To enter Celestial Phenomena Peak is to plunge into unfathomable depths—your integrity becomes a stranger from that moment on.
Let’s not even discuss why anyone would want to follow Aunt Master down to the countryside and eat dirt; first of all, Celestial Phenomena Peak isn’t the kind of place you can come and go as you please.
Seriously, does anyone actually believe just anyone can live in our remote mountain nook?
All these years, no disciple has ever caught Aunt Master’s discerning eye.
Of the two remaining apprentices, one had no choice in the matter, and the other isn’t even human.
Yun Liu sighed, glanced at his fragrant handkerchief, then at the delicate sugar figurine, and suddenly felt a twinge of regret for saving that lost girl teetering on the edge of the cliff.
Just who is being overly sentimental now?
This game can’t be played at all.
Now that all the extras are lying flat on strike, aside from the Yellow-Haired protagonist still playing his role as always, not a single person is following the script—everyone’s improvising, doing whatever they want.
Is there anyone normal left in the Shenhua Sect?
Even just one would be nice!
“Senior Sister Xiao Qin seemed normal at first… if only she didn’t skip out on her debts…”
At this moment, Yun Liu still hadn’t noticed that the other half of the luck was very much intact, binding him and Xiao Xinran tightly together, inseparable.
So strong, so unbreakable.
The powerful fortune didn’t vanish with the annulment of the engagement; instead, it deepened into some twisted bond?
The Village Belle slept soundly until dawn, ate breakfast, slung a hoe over his shoulder, and strolled leisurely to clock in, tending spirit plants with care.
Compared to his past as a workaholic, Yun Liu no longer seemed so desperate, but he wasn’t dejected either—just living a relaxed nine-to-five, brick-moving life.
Regular routine, stable mood, clear goals, “lofty” ambitions.
Lying flat isn’t giving up—that’s just my confident state!
To fulfill his dream of becoming Mountain King, the youth pressed forward methodically, following his strategy and executing it strictly.
During this time, Yun Liu maintained close contact with his pen-pal loli; the warm-hearted shopkeeper would fulfill any request, proving to be a huge help.
When he returned to the village, a delivery from Shanhai Pavilion was already at his doorstep—tools for cooking, spirit species seedlings, and fresh ingredients from all over the Nine Provinces.
The startup funds couldn’t be wasted; every coin had to be spent where it mattered most.
A hamster’s life is just that simple and dull.
After all, good days like these probably won’t last much longer.
A gentle breeze drifted by. Before long, a splash of green hovered in the sky.
Qin Yao’s eyes were red and swollen, her face haggard—it was clear she hadn’t slept all night.
“Are you ready? Let’s go.”
“Let’s wait a moment.”
Yun Liu nodded, turned back into the house and fiddled for a while, then presented a cup of lovingly hand brewed hot tea.
Qin Yao stared blankly, warmth rising in her heart as she accepted the bamboo cup.
“Ah, Junior Brother, you’re so thoughtful.”
“Senior Sister, don’t take it to heart. The dead can’t come back to life. If your brother knew, he wouldn’t want you to dwell on it. If you let inner demons grow and cloud your sword heart, wouldn’t you just follow in his footsteps?”
Even as he spoke, Yun Liu kept rubbing his fingers together, making a crude ＄vulgar gesture with an unspoken message.
In other words: Look, Senior Sister, I helped you bury the body, delivered the letter, wiped everything clean, even stuffed the remnant pages of the letter to you—maybe it’s time to step out of your grief and think about your errand boy’s feelings?
Task complete, but the reward was nowhere to be seen.
Yun Liu felt miserable, like ants were crawling all over him!
“Ah! Thank you for your guidance, Junior Brother!”
Qin Yao was startled, pressing her chest, face flushing with shame, but grateful for Yun Liu’s timely reminder.
Moved, the Head of Clear Mist Peak also felt a bit embarrassed—she was supposed to be the elder here!
In her memory, her little brother was still a mischievous child, always restless, temperament extreme.
Now Qin Yi had grown up, fallen into the demonic path, and she hadn’t even seen him one last time—who knew how he’d changed, tall or short, fat or thin.
If only she’d given him more care back then, noticed his dark thoughts sooner, kept him by her side—would the outcome have been different?
