The night breeze was cool. Summer had just begun, and insect chirping came and went. Kong Hou saw Lin Hu following far behind and pulled Huan Zong to crouch into a small grove of trees.

“Shh.” Kong Hou put her hand to her lips. “Don’t make a sound.”

Huan Zong’s eyelids trembled, his ears and cheeks burning red. He lightly nodded. When he sensed Kong Hou reaching out to tug at his clothes, his voice trembled slightly: “Here… here?”

“If not here, then where?” Kong Hou said matter-of-factly. “If not here, then where? Before Senior Lin arrives, let’s hurry.”

Huan Zong: “…”

He couldn’t possibly be that fast.

Lin Hu’s footsteps on the small path paused. He looked at his feet, feeling somewhat troubled. With demonic beast bloodline in his body, not only was his speed extremely fast, his hearing was also very good. He had heard every word Kong Hou said to Young Master clearly. Sighing, he hadn’t expected Young Master to be this kind of person—in the wilderness, completely lacking propriety.

Before long, he saw Young Master emerge from behind the bushes wearing a different white robe. His expression grew even more unpleasant.

Not even the time it takes to burn a stick of incense had passed, and Young Master had already…

“That outfit just now was too ostentatious. Those senior martial sisters of mine love looking at beauties most—can’t let them look for free.” Kong Hou stood on tiptoe to help Huan Zong straighten his white jade crown, then sighed. “But you’re so handsome that people will look at you no matter what you wear.”

The flush on Huan Zong’s face had not yet completely faded. Hearing Kong Hou’s words, he smiled: “Then should I wear a mask?”

“What mask? Am I that petty a person?” Kong Hou held Huan Zong’s hand and bounced onto his back. “Let’s go, let’s go, we’re heading back.”

Huan Zong carefully supported her, turned to look toward the end of the small path, signaling the hidden Lin Hu not to follow, then slowly walked forward carrying Kong Hou on his back.

Lin Hu: “…”

Why had he agreed to the Sect Master’s request to accompany Young Master on this trip? His presence here was completely unnecessary.

Seeing Master-Grand-Uncle Qiushuang and the others from a distance, Kong Hou jumped down from Huan Zong’s back, straightened her clothes, and walked before them as if nothing had happened. The Yunhua Sect members all had smiles on their faces, as if they had encountered something pleasant. Seeing Kong Hou and Huan Zong return so late, they didn’t ask many questions. Instead, Ling Hui joked: “Why did you come back so early?”

With so many fun things in the city, these two were of one mind—why didn’t they take the opportunity to play a while longer? What kind of behavior was this?

“We’ll come again next time.” Kong Hou glanced at everyone—nearly all had returned.

Wait, one person was still missing.

“Where’s Gui Lin?” Kong Hou looked toward Li Rou, who was sitting in a corner eating snacks with someone. “Rou Rou, have you seen Gui Lin?”

“Master-Uncle, I went shopping with the other master-uncles and grand-uncles. I didn’t go the same way as Gui Lin.” Li Rou was somewhat puzzled. “Gui Lin usually doesn’t like going out to play, and even if he does go out, he comes back very quickly.”

Kong Hou’s brows furrowed even tighter. Gui Lin was Senior Martial Brother’s disciple. If something really happened to him, how would she account to Senior Martial Brother? Moreover, though this child Gui Lin didn’t like to talk much, his nature was very good and he was diligent and progressive. He might be the most hardworking disciple of their Qiyue Peak. The future of Qiyue Peak rested on his shoulders.

“Master-Grand-Uncle, let me take a few people to search.” Kong Hou’s brows furrowed even tighter. “I’m worried something happened.”

Qiushuang nodded: “Wu Chuan, Kong Hou, you take a few disciples with high cultivation and split up to search. As soon as you find him, send a message immediately.”

Seeing this, Huan Zong wanted to go with Kong Hou, but Qiushuang called out to him: “Zhongxi Zhenren, this is a small sect matter. How could we trouble Zhenren?”

“It’s fine. This city is full of cultivators from righteous sects everywhere. Demonic cultivators wouldn’t dare commit evil here. Junior Martial Nephew probably just lost track of time while playing. It’s not a big deal.” Kong Hou knew that Master-Grand-Uncle was thinking of Huan Zong and Liuguang Sect’s reputation.

