Xuan Yi’s demeanor was respectful: “Teacher’s explanations are exquisite. When this disciple heard the wonderful parts, I naturally laughed.”

Baize Dijun said teasingly: “Oh? Where had I just gotten to?”

Well then… Xuan Yi rolled her eyes, then suddenly saw Zhi Xi in front quietly lift her booklet and gesture to remind her they were on chapter fifty-four.

She then cupped her hands: “Teacher had just gotten to ‘Those who stand on tiptoe are not steady, those who stride cannot walk, those who display themselves are not enlightened, those who are self-righteous are not manifest.’ This disciple gained enlightenment and was quite moved.”

Baize Dijun looked at her with interest: “What does chapter ten say?”

“Chapter ten says that yin and yang are the dao of heaven and earth, the fundamental principles of all things, the parents of transformation, the origin of life and death, the residence of spiritual illumination.”

Baize Dijun was slightly surprised: “You’ve already memorized it all?”

Xuan Yi said solemnly: “This disciple has no need to memorize. The great dao is supremely simple. Teacher’s principles naturally leave an unforgettable impression after one reading. The senior brothers are of course even more so.”

This booklet had been distributed for nearly a year. When she had nothing to do she’d read a few pages. Over these months she’d looked through it countless times. It only contained this little bit of broken content—did it even need memorizing?

Was she reminding him to come up with something more interesting? Baize Dijun couldn’t help but smile: “Even the youngest disciple can recite it backward and forward. You senior brothers must have thoroughly mastered and integrated it all. I am very gratified. Since you all became my disciples, the one with the longest seniority has been nearly ten thousand years, yet I have never personally taken you out to broaden your horizons. By coincidence, a few days ago Zhuxuan Dijun sent out invitations widely, inviting us to Zhuxuan Yuyang Manor during the late winter season. A spirit stone he has nurtured for a hundred thousand years has movement within its womb—it seems some heaven and earth spiritual creature is about to be born. Would you be willing to accompany me there?”

The teacher would actually take them out! This was simply unprecedented! Even Tai Yao, who had followed him the longest, was somewhat unable to process this.

Baize Dijun suddenly sighed again: “I’ve always heard that the Azure Glazed Tower in Zhuxuan Yuyang Manor has sealed a fingernail of Chiyou Dajun. I’ve never had the fortune to see it. If I’m fortunate enough to observe it closely this time, it would fulfill one of my great long-cherished wishes.”

No wonder… The disciples immediately understood. He couldn’t obtain Chiyou Dajun’s fingernail, so he could only go out in person to see it. And afraid that going alone would look too awkward, he was bringing disciples along to give himself support.

The hall doors were opened, and a row of immortal servants each holding thick new booklets filed in. Another booklet appeared on each disciple’s low table.

“In three days I’ll start lecturing on the contents of this booklet. Everyone memorize it in advance. I’ll randomly quiz you at any time.” Baize Dijun smiled as he watched the disciples wail and complain, then continued: “Additionally, after this trip to Zhuxuan Yuyang Manor, each disciple must submit a three-thousand-character record of observations.”

Three thousand characters! And they had to memorize things! It was all because of that Xuan Yi—why did she have to memorize books for no reason? She caused them to suffer along with her! Why was being a disciple at Mingxing Hall so difficult?

The disciples angrily excused themselves one after another and left Hede Hall.

When Gu Ting came over, his face was full of admiration, and he opened with: “You really memorized the entire booklet? Good heavens, you truly don’t reveal your divine powers!”

Xuan Yi coughed: “Gu Ting shixiong, if you admire me, could you please stop making me that Ten-Perfection Tonic Soup…”

“Maybe it’s the effect of the Ten-Perfection Tonic Soup.” Zhi Xi smiled as she chimed in, leaning over to look at her right leg wrapped in white cloth. “This whole time there’s been no blood seeping out. It shows that folk remedy is indeed effective.”

Xuan Yi sighed deeply. The two of them becoming amiable in attitude was of course a good thing, but that Ten-Perfection Tonic Soup was really so bad it couldn’t get any worse. If she kept drinking it, she didn’t know what other bad things she might do.

Clear bird calls echoed in Hede Hall. The little kingfisher that had delivered the letter to Shao Yi earlier flew over happily again, hopping and waiting for Shao Yi to fold the painting together with the love poem and stuff it into the copper ring.

