Lixin Xianzi did not hesitate, nor did she dare to hesitate. She quickly went over and began massaging Gu Qingfeng's shoulders with extreme care.
To be fair, her technique was quite refined, and the pressure was just right. With each push and pull, each tap and press, Daoist mantras condensed and manifested at her fingertips, accompanied by layers of profound mystery, massaging Gu Qingfeng's shoulders.
This technique was the Changsheng Hand Seal, a secret passed down through the generations of their Changsheng Pavilion. It belonged to a type of medical Daoist method, possessing the effects of unblocking acupoints, revitalizing meridians, calming the mind, and soothing the immortal spirit.
What shocked Lixin Xianzi was that she discovered all the acupoints on Gu Qingfeng's body were completely sealed. To be precise, it wasn't exactly sealing; it was more like they were clogged with all sorts of messy things.
Typically, the higher one's cultivation, the more unobstructed their acupoints would be, the stronger their physical body, and the more vigorous their vitality. Yet, looking at Gu Qingfeng's acupoints, not only were they sealed and clogged, but there was also no discernible vitality to speak of. It felt like a series of old wells that, after enduring the vicissitudes of time, had been filled with rubble and dust.
Even more terrifying was that when the Daoist mantras condensed at Lixin Xianzi's fingertips, accompanied by layers of profound mystery, landed on Gu Qingfeng's acupoints, it felt like a single drop of water falling into a dry, parched well—it had no effect whatsoever.
One, two, ten, a hundred, a thousand...
Lixin Xianzi continuously performed the Changsheng Hand Seal, one mantra after another landing on Gu Qingfeng's acupoints. Yet, it was still useless, producing no effect at all.
This left Lixin Xianzi utterly perplexed; it was the first time she had encountered such a bizarre situation.
She didn't dare ask too many questions either, so she could only continue massaging blindly.
Meanwhile, beside them.
Qingqing stood there quietly, head bowed, not daring to speak. She just stood there, unsure whether to leave or stay, feeling extremely awkward.
"Shishu, what should I do?"
Left with no choice, Qingqing sent a secret voice transmission to Lixin Xianzi, pleading for help.
"Silly girl! What are you standing there for? Where are your eyes? Pour the wine!"
"Alright... alright."
Qingqing walked over, picked up the wine pot, and poured wine for Gu Qingfeng, saying softly, "Please, Great Old Master... enjoy."
"Oh ho, so polite," Gu Qingfeng picked up the wine cup, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp, saying, "It's just... you two seem a bit off today. Massaging me, pouring me wine... this flattery is making me, your lord, feel a bit embarrassed."
"Great Old Master... please don't misunderstand. We have no other intentions. You have gifted Qingqing such a precious item as the Cloud-Water Sword. We are immensely grateful in our hearts and don't know how to repay you, so... we can only offer our meager efforts."
"Is that so? But I, your lord, don't think you look simply grateful. You seem a bit afraid of me too. What's the matter? Do I, your lord, look like a bad person? Am I that scary?"
"No! No! No!" Lixin Xianzi hurriedly explained, "Great Old Master, please don't misunderstand. We are truly acting out of gratitude towards you, Great Old Master, with no other meaning. We... we're not afraid either. Why would we be afraid of you for no reason? We just... we're just afraid we won't serve you well, Great Old Master."
"What kind of talk is that? I, your lord, am not some demon or monster. Even if you don't serve me well, would I eat you? Let me tell you, I, your lord, am a good person, and a very good one at that."
"Yes, yes, yes. One look tells us the Great Old Master is a good person," Lixin Xianzi said. "Great Old Master, you don't need to be polite with us. Whatever you need, just give the order. We will serve you with all our heart and effort."
"Really? Since you've put it that way, I, your lord, won't stand on ceremony anymore."
"Great Old Master, please, do not be polite with us. It is our honor to serve you."
Beside them, Qingqing glanced at Lixin Xianzi and sent a secret voice transmission, "Shishu, aren't we going a bit overboard with this? Anyone with eyes can see we're deliberately flattering him. Isn't this just protesting too much?"
"Then what should we do? All my life, others have served me. I, your shishu, have never served anyone else before! How would I know if it's too much or not?"
"I feel like he might have noticed something."
"I have that feeling too."
"He couldn't have guessed that we suspect his identity, could he?"
"This... probably not. Let's not scare ourselves. Let's act as if nothing happened. We'll do whatever he asks us to do. As long as we don't upset him, anything goes."
"That's true, but... I still feel our flattery is a bit too much."
"You silly girl, why are you so dense? Is being overly attentive worse than offending him?"
"This... alright, I'll just do as you say."
"Also, can't you be a bit more perceptive, girl? Look at who you're in front of. Why are you still putting on that aloof, cold act? Who are you putting it on for? For me? Or for him? Don't forget, he might be You Di, the one who burned the Nine Heavens, slaughtered the Great Dao, and beheaded the Vast Heaven. Forget you, a mere High Immortal—even if your master, Fuchen Emperor, came, if he was displeased, he'd just kill him. Remember, right now you are not a disciple of Changsheng Pavilion, nor some peerless High Immortal, nor your master Fuchen Emperor's disciple. Right now, just think of yourself as a maidservant."
"Shishu, I'm not putting on any aloof act. I just... I just... I really don't know how to serve people."
"You silly girl, even if you haven't served anyone, haven't you seen maidservants serving others? Haven't seen maidservants? You must have seen courtesans, right? The kind that accompany eating, drinking, and laughing. Just think of yourself as a courtesan. Accompany him in eating, drinking, and sleeping. Even if he isn't You Di, he gifted you such a precious Cloud-Water Sword. Shouldn't you offer something in return? I'm not asking you to repay with your body, but at least offer a smile, right?"
"Shishu, please stop talking. I understand..." Qingqing wasn't deliberately putting on an aloof and cold appearance; she was born this way. No matter who she was in front of, she had this aloof demeanor. Asking her to accompany eating, drinking, and laughing? To be honest, she really couldn't do it. She didn't know how.
Besides that, she was genuinely afraid in her heart—afraid of offending such a Great Old Master who might be You Di.
After much deliberation, Qingqing took a deep breath and decided to throw caution to the wind.
For her own sake, for her shishu's sake, for everyone on the ship, for Changsheng Pavilion, for the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, and for all living beings, she would today, thoroughly and completely, throw caution to the wind and be a maidservant who accompanied eating, drinking, and laughing.
"Great Old Master, do you enjoy listening to music?" Qingqing picked up the wine pot and poured another cup for Gu Qingfeng, asking softly, "If the Great Old Master enjoys it, this junior is willing to play a tune for you, Great Old Master, to enhance the refined atmosphere."
"Oh? Sister Qingqing can play music too?" Lixin Xianzi said, "Great Old Master, you may not know this, but Qingqing has been interested in the musical arts since childhood. Over the years, while cultivating, she has also delved into the musical arts. To this day, although she dares not claim her musical arts are peerless, she has achieved some small success."
"Is that so? Alright then, play a tune. Let me, your lord, have a listen."
"Qingqing, don't just stand there. Quickly play a tune for the Great Old Master. Let the Great Old Master offer some pointers."