“What do you think?”

“Think about what?” Wang Tong was completely bewildered by Song He’s sudden question. He frowned at Song He, who clearly didn’t want to smile but was forcibly squeezing out a smile. “Song He, we’ve been friends for many years. How formidable Liuguang Sect is, how outstanding Zhong Xi is—I know without you telling me. Honestly, after saying all this, are you jealous that I took on a good disciple, or do you want me to help you make peace with Zhaohan Sect?”

“What does this have to do with Zhaohan Sect?” Song He looked at Wang Tong in confusion. He had rarely in his life racked his brains to please someone as much as now, and the effect… didn’t seem very good?

“You two sects intend to arrange a marriage alliance, joining forces to resist evil cultivator invasions of the cultivation world—I can understand that.” Wang Tong said sincerely. “It’s just that the two children are being wronged, making such a great sacrifice for the cultivation world.” Sword cultivators weren’t devoted to matters of love, yet because evil cultivators were making a comeback, they had no choice but to make this choice—no one could say anything bad about it.

After listening for a long while, Song He finally realized that Wang Tong had completely misunderstood his meaning. What did this have to do with Zhaohan Sect? Making peace?

“Then what do you think of our two sects arranging a marriage alliance?” Helpless, Song He could only speak more plainly.

“Us?” Wang Tong looked at Song He as if looking at an idiot. “Your perfectly good Liuguang Sect—why would you want to arrange a marriage with us? What for?”

Among the ten great sects, apart from Qingjing Temple which was entirely monks and nuns, which of the other seven sects wasn’t a superior choice for marriage alliance? Why would they think otherwise and choose them? Wang Tong had known Song He for many years and didn’t bother with polite talk, speaking directly: “Song He, it’s not that I’m being self-deprecating, but your esteemed sect and ours probably aren’t very suitable. Your esteemed sect’s disciples are all self-disciplined, steady talents of the cultivation world—the sword is the most important thing to you. Our Yunhua Sect’s female disciples are different. They love material things, care about food, and their personalities are quite unrestrained. Your Liuguang Sect disciples can’t accept Yunhua Sect’s atmosphere, and our Yunhua Sect disciples can’t stay at Liuguang Sect either. Over time, they’ll inevitably develop resentment toward each other and instead become a resentful couple.”

“When the juniors make too much of a scene, and our Yunhua Sect is unwilling to let our own children suffer grievances, it will instead affect the relationship between our two sects.” Wang Tong kept shaking his head. “Not suitable, not suitable.”

Seeing Wang Tong’s reaction, Song He’s heart grew half cold. He hadn’t even considered it before directly refusing—this matter concerning his grand-nephew would be difficult to handle.

Seeing Song He still staring at him blankly, Wang Tong said kindly: “To be honest, among our Yunhua Sect’s third-generation disciples, not one has become cultivation partners with anyone. Your sect’s disciples are very good, but I’m afraid we can’t find suitable disciples here to arrange a marriage with your esteemed sect either.”

“Moreover, you don’t need to overthink it. Even if we don’t have a marriage alliance, when evil cultivators invade, my sect will still do its duty without hesitation and absolutely won’t retreat a single step before evil cultivators.” Wang Tong knew that Liuguang Sect had for so many years shouldered responsibilities in the cultivation world that other sects couldn’t bear. Though their Yunhua Sect couldn’t reach Liuguang Sect’s level, they wouldn’t watch Liuguang Sect struggle alone against evil cultivators while they looked on coldly.

“I…”

“This matter need not be discussed further.” Wang Tong waved his hand. “Fortunately, you only mentioned this in front of me and didn’t bring it up before the Sect Master. With his personality, he would definitely refuse you without hesitation, and then everyone would be embarrassed.” He poured Song He a cup of tea. “Come, come, have some tea.”

Song He: “…”

His heart felt stifled—he couldn’t drink.

After Kong Hou finished paying respects to the three elders with Wu Chuan, on the way back to Qiyue Peak, Wu Chuan asked her about some of what she’d seen and heard on the road. Seeing that she truly hadn’t suffered any grievances outside, he returned to his usual silent and taciturn appearance: “Qiyue Peak has arrived. Junior Sister, go on your own. I’ll return to report to Master.”

“Thank you, Senior Brother Wu Chuan.” Kong Hou smiled and cupped her hands to Wu Chuan, then stepped on her flying sword and descended from the clouds. Wu Chuan watched the young woman’s cheerful retreating figure, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

After descending from the clouds, Kong Hou didn’t go directly back to Qiyue Peak but went to Wuxing Hall instead.

The steward of Wuxing Hall saw Kong Hou and respectfully stepped forward: “Martial Uncle Kong Hou.”

“I’ve come to pay off debts.” Kong Hou said. “How many spirit stones does my master owe?”

