Chapter 51: A Gentleman Does Not Stand Beneath a Dangerous Skirt

Seeing Xiao Zhangqing appear, Lin Ziyu felt a little better.

She had already made up her mind in her heart.

Since yesterday, she had decided to beg Xiao Zhangqing to take her in.

She dared not even think of a Dao Partner, knowing she was unworthy.

Her goal was to have Xiao Zhangqing accept her, whether as a concubine or as a maid, she would accept either.

Xiao Zhangqing is long no longer the outsider Scattered Cultivator from the slum district; he is not someone who would need to borrow a few Low‑grade Spirit Stones from her, nor a penniless wretch she fears might fail to repay and come knocking for debt collection.

Back then, Xiao Zhangqing never caught her eye at all.

Even though she was disappointed with Hu Yuan and abandoned, she only gave it a slight thought, did not seize the chance, and did not think Xiao Zhangqing was a good choice.

Now…

Perhaps a worldly saying resonated with Lin Ziyu: "Thirty years the river runs east, thirty years it runs west! Today love is indifferent, tomorrow one cannot climb high!"

When Xiao Zhangqing was still obscure, she regarded herself highly and would not give him a proper glance; now she has to come to his door, begging him to take her as a maid.

The disparity is naturally considerable, and Lin Ziyu does not hide her sense of embarrassment.

She has already built her mental resolve and understood that, with her status, she is only fit to be Xiao Zhangqing's concubine or maid…

Thus now, aside from an instinctive feeling of shame, her mind can barely remain calm.

Taking a deep breath, Lin Ziyu lightly pursed her lips, then knelt down directly and said earnestly, "Symbol Master Xiao, please save me! I am willing to be a slave and maid, to obey any command without complaint!"

Her sister calmly knelt down; Lin Zixi saw this and her eyes were clouded with mist, the overwhelming shame made her nose tingle, and she couldn't help but want to cry.

She has always refused to lose, with great ambition, determined to become a prominent figure of Nanshan Fang, even to become a Foundation Establishment cultivator, so that no one dares to look down on her.

Thus she actively delved into the camp, finding ways to earn Spirit Stones, diligently cultivated, risking her life to seek opportunities.

Now, after all that, she still ends up having to be someone's concubine or maid, a slave, even having to cast aside her dignity to beg.

How can she possibly accept this? Yet if she doesn't do it, what else can she do? Should she just surrender, be captured by Hu Yuan and face a life worse than death? Or perhaps simply commit suicide?

Lin Zixi was even less willing.

Fear of death is one aspect; more importantly, she cannot bear to die nameless and worthless.

In comparison, serving Xiao Zhangqing as a slave or maid, though humbling to the dust, causes her great pain, but at least there is still a chance.

As long as she lives, there is still a chance!

"I… I, also humbly request Symbol Master Xiao to take me in; I am willing to be a slave and maid…"

Lin Zixi forced herself not to cry out, but her throat felt as if it had a blade; uttering those few words already drained all her strength.

At this moment, she thought of the mysterious senior Bai Wujì.

If Senior Bai Wujì were present and saw her like this, how would he view her?

But thinking that Senior Bai Wujì had decisively left and hadn't appeared for half a year, she no longer held hope.

"Willing to be a slave and maid?"

Seeing the two kneeling sisters, Xiao Zhangqing was taken off guard.

Half a year ago, before he was promoted to First‑rank Talisman Master, Lin Zixi had come to see him once, wanting to act as a matchmaker for her sister. He decisively rejected her, and Lin Zixi, angry and ashamed, left uttering harsh words.

What he probably thought was that the two sisters, after seeing his promotion to First‑rank Talisman Master and sensing his growing potential, wanted to shamelessly approach him again. After all, having cooperated covertly for a year, he knew something about Lin Zixi.

For the sake of opportunity, this woman would take risks without regard for her life, let alone lowering herself and being shameless.

