“Thank you, Daoist Zhong Xi, for taking care of these unfilial disciples and grand-disciples of mine.” Although Wang Tong wasn’t too pleased, he also knew that matters of the heart couldn’t be forced, so he began to express his thanks to Huan Zong.

However, these two grand-disciples didn’t know what had gotten into them—while he was speaking with Daoist Zhong Xi, they actually blocked in front of them. Although Yunhua Sect emphasized freedom and following one’s heart, they hadn’t taught the younger generation to be so discourteous. He frowned and flicked his sleeve, using spiritual power to sweep the two grand-disciples aside.

The two fingers secretly hooked together separated like lightning, so fast only an afterimage remained.

There was a full two steps of distance between them. Wang Tong’s gaze swept around the two people, then he said to his second disciple Tan Feng, who had jogged over: “Tan Feng, take Daoist Zhong Xi to the guest courtyard.” After finishing, he looked at Kong Hou and the other three again. “You three, come with me.”

Tan Feng, who hadn’t had time to say a word to his junior martial sister and junior martial nephews: “…”

Cupping his hands in salute to Huan Zong, Tan Feng said with a smile: “Daoist Zhong Xi, please walk this way.”

Looking at Wang Tong’s departing back, Huan Zong’s pitch-black eyes met Tan Feng’s: “Much obliged.”

“Daoist need not be so polite with me.” Tan Feng raised his head and let out a strange cry toward the sky. Three immortal cranes flew out from the clouds and landed before them. “Daoist Zhong Xi, please.”

Lin Hu glanced at the number of cranes. Fortunately, in Daoist Tan Feng’s eyes, he still had some slight presence.

Huan Zong stepped onto the crane’s back. When the crane flew into the air, he lowered his head to look down. On the bluestone path below, the figures of Wang Tong, Kong Hou, and others appeared and disappeared.

Tan Feng turned back to see Huan Zong looking at his master and junior martial sister on the ground, and explained with a smile: “Daoist, please don’t mind. Master has always been very good to Junior Martial Sister. They haven’t seen each other for a long time and surely have much to say. Walking together is quite nice.”

Huan Zong nodded slightly.

Kong Hou returned to the cave dwelling with Wang Tong. Senior Brother was already waiting for them there.

Cheng Yi spoke gently to his two disciples for a few sentences, then said: “You two go rest first. I have things to discuss with your Grand Master and Martial Uncle.”

“Wait.” Kong Hou called out to Gui Lin. “Rou Rou, you go rest first. Gui Lin stays.”

Gui Lin lowered his head and walked before the three people, then knelt down without thinking.

Wang Tong had no intention of teaching his disciple’s disciples and played with a jade carving without speaking.

Seeing Gui Lin suddenly kneel, Cheng Yi’s expression changed slightly: “What happened?”

“This disciple is unfilial and has committed a grave error. This disciple is willing to bear any punishment, only begging Master not to drive this disciple away from Yunhua Sect.” Gui Lin bent his waist and pressed his forehead to the ground.

The cave dwelling became quiet. Cheng Yi looked at his properly kneeling disciple and turned to look at Kong Hou.

Kong Hou sighed and told Cheng Yi what had happened.

“What do you want to say?” After hearing the whole story, Cheng Yi’s face showed neither joy nor anger as he looked at Gui Lin again.

“When this disciple entered Yunhua Sect, my intentions were indeed impure. But… but I regret it.” Gui Lin felt these words of his were both pale and powerless, yet his heart still held a thread of faint hope.

“Have you done anything to harm Yunhua Sect?”

Gui Lin shook his head.

“Do you regret joining Yunhua Sect?”

Gui Lin continued shaking his head.

“Sect Master Shuangqing sent you to be my disciple. I should be thanking him.” Cheng Yi’s face showed not a trace of anger. “But since you made a mistake, I still must punish you. The punishment shall be…”

“The punishment shall be that for three years, when there’s no urgent matter, he must walk up and down the mountain on foot and cannot use mounts.” Kong Hou cleared her throat. “Children who don’t behave should be made to learn their lesson.”

