The Meditation Bell rang on time, its sound echoing throughout Nan Que, reminding the sleeping disciples to awaken.

Zhou Zixi came to his senses and lightly raised his eyelids to look at Ming Li, who had gotten out of bed.

She said, “I’m going to the Zhu Que Platform at the South Gate for meditation.”

Zhou Zixi replied, “Your current strength is indeed rather disappointing.”

Ming Li, who was reaching to undo her clothes, didn’t get angry upon hearing this. She merely said, “I don’t want to be this way either.”

Zhou Zixi stared at her and asked, “Senior Sister, what are you doing?”

Ming Li didn’t even turn her head as she answered, “Changing clothes.”

After being in confinement for three days and then through another night, waiting until now to change was already her limit.

Ming Li had already removed her outer garment and was tying up her long hair. Zhou Zixi looked at her slender neck and casually remarked, “Senior Sister isn’t concerned about propriety around me?”

“This is my room. If we’re talking about propriety, you should be the one showing awareness.” Ming Li truly didn’t mind his presence.

In the past, her junior brother would have tactfully turned away as soon as she unfastened her first button.

But now, before turning his face away, Zhou Zixi had to make some arrogant comments: “Senior Sister already said she likes me, so why should I be the one showing awareness?”

“You’re right. I like you, so I’ll indulge you. But my indulgence and your conscious choice to respect others are two different matters,” Ming Li said seriously. “If there were another girl changing clothes in this room right now, you would be the one who should show propriety.”

Zhou Zixi replied lightly, “If it were another girl, I wouldn’t be in this room at all.”

Though his words carried a hint of mockery, they made Ming Li smile silently.

He continued, “Senior Sister called me out here. It seems you can’t sleep without me.”

Ming Li nodded and said, “Because you wouldn’t tell me where you were confined. If I couldn’t even see your shadow, I really would have trouble sleeping.”

After hearing this, Zhou Zixi still refused to tell her.

He had appeared because he found it laughable that a dignified Pilgrim could be so dependent on him, so he came to witness the joke. Who would have thought that as soon as he appeared, Ming Li would fall asleep, while he ended up standing there all night.

Outside the door, it gradually became lively as disciples emerged following the rhythm of the Meditation Bell’s ringing.

Occasionally, when people passed by the door, one could hear them quietly discussing the gossip about Cui Yuanxi and Jiang Ying.

Although the Seven Sect Principals had strictly forbidden discussion of this matter, people would still talk about it in private.

Zhou Zixi heard this and laughed: “Broadcasting the listening stone throughout Zhu Que State was indeed a good idea.”

“Only someone who was at the Tidal Grounds could have done it,” Ming Li turned around after changing her clothes. Zhou Zixi also turned his head at the perfect moment to look at her, with a half-smile, saying, “Senior Sister, Cui Yaocen should return today.”

Seeing no trace of fear on Ming Li’s face, he added, “Cui Yaocen hates you so much. If she discovers you’re still in Nan Que and have even become a Single Meridian Boundary Master, she would kill you without hesitation.”

Ming Li replied indifferently, “I won’t give her such an opportunity. Right now, she should be concerned about the three shadows who entered the Tidal Grounds and the people who broke into Jing Xiu’s Tai Wei Forest.”

Zhou Zixi remarked casually, “That wolf-headed one is someone from Bei Dou, yet why aren’t they on your side?”

Ming Li: “…”

She was somewhat stumped by the question.

She certainly couldn’t say that she had been dead for five years, and the new disciples of Bei Dou didn’t recognize her.

So Ming Li picked up a wooden comb from the nearby cabinet and handed it to Zhou Zixi, saying, “I want small braids.”

Zhou Zixi looked at her with an expressionless face.

The two fell into a silent standoff. Ming Li just looked at him, maintaining her position of offering the wooden comb, not wavering even when her arm began to ache.

Finally, Zhou Zixi said, “You think I know how?”

Ming Li nodded confidently: “You do.”

He did know.

Years ago, under the snowy eaves, he had drawn eyebrows for Ming Li, applied color to her lips, braided her hair, adorned it with gold ornaments, and selected cool, slender red ribbons to accent the soft, straight black hair.

He hadn’t forgotten any of these steps.

Zhou Zixi raised his chin slightly and asked her, “Why should I do it?”

“Even if you’ve awakened your Earth Ghost instincts, what harm is there in braiding my hair?” Ming Li said. “Besides, you said it yourself, you like me so much. Since you like me, you won’t refuse me.”

Zhou Zixi laughed when he heard this: “Senior Sister, I didn’t come to learn this sort of thing from you.”

