He experienced a moment of confusion and tried to pull his hand away, but Song Yuan Yuan gripped it even tighter: “Father, considering I just arrived, why don’t you help me finish today’s tasks?”

Yue Liang Ze: “…”

Ling Luo mocked: “Shameless.”

Song Yuan Yuan continued: “Even half would be fine, Father!”

Yue Liang Ze struggled to free his hand and said: “You’ve mistaken me for someone else.”

“Why is an Outer Sect disciple here?” Common Fei, hanging from the chains, asked puzzledly, “Which sect are you from?”

Yue Liang Ze lowered his eyes and said: “Tian Yun Sect.”

“Isn’t that the same sect as Ling Luo? Ling Luo, do you know him?” Common Fei looked toward Ling Luo.

Ling Luo snorted, smiling mockingly: “Of course I know him. This is my Senior Brother Yue.”

Senior Brother?

Song Yuan Yuan immediately changed his approach: “Senior Brother! Brother Yue! Now I’ve got it right! This cliff is too high for this junior brother, Senior Brother, please help me. That moment when you descended from the sky just now even surpassed the Third Sect Leader in my heart, becoming the number one immortal!”

After hearing this, Yue Liang Ze couldn’t help but glance at him.

Good at flattery.

Ling Luo tossed aside her broom, grabbed one of the iron chains to test its strength, and then effortlessly used the chain to climb up a long section of the stone wall.

Common Fei: “…”

This hateful gap between people!

Xu Shen gripped the iron chain again. Good, if Ling Luo could do it, he definitely could too. Go for it!

Yue Liang Ze raised his eyes to look at Ling Luo. Her rock climbing technique was perfectly controlled. The stone wall had various indentations, making it convenient for people to step on them while sweeping. Ling Luo used both advantages, along with her sense of balance, moving along the stone wall as effortlessly as a fish swimming in water.

Song Yuan Yuan stared in amazement again.

He wiped a tear and called out to Ling Luo: “Senior! Sister! Ling!”

Ling Luo paused and irritably looked back down. You have no shame!

“Who’s your Senior Sister?!”

“Senior Sister, Senior Brother, save me! I really can’t climb up! I’m afraid of heights. I’ll die!” Song Yuan Yuan wailed.

Ling Luo rolled her eyes, ignored him, and turned back to continue climbing up the mountain wall.

She refused to lose to Yue Liang Ze.

The cleaning task was simply to wipe down each compartment’s iron door, as some doors were covered in blood stains and looked quite terrifying.

Common Fei and Xu Shen also continued climbing. They were stronger than Song Yuan Yuan, and after mastering the technique, they weren’t as afraid as before.

Only Song Yuan Yuan remained—

His chubby little hands gripped the iron chain, but he dared not climb up. Yue Liang Ze stood beside him teaching climbing techniques and even demonstrated a few times personally.

Song Yuan Yuan, trembling all over while hanging at a position half a person’s height from the ground, wailed: “I can’t do it, I really can’t, Father, save me!”

Yue Liang Ze: “…”

In the end, they compromised. Song Yuan Yuan would take care of the compartments on the bottom three levels, and Yue Liang Ze would help him with those above the third level.

Song Yuan Yuan was extremely grateful, tearfully watching as Yue Liang Ze climbed higher and higher, shouting: “Father! Keep going! It would be great if we could finish everything tonight!”

Yue Liang Ze thought this chubby fellow was good at pushing his luck.

Song Yuan Yuan cheered and shouted encouragement from the ground. Common Fei and Xu Shen climbed slowly, already far behind Ling Luo, and gradually being caught up by Yue Liang Ze from behind.

Xu Shen seized the opportunity to ask about many techniques, and Yue Liang Ze didn’t hide anything, answering all questions.

Ling Luo took a moment to look back and listen carefully, discovering that he was indeed skilled and had accumulated experience.

She climbed higher and higher. Looking back at the ground, Song Yuan Yuan had already become a small dot. At this height, one wrong move would mean certain death.

Yue Liang Ze slowly caught up to her level, not far from her position.

As Ling Luo was wiping an iron door, she saw Yue Liang Ze coming up and asked: “Why are you here?”

This time Yue Liang Ze answered straightforwardly: “Taking punishment for someone else.”

After hearing this, Ling Luo took a deep breath and said with gritted teeth: “Which shameless senior brother is making you take his punishment this time?”