Cheng Yi turned to glance at Kong Hou and said with a laugh: “Since your martial aunt is pleading for you, I’ll forgive you this once.”

Gui Lin hadn’t expected the matter would be passed over so easily. He looked at Cheng Yi, then turned to look at Kong Hou. His eye sockets seemed to have caught the wind—they stung terribly.

“Thank you, Master. Thank you, Martial Aunt.” Gui Lin kowtowed. “This disciple will certainly cultivate diligently and bring glory to Yunhua Sect.”

“People cannot choose their origins, but they can choose the path they wish to walk.” Cheng Yi bent down and patted the red-eyed youth kneeling before him. “I hope your future actions won’t make me regret today’s choice.”

“This disciple definitely won’t disappoint Master.” The palm on his shoulder was firm and strong. Gui Lin’s heart, which had been drifting like duckweed, suddenly became incomparably settled in this instant. He raised his head to look at his gentle-faced master, his smiling Grand Master and Martial Aunt, finally understanding—this was what warmth felt like.

“All right, you should also go rest.” Wang Tong said to Gui Lin. “I have some matters to discuss with your Martial Aunt Kong Hou.”

“This junior takes his leave.” Gui Lin performed a deep bow and silently withdrew.

After Gui Lin left, the smile faded from Wang Tong’s face. He looked gravely at Kong Hou: “Kong Hou, is there something you haven’t told me?”

“No… nothing… right?” Seeing Wang Tong’s face devoid of any smile, Kong Hou felt somewhat nervous and guilty. “Master, this disciple truly didn’t cause any trouble on this trip.”

“Then tell me, what’s going on between you and Daoist Zhong Xi?” Wang Tong set his teacup down heavily on the table. “Don’t tell me you two were hiding in back earlier playing finger-hooking games.”

“Since Master has already discovered it…” Kong Hou took a deep breath and with a thump, knelt before Wang Tong. This kneeling was done decisively and without regret. “Please, Master, agree to let this disciple give Huan Zong status.”

“Give… give what?” Wang Tong thought something was wrong with his ears.

“Give him status.”

“Give whom status?”

“Huan Zong.”

Wang Tong opened his mouth, feeling his brain buzzing, as if something everywhere wasn’t right.

When exactly did Kong Hou and Daoist Zhong Xi develop feelings, and this matter of status…

“It’s this disciple’s fault. Master didn’t really want me to be with Huan Zong, yet I secretly pledged my heart to him. After being with Huan Zong, I worried it would make Master unhappy, so I wronged him by having him follow me without status all this time, unable even to openly tell others that we have mutual affection.” Kong Hou kowtowed to Wang Tong. “This disciple is in the wrong. Please forgive this disciple this once. It’s just that Huan Zong’s feelings for me are deep and true—I truly cannot betray him.”

Wang Tong stared dumbfounded at his disciple, unable to find normal words for a long time.

Why did his well-behaved little disciple sound like the heartless, fickle young man in operas, while Daoist Zhong Xi was like the devoted person who had suffered endless grievances?

Seeing Wang Tong remain silent for a long time, Kong Hou kowtowed again: “Please, Master, take care of your health and don’t get angry over this disciple’s matters.”

Wang Tong felt he wouldn’t be angered to illness, but frightened to illness. To dare make Daoist Zhong Xi follow her without name or status—his disciple was truly a rare wonder in the cultivation world.

Seeing his master not speaking, Cheng Yi hurried to smooth things over. “Junior Martial Sister, Master isn’t the type to forcibly break up lovers. Go rest first. We’ll discuss this matter later.” After finishing, he secretly gave Kong Hou a meaningful look, indicating she should leave first and he would persuade their master well.

Kong Hou gratefully cupped her fist to him, stood up, and said to Wang Tong: “Master, this disciple takes her leave.”

The cave dwelling fell into a deathly silence. Wang Tong looked at the empty cave dwelling entrance twice, then turned to look at Cheng Yi: “Just now, Kong Hou said that Daoist Zhong Xi is already together with her?”

