Normally, when Baize Dijun took on new disciples, the Three Hundred Courtyards would be filled with joyous laughter for several days. The disciples, who prided themselves on benevolence and elegance, would never let their new colleagues feel lonely or unadapted.

This time, the Dijun had consecutively taken in two disciples. On their very first day, major incidents occurred—one was so audacious as to provoke Feilian Shenjun, causing him to chase all the way from Wangshu Palace to Mingxing Hall. The other was even more lawless, publicly cutting off most of Feilian Shenjun’s hair, disregarding all propriety.

Such rebellious and reckless behavior was unheard of among the disciples. Thus, the Three Hundred Courtyards spent their chaotic first day in utter silence.

Yet Xuan Yi slept exceptionally well that night. The annoying wind outside the hall seemed to no longer disturb her. She awoke from her sweet slumber while it was still dark, just before the bell-ringing time for the morning roll call.

She lay on the ice bed, contemplating quietly for a while, then slowly rose, put on her outer robe, and pushed open the hall doors.

Following the path lined with blooming purple sun flowers, it took less than a quarter-hour to reach the bell tower. The cool morning breeze felt quite pleasant to Xuan Yi. She raised her sleeve to cover her mouth and let out a big yawn—then she saw another figure standing beneath the bell tower.

Could it be that Senior Brother Shao Yi of the Qingyang Clan was truly willing to ring the bell for her every day?

Xuan Yi walked through the thin mist, only to find that on the grass filled with fresh flowers beneath the bell tower, someone had laid out a gossamer cloud brocade mat. On the mat sat an exquisite tea tray with a jade-green teapot that surely contained sea sand tea—she could already smell its fragrance. There were also several small yet luxurious food boxes, arranged in a row and piled on the gossamer cloud mat like flower petals, filled with colorful and exceptionally refined pastries.

She suddenly felt a surge of indignation. What kind of person eats so well before dawn has even broken!

“Junior Sister? Why are you here?”

A surprised female voice came from the gossamer mat. Xuan Yi reluctantly withdrew her gaze from the pastries and saw sitting primly on the mat a round-faced beauty who appeared to have deliberately dressed up. Her celestial robes were adorned with stardust, and by her temple she had pinned a fresh peony. It was none other than Yan Xia, the little princess of Chi Di.

Seeing that the arrival was not Shao Yi but Xuan Yi, Yan Xia’s expression didn’t look particularly pleased. She reluctantly offered her greetings, looked around, and asked again, “Junior Sister, what are you doing here? Could it be… could it be you’ve also come looking for Shao Yi…”

“Morning roll call bell ringing,” Xuan Yi explained her purpose concisely and clearly.

Yan Xia couldn’t help but change color. “But ringing the bell has always been Shao Yi’s duty. Who assigned you?”

“Master,” Xuan Yi continued to be concise.

Yan Xia stamped her foot. “Go back! Shao Yi will come! Ringing the bell has always been his responsibility!”

Xuan Yi looked up at the sky. “I suspect he won’t be coming today.”

Yan Xia stubbornly insisted, “He will definitely come.”

Xuan Yi asked curiously, “Could it be that Senior Sister and Senior Brother Shao Yi arranged to meet here?”

Yan Xia’s face flushed red, but quickly darkened again as she said in a low voice, “We didn’t arrange anything. Yesterday, Senior Sister Fu Luo and he were sent out by Master to handle affairs. They returned very late. I went to Danfeng Courtyard to find him, but I saw Senior Sister Fu Luo was still there… so I thought I’d wait for him here.”

Xuan Yi nodded. “Very well, then wait.”

She leisurely ascended the bell tower, and when the proper hour arrived, she rang the bell. Then she leisurely descended the bell tower to find Yan Xia still standing there, dumbstruck as a wooden statue.

“Senior Sister, I’ll take my leave now.”

Xuan Yi took one last visual taste of the tea and pastries and was about to depart when she suddenly heard Yan Xia begin to cry softly behind her.

She had no choice but to stop, looking somewhat awkwardly at the beauty before her who had broken down in uncontrollable tears. Should she console her? If she consoled her, would she invite her to have tea and pastries?

“I’ve made a fool of myself…” Yan Xia vigorously wiped her tears with her sleeve, yet the more she wiped, the more tears came.

Xuan Yi shook her head. “If you want to cry, then cry. If you want to laugh, then laugh. Why would I mock Senior Sister?”

As she spoke, she slowly stepped onto the gossamer cloud mat and sat down elegantly before the tea tray. She poured two cups of tea and respectfully handed one to Yan Xia. “Senior Sister, have some tea and pastries to calm your heart.”

