Smiling as she drank the tea, Kong Hou noticed Sect Master Shuangqing looking at her with very gentle eyes. Her confusion only deepened. She remembered that before entering the secret realm, this square-faced sect master’s attitude toward her had been merely superficially polite. Now with such a sudden change, she couldn’t help overthinking it.

“Sect Master is too kind.” In front of others, Kong Hou couldn’t very well ask what he wanted to thank her for. She smiled vaguely and let the matter pass.

Sect Master Shuangqing also didn’t seem inclined to explain. After the banquet ended and Kong Hou was preparing to leave, Yuanji Sect disciples came to invite her, saying the sect master had important matters to discuss with her. Kong Hou found this even stranger. She was just a young disciple who hadn’t seen much of the world—what important matters could she possibly discuss with a sect master?

Yuanji Sect wasn’t like small sects such as Wuwei Manor or Jixiang Pavilion where many things could be settled through casual discussion.

Though she didn’t understand Shuangqing’s behavior, since he was being courteous, Kong Hou couldn’t very well refuse and agreed.

“I wonder if Sect Master Shuangqing would mind if I accompanied Miss Kong Hou?” Huan Zong looked at the messenger disciple. “Kong Hou is young. Girls are timid. I’m afraid she might say something inappropriate and offend the sect master.”

The messenger disciple hadn’t expected the ice-faced Zhenren Huan Zong to suddenly speak up. What “girls are timid,” what “inappropriate words and offense”—there were few timid women in the cultivation world. As for offense…

This stance wasn’t at all about fearing Immortal Kong Hou might offend the sect master—clearly he was worried about Kong Hou going alone. Accustomed to seeing the cold demeanor of Liuguang Sect sword cultivators, the messenger disciple was somewhat unaccustomed to suddenly having a zhenren who liked to “meddle in other people’s business.”

“If Zhenren can come along, that would be our humble sect’s honor.” After brief consideration, the messenger disciple agreed.

In such circumstances, he couldn’t very well say others weren’t welcome.

After the guests dispersed, the bustling Yuanji Sect seemed much quieter. Occasionally disciples passed by carrying swords, bowing from afar before withdrawing to the side.

“Zhenren, Immortal, please proceed this way.”

Passing through a lotus pond, Kong Hou saw Shuangqing sitting in a pavilion over the water.

“Immortal, Zhenren, please board the boat.” The messenger disciple pulled a jade boat from his sleeve and made a gesture of invitation.

Huan Zong stepped onto the boat first, quickly surveying the interior before stepping aside with his hands clasped behind his back. Kong Hou flew lightly to his side and smiled at the messenger disciple.

The jade boat moved without oars, carrying Kong Hou and Huan Zong toward the water pavilion.

“Can you tell how many formations are in the pond?” Admiring the blooming lotus flowers, Huan Zong asked Kong Hou beside him.

“Mm…” Kong Hou looked carefully for a long while. “I can only make out three—the Spirit Urging Formation, Five Elements Formation, and Sound Locking Formation.” The Spirit Urging and Five Elements Formations were set for the lotus flowers in the pond. The Sound Locking Formation protected the water pavilion, preventing others from easily intruding. The jade boat beneath her feet was the key to breaking through the formations. Without this boat, approaching the water pavilion would trigger the formation’s attacks.

“In just a few days, you can already recognize these formations. Very good.” It wasn’t the season for lotus flowers to bloom, yet the lotuses here bloomed brilliantly. The pond water that should have been murky was crystal clear—so clear that the golden koi swimming within could be seen distinctly. When water is too clear, there are no fish, yet the fish here lived freely thanks to the abundant spiritual energy.

“So did I guess correctly?” Kong Hou widened her eyes looking at Huan Zong.

“These three formations do exist at the bottom of the water, but they’re only superficial. The truly formidable one is the moving formation created using the koi and lotus flowers—the Soul Devouring Formation.” A hazy mist floated on the water’s surface, making the entire scene look beautiful, but this misty haze was actually a lethal weapon.

