At the hour of chen, the disciples all gathered before Hede Hall. Xuan Yi felt somewhat concerned about Yan Xia and looked around in the crowd for a moment when she suddenly felt a figure approach her. Then a sweet and gentle voice sounded: “Little loach, I overslept today and didn’t have time to ring the bell. Please don’t blame me.”

Xuan Yi found this somewhat amusing. She turned her head to look at the Qingyang Clan’s Shao Yi Shenjun opposite her, dressed in flamboyant and luxurious robes. His face was full of apology, appearing utterly sincere.

“Senior Brother Shao Yi worries too much,” she said leisurely. “I heard that Senior Brother also went out yesterday to handle affairs for Master and returned very late, so I decided not to trouble you. From now on, let me ring the bell every day.”

Shao Yi paused for a moment, then smiled. “Who told you that?”

Xuan Yi replied, “This morning I encountered Senior Sister Yan Xia beneath the bell tower. She told me.”

Shao Yi blinked, smiling sweetly. “She must have been very heartbroken, right?”

Xuan Yi sighed. “Yes, she cried for a long time. Fortunately, the sea sand tea and those pastries didn’t go to waste.”

Shao Yi said vexedly, “Oh my, she even prepared sea sand tea and pastries? What a pity, what a pity—this little loach got such a bargain! Quickly tell me, what pastries did Yan Xia prepare? Was there peach blossom hundred-fruit cake?”

“There was,” Xuan Yi counted on her fingers, enumerating them like treasures. “There was also cool jade green fruit honey cake, osmanthus thousand-layer cake, ten-scene wisteria cakes…”

Shao Yi was so angry he couldn’t bear to listen anymore. He said furiously, “Stop showing off! Where is that little girl Yan Xia? I need to settle accounts with her properly!”

He looked all around. There were only thirteen disciples before Hede Hall, and Yan Xia was surprisingly absent. He couldn’t help but ask curiously, “She’s not up yet?”

She’s probably plotting something earth-shattering, Xuan Yi thought, filled with anticipation.

“Little loach,” Shao Yi called to her leisurely, his long phoenix eyes gazing at her with a half-smile, “what did you say to Yan Xia this morning?”

Xuan Yi replied, “I encouraged Senior Sister to bravely pursue Senior Brother Shao Yi.”

Shao Yi adjusted her draped silk, saying gently, “How thoughtful of you to think of your senior brother this way.”

Xuan Yi grasped his sleeve and looked up with a light laugh. “How will Senior Brother Shao Yi thank me?”

He didn’t speak, only smiled. She also looked at him with a smiling expression. Today she wore a coral-colored long dress with snow-white silk draped over it. Her long hair was still only adorned with a golden ring, and she had no other ornaments on her body. The scattered sunlight sprinkled down bit by bit, making her appear graceful and elegant, her complexion delicate and tender.

Shao Yi’s smile deepened. “When you grow up a bit more, you might even be more beautiful than Fu Luo.”

Xuan Yi’s autumn-wave eyes flowed as she said slowly, “Am I not beautiful now?”

He couldn’t help but laugh. “So arrogant and conceited. Right now you’re still far from it.”

Xuan Yi said leisurely, “Senior Brother Shao Yi’s taste is too antiquated. You need to change it.”

He was again caught between laughter and tears. “I really can’t argue with you. Fine, I’ll go find Yan Xia. If Master comes and asks, just tell him we’ll be right there.”

Xuan Yi waved her hand and affectionately saw him off. When she turned around, she felt a pair of eyes staring at her. She looked back and met Princess Fu Luo’s indifferent gaze. The last time she saw her was at Mingxing Hall, where the auspicious light was blinding and she hadn’t looked carefully. Now seeing her again in broad daylight, she was indeed a peerless beauty with a tall figure, long legs, and skin like snow.

She was standing right beside Gu Ting. Xuan Yi squinted and looked for a while, inevitably feeling somewhat emotional. No matter how you looked at it, that rigid Senior Brother Gu Ting didn’t match her. If the person beside her were replaced with Shao Yi or Fucang, it would look much more pleasing to the eye.

Seeing that Princess Fu Luo’s gaze remained fixed on her, Xuan Yi smiled at her in a friendly manner. She only nodded slightly before shifting her gaze away.

So cold as ice—this didn’t quite resemble the alluring and flirtatious goddess she had seen yesterday morning. Oh right, she was the princess of the Snake Emperor of Tuxiang Mountain. Speaking of which, Qi Nan had once mentioned in casual conversation that the Snake Emperor of Tuxiang Mountain was incomparably beautiful and enchanting, with countless subjects beneath her skirts. She had nearly a hundred male favorites serving her alone and was quite famous throughout the divine realm.

Thinking of it this way, Princess Fu Luo being romantic and amorous seemed like a perfectly normal thing.

