This year’s sect competition had a few unexpected twists, but overall, it was quite exciting. Since the one who caused the trouble was the Sect Leader’s disciple, the other disciples pretended to be confused about the situation on the surface, but they couldn’t help but gossip behind the scenes. After all, Shen Che had gone to reflect on his mistakes, so they just needed to be careful not to let the direct disciples and the elders hear them. It was fine to chat; who doesn’t talk about others behind their backs?

However, most of the gossip revolved around Lin Ji. Back when he first entered the sect, he stood out remarkably, quickly becoming a disciple under a Venerable. Less than a year later, he rapidly advanced in the competition and took first place. It seemed his future was bound to be limitless.

Lu Shixiong’s performance also surprised many. The previous impression of Lu Xiaobai among the sect disciples was too deep. Some, like Su Qinghe, thought it was unfair, but their dissatisfaction only led to less interaction; they wouldn’t deliberately trip him up. No one ever thought Lu Xiaobai had any extraordinary qualities. Even though he had completed all the courses taught by the elders of each peak with perfect scores in the past year, others still believed he had been in the sect for two years, with low spiritual power, unable to master even the basic spells, and thus had to focus on theoretical courses.

Everyone who stepped into the cultivation world had a certain level of comprehension. It was normal for someone to immerse themselves in theoretical knowledge for two years and score full marks on tests. So this time, they had a refreshed view of Lu Shixiong, and fewer people underestimated him, but it still couldn’t compare to the commotion caused by Lin Shixiong.

Yet, the center of discussion, Lin Ji, had recently been feeling anxious and restless. He hadn’t expected the overall moral standards of the Peifeng Sect to be much higher than he imagined. The sneak attack behind the Yunshang Immortal Sect, which was nothing there, was actually quite serious here. Every time he heard them talking about Shen Che behind his back, Lin Ji felt his face burn with embarrassment.

If he admitted that the controversy and disdain Shen Che faced were the punishment he deserved, what about himself? Lin Ji had never thought that fame could be such a heavy burden. At that moment, he even felt grateful that Lu Xiaobai had pointed out his mistakes without holding back.

A few days later, Lin Ji took the initiative to find Meng Wanqiu and admitted to his actions that day. For the first time, Meng Wanqiu didn’t speak to him in a soft voice; instead, he fell silent for a long time and sighed, “Let me see the Silk Fang Jin you made.” 

Meng Wanqiu opened the box, and upon seeing the artifact inside, he felt a jolt in his heart but didn’t let his emotions show on his face for Lin Ji to see. “Can I take it back to examine?” 

Lin Ji nodded, and then Meng Wanqiu looked at him and waved his hand, saying, “You can go back now.” 

“…” 

As Lin Ji walked out of the library, his mood was worse than before his confession. Even if Meng Wanqiu had scolded him harshly, it would have been better than just sighing. Did he… disappoint his master? 

It was evident that the environment could influence a person. Lin Ji was feeling flustered when a familiar, annoying voice suddenly rang in his ears, “Are you slacking off?” 

“…” 

The Peifeng Sect didn’t restrict what kind of clothes disciples wore. As long as they had enough spirit stones, they could design their own outfits and have them custom-made at the clothing pavilion. The colors could be vibrant and varied according to personal preference, as long as they weren’t too exaggerated. 

But Lu Xiaobai often wore plain white, which was overly simple. He wouldn’t use spirit stones to exchange for gold and silver, would he? It seemed like something he would do! 

At that moment, he tied his sleeves with two hair ties for convenience. His hair was also tied up; usually, he liked to wear it loosely, half down and half tied up, looking very casual. 

Lu Xiaobai’s hair wasn’t long; when tied up, it only reached his shoulders. In fact, with his appearance, this outfit truly gave off an impression of innocence and harmlessness. 

“If you have nothing to do, why not run a few laps with me?” Lu Xiaobai flashed his brilliant smile, as if the sharpness he had shown that night was just a dream he had. 

Lin Ji averted his gaze, “Who has nothing to do?” 

He casually waved his fingers, and his spiritual sword flew out on its own. Lin Ji turned back to Lu Xiaobai and raised an eyebrow, “I’ve already learned to control the sword. Do you want to go for a stroll with me and see the full view of Luoxia Peak that you usually can’t see?” 

“Tch.” Lu Xiaobai put his hands on his hips, dissatisfied. “Don’t think you can mock me just because you have talent. No matter how capable a junior brother is, he still has to protect his senior brother in the future.” 