Yan Xia was only focused on wiping her tears. “I don’t want to eat. I have no appetite. You eat.”

It would be disrespectful to decline such hospitality.

Xuan Yi first carefully picked up a peach blossom hundred-fruit cake and admired it closely before placing it in her mouth—fragrant without bitterness, sweet without being cloying. What an excellent cake! However, this sea sand tea didn’t quite match—it was too heavy. The luminous flying scene tea from the Western Sea would be much better.

Yan Xia cried alone and forlornly for quite a while. When no words of comfort came, she finally couldn’t cry anymore. Wiping her eyes with a nasal voice, she asked, “Junior Sister, what do you think of Shao Yi? Does he not care about me at all?”

Xuan Yi thought for a moment. “Senior Brother Shao Yi doesn’t know Senior Sister is waiting for him here, and ringing the bell is no longer his duty. Senior Sister’s statement is somewhat biased.”

Yan Xia’s expression finally looked a bit better. She lowered her head in thought for a long while, then said, “Then what do you think of Senior Brother Gu Ting?”

Xuan Yi found this somewhat strange. “Why are you asking me these things?”

Yan Xia bit her lip and said in a low voice, “Let me ask you, if a goddess already has a marriage engagement but still constantly speaks ambiguously with another divine lord, monopolizing him and not letting others get close, what would you think of her?”

Xuan Yi understood. “Oh, you’re talking about Senior Sister Fu Luo?”

Yan Xia was startled. “You know too? You actually saw through it?”

Xuan Yi smiled slightly. “You mentioned having a marriage engagement. Among Master’s disciples, the only goddess with a marriage engagement is Senior Sister Fu Luo. Unless you’re talking about some other goddess? Then I wouldn’t know her.”

Yan Xia began biting her lip again. After a long while, she said, “You’re… you’re right! I’m talking about her! She clearly has a marriage engagement with Senior Brother Gu Ting, yet she still monopolizes Shao Yi and won’t let him speak with or get close to other goddesses! Don’t you think this is excessive!”

Xuan Yi asked curiously, “You’ve all spent much more time together than I have. You should have long known what kind of temperament she has. Why come to me about this today?”

Tears gleamed in Yan Xia’s eyes as she said softly, “The person Shao Yi likes is her. I thought, after all, Senior Sister Fu Luo will eventually marry Senior Brother Gu Ting, so if I just stay by Shao Yi’s side, one day he’ll realize I’m good too. But just the day before yesterday, Shao Yi had only been close with me for a little while when she got angry. Last night when I went to Danfeng Courtyard to find Shao Yi, she stayed and refused to leave, and even gave me a cold face. Junior Sister, don’t you think she’s being too excessive?”

Xuan Yi swallowed the last pastry, then took a satisfying gulp of sea sand tea and let out a contented sigh before speaking. “I don’t think so.”

Yan Xia grew anxious. “I’ve also heard about your background. Shouldn’t you be the most disgusted by this sort of thing?!”

Xuan Yi said calmly, “I don’t know what about my background has caused Senior Sister Yan Xia such misunderstanding. The pleasure between men and women, each employing their own methods—it’s perfectly normal. Senior Sister Fu Luo’s methods are brilliant. Even with a marriage engagement, she can make Senior Brother Shao Yi unable to let her go. If you resent her for being more skilled than you and speak ill of her behind her back, what good does that do?”

Yan Xia never expected her to speak such cutting words. She choked for a long while, then finally couldn’t help but burst into loud tears again with another sob.

Xuan Yi rose and performed an elegant bow. “Thank you, Senior Sister, for the excellent tea and pastries. I will certainly reciprocate in the future. Farewell.”

Yan Xia sobbed, barely able to speak. “You all side with her!”

Xuan Yi sighed. “Senior Sister, don’t you think what Senior Brother Shao Yi himself wants is most important?”

“What Shao Yi likes is Senior Sister Fu Luo…” Yan Xia said haltingly. “But Senior Sister Fu Luo and he can never be together!”

Is that so? She didn’t think that divine lord of the Qingyang Clan was such a devoted god.

Xuan Yi looked at her tear-stained appearance and said gently, “Senior Sister, crying here won’t help matters. I’ve heard that affairs between men and women are like a battlefield where each employs their abilities to clash with each other. Senior Sister is so beautiful and has no marriage engagement binding you. Why must you wallow in self-pity?”

Yan Xia stood stunned for a long while, then suddenly a strange light shot from her eyes. She said in a low voice, “You’re right! Exactly right! How could I lose to her! Of course I have ways to deal with her!”

It seems something terrible is about to happen…

Xuan Yi watched her resolute retreating figure and covered her mouth with her sleeve to let out an elegant burp.