Reincarnated as a Scholar: But I only write Erotica-Chapter 24: Elder, Lesson or inspection?

Chu Ha tilted her head, tapping her chin. "Hmm, I think it was Senior Brother Wei—he has got this way of making everything sound like it’s dreamy. But Senior Sister Mei swore she would challenge him again soon, so it’s not over yet!"

She laughed, her eyes sparkling. "It’s silly, but it’s fun to watch."

"Poetry battles, huh?" Lin Mao mused, his mind flashing back to his own humiliating defeat against Jin Lina’s fiancé. "Guess I’ve got some catching up to do in that department."

He waved a hand dismissively. "What else? Anything spicier?"

Chu Ha’s blush returned and she lowered her voice like she was sharing something controversial.

"Well... there’s a rumor going around about Elder Xin Juanghing’s pavilion. They say one of his core disciples—Senior Brother Liang—got caught sneaking out at night to meet someone from a rival sect. A girl from Jade Harmony Sect! Everyone’s saying it’s forbidden love, but no one’s sure if it’s true or just gossip."

Lin Mao’s grin turned wicked, his interest fully piqued. "Forbidden love? Now that’s my kinda story. Sneaking out, risking it all for a girl—sounds like something I’d write about."

He leaned closer, dropping his voice to a whisper. "What’s the punishment if he gets busted?"

Chu Ha’s eyes widened, and she clutched her hands together. "Oh, it would be bad! Elder Xin’s so strict about diplomacy—he would probably make Senior Brother Liang copy the sect’s entire rules hundred times, or worse, banish him to the outer sect! But no one’s caught him yet, so it’s all just whispers for now."

Lin Mao chuckled. Forbidden romance, huh? Might make a nice subplot for the next scroll. "Good for him, dodging the punishment so far. Anything else?"

She nodded eagerly. "Oh! And there’s something big coming up soon—the Sky Moon Festival! It’s in a few weeks, and all the elders are preparing. They say it’s a chance for disciples to show off their skills—philosophy debates, poetry and even societal reform proposals. The best ones get honored by the Pavilion Master himself!"

Her voice turned dreamy. "I’ve never seen it before, but I hear it’s amazing—like the whole sect turns into a celebration of knowledge!"

Lin Mao lit up as well, his smirk shifting into something more calculating.

"A festival, huh? Sounds like a perfect stage to stir up some chaos." He rubbed his chin, already imagining the havoc his erotica could wreak among all those stuffy scholars. "What’s the catch? Gotta impress the elders, I bet."

Chu Ha nodded, her excitement building with each passing second. "Yes! You have to present something really special to stand out. Elder Yi’s disciple, Sister Jin Lina, always wins something—she’s so brilliant. Last year, she recited a philosophy piece that made everyone cry, even the outer disciples!"

"She’s amazing, isn’t she?"

Lin Mao’s grin faltered slightly at the mention of Jin Lina, that damn ember flaring in his chest again. "Yeah, amazing," he muttered, barely keeping the bitterness out of his voice. "Guess I’ll have to bring my A-game then. Can’t let her steal the show every time."

Lin Mao was just about to lean back into his scheming, when the door slid open with a sharp *thwack*. He jolted upright, nearly knocking the basket over.

Ti Xhin walked in, his head disheveled like he had sprinted up all seven floors. His usual calmness was replaced with a rare urgency, his eyes flicking between Lin Mao and Chu Ha.

"Elder Lin Fengxing’s on his way to meet the core disciples," Ti Xhin said, his voice urgent and commanding, cutting through the room’s lazy vibe. "Get ready—now."

Lin Mao blinked, the bun halfway to his mouth freezing in midair. "What? Now?" He groaned, dropping the bun back into the basket as he rubbed his face with both hands.

"Geez, can’t a guy enjoy a morning snack without some elder crashing the party?" He shot Ti Xhin a glare, though it lacked any real heat. "Who’s this Lin Fengxing guy again? Gimme the quick version—I’m still waking up here."

Ti Xhin crossed his arms, his scholarly tone kicking in despite the rush.

"Elder Lin Fengxing, the Elder of the North. Master of the Path of Society, renowned for his wisdom in governance and human behavior. He’s not someone you slack off in front of, Junior Brother, so fix your hair and stop looking like you just crawled out of a cave."

Chu Ha gasped softly, her hands flying to her mouth. She stood up quickly, smoothing her robe with quick breath.

"Oh no, Elder Lin Fengxing? He’s so important!" She turned to Lin Mao, her wide eyes sparkling with urgency. "Brother Lin, we should hurry—I’m a core disciple too, so I need to go with you!"

Lin Mao paused, his brain catching up as he registered her words. "Wait, you’re coming too?" He glanced at her snow-white hanfu—same as his—and smirked.

"Well, damn, guess we’re in this together then. Safety in numbers, right?" He ran a hand through his messy hair, fixing it in place as his eyes darted to the table—his MILF System papers still dangerously exposed. Shit

He lunged over, sweeping them into a messy pile and shoving them under a random scroll, praying neither Chu Ha nor Ti Xhin would notice in the chaos.

"Alright, Senior Brother, how much time we got? And what’s this elder want with us?"

Ti Xhin smirked, clearly enjoying Lin Mao’s scramble. "Not much time—he’s already on his way up. As for what he wants, who knows? Could be a lecture, an inspection, or maybe he’s heard about your... antics and wants to see the infamous Lin Mao for himself."

He paused, his smirk widening as he glanced at Chu Ha. "And Junior Sister Chu Ha’s presence might soften his mood—assuming you don’t drag her into your nonsense."

Chu Ha giggled, stepping closer to Lin Mao with that radiant smile. "I’ll behave, Senior Brother Ti Xhin! And I’ll make sure Brother Lin does too!"

Lin Mao snorted, grabbing one last bun for the road and shoving it into his mouth. "Yeah, good luck with that," he mumbled through a full mouth, shooting her a playful wink. "I don’t do ’behave,’ but I’ll let you try."

He swallowed, adjusting his rumpled hanfu as he muttered, "Governance and human behavior, huh? Sounds like a guy who’d hate my guts—or love my scrolls, depending." He tuned his head toward the door. "C’mon, Chu Ha, let’s roll. Senior Brother’s already halfway out."

Ti Xhin rolled his eyes but led the way. "You don’t keep Elder Lin waiting unless you want a lesson in humility carved into your soul. Both of you, move it."