“Soul Devouring Formation?” Kong Hou had heard this name. It was said that those trapped in such a formation would lose their consciousness. If someone with evil intentions entered and couldn’t resist the formation’s power, they would fall into frenzied chaos and might even self-destruct their spiritual platform.

Every sect had various protective formations inside and out. Disciples carried life tokens precisely to avoid accidentally stepping in the wrong place and being killed by their own sect’s formations.

She observed the water’s surface for quite a while. Even when the jade boat stopped by the water pavilion’s steps, she still couldn’t make out the details. Sighing quietly, she really was still unskilled. Formations weren’t something that could be mastered in just a day or two.

Shuangqing was somewhat surprised to see Zhenren Huan Zong had also come, but invited them both to sit. “Zhenren, Immortal, please be seated.”

Kong Hou and Huan Zong sat down. Seeing an old man with a kind face pouring tea for her, she received it with both hands. “Thank you, Senior.”

“Immortal need not be so polite. This old one is merely the sect master’s servant and cannot bear the title of senior.” The servant smiled and placed several pastries before Kong Hou.

“The accomplished are elders, the aged are elders. You possess both, so before this junior, you are a senior.” Kong Hou replied earnestly. “Please do not be so modest, Senior.”

The elderly servant’s smile became even more benevolent as he withdrew behind Shuangqing.

“I asked the immortal here today because this humble one wished to thank you once more.” Shuangqing didn’t exchange many pleasantries with Kong Hou, getting straight to the point. “My unworthy disciple Xu Feng was my first disciple. When I brought him back from the mortal realm, he was only five or six years old. At that time, the mortal realm was experiencing a dynastic transition, and the people were suffering. Countless people resorted to eating their own children to survive. Xu Feng’s mother didn’t want him to be exchanged for food by his husband, but couldn’t resist her husband’s authority, so while he was unconscious with fever, she abandoned him by a remote pond.”

For a timid woman dependent on a man’s protection, whose life and death weren’t her own, secretly abandoning her child somewhere no one would discover was already the boldest thing she’d ever done. If Xu Feng hadn’t been sick, if he could cry and make noise, perhaps fearing her husband would discover, she wouldn’t have dared do even this.

What chance did a feverish child have of surviving after being abandoned outside? Perhaps she knew, perhaps she didn’t, or perhaps she sought peace of mind. But regardless, this was the only thing she could do for this child.

For young Xu Feng, being abandoned by the mother who treated him best when he was gravely ill was something he would never forget.

“Decades ago, when I discovered he harbored this knot in his heart regarding his birth mother, I took him to the mortal realm. But over a hundred years had passed—even if his birth mother hadn’t died in the war, she would have died of old age.” Shuangqing sighed. His comically square head and square face now seemed more human. “If back then I hadn’t hidden the truth about cannibalism from him because he was young, perhaps today he wouldn’t be like this.”

“Sect Master, you’re mistaken. If you had told him about it, Young Master Xu might have developed an unresolvable knot over his birth father’s cannibalism.” The dynastic transition he mentioned should have been when the Ji family ancestor overthrew the Chu Dynasty.

She hadn’t expected this past to involve the Ji family ancestor.

“Regardless, since that night when Xu Feng spoke with the immortal, he no longer runs about wildly and can sit quietly to hear me speak.” Shuangqing smiled bitterly. “I no longer seek his immediate ascension, only that he can live properly as a person. That would satisfy me completely.”

After saying this, he took out an ebony carved box and placed it before Kong Hou. “I’m deeply grateful for the immortal’s kindness. I hope the immortal will accept this gift.”

“I’m very happy that Young Master Xu Feng can improve, but this junior cannot accept this gift.” Kong Hou shook her head in refusal. “To be honest with the sect master, my ancestors had some connection to that civilian suffering. Young Master Xu Feng was separated from his family due to that suffering. I merely spoke a few words with him—it hardly counts as any great kindness.”

“Immortal, your bone age is only seventeen. Even if events from two hundred years ago involved your ancestors, they have nothing to do with you.” Shuangqing said. “If the immortal won’t accept this gift, do you disdain this humble one?”

“Sect Master, you speak too gravely. This junior has no such intention.” Seeing Shuangqing’s insistence, Kong Hou could only accept the gift and bid Zhenren Shuangqing farewell.

