Her heart pounded like a drum.

Zhi Xi lowered her head as if feeling guilty and retreated several steps.

Shao Yi stroked the flame birds on his arm, smiling as he looked at the pale beautiful face of Goddess Ming Xiu across from him. No matter how she tried, she couldn’t summon back these birds—they seemed to have suddenly become the possessions of this Shenjun opposite her.

His arm suddenly shook again, and the flame birds chirped as they fluttered up, obediently returning to Goddess Ming Xiu’s palm and dissolving into nothingness. Goddess Ming Xiu’s lips moved as if wanting to say something, but in the end said nothing. Her face just flushed red before she lowered her head and walked back.

Zhenwu Dijun was furious. “Yan Fan, go ask this Qingyang Clan member’s junior apprentice brother for guidance!”

Sure enough, another tall and sturdy Shenjun stepped out of line and clasped his hands in salute.

Anger gradually rose in Zhi Xi’s heart. Just how much dissatisfaction did this Zhenwu Dijun have toward Baize Dijun? Must he insist on sparring until there was a result? Shao Yi beside her suddenly turned his head and asked in a low voice, “Senior Apprentice Sister, you won’t blame me if I forfeit, right?”

Zhi Xi couldn’t help but stomp her foot. “You can clearly win, so why forfeit?”

Shao Yi frowned. “Look at that Shenjun walking over—he’s so dark and stocky and ugly. I don’t want to fight with him.”

Every single one of them was so willful! Zhi Xi reached for the flexible sword wrapped around her waist. If he wouldn’t go up, she would!

Xuan Yi was watching with great interest from the side and couldn’t help but interject, “Is this going to be a wheel battle?”

As soon as these words came out, the faces of both Dijun opposite turned extremely ugly. She had hit the nail right on the head—Zhenwu Dijun’s behavior was indeed a wheel battle, and it made things quite disgraceful.

Taizhang Dijun was gentler after all. Today he had been forcibly dragged here by Zhenwu Dijun, so he now felt inclined to reconcile. “Zhenwu, Baize Dijun hasn’t arrived yet. Taking your anger out on the disciples is useless.”

Zhenwu Dijun also felt a trace of regret. He had always had a fiery temper and a straightforward disposition. He had been unable to eat or sleep well for several days after being angered by Baize Dijun’s words, and he had to come find him to save face. But his prized disciple had been so easily defeated, which finally made him sober up: the disciples Baize Dijun accepted were all from prestigious families, each with noble bloodlines. The Shenjun just now was from the Qingyang Clan, and the little goddess who had just spoken wore clothes embroidered full of closed-eyed dragons—she should be from the Zhuyin Clan. He’d heard there was also someone from the Huaxu Clan who had entered Mingxing Hall. His rash arrival to save face was actually throwing away face.

But how could he take back the words he’d already spoken? Who would give him a way out?

Two young Shenjun rushed out from the great hall—it was Tai Yao and Gu Ting arriving in a hurry. Seeing this tense standoff, Tai Yao hastily stepped forward with a smile, clasping his hands in salute. “So it’s Taizhang Dijun and Zhenwu Dijun. Not knowing the two Dijun were visiting, Tai Yao arrived late. Please forgive me, both Dijun.”

With the Ninth Imperial Prince providing a way out, Zhenwu Dijun immediately descended the steps happily, his expression becoming gentle. “Ninth Imperial Prince, we haven’t seen each other in a long time. You’ve grown quite a bit taller.”

Tai Yao smiled. “I’m blessed by Zhenwu Dijun’s affection. The two Dijun must have come to visit teacher. These junior apprentice brothers and sisters of mine are all rather ignorant and have been remiss toward you both. Please don’t take offense. Zhi Xi, please attend to the Dijun’s disciples. The South Flower Garden has been warm with blooming flowers recently—it’s the perfect season for viewing scenery. Don’t continue to neglect our guests.”

As he spoke, he threw glances at Gu Ting, telling him to quickly drag Baize Dijun out.

It seemed like just an instant—the crowded courtyard suddenly became spacious. The two Dijun were cheerfully coaxed to the front hall for tea, and nearly a hundred disciples from other halls were led by Zhi Xi and the guide immortal attendants to the South Flower Garden. Xuan Yi blinked in amazement. She hadn’t expected that this eldest senior apprentice brother, who usually only played peacemaker and acted like a nice guy, actually had some capability.