Ming Li replied, “I don’t care whether you want to learn or not, I’ll teach you anyway.”

As the two were at an impasse, someone outside knocked on the door. Cheng Jingbai asked from outside, “Zhou Li?”

Dou Lanmin asked from behind him, “Are you up? It’s time to go to the Zhu Que Platform at the South Gate.”

“You go ahead,” Ming Li said from inside the room. “Don’t wait for me.”

Cheng Jingbai responded, “Alright then, I’ll tell Qian Li not to wait either.”

Only then did the two leave.

Zhou Zixi thought about the names the two had just called, and as if possessed, he reached out to take the wooden comb Ming Li was offering and moved behind her. When his fingertips touched his senior sister’s cool, soft, long hair, he was startled by what he had just done.

Ming Li said, “I want small braids, but not too many. There are no hairpins to secure them, so do as you see fit.”

Zhou Zixi: “…”

He did as told without expression. His well-defined fingers moved through the soft, cool strands of hair as if meeting an old friend, requiring no thought to provide the best response.

During this time, the junior brother also complained, “Buy some pearl and gold hairpins to keep on hand, otherwise it’s just bare braids.”

“Next time,” Ming Li said. “It’s a bit late now.”

Zhou Zixi suddenly leaned close to her ear and said, “Senior Sister, were you expelled from Bei Dou?”

Ming Li replied without changing expression, “No.”

Zhou Zixi didn’t believe her: “Then why did you change the subject when I asked why you and the wolf-head weren’t working together?”

Ming Li answered seriously, “I just suddenly missed when you used to braid my hair for me. Even if I’m undercover in Nan Que, that doesn’t mean I can’t wear nice clothes or have nice hairstyles.”

Zhou Zixi was certain that his senior sister cared a great deal about her appearance and demeanor, disliking dirty dresses or messy hair.

But there were still some questionable points.

He asked, “Who could confine you and still let you become a Single Meridian Boundary Master?”

Ming Li replied, “First, tell me where you were confined, who did it, and how to rescue you?”

Zhou Zixi found this boring and said, “Senior Sister, you’re going to be late for your Nan Que undercover training.”

Ming Li didn’t take Nan Que’s training courses seriously at all: “I’m not in a hurry.”

Zhou Zixi continued braiding her hair patiently, and after a moment of silence, he casually asked, “So, Senior Sister, do you know who the three shadows at the Tidal Grounds are?”

Ming Li answered honestly, “I probably know who the wolf-head is.”

Previously, when Qian Li had broken the Seven Star Command to summon Bei Dou’s Fu Yuan and others, she had gone to take a quick look, and after their confrontation at the Tidal Grounds, she had a general idea.

Zhou Zixi asked casually, “What about the other two?”

“I don’t have any clues yet, but it seems there are quite a few people undercover in Nan Que,” Ming Li pondered. “Since Bei Dou has sent people undercover, they must have a plan. I haven’t contacted Bei Dou since I came out. In a few more days, it will be the Four Directions Examination, and people from Dong Yang, Tai Yi, Bei Dou, and some sects and martial academies will come to Nan Que. There are too many forces with designs on Nan Que, it’s hard to guess.”

“I came to Nan Que because of Qing Ying. If I hadn’t made this trip, probably no one would know she was still alive, just turned into a puppet and locked away by Cui Yuanxi.”

Ming Li didn’t turn around, so she couldn’t see the sinister smile playing at Zhou Zixi’s lips.

“Then Senior Sister should only concern herself with your little junior sister who has become a puppet, and not think too much about other matters.”

Zhou Zixi released the last strand of hair, and Ming Li turned around, only to see dust particles floating after his shadow had dispersed.

She felt her hair, touching the uneven braids. There was no mirror in the room, so she couldn’t see them, but since her junior brother had done them, they must be fine. Ming Li didn’t think much more about it and headed to the Zhu Que Platform at the South Gate.

*

Today, the person supervising the new disciples’ meditation at the Zhu Que Platform at the South Gate was Zhen Xiu Academy’s senior disciple, Lin Xiao.

Most of this batch of disciples had been guided to the mountain to take the challenge from Lin Xiao. Combined with his amiable personality, the new disciples had a good impression of him, and their relationship with him was also quite good.

Ming Li was late, but Lin Xiao didn’t scold her, only gently reminding her to be mindful next time.

The purest star energy in heaven and earth during the day only appeared at this time, and it would be quite a pity to miss it.

Ming Li was contemplating her cultivation method. Relying solely on Circulating Qi Meridian Boundary Mastery was indeed insufficient. In the recent period of watching Cui Yuanxi, she also needed to spend some effort on cultivation.