This time Zhenren Shuangqing didn’t keep them, having his servant personally escort them out.

After seeing the two off and returning, the servant found Shuangqing still sitting in the pavilion drinking tea. Seeing him return, he said flatly, “They’ve left?”

“They’ve already departed. From their direction, they should be heading east.” The servant changed Shuangqing’s tea. “Sect Master, the magical treasures you gave Immortal Kong Hou all have powerful defensive capabilities. Are you worried she’ll encounter danger on the road?”

Shuangqing sneered coldly. “She’s a Yunhua Sect disciple. Why would I worry about her?” Setting down his teacup, he was somewhat displeased. “I simply don’t want to owe her a favor, lest I feel guilty seeing her when we eventually surpass Yunhua Sect’s ranking.”

“I see.” The servant said with sudden understanding. “I saw the sect master even included a personally refined magical ring, so I presumed the sect master appreciated young disciples like Miss Kong Hou. Please forgive this transgression.”

“Forget it. I can’t be bothered to quibble with you.” Shuangqing emphasized, “But as sect master, I won’t develop unnecessary emotions toward unrelated people. Besides, why would I appreciate a Yunhua Sect disciple?”

Years ago, he had traveled over mountains and rivers to the foot of Yunhua Mountain. He was just one incense stick’s time away from successfully completing the Path of Asking Immortals. Yet no matter how he begged, those Yunhua Sect people refused to give him a chance, saying his temperament wasn’t suited to Yunhua Sect.

Now that he was the sect master of Yuanji Sect, he wondered if those old fossils who said he wasn’t suitable for Yunhua Sect regretted their decision.

After leaving Yuanji Sect and boarding the carriage, Kong Hou handed the box to Huan Zong, asking him to check if there were any problems with the contents. It wasn’t that she liked to judge others with a petty heart—truly Sect Master Shuangqing’s attitude had changed too drastically before and after, making her inevitably overthink.

Huan Zong took the box and opened it to look. This was a storage box with a built-in collection formation, containing various magical treasures large and small. The most precious was a top-grade defensive magical ring. Rings were small in volume and originally couldn’t bear many magical patterns, but this ring was covered with countless formations. Its value could only be described as priceless.

Caressing this magical ring, Huan Zong was somewhat puzzled. What was Shuangqing’s intention in giving Kong Hou such a precious magical artifact? Did he see Kong Hou’s good aptitude and want to recruit her to Yuanji Sect?

“All good items.” Huan Zong placed the magical ring back in the box and returned it to Kong Hou. “You can keep them.”

“I thought there might be hidden weapons or something inside.” Kong Hou put the box in a compartment in the carriage and muttered quietly, “Although this square sect master… no, Sect Master Shuangqing has a somewhat strange personality, he’s very good to his disciples.”

“You’re a personal disciple of Yunhua Sect. If he truly dared place hidden weapons in a gift box while others were present, he could forget about being sect master.” Huan Zong said. “Not only him—the entire Yuanji Sect would be implicated.”

A sect master using underhanded methods against junior disciples was something the entire cultivation world couldn’t tolerate.

“That’s true.” Kong Hou nodded. “With you present, he definitely wouldn’t dare do such things.”

Huan Zong smiled wryly. Where was this his doing? Shuangqing had ambition, but he wasn’t insane. He should be very clear about what absolutely couldn’t be done.

“Oh no, I almost forgot.” Kong Hou pulled out the unknown spirit grass planted in a pot from her storage ring. Seeing their leaves looking somewhat dispirited again, she carefully poured a few drops of spirit liquid into the small pot, then placed the pot in the carriage.

Seeing Kong Hou still tending these grasses, Huan Zong took out a bottle of medicinal dew suitable for watering plants from his storage ring and, imitating Kong Hou, dripped a few drops inside.

“What’s this?” Kong Hou smelled a faint fragrance.

“It’s medicinal dew refined by an alchemist elder in the sect. It can enhance plants’ vitality.” Huan Zong placed the medicinal dew in a compartment beside the flowerpot so he could remember to water them daily.

