Zhu Huai

“Xuanyi...”

“Martial Aunt, this martial nephew is too full. I'm going to walk off my meal and wait for Junior Sister Wen Sining outside the house.”

With that, Wang Xuanyi bowed with a smile and left the wooden cabin.

Seeing this, Zhu Huai stood up, bowed, and followed him.

To her... him, wherever his senior brother was, he would be.

Except when going out on missions.

With Wang Xuanyi's departure, the atmosphere at the dining table plummeted to freezing point once more. Xiao Hongye lost any interest in tasting the food, focusing instead on whether she had said the wrong thing just now.

This was even more true for Leng Ning'an.

She couldn't understand how Wang Xuanyi, someone with a mixed spiritual root and only a meager talent for cultivation, could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with her, or even surpass her, in such a short period of time.

“Could it be that during the last martial arena match... he held back?!”

The more Leng Ning'an thought about it, the angrier she became, the icy expression on her face growing colder.

“Ah, haha, Master, Senior Sister... this food is really delicious...” Long Zitian's voice grew quieter and quieter as he spoke, until it was barely audible.

Clearly, he did not possess the talent to liven up the atmosphere.

“Master, this disciple is also full. Please inform me of the details of this mission so I can discuss it with Senior Brother.”

Seeing that the wooden cabin had fallen silent, Wen Sining broke the quiet. The events that had just transpired were far too complicated; they had not only disturbed Senior Sister Leng's state of mind but had also wounded Senior Brother Wang's pride. All she could do now was accept the mission and find a way to console Senior Brother Wang on the road.

“Mhm, I understand.”

With that, Xiao Hongye took out the mission Mo Yan had arranged for Wang Xuanyi today. At the same time, she sent a sound transmission to Wen Sining, saying, “Sining, this mission is highly dangerous. Be sure to protect yourself. If you encounter anything you cannot handle, contact me immediately.”

“As for Xuanyi... keep a close eye on him. That child is simple-minded, and I worry he might stray onto the wrong path.”

“Yes, this disciple shall obey Master's command.”

After receiving the mission, Wen Sining also left the wooden cabin.

Afterward, Xiao Hongye cleared away the food and began guiding her two newly admitted disciples on how to embark on the path of cultivation and how to cultivate correctly.

She also taught them the basic techniques of the Heavenly Martial Immortal Sect.

...

The main gates of the Heavenly Martial Immortal Sect.

Many fellow disciples were coming and going. Some had just returned from trials outside, while others were preparing to head out, bidding farewell to those close to them.

Although the Heavenly Martial Immortal Sect was one of the top sects on the continent, it did not interfere with its disciples' trials, and thus did not implement excessive protective measures.

Except for inner sect disciples and a few pampered darlings.

This also resulted in a large number of outer sect disciples and weaker elders perishing in the wilderness every year.

It couldn't be helped; cultivation required resources. The Heavenly Martial Immortal Sect distributed resources every month based on the disciples' cultivation realms, so many disciples had no choice but to risk taking on sect missions to earn resources.

Thus, before every mission, they would make thorough preparations just in case.

Naturally, Wang Xuanyi was no exception.

“Oh my, I've always snuck out through the back door to complete missions. Standing at the main gates for the first time gives me an indescribable feeling,” Wang Xuanyi lamented.

To minimize contact with the people of Tianyun Peak, he had resolved from a young age to dig tunnels, slip through back doors, and get himself thrown out... a series of exaggerated and absurd ways to travel.

“Senior Brother, you're just used to sneaking around and have started viewing yourself as a thief. Doing things out in the open for once makes you feel like you've been caught red-handed,” Zhu Huai calmly pointed out the root of that feeling from the side.

“Huh, you're actually right... Hahaha!”

Wang Xuanyi scratched the back of his head lightheartedly, enjoying the banter with Zhu Huai.

“Senior Brother, I am ready. We can depart.”

At that moment, Wen Sining stepped down from her flying sword. With every step, ripples spread through the air, and her outstanding beauty instantly drew the attention of many passing disciples, who stopped to stare.

“Mhm, let's go.”

Wen Sining: “...”

Wang Xuanyi drew an iron sword, but just as he was about to depart, he stepped off it again. Leaning close to Zhu Huai's ear, he whispered, “Junior Brother, inside the refrigerator in my room, there are Ice Crystal Grapes and some pills to suppress your condition. If I don't return for a long time, remember to take your medicine on time. You absolutely must not cultivate blindly, understood?”