When the meditation ended and others opened their eyes and stood up, preparing to go to the dining hall for breakfast, they all paused when they saw Ming Li walking ahead.

Cheng Jingbai rubbed his chin, his gaze circling Ming Li’s hair as he said, “You were late for this?”

Dou Lanmin praised, “It looks beautiful!”

Ming Li smiled with curved eyes, thinking that her junior brother’s braiding was indeed lovely.

Qian Li said as they walked, “Let’s buy some gold hairpins and dangling ornaments later, they’ll look even better.”

Dou Lanmin immediately offered, “Do you have money? Is it enough? If you don’t have enough, ask me!”

Qian Li retorted, “I have plenty! Don’t borrow from him!”

Yesterday at the dining hall, everyone was still discussing the gossip about Cui Yuanxi and Jiang Ying, but now the focus had shifted to the intruders in Tai Wei Forest who had killed more than ten Jing Xiu Academy disciples.

Ming Li took small sips of her soy sauce-flavored porridge, listening to Qiu Hong who sat opposite her saying, “Jing Xiu has already sealed the academy—no one can enter or leave. A total of seventeen people died, including ten senior disciples.”

“What’s in Jing Xiu’s Tai Wei Forest?” Cheng Jingbai wondered. “Isn’t Nan Que’s most important armory in Zhen Xiu?”

Fang Hui, who was eating quietly alongside Ming Li, said softly, “Tai Wei Forest is where Nan Que nurtures medicinal herbs. It’s considered a premium treasure ground. Plus, the unused materials from the seven academies each year can be sold at high prices to outsiders to exchange for wealth, so it’s also one of Nan Que’s important sources of income.”

After hearing this, Dou Lanmin had a sudden realization: “So these intruders are trying to cut off people’s financial resources, how vicious.”

Ming Li didn’t think that was the case, because she had sensed the power of Bei Dou’s supreme-grade divine warrior Shi Fei coming from deep within Jing Xiu’s Tai Wei Forest.

“No matter how you look at it, raiding Jing Xiu’s Tai Wei Forest doesn’t seem more profitable than raiding Zhen Xiu’s armory,” Qian Li, having finished eating, propped his face on one hand and looked at his companions. “The armory is filled with divine weapons, starting from the lowest grade. Since they could find a way to infiltrate Nan Que, why would they fail at Jing Xiu’s Tai Wei Forest?”

“I don’t think these intruders have failed,” Cheng Jingbai laughed. “More than ten Jing Xiu Academy disciples are dead.”

Qiu Hong said, “And three have been caught, all dead now.”

Fang Hui asked, “How many intruders were there in total?”

“They say five,” Qiu Hong said with some admiration. “No wonder everyone was thoroughly investigated yesterday. One of them was discovered during the inspection. They say he was a disciple of one of the academies, but they haven’t specifically announced which academy.”

Ming Li had also finished her porridge and appropriately displayed her ignorance: “How do you all know this?”

Cheng Jingbai looked at her with sympathetic eyes: “Forgot that you’re still being ostracized by the Young Master’s fiancée—before us, no one would talk to you about these rumors.”

Ming Li: “Oh.”

Qian Li said irritably, “Don’t listen to his nonsense. Jiang Ying is in trouble herself now and has no ability to target you anymore. If you want to know anything, asking me would be faster than asking them.”

Cheng Jingbai raised an eyebrow and looked over: “Oh? How fast can you be?”

Qian Li said, “One of the Tai Wei Forest intruders exposed during the investigation was a Liu Xiu disciple. When he was discovered, he committed suicide immediately, giving no opportunity for interrogation. Later today, the bodies of these three intruders will be hung on the Zhu Que Platform as a warning to both undiscovered intruders and others with ill intentions toward Nan Que.”

Qiu Hong gave him a thumbs up and praised, “As expected of Saint Cui’s first disciple, your information sources are indeed quick.”

Cheng Jingbai changed his tune: “Fine, good brother, I admit it. You’re the fastest.”

Qian Li said modestly, “You flatter me.”

Being Cui Yaocen’s first disciple meant that when Cui Yaocen was absent, some matters of the Three Saint Peak were entrusted to Qian Li, and the Seven Sect Principals’ attitude toward him was different from that toward ordinary disciples.

Qian Li’s training curriculum was different from Ming Li’s and the others. Since he was directly taught by Cui Yaocen, he could attend or skip other courses as he wished, but to meet with his friends, he still insisted on going to the South Gate Zhu Que Platform for meditation every day.

After breakfast at the dining hall, he would return to the Three Saint Peak.

Ming Li and the others returned to their respective academies to attend to their affairs.