“Should we add more?” Kong Hou stared at the spirit grass’s rather dispirited leaves. “These spirit grasses have been in the storage ring so long—they must be lacking nutrients.”

“More?” Huan Zong turned to look at her, hesitating whether to comply.

“Mm-hmm.” Kong Hou nodded. “A bit more.”

Huan Zong did as she said and added quite a bit more.

Outside the carriage, Lin Hu shook his head. A single drop of medicinal dew was enough to revive a century-old tree. These two wastrels were using spirit liquid and medicinal dew like water to irrigate spirit grass—not only wasting good things but also drowning the grass to death.

Soon sounds of tea drinking and eating pastries came from inside the carriage. Lin Hu leaned against the carriage door, gently tapping the horse’s back with his whip. The horse took flight, pulling the carriage into the sky.

“Huan Zong, let’s dual cultivate.”

“Alright.”

When a young lady spoke, how could she casually omit the first two words? Such phrasing was too easily misunderstood.

Lin Hu shook his head. In any case, the young master was destined to become a live-in son-in-law. Let them do as they pleased.

After a night passed, Kong Hou woke from meditation. She yawned, kicked her somewhat stiff legs, and lifted the carriage curtain to look outside. White clouds filled the view—they were still in the sky.

She patted her face and leaned out the carriage door curtain. “Senior Lin, haven’t we arrived yet?”

“Just a while longer.” Lin Hu said. “There’s a grassy area below. I’ll have the horse descend to rest briefly and feed it some fodder.”

Of the three locations—Wuwang Sea, Tingfeng Valley, and the mortal realm—Tingfeng Valley was closest to Kui City. So after leaving Kui City, Miss Kong Hou decided to head for Tingfeng Valley. The young master listened to whatever Miss Kong Hou said, so as the coachman, he simply followed Miss Kong Hou’s wishes completely.

The carriage landed. Huan Zong got off, letting Kong Hou change clothes and wash up inside. He had just walked a few steps after descending when he heard Kong Hou suddenly call out loudly.

“Huan Zong, Huan Zong!”

Huan Zong flew back onto the carriage and lifted the curtain. “What happened?”

“The fruit on the spirit grass is gone!” Kong Hou pointed to where the spirit grass had borne fruit. The fruit had disappeared, but in its place grew a long, thin stem. The stem was white with hints of green, looking extremely fragile, as if a breath could break it.

The other two spirit grasses were the same. Three delicate sprouts leaned together, as fragile as newborn infants.

“This isn’t something that belongs to the spirit grass itself.” After careful observation, Huan Zong said, “The red vermillion fruit from before wasn’t actually fruit at all, but something that grew on the spirit grass through parasitism.”

No wonder when he first saw them, he thought these grasses were mobile Migration Grass, only to think days later he’d been mistaken. After Migration Grass is parasitized, the parasite would instinctively make the grass change form, making its external appearance as ordinary as possible so the parasite wouldn’t be easily discovered.

The parasite suddenly grew stems from the parasitized grass because it had absorbed enough spiritual energy and no longer needed to parasitize the Migration Grass.

Wait.

Huan Zong discovered this parasite was exceptionally strange. Though it had used the Migration Grass to grow stems, it hadn’t grown its own roots, as if determined not to come down and just keep freeloading on the Migration Grass’s root system.

“Huan Zong, what kind of grass is this?” Kong Hou held her breath, afraid her breathing might be too heavy and break the delicate tender branches.

Huan Zong shook his head. “I’ve never seen it before, and there are no relevant records in books.”

Kong Hou stood and took the spirit liquid and medicinal dew from the shelf, pouring half a bottle of each into the pot. “Drink more spirit liquid and grow up quickly.”

She didn’t know if she was overthinking it, but she felt those few leaves on the tender stems—so small they could barely be made out—looked somehow familiar.

“Young Master, Miss Kong Hou, I saw outside there’s a…”

Lin Hu lifted the curtain. Wind blew in from outside, and one of the delicate stems snapped in the breeze.

“Ah!” Kong Hou threw herself at Huan Zong, pressing down the curtain to keep the wind out. “It broke, it broke!”