Lin Ji looked up disdainfully, “How about we have a competition? If you can catch up to me, I’ll consider you the winner.” 

As soon as he finished speaking, the spiritual sword, along with his figure, transformed into a beam of light in the sky. 

Lu Xiaobai: “???” 

Oh, so Lin Ji has learned to play tricks too! Even if he ran until his legs broke, he couldn’t catch up to someone flying on a sword! 

But Lu Xiaobai didn’t feel discouraged; after all, he had to run laps every day. 

After Lin Ji took a tour in the sky, he casually landed in a forest on Luoxia Peak and began to practice his swordsmanship. He was fully focused while practicing, quickly forgetting about the bet. He practiced for an entire morning, and only after sheathing his sword did he realize Lu Xiaobai had been watching him from a tree for quite a while. 

“You only said to catch up to you, but you didn’t say when to catch up. I arrived half an hour ago. What reward do I get for winning?” 

Lin Ji’s gaze flickered. From Lu Xiaobai’s perspective, his eyelashes gently drooped like a feather fan, looking quite beautiful. 

After a moment, he looked up, “What’s your purpose in being so obsessed with physical training every day?” 

Lu Xiaobai looked confused, “What purpose is there in strengthening the body? You see, I’ve read all the cultivation texts, but my spiritual cultivation is still the same. If this continues, you all will become strong and youthful forever. But in a few years, I will start to age and decline. How can that not make one anxious?” 

“I need to start training now, not only to become tougher but also to become stronger and extend my lifespan, so I have more time to find ways to change my physique. Don’t you think so?” 

Moreover, they would not only become strong but also grow taller… Lu Xiaobai had always been concerned about his small stature; he needed to eat and move more to grow faster than expected. 

I don’t believe you… Lin Ji snorted coldly, firmly believing that Lu Xiaobai was laying the groundwork for future body and spirit cultivation, but he was too lazy to argue with him. 

“Suit yourself.” 

After saying that, Lin Ji turned and left with an air of aloofness. 

Lu Xiaobai hurriedly climbed down from the tree, wanting to call out to him, but then he saw Lin Ji throw something indistinct behind him. 

Lu Xiaobai caught it and his eyes lit up: it was shiny gold and silver money! 

He looked at the gold leaves and silver ingots in his hands, excitedly biting down on them. He suddenly shouted behind him, “A Ji, I knew you couldn’t be cold to me forever!” 

Lin Ji quickened his pace: look at that greedy expression on your face! 

Today, Meng Wanqiu didn’t appear in the kitchen or anywhere else. 

After running a lap around Luoxia Peak, Lu Xiaobai went to bathe, saying he couldn’t stand the smell of sweat. 

Lin Ji had gotten used to sitting at the dining table on time every day, but he was the only one eating, which felt completely off. After casually eating a few bites, he took his sword and went out for a walk. 

As Lin Ji recalled Meng Wanqiu’s expression, he suddenly saw a graceful figure approaching him from a distance. 

It was the first time Lin Ji had seen Luo Xiang come to visit, but thinking about her entanglement with Lu Xiaobai, it was clear she had come to Luoxia Peak often and was quite familiar with the area. 

“Lin Shixiong.” Luo Xiang wore a light green long dress, and the girl brought a refreshing fragrance with her. 

Lin Ji felt a bit dizzy and couldn’t look her in the eye, so he just returned the greeting, “Luo Shimei.” 

Luo Xiang looked around, “Lin Shixiong, isn’t Xiao Bai with you?” 

Lin Ji replied stiffly, “No. But if Luo Shimei is looking for Xiao Bai for something, I can call him out.” 

“There’s nothing major.” Luo Xiang’s face clearly showed a hint of disappointment upon hearing this. “I just haven’t been progressing well in my spiritual cultivation lately; I’ve been stuck in the late Qi Refining stage for a long time.” 

“I thought since he has guided so many people, he could also guide me when he has time. Since he isn’t here, forget it. I’ll take my leave for now, and please tell Lin Shixiong to let him know I came by and send my regards to the Venerable.” 

After Luo Xiang politely bowed again, she looked back one last time before leaving. 

Lin Ji wanted to ask her where she was stuck in her spiritual cultivation, thinking he might be able to offer some advice, but as he opened his mouth, he realized she wasn’t there just for cultivation; she was clearly looking for an excuse to meet. 