At this time, the atmosphere in all academies was not good. Everyone was on high alert, and those who had been boisterous before were now quiet.

*

Jing Xiu.

After nightfall, a thin mountain fog arose, night lanterns lit up along the mountain paths, and all entrances and exits to Jing Xiu were guarded.

Cui Yaocen would return to Nan Que at dawn tomorrow.

Tonight was the last chance for the shadows lurking in Nan Que.

The wolf-headed shadow crouched in a tree, observing the guards at the entrance to Jing Xiu below. After running through the action plan in his mind, he began to move, preparing to first set up the eight-meridian formation that would help him escape by teleportation. Just as black wrinkles appeared on his hand, he felt the circulating qi of heaven and earth around him being distorted and drawn away, startling him into immediately retreating far back.

The entrance guards saw a slight swaying of the treetops in one spot.

The wolf-headed shadow reacted quickly, dropping to the ground and hiding in the darkness, calmly observing who was moving against him in the shadows, but couldn’t find his target. When he thought that the distorted heaven and earth qi flow might have been from some eight-meridian formation he had triggered, he looked back toward the entrance.

To his surprise, as soon as he leaped back onto a tree, he was struck down by a circulating qi incantation.

The wolf-headed shadow was somewhat disheveled from this unexpected attack, barely stabilizing his form as he landed.

Ming Li, standing in the tree, looked down at the somewhat angry Dou Lanmin below and said, “If I were you, I wouldn’t choose to act when Cui Yaocen has already returned.”

*

East Gate entrance of Jing Xiu.

The guards here were senior disciples from Jing Xiu. Perhaps because they had been standing for a day and night, they now appeared relaxed, with lazy expressions and even seemed drowsy and wanting to sleep.

The round shadow patiently observed from the darkness for a long time. Seeing that no one came to relieve these two senior disciples, he was just about to make his move when a wind-stealing bird appeared before his eyes from the void, transmitting a lazy voice saying, “You don’t think Jing Xiu would be so careless at this critical moment as to have two drowsy disciples guarding the entrance, do you?”

He crushed the wind-stealing bird, using it to find its master, tracking the trail to a riverbank in the distance.

The round shadow saw the wind-stealing bird’s master standing in the shallows illuminated by moonlight, laughing at him openly: “Unexpected, Qiu Hong. You look quite tall, yet your shadow is as round as a ball.”

Qiu Hong looked at Cheng Jingbai in the moonlight with exasperation: “I’m also surprised that you can’t even hide the color of your shadow.”

Cheng Jingbai shrugged and said, “My skills are limited, your intelligence is insufficient, we’re even.”

Qiu Hong asked cautiously, “How did you recognize me?”

“During the mountain challenge, you let me drink from the wine gourd you carry. You thought only you could taste the uniqueness of that wine, so you felt safe letting others drink it,” Cheng Jingbai laughed. “Being overly confident, you gave me a clue.”

Qiu Hong touched the wine gourd at his waist, “I’ll remember that.”

He would never let anyone else drink from it again.

“What do you want?” Qiu Hong asked.

Cheng Jingbai expressed surprise: “Why so serious? I just wanted to ask if you knew one of the five people who broke into Tai Wei Forest last night.”

Qiu Hong laughed when he heard this: “It seems your side has quite a few people, not only going to the Tidal Grounds but also to Tai Wei Forest.”

Cheng Jingbai said modestly, “Don’t say that. We sent four, three died, and one is barely surviving. We just want to know if the fifth person, the brother in Tai Wei Forest, has any connection to you, Southern Earth Ghosts.”

Qiu Hong was shocked to hear him casually point out his identity, but his face remained composed as his smile faded: “No.”

“That’s strange,” Cheng Jingbai rubbed his chin. “If it’s not Bei Dou, and not the Earth Ghosts, Dong Yang wouldn’t join the excitement, who else would be interested in Nan Que?”

Seeing Qiu Hong’s guarded appearance, Cheng Jingbai laughed: “The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Why are you so wary of me?”

Qiu Hong answered honestly, “Your background is hard to guess.”

Cheng Jingbai clicked his tongue: “I don’t know what’s wrong with the Southern Earth Ghosts, either clever as spirits or stupid as dogs.”

Qiu Hong: “Did you just insult me?”

“Tonight is not a good night to play at Jing Xiu,” Cheng Jingbai gave him an impatient look and disappeared into the night. “Go if you want to die.”

Qiu Hong stood in place, contemplating for a moment before quietly leaving Jing Xiu.

At this very moment, Cui Yaocen, who had already returned to Nan Que, was waiting in Jing Xiu Academy.