Her senior brother had actually brought her clothes and jewelry…
Chi Yao’s heartbeat suddenly quickened, her eyes brightening along with it.
“This is the apprenticeship gift Master sent for you, Junior Sister.”
Those words shattered all of Chi Yao’s expectations.
The light in Chi Yao’s eyes dimmed a little, and a trace of disappointment welled up in her heart.
At the same time, she knew perfectly well that Shen Yujue would never give her a gift of his own accord. Just like the chaotic heartbeat she’d heard outside the door earlier—it was all her own unrealistic fantasy.
Shen Yu was the Reincarnation of the Heavenly Dao, and the Heavenly Dao would never lose composure over anyone, let alone fall into the mortal world and grow close to a person.
He would forever stand high above, forever beyond her reach.
“Doesn’t Junior Sister want to take a look?”
Shen Yu’s tone carried a hint of casualness. As his gaze flicked toward Chi Yao, the fingers hidden behind his back rubbed roughly against each other a few times, his movements tinged with a trace of restlessness and unease.
“Ah… yes, of course…”
Chi Yao hastily pulled her thoughts back and hurried over to the table.
The moment she saw the clothing and jewelry laid out on it, the disappointment in her heart was instantly replaced by delight.
It was a pale pink gauze dress, its embroidery exquisitely delicate, in a style Chi Yao loved.
But what captivated her most was the hairpin beside it.
It was a peach blossom hairpin, a small luminous pearl set at the center of the petals. The pearl was dazzling and beautiful, nestled among the petals—neither overly ostentatious nor too plain.
Chi Yao couldn’t help touching the pearl, and a wisp of Spiritual Essence instantly burrowed into her body, bringing her a refreshment she had never felt before.
“How does Junior Sister like it?”
Shen Yu’s voice was suddenly much closer. Chi Yao looked up, only to find that Shen Yu was already standing at her side.
The distance between them was even closer than before, and that faint fragrance, like melting pine snow, drifted over once more.
Since the distance wasn’t too near, the scent was faint, coming and going, endlessly tugging at Chi Yao’s heartstrings.
It made her think of how Shen Yu’s waist had been taut earlier, and of the firm muscles along his abdomen.
“Junior Sister?”
It wasn’t until Shen Yu’s voice came again that Chi Yao realized he was asking whether she liked them.
The question sounded somewhat subtle coming from Shen Yu’s mouth. Chi Yao instinctively felt she should have noticed something, but that flicker of strangeness passed in an instant, and she couldn’t grasp it at all.
“They’re beautiful. I love them,” Chi Yao blurted out her truest feelings. “Especially this hairpin.”
She didn’t know why she had suddenly added that last part. She only knew that after she said it, the aura around Shen Yu abruptly changed.
It felt something like the sky clearing after rain.
In truth, ever since she had noticed something off about Shen Yu’s mood in the school hall that day, she had sensed a shadow of gloom hanging over him for days on end.
She had often glimpsed him in the mirror, sitting at his desk, drawing something—but he was never satisfied with what he drew, and most of it ended up thrown into the wastebasket.
Chi Yao felt that this gloomy aura had lingered around Shen Yu the whole time, and it hadn’t faded even when he spoke just now.
But now, after she had answered, that negative aura had vanished completely.
Chi Yao couldn’t help lifting her head to steal a glance at Shen Yu.
She truly couldn’t find a trace of gloom on him anymore; even his brows seemed to have relaxed.
Intuition told Chi Yao that these changes in Shen Yu were probably related to her. Fortunately, what remained of her reason immediately warned her not to indulge in wishful thinking, and only then did she avoid becoming so worked up that Shen Yu might sense her shameful thoughts.
Chi Yao caressed the hairpin in her hand, then suddenly thought of an important question.
“Hadn’t Master already given me my apprenticeship gift? Why is he sending me these things now?”
On the day she became his disciple, her master had already given her a gift—a sword, beautiful and light, perfectly suited for a woman, and exceptionally comfortable in her hands.
“Master has always been generous. He often gives his disciples things.”
Shen Yu, uncharacteristically, looked away first, his movement carrying a hint of evasiveness.
But Chi Yao believed his words without question. After all, her master truly treated her extremely well. That day, besides the apprenticeship gift, he had also given her many other things.
Although Chi Yao had no idea how her master, still in seclusion, could have instructed Shen Yu to deliver clothes and jewelry to her, she truly could not think of anyone else besides her master who would send her these things.
It couldn’t possibly be that Shen Yu was the one who sent them, and was too embarrassed to admit it, so he claimed they were from her master.
The very thought of that possibility struck her as laughable.