The warm breath made the tips of Zhu Huai's ears turn red, and a blush crept across her fair face. Even though she tried her best to suppress it, it still showed.

“This junior brother understands. Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother,” Zhu Huai replied softly.

Wang Xuanyi patted her shoulder and said, “Zhu Huai, I'm off. I'll have to trouble you with Tianzhu Peak for now.”

Zhu Huai did not reply but nodded heavily. Then, as if fleeing, she rushed back to Tianzhu Peak and dove straight into Wang Xuanyi's bed.

“Senior Brother!!!”

At this moment, how could Zhu Huai still possess any of her usual male composure? She was the very picture of a young girl.

Ah, Zhu Huai was a woman to begin with.

Shedding her outer garments and disguise, a devastatingly beautiful countenance began to emerge.

A pure appearance, exquisite features, and glossy black hair cascading down her back, with a pair of captivating Peach Blossom Eyes reflected in her pupils.

Anyone who looked at her would find themselves inexplicably falling deep into Zhu Huai's pure, innocent gaze.

She was simply too endearing, like a shy, delicate flower that aroused a deep protective instinct, making one yearn to cherish her and watch over her growth.

It was precisely for this reason that Zhu Huai presented herself as a male.

The disguise technique she possessed was the unparalleled 《Muscle-Tendon Change Scripture》. Cultivators below the Soul Formation Realm could not see through her disguise at all.

Not even the unpredictable Wang Xuanyi.

Of course, such a disguise technique was not enough to fool Xiao Hongye and the other Peak Masters, but they chose to remain silent.

After all, who could blame them when she was the Sect Master's biological daughter?

Furthermore, Zhu Huai's eyes were the very source of her condition. As her cultivation grew, the power residing in those eyes became far too formidable.

Captivating, soul-stealing, life-taking...

Only things of extreme cold or extreme yang could suppress these eyes and the allure radiating from her body; otherwise, she would be a natural-born succubus.

“Hehehe, Senior Brother is so naive. He even warned me only to enter his room if my condition got out of hand. Well, I won't listen! I'm coming in the moment you leave.”

Zhu Huai poked her cute little head out from under the blanket, her Peach Blossom Eyes looking left and right. Then, she took a deep breath of the air that carried her senior brother's scent, a look of sheer infatuation on her face.

“Right, the refrigerator Senior Brother mentioned.”

Only then did Zhu Huai notice a massive block of extremely cold ice hidden inside the bamboo cabin, radiating a dense, freezing chill.

Behaving like a little thief, Zhu Huai stealthily opened the refrigerator. It had eight shelves in total, containing all kinds of frozen food and pills.

Each item of food even had a note written by Wang Xuanyi.

“Ice Crystal Grape juice. Take three times a day, once in the morning, afternoon, and night.”

“Cold-Sustaining Grass. There is ice spring water on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Brew it to drink, and use this herb as a supplement after you finish the Ice Crystal Grape juice.”

“Glacial Chill Pill...”

All kinds of extremely cold items were laid out before Zhu Huai, each accompanied by a thoughtful note explaining how to consume it.

At the same time, Zhu Huai discovered a note on Wang Xuanyi's desk. It read: “Extremely cold items should not be consumed in excess, as it is easy for cold energy to accumulate, which is detrimental to future cultivation. Every three days, you must soak in the hot spring in the bamboo forest. That spring contains pure yang energy from the earth veins, which is beneficial for purging the yin-cold energy from your body.”

“Senior Brother...”

Looking at everything Wang Xuanyi had done, Zhu Huai finally realized that the food she usually ate and the items she used were all designed to complement each other.

Back then, she had merely offhandedly mentioned that she had an ailment and had come to the Heavenly Martial Immortal Sect to find a cure, which required items of extreme yang and extreme cold to suppress.

She never expected her senior brother to keep it in mind all this time.

“I've let Senior Brother down. I clearly have the Yin-Yang Stone gifted by Father to suppress my Peach Blossom Eyes, yet I've let Senior Brother worry all this time. I really feel a bit guilty.”

“But... Senior Brother is worried about me!”

Zhu Huai: .(*≧▽≦).

Uncomprehending, yet deeply moved.