“I feel the same way, it’s just like family.”
Qin Yao smiled, then quickly composed herself, let out a sigh, and took a small scroll from her robes, handing it to Yun Liu.
She also returned the Way of Alchemy Notes that secretly contained the Demon Cult Remnant pages.
During her days down the mountain, she had come to terms with things.
There’s always so much lament atop Sighing Peak.
That mischievous, troublemaking younger brother had died the day he defected and fell into demonic ways.
For decades now, Qin Yao had treated him as if he were dead—otherwise, how could she have been so heartless as to leave him behind?
It was only at the end, as her life was slipping away, that Qin Yin finally awakened. For a demon with bloodstained hands, perhaps this too was a kind of release.
“This is something from the Demon Sect, I can’t accept it. What if it’s full of wicked, heretical things? I don’t dare look.”
Yun Liu’s idea for handing in the task was simple.
He remembered all these trivial things, and there was no need to decipher the Holy Sect’s alchemy texts.
Just leaving it there was pointless.
Anyway, Huangmao was already shouldering the blame, and Qin Yi had never revealed his blood ties or his reason for fleeing to the Sea of Clouds, so there was nothing to trace back to them.
Besides, this was an important matter—maybe it would help Senior Sister with her Path of Alchemy studies?
Yun Liu reminded her, “Just taking a look won’t hurt. Who knows, he might have left something else for you inside?”
Qin Yao hesitated. Deep down, she was still a traditional cultivator, extremely averse to unorthodox ways.
But she also felt the youth’s words weren’t without reason, so she blinked, looking hopefully at the pillar of her household.
“Then… will you look with me? It’d be best to find a safe place.”
How old are you now?
A Golden Core Sword Cultivator still needs company to read a book?
Yun Liu raised his eyebrows, completely missing Senior Sister’s earnest invitation, and was just about to refuse when he heard the young lady mumble.
“Please~?”
The always gentle and capable Senior Sister suddenly started acting coy like a young girl.
Even the steel-willed Nantong in Huangmao’s eyes wouldn’t be able to withstand it. Yun Liu, startled, squeezed himself into a corner and fled.
Could Senior Sister already be treating him as her brother’s replacement?
What kind of stand-in romance is this?
“Another day, another day, it’s getting late! Qin-jie, get some rest early, we have important matters to discuss tomorrow!”
Watching the youth flee in panic, Qin Yao couldn’t help but laugh.
“What are you so afraid of? I’m not going to eat you.”
Junior Brother… is just too adorable.
Before long, the boy ran back again, holding a bowl of mysterious medicinal liquid and a freshly made, steaming Foundation Stabilizing Pill.
“Almost forgot. Eat this while it’s hot and then go upstairs for a good night’s sleep.”
Qin Yao froze for a moment, her lips moving as countless emotions welled up inside her.
So there really was someone who, seeing her injured and not resting, would go out of his way in the middle of the night to refine a Foundation Stabilizing Pill just for her?
“This… this is too precious, I really wasn’t hurt… Junior Brother, you don’t have to…”
“Just eat when I tell you to! Why so much nonsense?”
Yun Liu put on a fierce face, and Qin Yao immediately nodded obediently, sipping the medicinal soup in small gulps and swallowing the Foundation Stabilizing Pill.
Her whole body began to feel hot, but it wasn’t due to the medicine’s effects.
Seeing his chosen strong Hei Nu obediently follow instructions, the youth finally left at ease.
Leaving Senior Sister alone, holding her cheeks, twisting her hands, and starting to let her thoughts run wild again…
The next morning, Qin Yao woke up refreshed, all her fatigue washed away.
To her delight, her long-stagnant Yun Manor Golden Core advanced another step, reaching the eighth stage.
All thanks to someone’s careful care—and perhaps that exceptional Foundation Stabilizing Pill had a part in it, too?
Qin Yao was about to share the good news with Yun Liu, but he was already nowhere to be found in the Rosy Fragrance Pavilion.
Who knew what that child was busy with every day?
Senior Sister had no choice but to return to Clear Mist Peak to report.
The junior sisters in the Sea of Trees were chirping away, and as soon as they saw her, they clung to her, asking why that little puppy from last time hadn’t come.