How could a proud son of heaven like Shen Yu ever go to so much trouble for her?
“Why don’t you try them on first, Junior Sister, and see if they fit.”
Shen Yu’s voice came again, interrupting Chi Yao’s thoughts.
That remark was also a bit odd.
Chi Yao felt that Shen Yu was still not quite himself today. Knowing his temperament, he shouldn’t have lingered so long after delivering the gifts.
But whatever the reason for Shen Yu’s behavior, Chi Yao was thrilled.
This feeling of being alone with Shen Yu—she craved it desperately.
She wished he would never leave.
“All right.”
Chi Yao lowered her eyes to hide the heat in them, then turned and carried the clothes toward the folding screen at the side.
To her surprise, the garment fit her perfectly, as if it had been tailored for her alone.
The hairpin suited her wonderfully as well. The moment she put it on, a stream of Spiritual Essence flowed gently into her meridians, immediately easing the dull ache that her cultivation had left there.
Chi Yao raised her eyes to look at herself in the mirror, and a trace of astonishment surfaced on her face.
This was the first time she had ever worn such a beautiful dress.
Back when she was a little beggar, she had envied the children dressed in fine, bright clothes.
Every time she begged, watching children her own age playing in the streets, Chi Yao had felt like a rat in a gutter, greedily peeping at other people’s happiness.
It was precisely because of this that, even after growing up, Chi Yao had always believed such dazzling things could never belong to her.
The same went for this dress and the hairpin on her head.
She loved them, but they were simply too beautiful. She felt she would look utterly out of place wearing them.
Only now, seeing herself in the mirror, did she realize with a start that she, too, could look so radiant.
Would Senior Brother like the way she looked now?
That question made Chi Yao anxious again. She turned to look toward the outside of the screen, her heartbeat quickening.
After a moment’s hesitation, Chi Yao finally walked slowly out from behind the screen.
Shen Yu was standing not far from it, and the moment she stepped out, she met his gaze head-on.
Chi Yao saw clearly the flash of wonder that appeared in those eyes.
It was no illusion this time. She had seen it unmistakably.
“What do you think, Senior Brother?”
Chi Yao stepped forward and asked the same question Shen Yu had just asked her.
Shen Yu’s gaze settled on Chi Yao’s face, moving down from her brows and eyes until it came to rest on her full red lips.
His Adam’s apple bobbed. “Very beautiful.”
Chi Yao hadn’t expected Shen Yu to answer so decisively. She froze for a moment, then a wave of immense joy surged into her heart.
Senior Brother actually said she looked beautiful!
Even the hand hanging at her side was trembling uncontrollably.
By the time she had desperately suppressed her excitement, she found Shen Yu already standing in front of her, his slender, well-defined hand slowly approaching—as if about to caress her cheek.
As that hand drew closer and closer, Chi Yao’s body stiffened completely, her breathing coming to a halt.
But just as the hand was still a few inches from her cheek, it suddenly paused, then moved upward to her hairpin instead.
“Your hairpin. It’s crooked.”
There was a hint of hoarseness in Shen Yu’s voice, and as he spoke, his eyes remained fixed on Chi Yao’s lips. Those brown pupils gradually darkened, as if certain emotions were overflowing uncontrollably.
All of these changes happened in an instant. Once the hairpin was straightened, Shen Yu withdrew his hand and stepped back.
When Chi Yao looked at him in astonishment, his face showed not the slightest ripple.
As if the gesture had been utterly ordinary for him—like straightening a crooked table.
Naturally, he wouldn’t have any romantic thoughts about it.
Such calm indifference stirred a faint sense of imbalance in Chi Yao.
A single casual gesture from Shen Yu could throw her heart into turmoil, yet she could never evoke any emotion from him—at most, a word of praise.
Chi Yao grew less and less satisfied. She wanted Shen Yu’s emotions to stir because of her—even anger would do.
She truly wanted to make a move on Shen Yu right now.
“Don’t look at me like that, Junior Sister.”
Shen Yu’s voice interrupted Chi Yao’s thoughts, and also stopped her hand from reaching toward her Storage Pouch.
But as she came back to her senses, she seemed to catch a trace of something different in his eyes.
Yet when she looked closely, Shen Yu had already looked away.
“Have you been taking the Tianji Pill on schedule these past few days, Junior Sister?”
“Of course.” Chi Yao’s attention immediately shifted. “The pill works very well. My meridians are much clearer now.”
“Let me check for you, then.”
The moment he finished speaking, Shen Yu grasped Chi Yao’s wrist, and in the next instant, a stream of spiritual energy flowed into her meridians.
Strangely, Chi Yao’s body didn’t resist this spiritual energy at all.
