.

It was an illusion.

Then the real Yu Xuan stepped in through the doorway.

"I knew Master would never let me have a normal day," Yu Xuan said lightly, internally rather pleased with himself.

He did fully expect her to test him but even he hadn’t expected the greeting to be a sneak attack.

Bing Xin stared at the fading illusion, analyzing it.

’It deceived normal perception... but it lacks life. And the flow is slightly unnatural. But still enough to fool mortal senses.’

Yu Xuan clasped his hands respectfully.

"Greetings, Senior Sister Bing Xin," he said politely.

"I’m Yu Xuan. I don’t know what my master wrote in that letter, but please don’t take it too seriously. She’s... been in a bad mood lately."

Bing Xin slowly sat back down in her jade chair.

She stared at him with an unreadable expression.

Her gaze was so cold it could have frozen magma.

Yu Xuan maintained his calm, but internally he was not calm at all.

’Master, what did you WRITE in that letter...?!’

Bing Xin, meanwhile, was as expressionless as a winter statue.

"Your master told me to take care of you. And to teach you a few things." she began coolly.

Yu Xuan felt uneasy.

Like a bad omen ahead.

Bing Xin continued in the same flat, cold tone.

"She also wrote that you are," she paused for effect "socially awkward and I am to teach you few management skills."

Yu Xuan’s expression darkened by several shades.

Socially awkward?

Him?

HIM?!

He, a man who radiated natural charisma, the walking embodiment of a young master aura was being labeled socially awkward?

"...What else did Master say?" Yu Xuan asked, voice dangerously calm.

Bing Xin gave him a brief side-eye.

"We can go through it step by step. I only called you to take a proper look. You seem... normal enough. There are many weird people these days."

Yu Xuan blinked.

"...Excuse me?"

Was that her way of calling him weird?

Indirectly?

Casually dropping insults?

Unfazed, Bing Xin raised a hand.

"Starting today, you will be my assistant. Today you’re free since you’ll enter your first gate soon. Prepare yourself."

SWISH—

Yu Xuan found himself standing outside the office.

Yu Xuan: ????

He stared at the closed door.

"Why was I even called...Just to be lectured one-sidedly? And did the conversation even made sense?"

He massaged his forehead.

He suddenly understood how terrifying this Head would be.

Learning management skills from her was like learning etiquette from Beggar’s Sect in Murim.

Meanwhile.

Inside the office.

Bing Xin closed her eyes as a voice echoed in her mind:

’So? What do you think? Will he make a good little secretary?’

She sighed.

"...Probably not. I even joked about him being socially awkward he didn’t notice at all."

She shook her head slightly.

"But since the Peak Master sent him, he must be an unpolished gem."

If Yu Xuan heard this, he would cough blood on the spot.

Who is socially awkward?!

And how did SHE become Committee Head?!

***

Yu Xuan arrived outside the Discipline Committee Pagoda, scanning the area for his group members.

His mind, however, was still half-stuck in the earlier meeting.

More specifically Bing Xin.

His new superior.

The cold and elegant walking iceberg of a disaster.

According to his master, Bing Xin possessed a special physique — The Nine Extremity Ice Physique.

A physique so cold that it not only shaped power, but also personality.

’But that still doesn’t explain everything,’ Yu Xuan sighed inwardly.

Her emotionless face, her icy aura, her management style which he had not seen yet...

Yes.

Everything suddenly didn’t make sense.

’Anyways... where should I find them?’ Yu Xuan thought.

This entire area was swarming with Discipline Committee disciples.

He needed to locate his group.

Fortunately, Yu Xuan had one reliable method.

Follow the scent of food.

Because their new group leader, the chubby boy with antennas, was a certified foodie. If there was a place with snacks, tea, or anything edible, maybe he would be there.

And sure enough, Yu Xuan found them in the most predictable place possible:

A small open-air section where food stalls lined the edges.

Eight disciples, four men and four women were chatting while eating.

Steaming dishes, skewers, everything was on the table.

When cultivators reach Tier 3, spiritual energy alone can sustain them, but food becomes a hobby, or pleasure.

"Ah, there he is," Tuoba Jun waved enthusiastically, cheeks puffed with food.

The two long antennae on his head bobbed comically with every bite.

"Sorry for that," Yu Xuan said as he walked over.

"I had some personal work."

He took a seat beside Shangguan Yan, who nodded politely.

Yu Xuan introduced himself, as he had an inkling that everyone already knew each other from their behaviour.

Tuoba Jun, the chubby boy with antennas took lead and their leader took the lead.

"So, Brother Yu, we were discussing how to get the most kills in the gate," Tuoba Jun said.

"Brother Yan suggested that since we have three Tier 3 cultivators in our group, each of them should lead a smaller squad, and we’ll compete to see who racks up the highest kill count..."

Just like that, Yu Xuan officially joined his very first Discipline Committee gate-clearing team.