Did he look like a bad person?
Not wanting to be mistaken for a villain, Long Xingyu began to explain.
“I’m not a bad person. I’m your brother’s teacher. I also know your mother’s name is Bai Yue, and you share her surname, Bai Xi.”
Bai Xi, who was leaning against the door:…
Now he seemed even more like a bad person.
“Bad people always say they’re not bad! You must be a bad person—you look like one, and you’ve already investigated our family! But let me tell you, we’re not easy to mess with. Are you leaving or not? If you don’t go, I’ll call for help.”
To act more like a nine-year-old child, Bai Xi leaned into the innocence of childhood speech, which thoroughly annoyed Long Xingyu.
If he had even a shred of goodwill toward Long Haochen, he had absolutely none for Bai Xi, who bore a slight resemblance to that man.
He really wanted to retort: You look like a bad person—your face is practically villainous.
“I have no reason to harm a child like you who can’t cultivate. I really am your brother’s teacher. Even if you don’t recognize me, you should at least recognize this food, right?”
As he spoke, Long Xingyu took out a meal identical to the ones from the previous few days.
He thought this would convince Bai Xi.
Instead, he heard the sound of the door being bolted.
This was the first time in his life Long Xingyu had been mistaken for a villain. He was both angry and helpless—this child’s vigilance was simply too high.
How could he know that Bai Xi was merely sensitive to others’ emotions? From him, Bai Xi sensed a clear, unmistakable hostility, so naturally, she had no intention of engaging further.
“Long Haochen told me that you’ve been frail since childhood, often falling ill, to the point where you can’t cultivate. He asked if I had any way to improve your health, ideally so you could cultivate too. That’s why I came to see you.”
Long Xingyu let out a long sigh and explained the purpose of his visit.
In truth, he knew Bai Yue wasn’t home—he had deliberately chosen a time when she was away to come.
He didn’t dare to see Bai Yue.
“I don’t want to cultivate. I just want to be an ordinary herb gatherer. Please leave!”
Bai Xi didn’t like Long Xingyu either. The moment she saw him, her mood soured, and she kept trying to shoo him away.
“You! A block of wood cannot be carved!”
Long Xingyu was infuriated. Sensing that Bai Yue was about to return, he hurriedly left.
The reason he didn’t insist on Bai Xi cultivating was that female practitioners were exceedingly rare on the continent, and some professions even discouraged women from joining.
For example, Bai Xi’s mother, Bai Yue, had never cultivated, yet she lived a perfectly fine life.
Long Xingyu privately believed that the most important thing for a girl was to marry a good husband.
Just like Bai Yue.
But Bai Xi wasn’t his daughter, so he wouldn’t pay her any extra attention!
However, Long Xingyu, who believed girls didn’t need to cultivate, had his views challenged within a day.
It was Long Haochen’s weekly homecoming day. To test his training progress, Long Xingyu had arranged for a first-tier magical beast for him to face.
But there was a slight mishap.
Long Haochen had managed to slay the first-tier Scorpion-Tailed Lizard with his own strength.
However, that Scorpion-Tailed Lizard, despite its youth, already had a mate.
Its partner, another, more powerful Scorpion-Tailed Lizard, came seeking revenge against Long Haochen.
“Chenchen!”
Bai Xi saw the scorpion tail aiming for the back of Long Haochen’s head and immediately called out loudly while raising her right hand.
Long Haochen instantly reacted, dodging to the right and perfectly evading the attack.
“Damn, this Scorpion-Tailed Lizard is even stronger—it must be at least advanced rank. Let’s run!”
After just one glance at the Scorpion-Tailed Lizard, Long Haochen tried to pull Bai Xi away to escape.
A first-tier intermediate magical beast corresponded to 30–50 points of Spiritual Power, which he could still handle.
But a first-tier advanced magical beast corresponded to 50–70 points of Spiritual Power, something he couldn’t deal with, especially with Bai Xi, who couldn’t cultivate, by his side.
However, Scorpion-Tailed Lizards were known for their extremely fast short-distance sprints, and the two of them simply couldn’t outrun it.
“You think I’m easy to bully too, huh? I’ll show you bullying.”
Bai Xi’s temper flared as she was chased, her patience worn thin.
She immediately pulled out the ordinary bow and arrows she usually used to shoot birds for snacks, quickly turned around, and drew three arrows at once, aiming them at the Scorpion-Tailed Lizard.
Two arrows targeted its eyes, while the third aimed at its tail.
“That’s Spiritual Power fluctuation!”
Long Xingyu, who had been about to intervene, stepped back again.
He watched as the three ordinary wooden arrows, carrying faint Spiritual Power fluctuations, shot out the Scorpion-Tailed Lizard’s eyes and severed its venomous tail.
“Didn’t Long Haochen say his sister was frail and unable to cultivate? Did Long Haochen lie?”
This was Long Xingyu’s first thought upon seeing Bai Xi take action.
But then he heard Long Haochen’s voice, filled with surprise.
“Xi Xi, you can actually cultivate now! That’s wonderful! You can cultivate too!”
Long Haochen also sensed the faint Spiritual Power and was overjoyed.
Seeing Bai Xi possess Spiritual Power made him happier than anyone else.
He completely ignored the fact that even without Spiritual Power, Bai Xi had beaten him up, and with Spiritual Power, he might stand even less of a chance against her. It seemed he wouldn’t hear Bai Xi admit defeat and call him “brother” anytime soon.
“Yes, I can cultivate now. But let’s not celebrate yet—it’s not dead!”
Before the danger was completely resolved, Bai Xi had no time to explain further.
“Where exactly is this magical beast’s weak spot?”
Bai Xi had initially thought it was the eyes and tail, as both seemed crucial, but she had guessed wrong.
“In the abdomen.”
Two voices answered simultaneously.
The Vermilion Bird in her mind and Long Haochen, who had some knowledge of this, replied immediately.
Long Haochen also raised his bamboo sword, pointing it at the injured Scorpion-Tailed Lizard.
With Long Haochen attacking up close and Bai Xi providing ranged support, the injured Scorpion-Tailed Lizard was quickly dealt with by the siblings.
“Is this magical beast insane? Another one’s here!”
As Long Haochen was handling the Scorpion-Tailed Lizard’s corpse, another magical beast appeared, infuriating both of them.
They didn’t recognize this magical beast, but just by its appearance, it seemed much stronger than the previous one.
“Xi Xi, this is very likely a first-tier peak magical beast.”
Long Haochen explained in a low voice, his heart already filled with fear, worried he couldn’t protect Bai Xi properly.
If they couldn’t outrun a first-tier advanced magical beast, they naturally didn’t think they could outrun a peak one.
“Do you have another sword?”
Bai Xi instead reached out her hand toward Long Haochen.
“Yes, will this do?”
Long Haochen retrieved another bamboo sword from the blue-gold Forget-Me-Not ring.
“A bamboo sword—perfect.”
Bai Xi took the bamboo sword, her gaze burning as she stared at the magical beast.
“Let me test the sword technique I just learned on you.”
“This sword is called Strike the Phoenix Tree.”
Spiritual Power infused the bamboo sword, carrying an unwavering courage as it slashed toward the magical beast.
The bamboo sword burst into flames, resembling a Phoenix in flight.
Long Xingyu, who had intended to test their limits, was completely stunned.