“Congratulations on the breakthrough”

Wu Long said with a smile and Gong Liwei sighed with a wry smile as she could not refute the obvious truth in front of her.

“We would speak with Palace Master Fan tomorrow”

It was a settled affair that the Gong sisters would join them, but when Gong Cui was just about to jump in joy, Wu Long’s words poured cold water on her.

“I see… I… I will speak with Master myself”

She said with a determined expression. She was excited to be reunited with her sister and not just for some time but to be in the same sect as her, as well as reckless in the heat of the moment, but she was not an ungrateful person who would abandon her sect without saying proper farewells.

“Don’t worry, I will speak with you since it is partially my responsibility you are leaving”

Wu Long reassured the maiden.

“I should speak with them as well”

Gong Liwei sighed as by that reasoning she was one of the main reasons Gong Cui was withdrawing from the sect.

—

In the morning, Wu Long took the Gong sisters to the Sect Leader, this time in her office on one of the peaks. Elder Jue, who was responsible for accommodating their needs while they were in the sect, as well as the other people of the sect were astonished to see the sisters with Wu Long, but reserved their questions since that was in the purview of the Palace Master, and if they were going to meet her it was obvious they would explain everything.

“Mister Wu, may I ask what is going on?”

Fan Shuei asked with a slightly disturbed expression as he was expecting while Gong Cui slightly trembled at the strict voice of her Master while looking down.

“Certainly, you see…”

Wu Long did not hide anything and told Fan Shuei the exact circumstances in which they met as the Palace Master gradually held her forehead, feeling the early signs of a headache.

“So you are saying that, not only did she sneak out… but she is planning to withdraw from the sect?”

Fan Shuei understandably for Wu Long did not look all too pleased with the development as she was losing a promising disciple.

It was not completely unheard of for a disciple to withdraw from a sect, and it would truly be not much of a problem if she was an outer or inner court disciple who had earned their keep by completing missions for the sect during the time they were active disciples, in which case it was not a loss for the sect. In fact, masses of disciples were either expelled or left on their own each decade since they reached the end of their potential. However, it was another thing entirely for a Prime Disciple who had the sect resources poured on them with little to no obligation to complete missions since they were considered the future of the sect.

“My apologies, Master, but I told you when we met that I wanted to remain with my sister”

“And rot in that house which sold its daughters left and right for riches? It was precisely your sister who contacted us when she found you had a talent in Zither. To spare you from being sold off in marriage to an old man-…!”

Sect Leader Fan said with a hint of irritation since that was a recurring theme of their discussions. But this time it seemed that she became rattled because of the withdrawal from the sect, revealing something that caused Gong Cui to widen her eyes and look at her older sister in shock.

“I was powerless to protect you, Cui’er. But they were not”

Gong Liwei looked at her younger sister with a slightly guilty look, since she did not have the courage to tell her this. If Gong Cui knew the reason they had to be separated she might have not agreed to follow the People of the Profound Music Palace.

Fan Shuei seemed to come to, as she realized the slip of the tongue and heaved a heavy sigh as she sat back to the seat she slightly rose from. The cat was out of the bag so there was nothing she could do now, only apologize to Gong Liwei since that was supposed to be something between her and the sect.

“S-sister, but…”

Gong Cui became slightly lost in her emotions since she felt betrayed and at the same time realized that her sister’s actions were indeed for her benefit. “Let us settle this first, Sect Leader Fan. I am not unreasonable, so I of course thought of a compensation for taking away your precious disciple”

Wu Long spoke since the situation slightly spiraled out of control, wishing to finish at least the talk they came here for. Both Gong sisters widened their eyes as they looked at Wu Long.

“What kind of compensation could you possibly offer for taking away one of the most talented disciples, and the one on whom the sect spent countless resources to raise?”

Fan Shuei narrowed her eyes and Wu Long simply produced a scroll from his robes, placing it on the desk of the Palace Master.

She looked at his face with an intent stare for some time, scrutinizing the confidence she would not refuse that could be seen on it with a naked eye. And then stretched her hand, opening the scroll.

“…! This is!!!”

Her eyes widened after some time studying the contents of the scroll and she looked back up at Wu Long with astonishment in her eyes.

“The Strings of Opulence, a technique of Music Dao Cultivators. This is the first part, and if you agree I will give you the second one”

Wu Long nodded and Gong Cui recognized it as the technique he taught to her just yesterday.

“H-how?”

“That is not something I am willing to answer. So, is this compensation enough?”

Wu Long simply asked, and to the Gong sisters’ complete astonishment Fan Shuei did not even stop to think before nodding.

“Yes, yes of course”

Wu Long nodded, placed a second scroll on the table and turned to leave.

“Oh, and by the way, there is a note about the tunnels Fairy Gong Cui used to sneak in and out of the sect in there as a bonus”

He then stopped and chuckled as he turned his head to look at the Palace Master who was already engrossed in studying the scroll with a side glance, to which she slightly reddened, since the scroll before her caused her to lose even that sense of reason to ask for this crucial information.

“Thank you, thank you very much Mister Wu, the Profound Music Palace owes you”

“Let’s not owe each other anything then, it just so happens I need a small favor from you”

He said without skipping a beat after the Palace Master spoke. Fan Shuei slightly paused as she realized that he used the scroll first and not after to catch her off guard and get these words out of her.

“What would that favor be?”

“Nothing much, we just need a moment with your Elder Yen”

“If it is about his rude behavior the other day, I am willing to apologize as his superior”

“No, it is a personal matter”

Wu Long shook his head and she first hesitated, but then reluctantly conceded since it was truly a small favor compared to the information about the tunnels.

As Wu Long and the Gong Sisters left the office, Gong Cui was in a slight daze because of the unexpected things that happened in there, both in regard to her sister being responsible for her departure to the sect, as well as how easily her Master gave her up.

“Um…”

She raised her voice as they went through the suspended bridge between peaks, but was unable to continue speaking as her thoughts were jumbled, and Wu Long slightly turned his head with a chuckle.

“This is just how the world works Fairy Gong Cui, in front of profit, such as a powerful technique, such people are ready to sell their parents or children, let alone a disciple”

He said with a hint of disdain. It was something common, something he was used to seeing. But it never was pleasant to witness nevertheless, even if he was already numb to it. It was the uglier side of the world, and if looked at for long enough, the world of greed would open its gates to reveal itself in all its murkiness, which was why he admired Wei Lan who seemed to not see that world even while looking at the uglier side for long.

He knew the outcome of this meeting beforehand, the only thing being out of his calculations was the slightly uncomfortable atmosphere between the sisters because of the revelation from the palace master, but he knew that it was a minor problem that would be solved when they talk it out between them later.

“Th-Thank you very much for parting with such a precious technique for me, I will make sure to work hard in the new sect”

Gong Cui said with a determined expression on her face, eager to repay the kindness.

“I knew the technique so it did not cost me anything, not to mention that it is my sect that is the cause of you withdrawing from this one so it is normal for me to compensate”

Wu Long shrugged his shoulders and Gong Cui’s cheeks reddened as she looked at him, this time there was a slightly different light than when she was imagining herself a Femme Fatale, something much more genuine that she herself did not yet notice.