Not only that—as the energy continued to flow through her meridians, a familiar sensation arose within her.
This comfortable feeling was remarkably like the hallucinations she used to experience after cultivating until she fainted from pain.
But Chi Yao knew very well that the two had nothing to do with each other.
Chi Yao’s momentary daze did not escape Shen Yu’s eyes. The corner of his mouth curved into a faint arc, and only then did he slowly withdraw his spiritual energy.
“You have indeed improved somewhat.” But still too slow.
Shen Yu released Chi Yao’s wrist and lowered his eyes to hide the emotions within.
“Keep taking it from now on, Junior Sister. After I… after Master emerges from seclusion, he will find a faster method for you.”
“I understand. Thank you, Senior Brother.”
There was a hint of pleasant surprise in Chi Yao’s tone. In truth, she was already quite satisfied with her current rate of recovery, but if there were an even faster way, she would certainly welcome it.
The corners of Chi Yao’s mouth curled up involuntarily, but the moment she raised her eyes, she found herself looking directly into Shen Yu’s gaze.
Shen Yu’s attention seemed to have been on her all along—his eyes appeared calm, yet they seemed to hide a multitude of emotions.
Chi Yao knew that the eyes were the easiest place for emotions to be exposed. She wanted to know what exactly was hidden in Shen Yu’s eyes, but she was also afraid that he would see through her base thoughts, so she could only hurriedly avert her gaze.
“Senior Brother, are you about to head back? I… I’ll see you out.”
“Very well.”
Shen Yu finally withdrew his gaze and turned to walk out of the sleeping quarters.
But just as the two of them stepped outside, Shen Yu’s footsteps paused briefly. As he looked up toward the horizon, a flash of cold light crossed his eyes.
In the next moment, a Transmission Talisman came flying through the air, passing right by Shen Yu and landing in Chi Yao’s hand.
By the time Shen Yu turned his head, Chi Yao had already opened the talisman, and Ji Jiusi’s voice rang out clearly from within:
“Young Martial Aunt, I’ll be waiting for you at the Ink Bamboo Grove.”
For an instant, the hostility on Shen Yu’s face spilled out entirely beyond his control.
Even Chi Yao could sense a faint, almost imperceptible trace of killing intent.
She looked up and glanced around, noticing nothing out of the ordinary, until her gaze swept over Shen Yu—and she couldn’t help but freeze.
Senior Brother’s expression seemed a little off.
“Do you have an appointment today, Junior Sister?”
Shen Yu’s tone remained as casual as ever, as if he were asking in passing, but the fingers hanging at his side had already clenched tightly, the veins on the back of his hand clearly visible.
“No, it’s because the disciple assessment is coming up. Martial Nephew Ji asked me to practice swordplay with him.”
For this assessment, Chi Yao was determined to achieve an excellent result.
As a disciple of Immortal Venerable Yun Yi, she would undoubtedly be in the spotlight during the assessment. If she failed to perform well, she would surely bring disgrace upon her master.
Moreover, her master would emerge from seclusion in a few days, and she didn’t want to disappoint him then.
So Chi Yao had been studying and training diligently all this time. Yesterday, during morning lessons, Ji Jiusi had proposed practicing swordplay together, and she had readily agreed—after all, sparring together would lead to faster improvement.
At this thought, Chi Yao’s desire to practice her swordplay grew even more urgent.
“Martial Nephew Ji is already waiting for me, so I won’t see you out, Senior Brother.”
With that, Chi Yao prepared to head straight down the mountain. But before she could move, the surrounding temperature seemed to suddenly drop, and even Shen Yu’s complexion turned strange, as if it had darkened somewhat.
“Senior Brother?”
Chi Yao stopped in her tracks and called out to Shen Yu tentatively.
Shen Yu’s gaze then fell upon Chi Yao. Only after a long while did his voice reach her:
“In that case, you should hurry along, Junior Sister.”
With nothing more than those words, Shen Yu turned and left.
As Chi Yao watched his retreating figure, she suddenly felt as though he might be angry.
This feeling only grew stronger as Shen Yu’s figure receded into the distance.
Chi Yao didn’t know why Shen Yu would behave this way. She only knew that even his anger was so restrained—so utterly captivating to her.
Chi Yao’s eyes followed Shen Yu’s figure the entire way, and only when that streak of white vanished from her sight did she reluctantly withdraw her gaze and turn to walk down the mountain.
Shen Yu did not return to his sleeping quarters. He went to the cliff where he used to practice his sword, watching the pink figure on the mountainside walk farther and farther away until it vanished from his sight.