There was no more excitement to watch. She regretfully turned around. Most of the disciples had followed Zhi Xi to the South Flower Garden, Tai Yao had gone to have tea with the two Dijun who came to cause trouble, and Gu Ting had gone to Fragrant Pavilion to pull Baize Dijun out of bed.

It seemed someone was missing—the snow-white figure was not here.

It was fine if he wasn’t here.

Xuan Yi’s gaze fell on Shao Yi beside the purple sun flowers. He was saying something with the Goddess Ming Xiu who had just released the flame birds, his head slightly lowered, his face wearing a layer of gentle smile. The bright fiery red jewel on his forehead swayed back and forth—he looked so tender and attentive.

Xuan Yi straightened her skirt and slowly walked over, embracing his arm and smiling as she looked at Goddess Ming Xiu opposite, saying nothing.

Goddess Ming Xiu first froze, then seemed somewhat annoyed. But upon seeing the closed-eyed dragons embroidered all over Xuan Yi’s clothes, she hastily retreated a step and laughed dryly. “Shao Yi Shenjun, I must go find my fellow sect members. Let’s chat again when there’s time.”

Watching her hurriedly departing figure, Shao Yi drew in a breath and looked down at Xuan Yi. “…You won’t be satisfied until you make me cough up blood, will you?”

Xuan Yi smiled faintly. “My life belongs to Senior Apprentice Brother Shao Yi. How could I bear to?”

Shao Yi simply put his arm around her shoulders and walked along the small path full of blooming purple sun flowers, saying leisurely, “I know this little loach—whenever you want to set a trap, you always take a roundabout way first. But scaring away the goddesses around me like this isn’t very nice, is it?”

Xuan Yi said slowly, “Although Senior Apprentice Brother Shao Yi and I have only known each other for a little over a year, we’ve become fast friends. Even my life belongs to you now, yet you still want to be intimate with other goddesses—how can I be content with that? In the past, I was too shy and didn’t dare get close. Starting today, I must get properly close to you. I must do justice to this life of mine.”

Seeing her so tactful yet cunning, Shao Yi couldn’t help but laugh speechlessly. He stopped walking, his long phoenix eyes carefully examining her from top to bottom as if appraising her, from head to toe. He even kindly straightened her slightly crooked collar, finally lightly flicking her forehead. “Wait until you’re a bit more grown up before saying these things to me. Right now you’re too small—not interesting to nibble on.”

Xuan Yi pushed away his hand, proudly lifting her chin, saying flatly, “You have no taste at all, falling for common and vulgar powder.”

She had left him speechless again. She always seemed able to render him without words to say.

Shao Yi sighed and once again looked at her carefully—her delicate and tender countenance, her proud and distant bearing. When she grew up a bit more, she would simply be deliciously beautiful. What’s more, she was so understanding, perceptive, clever, and quick-witted. Thinking this way, other goddesses indeed truly seemed like common vulgar powder.

What a pity—anyone could do, but she alone wouldn’t work.

This regretful mood made him not even want to speak. While sighing, he gently patted her head with his hand. “Go play by yourself. Senior apprentice brother is going to find common vulgar powder.”

Trying to leave?

Xuan Yi forcefully embraced his arm, smiling brilliantly. “I’ll come too. I still have many things I want to tell senior apprentice brother.”

Shao Yi immediately felt a sense of helplessness from being trapped in a cocoon of his own making. Looking around, he suddenly raised his eyebrows and smiled. “Junior Apprentice Brother Fucang, long time no see.”

Xuan Yi instinctively released him and turned around. A clear, cold white figure had already walked past her from the opposite direction, his steps still clean and efficient, not dragging at all.

Fucang, whom she hadn’t seen in three months, looked straight ahead and passed by her shoulder without a single greeting, as if she were an indistinct little pebble by the roadside.

She turned back around, her mood suddenly not very good. Looking again, Shao Yi had already slipped away, and her mood became even worse.

With a dark expression, Xuan Yi strode toward the South Flower Garden. She had lost patience. Next time he fell into her hands, she wouldn’t beat around the bush with him anymore. She would get things clarified no matter what methods were needed.