“Y-Yeah… You’re right!” Ye Ningyue nodded, and from that moment on, after listening to the young master’s words, she became even more determined not to reveal her true identity.”
“Clenching her fists tightly, the girl said earnestly, “Young Master, I understand.”
“Mm! That’s good.” Ye Ping’an nodded. Seeing the girl so solemn and serious, he figured she must have taken his words to heart—completely unaware that her thoughts were elsewhere.
Still, he didn’t dwell on it. At least he’d managed to convince her, which was enough.
The real reason he didn’t want her identity revealed… was because he was terrified that the typical overpowered protagonist might just kill him off.
“So! What should we do next?”
“With Junior Sister’s talent and her identity as the reincarnation of a powerful being, she’s destined to reach heights we can’t even dream of.”
“So our first step should be to help her reach the twelfth layer of Qi Refining… maybe even the thirteenth, so she can build her foundation.”
“The twelfth or thirteenth layer of Qi Refining? Is that… even possible?” Ye Ningyue was stunned.
It sounded completely unrealistic—so much so that she wondered if the young master had lost his mind.
After the tenth layer of Qi Refining, each advancement becomes exponentially harder.
It requires repeatedly pushing the limits of the human body, undergoing metamorphosis to expand one’s spiritual sea and hold more spiritual energy.
For those with only average talent, reaching the tenth layer might be the ceiling for their entire life—their potential just ends there.
Even someone as gifted as Little Mengyao would face immense challenges beyond the tenth layer. The further you go, the more spiritual energy you need.
Otherwise, how could one even attempt to challenge someone in the Foundation Establishment realm, where the spiritual energy has already undergone a fundamental transformation?
And with the meager spiritual energy density and cultivation resources they had in their area, reaching the twelfth or thirteenth layer wasn’t just difficult—it was nearly impossible.
Even reaching the eleventh layer would probably bankrupt the entire Xuanxing Sect in terms of resources. Otherwise, it would just take an absurd amount of time.
After all, Ningyue had been cultivating for years and still needed at least two more to reach the tenth layer. Let alone this little fox, who was starting from scratch.
Could it be that the young master was planning for the little fox to break through when she was already an old granny? But by then… it would be far too late!
“There’s no need to worry about that,” Ye Ping’an replied confidently.
“I happen to know a place rich in spiritual energy. When the time is right, I’ll take Junior Sister there.”
“Oh? A place like that exists? Is it far?” At his words, Ningyue’s eyes lit up with a spark of hope as she asked cautiously.
“Probably just a few days’ journey,” Ye Ping’an estimated casually. Then he let out a sigh. “Sigh… Too bad I don’t have the talent, and you don’t either. Otherwise, once we grew stronger, we could’ve enjoyed that place too.”
“Oh, what a shame indeed!” Ningyue rolled her eyes inwardly but played along with a regretful tone.
“Well, the main reason I came to find you today is that I want us to work together to supervise Junior Sister’s cultivation.”
“She’s still young and might get distracted or discouraged when faced with the hardships of training.”
“I’ll often be away gathering resources for her, so I’m counting on you to keep her on track. After all, our future lies entirely in her hands.”
“Mm! I’ll do my best,” the girl replied with determination, her voice soft and sweet.
Now that she was sure the young master had no personal interest in the little fox, Ye Ningyue could finally set her mind at ease. She no longer saw the little fox as a threat.
After all, the fox girl was just as pitiful as herself—alone, with no memories. Maybe she’d even give her an extra chicken drumstick at meals from now on.
“Good. That’s that. Junior Sister should rest for now—we’ll begin properly tomorrow. I’ll have someone else bring lunch over in a while, so just relax and get some rest.”
Seeing how excited Junior Sister looked, Ye Ping’an finally felt relieved.
As he had hoped, Ningyue turned out to be a mature and sensible girl.
Since his goal had been accomplished, Ye Ping’an didn’t want to bother her further and planned to let her rest up while he went to check on Junior Sister.
Though Ningyue seemed energized after their talk—like she’d just had a shot of adrenaline—Ye Ping’an knew she hadn’t rested properly the day before.
So he decided to give her a break today and headed out to find his Junior Sister.
What neither of them noticed was the small figure hiding just outside the door, eavesdropping on their entire conversation from a corner.
That petite figure was none other than Ye Mengyao.
Having already fully grasped the first three layers of the Condensed Essence Technique, she had excitedly gone to find her senior brother to share the good news—only to see him disappear into Sister Ningyue’s room from a distance.
In Mengyao’s young and innocent heart, though Sister Ningyue always seemed wary of her, she’d never shown any real malice.
In fact, she often added an extra chicken drumstick to her meals. She also muttered strange things like, “Poor little fox… The main wife must be generous,”—words Mengyao didn’t quite understand.
Maybe Sister Ningyue was talking about the little fox she was raising?
Mengyao didn’t think too much of it.
She knew that Sister Ningyue probably liked Senior Brother, which was why she got defensive when he was around Mengyao.
Still, this was the only home Mengyao had ever known—even if it had only been a few days, she treasured this rare sense of belonging.
Especially when, during her dazed, half-conscious state, she’d opened her eyes and seen that small but steady figure holding her close—that moment had planted the seed of curiosity in her heart.
Luckily, when she woke again, that figure had become her Senior Brother, and he’d been taking good care of her ever since.
And just like that, Ye Mengyao had developed feelings for Ye Ping’an.
Though she adored her Senior Brother and wanted to stay by his side forever, Mengyao also hoped everyone could live happily together.
If possible, she dreamed of a life where the three of them could be together—peaceful and joyful.
If she could learn Sister Ningyue’s preferences from this conversation and make her feel less guarded around her… wouldn’t that be perfect?
That was why Mengyao found herself so intrigued by their secret talk.
Since she’d only arrived at the corner after Ye Ping’an entered the room, she only caught part of their conversation.
But now, pressing her little body against the wall, she could hear their voices clearly.
And so, little Mengyao learned that she was the reincarnation of someone extraordinary.
For a moment, she was lost in confusion—was she truly someone so great? If Senior Brother was only being kind to her because of this… then she’d be heartbroken.
That thought made her uncertain.
But then—just as her heart was wavering—she heard Senior Brother say he wasn’t worthy of her… that he had no such thoughts about her at all.
Her heart froze.
What?! Senior Brother… couldn’t have no feelings for me!