“Be careful, don’t fall.” Huan Zong steadied her shoulders and reached out to help her hold the curtain, preventing Kong Hou from having to lie there in such an awkward position.

Kong Hou sat up and looked at the delicate stem that had broken off and now lay on the spirit grass leaves. With an inexplicable sense of pity, she found an inconspicuous jade box in her storage ring and placed the stem inside.

At least… let it have a proper resting place.

Outside the curtain, Lin Hu: “…”

Next time they went out, the young master probably wouldn’t need him as a coachman anymore.

Having found what she considered a proper resting place for the small stem, Kong Hou looked at the remaining two stems and finally felt no more guilt. She set up a windproof, rainproof, and sunproof barrier around the flowerpot before daring to open the curtain. “Senior Lin, what were you saying just now?”

Smelling the rich medicinal dew scent inside the carriage, Lin Hu didn’t ask what the two had been doing. “There’s a pond ahead. I tested it with a magical artifact—the water is fine. We can use water storage artifacts to collect some to carry with us. Even if water sources are scarce when we reach the bottom of Tingfeng Valley, it won’t affect our washing up.”

“Right!” Kong Hou nodded repeatedly. “Senior Lin, you’re so thorough in your thinking.” She lifted her skirt and jumped off the carriage. Looking at the pond not far ahead, she turned to Huan Zong. “I’ll go take a look.”

“Watch your step.” There were no auras of cultivators or demon beasts nearby. Huan Zong was at ease.

After Kong Hou ran to the pond’s edge to collect water, Lin Hu looked at Huan Zong with a serious expression. “Young Master, Miss Kong Hou is still a month away from turning seventeen.”

“I know.” Huan Zong descended from the carriage, his expression calm.

“Good that you know.” Lin Hu glanced at Huan Zong’s long legs. “It’s not that I want to be annoying, always meddling in the young master’s private affairs, but Miss Kong Hou is still young. Being too intimate with her isn’t good for her or for you.”

“I respect her, honor her, cherish her. I won’t do anything harmful to her.” Huan Zong looked at the young girl crouching by the pond, his expression gentle. “Lin Hu, no one would bear to harm someone so wonderful.”

Lin Hu moved his lips and finally asked the question hidden in his heart. “Just because she’s wonderful?”

“No.” Huan Zong shook his head and strode toward Kong Hou.

Kong Hou tossed the water storage artifact into the pond. After it filled with water, she formed hand seals to summon the artifact back. Turning her head to see Huan Zong had come to her side, she put the water storage artifact in her storage ring. “Huan Zong, do you need to collect water?”

“No need. My water gourd still has some.” Huan Zong took out a handkerchief and wiped away water splashed on Kong Hou’s face. “The wind in Tingfeng Valley is very strong.”

“I’ve prepared for that. I even got a gauze hat ready.” Kong Hou said proudly. She wasn’t someone who went unprepared.

This young lady who had to apply several layers of protective cream even when working by the artifact furnace was willing to brave skin-damaging winds to accompany him in finding medicine. Huan Zong chuckled softly. “Kong Hou, you can’t always be so good to me.”

“Why not?” Kong Hou glared. “Do you want to break off our friendship?”

“No.” Huan Zong took her hand. “Meeting Kong Hou in this life is my great fortune.”

“Those words…” Kong Hou’s ear tips reddened. “…are quite sappy.”

“Are they?” Huan Zong stopped and turned to look at her, his gaze as gentle as spring wind.

“Well… not too bad.” Kong Hou’s entire ears turned red. When someone looked this good, even sappy words sounded pleasant.

Huan Zong chuckled again, his low, deep laugh like the most beautiful music. Kong Hou followed behind him for quite a distance before remembering they were still holding hands. “Huan Zong, did you develop this habit in the secret realm? There are no charm demons or phantom demons here. You don’t need to trouble yourself protecting me anymore.”

The smile at the corner of Huan Zong’s mouth faded slightly. He slowly released her hand, his voice hoarse. “Yes, habit… I forgot to change it.”

—

**Author’s Note:** Shuang·Brick-Head·Qing: An ambitious man doesn’t discuss feelings! Hmph!