“Alright, little loach.” Shao Yi sent the kingfisher off, turned his head and smiled slightly. “Does shixiong send you back to Ice Snow Hall, or shall we go to South Garden to relax?”

When Gu Ting saw him, the smile on his face immediately faded, and he turned to leave.

It seemed the barrier between him and Shao Yi would be extremely difficult to eliminate.

Zhi Xi looked down at Shao Yi. He didn’t have even a trace of embarrassment on his face and was smilingly telling Xuan Yi about what love poem he had just written. Last time in the lower realm too—appearing inexplicably, then leaving inexplicably, and afterward not coming to class for three consecutive months. Who knew what he was actually up to.

Zhi Xi suddenly spoke: “Shao Yi shidi, do you know about Yan Xia descending to the lower realm to resolve karmic ties?”

He answered cleverly: “I know now.”

Zhi Xi’s brows furrowed: “She had to go to the lower realm to resolve karmic ties because of you. Don’t you feel guilty? If you liked her, why torture her? If you didn’t like her, why provoke her?”

Shao Yi touched the patterns on his sleeve cuff and said softly: “What does shijie hope I’ll do?”

“It has nothing to do with what I hope.” Zhi Xi was getting angry. “I still have to ask, what’s going on with Fu Luo? You knew early on she had a marriage engagement with Gu Ting shidi, so why didn’t you avoid suspicion? Even if you didn’t consider Fu Luo’s reputation, you should have regarded the fellowship among fellow disciples! Two goddesses fought over you to this extent—one’s engagement broken off, one descended to the lower realm. Don’t you feel you were in the wrong?”

Shao Yi said gently: “It seems I was somewhat wrong.”

“Absurd!” Zhi Xi was so angry she swept her sleeves and left.

Shao Yi watched her back and laughed with a sigh: “I’m most afraid of goddesses like this—all proper and upright, solemnly inviolable, full of naive arguments.”

“I actually quite like her.” Xuan Yi touched her right leg. She just didn’t much like her Ten-Perfection Tonic Soup.

He couldn’t help but smile: “Little loach, talking about love with a goddess like that is most exhausting. When she should be full of romantic charm she can’t let go of her pride. When she should maintain her pride she can do things that will shock you. She’s harsh on herself and harsh on others, unable to tolerate even a bit of imperfection. You must never grow up to be like that.”

No wonder he never provoked Zhi Xi shijie.

“Alright, she’s ruined my mood too.” Shao Yi bent down and swept Xuan Yi up in his arms. “Let’s go, I’ll send you back to Ice Snow Hall.”

Xuan Yi lowered her head to admire her fingernails for a while, then suddenly seemed to remember something and asked: “Shao Yi shixiong, don’t you plan to apologize to Gu Ting shixiong?”

Shao Yi said oddly: “Why apologize?”

“You destroyed his cherished love.”

Shao Yi laughed in shock: “Cherished love? In all of heaven and earth, from the divine realm to the Nine Netherworlds and Yellow Springs, there has never been cherished love—only greater love. If you like one garment, will you only wear that one for your entire life? Naivety is a kind of sin. Naive divine clans will always pay a price for their sins. If it weren’t me today, it would be other divine clans. He was destined to be destroyed. He and Fu Luo were never suited for each other. Little loach, I always thought you disliked them. Turns out you don’t?”

Xuan Yi thought seriously: “I don’t dislike them.”

Shao Yi said leisurely: “Then you dislike me. Mm… I also know something about my parents’ matters, so it’s no wonder.”

“Shao Yi shixiong is overthinking.” She smiled at him slightly. “I like you very much.”

Shao Yi’s brow rose lightly, his smile enchanting: “You’re so mean to me, yet you say you like me?”

Xuan Yi nodded: “Of course I like you. Without Shao Yi shixiong, who knows how boring Mingxing Hall would become. It’s only fun when you’re here.”

His voice was sweet as honey: “This little loach, with sweet words and honeyed speech, really knows how to make me happy.”

“As long as you’re happy.” Xuan Yi rested her head against his chest. “If you’re truly happy, could shixiong help me bring some delicious tea snacks in the future? I really can’t drink that Ten-Perfection Tonic Soup anymore.”

Shao Yi was caught between laughter and tears: “I see, you’re coaxing me just to have me bring you delicious things.”

She didn’t speak, just grabbed his sleeve and gently shook it twice, like a little kitten playing.

This child would definitely be extraordinary in the future.

“Fine, fine, I understand.” Shao Yi shook his head. Consider her the capable one.