“I take his punishment, he gives me money,” Yue Liang Ze said. “The roast chickens in the dining hall can’t be taken, the black chickens raised at the foot of the mountain aren’t grown yet, so I can only buy them, and buying requires money.”

Ling Luo found his reasoning sound and logical, momentarily caught off guard, she frowned and asked: “What do you need them for?”

Yue Liang Ze answered: “To make chestnut roast chicken.”

Ling Luo was speechless, the mockery that had come to her lips was silently swallowed back, and she only gave a light snort, saying: “From how skilled you look, this can’t be your first time here, right?”

After a moment of silence, Yue Liang Ze gave an affirmative sound.

Ling Luo was about to ask how many times he had been here when suddenly the compartment door opened, and a man walked out, his limbs, waist, abdomen, and neck bound by burning iron chains.

His entire body was left with only a pair of black pants, his feet bloodstained and bare-chested, with black hair falling, contrasting with his deathly pale face.

The Second Sect Leader’s only disciple, Qing Shun.

Ling Luo met his gaze through the iron door. Each step Qing Shun took dragged the chains on his body, producing crisp sounds. The chains were burning with flames, and in the flickering firelight, the man’s features momentarily blurred.

Qing Shun’s face was pale as he unhurriedly glanced at Ling Luo, seeing no shock or fear in her eyes. He narrowed his eyes and took two steps forward to the door.

He raised the corner of his lips into a cold smile and asked: “What are you looking at?”

Standing, Qing Shun was much taller than her. Ling Luo was still half-bent, wiping bloodstains from the iron door post. Hearing his words, she coldly glanced at him once before lowering her gaze, focusing on cleaning.

Why bother with him? It’s not the right time yet.

Oh?

Not getting a response, Qing Shun looked toward Yue Liang Ze on the other side and asked: “Where did this little girl come from?”

To Ling Luo’s surprise, Yue Liang Ze answered: “My junior sister.”

“Oh, no wonder,” Qing Shun sat cross-legged at the door, extending his hand outside the iron door, and lifting his chin toward Yue Liang Ze, said, “She looks as dull as you.”

Ling Luo’s temple twitched slightly upon hearing this.

Yue Liang Ze climbed over on the iron chain and said to Ling Luo: “I’ll wipe this.”

“You two know each other?” Ling Luo looked at Yue Liang Ze.

Yue Liang Ze wiped the blood from Qing Shun’s hands, not raising his head as he answered: “No.”

Qing Shun looked at the two with a half-smile.

Ling Luo asked again: “Then do you know who he is?”

Yue Liang Ze: “No.”

“Why lie to her?” Qing Shun spoke up, contradicting him. “Afraid she’ll be scared and fall?”

Before Yue Liang Ze could speak, Ling Luo unceremoniously kicked the iron door.

The iron door made a dull sound.

Both Yue Liang Ze and Qing Shun were momentarily stunned.

“When did you meet him?” Ling Luo stared at Yue Liang Ze.

Yue Liang Ze knowing Qing Shun was something she hadn’t known in her previous life. Not only she didn’t know, but probably none of the immortal sects knew either. When these two appeared in the same scene years ago, they never greeted each other or showed any sign of knowing each other.

Let alone later when Yue Liang Ze was trapped by her on Tianzhao Mountain, and when Qing Shun entered the mountain and saw him, neither Yue Liang Ze nor Qing Shun said a word.

What kind of relationship did these two have?

After a moment of silence, Yue Liang Ze turned to look at Ling Luo and answered: “Just now.”

Ling Luo was so angry she wanted to kick him too. Are you playing with me?

Qing Shun grinned, somewhat eerily, “Your junior sister has more temper than you, but I’ve never seen you before, so how do you know who I am?”

Now it was their turn to wait for Ling Luo’s answer.

Ling Luo replied bluntly: “Can’t I just guess?”

Qing Shun asked: “Who do you guess I am?”

Ling Luo said: “The Second Sect Leader’s dog of a disciple who deserves to be sliced to death to atone for his sins.”

Qing Shun chuckled coldly, suddenly extending his hand through the iron door like a claw toward Ling Luo’s throat. He thought it would be easy to bully a junior who couldn’t use spiritual power or cultivation here, but unexpectedly, Ling Luo avoided the grab even faster and counterattacked. The two exchanged blows through the iron door.

Yue Liang Ze looked at the two who had suddenly started fighting. Deeply aware that his strength was insufficient to join the fight without being knocked down, he took the opportunity to clean the bloodstains on the iron door while they fought.

You two take your time-fighting. I’ll work first.