Old Acquaintance

“Heh, looking at Song Hansheng, he looks like he's about to explode with anger because of Yunque.”

“A perfectly fine Yueqing Sect disciple refusing to stay with her own sect, choosing instead to travel with the rival Wenjian Sect group—isn't that a blatant slap in the face to the Yueqing Sect?”

“If it were up to me, I'd teach her a proper lesson.”

Ling Luochen nodded slightly upon hearing this and agreed, “Indeed. She knows full well who holds the greater strength in the secret realm, so she wants to rely on others.”

Luo Qingyu frowned slightly, thinking to herself: Wait, in the original novel, shouldn't Ice-Face already have feelings of admiration for the original female protagonist by now?

Just then, 007's voice rang out in her mind, 【Host, you didn't misread it.】

【It must be because the host intervened in the fated child's trial last time, triggering a butterfly effect that altered the characters' mental states.】

Luo Qingyu only half-understood, but after a moment, she clapped her hands and said nonchalantly, “Forget it, why care so much? As long as I can make things difficult for the original female protagonist, that's enough.”

Ling Luochen reminded her in a low voice, “Master, they are preparing to move.”

“Let's go. Keep following them.”

Along the way, it was nothing more than Ye Qinghan leading a few Wenjian Sect disciples, searching for opportunities while battling demon beasts. It was incredibly boring.

Luo Qingyu thought to herself: Yunque failed to contract the treasure-hunting beast this time. Logically speaking, she shouldn't run into my little junior sister and her group again.

Speak of the devil. In the middle of the forest ahead, the Wenjian Sect group happened to bump into Ye Qiao and her two companions, who were currently harvesting spiritual plants.

Yunque swept her gaze over and instantly locked onto the fluffy little beast by Ye Qiao's feet. A strong sensation welled up in her heart; she felt a mysterious premonition that this little beast was supposed to belong to her.

Sensing someone approaching, Mu Zhongxi hastily warned Ye Qiao and the other in a low voice, “Someone's coming.”

Ye Qiao turned her head, her gaze instantly locking with Yunque's, who was standing within the Wenjian Sect's ranks.

Ye Qiao saw Yunque staring intently at the treasure-hunting beast in her arms, her heart filled with confusion: Isn't this the female protagonist's contracted beast? Why hasn't she come over to demand it yet?

Just as she was wondering, Yunque spoke in a low voice, “Second Senior Sister, I really want that little beast in your arms. Could you let me have it?”

Hearing this, Ye Qiao laughed out of sheer anger. “Why on earth should I give it to you? It's not your spirit beast. Where do you get the nerve to ask me for it?”

She seized the opportunity to add fuel to the fire: “Besides, this spirit beast has already been contracted. Even if you want it, you can't have it.”

Yunque clenched her fists unwillingly.

Seeing this, Song Jian from the group looked at her in confusion. “Junior Sister Yun, do you know them?”

Yunque hastily explained, “Second Senior Sister was taken in and raised by Master since she was a child. I don't know what she was throwing a tantrum about before, but she left the Yueqing Sect. In the end, having nowhere else to live, she ran off to the Changming Sect.”

“Please don't blame Second Senior Sister. She only did it because she had no other choice.”

Luo Qingyu, who was quietly watching the show from a tree, instantly had her face turn dark.

Before Yunque could even finish speaking, Luo Qingyu mobilized her spiritual energy and teleported down from the tree, appearing right in front of Ye Qiao.

Luo Qingyu's gaze fell upon Yunque, her tone carrying a trace of severity. “You can eat whatever you want, but you shouldn't spout nonsense.”

Mu Zhongxi, who was just about to draw his sword, froze mid-action. His eyes lit up as he stared at the suddenly appearing Luo Qingyu, and he cried out in pleasant surprise, “Fourth Senior Brother!”

Luo Qingyu turned her head to look at the three behind her, nodded gently, and reached out to rub the top of Ye Qiao's head, saying warmly, “Don't worry. With me here, no one will dare bully you.”

Ye Qiao knew very well that her Fourth Senior Brother would never let her suffer a loss, so she immediately nodded happily. “Thank you, Fourth Senior Brother!”

Standing to the side, Ye Qinghan stared at the handsome youth before him, whose gender was hard to distinguish. His pupils contracted sharply as an inexplicable sense of familiarity welled up in his heart.

Seeing Ye Qiao being protected like this, Yunque felt extremely bitter. Yet, she still maintained a pure and harmless facade, speaking softly, “Senior Brother Luo, everything I said is true.”

Luo Qingyu raised an eyebrow, her tone turning a bit colder. “I am not your senior brother. Don't try to cozy up to me here; I only have one junior sister, and that is Ye Qiao.”