At this exchange meeting, Huan Zong had shown his face before countless cultivators. The cultivators who participated in the exchange meeting surely all recognized him now. If one of Yunhua Sect’s juniors went missing and it troubled Liuguang Sect’s Zhongxi Zhenren to personally search, this kind of talk spreading out would inevitably make some people feel that Liuguang Sect was bowing and scraping to curry favor with Yunhua Sect or something similar. Sometimes when rumors spread too much, though the sect elders might be fine, the juniors might develop grudges, affecting future relationships.

Qiushuang was unwilling to meddle in small matters, but regarding the sect’s long-term interests, she saw very clearly.

Huan Zong also understood this point. He glanced at Kong Hou and nodded slightly: “Alright.”

Qiushuang’s face showed a smile: “I recently obtained a new tea. If Zhongxi Zhenren doesn’t mind, please share a cup with me.”

“Thank you for Elder Qiushuang’s hospitality.” Huan Zong watched Kong Hou jump onto her flying sword and disappear into the night colors after a few leaps, then followed behind Elder Qiushuang into the flying palace.

“Though this tea is clear and sharp, its aftertaste is long-lasting.” Qiushuang pushed the teacup before Huan Zong. “Zhongxi Zhenren, please try it.”

Huan Zong held the cup with both hands and tasted a sip. It was indeed as Elder Qiushuang said—the aftertaste was long-lasting. He set down the teacup and said respectfully: “Zhenren may just call this junior Huan Zong.”

Qiushuang smiled: “Since that’s the case, I’ll presume on seniority to call you so. Huan Zong, a cultivator’s emotions are like this cup of tea—only with appropriate restraint can they last longer. Cultivators’ lifespans are too long, so long that many intense feelings become diluted. Back when Kuiying Zhenren separated from his dao companion, it was because their feelings had faded. Later when he failed to ascend and went missing, it was also because his dao companion’s death left him with an unresolved attachment, unable to immediately become immortal.”

Kuiying Zhenren was the only scattered immortal in the cultivation world in the past thousand years who might still be alive, and also a cautionary weapon used by countless cultivators in the cultivation world when considering taking dao companions. According to incomplete statistics, after Kuiying Zhenren’s failed ascension, the number of cultivators in the entire cultivation world forming dao companion bonds drastically declined. In recent centuries, cultivators becoming dao companions were almost as rare as those with five spiritual roots.

“Thank you for Zhenren’s reminder, but this junior is different from Kuiying Zhenren.” Huan Zong met Qiushuang Zhenren’s gaze without dodging or avoiding.

Qiushuang was slightly startled. What kind of eyes were these? Beneath the calmness hid surging emotions. He hadn’t lied to her. This gaze almost made Qiushuang believe that Huan Zong was different from other cultivators. But the cultivation years were so long—feelings being real now and having no feelings later were both real. How many people who made vows, at the moment they spoke those vows, also didn’t believe they would break them?

Yet there would always be people who were different from the rest. She would never assume everyone would be unfortunate just because of others’ misfortune. Qiushuang smiled and poured herself a cup of tea: “Then that’s good.”

In a small courtyard within the city, Gui Lin looked at the barrier surrounding him. Within this barrier, all his aura had been concealed, and searching artifacts couldn’t detect his traces either.

He watched the middle-aged man before him warily, gripping the sword in his hand tightly. This sword was given to him by Master-Uncle Kong Hou. Though he only had Qi Refining Stage cultivation, it could unleash Foundation Establishment Stage power.

His bag still held various attack and protective talismans that his grand-master, master, and second master-uncle had stuffed into it. Relying on these things, he could hold out for quite a while.

“It seems after joining Yunhua Sect, you’ve had a good life—even using top-grade dharma robes and artifacts.” The middle-aged man’s expression was somewhat cold. “If the people of Yunhua Sect knew you were a spy sent by Yuanji Sect, do you think Yunhua Sect could still tolerate you?”

“What do you want? Did… did Shuangqing Zhenren send you?” Gui Lin recognized this person as an attendant beside Shuangqing Zhenren who was greatly trusted by him.

The attendant didn’t answer this question but instead laughed aloud: “I wonder if killing you here, then letting Yunhua Sect discover you were a Yuanji Sect spy, would make the cultivation world become lively.”