“Martial Uncle, please wait. I’ll go check right away.” The steward cupped his hands to Kong Hou and began searching for Wang Tong’s ledger. In all of Yunhua Sect, Wang Tong’s ledger was easier to find than even the Sect Master’s or the head disciple’s ledger, because he was always in debt.

Three hundred years ago, he owed the sect several hundred years of monthly stipends. Fortunately, later he had Senior Uncles Cheng Yi and Tan Feng who helped him pay off quite a bit—now he only owed fifty years. Now with Martial Uncle Kong Hou, Martial Grand-uncle Wang Tong would finally be debt-free.

After calculating how many spirit stones Wang Tong owed, Kong Hou took out all the spirit stones she’d obtained from the secret realm and finally covered Wang Tong’s debt deficit. Clutching a pile of IOUs that Wang Tong had personally signed, she hurried back to Qiyue Peak. Walking to the entrance of Wang Tong’s cave dwelling, Kong Hou sensed someone else’s presence inside. She stuffed the IOUs into her storage ring, restrained her bouncing gait, and respectfully bowed toward the cave dwelling with steady composure: “Disciple Kong Hou pays respects to Master.”

“Come in.”

Kong Hou entered and saw that the person sitting across from Wang Tong was Liuguang Sect’s Peak Lord Song He: “This junior greets Martial Uncle Song He.”

“We’re all family here—no need for such formality.” Song He’s attitude became even more enthusiastic when he saw Kong Hou. He beckoned her to sit down, then began asking whether she was tired from the journey, whether she was thirsty, whether she’d encountered anything unpleasant, and if she’d been bullied, she must tell him, and so on.

Wang Tong sat to the side biting his cup, looking at Song He as if looking at a human trafficker. He knew the people from Liuguang Sect wouldn’t suddenly become so attentive, constantly running over here for no reason—turns out they had the intention of poaching.

This was really shameless behavior. Their Yunhua Sect had finally recruited a five spiritual root disciple, and their family was already envious.

Shameless, too shameless.

“Kong Hou.” Wang Tong put down his cup and beckoned to Kong Hou. “Come to your master.”

Wang Tong heavily emphasized the two words “your master,” wanting Song He to know when to retreat, or else their many years of friendship would have to be thrown into the gutter.

“Brother Wang Tong has such a good relationship with his disciple.” Song He offered dry praise.

“This child has been filial since young, considerate and outstanding. Whether her natural talent is good isn’t the most important thing.” Wang Tong took out spirit fruits hidden in his storage ring and placed them on the table, pulling them toward Kong Hou’s direction in a seemingly casual manner. “Eat something first.”

“Thank you, Master.” Kong Hou also took out several spirit fruits from her storage ring. “These are what I obtained in the secret realm. Master, you should try them too.”

“Good, good, good.” Wang Tong accepted the fruits, his gaze sweeping back and forth over them before he “casually” picked one and handed it to Song He. “You try one too.”

Song He held the fruit, using his peripheral vision to look at the remaining spirit fruits in Wang Tong’s hand. He didn’t know if he was overthinking, but why did he feel the spirit fruit in his hand was the smallest?

Looking again at how Wang Tong and Kong Hou interacted, the deep master-disciple bond was absolutely not feigned. As a master, Song He was always serious and proper before his disciples, never like Wang Tong, interacting with his disciple so naturally and intimately, like father and daughter.

He knew that continuing to stay here would be tactless.

“Brother Wang Tong, Nephew Kong Hou, I’ll take my leave first.” Song He clutched a spirit fruit, stood and exchanged a few polite words with Wang Tong, then walked out.

Kong Hou stood to see him to the door: “Martial Uncle Song He, please go slowly.”

“Nephew, please stay.” Song He smiled, turned, and left the cave dwelling entrance with his robes fluttering.

Walking straight back to the separate courtyard, Song He saw his grand-nephew standing at the door waiting for him. Thinking of Wang Tong’s attitude, he wanted to speak but hesitated, saying to him: “Let’s talk inside.”

Huan Zong silently followed behind him. The several disciples waiting in the room saw them enter and all withdrew. Song He pointed to a stool: “Sit.” He looked at his grand-nephew, whose expression was calm but whose ten fingers were slightly bent. “I spoke with Wang Tong.”

Huan Zong immediately raised his head to look at him.

“Wang Tong isn’t enthusiastic about this matter. He even stated directly that if Yunhua Sect disciples were together with Liuguang Sect disciples, they’d most likely become a resentful couple.” Song He sighed. “Yunhua Sect disciples can’t get used to life at Liuguang Sect.”

The room fell silent.

“If she can’t get used to it, it doesn’t matter. I can stay with her at Yunhua Sect.” Huan Zong said. “This place is also quite good.”