Shen Yu’s expression grew darker and darker. The surroundings were terrifyingly still—even the peach tree beside him stopped dropping its petals, and the air itself seemed to freeze in that moment.
Only after a long while did Shen Yu slowly raise his hand and conjure a Water Mirror.
The place that appeared in the mirror was none other than the ink bamboo grove.
At that moment, Chi Yao had just met Ji Jiusi in the bamboo grove.
Upon seeing Chi Yao’s attire, Ji Jiusi visibly lost focus, the admiration in his eyes spilling out uncontrollably.
Shen Yu saw this scene with perfect clarity.
The aura around him grew even colder.
As he clenched his fist, a powerful pressure surged forth, shaking even the thick peach tree beside him. Petals scattered and fell, but before they could touch the ground, they were crushed by that pressure, instantly reduced to powder.
The things he had given his junior sister were now benefiting that brat.
How wonderful indeed.
Watching the two already practicing swordplay together in the mirror, Shen Yu’s expression grew uglier still.
After a long while, the corner of his lips curled into a cold sneer, and his clenched fist slowly relaxed. The moment he fully loosened his grip, a wisp of white light drifted from his palm into the mirror.
At the same time, Ji Jiusi, who had been concentrating on his sword practice, suddenly slipped and fell flat on his face right in front of Chi Yao.
“Martial Nephew Ji, what’s wrong?”
Chi Yao heard the commotion and couldn’t help but stop.
Ji Jiusi looked rather embarrassed, his face flushing red as he stood up.
“I-it’s nothing, Young Martial Aunt. I just failed to control my strength just now, so I accidentally fell. Let’s continue.”
Ji Jiusi was so embarrassed he didn’t dare look at Chi Yao. With that, he picked up his sword and resumed his practice on his own.
Strangely, Ji Jiusi usually practiced his sword smoothly when alone, but today, for some unknown reason, he kept making mistakes, utterly humiliating himself in front of Chi Yao.
After falling yet again, Ji Jiusi looked rather disheveled—his clothes stained with dirt and his hair in disarray.
Standing up, he glanced down at his feet in confusion.
He kept feeling as if something was deliberately tripping him.
“Martial Nephew Ji, are you all right?”
Chi Yao had also noticed that something was off with Ji Jiusi today. She put away her sword and came over to him, her face showing a touch of concern.
“Why don’t we stop here for today? Go back and get some rest.”
“O-okay.”
In truth, Ji Jiusi didn’t want to leave so soon, but he looked far too wretched at the moment. Not wanting to embarrass himself any further in front of the person he liked, he had no choice but to put away his sword and leave.
After Ji Jiusi departed, Chi Yao practiced her sword alone for a while longer.
By the time she returned to Guiyun Peak, the sky had already darkened. The moonlight was beautiful tonight, falling over Guiyun Peak like a layer of silver gauze, making the entire mountain hazy and dreamlike.
Chi Yao walked against the gentle breeze, stepping on her own shadow as she made her way toward the peak step by step.
Before long, her shadow faded, and a faint glow appeared at the edge of her vision.
Chi Yao looked up, only to realize that at some point she had arrived at the cliff.
At that moment, several lanterns hung from the thick peach tree, and beneath their light, Shen Yu sat quietly at a stone table.
Under the hazy lantern light, Shen Yu’s cool, aloof face appeared even more handsome.
Chi Yao felt her heart give a fierce thump.
By the time she managed to calm her racing heart, Shen Yu happened to look up. He didn’t seem surprised that Chi Yao had appeared here, and simply raised a hand to pass her a cup of tea.
“You’ve worked hard practicing your sword today, Junior Sister. This is Spirit Tea I just brewed—have a taste.”
Chi Yao’s gaze fell on that hand, its knuckles clearly defined, and she heard her heartbeat quicken once more.
Tea brewed personally by her Senior Brother—she could never refuse it, no matter what. Even if it were laced with poison, she would drink it gladly.
“Thank you, Senior Brother.”
Chi Yao stepped forward and took the teacup. Under Shen Yu’s gaze, she slowly brought the cup to her lips.
The moment the rim touched her lips, Chi Yao caught the scent of peach blossoms, mingled with a trace of Shen Yu’s own clean fragrance.
Her fingertips trembled slightly, and without hesitation she drained the cup in one gulp.
Yet the instant the liquid slid down her throat, all Chi Yao tasted was a burning sharpness.
She looked up at Shen Yu in bewilderment. “Senior Brother, this tea tastes so strange.”
Shen Yu took the cup back from her hand, his fingertip gently brushing over the spot her lips had touched, and said unhurriedly:
“My apologies—I grabbed the wrong cup. What you drank, Junior Sister, was my wine.”