Sweat seeped from Gui Lin’s forehead as he said sternly: “You weren’t sent by Shuangqing Zhenren!” Though Shuangqing was petty and always secretly made small moves trying to step on Yunhua Sect, he would never kill people casually.

When Shuangqing originally had him come to Yunhua Sect as a spy, he had tempted him with becoming Yuanji Sect’s chief disciple rather than threatening to kill him. This kind of person had bad intentions but was definitely not ruthlessly cruel, so suddenly abducting him to a back courtyard was something Shuangqing absolutely couldn’t do.

“Looks like you do have a brain. No wonder Shuangqing developed the idea of making you chief disciple.” The attendant pulled out silkworm silk gloves and put them on, flexing his five fingers. “Unfortunately, you’re more valuable dead than alive.”

Seeing the attendant attack, Gui Lin hastily threw out his treasured sword to block, but he hadn’t expected that the unremarkable-looking attendant would easily snap the sword and directly shatter all the protective talismans on his body.

This person—had this person’s cultivation already reached above Nascent Soul? Gui Lin’s entire body turned cold. He pulled out all his attack talismans, temporarily blocking the spiritual energy the attendant was attacking with.

When he gripped his last talisman and looked at the calm and composed attendant, despair filled his heart. In this instant, he thought of many things: those mindless and playful Yunhua Sect junior martial siblings, the beautiful moonlight of Qiyue Peak, his master and second master-uncle’s gentle gazes, and also… the image of Master-Uncle Kong Hou flying from the clouds on her flying sword.

Before coming to Yunhua Sect, Shuangqing had told him that the five spiritual root female disciple Yunhua Sect accepted really liked handsome men. He had a good-looking face—if he could make this female disciple fall for him, that would be even better.

Now he had given up on the plan to become Yuanji Sect’s chief disciple and only wanted to quietly stay at Qiyue Peak, diligently practice sword techniques, make the not-too-bright junior martial siblings grow some sense, and become disciples that made Yunhua Sect proud.

Unfortunately, he had originally joined Yunhua Sect with impure intentions. Ending up in this situation now was perhaps truly karmic retribution.

Throwing out the last talisman, he closed his eyes. What a pity that in the future he wouldn’t be able to taste the newest dishes at Yunhua Sect’s dining hall, hadn’t had time to give his junior martial siblings a few more reminders, and also…

He touched his waist. And also… this phoenix hairpin he hadn’t given away yet.

The anticipated pain didn’t strike. Gui Lin opened his eyes and saw Master-Uncle Kong Hou blocking in front of him.

“Little Master-Uncle…” Gui Lin felt somewhat anxious. “Master-Uncle, leave quickly. This person has concealed his cultivation—he’s very dangerous.” The juniors of Yunhua Sect still didn’t know that Kong Hou’s cultivation had reached Nascent Soul Stage. They only knew that Kong Hou had suddenly gained some insights, so she needed to seclude herself for a period.

“When adults are fighting, juniors shouldn’t interrupt.” Kong Hou glanced back at Gui Lin squatting on the ground, then raised her chin toward the gray-robed man opposite, sneering: “As a Nascent Soul great cultivator, Fellow Daoist bullies the juniors of my Yunhua Sect. Isn’t this using your strength to bully the weak?”

“Yunhua Sect’s five spiritual root Kong Hou Xianzi.” The gray-robed man laughed mockingly. “I didn’t expect Xianzi could actually penetrate my barrier. Righteous sect disciples have so many magical treasures—it makes us people jealous.” As his words fell, he threw out a magical artifact, actually thickening the barrier around the courtyard.

The small courtyard completely quieted, as if completely isolated from the outside world, becoming an independent space.

“Apologies for making you laugh, but we people from large sects have nothing else—we’re just wealthy and imposing. If you can’t stand it, just endure it.” Kong Hou held her phoenix head instrument and placed her fingers on the strings. “There are plenty of people who can’t stand us being wealthy and imposing. You can go queue up at the back for now.”

Gui Lin’s heart turned cold. At a critical moment like this, Master-Uncle Kong Hou still wanted to deliberately provoke the opponent. Did she feel that since they couldn’t win anyway, she wanted to seek a quick death?

In this instant, Gui Lin finally understood—lacking common sense wasn’t a problem unique to his junior martial siblings. It was an issue shared by all of Yunhua Sect.