A thousand stray thoughts surged, making the young woman struggle and suffer endlessly.
At this moment, the clear-eyed youth before her was like a beacon in the night, merging two blurry figures into one, finally giving her wandering longing a place to rest.
Qin Yao, lost in thought, couldn’t help but reach out and touch Yun Liu’s cheek, as if trying to make up for all she owed by doting on this cute junior who’d been ruined by Qin Yi.
“Ah, sorry, sorry! I didn’t mean to, I just thought of Xiao Yi and…”
Realizing her blunder, Qin Yao jerked her hand back like she’d been shocked, face burning red.
Oh no, what did I just do in a moment of impulse!
The Head of Clear Mist Peak was traditional and reserved, never close to unfamiliar men—when had she ever acted so forward?
Would Junior Brother think she was a frivolous woman now?
Qin Yao’s fingers trembled, eyes darting away, even spilling some tea—rarely showing such a soft, girlish side. She was unexpectedly adorable.
Yun Liu’s eyes, however, lit up, thinking Senior Sister had finally remembered something important she’d forgotten to do and was about to throw money at his face. He rubbed his hands together like a buzzing fly.
“Ahem, ahem, ahem!”
But in the end, she just took a sip of the hot tea, forcibly hiding her embarrassment.
Catching a glimpse out of the corner of her eye, Qin Yao relaxed a little—at least Junior Brother wasn’t put off, and he actually seemed quite happy?
Well, that made sense. Yun Liu’s parents were free-spirited, and he’d grown up with Aunt Master, lacking family warmth—how could he know what a real home felt like?
A gentle warmth flowed from her chest, reviving her whole body.
Qin Yao perked up and took another two sips.
“Hm? What kind of tea is this?”
“A secret recipe, special blend. I don’t tell just anyone. The formula is different from yesterday’s Huiling Tea. What do you think of the taste, Senior Sister?”
Yun Liu crossed his arms, conducting market research—both Ji Shiyu and Qin Yao were his little guinea pigs.
“It’s tart at first, but leaves a sweet aftertaste—very nice! I feel much better now, my body feels light, but my skin tingles and feels numb, almost like I’m drunk?”
“That’s right, it’s Mei Yao—I added Mei Yao!”
The white-robed youth grinned proudly.
That stuff isn’t easy to get, but it’s full of benefits—like a gas station for male cultivators and a beauty salon for females.
Good thing the Strategy Group War God knows exactly how to cultivate these rare spirit plants!
Qin Yao was also an amateur alchemist with a keen sense for herbs. Her beautiful eyes lit up, and she nodded to herself.
Mei Yao was a fine and rare herb from the Western Regions—a little could calm the mind and aid sleep, originally used to relieve stress and nourish the body.
But if you got greedy, it would cause certain “side effects.” Over time, people started abusing it for fun, and it became an aphrodisiac luxury for the rich—just a pinch of powder was expensive.
Infusing it into tea for spiritual nourishment was an entirely new idea—truly creative.
Yun Junior Brother must have gone to great lengths to comfort her, spending a fortune.
It was genuinely thoughtful.
Soon, Qin Yao’s spirits improved a lot.
She looked at Yun Liu with growing tenderness, pressed her fingers together, and summoned the Sword of Clear Xia.
A slender willow-leaf sword sang as it left its sheath, drawing a sword flower before settling obediently at her feet.
“Elder Kuai must be getting impatient. Come on up, hold on tight.”
Spiritual energy wrapped the sword like a sponge to prevent the blade from hurting anyone.
Qin Yao sat sideways at one end, smiling and beckoning.
She already regarded her little benefactor as a lovable younger brother, naturally slipping into the role of elder sister, so there was no awkwardness at all.
“Uh, isn’t this a bit… inconvenient?”
Yun Liu scratched his head, his gaze sliding from Senior Sister’s glistening shoulders down her undulating curves, past her flat belly to her slender waist, and then to her crossed, shapely legs.
There wasn’t a single place that wasn’t attractive—nor anywhere to put his hands.
“Hm? Didn’t you agree yesterday?”
Qin Yao was amused—she wasn’t embarrassed, so why was Yun Liu shy first?