If he really asked, it would make him seem out of touch. 

Lin Ji’s inner turmoil intensified, and when he turned around, he saw Lu Xiaobai standing not far away, peering at him from behind a tree, and even winked at him. 

Lin Ji approached him with annoyance, “Don’t tell me you were eavesdropping? If you heard what she said just now, why didn’t you go after her?” 

Looking at that eager expression, it was clear that Luo Xiang was the “only girl who entered the protagonist’s heart” as highly recognized by many reviews. 

Unfortunately, a beautiful flower had withered before it could fully bloom, becoming Long Aotian’s forever white moonlight in his heart, a presence that would touch upon taboos whenever mentioned by others. 

Lu Xiaobai seemed to think of something, his eyes dimming as he walked back with Lin Ji. “Me and Luo Shimei are not what you think.” 

“When I first entered the sect, Su Qinghe was obstructing me. Besides my master, everyone avoided me.” 

“Only Luo Xiang Shimei didn’t distance herself from me. She helped me get familiar with the environment, took me along for everything, and helped me a lot. Gradually, I made a few friends who didn’t judge me by my talent.” 

“But now that we have all grown up, and Luo Xiang Shimei has blossomed into a graceful beauty, it’s best for us to reduce our private meetings to avoid causing her any trouble.” 

If both genders were present, Lu Xiaobai wouldn’t deliberately avoid Luo Xiang. 

But seeing Lin Ji’s disdainful expression, he knew he wouldn’t believe him, and Lu Xiaobai lost interest in explaining. 

Lin Ji always recognized him through the many hearsays and didn’t want to understand his intentions further. 

After a moment of feeling blocked, Lu Xiaobai let it go. He had long known that being a half-brother was not easy, so he would just keep working hard. 

In reality, Lin Ji was just feeling frustrated. Even if Lu Xiaobai thought this way, it didn’t mean Luo Xiang shared the same thoughts. He suddenly realized that whether they were secretly exchanging glances or caring for each other had nothing to do with him. 

“By the way,” Lu Xiaobai patted his shoulder, “A Ji, the old man is a very responsible person. He must have thought it through before making a decision. Since he took you as a disciple, he won’t regret it, so you can put your heart at ease.” 

Lin Ji looked at him in surprise; he hadn’t expected Lu Xiaobai to be so perceptive and thoughtful. 

At night, Lin Ji quietly flew up to the high point of Luoxia Peak on his sword, wanting to find Meng Wanqiu at Qiushui Pavilion. 

Qiushui Pavilion wasn’t Meng Wanqiu’s cave dwelling; it was more like a viewing platform. It was a place to admire the moon and reminisce about the past, an aerial pavilion. 

According to Lu Xiaobai, the master had always been unable to forget the female immortal who saved the hero back in the day, but he couldn’t find her anywhere. So every time there was a full moon, he would go to Qiushui Pavilion to enjoy the moon and express his feelings. 

Although he didn’t go every month, on this day, as long as he didn’t see Meng Wanqiu, Lu Xiaobai would know he had gone to Qiushui Pavilion. 

Lu Xiaobai never disturbed the old man’s infatuation, but Lin Ji thought that if his master remembered the past, his heart might soften a bit, and maybe he wouldn’t be angry with him anymore. 

Lin Ji took a few steps toward Qiushui Pavilion and was surprised to find it quite dark; his master hadn’t used spiritual power to illuminate the place. 

Suddenly, he felt as if he had stepped on something sticky. Lin Ji moved his foot and crouched down to take a look, and his whole body trembled. 

He couldn’t believe it as he used his index finger to touch it and brought it to his nose; a strong smell of blood wafted up. 

Lin Ji quickly stood up and looked around, only to find numerous bloodstains. A painful image flashed in his mind, fearing that something had happened to Meng Wanqiu, he forcibly broke through the restrictions of Qiushui Pavilion and rushed inside. 

Inside the pavilion, Meng Wanqiu was draped in an outer robe, bent over the table, annotating something with a brush. 

There were black bloodstains on the nearby clothes and the table, but he had long since gotten used to it and didn’t have time to care. Worst case, he could just use a cleaning spell tomorrow, and it would be as if nothing had happened. 

He coughed a bit too loudly and violently, taking a while to stop. 

Meng Wanqiu suddenly felt an unusual silence around him and quickly looked up. 

Lin Ji stood there in a daze, “Master…”