Imagining herself wearing Bai Wujì's mantle, Lin Zixi's sycophantic posture. With the potential she now shows in reality, she may become a Second‑rank Talisman Master and a Symbol Path Genius, so she could possibly go all out.

But the two sisters kneeling together, begging him to take them as maids, is perhaps a bit too much?

Unless…

"Sorry, I have no intention of taking any maids; you two Dao Companions, please leave!" Xiao Zhangqing didn't let any lewd thoughts cloud his mind.

The two sisters were both exceptionally beautiful; in the cultivation world where ugly women are rare, they could be considered top‑tier. If the sisters combined… that would be the height of beauty.

Xiao Zhangqing is not a solitary ascetic; claiming he has no thoughts in his heart is impossible.

But he knew clearly that the Lin sisters' posture meant they were after more than just his potential; they weren't merely trying to get a first‑mover advantage.

These sisters must have run into a huge, thorny trouble they couldn't solve, hoping he'd help them weather it! A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous skirt!

Stirring up unknown trouble for a woman is inadvisable.

Indeed.

When Xiao Zhangqing was about to send them away after refusing, Lin Ziyu suddenly knelt forward, clinging to one of Xiao Zhangqing's legs, and cried, "Symbol Master Xiao, help us! The two of us sisters are truly at a dead end, with no way out, so we come to trouble you! I know we have wronged you before; my sister also offended you… If Symbol Master Xiao can set aside past grievances and extend a helping hand to us, I swear by the immortal Dao that henceforth we will obey you without a second thought! Whatever you ask, we sisters will do!"

One leg being embraced by a warm, jade‑like body, she could clearly feel the other's astonishing suppleness and size, and coupled with the kneeling, pleading posture, it was utterly pitiful…

Honestly, it does make one soft‑hearted.

But not knowing what trouble the other is facing or how severe it is, Xiao Zhangqing would not take the risk.

She seemed to have seen Xiao Zhangqing's hesitation; Lin Ziyu's skill at reading people was still good, and she quickly added, "This matter is a disaster for us two sisters, yet it only requires a word from Symbol Master Xiao, and we will be safe…"

At this moment, Lin Zixi also broke free from the overwhelming shame in her heart, kneeling forward to clasp Xiao Zhangqing's other leg, and began to recount the cause and development of the matter, from over a year ago when she stalked the mysterious Symbol Master Bai Wujì, to Lingfu Pavilion pressuring the Cao family…

A moment later, after listening, Xiao Zhangqing thought to himself, "Fortunately I'm cautious enough!"

Even with the newly arrived Manager Zhou's vast powers, he could not possibly discover that I am Bai Wujì.

But with this calculation, the sisters' current crisis does have some connection to me.

Of course, Xiao Zhangqing would not play the saint and take all responsibility onto himself.

The act of the middleman selling Talisman Scripts to the Cao family was the sisters' own choice, not something I forced them to do!

Moreover, over the past year, the sisters have been thriving, using my and the Cao family's names to reap as much profit as possible.

Now they're in trouble, it's no wonder they blame others.

"This isn't something I can solve with a single sentence! In the past six months, Lingfu Pavilion has been reforming its atmosphere; even if a First‑rank Upper Symbol Master makes a mistake, the punishment still applies. I am only a First Tier Lower Symbol Master of Lingfu Pavilion, and I don't have enough standing to have Manager Zhou make an exception for me…"

Xiao Zhangqing lowered his head, looking at the two flawless, expressive faces, yet his heart remained unmoved, as hard as iron.

"Moreover, setting aside whether Manager Zhou would grant me this favor, if I were to protect you two sisters and Zhou then suspected me of being that so‑called Symbol Master Bai Wujì, I would also be trapped!"

"You two sisters being willing to be my concubine maid, you think that would let me take this risk? That would be seriously underestimating me. Do you really think I, Mr. Xiao, am some kind of lecher…"

Xiao Zhangqing said firmly with a righteous expression.

(End of chapter)