Yunque choked on her words at this. Her eyes welled with tears, and she could not help but let them fall.

The surrounding Wenjian Sect disciples felt a bit of pity for Yunque upon seeing this, but since it had nothing to do with their own sect, they could not interfere.

Enduring her emotions, Yunque continued to persuade, “Second Senior Sister, come back with me. Master has always been hoping for your return.”

These words completely incensed Luo Qingyu. She barked in a low voice, “Luochen!”

A green figure suddenly flashed before everyone's eyes. Yunque's pupils contracted. Before she could even react, a cold sword blade was already pressed against her neck, the tip slicing her skin and drawing a tiny bead of blood.

Yunque turned pale with fright.

Luo Qingyu's voice was ice-cold. “If you dare utter another word of nonsense, swords have no eyes. Next time, you die.”

Ye Qinghan hastily stepped forward to intercede. “Luo Qingyu, let this matter go. Since she is already injured, you should have calmed your anger.”

Luo Qingyu let out a low laugh upon hearing this. “It's been a few years, Ice-Face. Are you actually protecting this kind of idiot now?”

Hearing this familiar nickname, Ye Qinghan's body shuddered slightly, and everything clicked in an instant.

He finally knew why the person before him felt so familiar. He had never expected that the mysterious young boy who had saved him and his fellow disciples back then was actually the Changming Sect's famously talented artifact cultivator—Luo Qingyu.

The three standing behind Luo Qingyu seemed to catch the scent of gossip.

Ye Qiao fished a bag of melon seeds out of her storage ring and distributed them to the other two. The three of them began munching on the melon seeds while whispering to one another.

Ye Qiao: “I didn't expect Fourth Senior Brother to actually know Ye Qinghan.”

Mu Zhongxi chimed in repeatedly, “Exactly! Fourth Senior Brother hid this way too well.”

Duan Hengdao poked his head out to observe the two in front, whispering in amazement, “Tsk, tsk, tsk. Look at the way Ye Qinghan is staring at him. That's a look you only see once in a century.”

The surrounding Wenjian Sect disciples were also completely dumbfounded. They had never imagined that their Eldest Senior Brother actually knew the Changming Sect's genius, Luo Qingyu. This was even more shocking than a pill cultivator chasing down a sword cultivator to beat them.

Luo Qingyu completely ignored the gossiping whispers of the three behind her. She raised her eyes to look at Ye Qinghan and spoke calmly, “Ice-Face, I'm claiming that favor from back then right now.”

“For the rest of this secret realm journey, do not travel with her anymore. I know where Song Hansheng is. Take her back to him in a bit.”

Hearing that she was to be sent back to that group of talisman cultivators who could barely even protect themselves, Yunque instantly panicked.

She hurriedly reached out to grab Ye Qinghan's sleeve, pleading anxiously, “Senior Brother Ye, I don't want to go back! I promise I absolutely won't cause any more trouble from now on!”

With a trace of disgust in his eyes, Ye Qinghan directly shook off her hand and turned to look at Luo Qingyu. “Are you sure?”

Luo Qingyu nodded firmly, her expression serious. “Of course. Why would I lie to you? Let me give you a piece of advice: stay away from her in the future, or you won't even know how you died.”

Looking at Luo Qingyu's earnest gaze, Ye Qinghan knew in his heart that she was definitely not speaking lightly.

He lowered his voice and relented, “Fine, I promise you. I will send her back to Song Hansheng's team right now.”

The moment he finished speaking, Yunque panicked completely, her eyes turning red as tears fell uncontrollably.

She had gone through so much trouble to leave that weak, highly constrained group of talisman cultivators to train with the powerful Wenjian Sect group. There was no way she wanted to go back.

She bit her lip hard and sobbed in desperation, “No... I really don't want to go back! Senior Brother Luo, I was wrong. I'll never say such things again. Please let me off, okay?”

Luo Qingyu's eyes remained indifferent without the slightest hint of emotion. Her tone was completely unyielding. “Too late.”

Standing to the side, Ye Qiao and her two companions enjoyed the show immensely as they munched on their melon seeds.

Ye Qiao could not help but marvel in her heart: My Fourth Senior Brother really doesn't show the female protagonist any mercy at all.

No longer paying any attention to the weeping Yunque, Ye Qinghan raised his hand to summon his dark sword and commanded coldly, “Let's go.”

Even though Yunque was extremely unwilling, she was still forcibly dragged away.

Luo Qingyu looked at Ye Qinghan and said, “I'll have Luochen lead the way for you to find Song Hansheng.”

Ye Qinghan nodded slightly. Turning around, he led Yunque and the Wenjian Sect disciples, following the direction in which Ling Luochen had flown.