Cheng Yi nodded.

“And she wants me to agree to let her give Daoist Zhong Xi status?!”

Cheng Yi nodded again.

After a long silence, Wang Tong suddenly said: “Cheng Yi, our Kong Hou is truly a heroine among female cultivators. Not only is her cultivation high, her charm is also great. Even a male cultivator like Daoist Zhong Xi is willing to follow by her side without name or status. So whether male or female cultivators, as long as one has real ability, there’s no need to worry about lacking beautiful companions.”

Cheng Yi hadn’t expected Wang Tong would have this reaction: “You don’t object to them being together?”

“Object?” Wang Tong asked in return. “Why would I object?”

Zhong Xi was the number one beauty on the male cultivator ranking list in the cultivation world and could dual cultivate heaven and earth with Kong Hou. Having such a man accompany Kong Hou—it wasn’t Kong Hou at a disadvantage. Why would he object?

Cheng Yi: “…”

He had the feeling there was some insurmountable misunderstanding between Master and Junior Martial Sister Kong Hou.

When Kong Hou emerged from Wang Tong’s cave dwelling, she saw Gui Lin standing not far away, looking at her with shining eyes. She couldn’t help but smile: “Didn’t I tell you to go rest?”

Gui Lin quickly ran before Kong Hou, his cheeks somewhat red: “This junior… has something to say to Martial Aunt.”

“Mm?” Kong Hou stopped walking and looked at Gui Lin in confusion.

“Thank you for your life-saving grace, Martial Aunt.” Gui Lin lowered his head to look at his shoe tips. “That night, if Martial Aunt hadn’t intervened to save me, this junior would have long ago lost his life.”

“It’s only natural for a martial aunt to save her martial nephew. What’s there to thank?” The handsome youth standing there with a red face, shy and timid, was truly easy to soften one’s heart. Seeing him like this, Kong Hou couldn’t help but say a few more words. “Since what happened before has already passed, don’t keep it in your heart. Now you’re a disciple of Qiyue Peak. Your every word and action represents the face of our Qiyue Peak. If someone bullies you, don’t endure it. If you can’t win the fight, call us. If we can’t win either, there’s still your Grand Master. In any case, we won’t let you suffer losses.”

Gui Lin couldn’t help but smile: “Yes.”

He had long heard that Yunhua Sect was very protective of their own. When the “own” being protected was himself, Gui Lin only felt thoroughly comfortable throughout his entire body.

He took out a carved wooden treasure box from his storage ring: “This is something this junior bought when entering the city. I hope Martial Aunt won’t disdain it.”

Kong Hou accepted the wooden box: “May I open it now?”

Gui Lin nodded.

Opening the wooden box, inside was a very exquisitely crafted phoenix hairpin. The hairpin handle even bore Yuxiao Sect’s insignia. This… seemed to be a new hairpin recently released by Yuxiao Sect?

Kong Hou recalled that a few days ago on the flying vessel, when she and several martial sisters were discussing Yuxiao Sect’s new phoenix hairpin, Gui Lin had passed by them. She hadn’t expected Gui Lin would remember this and even spend money to buy it.

Yuxiao Sect’s items weren’t cheap. This child had only been at Yunhua Sect for less than two years. After buying this phoenix hairpin, he probably wouldn’t have much spirit stone left from his savings.

“The phoenix hairpin is very beautiful.” Kong Hou didn’t tell him not to buy such expensive things. Instead, she expressed her thanks with treasure and importance: “Thank you. I really like it.”

“Kong Hou.” Huan Zong jumped down from the crane’s back with a smile and walked to Kong Hou’s side.

He glanced at the wooden box in her hand, then turned his head to smile slightly at Gui Lin.

Gui Lin almost couldn’t help but take a step back. It wasn’t that his courage was too small, but rather that the way Daoist Zhong Xi looked at him was calmly terrifying.

Clearly smiling, yet without any hint of mirth.

**Author’s Note:** Kong Hou: A female protagonist who took the scumbag male lead’s script~