*

Seeing that the hour of chen had passed by the time it takes to drink a cup of tea and Baize Dijun still showed no signs of coming—a very rare situation—the disciples couldn’t help but discuss among themselves. Before long, Tai Yao and Gu Ting, the two most accomplished disciples, decided to go to Fangxin Courtyard to find him.

Xuan Yi was standing by the roadside, staring blankly at the patterns on her cuffs, when a figure suddenly cast a shadow over her. Looking up, it was indeed Princess Fu Luo. As soon as Gu Ting left, she came to find her. This princess of the Snake Emperor was tall in stature, a full head taller than Xuan Yi. Standing opposite her, she completely blocked out the sunlight.

“Senior Sister Fu Luo,” Xuan Yi straightened up and performed an elegant bow.

Fu Luo stared at her for a long while before slowly speaking. “Princess Xuan Yi, I have some words I don’t know if I should say or not.”

“Please speak, Senior Sister.”

Fu Luo said indifferently, “The princess is still young, and I’ve heard that the princess has never left Zhongshan before, so you probably know very little about outside affairs. When those divine lords joke and laugh with the princess, it doesn’t necessarily mean they like the princess. As disciples, following Master to study the Way of Nature is the true path. The princess has just arrived, so please be cautious in your words and actions.”

Xuan Yi was astonished. “Senior Sister Fu Luo’s words are quite profound. I don’t quite understand.”

Fu Luo looked at her for another while before saying, “Shao Yi has a gentle temperament and can joke and laugh with anyone. Fucang is taciturn and even more a god who values propriety. His forbearance is only because you are colleagues. Don’t misunderstand.”

Xuan Yi tilted her head and thought for a moment, then said with sudden understanding, “Does Senior Sister mean she’s afraid I’ll be like her, entangled with both Senior Brother Gu Ting and Senior Brother Shao Yi at the same time?”

Fu Luo’s expression changed abruptly. “What are you saying?”

“Speaking truthfully,” Xuan Yi smiled slightly, “I truly admire Senior Sister from the bottom of my heart. I wonder when I’ll be as capable as Senior Sister Fu Luo. Senior Brothers Shao Yi and Fucang simply won’t take my bait. I was actually hoping to ask Senior Sister for secret tips.”

“You…!”

Fu Luo was about to explode when suddenly a series of hurried footsteps came from behind. It was Yan Xia pulling on Shao Yi’s sleeve, rushing back in a hurry. Whether from running too quickly or for some other reason, Yan Xia’s face was covered in a rosy flush, and there was an irrepressible smile at the corners of her lips.

“I’m late,” she said in a small voice while looking around everywhere. “Master hasn’t come yet?”

Fu Luo suppressed her anger and spoke. “Did Yan Xia not sleep well last night? Your eyes are all red.”

Yan Xia said nothing, lowering her head and leaning slightly against Shao Yi.

Fu Luo’s expression became even more unpleasant. She cast a cold glance at Shao Yi and turned to leave.

Shao Yi smiled bitterly. “Senior Sister Fu Luo actually glared at me.”

Yan Xia lowered her head and said softly, “What… what do you call her? Senior Sister? …You wouldn’t also call me Senior Sister, would you?”

Shao Yi smoothed down the hair on her forehead that had been lifted by the wind, but didn’t answer, only smiling faintly.

Yan Xia stared at him in a daze, tears faintly welling up in her eyes. She called his name very softly, “Shao Yi, I…”

Just at that moment, three or four guide immortal children came running along the path, gasping for breath, each holding many thick volumes in their hands. Tai Yao and Gu Ting followed behind them, neither looking particularly pleased.

“Master said… ahem, Master has been feeling unwell recently and will resume teaching in three months. He told us to take these volumes back and read them ourselves.”

As Tai Yao spoke, he distributed the volumes from the immortal children’s hands one by one. Xuan Yi casually flipped through the one she received. It was filled with boring things like general theories of the five elements and yin-yang, and the distribution of divine duties.

It seemed Baize Dijun was still heartbroken over those ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine golden bells. Clearly he had never suffered such a loss before. He didn’t even have the heart to teach classes anymore and gave them three months off in one go. What a grand gesture indeed.

Regardless, not having to attend classes always excited these young divine beings. Immediately a divine lord suggested, “The peony flowers in South Garden sprouted the day before yesterday. They must have bloomed fully by now. Why don’t we bring a few jars of Luofu Spring fine wine and go appreciate the flowers?”

Countless voices immediately chimed in agreement. “Great idea! But Luofu Spring is too mild. The spring scenery in South Garden is rich and gorgeous—we should pair it with Supreme Eternal Fusion wine!”

Yan Xia excitedly tugged at Shao Yi’s sleeve, saying repeatedly, “Yes, yes! I’ll be in charge of the pastries! Shao Yi, let’s go together! Junior Sister Xuan Yi, you come too!”

That princess of the Zhuyin Clan is also coming?! The disciples all glared angrily. They hadn’t forgotten that last time, this princess had mocked them for being Master’s dogs.

Amid the waves of furious gazes, Xuan Yi calmly nodded. “Alright.”