Song He looked at Huan Zong in surprise, not expecting he would have this idea. Previously, though he and the Sect Master had joked about this matter, in their view, given Zhong Xi’s pursuit of the sword dao, it would be impossible for him to leave Liuguang Sect. Who would have thought…

“Aren’t you afraid that if word of this gets out, it will harm your reputation?” After his surprise, Song He calmed down and said, “You’ve been famous all these years—who knows how many people secretly envy you. If you marry into Yunhua Sect, those who envy you can celebrate with this matter. Can you endure this?”

Huan Zong slowly shook his head: “Others’ words—what concern are they of mine? In the past I didn’t care about these things, and naturally I won’t care in the future either.”

“Good.” Song He nodded. “The sons of our Liuguang Sect should have this determination. Not fearing gossip, not fearing people’s hearts, rectifying one’s heart and self—this is the true meaning of cultivation.”

“Rest assured, I will continue to work on this matter with Wang Tong.” Song He thought for a moment. “Yunhua Sect values relationships most. As long as you and Miss Kong Hou have mutual feelings, those above and below in Yunhua Sect won’t make things too difficult for you.”

“This junior understands.” Huan Zong lowered his eyelids, silent for a long while before saying: “Martial Uncle, I’ve been in the sect for over three hundred years. Every year, every day, I thought only of the dao and the sword. That day outside Yong City’s gate, I saw Kong Hou standing in the snow—the only color in a vista of pure white.”

He had Lin Hu drive the carriage to her side. Lifting the curtain, he saw her smile brilliant as spring blossoms.

What had he thought then?

What a spirited little girl.

Song He looked at his grand-nephew’s distracted appearance and shook his head helplessly. With this appearance of being deeply rooted in affection, if Yunhua Sect didn’t agree to let him marry in, he would probably buy a house at the base of Yunhua Mountain and live there.

In Wang Tong’s cave dwelling, Kong Hou handed a thick stack of IOUs to Wang Tong: “Master, starting next month, you can receive your monthly stipend!”

“Good disciple, you went out for half a year and became accomplished.” Wang Tong threw the pile of IOUs aside and said to Kong Hou: “You finally saved up some spirit stones—why did you spend it all on this?”

“I still have plenty of spirit stones.” Kong Hou told him about Liuguang Sect’s Sect Master giving her gifts. “Huan Zong took very good care of me along the way—I didn’t suffer the slightest hardship.”

“Didn’t suffer the slightest hardship, yet you broke through your mental barrier and entered the Heart Stirring stage?” Wang Tong didn’t believe these words at all. “How did you pick up the same problem as Cheng Yi—reporting good news but not bad?”

“I was just afraid you’d worry.” Kong Hou hugged Wang Tong’s arm and shook it. “Master, where did Second Senior Brother go?”

“He’s protecting your eldest senior brother’s cultivation.” Wang Tong thought for a moment. “Disciple, for the next period of time, stay in the sect and cultivate properly. After spring begins next year, there’s a cultivation world sect exchange conference—you’ll go along to broaden your horizons.”

Kong Hou hesitated: “Master, I want to accompany Huan Zong to travel around.”

Wang Tong knew about Kong Hou seeking medicine for Huan Zong some time ago. He pondered for a long while: “Zhong Xi is a rare genius in our cultivation world. You accompanying him to find medicinal materials is an important matter—as your master, I have no intention of stopping you. But cultivation cannot be neglected either. You’re still shallow in cultivation and are at a growing stage. Why not have Zhong Xi stay in our sect for half a year, let your Martial Uncle Qingyuan help regulate his condition for a period, and after the exchange conference, continue searching for medicinal materials?”

Liuguang Sect wanted to poach his precious disciple—he’d keep their most outstanding disciple at Yunhua Sect and see who came out worse.

“That’s actually not bad. I just don’t know if Huan Zong would be willing.” Kong Hou added: “Master, there’s something I forgot to tell you. When Huan Zong and I cultivate together, we can trigger the harmony of heaven and earth’s five elements, so we often achieve twice the results with half the effort.”

“You mean to say you and Zhong Xi can dual cultivate with heaven and earth?” Wang Tong’s eyes lit up. This was a wonderful thing rarely encountered in thousands of years. Seeing his little disciple was still innocently ignorant about this matter and didn’t seem to know what a major matter this was, he didn’t know whether to be angry or laugh.

After his excitement, Wang Tong took a deep breath: “Is Zhong Xi easy to get along with?”

“Nothing but good.” Kong Hou said. “Master, if Huan Zong agrees, after Eldest Senior Brother’s Nascent Soul formation ceremony ends, I’ll enter seclusion with him in the cave dwelling for half a year.”

“Good disciple, do you think we could get Zhong Xi to voluntarily join our sect?”

If Liuguang Sect could snatch, why couldn’t they?