“I don’t care what you say about me, but you mustn’t make fun of Junior Brother Yun! Do you know how damaging rumors can be? What would people think if this got out?”
“Come on, is he really not Senior Sister’s husband?”
“No! He is not!”
Qin Yao scolded the mischievous girls sternly, but the corners of her mouth couldn’t help but curl up.
At the Medicine Hut’s tree hollow, Mr. Kuai was acting out of character. When he saw Qin Yao return, his old face lit up like a withered tree in spring.
He grabbed her to sit beside him and started chatting about family matters.
Strangely enough, Master was there too, watching her with an ambiguous smile and a hint of pride.
The Head of Clear Mist Peak had just finished the work of reorganizing the Sea of Clouds and reinforcing the Mountain-Guarding Array, determined not to let a single fly sneak into the sect again.
On the way back, Ge Lan hadn’t forgotten to visit Celestial Phenomena Peak to swindle some spiritual tea for a careful tasting.
But after asking around for half a day, she still couldn’t find out which Elder’s inner disciple had taken care of those two demonic sect monsters for the sect.
She asked all five peaks’ Elders, and not a single one stepped forward!
Really, ridding the world of evil is such a good deed—surely the sect would reward it.
Why hide it?
“Yao’er, was your journey smooth?”
Elder Kuai glanced at Ge Lan, taking the lead in “attacking.”
No time to waste—wait any longer and who knows what kind of vixen might snatch away the future Master of the Medicine Hut!
“Thank you for your concern, sir. Thanks to you, all went well, and my cultivation has improved as well!”
“That’s good, that’s good. Speaking of which, everyone at Clear Mist Peak is very satisfied with little Mister Yun. It’s all thanks to you! But couldn’t you have told us earlier? You didn’t even give us time to prepare mentally!”
Kuai’s tone was slightly reproachful, but more than that, he was gratified and proud.
If you’d just told us he was here for you, all this trouble could have been avoided.
Why bother pretending to apply for a job?
Just bring a Heaven-rank Foundation Establishment Pill as a betrothal gift and ask the Sect Master for credit.
If the Clear Mist Peak Senior Sister gets married, the Head would definitely give you a grand celebration.
“Huh? Say what?”
Qin Yao looked up in confusion.
“Keep pretending, go on. Everyone knows already! Honestly, men should marry, women should wed—what’s wrong with a little age or seniority difference? There are countless examples like this in the cultivation world. It’s not shameful at all.”
Clear Mist and Celestial Phenomena are sister peaks, and the two chief disciples are a perfect match, well-suited and mutually in love—a union made in heaven.
Though Clear Mist Peak’s Senior Sister is much older, her cultivation and status far surpass the Celestial Phenomena Peak’s chief. But the young man is talented and hides his strength.
The identity of a Heavenly Dao Alchemy Master is a hundred times rarer than a Heavenly Spiritual Root Sword Cultivator.
If the sword path doesn’t work out, so what? Leave the fighting to your wife in the future.
One manages the household, the other handles external affairs—a perfect pair, complementing each other!
“Pretending… what?”
Ge Lan spoke up at the right moment, saying calmly, “There’s no need to rush, sir. In my opinion, it’s better to let the young people handle it themselves. Yao’er is right to be cautious. As for Liu’er, I know him best—he’s easy to deal with. The tricky one is her Master.”
At the mention of that Lü Leng, Mr. Kuai’s face grew serious and he nodded silently.
They’d forgotten about the Little Aunt.
Clear Mist Peak was Yun Liu’s maternal home, and the elders were happy to see the two in love.
But that overbearing and fiercely protective Head of Celestial Phenomena Peak might not feel the same…
“Master, sir, what are you two talking about?”
Qin Yao tilted her head, dizzy from the pair’s riddle-like exchange.
What about Junior Brother now, and what does it have to do with her?
Mr. Kuai rolled his eyes at Qin Yao, thinking she was just shy and wanted to protect Yun Liu’s reputation, not wanting her beloved to be called a freeloader or a man who hides behind a woman by the Divine Splendor Cloud Estate disciples.
“This isn’t something you need to worry about. Just take care of things on your end. Whatever you two want to do, just do it. Leave the rest to us old folks!”
The Herb Cottage Elder lifted his nose to the sky, feeling different now that he had the Sect Master’s backing.